Spiringsteen

[benissright]

The overriding theme of this thread is that everyones opinions on music are equal.

BUT THEY ARE NOT.

Sorry, as much as you (Neil mainly) would like to think they are, they pretty much aren't.

Back when I was 13, U2 were my favourite band. Now I think they are boring. Why? Because I've spent time listening to more music, and realised that there are bands I like a lot better.

If I meet someone who says Coldplay and The Killers are their favourite bands. I don't think 'Fair enough, you have my tastes, I have mine', I think 'You need to listen to some more music that isn't top of the charts'.

I'm not as stupid as to think I have a 'good music taste' as there are millions of bands and types of music I haven't listened to, and many bands that I have listened to but haven't properly appreciated. In ten years time I'm sure I will look back and think I had crap music taste.

I expect everyone agrees with this theory even if they don't immediately think it. Neil, earlier in this thread you mentioned some granny who knew nothing about music and a westlife fan. Examples of people you obviously thought needed some musical education. How many people think they have a better music taste than their kids or their grandparents? A lot I expect.

I personally find Bruce Springsteen a bit boring and bland. Now either the people who like him haven't listened to enough non-bland music to see he's bland or they haven't listened to him well enough to realise he's bland or I haven't listened to Bruce Springsteen well enough to appreciate it properly. That's the way I see it.

There is always going individual/personal differences in music taste and a whole host of reasons why people dislike and like music, but I think that unless there is such thing as good music and bad music then it loses all artistic value.

Edited July 6, 2009 by benissright

[jameshunt]

You idiot.

People find bruce bland because his music is bland. People like bruce, because bland is their thing.

[pedmills]

nah. If things worked like that then there'd be no space for anyone to be able to say "I dislike this music" for any piece of competently composed music. And that's plainly bonkers.

[GlastoRulz]

For some reason neither Neil nor I understand, Bruce Springsteen's songs - with their conventional chord progressions and their well-worn orchestration - speak to certain people. We can't tell those people it doesn't. Nor can they tell us we should keep listening until it speaks to us too.

[pedmills]

Let me put this from a personal perspective.

I like the energy and enthusiasm Bruce Springsteen has. I also admire any political elements to his music, and appreciate he has written some good songs that mean a lot to people.

Unfortunately this is how 90% of his music sounds to me:

Not too distorted guitar strum (same pattern nearly every song), simple keyboard riff, Bruce sings in his never-varying one-note-ranged twang about the American heartland or something similar, saxophone solo, possibly a forgettable guitar solo

His slower acoustic stuff sounds positively refreshing to me just because so many songs sound like the above formula and he rarely deviate or experiments from it.

Now I have to admit that I have not given Bruce's albums a really really good listen. So I am in no position to start labeling him as bad. Since there are lots of people who rave about him, either I am missing something or they are. When I finally get round to giving him the proper listen (and perhaps a read of his lyrics) he deserves I will conclude whether or not I think he is good or bad.

What I suspect is that most people like him in the way they like Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen. Not the greatest singers, and not the most varied musically, but respected as poets and for their lyrics/stories. Its a lot easier to focus on the lyrics with acoustic songs than full rock songs so I've probably missed this part of Springsteen. However, I think I have heard enough music in my life to conclude that his is boring, although that is always open to change.

[GlastoRulz]

Let me put this from a personal perspective.

I like the energy and enthusiasm Bruce Springsteen has. I also admire any political elements to his music, and appreciate he has written some good songs that mean a lot to people.

Unfortunately this is how 90% of his music sounds to me:

Not too distorted guitar strum (same pattern nearly every song), simple keyboard riff, Bruce sings in his never-varying one-note-ranged twang about the American heartland or something similar, saxophone solo, possibly a forgettable guitar solo

His slower acoustic stuff sounds positively refreshing to me just because so many songs sound like the above formula and he rarely deviate or experiments from it.

Now I have to admit that I have not given Bruce's albums a really really good listen. So I am in no position to start labeling him as bad. Since there are lots of people who rave about him, either I am missing something or they are. When I finally get round to giving him the proper listen (and perhaps a read of his lyrics) he deserves I will conclude whether or not I think he is good or bad.

