Classic Rock stuck in 70's rut!!

  • I'd have to agree with David here. This guy should not have been given the review to do. He is not familiar with Glenn's career nor his past. Dave Ling or Geoff Barton are far better journalists. Having reviewed on many occasions for a variety of publications, you set your context out in the first couple of paragraphs so if you talk through your ass in those, then the review falls down immediately. It doesn't matter how well written your review is if you are simply going to sit there and hammer out some clever innuendoes. His back handed compliment about Glenn's competence in writing a review of Otis Blue is patronising.

    Sorry to go on about this but futurenet have no place to stand on any high ground of publishing integrity with their recent gaffs which COST people like me, Chris at the Astoria and Mike at The Robin money. OK advertising and editorial are two separate departments and always should be....But hell do the thing properly then and don't staff your rag with people who 1) don't do the research 2) just can't be arsed. Fact.

    On a general point, "Classic Rock" as a label isn't such a bad one but correct me if I am wrong, the intriguing thing about this genre is that it aint just about striding around in some ridiculous leather strides with your bollox on show singing about the Number of the Beast when you reach the big 50. Yes that has had its place but the reason this whole fucking bandwagon still rolls is that it welcomes other genres. Jethro Tull did folk, jazz, blues. Zeppelin did folk, blues, country mystical on 1,2,3 ZOSO and PG. Floyd created a sound of their own via the blues and psychedlia route.

    Yes ok there's a template to rock. I'll give him that but within that template, you are allowed to roam. Glenn Hughes does rock, blues, pop and FUNK so what's the problem if he decides he is going to get into the groove he's happy with? No problem unless you come across guys like this who try and catch him out with some half baked notion that two tracks are not funk. Oh I see so the chorus on Oil and Water doesn't have echoes of Stevie's Higher Ground? Uh huh? And so to make a funk album you have to stick to a formula then? Glenn is not allowed to take funk to new boundaries of experimentation? Are all "classic rock" artists doomed simply to retread the achievements of yesteryear before they get a five star review? Should I be cooking my dinner instead of writing this? Probably but when you care about something, dinner can wait.

  • This reviewer pretty much lost me with calling Living Colour "clumsy." Really? I call them one of the best rock bands of the last 20 years and underappreciated...much like GH, come to think of it. Some people need genres, and other people just need music. You see the same attitude in jazz or classical reviews, too.

    Another funny thing about the review--has he noticed that Deep Purple also does not make music that sounds much like the old DP anymore? Times change, people evolve, and thank God for that.

    As for Whitesnake, I agree that GTBB sounds straight outta 1989, but there is some very good songcraft there, and I've been enjoying it.

  • I agree with that Profusion. That casual assumption that Living Color weren't commercially viable because they played funk is simply armchair logic. Genres are created by the media. Music is for listeners.



    The funny thing is, only a person who knows nothing about funk would say that Living Colour was a funk band. They are a hard rock band who throw in some funk occasionally. All of those guys are more than capable of laying down some serious funk, but that's never been the point of Living Colour. For the funk-minded, Vernon Reid has a new project called the Free Form Funky Freqs that smacks down some serious grooves in an heavy jazz/instrumental context:

    http://www.myspace.com/freeformfunkyfreqs

    I thought of another point after I made my original post. Both Stormbringer and CTTB have a strong funk element to them, and any fan who is even passingly familiar with Mk. III and IV would understand that Glenn has a funky soul. Heck, he even managed to coax some funk out of Ritchie Blackmore, and *that* is a serious accomplishment :)

    I doubt that Glenn's tour is going to be full of disgruntled fans expecting to hear "Space Truckin'", ferchrissake.

