Kings of Leon: Oh no you didn't...
- Thread starter falcune
- Start date
mjp
Founding member
Dude.
Were they just on Saturday Night Live a few days ago? What an utterly shit band. I laughed all the way through their songs. Okay, that's not exactly true. I laughed for a few seconds, then groaned through the remainder of the droning "songs." Well, for 60, 90 seconds anyway, then I hit the forward button on TiVo.
Groan Through The Drone! There. I just named their next record. They can have that for free.
But what do I know.
I guess if you are really pining for the 1980's and can't find any of the old records lying around a nearby Salvation Army store you might have to make do with this. But really, it is noting more than bland copy of something that was less than bland in the first place.
But again, what do I know.
Were they just on Saturday Night Live a few days ago? What an utterly shit band. I laughed all the way through their songs. Okay, that's not exactly true. I laughed for a few seconds, then groaned through the remainder of the droning "songs." Well, for 60, 90 seconds anyway, then I hit the forward button on TiVo.
Groan Through The Drone! There. I just named their next record. They can have that for free.
But what do I know.
I guess if you are really pining for the 1980's and can't find any of the old records lying around a nearby Salvation Army store you might have to make do with this. But really, it is noting more than bland copy of something that was less than bland in the first place.
But again, what do I know.
mjp
Founding member
But they sound like someone dumped every band that was ever on KROQ in the 1980's into a blender and pureed until creamy. I don't understand that, any more than I understand why some bands tried to sound like all the 70's bands a few years back.
I will never understand why a musician who wants to play original music would do that. It would be like my friends and I clanging away in the basement in 1975 trying to sound like records from 1952...Patti Page or the Mills Brothers or Doris Day. That's what Kings of Leon are doing. They are a bunch of guys in 2008 sounding just like every band from 1985.
I understand that anything can be sold to almost anyone, but musicians used to have ideals, or at least some kind of goal beyond making a million dollars selling cell phone ringtones and staring lovingly at themselves in the SNL video monitors.
Wouldn't it be refreshing if someone - anyone - did that today? They may as well. Their industry has gone to shit. There isn't much left to lose.
I will never understand why a musician who wants to play original music would do that. It would be like my friends and I clanging away in the basement in 1975 trying to sound like records from 1952...Patti Page or the Mills Brothers or Doris Day. That's what Kings of Leon are doing. They are a bunch of guys in 2008 sounding just like every band from 1985.
I understand that anything can be sold to almost anyone, but musicians used to have ideals, or at least some kind of goal beyond making a million dollars selling cell phone ringtones and staring lovingly at themselves in the SNL video monitors.
Wouldn't it be refreshing if someone - anyone - did that today? They may as well. Their industry has gone to shit. There isn't much left to lose.
Of course I agree with you, mjp but... I believe it has simply to do with age. I listened to the song as well and find it real crap. They are not old like we are. Probably most of the fans of this band have never ever listened to bands of the eighties.
I'm wondering the band KOL did.
A typical example:
Joy Division - She's Lost Control
25 years later:
interpol - obstacle 1
I'm wondering the band KOL did.
A typical example:
Joy Division - She's Lost Control
25 years later:
interpol - obstacle 1
Last edited by a moderator:
number6horse
okyoutwopixiesoutyougo
No - I don't think this particular example is a case of being "too old" to appreciate.
KINGS OF LEON JUST FLAT OUT SUCK.
Please.
They are the worst of the 80's imitators.
Or first-runner-up, at least.
That SNL gig was dreadful. Like most of the sketches that night.
KINGS OF LEON JUST FLAT OUT SUCK.
Please.
They are the worst of the 80's imitators.
Or first-runner-up, at least.
That SNL gig was dreadful. Like most of the sketches that night.
I only listened to the KOL song falcune posted and like I said
I find it real bad. Old=Other generation. I don't say too old.
Must edit: Yes, KOL is not a good example of 80's imitators.
But that's what mjp is talking about, imitating.
Personally I like some current bands who sound like eighties bands.
I find it real bad. Old=Other generation. I don't say too old.
Must edit: Yes, KOL is not a good example of 80's imitators.
But that's what mjp is talking about, imitating.
Personally I like some current bands who sound like eighties bands.
mjp
Founding member
Well, I was thinking about this in the shower this morning, and it isn't so much the pale imitation aspect that gets to me. Art is recycled, that's unavoidable.
What's disturbing to me is that you never hear anyone howling at the fucking moon in music anymore. You never hear passion or pain or anything that might make some feel less than chipper (because who wants that as their ringtone?).
