A&M Acts That Are Your Least Favorite

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Captain Bacardi said:
Well, I guess I get to be the bad guy on this one, but since this is my own "Least Favorite" list, it shouldn't matter:

1. Carpenters - I just never understood their popularity. With the exception of "Close To You", I found their music to be rather cheesy, schmaltzy, tired and unappealing. I never thought Karen's vocals were all that great, and rather over-rated. They were the Kenny G of 70's pop music.

...awaiting some flames online... :twisted:


OOOUUUUUUUCH!!!!!! :) Apparently, Miracle-Ear must not have been in business from '69-'83.... J/k....We are all entitled to our opinions. -Chris
 
1. Carpenters - Yeah...I will give you credit there, Cap'n! :wink:

2. Chris Montez - Eh, pretty "girly voiced"...! I don't even have any more of his records... :|

3. Claudine Longet - Well, I AM glad most of her stuff WAS reissued on CD...though as Japanese imports; But, yeah, a "second-rate Yoko Ono", at best--at times...! :wtf:

4. Captain & Tennille - Their Greatest Hits album is good to hear, sometimes...but... :rolleyes:

5. Liza Minnelli - Pretty Unlistenable, to me, too! 'Cept for "The Debutante's Ball" on Family Portrait...! :thumbsup:

6. Sandpipers - Oh, C'Mon! My favorite A&M Act! Them and Jimmie Rodgers are about all I've got left (from A&M's "Old Days") in my Record Rack...! :love:

7. Paul Williams - Yeah, not much of a voice...but Top-Notch songwriting skills! Only have his first three albums as well as Phantom Of The Paradise... :confused:

8. Joan Armatrading - Very little about her I like, too! How she managed to stay with A&M so long, is beyond me...! :baah:

9. Tim Weisberg - I tried his LP's, too! :yawn: ...A&M actually had a "Kenny G. in its time"...! :mad:

Captain Bacardi said:
...Capt. Bacardi

...awaiting some flames online... :twisted:

Eh, you're right on all of the above...

Captain Bacardi said:
10. ...The Revolutionary Ensemble (Horizon)

...'Cept I have never heard of your last entry... :D

Dave -- Bad Guy II -- :evil: :jester: :)
 
Steven J. Gross said:
How about:
Tango,
Earthquake,
1994- the group

Yikes- these are obscure!

I thought the first Earthquake album was good! The second, Why Don't You Try Me?...Well..."I tried"... :cussing: :mad:

Saw the Tango album, (or albums) but that group just didn't seem to be something to waste any money on... :| :baah:

...Chris De Burgh and 1994, I've never heard of, 'cept for De Burgh's Lady In Red...Is Dancing With Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... :hurl: :rolleyes:


Dave
 
I'm looking at my cassette copy of the group 1994- It was produced by the famous Jack Douglas (Aerosmith?) from 1978. I ought to give it one more play.
 
I'll admit that Chris DeBurgh's "The Lady in Red" hasn't held up for me over the years, if only because I've heard it WAY too many times, and his slower stuff really bores me, but when he picks up the tempo, DeBurgh can be REALLY fantastic, I think. "Don't Pay the Ferryman" is the complete OPPOSITE of "The Lady in Red" - a really uptempo rocker and definitely one of my favorite lost Top 40 singles of the '80s. Can't believe it didn't chart any higher than #34. Killer record.

I agree with the comment on the last page about TAPESTRY; not that Carole King's not a great songwriter and not that there's not some great songs on TAPESTRY, but most of the songs on there HAVE been done better, I think - James Taylor's version of "You've Got a Friend" beats the living PULP out of her version; ditto with Aretha's version of "Natural Woman" - and I've always been stunned, considering all the accolades the album's received, by how lousy the production and engineering is (or so it's always seemed to ME, anyway). For one thing, I don't think I've ever heard an album with more audible mike hiss. I've recorded home demos in my bedroom on cheapo cheapo tape recorders that come out sounding better than TAPESTRY. I think she's a talent and I do like some of her later stuff, but TAPESTRY is just WAAAAY too "raw-sounding" for my tastes.

