I know, I know. Its been a long time since I last blogged. A very long time.
I've been caught up with school and work and writing some novels and grieving for one of my cats and welcoming a new kitten into my home. Life has been crazy.
So, what has been going on in the world that I used to at least (semi?) regularly update? Well, David Cook has put out a fantastic album, U2 has released an album and are preparing to launch a huge sold-out tour, Blue October have released a new album, Depeche Mode have released a new album, and I believe Linkin Park is getting ready to release a new album.
It seems Britney Spears has somewhat gotten her life back on track.
JD Fortune is no longer the lead singer of INXS, possibly at least partially due to his own loose lips.
Marty Casey left Lovehammers to front LA Guns, and it seems he is now doing both simultaneously.
Project Runway is no longer part of Bravo, but has moved to Lifetime. And Bravo has replaced it with The Fashion Show. Not nearly as much of a guilty pleasure, I can assure you.
American Idol's 8th season has come and gone...and a lackluster season it was, in my opinion. There was certainly no David Cook or Michael Johns to capture my attention. Congratulations to Kris Allen. I'm just glad that Adam Glambert did not win. He makes my ears bleed.
So now what? What has brought me out of my lengthy blog silence? What could possibly be noteworthy enough to force me to set aside everything else in my life to type away to an unknown audience, regardless of the annoying A key on my keyboard, which my sweet little kitten has so lovingly pulled off so many times it won't go back on?
A new season of my biggest obsession, So You Think You Can Dance, of course!
So, tune in, sit back, and get ready for some amazing, some lackluster, and some insanely bad dancing. I'll be giving my own thoughts and comments, and if I can find videos of the noteworthy auditions and performances, I'll post them here as well.
Showing posts with label INXS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label INXS. Show all posts
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Greatest Albums
In the INXS Lounge at RockBandLounge.com, we've started a new discussion that really got me started thinking. They asked what our top 10 albums that influenced us (either positively or negatively) are and to tell why. Well, that has prompted some excellent discussion, and it has provided me with an excellent reason to avoid working on my final projects for the semester for a little while. So, here are my choices.
Okay, I couldn't limit myself to 10...but I did limit myself to 15. LOL. I've granted five honorable mentions.
So, my Top 10 (in no particular order):
The Beatles - The White Album: One of my all-time favorite albums by one of my all-time favorite bands. This double album is full of everything. It has introspective songs, songs that only make sense if you're high, sing-along songs, and everything in between. Even if it was devoid of almost everything else on the album, it would likely make my list simply for While My Guitar Gently Weeps. George Harrison never got enough credit for his songwriting.
Guns 'N Roses - Appetite for Destruction: At a time when *rock* consisted of Hair Bands, more Hair Bands, and still more Hair Bands singing sappy power ballads and cheesy songs about a girl being Cherry Pie, this album hit like a bomb...in a good way. Welcome to the Jungle began to change the face of music. And Sweet Child 'O Mine garnered them female fans, without having to resort to a using an uber-cheesy power ballad. This was a power ballad that ROCKED.
U2 - The Joshua Tree: I struggled with which U2 album to include in my list. And while The Joshua Tree isn't my favorite U2 album, it was the first to make me seriously take notice of this band. I had heard Pride (In the Name of Love) and New Year's Day and a few other of their songs before. But this was something else entirely. And it truly speaks to the power of this album that tracks like Where the Streets Have No Name and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For still have the same kind of fresh feel to them when performed live today as they had when they were first released (might be why Where the Streets Have No Name is my ring tone). Oh yeah...and don't forget about the gorgeous video to With or Without You! This album, like the majority of their subsequent albums, also truly felt cohesive...like they were making a statement, sending a message, with the entire album. It isn't just an album full of hits and some filler. Everything works together to paint a larger picture.
Pearl Jam - Ten: While the rest of the world was caught up in Nirvana lust, I was falling for the power of Eddie Vedder's vocals. He may not have a perfect voice, but there is a passion to what he sings that I never found in Nirvana...so Pearl Jam is what I connected with from the grunge scene/Seattle sound. Songs like Evenflow and Alive knocked my socks off, but the album as a whole really sucked me in. Songs like Jeremy, Black, and Release gave me a complete experience. It didn't hurt that this album...this movement in music...occurred at a time when I was searching for anything to take me away from my own life. I connected to the angst in this music...
INXS - Elegantly Wasted: Much like with U2, I struggled to settle on which INXS album to include on my list. I wound up going with Elegantly Wasted because of the rawness of Michael Hutchence's lyrics. Even though the music is still the trademark INXS sound, the lyrics take this album to a different sphere than any of their others...a place that Full Moon, Dirty Hearts hinted at but didn't quite ascend to. The lyrics on this album are heartfelt, raw, pure emotion. Particular favorites for me are I'm Just a Man, Everything, and Searching.
REM - Document: There were a number of REM albums I thought about including on my list. But Document wound up making the cut because of its sheer listenability. This is an album with a feel. Even all of these years later, I can put it in and listen to it over and over again without ever feeling like I want or need to hear something different. This is REM at their finest. Oh yeah, and it doesn't hurt that one of the quirkiest songs ever written is on it...It's the End of the World as We Know It...and I Feel Fine.
