special introductory
paragraph!
GP
Grievous Angel
Gram Parsons was a spoiled arrogant trust fund asshole who singlehandedly ruined The Byrds before forming a pioneering country-rock band called The Flying Burrito Brothers. Then he got kicked out of that band for being an alcoholic drug addict dumbfuck, at which point he became a Rolling Stones starfucker. Eventually he recorded two albums of his own country music and/or cover tunes before passing away from drug-related injuries at the ludicrously young age of 27 while Keith Richards lived to the ripe old age of 402.
Our society was built on admission, so I am somewhat willing to admit that I'm not exactly "Mr. Tearin' Up The Country." I own every Johnny Cash album except and I still get a hoot out of my Dad's old Willis Caswell And The Crimson Cowboys LP, but the only other semi-country artist that you'd find me championing would be Mr. Michael Nesmith of Monkees infamy. Still, I don't hate traditional country/western music - of what I've heard, some of it creates a nice yawn-round-the-campfire desert feel.
But this album, in my humble abode, is almost eye-staplingly generic. It has everything you'd expect to hear on a country album (acoustic guitar, dobro, pedal steel, fiddle, backup vocals by Emmy Lou Harris, lyrics about heartache), but in Gram's hands, the end result sounds like a bunch of bad Eagles songs. Which is not to say that there are any good Eagles songs.
Gram has a very easy-on-the-ears (and defiantly NON-rednecky) voice, but there are nearly no distinctive melodies on the entire record. "Still Feeling Blue" cruises and bruises, and both "Kiss The Children" and "Streets Of Baltimore" are sad and lovely. But the rest are just drab C/W or, in the case of "Big Mouth Blues" and "Cry One More Time," downright ATROCIOUS attempts to merge by-the-numbers country with bad rock and roll. And nobody should be mixing country and rock `n' roll, except the one man who actually does it well -- Donny and Marie.
I always chuckle when people with an I.Q. of less than 95 attempt to "explain" music. You don't get it. You never will. Don't even try. And more importantly, quit acting like you "get it." Stick with reviewing so called "artists" such as Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, and Big and Rich. You won't have a headache when you finish listening to their CRAP. It requires NO THOUGHT.
I am 26 years old (the same age as Gram, when he died) and I wish I could say that if I died tomorrow, I had written such wonderful and profound songs (such as In My Hour of Darkness, and Song For You - to name only a couple). Gram died 5 years before I was even born and I am a huge fan of his. He was (and still is) a tremendous force in music. To appreciate Gram's music, you must have SOUL. You don't like it, so that leads me to believe (as many other of his fan's will agree) that you have NO SOUL. This is in your favor though, since you WILL BURN in HELL for the comments you made about Gram and his MUSIC.
NOBODY talks about Gram that way!
Happy Burning. :-(
And the fucking commercilization of the Eagles is disgusting. To me the Eagles life was over after the concert in Morehead, Ky.in 1974 after Bernie Leadon left.
P.S. fuck youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
I do understand your opinion of Gram Parsons though -- don't agree with it, but I do understand it. He's like the Velvet Underground of the country rock scene. He didn't sell many albums, but everyone who bought one formed a band.
If he seems 'generic' all these years later, it's because the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt et al. and all the other Billboard-topping hayseed wannabes borrowed pretty heavily from his stylings -- unfortunately, they borrowed all the wrong parts.
I will admit that his solo albums aren't the best testament to his talent -- he was too far gone on the pills and powders by the time he recorded them. His Flying Burrito Bros. work holds up a lot better.
There appears to be more of an emphasis on heart-wrenching melody, richer piano-bottomed production and SLOOOOOOOOWness this time around, and all for the better! It's a lot easier to understand why he is so revered among some communities when you hear gorgeously arranged originals like "Return Of The Grievous Angel" and "Brass Buttons" (rock fans, when you listen to these songs, think of The Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses," a song that many claim Gram had a lot to do with). But there's still way too much filler on this record. Pointless cover tunes like "I Can't Dance" and "Hearts On Fire" add nothing to the experience.
So you tell me -- why is Gram Parson so popular? Because of the Flying Burrito Brothers? Because he died tragically young? Or just because most country-western music is so godawful? (Obviously I'm not talking about that bald guy with the hat. You said it, about how good he is!)
YOU DON'T GET IT .
Don't wast your time trying,
No one ever said Gram's music was for you anyway.
