Music A to Z 08.14.09: G is For...

Posted by Chris Crowing on 08.14.2009

... Garbage, Godsmack and Godspeed! You Black Emperor as well as added value with 'Reasons I No Longer Like Green Day' and some thoughts on 'Growing Old Gracefully'



The subtitle of this article could also be: Green Day would have been involved if they hadn't sold out and become shit and popular with whiny little scene-jumping emo bitches. Fuck Green Day. Let me elaborate...



Reasons I No Longer Like Green Day...

When I was a teenager, making my first forays into alternative music, Green Day were one of the hot bands to be into. Along with the likes of the Offspring (and to a lesser, yet more worthy and laudable extent, NOFX and the Vandals) right at the forefront of what would come to be known as Pop Punk, Green Day opened the way up for slews of similar acts to achieve stardom, and made the punk aesthetic more acceptable to mainstream audiences. That accolade is a double edge sword, which I'll get to in a minute.

Albums like Dookie and Insomniac (and their earlier, less heralded records) were full of catchy tunes which accurately reflected the world around them and appealed to young people with a taste for jaded views on life and scatological humour the world over.

Later albums Nimrod and Warning showed a maturation in Green Day's music and lyrics, with tunes more about regret and missed opportunity than anger and teenage pranks - that's a good thing - while retaining their trademark humour and catchiness. Overt ballads like "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" also opened the band up to a whole new level of popularity.

While their 'second breakthrough' American Idiot is a damned fine album, it displays less of the humour than previous works, and while still catchy it has less of the bounce, less of the energy than their previous albums. While the themes in this 'punk rock operetta' are undoubtedly more mature, the whole record has often set my teeth on edge for seeming forced, uninspired and clichéd.

That is not to say the songs are bad, it just seems that Green Day thought they should grow up and wrote an album accordingly, rather than going with their heart and natural tendencies. That leaves the songs coming across as flat, forced and somewhat cynically aimed at a specific demographic - i.e. impressionable kids who will appreciate a jaunty, yet not too edgy tempo and songs that can be construed as rebellious while in actual fact are quite tame.

It's the very essence of selling out, in the most measured, cynical fashion.

New record 21st Century Breakdown is even worse, with none of the narrative arc that made American Idiot interesting and even less verve in the songs. "Know Your Enemy" wouldn't make the grade on Insomniac or Kerplunk and "21 Guns" is possibly the most insipid song I've heard all year by a band I once liked.

Add to this the HORRIFIC 'makeover' that has happened to the band, with a slimmed down Billie Joe rocking the 'too much eyeliner, skinny tie and designer-messed hair' emo look and Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt looking like shocked rabbits in the headlights all the time.

I miss 90s Green Day (and IMHO 90s pop punk is more interesting and fun than Emo will ever be) and while I'll probably go to see them when they come by in the fall (one bonus of working in a Box Office is the free tickets) I'll probably hate the crowd and further erode my liking for the band as they half ass their good old tunes in order to play up to their younger, dumber fan base.

I want my chubby, snaggle toothed, potty mouthed, mud slinging, guitar smashing, drum kit igniting Green Day back! Or even better, I'll just go and listen to some old Operation Ivy or Fat Wreck Chords compilations...

Growing Old Gracefully

I apologise for a slightly wayward rant here, but I'm feeling reflective and philosophical. If you're not interested, then head on down to the column proper.

Your writer turned 28 on Tuesday, and suddenly realised that means he is now ten years past high school and that most important of transitions which comes with leaving home etc. etc. The above rant is partially cause by this, and I continue to find myself faulting the current musical climate and thinking wistfully about nu-metal in general and late 90s alt bands like Idlewild, Symposium and My Vitriol in particular.

But I catch myself, because I don't want to become one of those crusty old bastards who sits at the bar and grumbles about these damned kids and about how things were better when he was young.

There is a lot to love about music nowadays, with veterans like Metallica and Megadeth back on top form, established acts like Mastodon, Biffy Clyro, Coheed and Cambria and Muse going from strength to strength and relative newcomers like Frightened Rabbit, Gallows and others showing that the future will be interesting, for all the utter dross which fills the airwaves and the posing little shits who litter our streets, clubs and concert venues.

It is worth remembering that even when I was young and wide eyed in 97-98, rock music was proclaimed to be dead, and 1997 was the year of Pop in Britain with the likes of Steps and the Spice Girls massively on top of the musical pile. It is only looking back and seeing towering records from the likes of Faith No More, Machine Head, Pantera, Fear Factory, the Foo Fighters and so many more in the same period that you realise that sense of being surrounded, cut off and doomed was quite false.

