How can an opinion be wrong? That's why it's called an opinion. It's not like it's a math problem and there's a right and wrong answer, it's an opinion. Just so happens that my opinion is the same as his. So does that make YOU wrong? Of course not. Why? Because it's YOUR opinion.
yeah, maybe... but here.... I'm sorry.... your opinion and his were wrong. don't get mad at me. it's not my fault that my opinion just happens to be right.
I really don't have a dog in this fight. I'm kind of neutral on the whole Ben thing.
But do you ever have anything positive to say about anything? Everything is "this sucks," "that sucks", "this was terrible."
It must be kind of hard to live life that way, but whatever.
That's not even close to being true. I don't say EVERYTHING sucks, that's just what you want to see. I just happen to speak my mind and I'm truthful about shit. I don't candy coat shit and make it all fluffy like some people do. Some people, not all, will agree with anything the band likes. I'm not one of those people. I think if you go back and look at some of my posts you'll see that if I'm happy or like something I say it. I even try to help people with technical stuff if I can. I'm very computer literate and like to help people that aren't so knowledgable in such things. Sometimes I can help them, sometimes I can't, but I try.
I would go on, but I'm sure you're capable of searching my posts to prove my point. If you think that all my posts are negative then so be it. You've probably already noticed that I don't really give a fuck what anyone thinks about me or my posts. I find life to be a lot easier that way.
BTW, Pearl Jam is the best band in the world right now. I even have a fucking Pearl Jam tattoo to show it. They're not the best band ever, but the best that are still together. I give the best band nomination to Led Zeppelin and that will never change. Now is that so negative?
Ben Harper is amazing in concert. I saw him for the first time in 1997 in a small venue and that was an incredible experience. During the song "Waiting For An Angel", crowd was completely silent. Ben was really moved and many people including me had tears in their eyes as we witnessed a truly emotional moment.
Some of his last albums (except Lifeline that I like a lot) are not as good as the three first ones but his live performances are always great.
I'm glad I got this going, even if it ruffled feathers, because I was genuinely interested to see how people felt about this guy. No, I'm not leaning on other people for validation, but I am curious as to what is the same and different about people.
I suppose I phrased it in a pretty partisan way, just because the dude triggers a pretty major response in my head. I'm not at all a rock snob and I don't think I tend to be overly negative, but I am curious as to what evidence to we have that Harper didn't write Oppression for college kids? If none, that doesn't mean he did, it just means who knows. But I mean, what's the dude even like? I don't mean how many charities does he donate to or anything, I mean does anyone know stuff about him?
The main thing is that when an artist decides to hang their hat on social justice and this kind of thing, you'd better be genuine because appealing to people's feelings of justice in order to sell albums, build a reputation, etc., would be about the greatest rock and roll sin ever. I think this is why Fugazi (like them or not) are so highly regarded, with $5 shows and $10 albums and refusing merchandise and all of that, they did a lot to reduce that possibility in people's minds. On that note, whoever announced their dislike of Fugazi and KISS earlier, congrats: you're the first person in history to mention those two bands in the same sentence.
Ben harper, is king. His latest album was sub par, but for him, a bad album is still 10 times better than most bands best album.
His voice is one of the most amazing voices I have ever heard. He is a genius and highly talented guitarists. When I saw him in 2006 he went all Hendrix during the solos.
He speaks the truth. He is politically and socially conscious, and should be included on any list of bands or individuals who make music for musics sake as opposed to wanting to steal money from teens allowances.
His songs, can be scorchers or quiet meditative songs, but reguardless of the way he chooses to express himself it is always goosebump inducing.
For me, nothing tops the unrealness of the 2 minute song Happy Ever after in Your Eyes. it leaves you with tears and its only 2 minutes people.
While his new record has gathered dust, all his cd's are heavily played in my world.
his voice is calming and alarming at the same time. His songs can cause me to cry, to get a lump in my throat, to want to go out and protest and jump the barricades.
On that note, whoever announced their dislike of Fugazi and KISS earlier, congrats: you're the first person in history to mention those two bands in the same sentence.
Thanks! That was me.
And what does KISS, Fugazi, and Ben Harper have in common? They are all bands that members of PJ have talked about in very high regard.
For me, music is a lot like the opposite sex - first and foremost, I have to be attracted to their music before I get to know her. And then after I get to know her I may find out that I do not agree with all of her stances - that doesn't mean she's still not fun to have sex with. Same with some bands; may find out that they don't hold the same values as me - oh well if I like their music. But when you find that band (or that girl) that you do seem to click on every level with - well then you are ready to make a commitment. But if I am not attracted to the girl - we could be on every other page together - but there is no attraction. That is bands like Fugazi for me - sure I agree with their way of life if you will, there music just does nothing for me.
Dude seems like he gets a lot of love, so maybe I'm missing something. And yes, I know he's tight with Eddie and all, but we can't go entirely by associations. I can't fight the feeling that this guy is just a big phony. I mean Eagles level phony. Four times in the past five or six years I've heard that song Oppression, in four very different places and situations, and each time it has almost induced vomiting. (For the record, I'm very liberal and very much not a fan of oppression (note lower-case o).) I think he's trying to be Cat Stevens (Trouble) in that song, and it's not even subtle. Also it just seems like a novelty song, like something Cake would do, something really calculated to make the maximum number of college kids' playlists.
Lots of great bands/artists put out crappy songs, but in general I get a strong feeling of phoniness from all of his music (that particular song is the only one that sticks out because, um, see above). Yeah, burn one down, bro. One love. Etc.
