Teasing the Korean Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) There, I've said it. I agree. Edited January 25, 2015 by Teasing the Korean Quote
JSngry Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 Can't say that I've ever had the Gram Parsons bug myself, or, really, the Nesmith bug, so you may be right. Or not. If it helps, I think the Byrds were a better album band then The Monkees, but The Monkees were an infinitely better singles band. Cant we have a binomial and throw Rick Nelson into this? Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 25, 2015 Author Report Posted January 25, 2015 Cant we have a binomial and throw Rick Nelson into this? "Hello Mary Lou" is a precursor to "Papa Gene's Blues." Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 James Burton > than all of the above, and he ain't all that some think him to be, so tempest in a teapot dome for 200 Alex. Quote
mjzee Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 Gram Parsons was a bit "pitchy," as Simon Cowell would say. On the other hand, he begat Emmylou Harris, which ain't too shabby. On the other other hand, Mike Nesmith's mother invented Liquid Paper. Quote
JSngry Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 And Mike Nesmith invented MTV, or something like that. And he begat, sorta, Linda Ronstadt. One deep foul and then fooled by a change-up. So to protect the plate with an 0-2 count, there's this: The flip side of Valleri, and once in a while a local (as in Longview & Tyler) DJ would give it some air time. Of course, this was when local DJs could get by with that type of thing, but everything is at some time, right? Not a particularly great song, but I still love the intro. Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 25, 2015 Author Report Posted January 25, 2015 ... Not a particularly great song, but I still love the intro. Great intro, AND a great song, by 1960s teen pop standards, at least! Quote
MomsMobley Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) There, I've said it. I agree. are you trying to bait me? Gram Parsons is dogshit; a LOUSY country singer in a genre that demands brilliance, a worse white 'soul' singer (hardee har har, "To Love Somebody" in a world of Bee Gees and James Carr)... at best he had an adequate light voice for some bluegrass/folk tunes on the first Burritos album... Byrds "Sweetheart" is garbage... and the two solo albums are fluff with a couple OK songs... only "rock" heads, by accident or prejudice, unfamiliar with country repertoire & the HUGE # of superior singers & songwriters could be gulled... but he was rich & traded heroin suppositories w/ Keith, big deal... and then there was a generation who wanted to sleep with almost always insipid (but ooooh, so tastey) Emmylou because hey, they understand, man... Gram stole 97% of his schtick from Bobby Bare, who kills him in every way possible except death btw but since "rock" don't know from Bare... re: Nesmith, a pretty good songwriter, a little tedious with the girl/women problems, solo albums are inconsistent but flecked w/ brilliance, even that last RCA one w/ synthesizers, "The Prison" ain't exactly the Prisonaires or "Escape From Alcatraz" (watch for the Don Siegel direction, not Clint) etc etc. Later Mike is a "tastey" snooze, lost it near completely but still, you know, "pleasant," "Spanish" guitar solos included. Ricky Nelson country rock via Buck Owens destroys Gram in every way also but that goes without saying. Spare me the Monkees musical shit otherwise unless you were a adolescent/teenage girl OR are willing to pay no less than $100/foot for your interconnects, of which you must have multiple sets because each brand/forumalation is optimized for different styles of music, etc. TV show was decent, "Head" better than that. i could go continue for days but in no way does Gram rate except legend, while Nesmith is a notable, if not major, country rocker. Gene Clark and Doug Sahm (to say the least) far better than both. ignore the anachronistic Waylon image here & know he was mostly greater pre- "outlaw" than post- (ego tumors & cocaine kill) Edited January 25, 2015 by MomsMobley Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 I've enjoyed The Burritos, Sweetheart and the solo albums - some marvellous songs and performances there. But also got the impression of an emerging talent rather than a fully formed one. I expect Parsons became a legend where Nesmith remains less known because the former lived the rock and roll lifestyle in full view. It's what legends are made of. Quote
MomsMobley Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 anyone nostalgic for "Gram" & "Emmy"... how is that possible in a world where Melba Montgomery... Rose Maddox... please!!! Quote