In all my born days, I never thought I'd hear Gram Parsons described as a)
'drab' and b) 'popular'. Listen closely - he was neither. Not at all. The fucking Stereophonics suck dick and
they've still sold more copies of their first EP than Gram sold in his
entire lifetime.
Don't mess with Gram. Remember the Alamo.
FUCK YOU
frankly, you seem to be struggling with Gram Parsons...
You go to the effort of choosing to include him on you site... "Great",
Parsons fans say. "At last some critical recognition !" But it is not to be
! You give both his solo albums abysmal ratings. A 3 for GP ? What the fuck
? Practically nothing gets a 3 on your site, Prindle. You're ready to give
an inflated score to just about anything and then all of a sudden you choose
to review a guy who had real talent and you decide to trash him ! What can I
say ? Giving a mark out of ten is a weird enough concept in itself,
especially when the basic premise of your site is not a factual, analytical
approach of music (which I would find boring) but a more freer, rambling
talkabout approach (a lot more fun).
In your review of GP you obviously can't make up your mind between criticism
(the album doesn't seem to fit with your esthetic frames) and praise : it
ends on a contradiction of sorts - you don't realise what it's all about,
but you sense there is some substance to the fellow.
Personally, GP and Grievous Angel are among my ten favorite lps of all time.
I couldn't attempt to explain it in terms of "this song is great beacause it
goes like this or like that..." I suppose it's the quality of the voice, the
sadness and melancholy conveyed by voice and music...
As you know, good music is not a competition. I don't feel like comparing
merits of a genius like Hank Williams and an artist like Gram Parsons. They
both did their own thing, and brilliantly, to boot.
Better luck next time, Prindle
What else can we make of saying "drab C/W" and "downright ATROCIOUS" about Gram Parsons a few words away from saying "Nobody
should be mixing country and rock `n' roll except the one man who actually does it well - Donny and Marie"?
Man.....you really DO need to get a life.
I'll temper my remarks, so not to sound as angry as the repondents before me. You suck fucking dog!!! Doberman to be exact. Fuck me runnin', this is a great country,
cuntry-rock record.
Beautiful harmonies, nice arrangements and a lead vocal that would do The Hag proud are some of the highlights. I think, by accident, you stumbled onto the beauty of "Return
of the Grievous Angel". But how bout' "In My Hour of Darkness"? Yeah, keep going. How bout' the moving version of "Love Hurts", w/ Emmy Lou Harris on harmony
vocals. Makes you forget the idiotic cover by that metal band that fractured the tune in 75.
Tom T. Hall's, "I Can't Dance" is a throwaway, but still shows the bands ability to play a rock feel with authenticity. Lastly, don't overlook Parson's influence of the Stones
on, not only, "Wild Horses", but also "Honky Tonk Women".
Pull your head out of my ass and give this record another go-fucking round.
Sure, his voice is unusual. But most country/rock (he hated that term) fans will learn to love it.
Naming people like Johnny Cash to your
comprehensive list. Since you know nothing about country I'll put into terms
even you can understand. Thats like comparing him to The Beatles, Rolling Stones
or fucking Zeppelin..know what I mean??? Its just Generic to compare anyone to
your basic country or rock by numbers bands. So Go listen to thunder rolls
by Garth Brooks than maybe you can play Kiss destroyer. Get a clue man...put away your Kiss Army back patch jacket and take
another listen partner.
I read your reviews with respect for your opinion, when you said you didn't "get gram" and that 'that bald guy with the hat' really rocked.....Well, I knew then you haven't got a clue what you are talking about, maybe you are more suited to reviewing the wishy washy crap that Nashville is churning out nowadays because you need a good bite on the nose! SLAINTE.
You're right, though, his solo records aren't much; by that time he was
simply too fucked up to care. Gram's real masterpiece was the Burrito Bros'
debut in 1969. Best country record ever.
old hippy dude.
BE THERE!
When rock went downhill,,,,I became more interested in Country rock, (and maybe this is an almost natural progression), especially the likes of Dwight Yoakam and also Steve Earle.
I agree with most of the comments by other "posters". You either "get" Gram or you don't and to me that is very telling.
Also,,the Eagles came after him and they owe their success to him.
Since I discovered Gram I rarely listen to anyone else. Does that mean his music is very satisfying or that I relate to it so much? I guess "yes" is the answer!
