Artists you respect but don't like

I was thinking about this earlier and Bjork fits into this box perfectly for me. I get it, I understand why people are really into her and I respect her talent and innovation, but her music does absolutely fuck all for me. It's not like I haven't given her a chance either, I've seen her live, listened to the Sugarcubes stuff, but yeah, it's just not for me.

 

There's this shitty drum machine which came out early in the 2010's called the Arturia Drumbrute (the first version, the second incarnation is really good), try as I might it's really fucking difficult to make that thing sound halfway decent, the snare sounds like a carrier bag. Bjork made that thing sound incredible without the help of a computer, so yes the talent is obvious, but again it's just the music itself, it just doesn't do anything for me.

 

KISS. I always name them in lists like "Bands you hate" or "Worst bands ever."

But I have delved into their history and recognize that Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons were marketing geniuses.

Also, their books where they talk shit about other band members are hilarious and Paul Stanley's comments on Howard Stearn last week were 100% class.

 

What did he say about Stern?

 

It was on Howard Stern but not about him.

The subject was Phil Collins on the final Genesis tour that just wrapped up. If you don't know, Collins has a host of health problems now including a spinal condition where he can't hold drumsticks. For a while he was taping drumsticks to his hands to play but the condition worsened. So now he can barely move but he can still sing so he sat in a chair with a cane for the tour and sang.

Stern saw one of the final shows and said it was difficult and uncomfortable to watch. He asked Stanley his thoughts.

Stanley said an artist has every right to entertain his/her fans for as long as they can. He said Collins has already done so much for his fans and has earned that right. And that if people don't want to see him like that or don't want to remember him like that, they have every right to stay home.

Stern backtracked a little and said he didn't feel cheated but he felt bad for Phil Collins. And was sad seeing him like that.

Stanley said to think about Collins. He might feel grateful for what he can still do. Maybe he's really happy that he can still sing to his fans.

And he wasn't confrontational about it. I found his statements to be classy.