Entertainment For Lively Minds
Is Damon Albarn the most talented pop songwriter/musician ever?
I mean, what a body of work!
OK, he may come across as somebody very difficult to like, and at times I find him excruciating to watch, but this isn't about likeability. I can't think of anybody else who comes close in terms of variety and success. It's been 20 years since the first Blur single, She's So High, which I loved immediately, and he is probably more successful than ever now.
Blur were such a great band. Modern Life Is Rubbish is way up in my all-time Top 5. An excellent singles band, and an excellent albums band too. The Good The Bad and the Queen is a phenomenal record. He took the virtual band idea into entirely new areas, and the Gorillaz stuff can be absolutely sublime. His work with other musicians is always of the highest quality. He wrote an opera, using a different system of scales to western music, and had massive success with that. He brought Mick Jones and Paul Simonon back together, and has probably collaborated with the widest range of musicians than anybody else.
Who else comes close? Who else has the depth, the range of talents, and the consistent success across a variety of genres that this man has?
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You're right on most counts
and he is all the things you mention. He is a massive talent, and while a lot of what he does isn't my cup of tea (indeed I don't think I own a single record with his name on it) I like a lot of Blur and Gorrilaz songs he does deserve to sit at the top table of British Rock and Pop in between Ray Davies and Pete Townshend. No argument there.
What a shame he's such a dour, sullen fucker. I recommend tapes of his interviews for anyone struggling with insomnia. If he had a bit more banter and wit he could be our new David Bowie couldn't he?
You are correct Dr Volume
Although he is my cup of tea! The last couple of Blur albums were outstanding!
Gorrilaz were and are innovative and apart from the Glasto fuck up, wonderful live! I've seem them 3 times and each time received a top notch performance! The Little Dragon collaboration alone on the last album was one of the most inspired pieces of music to my ears of the last few years!
Never got TGTBTQ but then Tin Machine did nothing for me either!
And the version of To The End with Francoise Hardy has a special place for me and my GLW! That song, I'll love forever!
Pity he is such a grumpy git!
Glasto F up?
I was so busy watching the female string quartet with their little sailor hats on I didn't even notice any music.
I was at that
It was very dull and unengaging.
Blur the previous year were brilliant though.
Maybe so
but they were rubbish at Eurovision.
I don't hear it
Thought Blur overrated, Gorillaz silly and GBQ dull. Seriously cannot find the quality everyone seems to rave about.
I so agree.
Could never see what people were raving about. Sounded like they wanted to be Madness but never quite managed it. At least Oasis aimed higher ( even if they were, possibly, ultimately more deluded about their actual talents ).
Madness? Really?
Madness could never have produced something this wonderful
http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=GB#/watch?v=-ROkJERgPho
What was the clip, chimney?
Anyway, Blur never wanted to be Madness. The closest they got was perhaps the Parklife video and possibly Sunday Sunday. If anything they wanted to be like The Specials with tracks like Fade Away and Top Man.
It was
This Is a Low, could easily have been Beatlebum
You're probably right of course
and it proves how completely this little pop group passed me by. Whenever I caught them accidentally on the radio or whatnot to these unlearned ears it sounded as if they were always trying to be Madness, XTC or- worse- one of those *serious* groups.
Sometimes
Damon has been responsible for some of my favourite songs of the last couple of decades, Blur's To The End, Out Of Time and Gorillaz Feel Good Inc and Hong Kong all rank very highly in my lists. But there is also a very large amount of music that sounds like somebody with a studio in their house and a big bag of weed.
Think Tank
..is a great record, but I can live without the rest of the Blur / Albarn canon. You can't fault his work rate though.
No.
No
No.
No
Nay
nay and thrice nay!
(See related posts: "Are Boyzone the new Beatles?" and "Susan Boyle: the celtic Callas?"
Boyzone = Better than The Beatles
And Susan Boyle is the new Lou Reed.
Is Subo
the Wild Horses Hitmaker ?
I think some perspective is needed here...
Damon Albarn is a talented chap. Of that there is little doubt. But he first came to prominence in an era when many of his contemporaries were basically doing little more than modelling unattractive sportswear and plying third-rate Status Quo riffs. He was always going to shine in that company.