Gram has it all. His music is timeless and relevant so many years after his death. It sounds like it was written yesterday. The Nashville sound,,,most of it,,is rubbish and contrived. It has little artistic merit and little originality.
My biggest regret is that there is so little live footage of him. Watching him sing a little of "I'm Your Toy" is breathtaking.
Shame there is only one documentary about him as far as I know.
They should make a movie about his life as they did for Ray Charles and Bobby Darin.
What a classic tale of sex, drugs and rock and roll,,,,but more importantly - UNIQUE TALENT!!
I don't need to jump into a vituperative diatribe against your comments,
because I don't know enough about Parsons. And you, sir, are indeed
entitled to your own opinion and comments - regardless of who dislikes them.
However, I do have to wonder: why have you bothered to review an artist
that you obviously can't stand? A talented reviewer is capable of
influencing listeners because they can listen to the music and hear the
important things - or lack thereof - and make well written commentaries
about their impressions. Why, if you dislike country music so much, are
you bothering with it on your site at all? I'm not a country music fan,
but I also know that my disinterest in a lot of country music means that
I would not be a worthy reviewer of any such music in earnest. Your
comments are not really a review, but a ranting.
I don't know what it is about Parsons that gets to you so badly, but
whatever it is may warrant treatment by a physician or psychiatrist.
That, dear sir, is my humble opinion. My opinion, along with yours and a
$1 bill, will buy you a small Snicker's candy bar...
Thanks for letting me put my two cents in.
i decided to write to you as it seems you are more in love with yourself
than the music...more into thinking about than feeling it...at least that is
how you come across in your writing...i came across you site, because i was
looking for info on Music Explosion on an impulse...wondering what became of
those guys etc.....and lo and behold....I DID LEARN SOMETHING although i
also saw where you were into details so much that you may have forgotten to
check your bucket....
i grew up on Country....but i also grew up on the Beatles, and HECK i grew
up on all sorts of stuff...
and i am not "rich and famous" but i can play my ass off....and so what...at
least i know what is real and what isn't...and whatever ANYONE wishes to say
about Gram Parsons, i never doubted for one second as a 14/15 year old ,
that he was singing from the heart....and sure, he ain't Geroge Jones, but
neither is Johnny Cash...and George Jones is no Don Gibson....whatever...
i think you need to drink more, or drink less....or get off the Xanax....i
have no idea...but try giving up being numb....you might just bust out and
cry....i suppose you get all teary listening to "My Way" by Sid
Vicious...shucks, at least i hope you do.....be well, whatever you REALLY
do, and i will visit your site again, as it is interesting, even if
callous....
Can you imagine reading all this?
All I can say is YOU do what he did in six years and we'll talk.
He was chosen, enjoy it, period.
love it, or grow up.
Gram is the gateway by which many rock and roll fans have discovered and now appreciate country music. It's no crime that you are not moved, but why not just criticize country music as a genre, rather than picking on Gram?
These reader comments just proved him wrong.
Are you people just not getting laid or something? Is Gram Parsons
the force driving the rotation of the Earth and/or Jesus Christ in
disguise? Have you gone off your meds? I mean, I'm just throwing
hypotheses out there. Obviously most of you are legally demented for
SOME correlative reason. ESPECIALLY you, Polly Parsons--really, as
his offspring, you should know better. Crazy celebrity's daughters.
Thought they were all like Hannah Montana--was I ever wrong.
IT'S JUST ONE FRIGGING MUSICIAN. Mark almost certainly dislikes Klaus
Schulze's ambient masterpieces, and tsk tsk on that, but I'm not about
to cuss him out in German or invoke a Nazi blood vendetta on that
account.
Next thing you know, we'll have James Taylor groupies hacking the
website, I tell ya. Silly country fanatics. . .
Now as for me, I've heard this guy's International Submarine Band
album and the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Can't say I liked the
style he espoused on either album, but the man can write a song when
he wants to. And his classics ARE classics--"Luxury Liner" stands up
there with anything Jefferson Airplane ever recorded. Plus none of
them are BAD songs--for music that wouldn't be out of place in your
cozy ole Midwestern small town church, it taps yer toe.
Before any of these psychotic folk track down my location and launch
a pitchfork through my solar plexus, I'm off to listen to G.P. I have
a feeling I'll give it about 3 points higher a rating than Mark--still
possibly a forkable offense in the eyes of Ms. Parsons and others,
seen above. One second.
