Joe Cocker RIP

[oneeye]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30582761

Can't believe this

Gutted........ RIP

http://youtu.be/bRzKUVjHkGk

Edited December 22, 2014 by oneeye

[Pinhead]

Just seen on monitor in pub. End of an era. RIP.

[grumpyhack]

Another great voice and character gone.

A few years ago for one of the Queen's Jubilees they staged a series of free concerts around the country. Joe did a superb open air concert in the Oval Basin in Cardiff. Still got fond memories of that day.

Most people will remember him belting out With a Little Help From My Friends and that great scream. But he could also do sensitive to the point where you could hear a pin drop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlDmslyGmGI

Edited December 22, 2014 by grumpyhack

[Mr Splodge]

Was secretly hoping I would see him at Glastonbury, another big talent lost sad news RIP Joe

[mr gumby]

I remember hearing his voice for the first time. His version of 'with a little help from my friends' was the theme song to the tv series 'the wonder years'. I enjoyed the show enough to keep watching, but what struck me most about it was his voice. Such raw power, but mixed with a beautiful fragility. That led me to discover more of his music, and many similar artists, for which I owe him much thanks.

RIP joe.

[Woffy]

All that, but also:

Fair fucking play for getting to 70.

Genius survivalist constitution.

Lived v.v.v.hard...had a great fucking time...died at 70.

Doubt he woulda done it differently given the choice. Respect.

RIP.

[Woffy]

Also:

Billie Whitelaw

Heroine.

RIP.

[Pear_Cider]

Gutted about this news...top guy

[BonScott]

IMHO the greatest vocalist this country has ever produced, Eric Burdon might rival him but I think Joe edges it

RIP

[The Nal]

RIP

[Osama Jim Laden]

Would've loved the chance to see him, as previously stated, had ALL that power but also the craft, skill & honesty to make you sit in silence, staring..

Good on ya Joe..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqQiaf3LbDY

[russycarps]

amazed he lived this long. What a life he had. RIP

[russycarps]

One of THE greatest interpreters of songs. Often surpassing the originals

No cover can surpass the original.

Without the original there can be no cover.

You think cocker tweaking with a little help from friends took more talent than actually creating the song from nothing at all?

Behave.

[russycarps]

I thought it was Christmas eve, not groundhog day!!!

And for what it's worth, that is one of the few examples where the cover is better than the original. There's not many but that's one.

So if someone paints an exact copy of the Mona Lisa, but corrects a single smudge then that's a better version?

The real talent is the original idea, not the simple tweaking after the creation.

[Osama Jim Laden]

I never argued against that.

Unfortunately music don't work like that as well you know.

Wherever the real talent lies is irrelevant to how my ears perceive cocker's friends or hendrix's watchtower in comparison to the others. Intellectually and logically you are right but unfortunately you are wrong.

It takes more talent to write a symphony than a four chord song but I prefer the who to beethoven

Nicely put..

Was saying similar recently about the new Dads Army (other film remakes too I guess).. But the point being, with music, a different version, for whatever reason, is more appreciated than other art forms..

Personally, I prefer Hendrix watchtower, Cocker's with a little help & Hawley's some candy talking but, they'd have been nothing without the original

[grumpyhack]

Surely you also have to make a distinction between writing and performing/interpreting. Some people write great music but can't or don't necessarily perform it.

There's an art to writing and an art to performing and both areas need the other.

[DJL]

Despite admiring his voice on Little Help and Up Where We Belong I've never listened to any Joe Cocker. Where should I start?

[russycarps]

That's an insane comparison. It's not just tweaking, it's completely reinterpreting the songs.

Do you seriously think what Joe did to With A Little Help is a minor tweak?

So while sensible people roar with laughter and mock mercilessly the xfactor, presumably you have no issues with it and admire the contestants for reinterpreting the songs?

[russycarps]

Yeah cos that's the same thing.

A cover is a cover. Xfactor is a cover show where they reinterpret songs. What's the difference?

[Osama Jim Laden]

Joe Cocker makes these songs his own.. He makes you believe them, unlike the xfactor pillocks (add any other soulless singer into this bracket) that whimsically wail and offer nothing..

Johnny Cash doing NiN is another brilliant example, if you can't feel anything from that, even though they aren't his lyrics, I'm not sure anybody can EVER sway your judgement Russy

[Size9]

No cover can surpass the original.

Without the original there can be no cover.

You think cocker tweaking with a little help from friends took more talent than actually creating the song from nothing at all?

Behave.

Utter bollocks. The original of little help was gash. Cocker version was ten times the original. If you think someone can't take one thing and improve it to surpass the original version, concept or idea then you have no idea how invention or innovation work.

Ever had a sandwich? Ever seen a production of a play? Or a movie? Ever eaten a hamburger? To say that the original of anything is the best and pinnacle of its existence is just wrong.

[russycarps]

Utter bollocks. The original of little help was gash. Cocker version was ten times the original. If you think someone can't take one thing and improve it to surpass the original version, concept or idea then you have no idea how invention or innovation work.

Ever had a sandwich? Ever seen a production of a play? Or a movie? Ever eaten a hamburger? To say that the original of anything is the best and pinnacle of its existence is just wrong.

Without the "gash" original Cockers version would not exist.

Where is the true talent here, the Beatles for creating the song from nothing at all, or cocker for taking someone else's genius creation and tweaking it a bit?

Original thought is far harder than copying and tweaking.

That's why we all mock the xfactor.

Edited December 25, 2014 by russycarps

[Dan R]

Without the "gash" original Cockers version would not exist.

Where is the true talent here, the Beatles for creating the song from nothing at all, or cocker for taking someone else's genius creation and tweaking it a bit?

Original thought is far harder than copying and tweaking.

That's why we all mock the xfactor.

Surely if difficultly was the only factor in enjoying music then everyone would just listen to metal solos and prog guitar w*nkery?

[Harmonic Prospector]

Despite admiring his voice on Little Help and Up Where We Belong I've never listened to any Joe Cocker. Where should I start?

In terms of an entry point his 'With A Little Help From My Friends' album perfectly encapsulates how well he can interpret other people's songs.

To see and hear the true magic of Joe Cocker though, you should look no further than his Mad Dogs and Englishmen album and film from his 1970 tour. Quite simply, the best tour documentary ever made and given the circumstances of how the tour came about it is an absolutely fascinating document of its time.

In fact I wrote a little blog piece about it a few years ago which you can find here.https://harmonicprospector.wordpress.com/2011/03/30/joe-cocker-mad-dogs-and-englishmen-1970-film-album/

Edited December 26, 2014 by Harmonic Prospector

[DJL]

In terms of an entry point his 'With A Little Help From My Friends' album perfectly encapsulates how well he can interpret other people's songs.

To see and hear the true magic of Joe Cocker though, you should look no further than his Mad Dogs and Englishmen album and film from his 1970 tour. Quite simply, the best tour documentary ever made and given the circumstances of how the tour came about it is an absolutely fascinating document of its time.

In fact I wrote a little blog piece about it a few years ago which you can find here.https://harmonicprospector.wordpress.com/2011/03/30/joe-cocker-mad-dogs-and-englishmen-1970-film-album/

Thank you, will get on that now...