The most overrated band in History....
- Thread starter iusedtobeone1
- Start date
Well, having worked with Vedder myself both in the studio and on tour I never saw such behavior.
Btw, all of those songs are covers. The Meat Puppets songs "turned up on Meat Puppets albums" because they were written by the Meat Puppets. The Man Who Sold The World is written by David Bowie. Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam was a Vaselines song & Leadbelly wrote Where Did You Sleep Last Night.
And as far as knowing music goes, I make my living in the music business. I was a senior A&R executive at 3 major labels before I struck out on my own. My credits are a mile long. So, there is no way you will change my opinion just like I'm not going to change your opinion.
Btw, all of those songs are covers. The Meat Puppets songs "turned up on Meat Puppets albums" because they were written by the Meat Puppets. The Man Who Sold The World is written by David Bowie. Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam was a Vaselines song & Leadbelly wrote Where Did You Sleep Last Night.
And as far as knowing music goes, I make my living in the music business. I was a senior A&R executive at 3 major labels before I struck out on my own. My credits are a mile long. So, there is no way you will change my opinion just like I'm not going to change your opinion.
No wonder why....
It was you marketers at these record companies who made Nirvana, thought you could sell them easier than high risk metal bands like Guns n Roses or Motely Crue who were self imploding with drugs and excess, and pressured radio stations to stop playing metal and push alternative music on the masses... I dated and lived with a PD of a NY area radio station at the time so this much I know.
Problem was a lot of these alternative bands turned out were bigger primadonnas and junkies than anyone before them. Cobain lost it, blew his head off. Vedder decided to sue Ticketmaster and cancel his tour dates, The Pumpkins let their egos implode that band and what was the name of those British rocker brothers who trashed airplanes and said they were better than the Beatles?
It's funny looking back now..... The alternative bands were marketed to the people as something that wasn't corporate bullshit or a bunch of primmadona sell out junkies.... and they turned out to be exactly that if not worse. This is fact... you can't argue this.
Eddie Vedder if you read the press, is one of the most hated by his peers. Guess you weren't at Radio City (or was it Carnegie Hall) the night Clapton and Townsend almost walked off the stage cause Eddie decided he wanted to be an asshole by singing to a fucking wall instead of the audience. His not touring and suing Ticketmaster plan worked out real well for the average joe he claimed he was trying to protect. Instead of TM charging 5 or 10% on those tickets it jumped up to about 20% after all the lawsuits. Thanks Eddie.
It was you marketers at these record companies who made Nirvana, thought you could sell them easier than high risk metal bands like Guns n Roses or Motely Crue who were self imploding with drugs and excess, and pressured radio stations to stop playing metal and push alternative music on the masses... I dated and lived with a PD of a NY area radio station at the time so this much I know.
Problem was a lot of these alternative bands turned out were bigger primadonnas and junkies than anyone before them. Cobain lost it, blew his head off. Vedder decided to sue Ticketmaster and cancel his tour dates, The Pumpkins let their egos implode that band and what was the name of those British rocker brothers who trashed airplanes and said they were better than the Beatles?
It's funny looking back now..... The alternative bands were marketed to the people as something that wasn't corporate bullshit or a bunch of primmadona sell out junkies.... and they turned out to be exactly that if not worse. This is fact... you can't argue this.
Eddie Vedder if you read the press, is one of the most hated by his peers. Guess you weren't at Radio City (or was it Carnegie Hall) the night Clapton and Townsend almost walked off the stage cause Eddie decided he wanted to be an asshole by singing to a fucking wall instead of the audience. His not touring and suing Ticketmaster plan worked out real well for the average joe he claimed he was trying to protect. Instead of TM charging 5 or 10% on those tickets it jumped up to about 20% after all the lawsuits. Thanks Eddie.
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thevenerablebede...
You may be a record exec and I'm not questioning your knowledge....
But I was with the record buyers in the 'pit' while the "suits" upstairs in the private boxes were making bone headed decisions and trying to pull the wool over the record buying publics eyes with that bullshit alternative non corporate crap. The music wasn't that good, no one from that era has yet to go out on their own and become a success except for Dave Grohl and the suits thought little of him while they were kissing Kurt Cobains ass. So it just goes to show how much they knew.
btw... I loved Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day and a few others. The Foo-Fighters are one of the best bands in the last 20 years. So I'm not some metal head crying about alternative music. Notice Greenday who most laughed at and couldn't get a record deal in the early days are at the top of the music world today 10 years later.