  • For the funk-minded, Vernon Reid has a new project called the Free Form Funky Freqs that smacks down some serious grooves in an heavy jazz/instrumental context:

    http://www.myspace.com/freeformfunkyfreqs

    Thanks for the tip profusion - simply awesome stuff :cool: Just picked it up over on iTunes :thumbup:

  • Classic Rock may have lost the plot but Simon Robinson clearly "gets it". His review over at the Deep Purple Appreciation Society website;

    Quote

    First Impressions: "When you produce a track as fully charged as Never Say Never, and then slap it bang into the middle of your new album, then you run the risk of making everything else seem like a prelude to and coming down after. For me it just takes everything Glenn has been working with and for over the last three decades and gets the balance of metal, funk, soul and fab retro sound effects so absolutely right that quite frankly I'd be more than happy to have paid the price of admission for this one cut alone. Indeed I am more than happy to have paid, because Frontiers doesn't feel we're worth a review copy (which is why this is a tad late!).

    But as a bonus there's also the almost equally great Oil And Water, and the just about as excellent title track as well. Play them all very loud and revel in the power. What a rush. The rest? I'll have to think about it for the magazine, but trust me on those three tracks alone it's more than worth it (despite the impression the 3 for £20 Trance Nation '50 chillin' greats' type sleeve might give you!). I'm already hyperventilating over the thought of hearing them live." SR"



    Turn it up! :thumbup: :claphands

    Yours In The Funk
    Bill "Capt. Midnite" Redford

    :ghcp:

    http://www.facebook.com/bill.redford

    "Cause if you fake the FUNK..your nose got to grow!" Bootsy Collins

  • I really can't get too worked up about this. It's one review.

    I'd much rather read a fresh viewpoint on Glenn, than see yet another review by Dave Ling. No disrespect to Dave, but let's face it we know what his opinions on Glenn are.

    It's only an opinion, and he does make some good points and draw some valid comparisons. Jamiroquai was what came to my mind when I first heard the album too.

    cheers
    John

  • Terry Staunton

    Please listen to some of the albums from Glenns past.

    The three Trapeze albums, which he made prior to his tenure in DP. Lets just pick one track-What Is A Womans Role? Would this track look out of place on his current album? Hughes /Thrall. A seminal album by all accounts. The three middle tracks of 'side 1'. The Look In You Eye, Where Did The Time Go, and Beg, Borrow And Steal.

    Have you heard of these, or even [i would be very surprised] listened to these albums??

    Lets also speak about his stint in DP, which the so called 'journalist' was barking on about in his interview. On Burn, two tracks, Might Just Take Your Life and Sail Away. On Stormbringer, Hold On, Love Dont Mean A Thing, And Holy Man.

    Terry, please listen to these tracks and tell me whether Glenn is ignoring his musical heritage.

    I agree with you David, it is not so much that it was a bad review, lets face it, Glenn has had a lot of those with his solo career, it was the ill informed comments that were made.

    Paul

  • What is the big deal here ?? IT is ONE review by ONE person. There is no definitive right or wrong when you are a critic/ reviewer in the entertainment business.

    I read lousy reviews of some great albums, movies, TV series' and it did not stop me from listening or watching. Crap, I hear these reviews of how "Great" the new American Idol is, and in my minute of exposure to his/her brand of garbage music and BS voice would say it is horrid. We had the Amy Winehouse disagreement sometime back here. Many of you love her, I think she is crap. I do not think that makes either side right or wrong or less enlightened to the music at hand. If all reviews were of the 5-star variety then no one would make a decision based on what they as an individual are hearing. If you like an artist from the past, buy and make your own evaluation. If I or anyone else went by one review for everything you would miss out on loads of great stuff and have a collection of stuff you will never listen to again.

    I know this type of thinking is not novel to any of you, since if you did not have such a positive view of Glenn's work you would not even comment. The passion is outstanding to hear, but to dismiss a writer as without knowledge is a bit over the edge. There is no black and white right or wrong...it is called an opinion and is much like going to the polls to vote for a candidate. No one has ever won an election 100% to 0%. Three judges watched the same fight and had different scores...so who is right?? They are professionals scoring based on what they saw, and if three people sitting two feet apart watch the same thing and see something different it is because everyone has a different angle on things.

    For the record, I like the album a great deal :thumbup: I do not enjoy it as much as Soul Mover, but that is just my own musical preference, and if yours differs I will still listen to what you have to say and make my own decision.