For all that I look at the prevalence of formula Emo, bad dance-pop and clichéd and cynical 'hip hop' in the charts, I fully expect to look back in ten years and call this a golden time for metal, for alternative and progressive music of all kinds.

Who knows how well, or how badly certain bands you like or hate now will age? There was a time about six years ago when I was sick to death of nu-metal, but now I find myself listening to so much of that stuff, partially for nostalgia and partially with a musical appreciation removed from the conflicting media influence of the time.

Perhaps there is a statute of limitations on cheese, and today's annoyingly pervasive track is tomorrows quaint nostalgia...there might be a future column in that.

In any case, for all that I find myself looking wistfully over my shoulder at music which I thought was awesome when I was eighteen, and even looking at the bands who were active then that I had overlooked or simply not gotten into (like Tool, Faith No More and Alice in Chains, all of whom I fell in love with years after their apotheosis) I have no wish to become rooted in the past, and shall continue to seek out new music and find worth in what is being produced NOW.

Of course, music now is full of acts I would happily send to their death (currently topping the kill-list are Lady GaGa, Flo-rida, Calvin Harris and as the above mentioned Green Day) for reasons of personal distaste to their music and/or apparent character, but so was music then. Those who look back on the nineties, eighties or even further back with wistful 'them were the days' eyes tend to forget the dross which filled the airwaves at the times.

In short, with the wisdom and perspective of age - it is never as bad as you think it is. Rock is never dead, electronica is always flourishing, hip-hop remains strong and vocal pop will continue to vary between sweet quality and throwaway rubbish. The song remains the same.

Above all, Heavy metal will always swing wildly between being beaten down and on the edge of 'dying' and having a commercial period and becoming 'overexposed' - we are a grumpy bunch who are never freaking happy!

I apologise again for this extended ramble, but a (sorta) landmark birthday makes you thoughtful. The shocking conclusion may be that for all my ranting and raving, expressions of disgust and hatred, this writer is an optimist who truly believes we could be on the cusp of a golden age of musical creativity and free expression, while also lamenting the scenes who have faded away.

If you take my word for it (for all that I'm running headlong towards senile dementia) it's best to keep an open mind, read what the reviews and the critics say, then make up your own mind.

Make no apologies for liking what you do, and feel free to continue listening to what you used to like, even if it is desperately uncool and always keep an ear out for your new favourite band.

Listen to your friends opinions, but do not take their word as gospel - although those who's musical taste you agree with will likely give you far better advice than any commercial magazine or journalist.

Above all, and please listen to me on this. Ignore fashion at all costs - it is an evil fascist thought control method designed to separate you from independent thought and your money. Liking a prevailing musical trend is fine, but as soon as you start to identify yourself as an 'Emo' or any other label du jour, you have lost your perspective, identity and (IMHO) your basic human rights.

Oh, and never ever let anyone tell you are wrong for liking a band who aren't cool. The statement 'I like because I like it' is NEVER false.
Saying 'I like because it's better than ' or for any other reason, such as it being cool, political, for scene points, supports your cultural conceit of choice (emo, Wicca, religion in general, 'true metal', any sexual persuasion, racist views, whatever) etc. is wrong and a lie, and I will fight that line of thought forever more.

Music is a basic medium of emotional and artistic expression and should be experienced with joy, an open and individual mind without the constraints of fashion, social mores etc. etc.

By all means, love the music that you do, but do it because you love the music, not because you think it might make you popular, get laid, more intelligent, more 'for real' or any other such vacuous and pointless reason.

Go forth, listen, be moved, then come back and argue with me about it over a beer. Now THAT is a maxim to live by...

For the one person who is still reading, the column proper starts now...



* Please note, all 'Best...' designations are merely this writers opinion, and stand as a recommendation for new fans, rather than an attempt to make a definitive statement. I'll likely change my mind by next week anyway.

Garbage

What: Scots-American Alt Rockers of Legend
From: Edinburgh, Scotland and Madison, Wisconsin USA
In the Beginning: Butch Vig, Duke Eriksson and Steve Marker were tired of using their own material to remix other artists and decided to keep it for themselves. Desiring a female singer, the made an approach to Shirley Manson of Angelfish but the initial audition went poorly. However, when Angelfish split, Manson got back in touch and things went better, resulting in the recording of the debut album.
Best Album*: Garbage, Version 2.0
Best Song*: "I'm Only Happy When It Rains", "Vow", "I Think I'm Paranoid", "You Look So Fine", "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)", "Bleed Like Me"
Recently...: Best of compilation Absolute Garbage released in 2007, and Manson has been working on her acting career, most notably in the Sarah Connor Chronicles. Manson and Eriksson have both been quoted as starting work on a new, stripped down or unplugged Garbage album for the near future...