You may be a record exec and I'm not questioning your knowledge....
But I was with the record buyers in the 'pit' while the "suits" upstairs in the private boxes were making bone headed decisions and trying to pull the wool over the record buying publics eyes with that bullshit alternative non corporate crap. The music wasn't that good, no one from that era has yet to go out on their own and become a success except for Dave Grohl and the suits thought little of him while they were kissing Kurt Cobains ass. So it just goes to show how much they knew.
btw... I loved Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day and a few others. The Foo-Fighters are one of the best bands in the last 20 years. So I'm not some metal head crying about alternative music. Notice Greenday who most laughed at and couldn't get a record deal in the early days are at the top of the music world today 10 years later.
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I should add that I didn't just date someone in the business. I met her cause I was invilved in it. I worked at the most popular rock club in NY in the 80's and early 90's. Met plenty of execs and talent and I can tell you that the execs by and large didn't know their head from their ass when it came to music.
I wish I could remember the execs name who walked into Lamours in brooklyn in 1984 as Metalicca took the stage and said they wouldn't last the year. I'll call up a friend who was there and he might remember... perhaps you'll know this exec and can ask him about it.
I wish I could remember the execs name who walked into Lamours in brooklyn in 1984 as Metalicca took the stage and said they wouldn't last the year. I'll call up a friend who was there and he might remember... perhaps you'll know this exec and can ask him about it.
You know what...
Nevermind only sold 10 million units not the 20 mil I posted. So they weren't even as good as I thought.
And to the people who think hard rock/metal bands are overrated... take note of how many of their albums are on this elite list....
The Recording Industry Association of America's Top-Selling Albums of All Time
28 Million
Eagles: Their Greatest Hits, 1971–1975, Eagles (Elektra)
26 Million
Thriller, Michael Jackson (Epic)
23 Million
The Wall, Pink Floyd (Columbia)
22 Million
Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)
21 Million
Billy Joel Greatest Hits, Volumes I & II, (Columbia)
19 Million
Rumours, Fleetwood Mac (Warner Bros.)
Back in Black, AC/DC (Elektra)
The Beatles, The Beatles (Capitol)
Come On Over, Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)
17 Million
Boston, Boston (Epic)
The Bodyguard (soundtrack), Whitney Houston (Arista)
16 Million
Cracked Rear View, Hootie & the Blowfish (Atlantic)
Greatest Hits, Elton John (Island/Mercury)
Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette (Maverick)
The Beatles: 1967–1970, The Beatles (Capitol)
No Fences, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Hotel California, Eagles (Elektra)
15 Million
Double Live, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
The Beatles: 1962–1966, The Beatles (Capitol)
Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack), Bee Gees (Polydor/Atlas)
Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd (Capitol)
Physical Graffiti, Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)
Appetite for Destruction, Guns 'N Roses (Geffen)
Supernatural, Santana (Arista)
Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)
14 Million
Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits, Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia)
Bat out of Hell, Meat Loaf (Epic)
Metallica, Metallica (Elektra)
Ropin' the Wind, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Backstreet Boys, Backstreet Boys (Jive)
13 Million
Millennium, Backstreet Boys (Jive)
Greatest Hits: 1974–1978, Steve Miller Band (Capitol)
Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston (Arista)
Purple Rain (soundtrack), Prince and the Revolution (Warner Bros.)
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live: 1975–1985 (box set), Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (Columbia)
…Baby One More Time, Britney Spears (Jive)
12 Million
Forrest Gump (soundtrack) (Epic)
Kenny Rogers's Greatest Hits, Kenny Rogers (Capitol Nashville)
Hot Rocks, The Rolling Stones (abkco)
The Woman in Me, Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)
Breathless, Kenny G (Arista)
Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Ten, Pearl Jam (Epic)
Yourself or Someone Like You, Matchbox Twenty (Atlantic)
Abbey Road, The Beatles (Capitol)
II, Boyz II Men (Motown)
Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi (Mercury)
Wide Open Spaces, Dixie Chicks (Monument)
No Jacket Required, Phil Collins (Atlantic)
Hysteria, Def Leppard (Mercury)
11 Million
Human Clay, Creed (Wind-Up Records)
Falling into You, Celine Dion (Epic)
Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. II, Eagles (Elektra)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (Capitol)
No Strings Attached, 'N Sync (Jive)
Houses of the Holy, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Devil Without a Cause, Kid Rock (Lava)
Candle in the Wind, 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight (Single), Elton John (Rocket)
Pieces of You, Jewel (Atlantic)
CrazySexyCool, TLC (LaFace)
Dirty Dancing (soundtrack) (RCA)
Titanic (soundtrack) (Sony Classical)
James Taylor's Greatest Hits, James Taylor (Warner Bros.)