(*the next day*)
Eh. . . make that 5 points higher. Polly Parsons, launch your giant
SPOON. Do thy worst.
This album doesn't quite stand out as "CLASSIC!!" like All Music Guide
says it does, but I can see why one would think that. It's got your
odd classic here and there (Song for You, Streets of Baltimore, etc.)
a whole bunch of pleasant hummable toe-tappin' filler, and (even among
fans, I seem to be alone on this), no really stinky songs, and it ends
with one barn-burner of a country rocker "Big Mouth Blues" that seems
to have inspired a whole generation of Toby Keith-esque good-natured
jock country buffoons.
Come on. I lived in Dallas for eight years. "She Thinks My Tractor's
Sexy" is considered a CLASSIC down there. What can I do against such
brainwashing? Nothing, that's what (although Keith Anderson blows).
Having only heard Safe at Home and Sweetheart of the Rodeo before
this, I can safely say Mr. Parsons is much much much better off
writing his own damn songs than covering the "greats." When he covers
the "greats", he sounds like he's in church. On this album, he sounds
like a country STAR and not merely a country "LEGEND." Call me a
Garth Brooks fan if you must (you'd be correct--Ropin' the Wind kicks
this album's arse), but gimme "Big Mouth Blues" over "authentic"
pablum like "The Christian Life" any day of the week.
Yup, I've turned into Starostin. Next thing you know I'll actually
LIKE borshch. Yechh.
Still, it's not like most of his other stuff is LESS fruity. The only
album of his I've not heard by now is Grievous Angel. If that doesn't
hit the spot, I guess I will also deserve to be a target of the
flamers on this page. Good times, y'all!
And you’re dead wrong about Gram Parsons. His music is absolutely beautiful. But you have to listen to it and live with it to really
“get it”. I don’t suppose you do that - you just cruise through a CD in an hour and write your uninformed and thoughtless opinions.
By the way, “real” music reviewers and historians don’t allow their prejudices towards one particular genre of music to influence a review. Your bias against country/folk music is pretty clear, notwithstanding your alleged love of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan (two artists who happen to have influenced and been influenced by Gram Parsons, by the way).
Not all pleasant music is good music.
So I thought someone should stand up on the other side of the fence. It does exist! I've been there man!
And yes I agree Polly didn't know her Daddy...I was round Gram till 1971...he
never told me he had a daughter...we even we're together in LA in 68&69...he
lived on North Sweetzer....I never saw her or her mother, just saying.
One more note...to this day I believe Gram wrote, Honkey Tonk Woman and Wild
horses...at least was the total influence or collaborated...my opinion.
I loved Gram very much...tender loving man.
Bite me....You...Stupid, Barry Mannilow listening, Elton John loving, Richard Simmons video tape buying, Shallow, S.O.B. - - - You suck!
The Eagle's founders used to watch Gram and take notes. He had the Charisma that most artists onley wish they had. His voice cracked and moaned like a cross of Elvis Presley and Neil Young. He just didn't have the time to get it all together. His last two albums with Emy Lou was just the beginning.
Ever tried stapling your eyes? I'm not sure how that would feel, but I'll wager it's anything but "generic".
Re: to the top commentor
What gives you the right to condemn somebody to hell for giving a Gram
Parsons a three? Stop worshipping dead people creep.
When it comes to Gram Parsons
Either you get it or you don't get it.
Jesus H. Baldyman on a bedwetting binge - what the fuck have you been smoking?
Dear record reviewer,
Yes, it's clear that Gram Parsons didn't get to you. But, in my humble
opinion (and I'm from Jersey City, a far cry from c&w meccas) GP was a
tremendous influence-- sort of like a c&w Richard Farina, another figure
who died too young (on a motorcycle 2 days after his book, Been Down So
Long it Looks Like Up to Me, was published). Ol' Merle loved him, as
did Johnny Cash. Thanks for writing about him so more people can learn
about him.
Prindman,
So the idea was to write a stupid-ass, nonsensical review just to provoke response?
Mr. P,
Gram Parsons deserves alot of respect. He basically found Emmylou Harris and recorded with Elvis Presley's band. He made music that most people of
his generation did not want to hear. How cool is that?
Maybe if you cleaned the shit out of your ears, and listened again, you
would understand that Gram is one of the best song writers ever. Grams covers are
just as good if not better than the originals. You say in Your GP review that
it is generic.....you know what generic is?
