“Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww! This Chateau Lafitte-Rothschild 1959 is soooo SOUR! Kin I have a Coke?”
It’s called an ADULT TASTE, kiddies.
Like for real coffee. And fine wine. And good beer. And GARLIC, for chrissake.
I’ve been steaming silently through more threads can I care to name with posters saying “I like his songs, but he sounds so RETARDED” and “He’s an international icon, but I just can’t stand his VOICE” and “Put on the Byrds or Joan Baez doin’ his stuff.”
Grow the fuck UP. Listen to some god damn Woody Guthrie, or some god damn Rod Stewart, or some god damn Louis Armstrong. They don’t ALL have to sound like Mariah Carey and Bing Crosby, okay?
I gree. I just got his Essential double CD and love it. I like the way Joan Baez and Guns ‘n’ Roses cover his songs, but I like his versions, as well. They all have their own “flavor”.
I think he sucks. He is just an old wretch that sings through his nose. He never sounded good, and he is just embarassing himself now.
I AM a grown up, and my musical tastes are probably more varied that YOURS! I happen to LIKE rod Stewart and Louie Armstrong, as well as lots of others, and I HATE maria carey!
You want a gifted songwriter? How about Leonard Cohen?
I also dont like the voice of Neil Young, or Gordon Lightfoot…so sue me.
Hey Ike, I like him so much our sons name is Dylan. I know, that isn’t his real name but that is the one that he is famous with.
I am also a big fan of Arlo. I know, that is not the same as Woody, but I do like him also. I just like his son better.
I am not getting into the who is better and who isn’t because musical taste differ.
I can listen to anything from Piano concerts to NIN. Yeah, yeah, I know I’m a strange breed.
Now how bout oppinions on Tom Petty? They have been compaired time and time again.
Can I like Dylan most of the time? I usually love his voice, but every now and then, his style becomes so exaggerated, it almost seems as though he’s sliding into self parody. A good example for that would be…
Umm…
Damn you, Uke, you just made me listen through half of Blonde on Blonde. Maybe “Just Like a Woman”?
The hell with it. Dylan has a good voice, and even more important, he has an interesting intelligent voice. Lots of singers today, I’m not even sure they actually understand all the words they’re warbling. That’s why I love Dylan, and Springsteen, and Petty (his voice sounds great to me!), and Waits. Can’t stand Cohen, though. Too morbid and humorless.
For the record, Dylan is usually the best performer of his own songs. Notable exceptions to this would be Hendrix, of course, and certain covers of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” (yes, I like GnR’s version the best. Sue me). And don’t even mention the Byrds - they eviscarated “Mr. Tambourine Man” and drew out its soul. Whiny bastards.
Fuck off. Just because I don’t appreciate Dylan’s wheeze doesn’t mean I don’t like real music. You are such a narrow minded dolt, that there can only be one type of music.
I am loath to disagree, because I enjoy your postsUkulele Ike.
I saw Bob Dylan once. At the Orpheum theater on Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis in the early 90’s. At that time Dylan had a reputation as an erratic performer. This particular show was very good, but it was (in my opinion, obviously) in spite of his voice, not because of it. Yes, I found his voice pretty tough to listen to. But his band was great (two drummers - a nice touch), the set list was great, he seemed in good spirits, and a great time was had by all.
Dylan’s voice is his character (well a part of it anyway)
It’s acquired taste. Like Jimi’s voice, like a good cigar, like Brandy like reading. Take that away and you’ll be living in a world of Backstreet Boys.
Dylans voice can’t be mass produced, it is the Folk movement.
I agree with the OP generally, but I have heard stuff where he just seems to be too tired to care anymore. None of his studio work, but some live appearances on TV and stuff. The ones where he seems to have missed all the consonants. Last I checked, though, he was back to the top of his form. Of course that was when I saw him in concert in Oct. '94, so I’m still a bit behind. Actually, I think the MTV Unplugged album may have been recorded since then. He still had it then too.
No, he ain’t friggin’ Pavarotti. And certainly his songs have been aptly covered by others. Personally, though, I think that however great Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” is, there’s a certain honesty and aproachability to the original version that could never be matched by anyone else. His is a voice from the people.
Upham have I ever told you that you have become one of my favorite posters?
I know this is a slight highjack, but Upham I want to ask you something on a different subject, how can I get ahold of you?
Alright folks carry on, and try to keep the blood shed down to a minimum.
Blood is so hard to get out of clothing and carpets. And hiding a body anymore is damn near impossible with the leaps and bounds in forensic sience.
Ike, you know how I hate to agree with you ;), but these dolts don’t know from where they speak.* Dylan is not a singer, like Sinatra wasn’t a singer. They interpret the material in ways unmatchable by lesser beings**.
Leonard Cohen’s (who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket) only proper interpreter, other than himself, is another song stylist, Joe Cocker. And Cohen is funny, when he isn’t making me want to slit my wrists.
Tom Petty is just bad. Bad songs; bad singing. The bad sort of bad.
Their assholes
** - Actually, I have had some difficulty developing a proper appreciation for Mr Sinatra’s talent, but that’s what people who like him tell me.