I don't hear anything that makes me stop and say, "What? What the hell is that?" You never see a band perform anything but choreographed blah blah bullshit on stage. I wasn't a fan of Guns and Roses (I'm just trying to think of a recent example), but when they played, there was a sense that there could be bloodshed. There was a sense of imminent and unavoidable danger that was thrilling.
I don't know if I'm getting the point across, but here's an example. It was a Black Sabbath concert. '74, '75, '76 - somewhere in there. I was a young kid. They came out and played, but it was just weird. They stood like statues, Ozzy's eyes were closed most of the time. They had no colored, flashing lights. Just white spotlights on each of them. The whole time. And I'm telling you, they scared the shit out of me. I felt like at any moment they could leap down from that stage and impale me on mic stand.
Find that for me today.
Find me someone howling - really howling from the fucked up gut - like Iggy or Cobain, or NWA for chrissakes. Remember the first time you heard them? That was most definitely a "What the fuck is this?! I want more!" moment.
It's all so scripted now, I'm afraid. Music aside, there's no passion. No danger. No sweat, no chance of blood.
Rock and roll is supposed to be rebel music! Not a Steve Jobs dry hump photo-op.
So maybe that is just age speaking, and those exciting moments are still out there for a 15 year old. Maybe there is some passion for them to find. I hope so.
What's disturbing to me is that you never hear anyone howling at the fucking moon in music anymore. You never hear passion or pain or anything that might make some feel less than chipper (because who wants that as their ringtone?).
I don't hear anything that makes me stop and say, "What? What the hell is that?" You never see a band perform anything but choreographed blah blah bullshit on stage. I wasn't a fan of Guns and Roses (I'm just trying to think of a recent example), but when they played, there was a sense that there could be bloodshed. There was a sense of imminent and unavoidable danger that was thrilling.
I don't know if I'm getting the point across, but here's an example. It was a Black Sabbath concert. '74, '75, '76 - somewhere in there. I was a young kid. They came out and played, but it was just weird. They stood like statues, Ozzy's eyes were closed most of the time. They had no colored, flashing lights. Just white spotlights on each of them. The whole time. And I'm telling you, they scared the shit out of me. I felt like at any moment they could leap down from that stage and impale me on mic stand.
Find that for me today.
Find me someone howling - really howling from the fucked up gut - like Iggy or Cobain, or NWA for chrissakes. Remember the first time you heard them? That was most definitely a "What the fuck is this?! I want more!" moment.
It's all so scripted now, I'm afraid. Music aside, there's no passion. No danger. No sweat, no chance of blood.
Rock and roll is supposed to be rebel music! Not a Steve Jobs dry hump photo-op.
So maybe that is just age speaking, and those exciting moments are still out there for a 15 year old. Maybe there is some passion for them to find. I hope so.
Gerard K H Love
Appreciate your friends
mjp: you answered the question and made a valid point. It is, in part,the age thing. The kids now, at least my kids, are all about the computer and have 100 or 200 times more choices than us older folks had.
They have a different perspective of most everything. Besides girls are easier than they were back then. You do the math. A lot of passion is created in the chase, the pursuit. Just to compare one small facet of life then and now.
They have a different perspective of most everything. Besides girls are easier than they were back then. You do the math. A lot of passion is created in the chase, the pursuit. Just to compare one small facet of life then and now.
chronic
old and in the way
They are? I'm going to have to start getting out more.
Jesus, mjp, I'm guessing you don't like Kings of Leon. Haha. Oh, well. I'm not related or have any stock in them so I'm not offended. I'm getting your argument on one level but it is just too thought out for me. You either have it or you don't. I don't think a good rock band or if we're going to greats like the Stones have put much more mental effort in their songs then say George Michael. I don't think a band can get together and say, "let's get rebellious, motherfuckers," and all a sudden become a great band. Rebellion in music can look incredibly queer if used improperly. I'm not from your generation so I can't stand where you stand but the whole "music can save the world" jargon just seems like so much bullshit to mine. To me, at least, I'll say I like music. I do. It's not a lie. But it is not special in the least to me. It's like a goddamn rhyming poem. Words made playful by drums and guitar. Ok. Fine. But I won't prop it up on a pedestal and see it as golden.
mjp
Founding member
Uh, ok. You're critiquing a bunch of things I didn't say, but you go, girl.
First, let's get this out of the way right now; the Rolling Stones are not great. Haven't been within spitting distance of great for almost four decades. At this point, yeah, they don't put any effort into what they do. Big news flash there.
If "Kings of Leon" excite you, I feel really, really sorry for you.
Enjoy their ringtones though.
