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Thursday, January 05, 2012

ajc: “Murph” surprised by low Hall of Fame votes, still hopeful

Kicking TBS: Live in Atlanta…with Dale Murphy.

Q: Probably not a lot of 50-something former MVPs can say they’ve been getting into Wilco and other bands, huh?

A: Well it’s been fun, and I think that’s the fun of Twitter – this intersection or cross-section of diverse people and interests, and you connect in ways … it’s been fun. In fact, I did a [online interview] with Peter Moylan, and he was asking me about music I listen to. And he and Chipper [Jones] were wondering who half the bands were that I named…. [Laughter.] I’m going to have a contest on Twitter and say the first hitter that walks up to [to the plate] with Wilco or something like that playing, I’m going to get him [a prize].

Q: OK, let’s change gears a bit. Murph, has this time of year become frustrating for you because of the annual Hall of Fame voting announcement? Or do you still allow yourself to be optimistic about your chances?

A: I’m always kind of optimistic. Not really frustrated, I think because my percentage [of votes] hasn’t really been knocking on the door, you know? I think if it’d been at 60 percent or something for five years, it might be different. I mean, I always try to be optimistic. I know my percentage is pretty low and you need 75. And I’m not really close. So in that way I’m not really frustrated.

To be honest, I thought my percentage would be higher over the years. It hasn’t been high. I tend to feel like I’ll get a bump this year. We’ll see. There’s been some talk about guys that played in the ‘70s and ‘80s, that there might be some revisiting of their careers [by voters], and I have some people that have been supportive. So we’ll see. I appreciate the support and I try to stay optimistic.

Repoz Posted: January 05, 2012 at 01:15 PM | 79 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: braves, hall of fame, media, music

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1. spike Posted: January 05, 2012 at 02:04 PM (#4029620)

Man, my heart goes out to Murph. It's really tough to conjure a persuasive HoF argument out of his career, but he was a hell of a player for a few years.

2. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: January 05, 2012 at 02:32 PM (#4029637)

Is it that tough an argument? He's got a hell of a peak, was an all around player more in line with Dawson than Rice (speed and defense) and his career length and numbers seem to fit in with other centerfielders. I'm not saying he belongs but his traditional numbers and the way he was perceived during his career make him a guy that the lack of support has always been surprisng to me.

3. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 05, 2012 at 02:44 PM (#4029645)

Is it that tough an argument? He's got a hell of a peak, was an all around player more in line with Dawson than Rice (speed and defense) and his career length and numbers seem to fit in with other centerfielders.

If Bagwell and Bonds are going to be disqualified for "immoral behavior" then an honest voter would give Murph the "best human being to ever play the game" bonus too.

4. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: January 05, 2012 at 02:49 PM (#4029650)

If Bagwell and Bonds are going to be disqualified for "immoral behavior"

There is no evidence yet that Bagwell is being disqualified. Can we stop that please. He had a very healthy debut; one that always leads to eventual election.

Talk about McGwire and Palmeiro if you want to use that schtick.

5. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: January 05, 2012 at 02:58 PM (#4029664)

I think he is hurt by the fact that his numbers are below the 90s/00s guys. His 398 career HR looked a lot better when he retired in 1993 than they did when he came on the ballot for the first time in 1999.

6. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: January 05, 2012 at 03:08 PM (#4029676)

There is no evidence yet that Bagwell is being disqualified. Can we stop that please.

Have we been dreaming all of those columns from writers, explicitly linking Bagwell to steroid suspicions while voting "no"?

7. Anonymous Observer Posted: January 05, 2012 at 03:43 PM (#4029715)

I give Murphy a lot of credit for not going the grandstanding, chest-thumping, self-congratulating route that other, less qualified candidates have gone in the past. From everything I've read, he seems like he's rather humble about the entire situation.

8. Zonk Won the Mental Acuity Golf Trophy at his Club Posted: January 05, 2012 at 04:06 PM (#4029747)

Just put him in.

I've reached the point with Murhpy where I'm just at the point of "I really like this guy and that erases the margin of maybe."

