Worst Album Ever Recorded?

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Wednesday, June 28, 2006

DAVID LEE ROTH's "STRUMMING WITH THE DEVIL": IS THIS THE WORST ALBUM EVER RECORDED?

Brad Kava, 02:16 PM in Brad Kava, Celebrities, Concerts, Music

It's sometimes hard to pick out the great albums...but the turkeys, well, it's like that rotten egg smell. You just can't miss it.

I submit that David Lee Roth's latest set subtitled "The Southern Side of Van Halen,' may not just be the worst album released this year. It may be the worst thing ever recorded.

And yes, I've heard Leonard Nimoy and WIlliam Shatner doing cover songs and Neil Young and Lou Reed doing feedback.

The sad thing for the people involved, a notable group of fine bluegrass players, is that when Roth isn't singing, the album is OK. But when Diamond Dave opens his mouth on "Jump" and "Jamie's Cryin','' well, this diamond is still coal.

It's worse than his radio show. It's worse than Eddie Van Halen's playing on the last tour. It would be worse than that Van Halen disc with the guy from Extreme singing, except, that Roth only sings on three cuts.

The disc is another in a new tradition of musicians trying unlikely genres. We've got classical and reggae Radiohead, lesbian and bluegrass AC/DC, bluegrass and reggae Pink Floyd. The joke wears thin quickly, but they make great fillers on mixtapes.

The trouble with bluegrass Van Halen, at least when Diamond Dave sings, is that he is wailing as if he's playing with Van Halen, with bluegrass in the backround. It's like clueless karaoke. No sense of irony, or that the songs and the delivery should change backed by fiddles and banjos of the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band.

And, I should add: I'm a Roth fan. He's a funny interview and is, for my money, the best Van Halen singer.

But he's struggled for a foothold in his post Van Halen life, trying swing, lounge, salsa, straight covers of VH, being a paramedic and a radio deejay, and now he's hit bottom.

But he does know the way to San Jose...like the character in the famous song, he's playing here July 29, as part of San Jose's Grand Prix.

[1984dlrvh12]

im a roth fan as well and i like him alot. but i wasnt much on strummin with the devil because i dont like blue grass. not my style man.

[Unchainme]

Shit there are THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS of more shitty albums, Anything emo, bubblegum, New Hip-hop, anything Van hagar produced. To call it the worst album ever is pretty damn ignorant.

[firestarter]

dave just wear black, grow the hair a little longer, tour with B.Y.,LUZIER,&CO and rock the world DLR BAND STYLE FROM 1998 and forget about rejoining Van Halen!!

[bueno bob]

Pointless tribute albums by bands that sound alike, perform the songs exactly the same, and basically take nothing in so far as a "risk" is concerned are apparently what the reviewer prefers.

There are certainly plenty of tribute albums out there with artists who sound who they're covering, play the song note for note and don't really do anything to experiment with it or add their own signature at the bottom.

The prove my thesis? He says

"The disc is another in a new tradition of musicians trying unlikely genres. We've got classical and reggae Radiohead, lesbian and bluegrass AC/DC, bluegrass and reggae Pink Floyd. The joke wears thin quickly, but they make great fillers on mixtapes."

Which proves my point entirely. It's not David he really has the problem with, it's that he's very traditionalist and doesn't like experimentation. That's fine. A lot of people out there are like that, but from my perspective, why remake a song the same way it sounded the first time? Doing so is pointless.

He also says in regards to Dave

"But he's struggled for a foothold in his post Van Halen life, trying swing, lounge, salsa, straight covers of VH, being a paramedic and a radio deejay, and now he's hit bottom."

I don't personally see anything wrong with experimenting with different forms of music. Fuck, if you like sameness, go see Sammy - he'll play you "I Can't Drive 55" the same time every time, whether you like it or not. No experimentation from him. No risk taking. No venturing outside of the "norm" of what would be expected.

No fun.

I certainly wouldn't call being a paramedic "struggling for a foothold in post life Van Halen", though. Is it NOT ok for the man to engage in a little public service? Or should he be out there hawking something in between songs?

The reviewers obviously a prick for stating such uninformed nonsense, but...whatever...to each his own, I guess...

[Hardrock69]

The worst album ever recorded was The Electric Prunes album with their smash hit "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night".

Anything Dave puts out or has a hand in does not even come close.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

i think strummin could win this title.

[DavidLeeBroth]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Pointless tribute albums by bands that sound alike, perform the songs exactly the same, and basically take nothing in so far as a "risk" is concerned are apparently what the reviewer prefers.

Boob, as always you astound me with your "logic".

This is exactly the opposite of what the man is saying. He IS saying that Dave shouldn't have sung the songs like he does with VH or solo. He should have changed them, taken a risk if you will. He doesn't want to hear exactly the same vocals...

Geddit?

Later my dimwitted firend.

[Matt White]

Hmmm...the review i read in ACOUSTIC GUITAR thought the CD smoked...and liked DAVE's vocals.....

What can ya do?

Ya can't please everybody....................

[DavidLeeBroth]

Originally posted by Matt White
Hmmm...the review i read in ACOUSTIC GUITAR thought the CD smoked...and liked DAVE's vocals.....

What can ya do?

Ya can't please everybody....................

It's actually a pretty good (or at least fun) album, VERY cool instrumental wise. Just wished Dave sang on more than a couple of songs.

