When an Artist’s Music Changes Over Time: Does it make you sad??

[Tres Discrete]

Relaxing, listening to Elton John's Madman Across The Water. Just really enjoying each song made me think.....

Does it make you guys sad, when an artist that meant so much to all of us had these absolutely killer releases.....is getting older and just cannot bring anything to the table that is remotely as good as what they did in their prime? It's all part of growing older, but it truly makes me sad. Elton was such a monster artist in his day, and his songs bring me such joy...but as he grew older, his output grew out of touch and I didn't much like it.

Sad......

I hear what you are saying…but what’s worse…that…or completely giving up like Billy Joel has…just replaying your old hits to your old fan base?
I recall reading that Elton tried to egg Billy into writing some new material when they toured together…but no go. Anyway, I give Elton credit for still trying…whether or not I buy his records.
Gotta love the effort

 

[Mistee]

I have a completely different take on it.

It's not the change that saddens me, all artists must change, as they search out new things to explore. And their new things may not be to our liking, but that's how it is. Every artists' prerogative.

What saddens me is when artists disregard their earlier, perhaps greatest and most significant achievements.

So it doesn't sadden me that David Sylvian, for example, significantly changed so much over the years -- from Japan's post punk songs such as Adolescent Sex to the beautifully crafted Gentlemen Take Polaroids and Tin Drum albums, to Sylvian's initial solo albums and work with the likes of Fripp, then to his much less popular ambient installation work -- what saddens me is how little little he seems to regard his past achievements that seem his greatest to me. Such as those final Japan albums. And the likes of Gone To Earth... He disregards them, I understand, to the point, where he will not allow them to be reissued in any meaningful way and opposes past bandmates wanting to explore them (ala Hackett).

Another example would be Gabriel, who just does not seem willing to look back with any kind of respect to his great achievements with Genesis. Look to Hackett, Peter! It's actually OK to play your old songs that were also great, maybe even your best. You helped write those songs, for crying out loud, they're a part of you. It's OK to look back as well as forward.

So that's what saddens me.

 

[oleintagout]

Honestly no, I respect their choice to do what they want. What makes me sad is what I just read about Al Green. Never again will I read about their private lives, but musical choices are fine by me, I would never chastise an artist for them.

 

[Quad Linda]

Lightfoot - I'm sad about him. Once one of the richest voices. Suspect he might have similar feelings. Lightfoot is among my most favorite singers and writers. Caught him live several times, incl. at Desert Inn (RIP) in old Vegas. My favorite and most played Quad is my CD-4 of Sundown. It goes to 11. Great voice, mix, songs, and fidelity. Among my 10 fave albums on any format. Also Recommended: Cold on the Shoulder Quad, and 3 CD Original Lightfoot box (2ch complete UA) Canada '92. US version has different title and is abbreviated (2 CD.)

2 LP Gord's Gold was announced as a Quad, though never released. If a Quad mix exists, would love to see it released.

https://www.discogs.com/release/644...e-Original-Lightfoot-The-United-Artists-Years
Billy Joel - Don't lament his absence as a writer. He's done what's right for him. Likely he got tired of churning out albums and "next hit" pressure. A vital, vibrant live act.

Imagine Otis or Harry Chapin sans their tragic fatal accidents. Still dynamic live performers, yet new material ceased in '68 and '81, respectively. I'd gladly pay to see them! Held tickets for Chapin for literally days after he passed.

Caught Joel live most recently at Sears Center and at Wrigley Field reunion tour w/Elton. Still a vibrant live act. 5 of my hundred fave records are his. 3 Quads and a couple 5.1 SACD's, all of which are essential. Much as I'd love new music, I feel he doesn't owe any of his fans anything.

Joan Baez - Caught her live on Farewell tour. She was kind enough to send us a copy of her then current album, so we could sing along. I heard a few cracks in her voice. Expected the same live. To my amazement, she was in great voice. Albeit, now a bit lower, able to perfectly hit every one of those notes without cracking. Also, the first concert in decades where we were the youngest people there. A great show.

