Re: Bootstrappers

Inspired by Jermoe's mention of Aimee Mann on the Transitional Albums thread -

Who are some of the artists who were written off as jokes, one-hit-wonders or just hopeless in general but who proved everyone wrong and went on to have important and worthwhile careers.

Off the top of my head:

Aimee Mann
Radiohead
Japan/David Sylvian
John Mellencamp
Blur/Damon Albarn
Talk Talk

The Rolling Stone Record Guide review of the Replacements' "Sorry Ma Forgot To Take Out The Trash" says something like "Will we ever hear from these guys again? Who cares?"

The Meat Puppets first trashy album was a noise novelty. The LA Weekly said in '83 or so
"OUT: The Meat Puppets, IN: The Butthole Surfers." Of course, the Pups then dropped "II"...



Post Edited (07-06-09 17:43)

Bon freaking Jovi. Eat it, haters.

I hate his music (so I'll be happy to eat it), but I gotta give the guy credit for being a survivor, despite coming out of a genre with no longevity. Hell, he hasn't just survived, he's prospered.

Pop Will Eat Itself
Primal Scream
(The) Verve

The only reason Jon Bovi survived was a good PR team. Somebody told the Behind The Music crew to do his story a couple of thousand times too.

I think it has more to do with his ability to adapt his music to whatever's trendy at the time (boy band, country) and still sound like himself. Or call it chasing trends - either way, it's kept him in the spotlight and profitable for 25-odd years. And while I can think of about 57,869 artists I'd prefer to see get all that attention, I have some grudging respect for his ability to stay viable when, like his peers in the 80s, he should be a footnote on some VH1 clip show.

I once had the pleasure of meeting jon bon jovi once {more to the pleasure of my girlfriend} and 2 things.
1. couldnt be a nicer guy lacking in ego and pretensiousness.
2. He once had aspirations to be the next soutshide johnny and somehow took a detour.
3. I bet if we looked at all these guys record collections whos music we dont particularly care for we would have a lot to talk about with them.

Re: #3. I bet you're right. I've often read about artists who allow themselves to become trapped in a certain direction of music they don't really love, and never change it due to the money and fame it brings them. I'll bet a lot of artists many of us loathe have good taste when it comes to what they listen to. Like Def Leppard's reverence for Mott the Hoople, for instance.

Hell, I just watched the Jeff Buckley documentary Amazing Grace, and one of his biggest advocates is Sebastian Bach, of all people. He even covers "Eternal Life" in his solo sets so he can expose Buckley's music to more people. It's not a very good version, but at least he's doing it with good intentions.

Along the same lines as Bon Jovi: Alanis Morissette. She's gained (earned?) way more credibility than could have reasonably been expected in the Jagged Little Pill days.

also:
Dwight Yoakam
Everything But The Girl
Paul Heaton (The Housemartins, The Beautiful South, solo)
Spoon
Oingo Boingo/Danny Elfman

Oingo Boingo/Danny Elfman? I must take issue. Elfman consistently puts out the worst soundtracks ever. And he's getting paid mucho bucks for strumming a couple random chords every five minutes which makes up the entire Desperate Housewives soundtrack.

Oingo Boingo made their initial splash on The Gong Show.

Did they get gonged?

No, they won the week, actually. I think Jamie Farr gave them an 8.

Shari Lewis gave them an 8, but Bill Bixby gave them a 10!

[www.youtube.com]

and all 3 of those judges died painful deaths.
Did like Buddy Hackett's Dee Dee Ramone 'do though!

I think it was Kylie's outfits that did it.

Speaking of Bill Bixby, in college, a friend of mine once referred to George Winston as the "Bill Bixby of jazz," to which another friend replied that that was unfair to Bixby.

I think that was before the name New Age music was coined, and Windham Hill was indeed considered a jazz label. I suspect it was the jazz community that came up with the name New Age, just to get those folks out from under the jazz umbrella.

Although to be honest, I've no complaints with George Winston. Liking him in college was much more impressive to girls than liking Translator or Marshall Crenshaw was, that's for sure.

Elfman's score to Darkman is the best thing he ever did, besides Good For Your Soul. After that, he loses his manic-ness. I mean, Sommersby? Danny Elfman scored Sommersby? That crappy American remake of The Return Of Martin Guerre? I kept hoping Richard Gere would suddenly appear in the courtroom with make-up on and a bouncing horn line.

I could be wrong, but my recollection of the reaction to Guitars, Cadillacs... fell into two camps at the time:

1. Who's this guy think he is? Is he trying to imply something about the current state of mainstream country music or something? This is a gimmick. (mainstream country fans, of which there have always been a lot in my family and circle of friends);
2. Who's this guy think he is? Is he trying to cross over like he's down with The Blasters or something? This is a gimmick. (college rock fans, of which there have always been a lot in my family and circle of friends)...

I still know a lot of people who claim the reasons for his success have been (in no particular order) tight jeans, big hats, Pete Anderson, Buck Owens and Sharon Stone. Personally, I've loved the guy since initially hearing him in the mid-80s. He led me to reevaluate some of my own prejudices about a lot of great music I'd been ignoring up to that time...

Re. Spoon, my memory jibes with Brad's. I recall CMJ calling "corporate alternative" or something like that. And there's this:
[www.rollingstone.com]

Also, Jon's remained steady with the same woman since high school; they just celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. Compare that to a lot of his "hair-metal" peers who seem to take delight in high-profile flings with strippers and porn actresses (sometimes leading to high-profile marriages, followed by high-profile divorces), or reality shows in which they hook up repeatedly.

Like Bon Jovi's partner in crime Richie Sambora, for instance...

when was dwight yoakum a joke?


i think spoon's first few LP's were ok as well.

I wondered the same thing about Yoakam myself - he was pretty much treated like the saviour of country music when he first appeared on the scene, and had the respect of not only mainstream country radio, but '80s indie rock hipsters also, who considered him an honorary member of the LA cowpunk scene along with Rank & File and Lone Justice.

I do remember, though, that Spoon's first couple of albums did get ripped pretty badly at the time they were released, including A Series of Sneaks, which was why it was kind of surprising to me when some of the same sources that panned it when it came out fell all over themselves praising it later on. I may be misremembering, but it seems like Magnet gave it a pretty lousy review when it was originally released, then it ended up on their best of the 90s list. But I could be confusing Magnet with someone else.

Los Lobos

From all Spanish albums to the soundtrack hit "La Bamba" to Kiko and albums that have followed.

Apparently Blondie weren't exactly 'picks to click' when they first started playing out.
And I don't think she was previously seen as a joke, but the "little-girl"vibe of Janet Jackson's first 2 (?) albums didn't prepare anyone for Control.

watt, hurley and sharp

Kylie Minogue. When she burst onto the scene in the States, she was a joke. But when we found out Australia had her back and was revered there, she gained our respect because we love our neighbors from down under.

Although neither are actually to my tastes, those who dig 'em are not stupid in my book, and I'd say that Johnny Cougar (Mellencamp) and Tori Amos both qualify.

Can't believe that no one has mentioned Yo La Tengo yet.

Those early releases in no way hinted at exactly how good they would become. If they had died in a bizarre gardening accident three LPs in, no one would be sitting around touting their exploits.

"New Wave Hot Dogs" was such an influence."

...


Now watch some wise-acre go and find that exact quote from .... I dunno ... Band Of Horses or such. So I don't vet my "bogus" citations. So what?