When a band has "jumped the shark"

Lyndon · « **on:** 11 Nov 2011, 02:25 am »

All this talk of best current band, best past band, best dead band...
I'm thinking that maybe a band has passed on its creative torch when they issue a Christmas album.

Bobby, how could you...

Actually, the Tull holiday album isn't bad...
And there is always a Phil Spector Christmas...er, wait, he's in jail for murder, and he is 'just' the producer, so this one doesn't count. If I start digging in my vinyl boxes in the basement, I bet I can find a lot more of these holiday duds.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 04:59 am »

That Dylan X'mas album is ....HORRIBLE...

Lyndon · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 05:36 am »

Couldn't agree more, Wolfy.
But I should not be a Scrooge. I have collected quite a bit of holiday music.
I do like some of the Spector cd, and really enjoy my Emmy Lou Harris and Aaron Neville
songs. I bet there is a website that actually covers many of the good and the bad
holiday song covers. It is fun to listen to Mel Torme's Christmas Song, and then switch to him singing
Zazz Turned Blue by the Was(Not Was) Brothers.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 05:41 am »

The two fav's I play each X'mas....

Burl Ives...and....Nat King Cole...

Lyndon · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 05:55 am »

How could I forget the KING!
Nat King Cole, that is!

Still been listening to the Velvet Fog. Man, was his voice good!
I want to dig this up and see it:

Quote

In a scene in the 1988 Warner Bros. cartoon Night of the Living Duck, Daffy Duck has to sing in front of several monsters, but lacks a good singing voice. So, he inhales a substance called "Eau de Tormé" and sings like Mel Tormé (who in fact provided the voice during this one scene, while Mel Blanc provided Daffy's voice during most of the cartoon)

Good stuff at 2:18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_m80RmphXM

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:05 am »

Funny stuff....

tull skull · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:42 am »

So if the Tull album isn't bad, then is it good?

Also, I don't know of a better deterrent to smoking cigarettes than to hear Ian Andersen sing live within the last 10 years or so. He was able to quit but it was too late.

He still has more talent in his little finger than 95% of the musicians out there today.

acresm22 · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 03:59 pm »

The Jethro Tull Christmas album contains songs that were part of the Tull mix for years, many of which appeared on earlier albums or were included in the live shows. Ian didn't decide to record a Christmas album...he just repackaged existing Tull tunes. He's a clever marketer...there are lots of Tull "collections" for the true fans.

And yes, his voice is gone. Cigarettes played a role I'm sure, but go back and listen to the way he growled through Songs from the Wood and Heavy Horses in the late 70s. I suspect his vocal stylings in those days had just as much to do with the deterioration of his pipes.

Lyndon · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 04:36 pm »

Quote

He's a clever marketer

I'll give him that...and an excellent showman.

Didn't know he culled the songs from previous recordings and did not re-record them for the cd.

Now let's let the Tull bandwagon continue their 40th Aqua celebration on their thread. This thread is on to other items.

You want to talk Tull, please PM Wayner and ask him how he really feels. I think he had a dream where he woke up and found that evil elves had glued Tull albums on all his turntables.

Now back to the holiday spirit. Paul Revere? Did Gary Puckett and the Union Gap do an album?

Oh, my golly, he did!

acresm22 · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 05:04 pm »

Yeah, I saw Wayner's rip on Aqualung. Didn't think it warranted a response...he's just being a curmudgeon, as he is on every topic (except when talking about all things vinyl, of course).

Lyndon · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:18 pm »

Quote

except when talking about all things vinyl, of course

One would think, but I still covet those rebuilt Empire rigs and would love a KAB
modified Technics. I am behind in getting my systems back up, acresm22. Let's see, the stuff I have bought in the last year, and not even opened the boxes...
Pioneer 1120 receiver, Squeezebox Touch, Phono Pre, Power supply for Phono Pre, new Denon DL110,Art DI/O dac...and presently have the 1986 VanAlstine Transcendence Two Series Preamp on the work bench. Yes, teaching elementary and grading papers, and taking on line classes is eating up much of my time. You know its bad when I am eating leftovers and listening to my music through this:

I think I need Wolfy and the NY Audio Group, led by Levi to charge in and do an "audio intervention" and get my good gear hooked back up.

Now back to the holiday albums. I may have to get this one, as I like some of Bootsy's stuff.

Larkston Zinaspic · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:23 pm »

For some reason Jump the Shark brought this image to my mind immediately. Now I'll have nightmares.

Lyndon · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:29 pm »

I have it on vinyl or cassette and it is soooo bad!
But their first album, with Lucky Man, was my go to cut in the 70's to test my buddy's systems. I thought it did a better job of testing the highs and lows versus Deep Purple's "Highway Star".

SteveFord · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:31 pm »

The one from Ringo isn't too bad if you like that kind of thing.

I'm waiting with CASH IN HAND for William Shatner to step up to the plate.

nathanm · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:42 pm »

Normally, the thought of actually buying Christmas music seems about as logical as slamming my head in a car door, but I actually have considered getting that Jethro Tull one. For one thing, the cover art is great and the samples I heard were not too bad. But I must confess to buying whoever did the Iron Man Christmas cover. But I made a mistake, in retrospect it's hokey as hell and makes me wince. Bob Rivers, I think that's it.

Lyndon · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:48 pm »

I don't remember that Ringo Starr album. I thought Ringo in the movie, Caveman?
was great!

Quote

I'm waiting with CASH IN HAND for William Shatner to step up to the plate.

That would be good. I liked that album, "Has Been" that he recorded a few years ago.
Listening to samples from Conway Twitty's album and Christmas on Death Row.

But looking at this cover, and wondering how these arrangements sound:

And I DO remember this LP, let's get this holiday party to the disco!

Whoops, that is not holiday themed. My mistake, just love the cover!
An Iron Man Christmas? Let's see the cover Nathan!

Don_S · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 06:58 pm »

Quote from: SteveFord I'm waiting with CASH IN HAND for William Shatner to step up to the plate.
[/quote

Steve, For the time being you may have to just settle for Good King Wenceslas (track 15) from http://www.amazon.com/Good-King-Wenceslas/dp/B00344LXMS/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1321037396&sr=1-2-catcorr

Lyndon · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 07:00 pm »

Is this the ghost of Jacob Marley?

Don Henley, I like that voice, but in this context? I remember this sold like hotcakes and if you have the picture sleeve in good condition, it has some value to collectors of 45's.

nathanm · « **Reply #18 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 07:01 pm »

Lyndon · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Nov 2011, 07:05 pm »

Don_S,
That was a great cut with Shatner!
When I glanced at this cover, I thought the Residents had done an album.

Lynyrd Skynyrd???