And I gotta agree with the votes for Sheryl Crow - I do have her first two CDs, but A) her biggest singles, i.e. "All I Wanna Do," "If It Makes You Happy," etc., just don't hold up for me with repeated listens - they get old so quick for some reason; I prefer "A Change" or "Solidify" or "Hard to Make a Stand"; B) her slower stuff just seems to drag on forever, i.e. "Home"; and C) the easiest way for any performer to completely alienate me is to shift into 'I'm-more-interested-in-politics' mode. I don't care if an artist is even voting for MY guy, I still don't want them friggin' lecturing me about politics or telling me how to vote. It really, really, really drives me up the wall when artists do that. But I rant ...

Jeff F.
NP: Tommy Tutone "Angel Say No"
 
Yeah, I forgot about Chris DeBurgh's "Don't Pay The Ferryman"! He should have done more Rockers like that! :thumbsup: I liked the video for that song, too! :agree: Ranks with what Paul Young (...Everytime you go away...You take a piece of me with you...) was doing back then, too! :wink:

Dave

...Until he gets you to the other side... :laugh:
 
I can understand why so many are not infatuated with Armatrading and deBurgh... The "folk troubador" category of music into which they fall is highly personal, listener to listener. And that niche had it's heyday in the 60s where it became highly topical (Ochs, Dylan, Baez and so many more). Of the two I prefer deBurgh for the stories his songs paint so well in the imagination. His first three LPS are truly terrific IMHO. He's now on Miles (I.R.S. Records) Copeland's Ark 21 label...

Armatrading has a few terrific songs, but overall it is amazing A&M stuck with her as long as they did, considering her following never grew beyond one of cult status. Plus Tracy Chapman came along and did on her debut album what Joan had been trying for decades.

1994, Tango. Lazy Racer, Budgie, Hummingbird and Livewire are ones I've been curious to hear. 70s/80s rock with which I had no interest at the time. Now the 80s punk/new wave acts -- those I am familiar with... Stranglers, Squeeze, Dickies, Spizz, Police, Hazel O, Oingo Boingo, Split Enz, the I.R.S. roster... Oh how I miss those glorious days! :sad:

--Mr Bill
 
Mr Bill said:
Armatrading has a few terrific songs, but overall it is amazing A&M stuck with her as long as they did, considering her following never grew beyond one of cult status. Plus Tracy Chapman came along and did on her debut album what Joan had been trying for decades.

I've always thought of Joan Armatrading as A&M's Tracy Chapman, too!
It IS amazing A&M stuck with her as long as they did - her sales were never especially impressive, and her chart record on the singles charts was almost non-existent, but at the same time, even though I'm not much of a fan myself, I think it's amazing that Armatrading didn't do just a little bit better, sales-wise and singles-wise, than she did, 'cause I think that she's more commercially-accessible than Chapman is. Even though Armatrading's never had a Top 40 hit and Chapman's had TWO (both of which were real oddities for their time and were truly "surprise hits"), Chapman's could-potentially-do-well-on-radio songs are so few and far between - her last few albums, anyway, have quite LITERALLY put me to sleep - but Armatrading, at least, in her heyday, always had at least ONE song on each album that seemed like obvious singles material and she at least seems to TRY for commercial success more than Chapman does, I've always thought.
 
You mean Chapman recorded a second album? :wink:

I thought Joan's "Drop The Pilot" would be her break at long last. Catchy tune, good video in fairly decent "eMpTy V" rotation and A&M pushing it should've done the trick...

--Mr B
 
Mr Bill said:
I thought Joan's "Drop The Pilot" would be her break, at long last!

--Mr B

That's from her album, The Key, right? That's the ONLY song I even remember...and I think I saw the video for it, as well.

I also had Walk Under Ladders, of which I only remember the title-track.