10 Million
Fly, Dixie Chicks (Monument)
'N Sync, 'N Sync (RCA)
Let's Talk About Love, Celine Dion (550 Music/Epic)
Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt (Trauma/Interscope)
Life After Death, Notorious B.I.G. (Bad Boy/Arista)
Best of the Doobies, Doobie Brothers (Warner Bros.)
Dookie, Green Day (Reprise)
The Stranger, Billy Joel (Columbia)
Aerosmith's Greatest Hits, Aerosmith (Columbia)
The Hits, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Music Box, Mariah Carey (Columbia)
Unplugged, Eric Clapton (Reprise)
Tapestry, Carole King (Ode)
Greatest Hits, Journey (Capitol)
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
The Immaculate Collection, Madonna (Warner Bros.)
Like a Virgin, Madonna (Sire)
Legend, Bob Marley & the Wailers (Island)
Faith, George Michael (Columbia)
Greatest Hits, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (MCA)
Nevermind, Nirvana (DGC)
The Lion King (Soundtrack) (Walt Disney)
Can't Slow Down, Lionel Richie (Motown)
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, Hammer (Capitol)
Daydream, Mariah Carey (Columbia)
Van Halen, Van Halen (Warner Bros.)
Eliminator, ZZ Top (Warner Bros.)
The Joshua Tree, U2 (Island)
1984, Van Halen (Warner Bros.)
Through 5/16/2005.
Nevermind only sold 10 million units not the 20 mil I posted. So they weren't even as good as I thought.
And to the people who think hard rock/metal bands are overrated... take note of how many of their albums are on this elite list....
The Recording Industry Association of America's Top-Selling Albums of All Time
28 Million
Eagles: Their Greatest Hits, 1971–1975, Eagles (Elektra)
26 Million
Thriller, Michael Jackson (Epic)
23 Million
The Wall, Pink Floyd (Columbia)
22 Million
Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)
21 Million
Billy Joel Greatest Hits, Volumes I & II, (Columbia)
19 Million
Rumours, Fleetwood Mac (Warner Bros.)
Back in Black, AC/DC (Elektra)
The Beatles, The Beatles (Capitol)
Come On Over, Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)
17 Million
Boston, Boston (Epic)
The Bodyguard (soundtrack), Whitney Houston (Arista)
16 Million
Cracked Rear View, Hootie & the Blowfish (Atlantic)
Greatest Hits, Elton John (Island/Mercury)
Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette (Maverick)
The Beatles: 1967–1970, The Beatles (Capitol)
No Fences, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Hotel California, Eagles (Elektra)
15 Million
Double Live, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
The Beatles: 1962–1966, The Beatles (Capitol)
Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack), Bee Gees (Polydor/Atlas)
Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd (Capitol)
Physical Graffiti, Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)
Appetite for Destruction, Guns 'N Roses (Geffen)
Supernatural, Santana (Arista)
Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)
14 Million
Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits, Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia)
Bat out of Hell, Meat Loaf (Epic)
Metallica, Metallica (Elektra)
Ropin' the Wind, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Backstreet Boys, Backstreet Boys (Jive)
13 Million
Millennium, Backstreet Boys (Jive)
Greatest Hits: 1974–1978, Steve Miller Band (Capitol)
Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston (Arista)
Purple Rain (soundtrack), Prince and the Revolution (Warner Bros.)
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live: 1975–1985 (box set), Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (Columbia)
…Baby One More Time, Britney Spears (Jive)
12 Million
Forrest Gump (soundtrack) (Epic)
Kenny Rogers's Greatest Hits, Kenny Rogers (Capitol Nashville)
Hot Rocks, The Rolling Stones (abkco)
The Woman in Me, Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)
Breathless, Kenny G (Arista)
Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Ten, Pearl Jam (Epic)
Yourself or Someone Like You, Matchbox Twenty (Atlantic)
Abbey Road, The Beatles (Capitol)
II, Boyz II Men (Motown)
Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi (Mercury)
Wide Open Spaces, Dixie Chicks (Monument)
No Jacket Required, Phil Collins (Atlantic)
Hysteria, Def Leppard (Mercury)
11 Million
Human Clay, Creed (Wind-Up Records)
Falling into You, Celine Dion (Epic)
Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. II, Eagles (Elektra)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (Capitol)
No Strings Attached, 'N Sync (Jive)
Houses of the Holy, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Devil Without a Cause, Kid Rock (Lava)
Candle in the Wind, 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight (Single), Elton John (Rocket)
Pieces of You, Jewel (Atlantic)
CrazySexyCool, TLC (LaFace)
Dirty Dancing (soundtrack) (RCA)
Titanic (soundtrack) (Sony Classical)
James Taylor's Greatest Hits, James Taylor (Warner Bros.)