Metallica - Metallica: Heavy metal may not be for everyone. And that's okay. But heavy metal made its way to everyone with this album. It's often referred to as the Black Album...much like the Beatles' White Album. Songs like The Unforgiven and Enter Sandman broke the barriers of popular music when the entire face of popular music was on the verge of changing, and Nothing Else Matters brought a lot of women to become fans of true heavy metal (not Hair Band "metal") for the first time.
Led Zeppelin - IV: Yeah, I know...Stairway to Heaven is almost a cliche now. But even if you disregard that track (which would be a mistake), this album is full of some of the best true down and dirty rock 'n roll music ever made. If you've never listened to it...LISTEN TO IT! You will not regret it. And it may just wind up being one of your favorite albums of all time too. Don't say I didn't warn you. There is not a bad *skip over it* track on the album.
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds: A groundbreaking album by a band more traditionally known for their "surfer rock" music. Does it still have some of that feel good vibe? Of course. But it also has an experimental quality that most people would relate to The Beatles at the time. They took chances with this one, and those chances paid off. Also, this album has one of my all-time favorite songs ever, God Only Knows.
Michael Jackson - Thriller: The King of Pop before he became The King of Odd. I don't care who you are, this album was the shit. And it is still very listenable today, though some of the tracks feel a bit dated. Just go ahead and admit it...you wore a red jacket and a single fingerless glove too. It's okay. We all did back then.
And my honorable mentions:
Aerosmith - Get a Grip: I had to include an Aerosmith album, and I really struggled with which one to include since there are so many that have affected me over the years. I wound up settling on Get a Grip though, possibly because of how it virtually plays like a Greatest Hits type album. Yeah, they had a lot more hits than what you find on this album, and some probably were bigger hits than some of these. But you can't ignore the fact that virtually every song on this album was a hit. That says something.
Def Leppard - Hysteria: And while we are speaking of albums full of hits, we have to include Hysteria. This one is just plain FUN. That is all. I love it.
Willie Nelson - Half Nelson: For an album that I used to hate, I sure do love this one. An album full of duets, this one is one that my father wore the tape out...TWICE. He listened to it constantly. When we would travel to visit my grandparents (a 12 hour drive) this is what we would be forced to listen to the entire way...both directions. So yeah, I was *over* it for a long time. But when I picked it up again a few years ago, I was filled with nostalgia. And honestly, there are some great duets on it! Some of my particular favorites are Pancho and Lefty with Merle Haggard and To All the Girls I've Loved Before with Julio Iglesias.
Empire Records Soundtrack: I struggled between choosing this soundtrack and the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. Essentially, it boiled down to the fact that this one is full of music that I can listen to all the time, and SNF is full of disco. Granted, it made me love disco. But anyways, this soundtrack to me, is one of the greatest soundtracks ever compiled. This one is quirky and fun and sexy and just plain awesome. If you've never listened to it, check it out. You won't be disappointed.
AC/DC - Back in Black: The only AC/DC album I've ever owned. But this one kicks my butt every time I put it in. I love it. I love everything about it. I love that it can take me back in time. Priceless.
I may come back at some point and change my mind...add something, take something away, do an entirely different kind of list of favorite albums. But, this is it for now!
So...what albums impacted you, and how?
Okay, I couldn't limit myself to 10...but I did limit myself to 15. LOL. I've granted five honorable mentions.
So, my Top 10 (in no particular order):
The Beatles - The White Album: One of my all-time favorite albums by one of my all-time favorite bands. This double album is full of everything. It has introspective songs, songs that only make sense if you're high, sing-along songs, and everything in between. Even if it was devoid of almost everything else on the album, it would likely make my list simply for While My Guitar Gently Weeps. George Harrison never got enough credit for his songwriting.
Guns 'N Roses - Appetite for Destruction: At a time when *rock* consisted of Hair Bands, more Hair Bands, and still more Hair Bands singing sappy power ballads and cheesy songs about a girl being Cherry Pie, this album hit like a bomb...in a good way. Welcome to the Jungle began to change the face of music. And Sweet Child 'O Mine garnered them female fans, without having to resort to a using an uber-cheesy power ballad. This was a power ballad that ROCKED.
U2 - The Joshua Tree: I struggled with which U2 album to include in my list. And while The Joshua Tree isn't my favorite U2 album, it was the first to make me seriously take notice of this band. I had heard Pride (In the Name of Love) and New Year's Day and a few other of their songs before. But this was something else entirely. And it truly speaks to the power of this album that tracks like Where the Streets Have No Name and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For still have the same kind of fresh feel to them when performed live today as they had when they were first released (might be why Where the Streets Have No Name is my ring tone). Oh yeah...and don't forget about the gorgeous video to With or Without You! This album, like the majority of their subsequent albums, also truly felt cohesive...like they were making a statement, sending a message, with the entire album. It isn't just an album full of hits and some filler. Everything works together to paint a larger picture.
Pearl Jam - Ten: While the rest of the world was caught up in Nirvana lust, I was falling for the power of Eddie Vedder's vocals. He may not have a perfect voice, but there is a passion to what he sings that I never found in Nirvana...so Pearl Jam is what I connected with from the grunge scene/Seattle sound. Songs like Evenflow and Alive knocked my socks off, but the album as a whole really sucked me in. Songs like Jeremy, Black, and Release gave me a complete experience. It didn't hurt that this album...this movement in music...occurred at a time when I was searching for anything to take me away from my own life. I connected to the angst in this music...