However it is worth remembering that Blur's grand concept of celebrating Englishness in song was hardly original. Ray Davies built a career on it and was by far the greater songwriter.
Contemporaries...
In sportswear and doing status quo riffs - who's that then?
I assume you meant Oasis, and possibly Cast and then..... Northern Uproar?!
Depends on your view of contemporary I suppose, but assuming we're talking about the incredible fertile and creative period for British music in the mid 90s, then you could say Tricky, Jarvis Cocker, Goldie, Anderson and Butler, the Hartnoll Brothers, Karl Hyde, Shaun Ryder.....
Damon Albarn has had more impact on more people than, oooh, Richard Thompson for example. Anyone who was at Glastonbury 09 will testify to that. It's convenient to dismiss the music of the 90s as being worth less than the bearded folk worshipped around these parts but just because some of us might have been jaded and cynical when the time came around, it might mean that you weren't paying enough attention rather than a lack of brilliance on behalf of the artists of the time.
Actually I was paying a lot of attention...
and spent 13 years living right in the midst of the 'action' in Camden Town during the Britpop years, including renting a room in my flat as the offices of the Blow Up club. I listened to a lot of the bands from that time, even seeing The Monobrow Brothers at Earls Court in 1995. Unfortunately I haven't found that many of them have aged well (Blur being an exception) and don't listen to many of the records from that time any more.
I did say that I think Albarn is a talented fellow and I consider Graham Coxon to be arguably the finest guitarist of his generation. I, however, was a much better pool player than the Blur axeman, as many, many games in The Good Mixer proved.
Very good!
Fair play, got the wrong end of the stick there.
I just don't agree that his contemporaries were status quo aping apes. I think it's a bit of a misrepresentation of that whole time....
Take that comment with a pinch of salt...
but I do remember there being a lot of plodding, unimaginative bands around then that - amazingly, looking back on it - ended up on TFI Friday and getting masses of exposure.
And can I say how pleased I am that Graham Coxon gave up drinking. I think I'd be justified in saying that he was not a happy fellow back then and neither was I. The 'scene' in The Good Mixer had a very dark side and many people (myself included) sank into severe depression and alcoholism. I wasn't part of the Blur crowd, but I had eyes and even in my bedraggled state I could see that fame and fortune weren't all they were cracked up to be.
Intrigued
Why do you define the quality of your tastes by dissing RT and folky stuff which others here like a lot? I can't be arsed to argue about it but just saying "mine is better than yours" is hardly making the point, is it? Is, isn't, is isn't. 10 minute argument or the full half hour? As trolls* go I've seen much better. I know from your numerous posts on the subject that you're a big 90s fan. Fair enough. Make the case.
* sorry Fraser, is this troll feeding?
I don't think it's a big deal...
I slag off Oasis all the time and never expect anyone to take a blind bit of notice!
Agree
I agree, I just find the trend of defining what you like in terms of dissing things other people like quite odd.
Old chinese proverb say:
If fish must be shot barrel is always best receptacle.
I don't know
It was just a joke!
I've been posting here for a long time and I wouldn't describe myself as a troll. It's a 90s thread so I'm posting pro 90s views.
The reason I mentioned RT was to use an example of someone who's held with reverence here in contrast to 90s musicians who always come in for some stick. Not an attempt to troll. The point is that on here, people who have made records in the last twenty years are often routinely dismissed, in an offhand manner (see the Timmy Mallet point below).
If you remove the words Richard Thompson then I think I have 'made the case'. Maybe I should have said Paul Simon as he's mentioned below.
I think you've misread my point, which is not that Damon Albarn is better than RT. It's more that people who made music in the 90s deserve their place alongside the bearded wonders that are revered around here, rather than
being so casually dismissed.
The reason I make numerous posts on the subject is because there are more numerous posts arguing in the other direction. You don't have to go far into an unrelated topic to find someone slagging off Oasis. Is that trolling? I don't know, I don't care, it's just an excuse to talk about the subject....
Not at all
I like your posts on the 90s and agree with many of them. I just think defining yourself by things you don't like is odd. I mean, I could say little feat and Jethro Tull are so much better than all those 90s Mott the Hoople impersonators. So what. Dull. It's more interesting to say why something is interesting than to say mine's better then yours because I say so, and by implication what you like is crap. Zzzzz.
