When good artists go bad: the worst of the best

[paologregorio]

"Eminence Front" by The Who. This song has one of the longest intros I've ever heard, and it just isn't good. I support you, Roger Daltrey! (he wasn't a fan of the song, either).

Dan, I happen to like a few tracks on the "Tommy" album, "Can You Hear Me?", "Christmas", "Amazing Journey", "Cousin Kevin", "Acid Queen", "Pinball Wizard", "I'm Free" and "We're Not Gonna Take It/See Me, Feel Me" are my favorites. Rest of the album, though, I have trouble listening to. Especially "Do You Think It's Alright/Fiddle About", my mom can't stand because of a personal experience.

Anything after "Start Me Up" by The Stones. "Mixed Emotions", "You Got Me Rocking", "Love Is Strong", "Anybody Seen My Baby" and "Keys to Your Love" are terrible. "Don't Stop" and "Rough Justice" weren't that bad, probably the sigh of relief after Darryl Jones joined. "Tattoo You": The last good Stones album.

I'm also not a fan of "The Last DJ" album by Tom Petty. I like only two songs, maybe (the title track and "The Man Who Loves Women"). His last album wasn't bad, "Saving Grace" and "Down South" are the only tracks I listen to on a regular basis, though. I think anything after the "She's the One" soundtrack, I can't listen to entire Petty albums.

Almost anything The Beatles put out, I love, some way or another. But I'm not a fan of "Happiness is a Warm Gun", it's just not one of my favorites.

What about "Revolution Number Nine"? Awful!

[kiramdear]

What about "Revolution Number Nine"? Awful!

John Lennon's avant-garde manifesto left many people going huh, as well as most of his collaborations with Yoko. I found it all mildly intriguing, myself, at the time, more from wonder about where he was going with it.

So many Lennons, so little time.

[beatlefreak]

What about "Revolution Number Nine"? Awful!

Still not as bad as What's The New Maryjane

[jps]

Our former drummer and I tried to watch "Tommy" when it was on tv a couple years back; after about five minutes my drummer commented, "Pete Townshend should be shot for doing this"!

Was that the Ken Russell movie? If so, then you are forgiven!

Get the concert DVD of The Who at Universal Amphitheatre, a concert they did in '89. You might have a different opinion, then.

[antipodean]

Paul McCartney............Band on The Run. It always sounded like a bunch of ideas patched together to me.

Oh no Brian...in my mind it's one of the very few decent albums he did........ along with Ram

I'd plump for 'Pipes of Peace" as his nadir.... though "Press to Play" is pretty darn horrible....

And to ruffle some feathers, I always thought EC's version of "I Shot the Sheriff" was a pathetic imitation of the original.

[kiramdear]

I love it. This is fascinating: when Scotty started his list of worst songs there was much hilarity and consensus about the choices. But when we break it down to the worst of the artists we love, there's been little agreement. I don't know if we'll find a consensus, but it's very interesting to see how everyone feels on the topic.

I do agree with Evan about ISTS

[winston]

Paul McCartney............Band on The Run. It always sounded like a bunch of ideas patched together to me.

Oh no Brian...in my mind it's one of the very few decent albums he did........ along with Ram.

Hah! I was talking about the song "Band on The Run" not the entire album. His worst album has to be Chaos and Creation in The Backyard. It is boring and sounds like the musing of an old man.

[antipodean]

Paul McCartney............Band on The Run. It always sounded like a bunch of ideas patched together to me.

Oh no Brian...in my mind it's one of the very few decent albums he did........ along with Ram.

Hah! I was talking about the song "Band on The Run" not the entire album. His worst album has to be Chaos and Creation in The Backyard. It is boring and sounds like the musing of an old man.

Sorry - I understand - BOTR is rather disjointed, and I've always winced at the "Jailer man and sailor Sam" line. I have been fortunate enough to miss Chaos etc. Maybe it's so bad that it's good, if you know what I mean!

Oh...and back on EC....he had hits with two other covers - After Midnight and Cocaine, which are just limp rehashes of the wonderful JJ Cale originals... there's a gritty earthiness to JJ's versions that is missing in the EC covers.

Maybe he had a "writer's block" period....

... and does "I've Got My Mind Set on You" by George Harrison qualify? I've always thought it was naff... and it was a US number 1!!!

[sjb-66]

how about the entire Tommy album except for Pinball Wizard?

You'd better think twice about showing your face at MARF now!

Our former drummer and I tried to watch "Tommy" when it was on tv a couple years back; after about five minutes my drummer commented, "Pete Townshend should be shot for doing this"!

You really cannot equate the Tommy Film and album with the way the group performed it live. Tommy live became what the Lp never could be. An experience in Rock n Roll by an unbelievable 3 piece band that made the music come alive and mesmerize audiences all over. Now if only they would release the entire Woodstock set,..the boots are incredible but sonically lacking.
Karl,...and that was one man's opinion

[lyric_girl]

I was a total Queen fan and had been for many years until they released Crazy Little Thing Called Love and all the **** that followed. That ended it for me.

[ricardo_vicente]

What about "Revolution Number Nine"? Awful!

Still not as bad as What's The New Maryjane

Credit where credit's due; Lennon had discovered what a translation from the Babel Fish website sounded like long before the internet was even invented!

[beatlefreak]

His worst album has to be Chaos and Creation in The Backyard. It is boring and sounds like the musing of an old man.

IMO his worst album was McCartney II. Highly anticipated since I love McCartney, and such a letdown as a followup to his 1970 namesake LP.

[jimk]

Paul McCartney............Band on The Run. It always sounded like a bunch of ideas patched together to me.

"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" comes to mind....

JimK

[collin]

I like 'You Better You Bet'...you can pick a LOT worse from the Who's catalog - how about the entire Tommy album except for Pinball Wizard?

whaaaaa? No way, I think Pinball wizard is great but overrated. Overture, "We're not gonna make it," "see me, feel me," and others are absolute jems.

If I had to pick a bad who period, I'm going with FACE DANCES- the entire album. yuck!

[jimk]

There are several McGuinn/Clark compositions that perhaps should have remained safely ensconced in their lyric notebooks, never to be revealed on acetate:
You Movin'
The Only Girl I Adore
Please Let Me Love You.

You Showed Me is pretty uninteresting as redorded by The Byrds, and is barely tolerable when done by The Turtles.

JimK