The rest of those two LP's were just very forgettable...! :shake:

Though, one of them sported a song, "Bad Habits", that was also pretty catchy. :agree:

But, I did like her first or second LP, Show Some Emotion...Now, THAT was pretty good! :thumbsup:

Dave

...Yeah, her albums have me "scratchin' MY head", too...! :confused:
 
I was in a resale shop a while back and came across a 45 called "Disco Johnson" by Raymond J. Johnson Jr. (Anybody remember his act?) I'm sorry I didn't buy it. It probably was so bad it was great. I believe it was on A&M.

When I was a teenager discovering A&M acts for the first time, we heard "Call Me" and then "The More I See You" by Montez on the radio. At the time, we thought she was a pretty good singer...and then the album came out. Whoops! In spite of the high voice, I think Chris does a good job on those records. I bought 'em all. We always thought Julius Wechter was in charge of the backgrounds, which we liked more than the singing.
 
bob knack said:
I was in a resale shop a while back and came across a 45 called "Disco Johnson" by Raymond J. Johnson Jr. (Anybody remember his act?) I'm sorry I didn't buy it. It probably was so bad it was great. I believe it was on A&M.

Ray J. Johnson made a disco record??? Oh man, you SHOULD have got that. Somewhere out there is a "so terrible, it's great" radio show that would kill to have that record. If it's even HALF as terrible as what I'm imagining in my head, it's GOT to be a camp classic. :tongue:
 
Not that THIS group is my least favorite (or one of 'em), but I've found the works of FAIRPORT CONVENTION, a bit hard to grasp.

Maybe, it's Midieval Rennaissance Folk, but I've owned nearly every album by this group and just never understood their "concept". I even bought a Two-CD Set, just for an Unreleased Track, actually recorded at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood (Yeah...REALLY!!), which is a Nine (or maybe NINETEEN) and A Half-Minute Jam...

I tried their Double-Album sampler, Fairport Chronicles, as well as off-shoots like Fotheringay and Sandy Denny, as well as (Not Just A Group, But A...) BUNCH...!

Sorry, I just do not enjoy this group, as well as I think I should. The music is good, in fact, GREAT...but does Little to completely hold my attention...

Second Place: The Strawbs--also hard to enjoy the works of 'cept for a few "moments"...

...And Dave Cousins' ...Last Summer :?: ...or something like that; bought a Canadian copy of it for just a BUCK and in Mint Shape....!

Third: Shawn Phillips: This guy is also a bit Unlistenable, but, at least on Faces and Bright White... The Dude...Rocks Out...!! :goodie:

Dave

...No...FAIRport...Not, AIRport...!! :laugh:
 
Hearing Mike Brewer & Tom Shipley's "One Toke Over The Line" on the radio reminded me of the A&M Album these two made...

Nothing that much wrong with it... Just a Forgettable Folk-Rock Facade... :sad:

Maybe Mike & Tom just didn't get promoted by A&M as well as they should've... :confused:


Dave
 
I have to agree with Captain Bacardi here on the Carpenters. My sincere apologies to all the fans here, but I just find their sound very overproduced, and I have never really seen much in Karen's vocals.

I hope this isn't considered a thread crap... growing up hearing their singles play almost every day on the radio, I am making a considered opinion, not just pulling it out from underneath...
 
seashorepiano said:
I have to agree with Captain Bacardi here on the Carpenters. My sincere apologies to all the fans here, but I just find their sound very overproduced, and I have never really seen much in Karen's vocals.

I hope this isn't considered a thread crap... growing up hearing their singles play almost every day on the radio, I am making a considered opinion, not just pulling it out from underneath...

I'll generally agree...

When the Carpenter's Close To You came out on Top 40 radio in 1970, I was 19 years old and thought it was a nice pop tune from a nice, soft group. But, it wasn't particularly exciting, or something new and great, IMO. I noticed it, but didn't get particularly excited when I heard it...sort of ho-hum. Nice, but other things caused my ears to perk up more...

To me, the Carpenters debut came along about the time I generally began to pay a lot less attention to Top 40 radio anyway. Sort of the beginning of the decade of the seventies.

Other songs followed, as everyone knows, and none of them blew me away, although I could listen to them pleasantly, but some degree of boredom set in pretty quickly.