I didn't say
I didn't like RT....I'm just saying that 90s bands are capable of brilliance as much as the universally accepted classic artists. Could equally have said the Who. Or Girls Aloud.I actually don't really have an opinion about RT beyond thinking that he wears silly hats (jokes).
It's a question of respect. I think that Damon, Noel, Jarvis etc have earned the right to be respected whether or not you like them, and anyone who was present at various shows at Brixton, Hyde Park, Glastonbury and Wembley in the last few years would agree. However, most 90s music, including classic hip hop, is dismissed here, in a pretty cursory fashion.
It's not about who I think is 'better', I agree that is dull. It's about whether Damon deserves the same level as respect that RT gets round here.I would argue that he does and that he has had a larger impact on popular culture, or certainly to more people. Anyone who was at Glastonbury would find the notion of his music being cold and unemotional slightly bizarre. Far into Sunday night and Monday morning, you could hear the refrain from Tender drifting across thousands of campfires and into the night skies across every field in Pilton, following one of the most emotionally charged performances I have ever witnessed.
Classic hip hop
An oxymoron if ever there was one.
And there you go....
Point proven
Actually quite depressing
don't be depressed!
Just whack some Beastie Boys/De La Soul/Jungle Brothers/ Tribe Called Quest on and have a bit of a boogie...that should cheer you up. It usually does the trick with me.
And crank that bass up!
To me, this sounds like
classic 1990s music, full stop:
(jedi Mind Tricks- The winds of war)
'Others here like Alot'
Isn't that the point! Some people like 90's and some people around here have no problem dismissing that genre! But mention and dismiss RT and his ilk massive offence taken! I think you are being unfair and should equally have directed your post towards Patrick!
Thats all!
That's exactly the point
Delivered far more eloquently and concisely than I could.
However, Patrick's point was tongue in cheek. Mine was too. All in the spirit of discussion.
And lest we forget...
..he gave us Alex James. There's some serious making up to do yet..
Alex
I think Alex's job was to be a great pop star, and he did it brilliantly. Also, a very good bass player, one of the great "personality" bassists.
Always thought he was a bit
cheesy myself.
bit of a blur
the second and last time i saw blur, Alex came on and his contribution to the first song was to smoke a cigarette. Mesmerisingly cool.
Eclectic songwriter? Yes.
Anyone who puts him down as a Ray Davies copyist is, I'm afraid, wholely ignorant of the genius of Albarn in full work mode.
As well as the iconic Blur albums, let us not forget that he was behind some of their weirder moments released as B-sides too. His Monkey opera was quite possibly one of the oddest set of compositions for anyone, let alone someone whose day job used to consist of shouting WooHoo whilst jumping around in a Fred Perry t-shirt. Also fantastic are his contributions to the 101 Reykjavik, Ordinary Decent Criminal and Ravenous soundtracks. And who could forget the fact that when asked to make a song for the Trainspotting soundtrack he gave them an instrumental with him reading the names of James Bond themes over the top. The Mali Music album released in 2002 got me into world music (particularly from Mali), the Gorillaz stuff contains some of the most forward-thinking pop ever (All Alone, 19/2000, and Sweepstakes are particular favourites) and even the patchy Democrazy album had some good moments on them, such as the beautiful "Half A Song".
And anyone who doesn't like the stunning "No Distance Left To Run" seriously needs ear wax removing.
Genius? Yes. Grumpy bugger? Maybe. But watch the documentary "Live Forever". It does seem a little bit tongue in cheek doesn't it?
Grumpy?
Perhaps, but he was charm itself when I asked him for a photograph with my (then) 15 year-old daughter. He even gave her a kiss as we left.
yeah!
Nice one, badgerking. I notice nobody has put forward anybody other musician who can match his eclecticism and success. I thought there'd at least be a few Paul Simon fans putting forward a case ("he did world music long before that twat Damon Albarn, AND wrote a broadway musical", etc etc...), but no.