INXS - Elegantly Wasted: Much like with U2, I struggled to settle on which INXS album to include on my list. I wound up going with Elegantly Wasted because of the rawness of Michael Hutchence's lyrics. Even though the music is still the trademark INXS sound, the lyrics take this album to a different sphere than any of their others...a place that Full Moon, Dirty Hearts hinted at but didn't quite ascend to. The lyrics on this album are heartfelt, raw, pure emotion. Particular favorites for me are I'm Just a Man, Everything, and Searching.
REM - Document: There were a number of REM albums I thought about including on my list. But Document wound up making the cut because of its sheer listenability. This is an album with a feel. Even all of these years later, I can put it in and listen to it over and over again without ever feeling like I want or need to hear something different. This is REM at their finest. Oh yeah, and it doesn't hurt that one of the quirkiest songs ever written is on it...It's the End of the World as We Know It...and I Feel Fine.
Metallica - Metallica: Heavy metal may not be for everyone. And that's okay. But heavy metal made its way to everyone with this album. It's often referred to as the Black Album...much like the Beatles' White Album. Songs like The Unforgiven and Enter Sandman broke the barriers of popular music when the entire face of popular music was on the verge of changing, and Nothing Else Matters brought a lot of women to become fans of true heavy metal (not Hair Band "metal") for the first time.
Led Zeppelin - IV: Yeah, I know...Stairway to Heaven is almost a cliche now. But even if you disregard that track (which would be a mistake), this album is full of some of the best true down and dirty rock 'n roll music ever made. If you've never listened to it...LISTEN TO IT! You will not regret it. And it may just wind up being one of your favorite albums of all time too. Don't say I didn't warn you. There is not a bad *skip over it* track on the album.
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds: A groundbreaking album by a band more traditionally known for their "surfer rock" music. Does it still have some of that feel good vibe? Of course. But it also has an experimental quality that most people would relate to The Beatles at the time. They took chances with this one, and those chances paid off. Also, this album has one of my all-time favorite songs ever, God Only Knows.
Michael Jackson - Thriller: The King of Pop before he became The King of Odd. I don't care who you are, this album was the shit. And it is still very listenable today, though some of the tracks feel a bit dated. Just go ahead and admit it...you wore a red jacket and a single fingerless glove too. It's okay. We all did back then.
And my honorable mentions:
Aerosmith - Get a Grip: I had to include an Aerosmith album, and I really struggled with which one to include since there are so many that have affected me over the years. I wound up settling on Get a Grip though, possibly because of how it virtually plays like a Greatest Hits type album. Yeah, they had a lot more hits than what you find on this album, and some probably were bigger hits than some of these. But you can't ignore the fact that virtually every song on this album was a hit. That says something.
Def Leppard - Hysteria: And while we are speaking of albums full of hits, we have to include Hysteria. This one is just plain FUN. That is all. I love it.
Willie Nelson - Half Nelson: For an album that I used to hate, I sure do love this one. An album full of duets, this one is one that my father wore the tape out...TWICE. He listened to it constantly. When we would travel to visit my grandparents (a 12 hour drive) this is what we would be forced to listen to the entire way...both directions. So yeah, I was *over* it for a long time. But when I picked it up again a few years ago, I was filled with nostalgia. And honestly, there are some great duets on it! Some of my particular favorites are Pancho and Lefty with Merle Haggard and To All the Girls I've Loved Before with Julio Iglesias.
Empire Records Soundtrack: I struggled between choosing this soundtrack and the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. Essentially, it boiled down to the fact that this one is full of music that I can listen to all the time, and SNF is full of disco. Granted, it made me love disco. But anyways, this soundtrack to me, is one of the greatest soundtracks ever compiled. This one is quirky and fun and sexy and just plain awesome. If you've never listened to it, check it out. You won't be disappointed.
AC/DC - Back in Black: The only AC/DC album I've ever owned. But this one kicks my butt every time I put it in. I love it. I love everything about it. I love that it can take me back in time. Priceless.
I may come back at some point and change my mind...add something, take something away, do an entirely different kind of list of favorite albums. But, this is it for now!
So...what albums impacted you, and how?
Thursday, November 22, 2007
In the Silence, I Think of You...
...I send a message and I hope it gets through.
Ten years ago today, Michael Hutchence left the world. He had spent the previous twenty years as the lead singer and frontman of INXS, writing and recording groundbreaking music, touring the world, playing to crowds of adoring fans, and otherwise being the embodiment of what most people would consider a rock star.
Ten years ago, his friends, family, bandmates, and fans across the world mourned together. Ten years ago, we all lost an icon, a poet, a singer, a legend.
Ten years ago, we cried.
Today, we remember, we reminisce, we regret, we relish, we relive. It has been ten years without Hutch...ten years of sadness and of joy. We no longer have INXS with Michael, but we once again have INXS.
Today in the United States, it is Thanksgiving. Today, I am thankful for the twenty years that Michael graced the world as a whole with...I am thankful for his heart and soul that he poured into his music...I am thankful that INXS has chosen to continue to honor his legacy instead of allow his music to die with him...
Today, I may cry. But more than that...today, I celebrate. I choose to celebrate the life of this beautiful man, a life that he opened to the world. So I will listen to his music, and I will reminisce about his legacy. But I will spend the day, thankful for all that he gave instead of mourning for all we have lost.
