Who's fallen the furthest?

This was always a touchy topic with me. People can't put out the same album over and over. So they have to try something new and different when works...everybody has the attitude of "well yeah they are fill in the blank." But when it doesn't........let the trash talk and sellout bitching start. Give'em a break. We are hard people to please.
 
Have to second the Stones...at one time I was a devoted hardcore fan...wore out 3 copies of "Let It Bleed". Now? It's all about the $$$$ (like they need any more) Dylan? I really like "Love & Theft" and "Modern Times" "Modern Times", in particular, has a real "tube-type" sound goin' on. And Bob's radio show is cooool...his raps between the music are poetic...almost like you're hangin' at his house and he's spinnin' stuff from his collection for you. "Madman Across The Water" was the end of the line for Unca Elton.
 
This was always a touchy topic with me. People can't put out the same album over and over. So they have to try something new and different when works...everybody has the attitude of "well yeah they are fill in the blank." But when it doesn't........let the trash talk and sellout bitching start. Give'em a break. We are hard people to please.

Not really what I was getting at, I dont mind when people head off in different directions and make different music (Neil Young "Trans" for example, not my cup of tea, but good on hime for having a go). But when "artists" become lazy, and release garbage for the sake of releaseing it I get a bit dissapointed. Not angry, not bitchy, they owe me nothing

But I do hear what you are saying saaauuuce, this was never intended as a trash talk thread, I mentioned some of my all time faves in the OP
 
Same thing happened to our vintage gear makers.

Rampant success breeds complacency, laziness, sellout, drug O.D.'s, stagnation or worse--easy listening.:D

Exceptions when an artist simply explores, and succeeds, in other genres. That takes real talent, always rare. Bowie? King of self-reinvention. From Pop to real jazz? Joe Jackson. Jethro Tull for a while reverted to rock after the fanciful Tales From The Wood.

Bowie peaked at Diamond Dogs. IMHtwistedO.

Yes finally lost it at Tormato, following the sideways refreshing, but soulless, CD-technology demo disc 90125.

The Buggles peaked at Adventures in Modern Recording. The Roches?

But...I don't actually fault Elton John for The Lion King. But I prefer his performance as the surreally disproportunate Pinball Wizard in the movie Tommy (1975)...

I just got Infinity 2000A e-stat hybrids from 1969-70. Why would I want post-1990 Infinity's?
 
Melissa Etheridge.

First album awesome, 2nd one alright, 3rd one okay, 4th okay, 5th wasn't bad....then down down down.
 
Agreed about Billy Joel, too: Piano Man was alright, but some of the later stuff... :no:

Billy Joel's "Turnstiles" (1976), "The Stranger" (1977), & "52nd Street" (1978) are all excellent albums & may be the best 3 albums any solo artist has released back-to-back-to-back, at least since 1975. That was his artistic peak IMHO.
 
Billy Joel's "Turnstiles" (1976), "The Stranger" (1977), & "52nd Street" (1978) are all excellent albums & may be the best 3 albums any solo artist has released back-to-back-to-back, at least since 1975. That was his artistic peak IMHO.


I don't know about "Turnstiles" since I've never heard it completely, but I perhaps agree with your 3 best back to back to back sentiment but would start with "The Stranger" and conclude with "Glass Houses."

IMHO "Glass Houses" might be his second best LP besides "Stranger" It really has to me some of his best songs, "It's only rock and roll" really sounds great on a good system.

Neil Diamond has really taken a plunge way off the deep end, and someone briefly mentioned The Eagles and I second that totally. Especially with the Wal-mart only distributation of their last album.

Perhaps the Allman Brothers also need a mention here, but so few members are original it's like a different band.
 
Commander Cody...not really his fault, rock & roll lifestyle isn't kind, bad car accidents mess you up, and so on...when all the original band members have reunited in the past, it's still pretty good...but the current band? eh...not bad, but they need to spice up their setlist a bit...that said, I'll attend every single one of his shows that I possibly can, because he's a really friendly dude, truely a good guy...and I have to respect him for getting out there and doing it as good as he does at age 64. Certainly can still play boogie piano with the best of 'em...vocals arent really his strong point outside of talking songs, never where, he even acknowleges this, if he'd get somebody to do lead vocals on stuff i.e. like some of the previous incarnations of the band, it might be better...would certainly take some stress off his shoulders, however, that said, I'm happy with what I can get, since I "missed out" on the heyday.
 
