# Creative types who have no equivalents **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761 "2010-10-29T13:56:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/41 "2010-10-30T13:14:51Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Captain Beefheart. Complete sui generis in everything he ever did. Though he was IMO a rip, Edgar Broughton would make C.B. non unique. Out Demons OUT ! My offering though not a fan, is Emo the comedian. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/42 "2010-10-30T13:21:44Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > My offering though not a fan, is Emo the comedian. If you mean Emo Phillips (sample: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3HUoAvzWk4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3HUoAvzWk4) and others nearby) I would suggest that both Steven Wright and Jack Handey (“Deep Thoughts”) are too close for Emo to be thought of as unique. I love all three and laugh at almost everything they do. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/43 "2010-10-30T13:29:25Z")
Gary Larson has had his imitators, but no one has come close. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/44 "2010-10-30T13:42:55Z")
Les Claypool. He is his own genre of music. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/45 "2010-10-30T14:18:06Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > Gary Larson has had his imitators, but no one has come close. Sheer genius. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/46 "2010-10-30T14:34:53Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Though he was IMO a rip, Edgar Broughton would make C.B. non unique. > > Out Demons OUT ! Other than the fact that they did a Beefheart cover, their sound is nothing like Beefheart (for one thing, they don’t do the weird time changes and their lyrics aren’t anything like surreal). At best, they’re like the “Safe as Milk” Beefheart – which is good, but not what made the Captain unique. Their voices are similar (though the Captain has a greater range), but so is Howlin’ Wolf. ---
**Author:** ![ripopgome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@ripopgome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ripopgome)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/47 "2010-10-30T15:05:49Z")
Prince, for a particular combination of longevity, prolific and varied production, and showmanship. And of course, for defining the Minneapolis sound, the rock/funk hybrid that drove janet jackson’s career, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/48 "2010-10-30T15:41:12Z")
For the oddest reason one name immediately came into my head when I read this thread. [Tiny Tim](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c71RCAyLS1M) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bith_Shuffle)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/49 "2010-10-30T16:53:05Z")
We could speak of two types of uniqueness here: uniqueness of style and uniqueness of quality. If we refer to uniqueness of style, then almost nobody is unique stylistically, if only because they end up copied. I’m sure that even Jandek has his copycats. A stylistic innovator is an innovator for five minutes–then he’s just the first member of a big trend. We can’t talk about uniqueness of quality except within specific types of art. Even we say “The Beatles are the best rock musicians,” we still face the fact that there are many other rock musicians who can satisfy aural cravings that The Beatles cannot. If by “uniqueness” we refer to “the best within a very narrow stylistic range,” then there are many examples of artists who we could say have no equivalents. Saul Bellow is, by far, the best at writing about successful, anxious, mildly misogynistic Jewish men who can’t quite find their home in life. etc. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bith_Shuffle)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/50 "2010-10-30T17:00:06Z")
After attacking the question, I’ll actually give some responses, under the definition I gave last of “the best within a very narrow stylistic range:” Wallace Stevens Mark Strand Stephen Dunn Richard Howard ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/51 "2010-10-30T17:12:53Z")
> [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](#): > > If we refer to uniqueness of style, then almost nobody is unique stylistically, if only because they end up copied. I’m sure that even Jandek has his copycats. A stylistic innovator is an innovator for five minutes–then he’s just the first member of a big trend. > > We can’t talk about uniqueness of quality except within specific types of art. Even we say “The Beatles are the best rock musicians,” we still face the fact that there are many other rock musicians who can satisfy aural cravings that The Beatles cannot. I think Les Claypool still qualifies on both counts. Nobody would or could ever copy what he does. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/52 "2010-10-30T17:41:00Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > J. R. R. Tolkien, for many of the same reasons there won’t be another Beatles or Elvis. Puh-_leeeze_!:rolleyes: Tolkien was trying to _imitate_ Northern European myths & epics. Questionably “one of a kind”.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/53 "2010-10-30T19:48:07Z")
**Bosdi** see post #17 ---
**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 30, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/54 "2010-10-30T19:56:50Z")
Cake Who else combines references to _Waiting for Godot_ with [groovy brass?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0mx5ERj1eI) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/55 "2010-10-30T21:28:35Z")
Stan Lee. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/56 "2010-10-31T16:59:21Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Jim Henson. I came in to say him, plus also, Freddy Mercury. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Unexpected\_Okapi\_Debacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_unexpected_okapi_debacle/32/7702_2.png) [@The\_Unexpected\_Okapi\_Debacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Unexpected_Okapi_Debacle)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/57 "2010-10-31T17:07:43Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Les Claypool. He is his own genre of music. Seconded. > [@kayaker](#): > > Tom Waits > [@Short\_Guy](#): > > Seconded. Thirded. Also, Leonard Cohen, Richard Brautigan, and Terry Gilliam. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/58 "2010-10-31T17:20:13Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Stan Lee. Ya know, as much as I love the guy (and his work), I don’t think he’s even close to “having no equivalent”. Stan was simply lucky enough to be the right guy in the right place at the right time. But it’s not like there aren’t thousands and thousands of other nerds who could have come up with a gajillion superheros and had a few dozen stick around. Also, he was aided by some terrific artists who brought his characters and stories to life. Without Jack Kirby… ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/59 "2010-10-31T18:51:54Z")
Igor Stravinsky Gil Orlovitz ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761/60 "2010-10-31T21:52:49Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Stan Lee. I kept meaning to post about this. Stan? No. Stan’s a great guy, insanely creative, and he’s got the lack of shame you need to come up with this stuff and market it. But he’s only one in a million. Jack ‘The King’ Kirby. If there had to be one person you could say, was unique in the field? Him. Nobody’s managed to do what he did. Nobody’s come close. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-types-who-have-no-equivalents/558761.md?page=4)