Today, Hutch will be alive for me.
Cheers mate.
Ten years ago today, Michael Hutchence left the world. He had spent the previous twenty years as the lead singer and frontman of INXS, writing and recording groundbreaking music, touring the world, playing to crowds of adoring fans, and otherwise being the embodiment of what most people would consider a rock star.
Ten years ago, his friends, family, bandmates, and fans across the world mourned together. Ten years ago, we all lost an icon, a poet, a singer, a legend.
Ten years ago, we cried.
Today, we remember, we reminisce, we regret, we relish, we relive. It has been ten years without Hutch...ten years of sadness and of joy. We no longer have INXS with Michael, but we once again have INXS.
Today in the United States, it is Thanksgiving. Today, I am thankful for the twenty years that Michael graced the world as a whole with...I am thankful for his heart and soul that he poured into his music...I am thankful that INXS has chosen to continue to honor his legacy instead of allow his music to die with him...
Today, I may cry. But more than that...today, I celebrate. I choose to celebrate the life of this beautiful man, a life that he opened to the world. So I will listen to his music, and I will reminisce about his legacy. But I will spend the day, thankful for all that he gave instead of mourning for all we have lost.
Today, Hutch will be alive for me.
Cheers mate.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Ellis Hall
I've been a fan of Tower of Power for a long time. This is a band that has been around since before I was a twinkle in my parents' eyes...and yet they are still making music. There've been a few changes in their lineup over the years, including their singers. But through it all, they've been making phenomenal music.
All of the singers they've had have been outstanding. One of them, Ellis Hall, has a voice that has always stuck with me. Not only was he a singer for Tower of Power for a while, he was also one of the California Raisins. Yeah, you remember them. I know you do. And you liked them too, didn't you? It's okay. Go ahead and admit it. Those guys could sing, even if they were raisins. LOL.
Well, if you've been reading me for a while, you know that I'm a fan of INXS. (I know, it seems like I'm jumping around, but I do have a point, and I will tie it all back in together, I promise.) As a matter of fact, I am such a fan of INXS that I saw them five times on their Switched On Tour. Yes...five. I am an addict. They had a couple of backup singers with them on the tour. Wendisue and Melody. After a while, they only had Wendisue with them. I have to say...Wendisue has a phenomenal voice. I loved hearing her backing the band...she never left me feeling cold. She also has some of her own music, and a while back I added her as a friend on MySpace, so that I could keep up with what she is doing, other than just touring with INXS.
Wendisue sent out a bulletin yesterday...with music from her father. ELLIS HALL! Who knew that Ellis Hall was her father?!?!?!?!??!?!!??!?!?! I know I didn't! But I love the man's voice, so of course, I checked it out. What a small world this is though...
Anyways, check him out!
A Change is Gonna Come:
Forever Song:
Girl You're Not in Kansas:
Gotta Be Ready for Anything:
Planet Hope:
And if you want to hear more from his days with Tower of Power, there is some of that available on YouTube as well!
You're Still a Young Man:
Don't Change Horses in the Middle of the Stream:
What is Hip?:
If you want to check out more from Ellis Hall, visit his website at EllisHall.com.
You can check out Tower of Power at TowerofPower.com or at their MySpace page.
And take a listen to Wendisue's music too! She can be found at MySpace as well.
All of the singers they've had have been outstanding. One of them, Ellis Hall, has a voice that has always stuck with me. Not only was he a singer for Tower of Power for a while, he was also one of the California Raisins. Yeah, you remember them. I know you do. And you liked them too, didn't you? It's okay. Go ahead and admit it. Those guys could sing, even if they were raisins. LOL.
Well, if you've been reading me for a while, you know that I'm a fan of INXS. (I know, it seems like I'm jumping around, but I do have a point, and I will tie it all back in together, I promise.) As a matter of fact, I am such a fan of INXS that I saw them five times on their Switched On Tour. Yes...five. I am an addict. They had a couple of backup singers with them on the tour. Wendisue and Melody. After a while, they only had Wendisue with them. I have to say...Wendisue has a phenomenal voice. I loved hearing her backing the band...she never left me feeling cold. She also has some of her own music, and a while back I added her as a friend on MySpace, so that I could keep up with what she is doing, other than just touring with INXS.
Wendisue sent out a bulletin yesterday...with music from her father. ELLIS HALL! Who knew that Ellis Hall was her father?!?!?!?!??!?!!??!?!?! I know I didn't! But I love the man's voice, so of course, I checked it out. What a small world this is though...
Anyways, check him out!
A Change is Gonna Come:
Forever Song:
Girl You're Not in Kansas:
Gotta Be Ready for Anything:
Planet Hope:
And if you want to hear more from his days with Tower of Power, there is some of that available on YouTube as well!
You're Still a Young Man:
Don't Change Horses in the Middle of the Stream:
What is Hip?:
If you want to check out more from Ellis Hall, visit his website at EllisHall.com.
You can check out Tower of Power at TowerofPower.com or at their MySpace page.
And take a listen to Wendisue's music too! She can be found at MySpace as well.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
You May Have Noticed...
...that every day or two, I post a snippet of a song lyric down at the bottom of my main blog page. Why do I do this? I don't know. Because I can! LOL. Or because it is a song that I'm listening to that day, or a lyric that speaks to me based on something in my life, or it is just something that I like. There are countless reasons that I do it.