Am I way the hell off? I'm sorry to be negative like this, I'm just curious if I'm the only one or if this is a general feeling.
P.S. Pearl Jam friggin owns!
dude...weak. man up!!!!! "Does Ben Harper kind of suck?" what? are you afraid you'll be blackballed if you say this? if you think he sucks, your thread title should be "Ben Harper sucks." not "Does he KIND OF suck." grow a pair.
First, I was interested in other people's opinions, so I phrased it as a question. I don't know as much Ben Harper as most people here, so there was some uncertainty, hence 'kind of'.
That said, I got into several fights when I was younger, and I learned that it can be the wrong fight even when I won. I settled on the policy of trying to be decent until someone oversteps, and by and large nobody really has. I'm just trying to be reasonable--on a goddamn Internet message board, the number one hangout for people who are scared of the real world (no offense to any of the good people here) but still want to feel like they kick ass.
What I'm trying to say is there is a certain ceiling on how tough you can come across on the Internet before people start suspecting you're 14 and angry at the world. Fuck off.
Comments
yeah, maybe... but here.... I'm sorry.... your opinion and his were wrong. don't get mad at me. it's not my fault that my opinion just happens to be right.
Q4T
That's not even close to being true. I don't say EVERYTHING sucks, that's just what you want to see. I just happen to speak my mind and I'm truthful about shit. I don't candy coat shit and make it all fluffy like some people do. Some people, not all, will agree with anything the band likes. I'm not one of those people. I think if you go back and look at some of my posts you'll see that if I'm happy or like something I say it. I even try to help people with technical stuff if I can. I'm very computer literate and like to help people that aren't so knowledgable in such things. Sometimes I can help them, sometimes I can't, but I try.
Here's a positive post that I just made yesterday
Here's one where I'm trying to help someone with a CD burning problem
Here I'm helping someone that had a question about an iPod issue
I would go on, but I'm sure you're capable of searching my posts to prove my point. If you think that all my posts are negative then so be it. You've probably already noticed that I don't really give a fuck what anyone thinks about me or my posts. I find life to be a lot easier that way.
BTW, Pearl Jam is the best band in the world right now. I even have a fucking Pearl Jam tattoo to show it. They're not the best band ever, but the best that are still together. I give the best band nomination to Led Zeppelin and that will never change. Now is that so negative?
Some of his last albums (except Lifeline that I like a lot) are not as good as the three first ones but his live performances are always great.
I suppose I phrased it in a pretty partisan way, just because the dude triggers a pretty major response in my head. I'm not at all a rock snob and I don't think I tend to be overly negative, but I am curious as to what evidence to we have that Harper didn't write Oppression for college kids? If none, that doesn't mean he did, it just means who knows. But I mean, what's the dude even like? I don't mean how many charities does he donate to or anything, I mean does anyone know stuff about him?
The main thing is that when an artist decides to hang their hat on social justice and this kind of thing, you'd better be genuine because appealing to people's feelings of justice in order to sell albums, build a reputation, etc., would be about the greatest rock and roll sin ever. I think this is why Fugazi (like them or not) are so highly regarded, with $5 shows and $10 albums and refusing merchandise and all of that, they did a lot to reduce that possibility in people's minds. On that note, whoever announced their dislike of Fugazi and KISS earlier, congrats: you're the first person in history to mention those two bands in the same sentence.
Ben harper, is king. His latest album was sub par, but for him, a bad album is still 10 times better than most bands best album.
His voice is one of the most amazing voices I have ever heard. He is a genius and highly talented guitarists. When I saw him in 2006 he went all Hendrix during the solos.
He speaks the truth. He is politically and socially conscious, and should be included on any list of bands or individuals who make music for musics sake as opposed to wanting to steal money from teens allowances.
His songs, can be scorchers or quiet meditative songs, but reguardless of the way he chooses to express himself it is always goosebump inducing.
For me, nothing tops the unrealness of the 2 minute song Happy Ever after in Your Eyes. it leaves you with tears and its only 2 minutes people.
While his new record has gathered dust, all his cd's are heavily played in my world.
his voice is calming and alarming at the same time. His songs can cause me to cry, to get a lump in my throat, to want to go out and protest and jump the barricades.
In the end, isnt that what matters?
And what does KISS, Fugazi, and Ben Harper have in common? They are all bands that members of PJ have talked about in very high regard.
For me, music is a lot like the opposite sex - first and foremost, I have to be attracted to their music before I get to know her. And then after I get to know her I may find out that I do not agree with all of her stances - that doesn't mean she's still not fun to have sex with. Same with some bands; may find out that they don't hold the same values as me - oh well if I like their music. But when you find that band (or that girl) that you do seem to click on every level with - well then you are ready to make a commitment. But if I am not attracted to the girl - we could be on every other page together - but there is no attraction. That is bands like Fugazi for me - sure I agree with their way of life if you will, there music just does nothing for me.
dude...weak. man up!!!!! "Does Ben Harper kind of suck?" what? are you afraid you'll be blackballed if you say this? if you think he sucks, your thread title should be "Ben Harper sucks." not "Does he KIND OF suck." grow a pair.
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
That said, I got into several fights when I was younger, and I learned that it can be the wrong fight even when I won. I settled on the policy of trying to be decent until someone oversteps, and by and large nobody really has. I'm just trying to be reasonable--on a goddamn Internet message board, the number one hangout for people who are scared of the real world (no offense to any of the good people here) but still want to feel like they kick ass.
What I'm trying to say is there is a certain ceiling on how tough you can come across on the Internet before people start suspecting you're 14 and angry at the world. Fuck off.