    We all want the same for Glenn, and we all appreciate everything he does as an artist and person (I will NEVER forget his great attitude at BB Kings), but not everyone thinks the same way we do. Let's have a thread based on the POSITIVE reviews instead of tearing down the mediocre one. We have given much too much space to a single negative and not enough to all the positives.

    Sorry for being so long-winded, I got way too much rest last night :D

    Frank:div27:
    "if only we'd turn around and notice the door to the cell is open"

  • I agree with the last couple of posts; i think people are getting a bit too defensive over any criticism of glenn's work. Not the first thread I've seen it.

    FCinnella an excellent post; I agree with your sentiments 100%. A top post.

    FWIW - my thoughts are like those per the DPAS - oil and water is tremendous & that song that uses the riff from Aerosmiths Shut up and Dance rocks superbly. The rest, well, I reserve my own personal judgement. Those who like it, turn it up and enjoy.

    Those who don't - there should be at least 2 or 3 tunes to add to the catalogue of great GH songs from accross the ages.

  • Jamiroquai is a valid artist, Weisheim if a bit samey. But J made his first album about 20 years after Trapeze. So I think it's the other way round. I don't think Glenn is trying to sound like anyone particularly but yes you are right it's just one review and I don't think loose and casual comparisons by a freelance journo who hasn't done his research on the artist is a professional approach by this mainstream publisher.

  • :thumbup: Hi all, Its nearly time for the UK gigs and I cant wait!
    Please read below my response to Classic Rock's ignorant review of FUNK.

    Let me know what you think! (I have emailed it to them, doubt they willl print it)

    See you all in Wolverhampton/Liverpool


    This month has been so busy that i only got round to reading the July issue whilst sat on the crapper. Whilst enjoying my solitary sanitary moment I stumbled across Terry Staunton's review of Glenn Hughes' First Underground Nuclear Kitchen album. Once I reached the 'paperwork' stage imagine my delight of having a choice! Double quilted velvet, or Terry's review. I quickly decided that the review wasn't even fit for this purpose.
    You see my problem with it, is that (and I am kinda guessing here) he was sent this CD to review with a scribbled note saying 'this is the guy from Deep Purple, let me know what you think'

    Its a review by a guy who knows nothing of Glenn's past but is all to quick to criticise. He accuses Mr Hughes of seeing 'how far they can go from their musical Square One' If Mr Staunton was to bother to look (or dare I even say listen) to any of the classic Trapeze albums then maybe he would appreciate that Glenns 2 year stay in Purple way a move away from his funk/soul roots and to me, this was Glenn pushing his boundaries.

    As for applauding musicians for trying to stretch themselves, I totally agree. But i do feel Glenn has found his groove and is making music for himself, not a corporate rock label. He has a comprehensive solo back catalogue to call on now and has freely admitted, living off the purple stuff is not the way ahead.

    First Underground Nuclear Kitchen is a masterpiece and Glenn continues to grow. This guy is a national treasure. I know the fact he is 'returning to his roots' may loose him a couple of fans in the classic rock world, but if your are intent on criticism relating to his past, please do him, me and the world the courtesy of understanding it.

    To end, I think spelling the word FUNK from the title is quite clever, so to continue in the same vein I can sum up Terry Staunton's review as

    Something
    Horrible
    In
    Text,
    Evidently!

    Geddit?

    Ian Dunbar
    Liverpool
    :bouncer:

  • Ian I think that will get printed. It reads well. In fact word has it that they are going to have to print at least one of the letters. They have quite a few apparently! I hope to see you on Saturday? Make yourself known. I am the hairless old fart looking hassled.

  • Well, since I've been a Glennie since the begining, I have to say it would'nt bother me at all if I never heard Glenn sing another Purple song again, he has too many good songs from his solo work to play live, the problem is, a lot of people expect the Purple tunes at the shows, and the jurno's won't let him forget his past. To be truthful Glenn himself has no reason to disown what he did with Purple. The review isn't that bad, its just mis informed.

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