I have featured lyrics from INXS, U2, Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., Blue October, Cheap Trick and other bands so far. Who knows what I'll feature next? I certainly don't!
Anyways, if you want to know what I'm listening to, what I'm feeling, or what has struck my fancy, scroll down to the bottom of the page each time you visit and check it out.
I have featured lyrics from INXS, U2, Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., Blue October, Cheap Trick and other bands so far. Who knows what I'll feature next? I certainly don't!
Anyways, if you want to know what I'm listening to, what I'm feeling, or what has struck my fancy, scroll down to the bottom of the page each time you visit and check it out.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Poll #1 Results, Unveiling Poll #2
So, the first poll that I posted for my readers to take part in was rather general...which band's lyrics do you love the most? And seeing as how a large part of my readership are my fellow INXS fans from RockBandLounge.com, it is not too terribly surprising that INXS won! I think it should be noted though, that U2 and Blue October also received votes. Anyways, congratulations to INXS for the win!
My next poll is all about One Hit Wonders. I'm starting with some from the 80's, as several of my personal favorites are from that decade. Vote for your favorite, and leave a comment here to discuss! Are there some you think I should have included but left off? Or maybe let me know why your favorite is your favorite. Enjoy!
My next poll is all about One Hit Wonders. I'm starting with some from the 80's, as several of my personal favorites are from that decade. Vote for your favorite, and leave a comment here to discuss! Are there some you think I should have included but left off? Or maybe let me know why your favorite is your favorite. Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Writing Yourself
In Literature, we are strongly discouraged from assuming that the main character or narrator of a piece is the author himself. In fiction, a writer has to create a personality, a persona, which fits the story that they want to tell. Often though, if you look at the life of the author, you will see a number of similarities between the writer and the character. Those similarities certainly don't mean that the character IS the author or vice-versa, but it can often cause me to question where the line is. At what point does the character separate himself from the writer (or is it the writer who separates himself from the character)? I certainly know from my own writing that it would not be as powerful as it is or communicate the message that I am attempting to convey if the characters did not have a little bit of me in them. On the other hand, if the characters were me entirely, my writing would be very boring! I am not all that exciting a person. So how much of a writer is present in their characters, and in their works? This is an idea that intrigues me. When reading Don Juan or another poem by Lord Byron, with a Byronic Hero, is it safe to assume that the Byronic Hero is Byron himself? Not exactly. Though he was described to be "Mad, bad, and dangerous to know," this isn't exactly what a Byronic Hero is. When looking at poetry such as "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath, can we assume that the speaker is Plath herself? Not exactly. While there are certainly a lot of similarities we can draw between Plath and the speaker, they are not expressly one and the same, for certain. In music, the same questions appear. Is the lyricist the one speaking, or is it a persona that they have adopted who is speaking? This, it seems, depends largely on the lyricist.
Former INXS frontman Michael Hutchence was one who liked to write lyrics that could be interpreted in a number of ways, to mean a number of things, depending on who was reading them. They may have started out as a very personal experience or thought, but he worked to turn them into something universal. While he certainly achieved that, how much of himself did he leave in the songs? On the band's album Elegantly Wasted, Andrew Farriss said that Michael was in a very different "head space" than what he typically would be, and his lyrics were far more about what he was dealing with in his personal life than usual. Songs such as "I'm Just a Man" and "Searching" certainly point to this, especially when considered in relation to his life circumstances at the time.
U2's Bono began to adopt a persona through which to sing at some point possibly as early as the 1988 album Rattle and Hum, but certainly by the 1991 album Achtung Baby. The lyrics on that album began to touch too closely to his real life, and he found them too personal to be able to perform them as himself. At that point, he became The Fly for the ZooTV tour, and was able to sing those lyrics as someone other than himself. Each persona he has adopted over the years has shown itself not only in his dress, but also in the voice he uses to sing the lyrics. By being someone other than himself, Bono is able to sing about himself.
Taking a look at a newer band and singer, Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October writes intensely personal lyrics and attempts to take himself back to the moment he wrote them when he performs live. When the band first began to write songs, Justin took his personal journal and diary entries and turned those into songs. His lyrics speak of addictions, mental breakdowns, anger, and so much more.
Even knowing how intensely personal these lyrics are by these singers, can we assume that they are entirely THAT PERSON? I think that it is doing them a disservice to make that assumption, because while they may have come from a very personal place, an intense part of their lives...there is so much more to them. We can't know everything there is to know about Michael Hutchence or Bono or Justin Furstenfeld by listening to their lyrics. We can however relate to the emotions which their lyrics express. Just as in poetry, we can find things within the song which touches us on some level and take from it what we will.
Former INXS frontman Michael Hutchence was one who liked to write lyrics that could be interpreted in a number of ways, to mean a number of things, depending on who was reading them. They may have started out as a very personal experience or thought, but he worked to turn them into something universal. While he certainly achieved that, how much of himself did he leave in the songs? On the band's album Elegantly Wasted, Andrew Farriss said that Michael was in a very different "head space" than what he typically would be, and his lyrics were far more about what he was dealing with in his personal life than usual. Songs such as "I'm Just a Man" and "Searching" certainly point to this, especially when considered in relation to his life circumstances at the time.
