Dixie Chicks on ACL

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 5 Jun 2007 6:15 pm

MP..
Hmm..

So reasons for liking them are not suspect, whereas reasons for not liking them are.. That could come off as a bit "Inquisitional" to the casual observer..

I don't like "Sugarland" because of one live song I saw on the CMT awards that probably had bad sound.

I liked John Mayall for 30 years until I saw him in a pathetic ACL show with the had-to-be-embarrassed Blues Breakers.

I think there are many many people like me that are just looking for the slightest reason to "not like" acts or stars.

I know plenty of people that hate Jr Brown for reasons that have NOTHING to do with his music. They probably don't like his music because of it.

Some people don't and didn't like Buddy Rich, after his R Rated Rant. Some of us liked him more

.

In the end I think that the public's reasons for liking or not liking acts or stars often are not rooted at all in the body of their creative works.

Heck. Johnny Bond, Spade Cooley, and even Jimmy Dean had their works diminished greatly by non-musical episodes.

What's new?

Maybe an H. L. Mencken quote is appropriate..

EJL

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 5 Jun 2007 6:55 pm

Here's one for ya ....
"A celebrity is one who is known to many persons he is glad he doesn't know."

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 5 Jun 2007 7:09 pm

Eric West wrote:MP..
Hmm..

So reasons for liking them are not suspect, whereas reasons for not liking them are.. That could come off as a bit "Inquisitional" to the casual observer..

Eric, I don't know if that "MP" is me or not, but if it is, you've totally misinterpreted my statement. You can dislike them, (or anybody else) for any reason whatsoever, and nobody has the right to criticize or question your subjective taste.

But subjective taste should not blind you to objective fact. You might not like the color green, but you can't deny that it is made up of blue and yellow.

You can hate the Dixie Chicks with a passion usually reserved for ex wives, child molesters, or in my case, anchovies. That's your prerogative.

But different from saying that they can't sing or play well. Your feelings about them and their music is subjective, their level of skill is objective, demonstrable fact.

BTW I agree with you about Mayall. 40 years ago he was wonderful and some of his albums like Bare Wires and Turning Point were brilliant and inspiring, and set a standard of excellence that few could equal.

But today he's between 75 and 80 years old and can't cut it anymore, and he really should retire and let his fans remember him at his creative peak, rather than the tired old man he has become.

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 5 Jun 2007 7:20 pm

So reasons for liking them are not suspect, whereas reasons for not liking them are.. That could come off as a bit "Inquisitional" to the casual observer..

Eric, I think you're a bit paranoid there. It's a well-known fact that quite a few people who liked the Dixie Chicks for musical reasons, up to a certain point in time, turned against them for non-musical reasons. Therefore if someone, without stating their reasons, indicates they "don't like" the DC, it's not unreasonable to wonder whether their reasons are musical or non-musical, or both. I've never seen it suggested that anyone who didn't like them previously for musical reasons decided at that same point in time that they "liked" the DC, for non-musical reasons.

Of course it's everyone's right to use whatever criteria they choose to apply. I think those who have spoken favorably of the Dixie Chicks here have stated their music-based reasons.

BTW, I never thought Mayall really cut it himself--he just surrounded himself with great musicians!

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 5 Jun 2007 7:43 pm

(..burp...)

Hey Arch... Got any more kittens..?

Yes Mike.. (hehehee...) it was you..

But subjective taste should not blind you to objective fact. -MP-

I think it's the objectivity that's ill defined. I suppose we shouldn't, but everybody seems to have subjective taste. (that obscures their views).

Or I'd guess they'd risk having none at all, huh..

Even musicians.

No Brint, I'm not just "paraniod". Reece pretty much pegged my psyhcia.. pys..phys...

well you know..

I happen to like the DXCX music.

Always did.

There are artists that I agree more with otherwise, and "like" less musically.

So shoot me, ( just a figure of speech..)

EJL

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 5 Jun 2007 7:52 pm

Eric, I've read enough of your posts to know that you're not just paranoid!

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 5 Jun 2007 7:57 pm

Well Brint, you've probably read more of them than I have...

<:0)

EJL

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 5 Jun 2007 8:10 pm

I have seen better fiddlers, Stephane Grappelli, Stuart Duncan and Alison Krause come to mind.
But Martie Maguire is a excellent fiddler.
And solid singer.

I have seen Jerry Douglas and Sally Van Meter,
and a number of other better Dobro players,
but Emily Robison does a fine job, a nice bluesy feel too.

Seen Bela Fleck several times, she's no competition there,
but does fine, most pro's wouldn't hesitate to
invite her up to play on stage on either instrument,
if she happened to be in their audience.

Natalie seems to play some guitar,
nothing to write home about,
but neither is Dolly, Emmylou or most any country lady singers.
They are there to sing not play hot guitar.

But clearly Nathalie can play the thing and still deliver the song well.

Again it's the sum of the parts being greater than the parts.