9. CraigK Posted: January 05, 2012 at 05:04 PM (#4029824)

Nobody's talking about the fact that he listens to Wilco?

Am I on the right site?

10. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: January 05, 2012 at 05:08 PM (#4029830)

Have we been dreaming all of those columns from writers, explicitly linking Bagwell to steroid suspicions while voting "no"?

What is that, five guys? Ten?

And still, he almost doubled McGwire first time out. If he rises as projected this year, it's hard to see him kept out; even if he has to outwait the deluge.

My bet is he goes in with Biggio. Old writers love a good storyline.

11. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 05, 2012 at 05:12 PM (#4029832)

Old writers love a good storyline.

All writers love a good storyline. It's what makes them writers. If you don't love a good storyline, you're not a writer. You're a stenographer.

12. Swoboda is freedom Posted: January 05, 2012 at 05:40 PM (#4029854)

Nobody's talking about the fact that he listens to Wilco?

Am I on the right site?

All the music lovers on on the Bill James thread.

13. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 05, 2012 at 05:49 PM (#4029866)

Nobody's talking about the fact that he listens to Wilco?

I'm pretty sure no one that Dave O'Brien talks to regularly has failed to receive Wilco box sets as gifts at some point or other.

14. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: January 05, 2012 at 06:06 PM (#4029876)

And still, he almost doubled McGwire first time out. If he rises as projected this year, it's hard to see him kept out; even if he has to outwait the deluge.

If he's made to wait, it's not "shtick." How does an electoral advantage for "we think you maybe might've used" over "we're totally sure you used" demonstrate that Bagwell is on the classic, well-worn, time-honored path to election? We're going to see that that path has been blown up.

15. JPWF1313 Posted: January 05, 2012 at 06:08 PM (#4029878)

in 1987 Murphy at age 31 hit .295/.417/.580
in 1988 Murphy at age 32 hit .226/.313/.421
in 1989 Murphy at age 33 hit .228/.306/.361

yikes

There was a steep drop in league offensive levels from 1987 to 1988/89 (due to monkeying with the strike zone), but still, yikes

his dead cat bounce got him back up to .245/.318/.417 in 1990 and .252/.309/.415 in 1991

George Foster at 32 hit .295/.373/.519, at 33 he hit .247/.309/.367, followed by .247/.309/.367, his dead cat bounce phase took him all the way to .263/.331/.460 at age 36.

to paraphrase what Bill James once said, player performance tends to drop off steeply after about ages 31-33.
It's not that EVERY player drops off, some don't until later, some have long gentle declines- and some cliff dive and don't climb back up-

Murphy cliffed and that was that. Looking at Murph's 10 BBREF comps you see that he had a 132 OPS+ through age 31, his comps averaged 130 and ranged from 117 (Beltran) to 150 (Reggie)

Post age 31 his comps averaged 122- if he'd done that, lost 8 OPS+ points, he'd likely in the HOF, he didn't, he put up a 96, the next worse is Shawn Green with 104- Green had injury and surgery that sapped his power- if Murphy had something specific impede his performance I'm not sure I've heard it.

(Foster had a 139 OPS+ through age 32, his BBREF comps put up a 118 after age 32 (down from 129), Foster had a 102

16. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: January 05, 2012 at 06:12 PM (#4029882)

If he's made to wait, it's not "shtick." How does an electoral advantage for "we think you maybe might've used" over "we're totally sure you used" demonstrate that Bagwell is on the classic, well-worn, time-honored path to election? We're going to see that that path has been blown up.

Historically players with Bagwell's profile (not clear no-doubters by traditional stats) are not elected immediately. If you don't know WAR, Bagwell is not a no brainer at all. Going by BA/HR/RBI, MVPs and AS games, his career is light.

If he sticks at 40%, you may be right. But the early returns don't suggest that. They suggest a perfectly normal HoF patch for a guy lacking a "hook".

17. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: January 05, 2012 at 06:20 PM (#4029889)

Murphy cliffed and that was that. Looking at Murph's 10 BBREF comps you see that he had a 132 OPS+ through age 31, his comps averaged 130 and ranged from 117 (Beltran) to 150 (Reggie)
Post age 31 his comps averaged 122- he put up a 96, the next worse is Shawn Green with 104-

other notable cliffers:
Rocky Colavito 135-->101 (pre/post age 32)

and the cliffiest of all, Robbie Alomar 121-->84 (pre/post age 33)

18. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 05, 2012 at 06:33 PM (#4029900)

and the cliffiest of all, Robbie Alomar 121-->84 (pre/post age 33)

Ed Delahanty says "Hi"

...what too soon?

19. Bob Evans Posted: January 05, 2012 at 08:44 PM (#4029976)

Addie Joss also coughs weakly and mutters a muted hello.

20. You Know Nothing JT Snow (YR) Posted: January 05, 2012 at 08:46 PM (#4029978)

Green had injury and surgery that sapped his power- if Murphy had something specific impede his performance I'm not sure I've heard it.

Murphy screwed up his knee during a spring training game, IIRC, and his career plummeted from there.

21. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 05, 2012 at 09:04 PM (#4029983)

Green had injury and surgery that sapped his power- if Murphy had something specific impede his performance I'm not sure I've heard it.

Knee surgery, 1989. He was already trending down, and had lost a second on his bat speed. He was always dead meat on hard breaking stuff away - Andruw-esque if not Francoeur-esque - and when he lost the knee he lost any chance he had of cheating and driving balls.

Injury happened in the off-season, playing with his horde of kids, apparently.

22. You Know Nothing JT Snow (YR) Posted: January 05, 2012 at 09:36 PM (#4030006)

Another article.

Murphy underwent arthroscopic surgery last Thursday on a left knee that had been operated on last November, drained three times in spring training and flushed a month ago. After the latest procedure by Braves team orthopedist Joseph Chandler, the doctor talked about unusually rapid degeneration of the knee.

"I don't want to downplay this," said Murphy, on the disabled list for the second time this season. "It's bone on bone. It's arthritis and I know that doesn't sound good.

I always like Murphy and I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

23. Something Other Posted: January 05, 2012 at 10:17 PM (#4030034)

I tend to think of Murphy as having a short career, but it wasn't: 2180 games played, 9040 plate appearances. Here's a small but interesting point. Carlos Beltran played in 1768 games, with 7730 plate appearances. Both have an OPS+ of 121. Murphy, however, has 5 fewer oWAR, according to BBRef. A lot of that, according to BBRef, is baserunning. Murphy was basically a wash on the bases, whereas Beltran gets an 8.6 win bump from his dashing abilities on the basepaths. bWAR also has Murphy as a -5 win defender for his career, all of that coming in his age 28-30 seasons; Beltran picks up about 7 wins in the field. That's pretty much the difference between them, well, that and Murphy playing almost half his career at other than CF, while that won't be possible for Beltran unless he sticks around until he's 45 years old.

24. KingKaufman Posted: January 05, 2012 at 10:27 PM (#4030044)

I love the conceit of this story that Wilco is a "hip current band."

25. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 05, 2012 at 10:45 PM (#4030053)

I love the conceit of this story that Wilco is a "hip current band."

Hip is a relative term. Hip to a 60 year old Mormon...

26. Lassus Posted: January 05, 2012 at 11:13 PM (#4030066)

I used to constantly get Wilco and the Red House Painters confused.

27. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 05, 2012 at 11:35 PM (#4030075)

I used to constantly get Wilco and the Red House Painters confused.

How could that ever happen?

28. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 12:32 AM (#4030099)

How could that ever happen?

Their names sound like companies you would hear on late night tv commercials? (I have no idea who either of those two groups are, I imagine one is probably some watered down version of wheezer and the other is a watered down version of Bush?---just guessing)

29. The District Attorney Posted: January 06, 2012 at 12:42 AM (#4030108)

a watered down version of Bush

Rick Perry's in a band??

30. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: January 06, 2012 at 12:50 AM (#4030115)

the other is a watered down version of Bush?---just guessing)

I didn't know you could get a watered-down version of a waterered-down Nirvana.

And no, neither is either of those things.

31. Squash Posted: January 06, 2012 at 02:05 AM (#4030139)

I didn't know you could get a watered-down version of a waterered-down Nirvana.

And no, neither is either of those things.

As a long-time lurker on the music threads but never a poster, let me say that the musical tastes of this board are extremely odd. If a played out, past their prime band suddenly had a hip new copycat, who then became played out and past their prime, BBTF would love them.

32. Something Other Posted: January 06, 2012 at 05:26 PM (#4030769)

And the Mets would then hire him. And his name would be J. P. Ricciardi.

33. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 05:40 PM (#4030779)

As a long-time lurker on the music threads but never a poster, let me say that the musical tastes of this board are extremely odd. If a played out, past their prime band suddenly had a hip new copycat, who then became played out and past their prime, BBTF would love them.

I've always thought of the tastes here to either be beholden to the popular oldies(prior to 1975) or to follow music that has never seen radio airplay by a station capable of reaching beyond 5 miles.

34. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 06, 2012 at 06:26 PM (#4030806)

I've always thought of the tastes here to either be beholden to the popular oldies(prior to 1975) or to follow music that has never seen radio airplay by a station capable of reaching beyond 5 miles.

I listen to music that is new and relevant to the current world. I don't listen to music that is pushed via pay-for-play radio contracts. How is that hard? Certainly it's impossible that Wilco, of all bands, is driving this discussion, isn't it? How deeply embedded in the concrete must one's head be to have not heard of, if not heard, Wilco?!

35. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 06:55 PM (#4030827)

Certainly it's impossible that Wilco, of all bands, is driving this discussion, isn't it? How deeply embedded in the concrete must one's head be to have not heard of, if not heard, Wilco?!

36. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 06, 2012 at 07:09 PM (#4030843)

All I was pointing out is that the tastes I've seen here has been pretty standard hipster fare, or traditional classic with a dissenting vote once in a while. The more popular it is and the more current it is, the more likely it won't be appreciated around here. Basically if the band is still together, under 30 and has gone multiple platinum, there is very little likliedhood bbtf is going to like it. If they are dead, or should be dead, or are old enough to have teenage kids, or if they have never had a concert with 10,000 fans, then it's very likely that BBTF will like it.

The site runs the gamut from Beatlemaniacs and Stones fiends to Springsteen junkies to U2 and REM fans to Pavement and Pearl Jam faithful to people dug into Arcade Fire. What demographic are we missing by your accounts? Not a lot of hip hop discussed on the mainland, but that's a demographic thing more than anything I suspect.

37. Shock has moved on Posted: January 06, 2012 at 07:22 PM (#4030851)

Yeah.

The "don't mention anything other people like" attitude applies more to bbtf beer tastes than its collective music tastes.

FWIW, my favorite bands are Tool and Opeth...

38. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: January 06, 2012 at 07:23 PM (#4030852)

As a long-time lurker on the music threads but never a poster, let me say that the musical tastes of this board are extremely odd. If a played out, past their prime band suddenly had a hip new copycat, who then became played out and past their prime, BBTF would love them.

I'm not really sure how you got that from my post, but OK. I'm one of those types of music fans CFB decries, but I've never gotten into Wilco and Kozelek's stuff is just hit or miss (Carry Me Ohio, for example, is specatular). I was just noting that neither of them sounds anything like Weezer or the thoroughly derivative Bush.

The site runs the gamut from Beatlemaniacs and Stones fiends to Springsteen junkies to U2 and REM fans to Pavement and Pearl Jam faithful to people dug into Arcade Fire.

And some of us realize they all just bow to the Archers, right Sam?

39. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 07:32 PM (#4030855)

The "don't mention anything other people like" attitude applies more to bbtf beer tastes than its collective music tastes

Budweiser, the king of Beers. I'm also happy Busch the fourth(I think) has founded a new brewery.

40. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 07:42 PM (#4030858)

I'm one of those types of music fans CFB decries,

Only if you act like Ray and assume your opinion on the matter is all that matters. I decry people who can't enjoy Slaughter or accept other peoples enjoyment of Linkin Park etc. Best new band for me in the past two years is Cage the Elephant(one of maybe ten bands who I went out and bought the CD after hearing a song one time) Arcade Fire is another one of those I just don't get, maybe I need to listen to more, they are just passable, I won't flip them off if I'm hearing them, but that is about it.(heck my friends love Mastodon, and I just don't see it either--) I want catchy lyrics and/or intelligent lyrics, song by a vocalist that I can hear and understand(sorry Smashing Pumpin, Pearl Jam and Nirvana) that has lots of stuff going on in the background, and has very little instrumental time, and is recorded by a professional. Basically what 80% of the music listeners listen to, if you don't worry about the specific genre.

41. Shock has moved on Posted: January 06, 2012 at 07:45 PM (#4030859)

Best new band for me in the past two years is Cage the Elephant

Saw them open for Foo Fighters (who were excellent) earlier this year. They were .... entertaining. Alsways amusing to see a grown man convulsing and rolling around on stage.

42. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 07:58 PM (#4030874)

Foo Fighters is one of the few bands from the 90's non-taking a shower era, that I truly enjoy. I know they have the stigma of being Nirvana at some point in time, but they managed to break away from that and become something actually enjoyable.(Monkey Wrench alone blows away Nirvana's entire album and a half output)

43. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 06, 2012 at 08:12 PM (#4030879)

And some of us realize they all just bow to the Archers, right Sam?

I suppose some of them are worthy of being allowed into the throne room to bow their allegiance to the kings. Others wouldn't make it past the outer gate.

44. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 06, 2012 at 08:15 PM (#4030880)

Best new band for me in the past two years is Cage the Elephant... I want catchy lyrics and/or intelligent lyrics, song by a vocalist that I can hear and understand... that has lots of stuff going on in the background, and has very little instrumental time, and is recorded by a professional.

Guitar centric or rhythm centric? Amped or more acoustic/singer-songwriter? I can give you 10 options easy.

45. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 08:32 PM (#4030889)

Guitar centric or rhythm centric? Amped or more acoustic/singer-songwriter? I can give you 10 options easy.

not sure what you mean. My comment was just to say that I want lyrics, I don't want instrumentals going on for more than 20 second, sure as heck don't want it to be recorded live or sounding like it was recorded using a 30 year old tape recorder, would prefer it to be in about a five minute song, and for it to have a refrain at least twice, if not three times. Also prefer the singer to blend in more with the music than being over the top. And of course for it to receive national radio airplay or at least potentially.

But more importantly, it's not about what I want or what an individual wants, it's about what the masses want, and why they want it, and why half of the crap that Joe Bob at the hipster store is telling you "you have to listen to this man" and then you end up with some crap that burns your ears. (see pretty much every single album a hipster points to you as great by a band that eventtually made it to the big time, before they made it big time...most of them, if not all of them sucked in comparison to the studio release.)

And of course you get people on here who trout the crappier albums as the better album in some attempt to seem more sophisticated than the masses---In Utero is not better than Nevermind, heck In Utero barely qualifies as good--of course maybe I'm bitter because that happened to be the only Nirvana album I bought, and I got ripped off, should have just bought Nevermind, I knew that was a very good/borderline great album.(note:not saying if you like it more that you only like it more in an attempt to appear more sophisticated, just saying that generally speaking the consensus worldwide is that Nevermind was the greater album)

46. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 06, 2012 at 08:34 PM (#4030891)

But more importantly, it's not about what I want or what an individual wants, it's about what the masses want

Well, you can believe that if you want. The masses also wanted fascism, so I'm not sure it sells for me.

47. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: January 06, 2012 at 08:52 PM (#4030903)

I'll just blow Sam's mind and say other than seeing them mentioned here I have no knowledge of Wilco.

