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Post by HollyH on Feb 12, 2014 0:13:07 GMT -5
Really interesting story, Hofner. I do enjoy Queen's records, but I never had a chance to see them live, and I can imagine that music that complex could go seriously wrong in live performance. Thanks so much for your perspective!
My candidate for worst rock-pop band in history would be the Eagles. I'm sure there were many worse bands, but these guys were enormously successful and STILL a total bore.
Q If you ever had a chance to have tea with Ray Davies, what would be the first question you would ask him?
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Post by hofner on Feb 12, 2014 13:31:11 GMT -5
Hi Holly, I had the chance (several times) to have a beer (or two) with Ray: Anywhere on this site I had quoted the answer he gave when I first talked to him. You know I write songs and I`m interested in songwriting, that`s why I attented his courses. So for me - as a songwriter - I asked him lots about musical themes and I always wondered why Ray uses so many chromatic lines in plenty of songs and due to these interests my fist question was "What were the matters that you use the chromatic lines in so many songs?" And as I mentioned on different places on this site Ray said: "Not I did it, Bach did it!". If I would meet him tomorrow I would suggest: "Ray, let`s do a digital version of "Until Death Us Do Part" because we both sang it on a warm summer night outside of our songwriter-course building. We had a can of beer and I had my guitar and Ray was very amazed that I know the song and I even can play this song. But like me he loved that song. Now I think we BOTH should raise a glass of champaign because I agree with you concerning The Eagles. They`re too much overestemated in all medias and in the common society of pop/rock-listeners. What is it that The Eagles became more credits than lots of much better musicians? And if I`m on tour with my car and the radio plays Eagles I first turn down the volume. I cannot hear Hotel California ANY LONGER !!! Their music is pretty uninteresting. There are no highlights in it, no hooks where you could say "oh yes that`s it!!! It`s a simple flowing melody with no extras. Every countryband around the corner is able to make this kind of stuff. It`s simply not tricky enough. But i guess that`s music for the crowd who do not care about musical structures. I remember when Ray opened the songwritercourse he first said "Let`s make intellectual rock-music. But the more intellectual it is the more it will fail". Ok, that`s my opinion but I guess I (no, we two)stand alone with my view on the Eagles. Thanks for reading this column!!!
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Post by HollyH on Feb 13, 2014 21:38:38 GMT -5
Amen, Hofner!,
Now another Q: What Kinks song do you think is best for singing in a pub?
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Post by hofner on Feb 14, 2014 5:34:49 GMT -5
there are a lot of Songs which you could play in the pub. I think it was Alan Hull of the English Band Lindisfarne who said"Oh Ray writes perfect drinking Songs". If I play in a pub, I always perform "Holiday". It fits perfectly for acousticguitar performance. The same goes for Sunny Afternoon. All the folks clap and stomp the beat to those Songs. Even Ray himself joined in when I once played Holiday.
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Post by Wakeup on Feb 14, 2014 6:50:52 GMT -5
A brief interjection on my own The Eagles experience: First, they are blatantly MOR, and don't seem to make any pretense otherwise. As such, I think they do their jobs well. Next, I worked as a stage hand at one of their shows - 2005, I think - and was very impressed by how well they replicated their studio sound. Not a single instrumental glitch or out of tune vocal that I noticed (this can contrast with the criticism of Queen). Perhaps too sterile, but the audience didn't seem to mind. Then, it was a 3+ hour show, so they definitely got their money's worth. It included a special Joe Walsh section featuring his solo and James Gang hits. I'm just saying they deliver for their fans, so I give them credit for that.
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Post by uncleson on Feb 14, 2014 15:11:03 GMT -5
In 2008 at our pre Ray concert get together in Chicago, Sunny Afternoon and Harry Rag were the big sing along favorites. Smiley arranged a great party for us all!
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Post by hofner on Feb 15, 2014 12:50:55 GMT -5
Yes Of Course!!! Harry Rag is a wonderful song for any pub-singsongs. And Lola is great too to bring the party into right mood though I myself don`t like this song no more. Maybe I´ve heard Lola too often or I played it too often. To be honest I once bought the singlerecord (vinyl of course!)becaus of the b-side: I like Berkeley Mews that`s the most typical Kinks harmony.
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Post by HollyH on Feb 15, 2014 23:23:05 GMT -5
I agree with you about Lola, Hofner -- I still think it's a great song but I have heard it too much.
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Post by martin53 on Feb 17, 2014 2:42:17 GMT -5
Who was your least favourite teacher at school and why?
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Post by uncleson on Feb 18, 2014 15:41:49 GMT -5
I did not care for my high school foreign language teacher who asked me to stand in front of class, and then proceeded to criticize my mother for allowing me to wear my hair long, like a Beatle. I was a schoolboy in disgrace Who was your favorite teacher and why?
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Post by hofner on Feb 20, 2014 12:25:33 GMT -5
I think my best teacher was Ray Davies when he taught me songwriting. I was allowed to drink beer during his lessons, though Ray opened his first can when he had finished the lessons.
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Post by martin53 on Feb 24, 2014 1:50:33 GMT -5
What‘s the best advice anyone has ever given to you?
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Post by uncleson on Feb 24, 2014 14:26:22 GMT -5
My father advised me to marry.
Which Kinks song do you find to be the most personally uplifting?
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Post by Smiley on Feb 24, 2014 23:26:28 GMT -5
Better Things (it has such a sweet message that I think everyone in our Kommunity has adopted)
What album is your go to, non-KinKs "feel good" choice?
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Post by uncleson on Feb 25, 2014 14:06:16 GMT -5
Getz / Gilberto (1964)
Who is your favorite blues performer, past or present?
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