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Why I prefer Van Halen to Radiohead
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IanB
IanB
6761 posts

Edited May 09, 2008, 11:11
Re: Why I prefer Van Halen to Radiohead
May 09, 2008, 11:03
keith a wrote:
I thought they sounded like U2 on early records like Creep, but I don't think that comparison has been relevant in a long, long time.

In many ways they are the complete antithesis of U2 as a band these days, in that having become mega they decided to do their own thing whatever that may be, however 'difficult' that may be, rather than embrace the hugeness of it all.

(And I'm not someone who hates U2. Not a massive fan, but I do think they've made some good single in their time)



I see what you mean.

I think U2 tried to do that too with Passengers and Zooropa and Million Dollar Hotel etc and on the edgier bits of Achtung Baby (which is for me the most exciting mainstream record of the first half of the 90s along with Peggy). Inevitably the siren call of major money was going to bring them back to making grand(iose) gestures on records to the back row of theoretical arenas. Also Bono's politcal platform kind of demands that kind of exposure.

Don't be surprised if at some point Radiohead want to feel the love of faceless thousands for a year or two and bank the really big bucks. Wont be for a while but when they all hit 45 I betcha they'll be recording big sounding acerbic indie rock numbers with middle 8s and choruses and playing every stadium going. Which is fair enough.

They'll probably do a Peter Gabriel and use the money to build their own eco-town or something. I tend to think that if you can get your hands on big wads of cash and do some good with it then that's fair enough.

The thing that makes me laugh is that, but for a twist of radioplay fate in somewhere as off the rock and roll radar as Israel, Radiohead could be Revolver or Bark Psychosis or vice versa.

The devil is in the details that are often out of our control so I say play-stadia-feel-the-love-be-happy. Which might explain why I think Van Halen are a fine thing.
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Re: Why I prefer Van Halen to Radiohead (keith a)
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