Why so much country music?

prawny

I'm watching Kerrang! on the tele because there's nowt on, why is there so much country rawk these days? I think I blame Nickelback.

What des everyone else think?

hopper1

I was shocked a while back when I bought Kid Rocks last album... One of the tracks is pretty hardcore Country... I have to skip through it on my ipod, as it actually embarrasses me!!! :oops:

downfader

Nickleback are Canadian aint they? Hardly the usual suspect for country twang. Used to love Kerrang! the mag back in the 90s. Got a silly after a while so I didnt bother after about 10years of reading. Used to be great for reviews of virtually unknown bands.

dennisn

Here in the good old USA, if you find yourself in a car more than 30 miles from ANY
large or medium sized city your radio won't be able to pick up anything BUT
country. I think it's either a law or some sort of conspiracy.

Smokin Joe

C&W fan here. Can't see how people criticise it while they listen to Garage, Rap, Dance, House and all the other garbage produced by 12 year old kids who all sound exactly the same.

You just can't beat the haunting melody of a twangy guitar accompanying a tear-jerking ballad about some dude whose baby has wronged him, as evidenced here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkx68VTJ33o

Eat your heart out Robbie Williams, this is how it's done.

dennisn

Smokin Joe wrote:

C&W fan here. Can't see how people criticise it while they listen to Garage, Rap, Dance, House and all the other garbage produced by 12 year old kids who all sound exactly the same.

You just can't beat the haunting melody of a twangy guitar accompanying a tear-jerking ballad about some dude whose baby has wronged him, as evidenced here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkx68VTJ33o

Eat your heart out Robbie Williams, this is how it's done.

+1

Smokin Joe

And of course, The Byrds -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtxan0bJ ... L&index=44

downfader

Massive Cash fan myself. The guy was and is a legend. Have always liked the stuff I've heard of Nelson and Cambell though dont have of their material...

..however C+W is about story telling. Isnt that what rappers do? They're just putting it out in a different way, you dont have to like it but surely appreciate it when done well (NWA, Run DMC, Public Enemy and so on)

Some of the Hip Hop videos on youtube show great skill on the mpc samplers.

dennisn

Smokin Joe wrote:

And of course, The Byrds -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtxan0bJ ... L&index=44

Careful or you'll reveal your true age.

Smokin Joe

downfader wrote:

Massive Cash fan myself. The guy was and is a legend. Have always liked the stuff I've heard of Nelson and Cambell though dont have of their material...

..however C+W is about story telling. Isnt that what rappers do? They're just putting it out in a different way, you dont have to like it but surely appreciate it when done well (NWA, Run DMC, Public Enemy and so on)

Some of the Hip Hop videos on youtube show great skill on the mpc samplers.

Perhaps if Rappers "sang" (and I use the term loosley) in some sort of deciphirable English I would have realised they are indeed telling a story. Not sure I want to here it though.

And isn't Hip Hop that game the girls used to play before they had breasts?

downfader

Smokin Joe wrote:

downfader wrote:

Massive Cash fan myself. The guy was and is a legend. Have always liked the stuff I've heard of Nelson and Cambell though dont have of their material...

..however C+W is about story telling. Isnt that what rappers do? They're just putting it out in a different way, you dont have to like it but surely appreciate it when done well (NWA, Run DMC, Public Enemy and so on)

Some of the Hip Hop videos on youtube show great skill on the mpc samplers.

Perhaps if Rappers "sang" (and I use the term loosley) in some sort of deciphirable English I would have realised they are indeed telling a story. Not sure I want to here it though.

And isn't Hip Hop that game the girls used to play before they had breasts?

I think you've missed the point somewhere along the way with rap. Its not about singing, its more focussed on the story telling and what is more narrative than the voice just reciting words? You can think of it along the lines as poetry set to music.

I accept not everyone likes it however. Most of it is MTV dross but occassionally something good shines through.

As for The Byrds, great band until they went all Christian nutjob. Are the Greatful Dead classed as country?

No one's mentioned Woody Guthrie have they? Or Bob Dylan's daliances in the 70s with the country sound.

dennisn

downfader wrote:

Smokin Joe wrote:

downfader wrote:

Massive Cash fan myself. The guy was and is a legend. Have always liked the stuff I've heard of Nelson and Cambell though dont have of their material...

..however C+W is about story telling. Isnt that what rappers do? They're just putting it out in a different way, you dont have to like it but surely appreciate it when done well (NWA, Run DMC, Public Enemy and so on)

Some of the Hip Hop videos on youtube show great skill on the mpc samplers.

Perhaps if Rappers "sang" (and I use the term loosley) in some sort of deciphirable English I would have realised they are indeed telling a story. Not sure I want to here it though.

And isn't Hip Hop that game the girls used to play before they had breasts?

Are the Greatful Dead classed as country?

No, they are actually classed as dead. Mostly.

CHRISNOIR

I love a bit of 'proper' Country Rock - Flying Burrito Brothers, 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' era Byrds, 'Workingman's Dead / American Beauty' era Grateful Dead. Current favourite -'The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clarke'.

fast as fupp

C&W and burning crosses- somehow they were made for each other :twisted:

Porgy

Smokin Joe wrote:

C&W fan here. Can't see how people criticise it while they listen to Garage, Rap, Dance, House and all the other garbage produced by 12 year old kids who all sound exactly the same.

You just can't beat the haunting melody of a twangy guitar accompanying a tear-jerking ballad about some dude whose baby has wronged him, as evidenced here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkx68VTJ33o

Eat your heart out Robbie Williams, this is how it's done.

+2

I came to country late in life - back in the 80s there were a few Indie bands who were going country - notably the Mekons.

My dad was a big Cash fan - and in the 80s came the whole New Country movement - Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, etc... who had rediscovered country's roots and radicialised it.

So I got into country at about that point, and I love it - it's white people's soul music - country and soul overlap SO much - I don't think people realise. As for country being music to burn crosses to -there's a whole history of radical rebel country from Hank Williams through johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, Neil Young, The Band, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, KD Lang, and most recently Steve Earle.

And Canadians do make great country music - not least among them Neil Young, KD Lang, and The Band.

iainment

Spent weekend mostly listening to the louvin bros, chip taylor & carrie rodriguez, patti loveless, john prine and lucinda williams. All country and all ace.

Been into country in a big way for about 10-15 years, love it.