Unapologetic rant against Counting Crows
Today, we're starting a new category of posts called "Making My Readers Mad." This is reserved for posts I think will incite the furor of some fraction of the small audience reading this fine blog.
I hate Counting Crows. I have never liked Counting Crows. They came to being at a time in my life where if it didn't involve heavy guitars I hated it. Even today, when I love all kinds of rootsy bands - a little bit of just about everything, really - I cannot bear this band.
Why? Let's review:
So, if you like Counting Crows, good for you. Whatever you need. Me? I wish "Einstein on the Beach" had been a one-hit wonder and then the band had gone the way of Soft Cell.
As a side note to this diatribe, there ARE bands I now love that I used to hate because of some annoying S.O.B. described in bullet 2. Guster and Dave Matthews Band lead the list. The funny thing, we're talking about bands the hippie, pot-smoking kids liked. Aren't they supposed to be mellow? Yet they led the way in all categories of acting like asses.
Amazing.
I hate Counting Crows. I have never liked Counting Crows. They came to being at a time in my life where if it didn't involve heavy guitars I hated it. Even today, when I love all kinds of rootsy bands - a little bit of just about everything, really - I cannot bear this band.
Why? Let's review:
- They are vastly overrated.
- In my high school, when they first came out, every kid who loved them was an ass. And they went on and on about how great Counting Crows is. And how I just don't understand. And how the bands I like aren't nearly the musicians that the members of Counting Crows are. And, how that even though I saw Pink Floyd, Beck, an entire flipping Lollapalooza, R.E.M. and many more before graduation, I had not yet seen a "good" concert because my resume lacked a Counting Crows show. Get the picture? It's sad, but I want Counting Crows to get caught in some 15-years-later lip syncing scandal just to get back at the ass-heads in my high school who freaking cuddled with effigies of Adam Duritz.
- Rolling Stone once proclaimed, after their first single, that Counting Crows would be the music we'd all be listening to for years on the radio. Which not only made me mad, but has become true, especially since Counting Crows are a favorite of those "great to listen to in the office" radio stations.
- There were ABSOLUTELY better bands than Counting Crows at the time Counting Crows came out. Toad the Wet Sprocket for instance. The Gin Blossoms. And here's the thing: neither of those bands were ones I particularly liked at the time. I now, in hindsight, listen to Toad and ask "they were putting this stuff out and people chose to pay attention to Counting Crows?"
So, if you like Counting Crows, good for you. Whatever you need. Me? I wish "Einstein on the Beach" had been a one-hit wonder and then the band had gone the way of Soft Cell.
As a side note to this diatribe, there ARE bands I now love that I used to hate because of some annoying S.O.B. described in bullet 2. Guster and Dave Matthews Band lead the list. The funny thing, we're talking about bands the hippie, pot-smoking kids liked. Aren't they supposed to be mellow? Yet they led the way in all categories of acting like asses.
Amazing.
Comments
P.S. BTW who is your current favorite band?
I like Guster however they are not a Jamband. I also like DMB however they are way to commerical for me. I like there old stuff. Everything after Crash into me sucks.
Adam Duritz of the Crows is such an underrated songwriter. I did not like anything about Mr. Jones however I gave them another try and they changed my mind. I dug a little deeper and fell in love with there second album. Like the guy above me said they are way more then just Mr. Jones. I also hear there live show is not to be missed.
To the first anon post - Fav band is tough for me to say. I mean, if I had to pick one flat out, it would be Pearl Jam. Guster is high on the list, too.
2nd anon - You note DMB is too commercial for you. At least there's someone else besides me that knows if a band is charging $50 a ticket, they have long since sold out. But we'll agree to disagree on the merits of them.
3rd anon - the biggest crime with Hootie is that years from now we'll turn on the radio and have someone say "one of the biggest bands of the 90s." A crime.
As far as other bands from the 90’s go there are plenty of other bands I loved. Pearl Jam is good. I have some of there albums but I have yet to see them in concert. I personally love When Eddy Vedder does Folk music. What is there live show like & what makes you keep coming back? I know for bands like the Grateful Dead they stretched out there songs jammed the hell out of them. They created a live album and made each song sound brand new every night they took the stage. The Crows kind of do the same thing. They can play 3 shows in a row and each one would be completely different. Each night would be a different setlist, different sound, different mood and so on. For me I can’t stand bands that come out on stage and sound just like they do on there albums. If I wanted to hear them do that I would save the money and listen to them on my stereo. I saw the Crows play with the Goo Goo Dolls a few summers ago. And the Dolls cam out did not change there songs or do anything different. They even had 2 studio musicians in the back doing all of the technical work. What’s up with that? I like that the Crows come out and take there songs on this epic journey. Each songs tells a story. It’s like going to see a movie.
I have been a fan of Guster since the late 90’s. I saw them open for Barenaked Ladies and they were great. The highlight of the show was watching the Drummer play the bongos like a mad man. They were like a Hippie band that was not a hippie band if you know what I mean. I once read a funny article that they requested all kosher food back stage because they were all Jewish. Some people only like Green M&M’s well since we are Jewish we want only kosher food. It made me laugh. I am also a big fan of Alt. Country music. I dislike the Nashville scene yet I love bands like the Jayhawks or Ryan Adams or Wilco or Yarn or Old Crow Medicine Show. I love bands that are not afraid to take risks or not afraid to not sound commercial. There are so many great singer songwriters out there that get very little recognition While that song Hey there Delilah get played on the radio 24/7 and is considered the next best thing since Dylan. What about Dan Bern, Mike Errico, Tyler Stenson, Amos Lee, Damien Rice, The swell season or Ray Lamontagne? And not to mention all of the other countless people that play in bars or coffee shops around the world working day jobs as well just to make ends meat and pay rent. I am just a bitter music snob who wants everyone to make it and not have some Rap star or pop star living in a huge mansion while other people are living out of there cars.
I will end this rant just like I started it and say this is America the land of the free. We can agree to disagree. I will also leave you with a song by one of America’s greatest songwriters of all time. This is a song that has been covered by everyone from the Counting Crows to Springsteen and everyone in between.
THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
words and music by Woody Guthrie
Chorus:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me
Chorus
I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me
Chorus
The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me
Chorus
As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!
Chorus
In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.
Chorus (2x)