You’re a bad person.
This one is easy. Harry Chapin. I have gotten all kinds of grief from my friends for this but I am proud to like Harry’s ahem, music.
He even wrote a song about how bad he performed, “Six String Orchestra” but to me, his lyrics are exceptional and he manages to make the music enhance and bring out the lyrics so while it’s no technical wonder, it is magic. He also has no voice to speak of but he makes it work for him.
Ok, you can laugh now, I’m used to it.
Yet another one - The Violent Femmes. These guys were literally picked up off the street. I almost have to laugh when, on one of the live albums, they say “Oh no, we brought it to the end of the song and we didn’t get a chance to jam!” - followed by a few minutes of artless jamming, but darn if they don’t sound like they’re having fun anyway.
Nirvana as a band was actually really good at what they did - it’s just that the music they made wasn’t all that technically demanding. The surviving members have done quite well in other bands - they were all fairly talented.
It’s been suggested that The Velvet Underground was a practical joke by Andy Warhol, but damned if I don’t love a lot of their sings.
The 5.6.7.8’s are all kinds of awesome. But it ain’t technical prowess that makes ‘em so - just their deep grokking of Rock n’ Roll.
Nope, I’ll back you on this, Penguin. With Chapin, it’s about the story he’s telling.
I came in to say Big Brother and the Holding Co. They were really sloppy, espically in the early years. Same could be said for some of the Dead’s recordings too.
The Bloodhound Gang are pretty terrible as musicians, but The Bad Touch is still a good song.
To not put too fine a point on it, BB&tHC sucked from a technique standpoint, and unfortunately, unlike the Ramones, were doing it within a genre that had some technical requirements - e.g., being able to play a decent lead.
I need to be careful commenting on the Dead - too many ways to offend people. I will say that it seems like some folks value their innovations as improvisors and communicators-with-their-crowd and are able to look past their technical limitations - something I really struggle with.
I always thought Cobain was a pretty good vocalist and an excellent guitarist, but that may be me.
To contribute: Little Johnny Jewel by Television. Parts of the song sound like a teenage band warming up in the basement, but then it just explodes into beautiful release. Actually, that could apply to quite a bit of Television’s initial stuff.
The Insane Clown Posse. Need I say more?
Yes, but can you look us in the eye and say you really like them?
Mention should probably be made of The Clash’s Joe Strummer – he even named himself after the fact that he couldn’t do anything with the guitar beyond strumming.
I have a friend of mine who dislikes the Dead for the very reason mentioned above ( he prefers almost exclusively highly technical music ) but for the same reason he understands why others like them. I think it’s a pretty intriguing point. I actually appreciate the technical side as well as the social side pretty equally so I don’t really get wrapped up in the argument but I understand it and can see how it would be valid for those who have a preference.
A lot of female artists are staggeringly under-rated.
Taking a few names at random:
Ruby Murray, Alma Cogan, Laura Nyro, Gilli Smyth, Claire Hammill, Kathy Smith, Laurie Stivers, Laura Veirs, Sarah Blastock
I’ll second Bright Eyes, and in a similar lo-fi/acoustic manner, add The Microphones.
It’s all about feelin’.
This does not compute. I mean, yeah, some of the early hits have a deliberate garage-band sound, and the band did need a little time to grow, but this is a very capable group.
The Unforgiven
4 guitars, bass and drum. Its out there, people! Search and Discover!
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Yes, but can you look us in the eye and say you really like
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Well… I like them better than Lady Gaga*, does that count?
*I like tap water better than Lady Gaga but I could have set the bar even lower. ::thinks:: Coldplay? Phil Collins? ::shudder:: at least she’s interesting to look at.
Songs composed soley of down-strokes is no easy feat, it gets tiring pretty quick.
Nirvana comes to mind. It’s sloppy but good.
As Kurt put it. Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Solo, bad solo.