It really does seem that there's no-one in his league. I'm not what I'd consider a Damon Albarn "fan", and I don't have as much of his stuff as you do even, but I wanted to post my theory cos, you know, respect where it's due, and nobody ever seems to give him his full acknowledgement.
And anyway I'm fed up of reading about bloody Van Morrison.
Paul Simon fans...
...may not have bothered "putting forward a case" as they might feel that comparing Paul Simon to Damon Albarn is a bit like comparing Luciano Pavarotti to Timmy Mallett.
Except of course
for the fact that it's not.
Let's not get carried away here.
I always thought Placido Domingo was a superior tenor to Pavarotti, so lets just say Damon Albarn is like Josef Locke to Paul Simon's Jose Carreras.
He is the male equivalent of Madonna
Constantly surfing the zeitgeist, desperate to appear cool. Like her, he occasionally unveils a diamond, but most of the time his output leaves me cold - it just seems too calculated.
Madonna?!?!
Oof! Harsh words indeed, BigJimbob. "The male equivalent of Madonna"? hahaha! That's the kind of thing I might say...
"Calculating" got me thinking...I wonder who would be considered more calculating - Damon Albarn, or that pinnacle of authenticity, Bob Dylan? Dylan's entire schtick up to his accident was pure calculation, and at least Albarn, D. never pretended to care about things that he never really gave a damn about.
Just an observation.
Nothing wrong with being calculating
You could say that's partly what separates the Bob Dylans of this world from the David Fords (see podcast on other page). And Damon is certainly adventurous and ambitious - which he deserves great credit for, and is what we want from our music stars. But there are quite a few who've made more great records, written more great lyrics, come up with more great tunes, demonstrated more great playing, if we're talking who's most talented, which was the point of the OP I suppose.
Some names with superior talent:
Bowie, McCartney, David Byrne, Dylan, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, Ray Davies - predictable bunch of old farts I guess, but truly superior, even of there aren't many opera composers among them. I do recognise Albarn is a major talent though. Big of me, huh?
oh absolutely NOTHING wrong
with being calculated. I should have italicized "appear" - I just don't like it when it is obvious that an artist is trying to fit an image to themselves....you can so see the strings with DA.
This just gorgeous
Pleasant enough
But it's a three note tune with lyrics of la la la la la. Is that his best shot?
'Is that his best shot?'
No, but I think it really pretty and maybe something some on here haven't heard before.
You're right
It is pretty and I hadn't heard it.
It sounds like
Lovin' You by Minnie Riperton!
La la la la... la la la la la....!
Sorry, just had to point that out. He is a genius, and genius is allowed to steal, as we all know.
to answer the question
Is he the most talented songwriter/musician ever?
Well like all good threads it's all a bit of fun designed to get a debate going.
I'll answer the question in a moment but let me just reflect on who else might qualify enough to take this title, or at least stay well ahead of young Damon in the running. Lets see.
McCartney/Lennon (interchangeable)
Jagger/Richards (interchangeable)
Hendrix
Dylan
R Davies
B Wilson
Springsteen
Townshend
J Page
JP Jones
Clapton
Bowie
Eno
R Waters
I Anderson
[insert your own choices here]
oh, surely the answer's got to be a big fat sincere NO!
all fantastic
I agree all top notch. A bit meh about Ian Anderson, but otherwise...y'know, I'm not a musical ingenue. I'd totally agree that most of the people you mention above are, or have been, for a short time, really really really good, with maybe a couple of "geniuses" (that's in the musical context of genius, not proper genius) thrown in.
And yes thank you for understanding that it is all to get a good debate going - that's what we're here for, innit?
But none of them have been really really good across different genres, AND top 10 successful for 20 years, have they? Eno at a push, but he's not much of a songwriter - his career and success are more production based. Brian Wilson - great! Great at being Brian Wilson - which can't be an easy job - but he does what he does, which is a narrow stream. Bruce still packs 'em in, but his genre is Bruce and only Bruce.
Jimi might have been the one - he should have been, but we'll never know.
I still think it's Damon. He may be an asshole, but he's my kind of asshole ;-)
ok then, so its talent across genres
let the debate continue. if we're only talking across several genres how about these two? surely young damon can only aspire to the standards set by these chaps across the decades.