Come From the Shadows & Diamonds and Rust are great albums, among her best. Even better in active Quad mixes.

 

[ar surround]

My favorite and most played Quad is my CD-4 of Sundown. It goes to 11.

Only an 11 out of 10...for shame Linda.

Ian Anderson's new Jethro Tull album is a case in point for this thread topic. I think that it's a pretty good album after giving it a couple of listens. Sitting here, can I remember one song from the album and what it sounds like? No. What I do remember is observing that Ian Anderson can't sing anymore. It's more like talk-singing than actual singing. But that's the best he can do at his age.

 

[markshan]

But you have to remember that if "Madman Across the Water" came out today as a new release, hardly anyone would hear it. New stuff, even by legendary artists, never gets played and exposed the way music did when "Madman" came out. We were all young and every album we bought we played to death. The radio stations all played the same thing, and we all heard "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" wherever we went. We love those old albums almost too much in that we left them alone for long periods of time, then came back to them and remembered how great they were and how they remind us of great times when we didn't have all of the crap to worry about that we do now.

Today Elton puts out a new LP to very little fanfare. It gets no global exposure, and his hard core fans play it once or twice, maybe pull a song or two off for their iPhone or digital library, the the album goes into a pile never to be played again.

Songs need to be burned into our heads to be "great". There are a ton of songs that are burned into our heads that are really not great, but because we heard them so much and they became part of us, our minds think they're great. However, if you play them for someone today, they'd shrug them off and say "It's not a great song"

It's a progression of time and repetition. It's easy for a young kid today to say "The Beatles were not that great" as they listen to "Baby You're a Rich Man" and think, what's the big deal.

It's a totally different world, and though their aged voices are not the same, their songwriting might still be very good, it's just that if the songs don't get heard and played with the same frequency as those old songs were, no one will notice.

This. Absolutely this. I think of Paul Simon and how his "fans" just wanted Bridge Over Troubled Water when he was making GREAT records into his 70s. He didn't so much retire as tell all the narrow minds to eff off. So Beautiful or So What and Stranger to Stranger are up there with the best albums that he's ever done. The problem wasn't him, the problem was YOU (not you Jon, general YOU as in the person who can't see how great those albums are). It's because you don't objectively listen to music. You use music as a backing track for life experiences. It's not as good for no other reason than it doesn't relive your youth.

 

[ar surround]

So Beautiful or So What and Stranger to Stranger are up there with the best albums that he's ever done.

Were these ever released in 5.1? I don't recall seeing any talk on this forum about them being issued in hi-res multichannel. Or did I miss the boat? They would have been immediate purchases for me had he released them in 5.1 and I knew about it.

 

[barfle]

“If memories were all I sang, I’d rather drive a truck.”

Rick Nelson

I figure an artist, like any creative person, has to come up with new ideas over the course of their life. Some of those ideas will fall flat.

 

[Quadmon]

Gordon Lightfoot comes to mind when I think of artists whose voice has changed with time. I've been to a couple of his shows in recent years, and you wouldn't recognize him physically, or by his voice. To me, there is very little, if any, resemblance to his former self. Even after you know it's him, you can't really tell it's him. So that's the sad part. I really went out of total respect for the man. His music (and lyrics) gave me so much enjoyment and inspiration when I was young, I just had to see him in person. The happy part is that, after all he's been through, he's still doing what he loves to do! I'd love to be able to thank him in person for his contribution to my life, but he doesn't mingle with his fans. That's disappointing. Of course, I still listen to him on an almost daily basis.

One thing though, that really aggravates me; when you here a concert promo on the radio for a particular artist, group, whatever, they play sound bites of what they used to sound like 3 or 4 decades ago. So deceiving. That's marketing for you, I guess.

We will be going to his show in Akron next week. First saw him about 25 years ago. Not the most raucous concert I’ve attended. We oldsters have good days and bad days. Hope to catch him on a good day. Either way he will get my respect, not my criticism. I still go to these shows wishing I could do what they do.