Any one of them wandered by my gig,
I'd have them up sittin'in in half a breath.
And not for the 'P.R. value',
but because they can play and sing.[/url]

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 5 Jun 2007 8:27 pm

I'd love the Dixie Chicks if Natalie would keep her mouth shut when she isn't singing. The way she represents the band with her immature bull#$%^ during public appearances is pathetic beyond compare, and it affects my perception of the music, right or wrong.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 5 Jun 2007 8:33 pm

Barry Blackwood wrote:b0b, oh wise one, what would that Digitech pedal be called?

DigiTech Vocalist Live 4 Harmonizer for $399.95

It does:
Pitch correction with four adjustable parameters, 3- or 4-part vocal harmony , Guitar Reverb and Chorus with four adjustable parameters, Vocal enhancement effects matrix lets you adjust up to five parameters of Preamp, Compressor/Gate, EQ, Lead Effects, Harmony, Reverb, Echo Delay and Guitar effects.

If you want to move up to more of a road quality one, you can get the TC Helicon VoiceLive Vocal Floor Processor for $799.

Or the rack mount version TC Helicon VoiceWorks Vocal Processor for $599.99

or the Antares Vocal Producer for $399

You wouldn't believe how much "Auto-Tune Pitch correction" is available these days, and how much is actually being used both live and in the studio.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 5 Jun 2007 8:44 pm

David L. Donald wrote:

I also agree that Tommy Nash was a bigger loss
than his replacement a gain, in general.
I prefer hot picking too.

For me, I think that David Grissom is FAR better suited for the style that the "Chicks" are going right now.

I also suspect that Lloyd had more to do with the change in guitar players than anyone else. David and Lloyd played together in Joe Ely's band for what 6 or 8 years, and they sounded incredible together.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 5 Jun 2007 9:15 pm

No intended reproach on Mr. Grissom's playing.
He just isn't as in your face a player
from the vids I have seen.

Maybe it's the fact he 'blends in better'
that makes him stand out less.

It might be that a change was needed, for various reasons,
and that Lloyd had the perfect replacement at hand.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 5 Jun 2007 11:24 pm

I was a bit mystified at Theresa's contribution earlier...

I seem to recall her defending Kenny Chesney after someone had given him some well-deserved negative criticism here on the Forum.

So: apparently Theresa sees Kenny as the 'real deal', but not the Dixie Chicks. Could it be that she's determined not to like them?

If that's the case, Theresa, I find it sad.

We have all the DC's records at home; there's a consistently high standard in their work that's all too rare in today's country music....

....and Natalie's vocal on 'Shower The People' on CMT's James Taylor/Chicks 'Crossroads' show a while ago was breathtaking!

RR

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 5 Jun 2007 11:38 pm

Ditto; sorry T, but that's how we see it.

As to rareness,
while Nathalie's voice is not my favorite
of all singers, it has that extremely rare quality
to create intense emotion repeatedly.

The best example : A Soldiers Coming Home.
Few songs I have heard in the past 2 decades
hold that much power repeatedly.
And the song harkens back to the kind of country music
when the songs lived the life around them.
Tradgedy and love included in equal measure.

But also humor is found in the one about
the trailor trash wedding. It really draws
a picture you can see.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Jun 2007 6:33 am

Much thanks, Alvin.

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 6 Jun 2007 6:56 am

Roger,
You find my contribution mystifing?

I stated I didn't see the show. I'm never been a fan and don't own any DC CD's. I'm amazed at the gushing over them.

I can say the same thing about Kenny. I can defend whomever I want, too. Freedom of speech!

I regret posting under this topic, because I couldn't say anything nice about them.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 6 Jun 2007 7:28 am

Barry Blackwood wrote:b0b, oh wise one, what would that Digitech pedal be called?

DigiTech® Vocalist® Live 4

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 6 Jun 2007 7:44 am

Just to be clear: I liked their music before Natalie launched her political career and the other Chicks sort of got swept up in her coattails. I won't be buying anymore.

I doubt that I'd feel as strongly about it if they'd chosen song as their form of poltical expression.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 6 Jun 2007 7:46 am

Ron, that saddest thing of all is that Natalie's bookends do not have any choice but to tag along with her pathetic tirades. If they oppose her, their careers as world wide rock stars are finished.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 6 Jun 2007 8:26 am

Bookends....hhmmm interesting.

If anything I find the literature
resides in the bookends more than
the book enclosed therein.

But she can put a song over.

Gushing... hhhmmm again,
So positive critical analysis is gushing?
Critique should only be negative? I guess..

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Jun 2007 8:39 am

Thanks, b0b, but Alvin beat you to the answer several posts ago.

And by the way, has Digitech now trademarked the word 'Vocalist' ?

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Jun 2007 8:43 am

Theresa and Ron, would this be akin to not going to see any Tom Cruise movies since you learned he was a Scientologist?

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 6 Jun 2007 9:51 am

Barry Blackwood wrote:And by the way, has Digitech now trademarked the word 'Vocalist' ?

After losing the legal skirmish over the use of the word "Harmonizer" (Eventide owns it), I imagine they're grasping at straws.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 6 Jun 2007 10:04 am

Whoa! If all my music purchases had to pass a political correctness litmus test, I'd sure save a ton of money.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 6 Jun 2007 10:57 am

I didn't have my glasses on and thought you wrote Imus test.