I have loved Garbage almost as long as I've been into music, from first seeing the Clash sampling debut single "Stupid Girl" on the ubiquitous ITV Chart Show and the flurry of differently awesome singles from their eponymous debut, it was an album I just had to buy.



"I'm Only Happy When It Rains" is one of my favourite songs, EVER, but that first album is so deep from the overt sleaze of "Queer", the use-me-abuse-me theme of "Vow" as well as the variety shown in tunes like "Milk" and "Stupid Girl" it has aged into a beloved classic.

The follow up record, imaginatively titled Version 2.0 was a far slicker, electronic tinged pop-rock record, compared to the more grungy, alt.rock feel of the debut.



Songs like "Push It" and "I Think I'm Paranoid" maintain some of that alternative drive, while tunes like "Special" are sheer driving pop thrills. More insightful, yet mellow songs like "Medication" and "You Look So Fine" show a more considered yet ultimately dark side to the band.



Garbage's two further records Beautiful Garbage and Bleed Like Me are not as iconic and essential (in my eyes) as their first two, although I'll freely admit this may be because those first one's were important to me at a very informative stage of my life.

That's not to say that those records are BAD, just that I haven't gone back to them nearly as much as the first two. There are a great many good tracks, especially the sleazy, electro pop drive of "Androgyny" and "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)" and the awesomely incisive "Bleed Like Me."



Garbage are a strange band, with a trio of experienced respected American musicians (drummer Bitch Vig produced a little album called Nevermind which you may have heard of) and their previously almost unknown Scots singer - in all honesty how many people had heard of Goodbye Mr. MacKenzie or Angelfish?

For me, the result is a stunningly effective combo. The trio of Marker, Vig and Eriksson have laid down some of the most seemingly simple, yet beautifully layered pop-rock of the last twenty years. Along with Manson, they have found a way of combining enough crunch to satisfy the rocker in me, enough catharsis and insight in the lyrics to satisfy my inner alt.kid and poet as well as a mix of some truly infectious 'hands in the air' and atmospherically affecting electronic beats, while often maintaining a wry sense for catchy lyrics and musical hooks, often verging on the shamelessly pop.



Shirley Manson is possibly my favourite female musician, not because she is the best singer (because she's clearly not) but because she actually manages to convey honest attitude and add character to songs. She conveys individuality, intelligence, strength and skill, without cheapening herself. Every wannabe riot grrrl or aspiring female front-person should look up to her, not Courtney Love or Brody Dalle or whoever.

The complete package? Pretty much.

Garbage are the band that really made me want to go to my first festival, T in the Park some eleven years ago. I vividly remember Shirley bounding about the stage, glorying in the oh-so-Scottish downpour, leading to a very exuberant sing-along rendition of "Only Happy When It Rains."

With a song for almost every occasion, from a party to a funeral, when you want to dance, or sit and listen to sad sad songs, they remain one of my favourite acts and I can't wait for some new material.

Godsmack

What: Post Grunge / Nu-metal band who are better than you remember...
From: Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA
In the Beginning: Started in 1995, the initial demo All Wound Up started getting airplay on Boston radio, leading to a real record deal and the self titled debut...
Best Album*: Awake, Faceless
Best Song*: "Keep Away", "Awake", "I Stand Alone", "Re-Align"
Recently...: Greatest hits released in 2007, a new record is set for early 2010, the band are currently touring as part of Crue Fest 2.

I remember reading a review of Godsmack's eponymous debut record in Kerrrang! magazine back in the day. The review lambasted the band for being a cheap imitation of Alice in Chains, even down to their name.

That review said that Creed were a more bearable post-grunge (another silly genre title) act, that Godsmack were dull, not heavy enough, not catchy enough etc. etc.

I disagree.



OK, it took me some time to get over that review - I was impressionable when I was younger and often took magazine reviews at face value, which is foolish in the extreme - and it was probably "I Stand Alone" that actually turned me onto the band, and I then dug into their back catalogue.



For me, Godsmack are the band who best bridge three (or four) of my favourite musical sub genres, being metal, alt rock and grunge (and arguably nu-metal, if that isn't covered by the previous three) and while I can see the Alice in Chains influence, it is not overwhelming.

For that matter if every band who had rumbly detuned rhythm lines and vocals that contrast between the raspy snarled bits and the more melodious anthemic bits, then virtually every hard rock band who weren't overtly Black or Death metal can be accused of being AiC clones.