May I say that I've been a huge country fan all my life and present a country music show here in Ireland. I play all "the greats" as well as the more obscure and lesser know country/western/bluegrass artists. In my humble opinion, gram parsons music,lyrics and voice would be up there with the best of them. Of course I'm being biased because I'm a gram fan but I also appreciate the countless other good and "real" country artists and bands. I was recently in Nashville and almost puked when I heard the "SHIT" that CMT was broadcasting from the Wildhorse saloon, funny thing was, the audience were lapping it up and I just thought to myself how these people wouldn't know "good" country music if it were to jump up and bite them on the nose.
Gram was not a very good musican. He spent two years of his very short life getting stoned and not playing and hanging out with Kieth.But he profoundly influenced musicans that came after him and he had that voice.Listen again to his vocal on
"Life in prison".
MICHAEL NESMITH IS AWESOME. NESMITH DESERVES AS MUCH CREDIT AS PARSONS, HILLMAN, AND ALL THOSE BYRDS GUYS. NESMITH WAS TRYING TO WORK COUNTRY INTO THE MONKEES AS EARLY AS 1966 WITH PAPA GENES BLUES. THE MONKEES NEVER WOULD HAVE ESTABLISHED CREDIBILITY IF IT HADNT BEEN FOR NESMITH. NESMITH'S SOLO STUFF FROM THE 70'S IS CRIMINALLY OVERLOOKED AS PARSONS WAS AT THE TIME WHEN ONE LOOKS AT THE CHARTING OF THE ALBUMS. IF YOUR INTO THIS TYPE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTRY ROCK CHECK OUT VIDEORANCH.COM. AL PERKINS PLAYS STEEL AND LEAD WITH NESMITH ON LIVE AT PALAIS 1977 NOW AVAILABLE ON CD. LOOSE SALUTE, MAGNETIC SOUTH, NEVADA FIGHTER, AND THE HITS KEEP ON COMING, TANTAMOUNT TO TREASON, AND PRETTY MUCH YOUR STANDARD RANCH STASH ARE ALL ESSENTIAL NESMITH OFFERINGS IF YOURE INTO THIS TYPE OF MUSIC. LEGENDARY STEEL PLAYER RED RHODES PLAYS WITH NESMITH ON THESE. I AINT GOT NOTHING AGAINST PARSONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF PARSONS FANS AND I BELIEVE PARSONS IS BETTER THAN PRINDLE GIVES HIM CREDIT..
You "critics" are all the same. Let's hear your album and then we'll criticize.
gram parsons playing with elvis's band kicks ass. on the return of the
grevious angel, gram says pick it for me james. james burton is one of the
finest guitar player of all times. needless to say, hank garland was the
guitar master of that time and due to his tragic accident, james burton took
over and we love him! hank was a studio musician that played with everybody.
check out our website @hankgarland.com or search hank garland news.
Hank Garland played with Gary Burton on "Jazz winds from a new direction" or something like that. Country and jazz,hey listen to Django, he came from the country.
you are a stupid moron. sorry you never heard grevious angel until its second release. i listened to it when it first came out and continue to love him. yes hank played country, elvis patsy cline roy orbison etc. in fact a movie about his life is being filmed in l.a. called crazy. he played with gary burton on atleast 6 jazz l.p.s rolling stone mag. named grevious angel as one of the top 100 records of all times in 2004. get a clue
Have you checked out the Return to Sin City - Tribute DVD? I thought yah yah
another tribute show, but It is real interesting to listen to the voice over
of Polly Parsons talking about using it as a project to get to know Gram and
what he was about. Very cool tidbits like the fact that Keith Richards was
using the guitar strap of Grams that Polly gave him. I really found it so
interesting and the performances were all pretty damn great really.
Especially Lucinda Williams, Norah Jones, Dwight Yoakam and John Doe
rocked....Pollys quest has sent me on one of my own to check Parsons out
more closely which brought me here.
I guess we're all entitled to our own opinions. Gram was, to say the least, a huge contibutor to the way we hear "country/rock", or Cosmic American as he would have liked. I'm saddened to read such a poor review on your behalf. Maybe you should just kick back with some headphones, lights out, and really listen to him? I don't mean to sound cocky, but maybe if you tried that you might just want to write another review. I have come to really enjoy his songs, and it's too bad you don't hear it the same way, because you're missing out.
