g.o.a.t.
over the past few days, i've had a few different discussions with different people about music and people's favorites, including being blasted for not knowing much pearl jam (though that'll change soon thanks to dave passing on five or six of their albums).
but anyway, these talks have gotten me thinking. i say i'm a big fan of stevie wonder. i'd also call myself a fan of the cure, frank sinatra, john denver, and the police. however, i don't actually have any albums by any of those people, except for greatest hits albums. do you guys think someone, like myself, can call themselves a big fan (or even a fan) of an artist or group despite not having ever really listened to one of their albums? i think most people will say people can. and in my defense, all the above mentioned were well before my time and getting old albums would be expensive and a lot of effort.
but i do think there is a lot to say about listening to an album in the way the artist intended. i know many put a lot of time and effort into the arrangement of songs within an album and often that assembly will make the individual pieces better. unfortunately, nowadays singles and radio play are key, and that artform may be dying. for instance, i like the beatles "sgt pepper lonely hearts club band" much much more than their greatest hit "#1" album.
anyway ... i'm ranting ... i'll stop ... what do you guys think?
4 comments:
A big fan going off just greatest hits? hmmm... yes & no. A big fan would start there and then get key albums. But I understand it being expensive and a lot of effort, but that's what just moves me regardless of the cost, besides I buy used records so usually they're cheaper than a happy meal at McD's.
excellent example with the Beatles. It's cool to get a Bob Dylan GH's but you'd miss the sheer power of albums like hihgway 61 revisited or blonde on blonde.
think of this way, it's a Gang Starr's GH's really gonna do service to them? maybe, but you know Moment of Truth is BANANAS!!
yeah, i agree greatest hits usually don't do enough justice to the artist. and you're definitely right, gang starr's greatest hits isn't the same as listening to one of the albums. i very rarely actually listen to the greatest hits album, but instead listen to one of the albums. to further the point, one of my favorite gang starr songs, moment of truth, isn't even on their greatest hits album. i LOVE that song. similarly, i really like pac's thug passion and staring through my rearview, which i don't believe are on his greatest hits either.
ohhh, the list of albums i'd buy if i had the money for it.
and have you give me the bob dylan? i was listening to the hendrix i grabbed from you recently, and i really like that stuff, and i'm listening to some pearl jam right now (before i get yelled at some more).
Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" - tight song, and not just because the best homie has the same name!
so here's my take with albums. for proper artists, you NEED to listen to them as they intended. and that's important...if you're really concerned about an artist and his craft, you got to respect his product. kind of like why you shouldn't go asking a legitimate DJ for special requests at a club. BUT...i'm becoming a big proponent of what is being called "user programming". the tivo, itunes, you tube phenomena. touched upon it here. being able to listen to what you want to and ONLY what you want to is a party of shift in how we live. i appreciate that. how many times did you buy an album for one single and then had to listen to the rest of the garbage? but for someone you're a true fan of...likely thing is...it's probably not garbage.
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