The root of Godsmack's influence clearly starts with Black Sabbath (but you can say that about almost every heavy rock band as well), but the almost folksy influences of the likes of Neil Young also shine through, especially on the acoustic album the Other Side - yes, I know that's called Grunge, which leads us back to AiC.

However, there is a more metallic edge to their sound, clearly influenced by Metallica (as well as the more simple and rhythmic metal bands like Kyuss and Sepultura), especially the Black Album, and I hear a LOT more Hetfield than Staley in Sully Erna's voice. In fact, I'd far rather Metallica had taken a side trip into this grunge/nu-metal rather than attempting to downtune and get down with the kids the way they did on St. Anger.

Oh, and given that the main riff to "Keep Away" is exactly the same as Filter's "Hey Man Nice Shot" except with a more dynamic tempom, I guess there is an argument for calling them pop/industrial as well.

Genre's are among the dumbest things ever...



Godsmack are a band I like a lot, not because they are the most skilled (in fact much of their stuff is quite easy to play by comparison with AiC's layered compositions of Metallica's furious modular riffing) but because they are a lot of fun, and at the end of the day a good sense of tempo, some weighty riffs and an anthemic chorus takes you a lot further with me than all the shreddery in the world.



Tangent - I've often considered my own musical style (when on an electric guitar) as being similar to their 'grunge metal' template - what is more fun in a practise studio than getting four guys rocking out to a rolling, driving riff or watching your prick of a guitarist/singer/drummer show off their 'technical' skills.

It might just be me, but the relatively limited likes of Godsmack or Papa Roach often give a lot more fun for your musical buck than worthier acts.

None of this is to say that Godsmack are BAD musicians, but Sully Erna himself has said he isn't a virtuoso (although the bass player is a stunningly talented individual, as can be seen on their DVD) and this band's charm lies far more in their heart, their sense that this should be FUN, even when the songs are cathartic grunge-style pieces lyrically.

Big riffs, big heart, big chorus, big pyro for the live show. Love it.

...and now for something completely different.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

What: Post rock, semi-instrumental progressive legends.
From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
In the Beginning: Formed 1994, first release the All Lights Fucked On The Hairy Amp Drooling
Best Album*: F#A#8 (F sharp, A sharp, infinity)
Best Song*: -doesn't really apply but I'll go for- "The Dead Flag Blues"
Recently...: band has been on hiatus since 2003 to work on other projects, last release was Yanqui U.X.O in 2002.

In complete contrast to Godsmack's stripped down, direct riffage is GY!BE's inaccessible progressive soundscapes. I had heard of this band years ago, favourably compared to Scotland's own, Mogwai but never investigated until my best friend compelled me to do so, declaring their work to be among the best he had ever heard.

I listened to the two records I was given, F#A#8 and Slow Riot for Zero Kaneda in a sporadic way, which is my usual way of filtering new music into their long homes in the good or bad designations.

Of course, this isn't the best way to push your head into a wantonly impenetrable progressive soundscape, with songs 25 minutes long, divided into movements. I could hear quality, but I couldn't gauge it.

So, I stuck both albums on my MP3 player and decided I'd listen to one of them on my 40 minute walk home from work. I did so, starting listening to "the Dead Flag Blues" as I left work. By the time I was nearly home, halfway up Kelvin Way in Glasgow, I was emotionally drained, almost in tears and yet had no desire to switch off the song. You try...



GY!BE make music which is uncompromising, brave, challenging and emotionally affecting. Nowhere in that stream of superlatives does the word 'easy' or 'accessible' come into it.

I've looked further into their back catalogue, often using their work as background music - a soundtrack if you will - indeed it could be argued that their songs are more like soundtracks which lack a movie than a 'conventional' album as a collection of songs.

This is not music to go running with, to go dancing to- if you have a mind (and this is not for everyone) this is music to sit back and be affected by, like a cerebral novel, or beautiful work of art. Give them time, a little patience and an open mind and GY!BE will peel your head apart and you will love them for it...



@Alistair McGeorge & @Ross S

Ross has the truth of it for me, in that it seems Funeral put away their increased maturity and ability to create heavier, lusher songs in favour of the jagged guitars and screamo approach that the kids so love these days, which would explain Tales... being underrepresented in the live sets - as well as those songs needing a full orchestra to pull off correctly.

As to whether Hours & Tales... or Casually Dressed.. and Memory.. are better is entirely down to your personal taste as to what is better, anthems and tight riffs or screamo hooks and a more nasal delivery and it's not up to me to tell you which is better, just which I like more.

Not much else to comment on this week, which leaves me like this...



I expect to be flamed relentlessly for this week's rants at the top, so I'll have plenty to comment on next week. Don't let me down!

Slainte,
Chris Crowing

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