U2's Bono began to adopt a persona through which to sing at some point possibly as early as the 1988 album Rattle and Hum, but certainly by the 1991 album Achtung Baby. The lyrics on that album began to touch too closely to his real life, and he found them too personal to be able to perform them as himself. At that point, he became The Fly for the ZooTV tour, and was able to sing those lyrics as someone other than himself. Each persona he has adopted over the years has shown itself not only in his dress, but also in the voice he uses to sing the lyrics. By being someone other than himself, Bono is able to sing about himself.
Taking a look at a newer band and singer, Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October writes intensely personal lyrics and attempts to take himself back to the moment he wrote them when he performs live. When the band first began to write songs, Justin took his personal journal and diary entries and turned those into songs. His lyrics speak of addictions, mental breakdowns, anger, and so much more.
Even knowing how intensely personal these lyrics are by these singers, can we assume that they are entirely THAT PERSON? I think that it is doing them a disservice to make that assumption, because while they may have come from a very personal place, an intense part of their lives...there is so much more to them. We can't know everything there is to know about Michael Hutchence or Bono or Justin Furstenfeld by listening to their lyrics. We can however relate to the emotions which their lyrics express. Just as in poetry, we can find things within the song which touches us on some level and take from it what we will.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
U2 vs. INXS: The Careers
An idea was presented at RockBandLounge.com recently of comparing/contrasting the careers of my two favorite bands, U2 and INXS. I've actually thought about it a number of times, though I've never actually sat down and looked at them both side by side. Even with just casual observation though, there can be no denying that up until 1997 when the world lost Michael Hutchence, the paths that these two bands travelled were eerily similar.
Consider these thoughts for example. The lead singers of both bands did not begin as what you would consider natural lead singers; they became the lead singer by default, since they could not play an instrument. Both bands formed in the late 1970's and released their first albums in 1980 (Boy by U2, INXS by INXS). Each of the two bands released their second albums in 1981 (October by U2, Underneath the Colours by INXS). With the release of their third albums (Shabooh Shoobah by INXS in 1982 and War by U2 in 1983), the two bands began to show more of their true promise as future world wide musical giants, and began to really broaden their fan base. Their fourth albums (The Swing by INXS and The Unforgettable Fire by U2), both released in 1984 showed a bit more of an experimental side and more depth to their prospective lyricists' prowess. INXS released a fifth album in 1985 (Listen Like Thieves) that launched their first truly big hit in America while U2 took a bit more time touring following The Unforgettable Fire. Both bands hit the recording studio to work on what would become the best selling albums of their careers. In 1987, each band released their best known (and likely best loved) albums to date (The Joshua Tree by U2 and Kick by INXS), each of which have been certified 10x Platinum by the RIAA. By the release of the 1987 albums, both Bono and Michael Hutchence had not only found their true singing voices and blossomed vocally, but they had grown into truly gifted lyricists.
Those similarities only bring us to 1987, yet it does not stop there. While there are still many likenesses between their respective careers in the 1990's, the peaks and valleys begin to occur at different times. Following U2's ground breaking album The Joshua Tree, they toured for more than two years - filming and recording Rattle and Hum while on the road (released in 1988). At the end of 1989, Bono announced to a crowd that the band was going to take a break for a while and "dream it all up again." This sparked countless rumors that U2 was breaking up and there would be no more new music. While the rumors didn't prove to be true, it was the end to the U2 that people knew at the time as the band became far more experimental in the 1990's.
Following the massive tour behind Kick, INXS took to the studio, recorded X which was released in 1990, and hit the road again. In 1991, they played at Wembley Stadium, filming this feat for posterity, which was later released as Live Baby Live. X has often been heavily compared to Kick, and many would say that it was not a step forward from where they had been with Kick, but it still sparked several hits and sold a number of records. What it did not do, was take them to higher heights than they had experienced with Kick. In 1992, INXS released another album, Welcome to Wherever You Are. The tracks were a bit more experimental than what we had heard from them on the previous two albums, but as they did not tour following the album's release but instead went back into the studio to record another album, sales suffered. While recording Full Moon, Dirty Hearts, the band produced some of their most experimental tracks ever, partially in response to the growing "grunge" music scene that was changing the landscape of radio. Sales of Full Moon, Dirty Hearts could be considered dismal at best, in relation to the rest of the band's catalogue. INXS took a much needed break following a poorly promoted tour.
U2 went back into the studio in 1991 after some time off, re-evaluating where they were headed as a band. For the first time in their career, they truly struggled in the studio while trying to record their next album, as they couldn't quite settle on what direction they wanted to go. Eventually, through massive turmoil which nearly broke the band apart, they managed to find a sound that seemed to work, and Achtung Baby was born. The album was released in 1991 and caused widespread confusion amongst their long time fans. The sound of this album was completely different from anything they had ever done before, and some were not sure they liked it. However, it became a critical darling and attracted many more fans for the band who liked the new direction U2 was headed. Eventually, Achtung Baby sold nearly as many copies as The Joshua Tree, and U2 launched their largest tour to date. Zoo TV took on a life of its own, and became a monstrous 3 year long undertaking. In the middle of the tour, the band took what was supposed to be a 4 month break, but turned into a 4 month recording session. Zooropa was the result. Zooropa took their new sound and amplified it, and it confused many. A large number of fans were not quite sure what to think of this *new* U2 and Zooropa, though it too was a critical success. Following the mammoth Zoo TV tour, U2 took a much needed and much deserved break.