And to say that "your generation" - whatever that is - believes that "music can save the world" is bullshit is not true. They don't believe anything is bullshit. They don't know the difference between treasure and shit. You can force feed them shit all day long and they will beg you for more.
It's not their fault though, don't get me wrong. I blame the MTV. And the liberals.
First, let's get this out of the way right now; the Rolling Stones are not great. Haven't been within spitting distance of great for almost four decades. At this point, yeah, they don't put any effort into what they do. Big news flash there.
What the fuck does that even mean? You'd have to be doorknob stupid to come up with that based on my post.
Where did I say, suggest or hint that "music can save the world"? I was talking about howling, passion, pain, danger, sweat, blood - excitement.
If "Kings of Leon" excite you, I feel really, really sorry for you.
Enjoy their ringtones though.
And to say that "your generation" - whatever that is - believes that "music can save the world" is bullshit is not true. They don't believe anything is bullshit. They don't know the difference between treasure and shit. You can force feed them shit all day long and they will beg you for more.
It's not their fault though, don't get me wrong. I blame the MTV. And the liberals.
Gerard K H Love
Appreciate your friends
Ok. The Rolling Stones aren't great yet Iggy Pop, Kurt Cobain and NWA are. I hear you, man.
It was a parody of your juvenile aspirations of music. See below:
I use a basic default ringer.
No. I don't think so. They just don't see music as a savior. However great or terrible it can be seen as just music. I often see at concerts people, having paid good money, not even watching the show but talking, smoking most of the time, listening to pass the time when the conversation fails.
Yeah, how dare people not think music is the backbone of humanity. Millions of wasted lives. Millions who don't demand greater guitar theater. Poor bastards. Maybe we'll pull up our bootstraps one day and march into Washington to demand it. Hopefully Obama will change all this.
I'm ok with the fact that not everyone likes Kings of Leon. I happen to like them, but it really doesn't burst my bubble that other people don't. I certainly don't think it warrants a judgement on an entire generation because we have different musical tastes.
I honestly don't hear the 1985 connection with KoL. But then again, I was 5 years old in 1985, so I was probably more concerned with bicycles and ice cream sandwiches around that time. I hear more of a bluesy mellow southern rock sound, but that's just me.
Mjp is right that it's cool sometimes when you hear "howling, passion, danger, sweat, blood, and excitement." But that's not everyone's style. It's not really Bob Dylan's style either, but I've seen plenty of threads dedicated to his genius around here. I like Dylan too, although I've been to a couple of his shows and I personally though they were dreadfully boring.
I don't put on a Dylan album expecting to set my pants on fire, just like I don't put on Black Sabbath when I feel like kicking back. I agree that there are plenty of Wal-Mart pop bands out today that completely suck. Lincoln Park, Jack Johnson, Nickelback, half of the stuff they play on KROQ. But I hear an authenticity from Kings of Leon. Others might not. Results may vary.
And for the record, I use a basic default ringer, too.
I honestly don't hear the 1985 connection with KoL. But then again, I was 5 years old in 1985, so I was probably more concerned with bicycles and ice cream sandwiches around that time. I hear more of a bluesy mellow southern rock sound, but that's just me.
Mjp is right that it's cool sometimes when you hear "howling, passion, danger, sweat, blood, and excitement." But that's not everyone's style. It's not really Bob Dylan's style either, but I've seen plenty of threads dedicated to his genius around here. I like Dylan too, although I've been to a couple of his shows and I personally though they were dreadfully boring.
I don't put on a Dylan album expecting to set my pants on fire, just like I don't put on Black Sabbath when I feel like kicking back. I agree that there are plenty of Wal-Mart pop bands out today that completely suck. Lincoln Park, Jack Johnson, Nickelback, half of the stuff they play on KROQ. But I hear an authenticity from Kings of Leon. Others might not. Results may vary.
And for the record, I use a basic default ringer, too.
mjp
Founding member
Suuuure you do. That's why every time I call you two "My Humps" squeaks out of your phones...
OOOOOOOOhhhhh, Snap!! You really got me!
jordan
lothario speedwagon
i totally agree with mjp's first post, and i'm 27. i thought that kings of leon song was fucking atrocious, but i will admit that my tastes are my tastes, and KOL is clearly a band that's courting a mainstream audience that i'm not a part of. i'm not mr. i don't listen to anything popular or anything like that- one of my favorite bands has gone multi multi multi platinum- i just think you can hear it when a band has watered their songs down to nothing, and kings of leon has that aspect, at least in my ears.