For what it's worth I'm 41 and my musical tastes are pretty much standard alt rock from the 80s. As a friend of mine describes it, "british weenie pop." Put me on a desert island with the Smiths collection and I'm good for quite awhile.

I'm fine with the fact that I'm out of touch. Between my iPod and XM Radio I really have no need to discover new music.

48. BDC

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 09:07 PM (#4030912)

The site runs the gamut from Beatlemaniacs and Stones fiends to Springsteen junkies to U2 and REM fans

And if you include me, from Peggy Lee to Townes Van Zandt :)

I will cheerfully say that unless some new act has reached the inescapability of Lady Gaga, I don't tend to know who they are, though I actually get out and listen to some local new live music in Texas often enough. I think – just a surmise – that popular music in general has become very decentralized since I was a kid (in the late 1960s). 40+ years ago, there were a few radio stations and one local record store. Sure, there was a huge amount of music, and lots of acts had concert followings, but people talked about the same things (as they also did when there were three TV networks and no VCRs). Nowadays, I think if you get a couple hundred people together you get a couple hundred playlists that don't overlap all that much, and each listmaker convinced they're at the beating heart of things.

Heck, if you get Repoz together you get a couple hundred playlists.

49. You Know Nothing JT Snow (YR) Posted: January 06, 2012 at 10:34 PM (#4030941)

The site runs the gamut from Beatlemaniacs and Stones fiends to Springsteen junkies to U2 and REM fans

And if you include me, from Peggy Lee to Townes Van Zandt :)

Throw in the ol' Yankee Redneck for all your 1920s-1930s musical appreciation. Plus Van Halen, Tom Waits, and opera!

50. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 06, 2012 at 11:14 PM (#4030969)

I'll just blow Sam's mind and say other than seeing them mentioned here I have no knowledge of Wilco.

This, gentlemen, is the danger of living your life with your head shoved up Morrissey's arse.

I'd understand if I were lecturing you on Archers or explaining precisely why the Marty Donald was a better songwriter than any Beatle (because he was John AND Paul with better lyricism.) But c'mon. WILCO?! My mother knows about Wilco.

51. ERROR---Jolly Old St. Nick

Posted: January 06, 2012 at 11:28 PM (#4030981)

And stick me in there for Jack Jenny, Bobby Blue Bland, The Louvin Brothers, Etta James, Bob Luman, Wanda Rogers, Lorraine Ellison, and the Queen of them all----DINAH.

52. Mr. Hotfoot Jackson (gef, talking mongoose) Posted: January 06, 2012 at 11:40 PM (#4030985)

Wilco are so ominipresently uncool that they played Montgomery last March. Believe me, nobody plays here.

53. Lassus Posted: January 06, 2012 at 11:48 PM (#4030990)

You're better off not knowing Wilco. They are boring like death.

54. Zonk Won the Mental Acuity Golf Trophy at his Club Posted: January 07, 2012 at 12:09 AM (#4031003)

I love the conceit of this story that Wilco is a "hip current band."

There's the B&B Music Factory!

I like Wilco and think they've held up pretty well, for the most part.

You're better off not knowing Wilco. They are boring like death.

You risk exciting me...

55. simon bedford Posted: January 07, 2012 at 03:54 AM (#4031044)

Sam is just soooo outragous!!! some non entity songwriter is better than the most succesuful pop/rock writers of his lifetime cause he says so!!! its old and untrue and please stop saying it. you are like some teenager who thinks his fanzinie is better than james joyce, it isnt and there are millions of real music fans who agree the beatles are the best, so stop tilting at windmills.

56. tribefan Posted: January 07, 2012 at 08:37 AM (#4031053)

(Carry Me Ohio, for example, is specatular)

Yes indeedy.

57. BDC

Posted: January 07, 2012 at 09:52 AM (#4031080)

the Queen of them all----DINAH

Dinah Shore could certainly swing, I will grant you that. Oh, wait :)

58. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 07, 2012 at 11:00 AM (#4031119)

some non entity songwriter

The fact that you live a cloistered life without knowledge of anything the radio didn't tell you was okay to listen to isn't my fault, buddy.