1997 marked the year that both U2 and INXS again released new music. U2 tried to determine how they could follow up the huge success of not only the Joshua Tree tour, but the monster that was Zoo TV. They decided to stage something even bigger than Zoo TV, if that were possible, and formulated the idea for PopMart. In their excitement, they sold tickets to the tour before completing the album. Unfortunately for U2, the Pop album did not come together as easily as they had hoped, and they had to rush to complete the album before they began their tour. Many would consider Pop to be their weakest album since the very early albums, and it is lacking in the youthful exuberance which makes those early albums so endearing. Sales of Pop were lower than any album since their second, October. Additionally, the PopMart tour had many technical difficulties in the early days of the tour, leaving some fans disappointed and questioning what was happening to what once was considered to be the "best band in the world." Following their break, INXS returned to the studio with fresh ideas and an excitement to get back out there. Elegantly Wasted showed a revived energy in Andrew's music, and a very introspective Michael through his lyrics. While the album showed a return to the heart of what INXS was all about, and to the formula which had always provided the band with success, sales of Elegantly Wasted did not really improve over Full Moon, Dirty Hearts though, and the tour was not as successful as the band could have desired. On November 22, 1997, Michael's life came to an end.
U2 finished the PopMart tour, and determined to never shoot themselves in the foot the way they had on that album and tour. Additionally, they decided as a group that if they got back into the studio and couldn't make what they considered to be a great album, they would call it a day. They re-entered the studio and recorded All That You Can't Leave Behind, relased in 2000. The album, once again, showed a reinvented sound and a new direction for Bono's lyrics. Some critics hailed the album as U2's third masterpiece (alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby), and the band earned multiple awards for the album. The tour was a resounding success. In 2004, they released How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, again introducing the world to yet another version of U2. The tour had to be cut shorter than the band had originally intended, though, as The Edge discovered that one of his daughters was very ill. While some fans were disgruntled over how the fanclub presales were handled, the tour was still highly successful.
After Michael's death, the rest of the members of INXS took some time to mourn and to determine what his death meant for the future of the band. They all determined that they were still a band and still wanted to make music together. Initially, they had various singers sing with them for different events. Jon Stevens spent a period of several years singing with INXS, though he was not a perfect fit.
In 2005, INXS took a career-changing chance. They performed a world-wide search for their new lead singer...on reality television. Rock Star: INXS debuted in July with 15 hopefuls singing for their chance to front Our Band: INXS. On September 21, 2005 they were finally complete again, selecting JD Fortune to become the new member of the band. Their new album, Switch, was released in November of 2005, garnering higher sales than any of their albums since X in 1990. Following the release of the album, they ventured out on a nearly 2 year long tour, with sell out shows all around the world, playing to new and old fans alike.
Looking at the careers of these two bands over the last 30 years, it is striking how well they line up. Both bands grew in the quality of their product over the same time frame, building larger and larger fan bases as they went. The pinnacle of their careers occurred at the same time. Following that, each band faced some set backs, but persevered and are still enjoying great success today, even though it may not be in the same way as they did back in their hey days.
It's no wonder why I love these bands both so much. They are bands that produce great sounding music, music with a message, music that touches the heart. And they also give so much of themselves to their fans, through that music. I feel truly blessed that the two bands that I have loved the most in my life are still out there, making new music, good music, live music...and sharing that with all of us.
Consider these thoughts for example. The lead singers of both bands did not begin as what you would consider natural lead singers; they became the lead singer by default, since they could not play an instrument. Both bands formed in the late 1970's and released their first albums in 1980 (Boy by U2, INXS by INXS). Each of the two bands released their second albums in 1981 (October by U2, Underneath the Colours by INXS). With the release of their third albums (Shabooh Shoobah by INXS in 1982 and War by U2 in 1983), the two bands began to show more of their true promise as future world wide musical giants, and began to really broaden their fan base. Their fourth albums (The Swing by INXS and The Unforgettable Fire by U2), both released in 1984 showed a bit more of an experimental side and more depth to their prospective lyricists' prowess. INXS released a fifth album in 1985 (Listen Like Thieves) that launched their first truly big hit in America while U2 took a bit more time touring following The Unforgettable Fire. Both bands hit the recording studio to work on what would become the best selling albums of their careers. In 1987, each band released their best known (and likely best loved) albums to date (The Joshua Tree by U2 and Kick by INXS), each of which have been certified 10x Platinum by the RIAA. By the release of the 1987 albums, both Bono and Michael Hutchence had not only found their true singing voices and blossomed vocally, but they had grown into truly gifted lyricists.
Those similarities only bring us to 1987, yet it does not stop there. While there are still many likenesses between their respective careers in the 1990's, the peaks and valleys begin to occur at different times. Following U2's ground breaking album The Joshua Tree, they toured for more than two years - filming and recording Rattle and Hum while on the road (released in 1988). At the end of 1989, Bono announced to a crowd that the band was going to take a break for a while and "dream it all up again." This sparked countless rumors that U2 was breaking up and there would be no more new music. While the rumors didn't prove to be true, it was the end to the U2 that people knew at the time as the band became far more experimental in the 1990's.