What I suspect is that most people like him in the way they like Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen. Not the greatest singers, and not the most varied musically, but respected as poets and for their lyrics/stories. Its a lot easier to focus on the lyrics with acoustic songs than full rock songs so I've probably missed this part of Springsteen. However, I think I have heard enough music in my life to conclude that his is boring, although that is always open to change.

Edited July 7, 2009 by GlastoRulz

[eFestivals]

Sorry have to disagree. If you dislike music there is either something wrong with the music, or something wrong with the way you are experiencing it.

oh, so people don 't have personal tastes then?

To allow myself to dislike something good, would make me an idiot. And I'd rather not be one...

I could make a comment here. But I'll resist.

[Mardy]

f**k me, this thread feels as long, dull and pointless as Springsteen's set...

[sifi]

What I suspect is that most people like him in the way they like Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen.

[Mardy]

yeah, got to be honest, for me the comparison between Dylan/Cohen and Springsteen doesn't really stand up.

[Langdale Wolf]

Sorry have to disagree. If you dislike music there is either something wrong with the music, or something wrong with the way you are experiencing it.

To allow myself to dislike something good, would make me an idiot. And I'd rather not be one...

[sifi]

yeah, got to be honest, for me the comparison between Dylan/Cohen and Springsteen doesn't really stand up.

[Peache Calhoon]

f**k me, this thread feels as long, dull and pointless as Springsteen's set...

[Joe_]

one thing i really don't understand is people complaining that Bruce played for too long!

how can someone play for to long?

if your bored leave but it's definately nothing to complain about as it makes the ticket more worth its money!

if he played for half an hour fair enough, even i'd be moaning but those moaning at the 2 hours 40 minutes need to f**king grow up.

[pedmills]

oh, so people don 't have personal tastes then?

[russycarps]

one thing i really don't understand is people complaining that Bruce played for too long!

how can someone play for to long?

if your bored leave but it's definately nothing to complain about as it makes the ticket more worth its money!

if he played for half an hour fair enough, even i'd be moaning but those moaning at the 2 hours 40 minutes need to f**king grow up.

[pedmills]

nah. If things worked like that then there'd be no space for anyone to be able to say "I dislike this music" for any piece of competently composed music. And that's plainly bonkers.

[sifi]

An eighteen page thread on Springsteen and still no Jens Wildman comment.

WTF! It's been a week! Is he following Bruce around Europe?

Edited July 7, 2009 by sifimaster

[russycarps]

An eighteen page thread on Springsteen and still no Jens Wildman comment.

WTF! It's been a week! Is he following Bruce around Europe?

[sifi]

I have a feeling some of neils comments re: bruce being balnd may have lead Jens over the brink of despair.

RIP JensWildman.

[The Nal]

An eighteen page thread on Springsteen and still no Jens Wildman comment.

WTF! It's been a week! Is he following Bruce around Europe?

[eFestivals]

Yes they obviously do, never said they didn't.

What I said was that if you don't like music either there is something wrong with the music or something wrong with the way you are listening to it.

That's what personal tastes are.

There are only two options here:

Either my above statement is right.

Or music tastes have nothing to do with personality, individual differences, type of friends, exposure or the quality of music or any other factor and are 100% random (which is nonsense in my opinion).

Music tastes have everything to do with personality, individual differences, type of friends, exposure or the quality of music, etc.

Some people like some stuff, and others don't. That's all there is to it. Your statement above is wrong.

[Joe_]

I guess people would rather have seen the bands preceeding him play for longer.

What's with the "grow up" chat too? If you cant articulate yourself without being abusive then I suggest you f**k right off, you pathetic little worm.

[pedmills]

You clearly don't know much about Bob Dylan then. He's recorded music in many many musical styles, from folk, to rock n'roll, to rock, to country - and that was his first ten albums or so.

[Originalshez]

Seem to remember Glasto was Jens' only show this time, apart from the Scandinavian ones that preceeded Glasto. Maybe he discovered Shangri-La and never got out?