Gram will be rembered long after you are forgotten!
Gram makes a nice gateway into country music for rock fans, especially for
those in love with rock myths. Y'know, Keith Richards' best friend,
self-appointed country missionary for the rock world, junkie martyr whose
corpse was stolen & burned in the desert by his best friends... That's a
hell of a biography, and if it gets more rock fans (like me) to appreciate
GOOD country music, I'm all for it.
Agreed. this guy reviewing GP would be like akin to Charlie Daniels reviewing Tristan and Isolde or better yet, Swan Lake.
Well, not everyone hears the same, I mean, you can only hear so many notes in a setting, I am not going to lead a crusade to sack and pillage your music collection, I will let you live and keep them! Now, I think Gram was and is still one of the most influential writer, performer of the last half of the 20th century, he is still doing it!, there is not a "country" artist that will not acknowledge that. ok, I'm done.
Gram put real heart and soul into his version of country music. All you have to do is listen to a song for you and She. Not mention his cover of wild horses that song makes me cry every time i listen to it..EVERY TIME
Gram Parsons Tribute 2005 - Waycross, Georgia (where Gram once lived) - Weekend of October 15th.
I discovered Gram late in my life although I lived through all the 60's music. (In my opinion, the best years ever - Beatles, Stones etc etc.)
Son, you don't "get it" cause you weren't there. I'm 54 & remember well sitting in a Chicago suburb with friends listening to the FBB, few things can match the times, the friends & the meanings that GP brings back to me.
You Sir are a punkass little bitch
I didn't know much about Parsons until recently, but his music and the
stories surrounding him have attracted my interest. Hence I chanced upon
your site.
You, dude, are a asshole. You remind me of those young MTV producers who last summer during Live8, cut away from one the most FAMOUS guitar solos during the Pink Floyd reunion to talk about ipods or some crap. What a dickhead.
Wow, who are you, and what makes you think you have a clue about
what songs are good, and which ones are not? Plus how old are you?
First off let me say this, yes you are entitled to your opinion.
But its like my Universe, I ride Motorcycles, and like the saying
goes, "IF I HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT YOU WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND". You have
to understand the times that Gram lived, we as a Nation were going
through some extremely difficult times. What I find interesting is
how you like Johnny Cash, and yet Johnny listen to all music, and
did he not borrow one, or, two songs from a couple Rock bands? Now
as for Gram, well lets take another look at some of the people out
there who were singing at the time, how about Bob Dylan, when Bob
was ALL F---up, he could not sing worth a damn, and he would be
the first to tell you. Oh and what about Kris Kristofferson, this
man will tell you how he hated to sing his own songs, and he would
be the first to let you know. Its not always the singer, but the
MEANING OF THE SONG-HELLO!? I personally LIKED Grams STYLE, and
thats probably more of why people liked his music, he gave it his
best shot, and I do believe he would not GIVE A DAMN of what you
thought about him or, his MUSICAL STYLE. Yes sadly he passed at an
early age, sounds to me as if GOD needed some extra tallent for
his show upstairs. Plus when you think of the equipment they used
to record back in the day, try checking out the EARLY days of the
Blues Artisits recordings. Do you sing, do you have the drive that
Gram, and the rest had, or have , to make it? I did not hear you
talk about some of the other ROCKABILLY Boys, Like for instance
Billy CRASH Craddock, Johnny Horton, and a host of others, Songs
like Rub it in-Rub it in, Honky Tonkin`, and tons more that you
would probably also critisize. The bottom line; sounds to me as if
you are jealous, did someone offend your style of music? Or was it
you got compared to Gram? {YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY!} What is your
STYLE?
You see you just do not get
it, maybe you should listen to it with an open mind,{LIKE THATS
GONNA HAPPEN}.
Country/Western of today, is what Gram and the others Started,
TRADITIONAL C/W was a hole lot more TWANGING, but still GOOD. It
came from the HEART and SOUL, And I would hate to think of what
you would say about BLUEGRASS. I am not saying that there are not
a bunch of good songs by new artists, but the early ones opened
the door for what you have now. Back, even before Gram, they would
not even consider it for AIRTIME, they would have banned it. And
as for the NON-HICK sound of Grams voice, well not everybody from
the south has a TWANGY HICK VOICE. And thats not what defines
ROCKABILLY, its the style son, the style! If you want to get
A-CLUE, just type in ROCKABILLY, and see what pops up. Gram, and
Emmy Lou, had something that youins will never have-HEART, and
SOUL. Oh and by the way you had how many Albums, released how many albums, oh I apologize, I thought, you
new what you were talking about, you did not say AL-BUMS, you must
have said that you are ALL-BUM. Okay I got it
now. MY BAG.
