Annual Rock Hall Nominee Shit Show thread

[Rikk]

Now, you cretins may be asking, "Well, fuck me like a goose in a hot oven, Kristy. Just what is a good Copeland tune-ish I can take my (expensive) drugs to and not worry about looking like a dick in the process?"

This is, to this day, one of my favorite car songs.

[Nitro Express]

I play drums. Got a recording studio in my basement. While I am officially the vocalist for the songs I write/record with my band, I usually do the Phil Collins thing and lay down the drums before the other guys do bass, guitars, sometimes keyboards (which I do too)...

I can play all sorts of drums and sometimes try to emulate players I enjoy...

...but the one guy I never even TRY to emulate in any way is Stewart Copeland.

The guy is simply too amazing to even try and emulate.

I hear rock fans always go on and on about Neil Peart...and with good reason...

...but the guy (to me) who is BEYOND amazing and yet makes it sound so easy (even though it's not remotely easy) is Stewart Copeland.

The man is a GOD on drums. Talk about being born with a gift.

I thought The Police's reunion tour was a competent, excellent return by a great band. My girlfriend (now wife) & I thoroughly enjoyed the show we saw. But the band were clearly in it for the money. It was a little too laid-back, a little too Sting-a-fied play-the-songs-and-go...

...and yet I still spent the night marveling at how amazing Stewart was. Even if the band were doing some kinda laid-back versions of some of the songs, Stewart was simply amazing.

He’s a good guy to talk to about music in general. He really understands it. My wife’s nephew is majoring in music and wants to be a professional drummer. The advice Stewart gave was look at yourself as a musician and not just a drummer and you are going to have to be creative to make a living in music. Session musicians aren’t needed like they once were and recorded music doesn’t have the value it did. He said it’s all about being creative looking for opportunities and having the courage to try new things.

[Kristy]

From Stewart himself*

(Skip ahead to 5:18-ish)



*WARNING: This is a limey podcast with that fucking creep from Spandu Ballet and some shitty bass player. Listen at your own risk.

[Rikk]

Stung is such a cock. Their producer on Synchronsuckity Hugh Padgham speaks in endless stories of how much Stung and Copeland argured so much he called the suits at A&M trying to get out of his contract on working on the album. Hugh spoke of how cock smock Stung would have Hugh erase of lot of Copeland's drum tracks simply because he thought they were "absolute shit."

Yeah, I heard this too. It's amazing...because for the most part, that last album is one of their best. It's very creative...and while Sting is very pretentious, it hasn't overtaken his music the way it would eventually in his solo career. But yes, there they were in Monserrat, recording amazing music...and Sting would bitch to/about Stewart all the time.

I'm glad I have DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES. It's a great, great album...musicians (collectively) even better than The Police. But he never made another solo album quite as strong as that one...and if it hadn't been such a success, he would have had his ego knocked down a few rungs and maybe we would have gotten more Police music.

[Kristy]

I have to say...I went into it with an open mind but I just don't hear it. Stewart has played much better on songs like WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER and ONE WORLD (NOT THREE). (That said, the bass player is seriously good.) But you're right...it's not a great song...not the worst thing I've ever heard, but not great.

That was all Hugh Padgham. After all, he made Phil Collins sound er, passable.

[Kristy]

I'm glad I have DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES. It's a great, great album...musicians (collectively) even better than The Police. But he never made another solo album quite as strong as that one...and if it hadn't been such a success, he would have had his ego knocked down a few rungs and maybe we would have gotten more Police music.

THAT fucking album was all Pete Smith who made Stung sound like a limp-wristed Style Council-era Paul Weller.

[Nitro Express]

Stewart told me he was trained to be a jazz drummer but he said growing up in the Middle East and hearing Arabic music all the time probably influenced his style. He said Arabic music has interesting drum styles and again, it’s about being creative and doing something different. Well his drumming was definitely different. I saw the Ghost in the Machine tour and Stewart blew me away.

[Rikk]

He’s a good guy to talk to about music in general. He really understands it. My wife’s nephew is majoring in music and wants to be a professional drummer. The advice Stewart gave was look at yourself as a musician and not just a drummer and you are going to have to be creative to make a living in music. Session musicians aren’t needed like they once were and recorded music doesn’t have the value it did. He said it’s all about being creative looking for opportunities and having the courage to try new things.

In the 1981 documentary (hosted by Jools Holland) showing the band in the studio recording GHOST IN THE MACHINE, Stewart is by far the most engaging interviewee. Just listen to the part during which he breaks down just what is different about reggae music (accent on the down-beat). I've heard other people explain this...but he does it with such clarity, humor and charisma that you not only come off with a better understanding of what makes reggae tick but you also will remember it better.

And, again, you're right...he was creative as a drummer. He really understood music and was always finding new sounds and things to do in his music...not just new percussion instruments but new rhythmic ideas.

[Kristy]

Oh, and you can take drugs to any Style Council album (well, maybe not the last one they did) But you're a total moron if you do.

[Rikk]

I saw the Ghost in the Machine tour and Stewart blew me away.

You lucky bastard. I didn't see them 'til the reunion.

GHOST IN THE MACHINE is my least-favorite Police album (I love all five albums...I just rank GHOST and the debut a bit below the others)...but that tour was amazing. (I only know this because I've seen one of the concert videos...they still had some hunger, some oomph...and they were still creative.)

SYNCHRONICITY is an insanely-great album...but the tour itself is the least-appealing (of the original tours) to me because they had become more "professional," too polished (with the backing singers) and some of the improvisation was toned down. Tours like ZENYETTA's and GHOST's were more dynamic.

[Rikk]

Oh, and you can take drugs to any Style Council album (well, maybe not the last one they did) But you're a total moron if you do.

Technically, I believe if you had some really good cocaine or some really top-notch Norco or THC, all sorts of music would sound better. I remember once listening to a Bay City Rollers song (my friend's iPod was playing random...don't ask me why he had Bay City Rollers) at a campfire while baked...and it sounded like one of the great pieces of music...

Then I sobered up.

[Rikk]

That was all Hugh Padgham. After all, he made Phil Collins sound er, passable.

Hey, make fun of me all you want...but I still love ABACAB and the 1983 self-titled GENESIS album. The sound on those albums and the mix of polish and spontaneity was still appealing...before the 80s really dragged on...

[Kristy]

This is, to this day, one of my favorite car songs.

Jesus, talk abut selling yourself short




Colorado has decriminalized psy mushies so I'm free to "see" and "feel" and "experience" um, things to Copland's drumming without THE MAN trying to fuck up my day.

[Nitro Express]

Stung is such a cock. Their producer on Synchronsuckity Hugh Padgham speaks in endless stories of how much Stung and Copeland argured so much he called the suits at A&M trying to get out of his contract on working on the album. Hugh spoke of how cock smock Stung would have Hugh erase of lot of Copeland's drum tracks simply because he thought they were "absolute shit."

Yeah Stewart said him and Sting are polar opposites and fought like dogs. He said when The Police fell apart he actually felt relief because it always was tense. He loves visiting Sting and staying at his wonderful estate in Italy. They get along if music isn’t involved.

[Kristy]

Hey, make fun of me all you want...but I still love ABACAB and the 1983 self-titled GENESIS album. The sound on those albums and the mix of polish and spontaneity was still appealing...before the 80s really dragged on...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the albums apart from Phil Collins playing and signing on them.