59. Lassus Posted: January 07, 2012 at 11:15 AM (#4031123)

This, gentlemen, is the danger of living your life with your head shoved up Morrissey's arse.

Someone would like a word with you.

Bands with excellent songwriters and hooksters like the Lucksmiths and Jellyfish and Trip Shakespeare and on and on have a real disadvantage as far as era and saturation. If it's fair to say they are as good as Lennon and McCartney, it is equally fair to label the Beatles as the greatest of all time because of their place in the history. I'm not sure why you think it's one or the other, Sam.

60. simon bedford Posted: January 07, 2012 at 11:16 AM (#4031124)

you think i am unaware of "lloyd cole lite"? thats what makes it funny,this guy is so stunningly derivative and unoriginal it makes your stance on him even more bizarre.

61. Crispix Attacksel Rios Posted: January 07, 2012 at 11:41 AM (#4031140)

All I was pointing out is that the tastes I've seen here has been pretty standard hipster fare, or traditional classic with a dissenting vote once in a while. The more popular it is and the more current it is, the more likely it won't be appreciated around here. Basically if the band is still together, under 30 and has gone multiple platinum, there is very little likliedhood bbtf is going to like it.

This can largely be explained by noting that almost nobody here is female, and almost nobody here is young enough to be in the target market for Top 40 radio.

Also, how many actual BANDS are under 30 and have gone multiple platinum? I can think of one - Kings of Leon.

I want catchy lyrics and/or intelligent lyrics, song by a vocalist that I can hear and understand(sorry Smashing Pumpin, Pearl Jam and Nirvana) that has lots of stuff going on in the background, and has very little instrumental time, and is recorded by a professional. Basically what 80% of the music listeners listen to, if you don't worry about the specific genre.

So you're also disqualifying the majority of vastly successful bands. What's left is basically country music, Train, and Maroon 5.

62. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 07, 2012 at 11:50 AM (#4031148)

Someone would like a word with you.

Oh I know, but nicely played regardless.

I don't argue that the Beatles were not the best band in the world. I argue that there's not someone else who was better. I find the entire conceit of "best band in the world" idiotic on its face. I think comparing the Beatles to Black Flag to Dessa is like comparing Benny Goodman to Miles Davis to The Rolling Stones. My problem has never been with the Beatles, per se. My problem is with Beatles fans who worship that band as if they invented all of music and the world ended on a NYC sidewalk in 1980.

The idea that 20 years after Lennon's death and 50 years after the Beatles debut, across 7 billion human souls, the world has never spun up an equivalent or better song-writer than their lordships the Beatles is ####### absurd.

And Marty Donald is Marty Donald is really, really fantastic.

63. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 07, 2012 at 12:05 PM (#4031166)

this guy is so stunningly derivative and unoriginal

64. simon bedford Posted: January 07, 2012 at 12:19 PM (#4031176)

Sam did you get that wit from all those lucksmith songs? Fandom is fine its great you like this band , but honestly they sound like the commotions minus a couple of people and i havent heard one song they do that even touches "lost weekend" in terms of melodic or lyrical content.
Song writing has gone in lots of different and interesting directions since the beatles walked the earth and some of it has been really interesity and enjoyable , I am not saying that music stopped being good after the Beatles, but i think there is a certain craftmanship to their work that you miss somehow, and in missing it you miss how great they really were , how effortlessly they produced a stunning and highly original body of work that influenced almost everything that came after it as well as lot of their contemparies.
i cant see how Donald compares as a songwriter, he songs are witty at times but i dont find them that insightful , leonard cohen he isnt, but i guess different things resonate with different people.

and for the record i am far more of a macca fan than Lennon,who is often vastly overated in his solo career that was spotty at best.

65. Lassus Posted: January 07, 2012 at 12:29 PM (#4031180)

Right. Because no one can write music now that the gods of Beatledom have claimed all the land as their own. I'm impressed by our ability to type with John Lennon's dessicated #### that far down your throat, though.