Hey Mark - I must tell you this is the first letter of
this kind I have ever written. As you can tell by now
there are a lot of people who disagree with you...I
can also say that there a lot of people that do agree
with you. I myself am perfectly alright with that and
won’t make this post sound like a Jerry Springer Show.
Gram, John Hiatt, and Little Feat are probably my
favorite artists and in each case whenever I try to
turn someone on to them there is no middle ground.
Either you get it or you don’t...really like it or
just plain could totally do without it. GP and
Grievous Angel are my two favorite albums along with
Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty. ALL I CAN SAY
IS THANK GOD I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES WHO DO GET
GRAMS MUSIC! And believe me the others who do get it
are passionate about what Gram was doing as you can
tell. I myself have even made a pilgrimage to Room Cap
Rock and stayed in room #8 at the the Joshua Tree Inn
with my 25 year old daughter last year. (Gram fans
will know exactly what I’m talking about). I am 53
years old and have been playing and singing (at times
professionally) since I was 11. I NEVER thought I
would ever listen to country music until one day I
heard the greatest male country singer who ever lived
MERLE HAGGARD in about 1975. That opened the door for
me to find someone like Gram. They say he had what few
people had...THE PRESENCE-THAT THING...they say Elvis
and I know first hand Springsteen has it...and some
others like possibly Bobby Darin. Also I’ll be the
first to admit he wasn’t the best singer but he could
sing with more emotion than 99% of the singers I have
ever heard. As a musician I understand the incredible
musicianship that went into those two albums. Had
anyone ever heard pedal steel and dobro in the same
song? Granted you can say he hired James Burton and
the boys to help him sound good. Well yes that’s the
idea. He had a vision which came to fruition in a big
way in the form of a new genre of music called Country
Rock and got the best people to help him get THE WORD
out. Not many people can lay claim to inventing a new
genre of music. Bill Monroe with bluegrass, The
Allmans and Synyrd for southern rock and Black Sabbath
and Zeppelin with heavy metal come immediately to
mind. It doesn’t happen often and then sometimes too
often in the case of rap and disco (I just had to get
that in). There is something called a musicians
musician. They are not known by the masses but are
highly respected in the music community. People like
Lowell George, David Lindley, John Hiatt, and Ry
Cooder I could go on and on. Gram is a member of that
community which BTW is the community a real musician
aspires to be a member of. Imagine someone who is a
million times more famous 30 years after his
death...that must tell you something...can we all be
wrong? Just as with the blues you find your way back
to Robert Johnson...in country rock you find your way
back to GRAM PARSONS. Maybe like me the first time I
heard Reggae it really didn’t click til about ten
years later someday you’ll pull out those GP albums
and...well you never can tell.
It's amazing that there are people who have lived in this country all
there lives and because of all the clap-trap notions that are in our
culture about what is good and what is not can't see through all that
and just enjoy what is truly great american music. Do you not
recognize talent when you hear it. The wheel is considered to be an
invention of genius but the simplicity of its design would be infantile
in your eyes. You must learn to listen to music and learn something
about music and then you will realize that what this man did on
those two albums and the way he and Emmylou sang it, well it can't
be duplicated by any of us mortals. You will learn when you learn to
listen.
Best comments ever.
i am curious as to your age ....(you have pretty well established that you
THINK you have something worth saying) i was mostly amused by your
asessement of Gram Parsons...as a person who actually plays music for a
living, has done so for my entire adult life, and was around when Gram first
appeared...i am baffled by your hostility in the guise of awareness...i
bought "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" the week it was released....at first i was
a little baffled, but it grew on me....i had been an avid Byrds fan from the
beginning, sheesh, i bought "Turn., Turn. Turn" as a '45 before buying the
LP....and golly, i was a KID...i grew up in a small city in Ohio, with a
more cospolitan awareness than most of my friends (as my Father came from
Europe) but my Grandparents were basically Southern Ohio/ Kentucky folks...i
watched a TV show called Midwestern Hayride out of Cincinnati with them
every Saturday night when my brother and i would spend the night there
before Mom would come Sunday, and then Grandma, me, my brother, and Mom
would all go to church. (both my Dad and Grandpa had little use for the
place)
i am gp's daughter...
poor moronic fool
Why would you choose to pan an artist whose best work (Flying Burrito Brothers' Gilded Palace Of Sin) you neglect to review? And, if you don't 'get' country music, why bother reviewing it?