Steve Winwood
Peter Gabriel
That's more like it!
mmm, Stevie Winwood...I must admit, I know very little of his music (though right now Keep on Runnin' is in my head)...well, I did buy that Traffic LP with the blurry red cover and was immensely disappointed. But for raw talent, longevity, variety, eclecticism, the fact that lots of musicians want to work with him, Top 10 success spanning decades...plus undoubted musical chops...I think we may be done here. These threads can be fun and illuminating! Cheers.
you're welcome
so if you could issue an unequivocal clarification that Damon is not actually the most talented songwriter/musician ever then we are indeed, as you say, done.
:)
nice try!
an uniquivocal clarification is beyond me here (I never stated that he was - I just asked if he was)...anyway this thread is too enjoyable, and though I started it as an antidote to the Van-mania that's been raging, I have to say that It's Too Late To Stop Now.
And Peter Gabriel was a great suggestion too...I think it's only his workrate that lets him down.
As evidenced by recent TV Documentary
Carole King. Superb across more than one genre.
Also James Taylor.
Songwriters write songs - they say something memorable, with good tunes and pop sensibility to please a broader audience.
Also Ellie Greenwich, Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Brian Wilson, Difford/Tilbrook, Ian Dury....the list goes on.
Albarn is clever, maybe , but is cold and leaves me cold.
As for the adoration of Graham Coxon as a 'great' guitarist. Don't even get me started.
How can I resist?
Graham Coxon IS a great guitarist! What you on about? I think you're talking rubbish. He's much better than whoever YOUR favourite guitarist is, whoever that may be.
(thinks "that'll do". Sits back and waits)
I'll raise the ante
I think you'll find that even John Power is a better song writer than Damon and a better guitarist than Coxie:
I'll just get my coat.....
Please can I get you started?
I've been puzzling over this one, and have come to the conclusion that either a) you haven't listened very hard or b) your idea of a good guitarist is unrecognisably different from mine.
Why isn't he a great guitarist? I'm not bad at the guitar, me, and I find his playing endlessly inventive, interesting and often very hard to copy. He reminds me of Bernard Butler or Johnny Marr - not so much in style, more in that he does things I wouldn't think to do in a life of trying.
hmmm...
No Noel or Liam?
Little Stevie
Stevie Wonder?
Damon is not the most talented songwriter ever. That's probably Mozart. I would guess (classicos can correct me).
But he is pretty damned good. And that is enough for me.
I'm sorry, who?
Uncertain smile - The The
Great record.
havent heard it in years.
Have an arrow Marrow.
Damon Albarn the most talented pop songwriter/musician ever?
No.
But he is deffo in the top ten (to my 55 year old ears. anyway)
Very talented man.
He certainly seems eclectic and prolific but...
...as far as I'm aware he simply hasn't created anything I want to listen to. I've no axe to grind about him at all - he just doesn't seem capable of making music, in any genre, which holds any interest for me or touches me in any way. But full marks to him for being adventurous and good luck to him and all who sail with him.
Just from my
little field of reference and without thinking too hard,Paul Weller, Ian Dury, Morrissey & Marr, Elton John and Stevie Wonder.
Andy Partridge
.
I don't believe that you can make a
chart of these things, or that there has to be a winner.
Albarn is certainly one of the most imaginative pop stars of his generation. To me, that has always been his strength. For pure class, vocal delivery, and lyrical bite, I'm more of a Jarvis Cocker man - gangling, speccy underachiever that he currently appears to be, notwithstanding. I like the fact that Jarvis appears to be more 'one of us' - I trust him more.
As so often, the answer is: Michael Marra
A man who can turn his hand to projects as diverse as opera, poetry, modern dance and Burns interpretation, as well as a substantial body of first rate original (in both senses) work, in settings from solo to big band.
Ah, commercial success you say? Now there you have me.
Dan Abnormal
My answer to the OP's question would be No. He made some great records with Blur, but nothing he has done since has interested me.
Plus, he's a charmless twat.
George Gershwin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gershwin
'George Gershwin (September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist.[1] Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known. Among his best known works are the orchestral compositions Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and An American in Paris (1928), as well as the opera, Porgy and Bess (1935).