I myself am a little confused that out of all the thoroughbreds in the stable you picked Marty Donald to take on this crusade with you.

66. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 07, 2012 at 12:34 PM (#4031184)

I myself am a little confused that out of all the thoroughbreds in the stable you picked Marty Donald to take on this crusade with you.

Because Marty's the best. Obviously.

67. simon bedford Posted: January 07, 2012 at 12:47 PM (#4031196)

so thats what ignore looks like

68. Shock has moved on Posted: January 07, 2012 at 12:48 PM (#4031197)

You're better off not knowing Wilco. They are boring like death.

Now that's not fair

69. Mr. Hotfoot Jackson (gef, talking mongoose) Posted: January 07, 2012 at 12:56 PM (#4031204)

I attended the aforementioned Wilco show here last April (I was wrong on the month; it was about a week after the Old 97's played Birmingham, & I know that was around Tax Day) -- hadn't planned on doing so, hot having paid attention to the band since the mid-'90s or so, but a friend wound up with another friend's tickets -- & thought they were quite good, if a bit ... orchestrated maybe? I prefer my music a bit down-&-dirtier, usually, for lack of a better description.

The openers, though, the Smith & Wessons, sounded the same on every damned song, though for what they were I guess they were decent.

70. Mr. Hotfoot Jackson (gef, talking mongoose) Posted: January 07, 2012 at 01:23 PM (#4031219)

Ugh. "not" for "hot," & comma after "orchestrated." Edit function isn't working.

71. jingoist Posted: January 07, 2012 at 01:26 PM (#4031222)

Give me Mahler, Beethoven, Debussy and Mozart; sprinkle in a few Schubert symphonies and an occasional Mendelssohn.
Also big on Miles Davis, Coltrane, Rollins, Dizzy; Artie Shaw, Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Goodman.

Stopped listening to rock n roll after it died in the 90's.
Let it Bleed and Whos Next are as good as it gets for R&R.

Yes it's true, I'm an old fart.
So be it.

72. Mr. Hotfoot Jackson (gef, talking mongoose) Posted: January 07, 2012 at 01:31 PM (#4031223)

Ummm ... there's "old" & there's "dead." Seems like that border's been crossed.

73. Dr. Vaux Posted: January 07, 2012 at 01:43 PM (#4031230)

There's "alive" and there's "has yet to actually be alive."

74. The Interdimensional Council of Rickey!'s Posted: January 07, 2012 at 01:51 PM (#4031234)

Yes it's true, I'm an old fart.

Your loss, buddy.

75. Squash Posted: January 07, 2012 at 03:03 PM (#4031272)

76. Something Other Posted: January 07, 2012 at 06:59 PM (#4031399)

I listen to music that is new and relevant to the current world. I don't listen to music that is pushed via pay-for-play radio contracts. How is that hard? Certainly it's impossible that Wilco, of all bands, is driving this discussion, isn't it? How deeply embedded in the concrete must one's head be to have not heard of, if not heard, Wilco?!

I just listened to them now FOR THE FIRST TIME (that I've noticed) and boy, how... banal. The first click sounded like a junkie's ripoff of Tomorrow Never Knows, and I couldn't stop yawning through My Darling.

Sunlight in a Jar--what's that, a novelty song? The sound's so bad it's little more than mumbling...

77. Something Other Posted: January 07, 2012 at 07:06 PM (#4031404)

Sinatra...

Please explain Sinatra to me.

78. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: January 07, 2012 at 07:10 PM (#4031406)

Between my iPod and XM Radio I really have no need to discover new music.

I'm actually the opposite. With my itouch and the Rhapsody ap, I've been listening to more new music that I have in over 20 years. Just started getting into Muse.

79. Everybody Loves Tyrus Raymond Posted: January 07, 2012 at 08:53 PM (#4031439)

There's a guy named Donald Marty and he's waaaaaaay better than Marty Donald. The world would notice this if they didn't all have Marty Donald's scrotum blocking their field of vision.

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