Oh, definitely no! I love Dark Passion Play and I love Annette's voice. I have all of Nightwish's albums and it might be my favourite (maybe I like Once better). She's a different style of singer from Tarja but I think that was for the best, because Tarja had such a unique sound that trying to ape it would have been worse, in my opinion. I saw them live in march and Annette managed quite a few of the older songs very well - different from Tarja of course, but still great music - I'm disappointed that I never got to see Tarja in person, but from all accounts she was kind of an aloof performer whereas Annette is sweet and bouncy and really seems to be enjoying herself with the audience.
Coda was a rushed out b-sides and outtakes collection - I don't think it's fair to say they should have never have released it. There's some good songs on there at any rate.
Oh, please. The guys decided to do what the Beatles did-change direction musically. Think of most of the '90's albums as the equivalent to what the Beatles did from 1966-68, as U2 was simply going with the dance music explosion the way the Beatles went with The Summer Of Love epoch on Revolver, Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour & Yellow Submarine. The only reason you and everybody else hate these albums is because you hate dance music! But these albums were the best work the guys've ever done, and stand toe to toe with their '80's work. Again, its not their fault Americans hate 'disco'.
Listening to Coda, you can hear why those cuts were never finished or never ended up on finished albums. There were some good ideas and some of them could have become good tracks, but there were some dead ends and a lot of dross which would have had to be refined out. Sometimes it's just better to start over -- toss out something which isn't really working and write a new one. I don't quite get the rap against Presence, though. No, it isn't their strongest album -- "Royal Orleans" is kind of a throwaway and "Tea for One" really sounds like them having another bash at "Since I've Been Loving You" -- but there's plenty of meat there and "Achilles' Last Stand" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" can't be mistaken for anything but solid Zeppelin. Great show live, too.
Stevie Wonder: Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants After four incredibly great records (Talking Book, Innervisions, Fullfillingness' First Finale, Songs In The Key Of Life), this double record dog came out. Fortunately, it was followed by another terrific record, Hotter Than July.
Jesus Tapdancing Christ, that album was boring. And it contained some of the worst lyrics; even for Metallica. "My lifestyle determines my deathstyle?"
When I was a kid, I played Songs in the Key of Life until it unravelled in my cassette player. One of the best albums ever. Then when ...Plants came out I rushed to record store to get it. I remember thinking "what the hell is this?? A documentary film soundtrack written by a blind man?!!?" Yeah...
Leonard Cohen had a similar experience when recording Death of a Ladies' Man; after a whirlwind session of writing and recording, when Cohen finished recording his vocals, Spector had armed guards remove Cohen from the studio and then mixed the album entirely on his own. What a daffy shit, that Phil Spector.
This was one of the first records that came to my mind upon seeing the thread title. I think the difficulties (to put it mildly) of working with Spector probably soured them on the album, sure, though perhaps Joey may have been better disposed toward the record. He got the chance to work with one of his idols, and to do some of the more pop-oriented stuff he liked. The rest of the boys didn't seem too hot on it, especially Johnny (who famously said, "What are you gonna do, Phil, shoot me?" when he left after tiring of playing the opening chord to "Rock 'n' Roll High School" for the zillionth time). I don't think Johnny much cared for the overproduced sound of the album or the poppier direction, either.
March of the saint, by Armored Saint was ruined by the producer. They weren't even allowed in the mixing room when it was being done. Their 1st 3 song mini lp sounded way better. John Bush,( singer), went on to join Anthrax, & was also asked to join Metallica. They should've been semi big to compete with the big 3, Anthrax, Slayer, & Metallica. But didn't get a Rick Rubin sort of producer & didn't get the sound they needed. Nuge called em Monsters, & they were. I saw em at the Troubadour in their very early days. Speaking of the Troubadour, Nikki Sixx said of Slayer; Oh my god, these guys will never get past the Troubadour.
Spector, as I recall, owned his own studio at the time. At that point, it's private property, and there's nothing wrong with enforcing those property rights.
So he could just hold people at gunpoint for whatever reason he felt like, as long as it was his property?
I was referring to the simple fact of his removal of Leonard Cohen from the studio: Spector, as a property owner, was within his legal rights to eject anyone from his property. (I don't agree with his methods, and they certainly could have been legally challenged, but if I own property and I want you off, you have to get the hell off unless you want to be slapped with a trespassing charge.) I would expect you, one of the most rabidly conservative members of this board, to realize that.
Spector had to be escorted to & very quickly OFFstage at an awards show. He was way drunk & out of control & mumbled I don't get it? I don't get it? before being hustled off. Here is John Bush's pipes for anyone vaguely interested. Chris Cornell & to a degree Ronnie James Dio come to mind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEyFqO6R7og&feature=related