He wrote most of his vocal and theatrical works, including more than a dozen Broadway shows, in collaboration with his elder brother, lyricist Ira Gershwin.
George Gershwin composed music for both Broadway and the classical concert hall, as well as popular songs that brought his work to an even wider public. His compositions have been used in numerous films and on television, and many became jazz standards recorded in numerous variations. Countless singers and musicians have recorded Gershwin songs.'
Good call. I must admit, I
Good call. I must admit, I was thinking of Stephen Sondheim. What's Damon's Send in the Clowns?
no.... he's to music what stewart lee is to comedy....
.... A NON EVENT!
No offence to Damon
I think he's a talented chap. But surely Paul McCartney is a tad more talented on the pop front and equally versatile?
yeah but
Macca did this
- I only ever saw it once before tonight and remember it as the shittest thing I ever heard. I just watched it again. I wasn't wrong.
Ha
Dance Tonight is much worse.
I think Vanilla Sky is rather charming
but Spies Like Us is the shittest thing you've ever heard.
some good tunes, but ...
If you look up 'dilettante' in the dictionary, it says: "bloke out of Blur who now does a bit of this and bit of that; clever no doubt, but music entirely lacking in soul."
Yes, just look at all the great bands he's influenced
like The Kaiser Chiefs and that.
All Bran
No, he's certainly not the most talented songwriter/ musician ever. That gleaming accolade goes to a Mrs Enid Liddle of 64,Chapstick Gardens,Lower Backpain, North Sussex. RH55 O4Q
Anyway, I rather like the way Albarn rubs(all the right)people up the wrong way.
He's always puts his head above the creative pop parapet and has been one the most consistently excellent music-makers of the last twenty years.
I've never played pool with him though.
Ry Cooder
The question was: Who else has the depth, the range of talents, and the consistent success across a variety of genres that this man has?" It has to be the fabulous Mr. Ryland Peter Cooder. Solo albums across all sorts of genres, collaborations galore, world music explored in depth, allegedly wrote one of The Stones' most famous riffs, he's both a songwriter and an interpreter of others work and what a guitar player. It's an ongoing mystery to me why his level of success is consistently low, but the answer to the question is: Ry Cooder.
BTW: he has a new album due in a couple of weeks... keep an open ear, folks! Meanwhile, here he is doing "Little Sister" on OGWT:
Beck?
Mr. Hansen seems to me like someone from the same period - the last 20 odd years, who is perhaps as wide ranging and most definitely as talented (more so IMO). Multiple musical styles, collaborations, producer, soundtracks....
That's true!
Why did I forget about Beck? Maybe I went off him since he became a scientologist. Very talented man. And he's played with Bender, who, by rights, Damon should have snapped up for Gorillaz.
Surely
Elvis Costello must merit a mention somewhere in this discussion of Word-friendly musical polymaths? By no means everything he touches turns to gold, but but there's certainly a fair amount of quality in there scattered across a wide range of genres.
Having given this great consideration
and as a pretty big Blur fan I would say possibly. Maybe not the best ever but certainly of his generation. Even if you just consider the Blur stuff there is certainly a wide variety of styles and in my opinion (which for the record is obviously right "ahem") and some very splendid songs. Agree that he comes across badly in interviews as a rule though but don't you think a lot of musicians do? Probably something to do with talking not being their preferred method of communication compared to writing songs / music.
Well, quite...
Most of my favourite artistes are, by and large extremely flawed people.
The usual brickbat towards Damon Albarn is the old 'Mockney' thing. The irony is, he was born in Whitechapel, London; a genuine Cockney, then! But he was brought up by his Bohemian parents in Essex.
So what?
'Arts and crafts!'
As Ian Dury used to say.
Certainly not..
... but "On Melancholy Hill" is easily one of the best songs of the past few years.
Oh, and I really appreciate the preview function - I initially typed "On Melancholy Jill"
Talented? Undoubtedly
But the most talented pop songwriter/musician ever? Of course not.
