Paul Simon?

[The Nal]

From a man who hates "nice" music, I'll take that with a spoonful of sugar mate.

'twas a silly post. True though. He does wear a crappy baseball cap.



[Wooderson]

He does have a crap hat yeah. He has a history of it.

I don't hate "nice" music btw. I have more "nice" music in my record collection than most. I hate weak music. Big difference.

Some of Paul Simons lyrics are fantastic if you listen to them.

[Pooog]

But great lyrics enhance the 'feel' of a song.

Paul Simon sings clearly - I can't listen to his songs without listening to his lyrics.

[Mardy]

I sing along with Paul Simon lyrocs, but they never strike me as particularly deep or impresive, just clear.

I like him a lot yeah, but I'm with Wooderson on this, I don't like Graceland. At all. I listened to it last night after all the paudits yesterday. I was baffled and thought maybe I'd misjuudged it, but no, it's nowhere near his best work.

[Mardy]

I don't hate "nice" music btw. I have more "nice" music in my record collection than most. I hate weak music. Big difference.

[beodeejay]

my raised eyebrow with the love for Paul Simon's brand of singer songwriter dross.

.

[jimmyt]

I sing along with Paul Simon lyrocs, but they never strike me as particularly deep or impresive, just clear.

I like him a lot yeah, but I'm with Wooderson on this, I don't like Graceland. At all. I listened to it last night after all the paudits yesterday. I was baffled and thought maybe I'd misjuudged it, but no, it's nowhere near his best work.

[In transit]

Quite surprised at the turn this thread has taken. I love reading other people's opinions especially when eloquently expressed but comparing Simon to Neil Diamond's performance smacks of pre-judging him a little.

I don't really see him as the crucial artist of a generation although even if done for his own gain his work with South African musicians and spreading the gospel of world music is A Good Thing.

I just remember driving round Africa using him as a soundtrack and there is something inherently uplifting about much of what he sings and Graceland particularly really does capture the essence of sub-saharan Africa.

Edited March 24, 2011 by In transit

[Mardy]

At the zoo, great song. Social commentary? Hmmm..

Some favourites

At the zoo

Slip Sliding Away

Kodachrome

I am a Rock

50 ways to leave your lover

(personally, I don't really like the boxer, bit histrionic and overproduced for me)

[Mardy]

but you know, I feel duty bound to be the awkward bugger. So it goes.

[beodeejay]

The controversy as far as I know, was that he used African base tracks, put his own buzz on it, and then released it as "Paul Simon". Kinda like what Jimmy Page did with the blues.

Anyone know anything different?

Edited March 24, 2011 by beodeejay

[whatmidlifecrisis?]

Getcha on the "weak music" correction. Thus my raised eyebrow with the love for Paul Simon's brand of singer songwriter dross.

Great lyrics? Thats as weak a defense of an artist as i can cunjur. "Oh he's a great lyricist!" Always been more about feel myself. An instant intangible connection that is impossible to explain or evaluate. A focus/appreciation of lyrics takes time and concentration to take on board - whilst this is a rewarding and noble pursuit it takes some of that surge of pleasure out of it.

[Mardy]

2 things about Paul Simon/ Graceland

Yeah, he broke a cultural boycott in South Africa. We can debate the rights and wrongs of that, but especially when lots of people are thinking about the March against cuts tomorrow, solidarity is not to be underestimated. I think he probably made a mistake but as I say it's up for discussion. At the very least, it shows a lack of awareness.

there were pretty serious accusations he f**ked Los Lobos over, nicked a song from them and refused to pay them. He comes out of it looking less than saintly.

[Wooderson]

50 ways to leave is ARSE.

[The Nal]

The best thing Paul Simon ever did was his cameo in The Rutles.