Following the massive tour behind Kick, INXS took to the studio, recorded X which was released in 1990, and hit the road again. In 1991, they played at Wembley Stadium, filming this feat for posterity, which was later released as Live Baby Live. X has often been heavily compared to Kick, and many would say that it was not a step forward from where they had been with Kick, but it still sparked several hits and sold a number of records. What it did not do, was take them to higher heights than they had experienced with Kick. In 1992, INXS released another album, Welcome to Wherever You Are. The tracks were a bit more experimental than what we had heard from them on the previous two albums, but as they did not tour following the album's release but instead went back into the studio to record another album, sales suffered. While recording Full Moon, Dirty Hearts, the band produced some of their most experimental tracks ever, partially in response to the growing "grunge" music scene that was changing the landscape of radio. Sales of Full Moon, Dirty Hearts could be considered dismal at best, in relation to the rest of the band's catalogue. INXS took a much needed break following a poorly promoted tour.
U2 went back into the studio in 1991 after some time off, re-evaluating where they were headed as a band. For the first time in their career, they truly struggled in the studio while trying to record their next album, as they couldn't quite settle on what direction they wanted to go. Eventually, through massive turmoil which nearly broke the band apart, they managed to find a sound that seemed to work, and Achtung Baby was born. The album was released in 1991 and caused widespread confusion amongst their long time fans. The sound of this album was completely different from anything they had ever done before, and some were not sure they liked it. However, it became a critical darling and attracted many more fans for the band who liked the new direction U2 was headed. Eventually, Achtung Baby sold nearly as many copies as The Joshua Tree, and U2 launched their largest tour to date. Zoo TV took on a life of its own, and became a monstrous 3 year long undertaking. In the middle of the tour, the band took what was supposed to be a 4 month break, but turned into a 4 month recording session. Zooropa was the result. Zooropa took their new sound and amplified it, and it confused many. A large number of fans were not quite sure what to think of this *new* U2 and Zooropa, though it too was a critical success. Following the mammoth Zoo TV tour, U2 took a much needed and much deserved break.
1997 marked the year that both U2 and INXS again released new music. U2 tried to determine how they could follow up the huge success of not only the Joshua Tree tour, but the monster that was Zoo TV. They decided to stage something even bigger than Zoo TV, if that were possible, and formulated the idea for PopMart. In their excitement, they sold tickets to the tour before completing the album. Unfortunately for U2, the Pop album did not come together as easily as they had hoped, and they had to rush to complete the album before they began their tour. Many would consider Pop to be their weakest album since the very early albums, and it is lacking in the youthful exuberance which makes those early albums so endearing. Sales of Pop were lower than any album since their second, October. Additionally, the PopMart tour had many technical difficulties in the early days of the tour, leaving some fans disappointed and questioning what was happening to what once was considered to be the "best band in the world." Following their break, INXS returned to the studio with fresh ideas and an excitement to get back out there. Elegantly Wasted showed a revived energy in Andrew's music, and a very introspective Michael through his lyrics. While the album showed a return to the heart of what INXS was all about, and to the formula which had always provided the band with success, sales of Elegantly Wasted did not really improve over Full Moon, Dirty Hearts though, and the tour was not as successful as the band could have desired. On November 22, 1997, Michael's life came to an end.
U2 finished the PopMart tour, and determined to never shoot themselves in the foot the way they had on that album and tour. Additionally, they decided as a group that if they got back into the studio and couldn't make what they considered to be a great album, they would call it a day. They re-entered the studio and recorded All That You Can't Leave Behind, relased in 2000. The album, once again, showed a reinvented sound and a new direction for Bono's lyrics. Some critics hailed the album as U2's third masterpiece (alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby), and the band earned multiple awards for the album. The tour was a resounding success. In 2004, they released How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, again introducing the world to yet another version of U2. The tour had to be cut shorter than the band had originally intended, though, as The Edge discovered that one of his daughters was very ill. While some fans were disgruntled over how the fanclub presales were handled, the tour was still highly successful.
After Michael's death, the rest of the members of INXS took some time to mourn and to determine what his death meant for the future of the band. They all determined that they were still a band and still wanted to make music together. Initially, they had various singers sing with them for different events. Jon Stevens spent a period of several years singing with INXS, though he was not a perfect fit.
In 2005, INXS took a career-changing chance. They performed a world-wide search for their new lead singer...on reality television. Rock Star: INXS debuted in July with 15 hopefuls singing for their chance to front Our Band: INXS. On September 21, 2005 they were finally complete again, selecting JD Fortune to become the new member of the band. Their new album, Switch, was released in November of 2005, garnering higher sales than any of their albums since X in 1990. Following the release of the album, they ventured out on a nearly 2 year long tour, with sell out shows all around the world, playing to new and old fans alike.
Looking at the careers of these two bands over the last 30 years, it is striking how well they line up. Both bands grew in the quality of their product over the same time frame, building larger and larger fan bases as they went. The pinnacle of their careers occurred at the same time. Following that, each band faced some set backs, but persevered and are still enjoying great success today, even though it may not be in the same way as they did back in their hey days.
It's no wonder why I love these bands both so much. They are bands that produce great sounding music, music with a message, music that touches the heart. And they also give so much of themselves to their fans, through that music. I feel truly blessed that the two bands that I have loved the most in my life are still out there, making new music, good music, live music...and sharing that with all of us.
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