Even if we leave out popular songwriters like Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein and define pop songwriter as "bloke/woman with guitar piano" there would be a few others to take into account. And much of your point seems to be about being able to write/perform in different genres. All of these do that (and that's without me having to think too hard) and, with all due respect to Damon, I'd rather listen to most of these before him:
Paul Simon
Paul McCartney
Elton John
David Bowie
Kate Bush
Stevie Wonder
Peter Gabriel
Jarvis Cocker
Martin Carthy
Nick Lowe
Joan Armatrading
Joni Mitchell
Andy Partridge
Neil Hannon
Randy Newman
Janis Ian
Elvis Costello
Richard Thompson ]-)
Now it's true that most of these people started out before Mr Albarn so you can dismiss my opinion as the ravings of an old fart if you like. It's all opinions but I think it's a bit soon to put Damon above any of those people. But he has written a few good tunes though.
Talented? Undoubtedly
Double post. I'm giving up with Chrome for a bit I think, keeps crashing.
But I think you can
put Albarn in that list quite easily. Jarvis Cocker is probably a better lyricist than his old BritPop pal but musically Albarn is streets ahead.
And if your having Andy Partridge then I'm sticking Colin Moulding on your list too!
He Is The Most Talented Musician Around.............
in his own mind.
I'm with Andy Partridge
and also endorse his withering our third album is rubbish comment after the production debacle.
It was 'their second album is rubbish' comment.
Apparently, Partridge was too controlling on the recording sessions and spent days getting the right drum sound etc. They said t was like being produced by a grumpy headmistress. This was when the band were in their heavy drinking phase so it wasn't a match made in heaven. I wonder if we'll ever hear these tracks. A samba version of Sunday Sunday and a cover of Video Killed The Radio Star exists in a vault somewhere
Andy P left on civil terms with the band and he later conceded that Blur got really good in a Record Collector interview. He sold Damon his portable studio that Albarn composed his songs on for many years.
Nope
I like Blur and even own cds by them, Gorillaz and TGTBATQ but they are not the best thing ever by a country mile.
I see what you're arguing by describing range of genres etc but Damon doesn't actually excel in any genre. It's decent quality but not classic.
He's certainly not a great lyricist or master of melody. Or even a great performer.
By the same token you could argue diletante or jack of all trades...
I think the OP shafted Damon from the off.
How could any artiste come out of this well by being compared to every major songwriter/ musician that ever existed?
Ah well, I look forward to what he's up to next.
Oh no!
Oh god I hope not. I did refer to the, um, impression he can give, but that was only to de-fang any responses that might just concentrate on that aspect of him. I know where we are...
And I was genuinely motivated to give a big-up to the man, who doesn't get the recognition he deserves, and I also kind of wondered "why not?". This thread has gone on way longer than I thought and has given me a clearer idea. Maybe Stevie Winwood is better - in all that he can do. Maybe Gershwin? But I will still favour Albarn, D. and his stuff, ultimately because it means the most to me, and in these dull days of pop music he at least still seems to be looking for the edge of things, and it all sounds good to these ears.
I think he comes out well, actually - there were very few suggestions for alternatives to my real questions early on...it took a while... and most suggested aren't worth hearing under the same comparisons. Very few in his league. From this thread I'd say he's in a select group with Steve Winwood, Peter Gabriel, Eno, and Beck. It has helped this poor pop dreamer and seeker to understand things a little better!
Also I guess I should have made my definition of "pop" clear - I always think of it as anything post-Elvis. That's my pop definition year zero, dunno what other people's are.
The best interview
with Blur I've ever seen:
That is brilliant!
Love the Graham bit
It was Thursday and I had to hand it in on Friday morning!
I remember that, superb.
Love Rock Profile
The bit where they play their new song is genius. Especially the fact that Graham just looks at his guitar like its an alien rather than actually playing it.
The best Rock Profile is the one with Prince though. "My name is Prince, and I am funky. My name is Prince I ain't no monkey". Epic.
Thank You Gentlemen and Ladies
I turned 42 at the weekend and have been feeling a bit old and worn out for the last few days.
However, reading over this thread- with the repeated references to "Young Mr Albarn" and a general air of a smoky gentlemens club filled with Rowley Birkin types coughing into their brandy at the temerity of these young whippersnappers - has re-invigorated me. I feel like a teenager again.
Thank you Massive!
42 ?
42 ? You ARE a young whippersnapper.
Heh heh
You are my new best friend.