================================================ Subject: Re: Creed and Metallica From: "Keith P. Mears" To: Date: Sat 3 Nov 2001 18:06:18 -0500 ================================================ Hey Lisa, still think the title belongs to me? And in response to your second opinion, do you feel the same way about AC/DC? While I don't agree with your opinions here (other than the statements about Metallica), I wouldn't mind exploring the logic behind your other statements. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marc Levitt" To: Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2001 5:47 PM Subject: Re: Creed and Metallica > I can offer a better explanation for why people dislike Creed. In the first > place, they are unoriginal. Most bands are, to a certain degree, amalgams > of previous groups. After all, everyone has their influences. Creed, > however, has used its influences to generate the most generic rock music > possible. It's not surprising that Metallica fans would dislike Creed, > because Metallica has always been innovative and musical. Additionally, > their lyrics explore dimensions of thought that THEY AND THEY ALONE made > palatable for mass consumption. Creed's lyrics, by contrast, are filled > with rock n' roll cliches that are bad renderings of everyone from Led > Zeppelin to Black Sabbath. Their thematic material is trite and > heavy-handed. How many times can I be banged over the head with the same > stupid allusions and canned imagery? It lacks any literary or creative > merit. Personally, I couldn't care less if they were Christian-, > Buddhist-, Hindu- or Islam-rockers. But the obviously biblical references > apppear forced and unnatural. Their supposedly deep explorations of human > nature and metaphysics are pseudo-philosophical at best, completely naive at > worst. Culling the power of biblical teaching for their inspiration is a > great idea if, that is, they intend to present it in a modernized, unique > way. They do not, and it is clear that they have ignored the works of > biblical scholars and commentators since St. Augustine. If they had been > paying attention, then they would know that everything they write has been > written before. > > As for the actual music, very few bands have ever been in Creed's position. > Their goal as a musical group is to create hook-music so that it can be > easily played on radio, ie. so that they can be popular and make money. > That in itself is not a terrible thing. Pop music has always thrived on the > repetitive, mesmerizing qualities of catchy choruses and bridges. But in > the case of Creed, a band which lacks an appreciation for music theory or > classic arrangement, aiming for the hook has sorely limited their song > structures. Their music is arranged in the most elementary ways, such that > the development of the song is both predictable and brutally unmusical. In > order to keep their listeners addicted to their radio-friendly tunes, they > make use of as few time changes as possible, usually only two per song. The > persistent tempos, while great for radio, do not make for good, interesting > music. It is simply boring and makes no attempt to bring unique aural > stimulation to the listener. > > For a great example of a band that 1) employs time changes specifically to > enhance the song's quality 2) has a wonderful understading of pop and 3) > writes lyrics that leave room for hundreds of interesting interpretations, > check out Wilco. They are probably the most important band on the > Indie-rock scene right now, and for good reason. They are changing > everything...and folks like Tom Petty and Bob Dylan have bowed their heads > in admiration of the lead singer's (Jeff Tweedy) unending talent. Wilco > produces pop music and they do so with a genuine historical perspective and > they hope to build on their predecessors' efforts, rather than simplify > whatever was good in their music so that mass audiences can be hooked by it. > > Any questions? Feel free to write and we can discuss. > > To unsubscribe or change your preferences for the Creed-Discuss list, visit: > http://www.winduplist.com/ls/discuss/form.asp > > To unsubscribe or change your preferences for the Creed-Discuss list, visit: http://www.winduplist.com/ls/discuss/form.asp