# Artists with sloppy technique but great artistry **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 8, 2025, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779 "2025-10-08T12:12:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/21 "2025-10-09T01:03:58Z")
I think people are mistaking feel for “sloppiness”. But feel, that’s the important thing. Feel, to me, is about tension; the possibility that music will fall apart into chaos. Teetering on the edge of noise, which means, on occasion, what can be perceived as errors. Or even actual errors, because that’s a part of feel, too; reaching for something, not effortless achievement. I lose interest in music if it’s too precise. Someone who can play super fast and super precise is just not interesting. There’s no tension. There’s no feel. I’m not saying that someone with great technique is always a bad player, but that technique alone is just boring. If there’s zero chance of disaster, well, who cares? That said, I do enjoy classical music, but even there I can hear a difference between a passionate player and a mechanical one. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/22 "2025-10-09T04:44:04Z")
> I lose interest in music if it’s too precise. I (barely) remember a review of a performance that stated that the drummer “needed to be more analog”. Speaking of “too precise”, I took the kids to an Interpol concert. No interaction with the crowd, nothing but precise “Just Like On The CD” playing. I got so bored. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/23 "2025-10-09T21:50:24Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > I think people are mistaking feel for “sloppiness”. But feel, that’s the important thing. Feel, to me, is about tension; the possibility that music will fall apart into chaos. This is how I feel about Weezer’s _Pinkerton._ I have no idea if it uses sloppy technique, but it sounds like the entire band is drunk. Even Rivers compared the lyrics to a drunk dial, just an embarrassingly exposed, insecure rambling mess. And man is it good. That’s where some of the best stuff lives. In the gut. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/THDc2MAMwok/maxresdefault.jpg "Tired Of Sex") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THDc2MAMwok) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/24 "2025-10-09T21:53:25Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > it sounds like the entire band is drunk For “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” Bob Dylan really did get the whole band drunk and stoned, to create one of the sloppiest sides ever recorded. This glorious mess was deliberate: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fm-po_FUmvM/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm-po_FUmvM) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/25 "2025-10-09T21:55:46Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > For “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” Bob Dylan really did get the whole band drunk and stoned, to create one of the sloppiest sides ever recorded. This glorious mess was deliberate: On top of that, they also swapped their regular instruments, for maximum effect. It worked! ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/26 "2025-10-09T22:59:32Z")
Bob Dylan had some great “artistry”, but his signing was about as bad as it could be for someone so popular, back in his day. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/27 "2025-10-09T23:10:23Z")
I don’t know where they fall on the sloppy/ great spectrum, but I have to share them: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/63Agrr2qC78/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC6AKKAgwIABABGGogaihqMA8=&rs=AOn4CLChsaV4Z5UZONCuDX0OiWKfg_muPQ "Monks - I Hate You") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Agrr2qC78) ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/28 "2025-10-09T23:11:02Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > For “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” Bob Dylan really did get the whole band drunk and stoned, to create one of the sloppiest sides ever recorded. This glorious mess was deliberate: My favorite story about that is that Charlie McCoy played bass AND trumpet… simultaneously! My nominees are Alex Chilton and The (Small) Faces. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/29 "2025-10-10T02:14:40Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > Bob Dylan had some great “artistry”, but his signing was about as bad as it could be Well, the lettering was a little sloppy, but I wouldn’t say his signing was as bad as it could be. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MGxjIBEZvx0/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGxjIBEZvx0) ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/30 "2025-10-10T06:30:36Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > Bob Dylan. Neither a virtuoso singer nor guitarist, but there’s a reason everyone and their brother covers his tunes. First person I thought of too. Voice like a 50cc scooter at times, but what great songs. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/31 "2025-10-10T06:31:25Z")
Gonna add another one… Mark Knopfler. Not for the guitar playing, he’s a genius at that, but for the singing voice, which is passable but nothing special. Sounds great to me though. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/32 "2025-10-10T10:39:55Z")
When it comes to guitar, sloppiness can be an attribute when it is done “right.” George Thorogood and Rick Nielsen, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/33 "2025-10-10T12:19:12Z")
[Tom Waits](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZS-B1Afc1c&list=RDqZS-B1Afc1c&start_radio=1) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/34 "2025-10-10T15:35:08Z")
Ha, that’s probably the first Dylan song I ever heard. I don’t know too many others. He’s not a very good singer and that’s always kinda put me off. But it’s a fun song and he actually doesn’t sound too bad there. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/35 "2025-10-10T15:36:19Z")
I like this one (this is the first time hearing it.) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/36 "2025-10-10T15:47:23Z")
You’ve never heard Subterranean Homesick Blues?!? I guess I’ve accomplished my good deed for the day. Be sure to check out Al Yankovic’s [brilliant palindromic parody](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUQDzj6R3p4). ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/37 "2025-10-10T16:01:34Z")
That’s pretty epic. I can’t imagine how long it took him to come up with all those… And make them rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/38 "2025-10-10T17:37:34Z")
Probably not very long. Dylan was a highly prolific and fast writer in his magical years from 1962-66, he sometimes penned songs on the side in cafés on napkins. Doesn’t mean that he didn’t carefully craft songs, “Mr. Tambourine Man” definitely wasn’t written in 10 minutes, nor was “Subterranean Homesick Blues” There’s a famous anecdote about the two songwriter geniuses Dylan and Leonard Cohen. They met shortly after Dylan’s album “Infidels” had been released, and Cohen asked him “I like your new song “I And I”. How long did it take you to write?” Dylan replied “I don’t know, 15 Minutes perhaps. I like your song “Hallelujah”. How long did you take?” Cohen: “15 years.” ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/39 "2025-10-10T17:44:12Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Probably not very long. Dylan was a highly prolific and fast writer in his magical years from 1962-66, he sometimes penned songs on the side in cafés on napkins. Oh, I meant Weird Al coming up with all those palindromes. > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > There’s a famous anecdote about the two songwriter geniuses Dylan and Leonard Cohen. They met shortly after Dylan’s album “Infidels” had been released, and Cohen asked him “I like your new song “I And I”. How long did it take you to write?” Dylan replied “I don’t know, 15 Minutes perhaps. I like your song “Hallelujah”. How long did you take?” Cohen: “15 years.” As someone who took 11 years to write my first novel, I’m with Cohen. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779/40 "2025-10-10T17:45:24Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Oh, I meant Weird Al coming up with all those palindromes. Oh sorry, I overlooked the post above with the Weird Al parody and thought you were talking about Dylan’s original. 🤦‍♂️ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-sloppy-technique-but-great-artistry/1023779.md?page=3)