Guns N Roses reunion confirmed

**Janszoon** · 01-06-2016, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plankton

I guess I should've said songwriting, so let me rephrase that:

If you like an artists songwriting, then they're talented. If you don't like an artists songwriting, then they're not talented?

Nope. If I think they're talented songwriters, then I think they're talented songwriters. If not, then not. But songwriting isn't the only form of talent in the world. Someone can be a talented performer without being a talented songwriter (or vice versa), for example.

**Frownland** · 01-06-2016, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil C. Thurston III

It can be, but it's not 100%. I think that the cream generally rises to the top most of the time but there are exceptions. What people like is not always based on talent but what sounds good to them. It's a different discussion, really. And the casual listeners are usually the ones who determine who becomes popular, not the hard-core, well-informed music nut.

So the cream rises to the top not because of people who know what cream tastes like, but by people who don't even care if they're eating cream?

What I'm saying is popularity counts for nothing except for popularity itself.

Chula Vista · 01-06-2016, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil C. Thurston III

All I know is that Slash is still playing big gigs.

Sorry for the typo. Been a long day.

Slash is a killer rock guitarist. As mentioned earlier, he brought back pure rock tone. But there's millions of players that can ape his playing thing easily. He's nothing more than a Page/Perry/Young extension with killer tone.

Define big gigs?

Other than being a "guest star", when was the last time that Saul played a seriously big gig? Ya, he's gimmick to trot out now and then, but he's miles away from being relevant in 2016.

Plankton · 01-06-2016, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Nope. If I think they're talented songwriters, then I think they're talented songwriters. If not, then not. But songwriting isn't the only form of talent in the world. Someone can be a talented performer without being a talented songwriter (or vice versa), for example.

I hear ya. You look mostly for the songwriting, and I look mostly for technical brilliance in music. Two very different viewpoints.

**Janszoon** · 01-06-2016, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plankton

I hear ya. You look mostly for the songwriting, and I look mostly for technical brilliance in music. Two very different viewpoints.

It really just depends on what I'm listening to. I like G'n'R for the songwriting, but just last night I was listening to Art Tatum—a person I love largely for his mind-blowing virtuosity.

Basil C. Thurston III · 01-06-2016, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

So the cream rises to the top not because of people who know what cream tastes like, but by people who don't even care if they're eating cream?

What I'm saying is popularity counts for nothing except for popularity itself.

You can say that, and you're correct to a point. But popularity is what drives the music (and other) business- if you ain't selling, you ain't popular. Explain Selena Gomez to me if popularity counts for nothing. Many, many poorly talented individuals have achieved mass popularity for unexplained reasons while we could probably list thousands of deserving talents who plug away eking out a living playing Bon Jovi covers at the corner pub. Popularity = money, always has, always will. And at the cost of better products- while we have to hear Nicki Minaj on radio, there are a dozen REAL bands who should be taking up that airtime instead of her.

**Frownland** · 01-06-2016, 05:23 PM

Ergo bringing up popularity in a discussion about talent is a moot point. Nice tangent, btw.

Basil C. Thurston III · 01-06-2016, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Sorry for the typo. Been a long day.

Slash is a killer rock guitarist. As mentioned earlier, he brought back pure rock tone. But there's millions of players that can ape his playing thing easily. He's nothing more than a Page/Perry/Young extension with killer tone.

Define big gigs?

Other than being a "guest star", when was the last time that Saul played a seriously big gig? Ya, he's gimmick to trot out now and then, but he's miles away from being relevant in 2016.

Donington, 2015.

Basil C. Thurston III · 01-06-2016, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Ergo bringing up popularity in a discussion about talent is a moot point. Nice tangent, btw.

Nope, they are connected intangibly forever.

**Frownland** · 01-06-2016, 05:34 PM

"I don't like Jim's hat."
"But dude, Jim has a really nice voice."

Pretty similar connection there.

01-06-2016, 05:23 PM	#117 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Ergo bringing up popularity in a discussion about talent is a moot point. Nice tangent, btw. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

01-06-2016, 05:34 PM	#120 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	"I don't like Jim's hat." "But dude, Jim has a really nice voice." Pretty similar connection there. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x