I would file an appearance by him at Glasters right alongside that snoozefest from Neil Diamond a few years back. He's dull as f*cking dishwater. I heard people raving about Diamond before and after that show. It aged me. What I want is a show that makes me feel younger. Paul Simon is the embodiment of that Starbucks loving chino wearing babyboomer c*nt who wouldnt know rock n roll if it put his head through a table like Dalton in Roadhouse.

If Simon got Garfunkel to come out with him I can imagine there being a lot of (not unduly misplaced) 1960s nostalgia knocking around with the 5 or 6 standards they have. Some of their songs have a beautiful harmonic quality that would be pretty feckin' awesome I'll give you that.

But without him its just some geezer in a baseball cap singing in an insipid reedy voice about middle class angst and poxy relationships. I don't get it and I don't wanna get it!

Oh and "Graceland" is everything I hate about music. Exploitative, self indulgent bongwater.

[Mardy]

some geezer in a baseball cap singing in an insipid reedy voice about middle class angst and poxy relationships.

Edited March 24, 2011 by Mardy

[In transit]

2 things about Paul Simon/ Graceland

Yeah, he broke a cultural boycott in South Africa. We can debate the rights and wrongs of that, but especially when lots of people are thinking about the March against cuts tomorrow, solidarity is not to be underestimated. I think he probably made a mistake but as I say it's up for discussion. At the very least, it shows a lack of awareness.

there were pretty serious accusations he f**ked Los Lobos over, nicked a song from them and refused to pay them. He comes out of it looking less than saintly.

[Wooderson]

Always been more about feel myself,

An instant intangible connection,

that is impossible to explain...

Mate - you should get your notepad out and jot that down. It is poetry....

[Mardy]

Thanks! (Hope youre not taking the piss! )

Had a conversation with some "non believers" before who could not accept that I get a genuine physical response from listening to great music. Be it hairs standing on end or tears welling up... This is the "feel" I am referring to.

The best music (regardless of genre) resonates deep within but also almost always makes me look around to view the reaction in others... to see the ripple effect in a crowd, to experience that "oneness" with strangers that a special show can generate.

I could of course be utterly wrong about Paul Simon. I hope I am. The feeling cannot be denied or ignored.

[beodeejay]

Thanks! (Hope youre not taking the piss! )

Had a conversation with some "non believers" before who could not accept that I get a genuine physical response from listening to great music. Be it hairs standing on end or tears welling up... This is the "feel" I am referring to.

The best music (regardless of genre) resonates deep within but also almost always makes me look around to view the reaction in others... to see the ripple effect in a crowd, to experience that "oneness" with strangers that a special show can generate.

I could of course be utterly wrong about Paul Simon. I hope I am. The feeling cannot be denied or ignored.

Edited March 24, 2011 by beodeejay

[Stu H]

I don't really get the angst to performers on here - simple fact of the matter is, if you don't like someone, go and see something else.

Paul Simon would be high on my list of must-see performers for the festival.

[whatmidlifecrisis?]

Thanks! (Hope youre not taking the piss! )

Had a conversation with some "non believers" before who could not accept that I get a genuine physical response from listening to great music. Be it hairs standing on end or tears welling up... This is the "feel" I am referring to.

The best music (regardless of genre) resonates deep within but also almost always makes me look around to view the reaction in others... to see the ripple effect in a crowd, to experience that "oneness" with strangers that a special show can generate.

I could of course be utterly wrong about Paul Simon. I hope I am. The feeling cannot be denied or ignored.

[Wooderson]

Paul Simon... Neil Diamond...??

Neil Diamond has been a cheesy, Vegas type entertainer as soon as he decided he wanted to perform his songs, who wrote a few good songs. I'm surprised that anyone's surprised at how he was.

Paul Simon has written more than a handful of truly great songs. He's also a more than competent guitarist...

[The Nal]

Paul Simon has written more than a handful of truly great songs. He's also a more than competent guitarist...

Edited March 24, 2011 by The Nal

[russycarps]

The feeling cannot be denied or ignored.