A tie between two bands I used to love, Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Chili Peppers disgust me these days, and Metallica with their "Load" of shit.:thumbsdn:
 
A tie between two bands I used to love, Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Chili Peppers disgust me these days, and Metallica with their "Load" of shit.:thumbsdn:

I disagree with you on the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Granted, I prefer their older stuff to the newer, but I don't think they've gone down hill as far as some of the other mentioned.

Personally, one of my biggest gripes for more recent years is Gwen Steffani. Never a fan persay, but her work with No Doubt had a decent sound...her solo stuff is just more pop garbage marketed to compete with other pop garbage....dare I say, she's the Metallica of the pop world.

Elton John is another that upsets me. He could rock a piano, and now everything seems like sappy tracks made for Disney movies. :(
 
I definitely agree with Rod Stewart. Once Clive Davis got a hold of him, I knew trouble was brewing and that he would likely go the oldies route. It’s worked for so many fading stars that it was a pretty obvious direction to go. And ‘ol Clive was right; Rod sold bazillions of those Great American Songbook albums—despite the fact that they had less spine than yer average jellyfish. :boring: He tried to regain his rock & roll credibility with that awful covers album, but it was far too little and far too late. He may yet come up with a great one—I thought When We Were the New Boys was an excellent effort—but I’m not holding my breath.
 
I say this all the time, but I guess I will say it again. Every band/artist has a proflic-peak period and then a slow fade.

There are some exceptions- Dylan comes to mind. His current stuff is not like his 60s peak, but is pretty good and for someone else would be considered superb.

The Stones are, of course, one of the best examples of this fade. They are just a nostaliga act now- like going to see the Temptations. But why is that? Lots of reasons. The Stones started out all living together in the same cramped flat in London. The hungry rock and roll life. Since the early 70s, they have all lived in multiple locations on different continents. They've been Jet Setters for a generation now- not the greatest artistic stimulus and certainly no way to preserve a cohesive unit.

They are a different band than the one that put out Let It Bleed. They are no longer hungry, are used to fame, have (multiple) families and simply do not have to work as hard. Everything has changed. Everything. So much so that its impossibe to conceive of them doing another Let It Bleed.
 
Commander Cody...not really his fault, rock & roll lifestyle isn't kind, bad car accidents mess you up, and so on...when all the original band members have reunited in the past, it's still pretty good...but the current band? eh...not bad, but they need to spice up their setlist a bit...that said, I'll attend every single one of his shows that I possibly can, because he's a really friendly dude, truely a good guy...and I have to respect him for getting out there and doing it as good as he does at age 64. Certainly can still play boogie piano with the best of 'em...vocals arent really his strong point outside of talking songs, never where, he even acknowleges this, if he'd get somebody to do lead vocals on stuff i.e. like some of the previous incarnations of the band, it might be better...would certainly take some stress off his shoulders, however, that said, I'm happy with what I can get, since I "missed out" on the heyday.


His guitar player, Bill Kirchen, is really tearing up the Washington DC area with his brand of Rockin' roots music. He was Grammy nominated for "Best Country Instrumental" a few years ago but got beat by Ricky Skaggs (popularity contest). CC played on the first NRPS album, with Garcia, great record.
 
OK....not to piss anyone off.....

  • Rush
  • Rolling Stones
  • Elton John
  • Metallica
  • Joni Mitchell
  • Neil Diamond
  • Paul McCartney

that's my basic list......
 
OK....not to piss anyone off.....

  • Rush
  • Rolling Stones
  • Elton John
  • Metallica
  • Joni Mitchell
  • Neil Diamond
  • Paul McCartney

that's my basic list......

Can't disagree too much, except that some on your list didn't have very far to fall in the first place.

But I will disagree on Joni Mitchell. I'm not a big fan of hers, but her output has remained high quality, and she has matured pretty gracefully.
 
Can't disagree too much, except that some on your list didn't have very far to fall in the first place.
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

There are so many mentioned in this thread that I agree with. Yes, the Stones are a nostalgia act at this point. But off the top of my head, I think Rod Stewart may be the one who has fallen the furthest.
 
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