What’s your definition of “radio-friendly”? Talk about the most overused, contrived and abused phrase applied to music in general.
Sometimes a band will write songs looking for it to top the charts, become a hit and make them and the studio shitloads of money.
Other times, a song makes the circuit (a lot of the time, because the label is pushing it to get a fuck load of radio play), but this doesn’t mean the band intentionally set out to write the song only to gain a lot of radio play.
Don’t know if you knew, but Blink did get back together and released a new album this year. I dug it, for the most part, but it’s no Enema of the State.
Also, Travis Barker is probably one of the best drummers working today (speaking of Hawkins and Grohl).
Can you elaborate on this? Because in my mind, much of the subject matter of Pearl Jam songs kinda fly in the face of conventional radio-friendly music themes. In my previous statement I was referring to their overall sound.
Fan of FF. Always thought they were a pretty ok band, couple of good songs, a little too pop, but still pretty ok.
Saw them live last year for the first time in Chicago. They fucking rock in concert.
By date the best band I have seen in concert. They are harder and more honest live, and I have never seen a band enjoy themselves so much. They love what they do.
I’ve seen them in Minneapolis and Columbus as well. They’ve turned me into a fan.
If you kinda like them then now, go see them live.
They’re awesome in concert. Pushing 40, myself, concerts are really starting to bore me, but they’re one of the bands I’ll never pass to see play live.
Also, I love the irony on how “milquetoast” and “radio-friendly” they’re claimed to be, when the title track on The Colour and the Shape is this little tune.
Sure, they’ll come across as radio-friendly when all you’re listening to is the radio.
That first album is really great, ESP. “Big me” and “this is a call.” I feel like the band should maybe never have gone beyond Grohl’s bedroom vanity project, as they’ve since morphed into the most bland, corporate, non-threatening m.o.r. Arena dreck. Grohl can definitely occasionally write a huge hook like “learn to fly,” but the first time I heard “the best of you” I thought it was actually a Budweiser commercial.
Which seems to be the big misconception. All anybody seems to have sampled are their commercialized radio singles. Best of You and Learn to Fly, I’d have to say, are among some of my least favorites by them.
Sure, they have a lot of melodic, catchy tunes, but their best stuff is the songs hiding on their meatylicious albums that don’t get radio play.
So, I’m confused. Some hear them on the radio, and are “meh,” yet complain that they’re too bland and only write radio-friendly music. Well, isn’t that what you’re only going to hear when you listen to the radio?
While the First Eponymous album is fantastic, and there was a shift in sound to the rest of their stuff once he assembled a band, but it’s all solid rock, and very Grohl, IMO.
ETA: I listen to other bands for “threatening, dark” music. That’s never really been his thing.
I thunk it and have been telling anybody who would listen for nearly 20 years now.
Foo’s rock and I really want to have Dave over for a BBQ and beers. He can bring all the kids and we’ll ride dirtbikes, play darts and generally have a capital time.
Only thing I don’t like about him is gum-chewing on stage. Damn “Rock Stars”!
For what it’s worth, a good friend used to work in some of the major LA studios (Sound City) and got to rub elbows with a lot of musicians (I’ve met a few through him). He always said that Grohl is one of the nicest people he’s worked with, and definitely the most “what you see is what you get” in the industry.
It’s in Toronto and the segment starts @ 10:20, but the shit giving is at 18:30. Watch the whole ten minutes if you’re a fan, there is some other fun going on.