Jazzmoose Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 I'll go along with better, no argument at all. But important? I don't see it, if by important you mean influential. Quote
Joe Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) If you want to fully understand what was happening in LA "rock circles" there at the ass-end of the sixties, you are in some wahy obligated to own copies of the first three Nesmith First National Band LPs. Besides, he had Red Rhodes on pedal steel. Always loved Zappa's Byrds reference in this little bit, how it breaks Nesmith up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNJy-OgCzB0 PS - more incontrovertible, IMHO, Souled American > the entire mass of "No Depression" bands Edited January 25, 2015 by Joe Quote
mikelz777 Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 Nesmith is definitely a better singer but after that, I don't know... This is just another provocative statement that'll ultimately come down to personal preferences. For me, strip everything away except for the music and I'd be picking Parsons every time. Quote
colinmce Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 My impression of Gram Parsons isn't what it was when I was 18 and damn near worshipped the guy, but I sure don't think he's nothing. He had a spirit in him that comes through in his best work, and nothing he did was less than fine. Now, is it fair to put him against James Carr? That's not fair to anyone. Like most he's suffered his share of overinflated posthumous blabbery but that's not fair to hold against him either. Is what it is. For my part I never could cotton onto the idea that The Monkees were anything less than junk, despite whatever cred Mike Nesmith lays claim to, Head included. Just don't buy it and never will. The idea that The Byrds are a lesser singles band than anyone is personally offensive to me. Most important takeaway? Gene Parsons had the talent, Gram Parsons had the spark, and Gene Clark is the most superior white rock musician of the 1960s era. My 2 cents, YMMV^ ∞ Quote
AllenLowe Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 Moms got it right; Parsons was really a mediocrity; and Emmy Lou Harris....oi, white bread city. Quote
paul secor Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 Gram Parsons was lucky enough to be around at a time when image topped voice - of course that's now lasted lasted til today. In the 50's, with his voice, he would have been blown off stage by many, many country singers and laughed off stage by the audience. Ditto Emmy Lou - a mediocre backup singer at best. Quote
Joe Posted January 25, 2015 Report Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) Gene Clark is to Gram Parsons as Arthur Lee is to Jim Morrison. Papa Nes is no Townes Van Zandt, to be sure, but he's no Mac Davis either. Nesmith has appeared recently on PORTLANDIA. He still has comedy chops. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRm0I7cTSNE There was a BS quotient to his solo tour last year (the spoken introductions to the songs), but the songs themselves retain much of their charm. Edited January 25, 2015 by Joe Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 25, 2015 Author Report Posted January 25, 2015 ...and Gene Clark is the most superior white rock musician of the 1960s era. Gene Clark was the single greatest component of the Byrds. Quote
AmirBagachelles Posted January 26, 2015 Report Posted January 26, 2015 I feel strongly both ways. When I'm traveling to the north country fair, i like to tote a great, authentic singer-songwriter record or two or a dozen, I like a man's or lady's first few, that's where it's usually at. Don't matter whose is best, you just gotta like it or love it or not. And for the record, when I go long, I go with the first two Burrito records as the benchmark recordings of Parsons' life, good sheet smokin hippy music, comparable to Workingman's and Baxter's..... let's roll another and keep me happy all the time. Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Posted January 26, 2015 ...comparable to Workingman's and Baxter's... Comparable to The Great Les Baxer? Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted January 26, 2015 Report Posted January 26, 2015 ...and Gene Clark is the most superior white rock musician of the 1960s era. Gene Clark was the single greatest component of the Byrds. Not exactly equivalent statements, not sure if you meant them to be. In any case I think Gene Clark is every bit as overrated by his supports as Gran Parsons is by his. Both are better than Pigpen, unless you take that as comedy - but even then... Quote
GA Russell Posted January 26, 2015 Report Posted January 26, 2015 ...comparable to Workingman's and Baxter's... Comparable to The Great Les Baxer? TTK, I bet that you, of anyone, can tell me who it was who said, "The Les Baxter the better!" Quote
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