[Apollo]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Pointless tribute albums by bands that sound alike, perform the songs exactly the same, and basically take nothing in so far as a "risk" is concerned are apparently what the reviewer prefers.

There are certainly plenty of tribute albums out there with artists who sound who they're covering, play the song note for note and don't really do anything to experiment with it or add their own signature at the bottom.

The prove my thesis? He says

"The disc is another in a new tradition of musicians trying unlikely genres. We've got classical and reggae Radiohead, lesbian and bluegrass AC/DC, bluegrass and reggae Pink Floyd. The joke wears thin quickly, but they make great fillers on mixtapes."

Which proves my point entirely. It's not David he really has the problem with, it's that he's very traditionalist and doesn't like experimentation. That's fine. A lot of people out there are like that, but from my perspective, why remake a song the same way it sounded the first time? Doing so is pointless.

He also says in regards to Dave

"But he's struggled for a foothold in his post Van Halen life, trying swing, lounge, salsa, straight covers of VH, being a paramedic and a radio deejay, and now he's hit bottom."

I don't personally see anything wrong with experimenting with different forms of music. Fuck, if you like sameness, go see Sammy - he'll play you "I Can't Drive 55" the same time every time, whether you like it or not. No experimentation from him. No risk taking. No venturing outside of the "norm" of what would be expected.

No fun.

I certainly wouldn't call being a paramedic "struggling for a foothold in post life Van Halen", though. Is it NOT ok for the man to engage in a little public service? Or should he be out there hawking something in between songs?

The reviewers obviously a prick for stating such uninformed nonsense, but...whatever...to each his own, I guess...

Here Bob goes again...
Somebody posts a review in which they dont kiss Dave's ass and Bob immediately analyzes their faults and character. In this case the writer is "traditionalist and doesn't like experimentation"

Strumming is a funny little album which, unless you are a huge blue grass fan, listen to once or twice and then put up in the shelf next to your other VH albums.

This is hardly however a very original album as this bluegrass cover thing has been done to several classic rock acts in the past.

To call it "the worst album ever recorded" is a bit overrated. I agree.
To label the writer Mr. Kava a "traditionalist and as somebody who doesn't like experimentation" based one single article is very far fetched.

To label Bueno Bob as a Bridge Drone Troll based on his twentythousandsomething dumb posts he has dribbled into these forums seems more accurate.

[Matt White]

It's one of those things...if ya like Bluegreass...you might like it....

I...personally HATE tribute cds....

This one works....

Not having DAVE on the tunes makes his lyrics stand out even more....

Cuz you realize even moreso how GRATE he is on the original performances.......................

[DavidLeeBroth]

Originally posted by Matt White
Not having DAVE on the tunes makes his lyrics stand out even more....

This is very true. Some of the non-Dave tunes actually made me appreciate some of the lyrics a lot more. Don't know if I was paying more attention or if they stand out more.

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by DavidLeeBroth
Boob, as always you astound me with your "logic".

This is exactly the opposite of what the man is saying. He IS saying that Dave shouldn't have sung the songs like he does with VH or solo. He should have changed them, taken a risk if you will. He doesn't want to hear exactly the same vocals...

Geddit?

Later my dimwitted firend.

You again?

Run out of cock to suck?

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by Apollo
Here Bob goes again...
Somebody posts a review in which they dont kiss Dave's ass and Bob immediately analyzes their faults and character. In this case the writer is "traditionalist and doesn't like experimentation"

Actually, I'm just providing a counterpoint to the review. I'm very sorry if that's offended you. It seems to me, by reading the review, that on a deeper level the reviewer probably prefers tribute albums which are more traditional.

Maybe "Larg" would have made my comments more appropriate, if I'd inserted it somewhere?

I am a Roth fan, and I am a fan of this album (against all odds). I'm certainly not ashamed to defend it.

Strumming is a funny little album which, unless you are a huge blue grass fan, listen to once or twice and then put up in the shelf next to your other VH albums.

I completely disagree. I think anybody can listen to it who's a fan of CVH...and if somebody disagrees with that...whatever...

This is hardly however a very original album as this bluegrass cover thing has been done to several classic rock acts in the past.

It's certainly original in the sense that there's not been a bluegrass Van Halen tribute album prior to this. There was a twangy country version of Dance the Night Away on Everybody Wants Some, but outside of that I'm not familiar with a plethora of bluegrass Van Halen tribute albums. If there are such things, point me in their direction, because I want them.

To call it "the worst album ever recorded" is a bit overrated. I agree.
To label the writer Mr. Kava a "traditionalist and as somebody who doesn't like experimentation" based one single article is very far fetched.

I'm admittedly making an assumption based on words HE chose to use for his review. It appears to me that Mr. Kava prefers more traditionalist tribute albums. That's the impression I get. If you have a different one, that's fine, but who fucking cares if I "make an assumption" about the guy? Is he your cousin or something? Does it somehow offend you if I make an assumption about him?

Who cares?

To label Bueno Bob as a Bridge Drone Troll based on his twentythousandsomething dumb posts he has dribbled into these forums seems more accurate.

Yup, that's me, dude. 20,000 posts and I haven't contributed a fucking thing here other than Larg and Alan the Panther, sure. Regardless of what topic, or who I've talked to, all I can do is blindly attack somebody who doesn't worship all things Roth, Larg, or Alan the Panther.

Yup, you sure figured me out.