but, mjp- i have a band you may want to check out, if you haven't heard of them- harvey milk. in my opinion, this is the band that has that "holy fuck i think my head is about to explode" aspect to them. this link has a song from their new album... it's like if you took zeppelin, made it 10x slower, and replaced robert plant with a really angry psychopath. http://www.avclub.com/content/music/harvey_milk. when i first heard these guys, i didn't know what the fuck hit me, but i have been listening to very few other bands the past couple months.
i realize i will probably get made fun of by people for recommending this song, but i think it's fucking brilliant, and HM sprang immediately to mind when i read mjp's post... so enjoy (i hope).
also- do you like avail, or have you heard of them? for me, they're a band that pours everything they have into every performance, regardless of how poorly attended. when they finish playing, i can tell that they just don't have it in them to play another note.
but, mjp- i have a band you may want to check out, if you haven't heard of them- harvey milk. in my opinion, this is the band that has that "holy fuck i think my head is about to explode" aspect to them. this link has a song from their new album... it's like if you took zeppelin, made it 10x slower, and replaced robert plant with a really angry psychopath. http://www.avclub.com/content/music/harvey_milk. when i first heard these guys, i didn't know what the fuck hit me, but i have been listening to very few other bands the past couple months.
i realize i will probably get made fun of by people for recommending this song, but i think it's fucking brilliant, and HM sprang immediately to mind when i read mjp's post... so enjoy (i hope).
also- do you like avail, or have you heard of them? for me, they're a band that pours everything they have into every performance, regardless of how poorly attended. when they finish playing, i can tell that they just don't have it in them to play another note.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
I once saw a show at the 9:30 club (the old location) and the singer came out on stage (very strung out) in a dirty jockstrap and nothing else (except dress shoes with black socks). He played two trumpets at the same time. Then he jumped off of the stage, broke a glass with his bare hands and then stood on his head for a full song without singing. Very strange, and very intimidating. Me standing there right next to him with these strange feet in the air...
This was an opening act for The Reverend Horton Heat. I cannot remember the name of the band to save my life.
Bill
p.s. Jordan. I kinda like the song. Odd, but not bad. May need a few more listens. I think that I heard them years ago on a Caroline Records compilation...
This was an opening act for The Reverend Horton Heat. I cannot remember the name of the band to save my life.
Bill
p.s. Jordan. I kinda like the song. Odd, but not bad. May need a few more listens. I think that I heard them years ago on a Caroline Records compilation...
thanks for coming to our show, Bill. we made $32 that night. we were called MILES DAVIS CAN'T PLAY TRUMPET, HE ONLY USES ONE AT A TIME!!!!!!!!!
the broken glass bit was just a little inspiration on my part. glad you enjoyed it.
we broke up soon after, the band had a thing about my dress shoes. they thought it was too "corporate."
squares.
anyway, our reunion gig is set for august 8th, 2017. I'll let you know when tickets go on sale.
Gerard K H Love
Appreciate your friends
I listened to that and there was something very familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it but I couldn't turn it off. Then I read the review. This is very precise
I loved Led Zeppelin in the 70s and 80s so I can relate. Harvey Milk has gone back to the 70s and Kings of Leon the 80s. There is a lot more to it. more than just dress shoes in a jock strap.lol but that sounded more entertaining than some of the mayonnaise that's on the radio.
No matter how much mayonnaise you put on my radio, I'd sooner shove it up my ass than listen to it.
Gerard K H Love
Appreciate your friends
i'm one of those old guys who gets tired of the same old crap. I listen to almost everything on the radio and like about half of it. I'm even starting to like some of the Country Western. There is a ton of bland stuff out there.
Even smooth Jazz has stuff that is more interesting than KOL. With all due respect to the people that like them.
Saturday morning in L.A. Polka music! but that was in the 80s.;)
Even smooth Jazz has stuff that is more interesting than KOL. With all due respect to the people that like them.
Saturday morning in L.A. Polka music! but that was in the 80s.;)
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Kings of Leon are quite a big deal in the UK and Europe mainly because of their first two releases which came as a plesant alternative to every other band that were trying to be The Libertines. Back then they seemed to be a genuine breath of fresh air.
The one critique that has been labelled at them is that they are moving in a blander U2 stadium rock direction with diluted generic rock and horrible lyrics, not only that but they all shaved off their comedy facial hair which seemed to give them a distinct image. I'm a big fan of their third album 'Because of the Times' which sits nicely at the bridge before they enter Bono Country.
The one critique that has been labelled at them is that they are moving in a blander U2 stadium rock direction with diluted generic rock and horrible lyrics, not only that but they all shaved off their comedy facial hair which seemed to give them a distinct image. I'm a big fan of their third album 'Because of the Times' which sits nicely at the bridge before they enter Bono Country.