When describing hardcore AC/DC fans, George Starostin used Mark
Prindle's AC/DC page as evidence to prove they were the most
criminally insane folks on the planet, as of January 2000.
I agree, Gram Parsons is probably the most overrated artist in rock or country history. I think people just wanna be like him and hang out with Keith Richards. These two solo albums have about five good songs between them; everything else is filler from an artist who could barely string together a competent set of tracks
You kiddin' about the Flying Burrito Brothers? They're the fruitiest
hick music this side of the crap in the movie Nashville! When you mix
Tennessee church music with a Simon and Garfunkel soundalike
channeling hippie Twee-Hee!, you get something I cringe at.
I’m just wondering who you are what qualifies you to write music reviews. I read several of your reviews and even when I agree with your “taste” your descriptions of the artists are childish and unoriginal.
lol. You should never tell a fan that you don't like Gram Parsons. Man, they will rip you a new one!
A few of my friends are huge fans of GP, The Byrds, The shins, etc... When I told them once that I would rather listen to something with some balls I thought they were going to lynch me. Fucking hell! Country and Western? This IS the music they will play in hell. On Repeat. For-bloody-ever!
Wow, just saw your idiotic comments on the web. I'm sorry for you.
Gram Parson was genius. No question. His music is and will always be timeless. Grams music has enriched my life in so many ways. I love Gram, and the world is a better place for him having visited. R I P Gram.'I'll always listen.
I have to join the chorus saying you should get rid of your Gram Parsons
reviews. It's funny when you shit on the entire Miles Davis
discography, but I don't see any point in shitting on all of Gram's two
albums. Like it's cute to be dismissive of sacred cows and all, but why
Gram Parsons? I don't know if you just really really wanted to make
those jokes about Garth Brooks and the Eagles, but two jokes isn't enough
to carry these two reviews. When I was a
retarded teenager, I used to try taking Led Zeppelin down a peg, and I
am speaking from experience when I say this page makes you look like a
retarded little kid. Big fan of the site but this shit is some shitty shit.
I couldn't agree with you more. Undoubtedly the manner of his demise has elevated him to sainthood but most of his contemporaries assert that he was no innovator or leader in the growth of country rock. Chris Hillman stated that Dillard and Clark, who preceded The Flying Burritos, were doing much better things. Apart from the undistinguished melodies, Parsons' music was not improved by his mediocre voice.
I just read through all the Gram comments and what a flame war the tone deaf have inflicted upon you!
I am qualified to speak along musical lines and say yes, Gram was not that talented, he was not a songwriter in any sense, his vocals were thin.
I would suggest that "fans" stop defending Gram and just listen and enjoy. He was not a giant in the industry. He was an alcoholic and a junkie. Most likely he was a sociopath as well.
All of you pick up a copy and read "Road Mangler" by Phil Kaufman. Phil knows more than anyone what Gram was about.
For anyone who wonders I am over 55, a guitarist, a biker (1%er), I wear a Sin City rocker on my leather cut, I have heard and owned everything Gram put out even a 45rpm that was to be part of a movie soundtrack "The Russians Are Coming", (guess the song). And to Polly Parsons: How well did you know your father?
If anyone wants to know what a songwriter actually does listen to Tom Waits, James McMurtry, Dave Alvin, John Hiatt, John Prine. One song by any of these guys contains more poignant lyrics than Gram's whole "catalog".
Yes Gram was instrumental in pioneering country-rock and I thank him for that and Chris Hillman I thank for everything he did including convincing Gram to go hear an unknown Emmylou...
I knew Gram in the early years...no drugs, yes alcohol.... Gram was a true
Southern Gentlemen. I met Gram early 1968, I was side stage watching the Byrds
at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, I guess he scoped me out (didn't know) he
walked off stage ,walked up to me took me by my hand and the rest is history .
He had so much charisma, you just wanted to be around him.
Click here to purchase Gram Parsons and hear how right I am