 

[markshan]

Were these ever released in 5.1? I don't recall seeing any talk on this forum about them being issued in hi-res multichannel. Or did I miss the boat? They would have been immediate purchases for me had he released them in 5.1 and I knew about it.

Not to my knowledge, but they are collections of great songs. Literally his best work since Graceland.

 

[mandrix]

Lightfoot - I'm sad about him. Once one of the richest voices. Suspect he might have similar feelings. Lightfoot is among my most favorite singers and writers. Caught him live several times, incl. at Desert Inn (RIP) in old Vegas. My favorite and most played Quad is my CD-4 of Sundown. It goes to 11. Great voice, mix, songs, and fidelity. Among my 10 fave albums on any format. Also Recommended: Cold on the Shoulder Quad, and 3 CD Original Lightfoot box (2ch complete UA) Canada '92. US version has different title and is abbreviated (2 CD.)

2 LP Gord's Gold was announced as a Quad, though never released. If a Quad mix exists, would ❤ love to see it released.

https://www.discogs.com/release/644...e-Original-Lightfoot-The-United-Artists-Years
Billy Joel - Don't lament his absence as a writer. He's done what's right for him. Likely he got tired of churning out albums and "next hit" pressure. A vital, vibrant live act.

Imagine Otis or Harry Chapin sans their tragic fatal accidents. Still dynamic live performers, yet new material ceased in '68 and '81, respectively. I'd gladly pay to see them! Held tickets for Chapin for literally days after he passed.

Caught Joel live most recently at Sears Center and at Wrigley Field reunion tour w/Elton. Still a vibrant live act. 5 of my hundred fave records are his. 3 Quads and a couple 5.1 SACD's, all of which are essential. Much as I'd love new music, I feel he doesn't owe any of his fans anything.

Joan Baez - Caught her live on Farewell tour. She was kind enough to send us a copy of her then current album, so we could sing along. I heard a few cracks in her voice. Expected the same live. To my amazement, she was in great voice. Albeit, now a bit lower, able to perfectly hit every one of those notes without cracking. Also, the first concert in decades where we were the youngest people there. A great show.

Come From the Shadows & Diamonds and Rust are great albums, among her best. Even better in active Quad mixes.

Your observations and personal experience with music have IMO been a mainstay on this forum for many years now. I salute you, dear lady.

 

[Electric Moo]

Lightfoot - I'm sad about him. Once one of the richest voices. Suspect he might have similar feelings. Lightfoot is among my most favorite singers and writers. Caught him live several times, incl. at Desert Inn (RIP) in old Vegas.

The only time I've seen Gordon Lightfoot live was with The Cowboy Junkies: it was an amazing show in a small venue. Farley Mowat was there to talk too. Gord & Farley started drinking scotch backstage, then later came out to do wolf howl impressions!! Hugely entertaining, and funny!

Re: the topic, I get a laugh out of Joe Walshes comment " if I'd known how many times I had to play this song, I'd never have written it "

What makes me sad is when a group of amazingly creative artists get so sick of each other, they refuse to work together anymore.

 

[Quad Linda]

Your observations and personal experience with music have IMO been a mainstay on this forum for many years now. I salute you, dear lady.

Thank you. I'm very touched!

 

[Genious]

What makes me sad is what I just read about Al Green.

Did I miss something regarding Al Green?

 

[JonUrban]

One thing to add. There's a tune on Elton's latest (I think) album called 'Lookin' Up'. It really rocks and is catchy and in the vein of "I'm Still Standing". Had he released that song after "I'm Still Standing", I am sure it would have gotten played and been a hit. Of course, his voice would have been more powerful, but the SONG is good. Commercial, catchy, and even snappy enough to be put down as being too commercial.

However, no one, and I mean no one (except me and Fredblue) heard it. It's just not a fit for today's streaming world. If no one hears it, it can't be good - or become a classic