10 Million
Fly, Dixie Chicks (Monument)
'N Sync, 'N Sync (RCA)
Let's Talk About Love, Celine Dion (550 Music/Epic)
Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt (Trauma/Interscope)
Life After Death, Notorious B.I.G. (Bad Boy/Arista)
Best of the Doobies, Doobie Brothers (Warner Bros.)
Dookie, Green Day (Reprise)
The Stranger, Billy Joel (Columbia)
Aerosmith's Greatest Hits, Aerosmith (Columbia)
The Hits, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Music Box, Mariah Carey (Columbia)
Unplugged, Eric Clapton (Reprise)
Tapestry, Carole King (Ode)
Greatest Hits, Journey (Capitol)
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
The Immaculate Collection, Madonna (Warner Bros.)
Like a Virgin, Madonna (Sire)
Legend, Bob Marley & the Wailers (Island)
Faith, George Michael (Columbia)
Greatest Hits, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (MCA)
Nevermind, Nirvana (DGC)
The Lion King (Soundtrack) (Walt Disney)
Can't Slow Down, Lionel Richie (Motown)
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, Hammer (Capitol)
Daydream, Mariah Carey (Columbia)
Van Halen, Van Halen (Warner Bros.)
Eliminator, ZZ Top (Warner Bros.)
The Joshua Tree, U2 (Island)
1984, Van Halen (Warner Bros.)
Through 5/16/2005.
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Based on the airplay SSJAAJ got plus the way local DJ's would fawn over them everytime they made a local appearence, that is what I am basing my 'overrated' comment.
I wouldn't consider the Good Rats a 'Great' Pub band. I'll give you they were more polished then most pub bands but again, based on the way the DJ's at say WLIR back in the late '70s (before it was a new wave station) built them up, I'd say they were overrrated.
I wouldn't consider the Good Rats a 'Great' Pub band. I'll give you they were more polished then most pub bands but again, based on the way the DJ's at say WLIR back in the late '70s (before it was a new wave station) built them up, I'd say they were overrrated.
But what does sales have to do with quality ? The Backstreet Boys outsold Johnny Cash, 50 Cent has probably outsold Ray Charles, and Motley Crue has probably outsold Miles Davis.
Some great artists have sold huge amounts (Beatles, Prince, Led Zep, Elvis come to mind ) Some great artists have sold a pittance (Nick Drake, Muddy Waters. John Coltrane for example )
Some great artists have sold huge amounts (Beatles, Prince, Led Zep, Elvis come to mind ) Some great artists have sold a pittance (Nick Drake, Muddy Waters. John Coltrane for example )
Because while opinions are subjective.... You have to respect record sales... Thats the voice of the masses. I don't like Michael Jackson but the fucker sold 26 million copies of Thriller and close to 100 million in his career. So I'd hardly call Jacko overrated. Same can be said of Madonna, I hate the pretentious cunt.... but she had talent up the wazoo.
As for the Backstreet Boys and a few others... there's always a few who slip thru the cracks. By and large that list is dominated with talent. It was also a lot harder to sell 10 million back in the 50's and 60's than it is now.
But anyone who thinks Nirvana is in the class of the Beatles or that Cobain was comparable to Lennon is absolutely insane. Nirvana was bad music much like the Doors and even enjoyed less success than the Doors who put out 3 or 4 successful albums... Yet you get no argument that the Doors were overrated but speak bad of Nirvana is like speaking bad of Julies around here.
As for the Backstreet Boys and a few others... there's always a few who slip thru the cracks. By and large that list is dominated with talent. It was also a lot harder to sell 10 million back in the 50's and 60's than it is now.
But anyone who thinks Nirvana is in the class of the Beatles or that Cobain was comparable to Lennon is absolutely insane. Nirvana was bad music much like the Doors and even enjoyed less success than the Doors who put out 3 or 4 successful albums... Yet you get no argument that the Doors were overrated but speak bad of Nirvana is like speaking bad of Julies around here.