Now, mind you, I'm a trumpet player, so I favor horns and trumpets. Therefore, the TJB...Vocals aren't what immediately catches my attention anyway.

I think Karen Carpenter was a competent pop vocalist with a style and sound to her voice that was somewhat unique to her. You could pretty much tell when she was singing. The music that the Carpenters did was not particularly unusual, nor original in sound and style - it was simply soft pop like a lot of others - and probably could have been done successfully by just about anyone, IMO.

I am not saying anything against the Carpenters. They were just fine. I think they provided a lot of nice, soft pop, and I would much rather hear them than a lot of other things that have made up the pop music landscape over the years.

But, I'm not anywhere nearly as interested in their music as I am in Herb Alpert and the TJB. Herb certainly heard something very commercial in them and did much for their careers. And, without him, I'm not sure what would have happened to them, if anything.

Again, I am NOT saying there is anything wrong or bad about them, and I do have a compilation CD of them. Just not real excited, etc... :|
 
seashorepiano said:
I hope this isn't considered a thread crap... growing up hearing their singles play almost every day on the radio, I am making a considered opinion, not just pulling it out from underneath...

Not a thread crap at all - the thread asked what your least favorite A&M act was, and you answered it, and we assume honestly.

You're not alone in your lukewarm response to the Carpenters. Many who lived through that era developed almost a seething rage against them!

Some may be offended, but I'm one of those who doesn't mind differing points of view.

Harry
 
I'll just repeat one of my thoughts I expressed above, if I might be so bold as to do so...

I think without Herb Alpert involved as he was in getting the Carpenters recorded and promoted on A&M, there is a very strong likelihood that the Carpenters would have remained relatively obscure...they may have never "hit it big," so to speak, based on their own merit.

I think Herb saw some commercial potential, was able to get them started with a catchy little song or two, especially with his "eye" for what may sell, and launched the Carpenters...without him, I have a feeling they may have never gotten "out of the starting gate," so to speak.

Just my opinions...FWIW
 
Hey I'm one of the biggest fans of Karen Carpenter but yeah I totally agree that some of the songs are totally emabarrasing. I sure wouldn't go playing my C's CDs in the car with the windows down.

But just like with other artists, some songs are great, some good, and some suck!

I can understand the cheezy sounds of the Carpenters, but why do ya'll hate Sheryl Crow so much. She's one of my favorite artists, and has some really great songs.

The only Captain and Tennille song I like is LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER. But you can only listen to it like once a month before it starts getting old.

Kim Carnes didn't have a real big hit with A&M. That first LP was garbage and the only album I really care for is MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Andrew
...with more opinions, online...
 
raz42289 said:
Hey I'm one of the biggest fans of Karen Carpenter but yeah I totally agree that some of the songs are totally emabarrasing....

Like, say, "Goofus"? :tongue:

raz42289 said:
why do ya'll hate Sheryl Crow so much. She's one of my favorite artists, and has some really great songs....

I do like a lot of her stuff, but I think that most, though not all, of the singles just don't hold up especially well with extensive radio play, though "A Change" and any single from TNMC that isn't "All I Wanna Do" still hold up for me pretty well. She does have some good songs in her, I'd agree. [Have you ever heard her collaboration with Rosanne Cash, "Beautiful Pain"? [It's more like a cameo, but Crow still got a "featuring" billing on it.] Seriously dynamite song. Sticks in your head like crazy.]

raz42289 said:
The only Captain and Tennille song I like is LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER. But you can only listen to it like once a month before it starts getting old.

Yeah, I gotta agree with you there; it can get old. Have you ever heard The Tubes' remake of it? [It's on their A&M hits collection, "T.R.A.S.H.".] Easily my favorite version of the song, even though it's got to make Neil Sedaka absolutely cringe. They kinda annihilated it, but that's part of what makes it such a riotous listen.

raz42289 said:
Kim Carnes didn't have a real big hit with A&M. That first LP was garbage and the only album I really care for is MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Have you heard any of her post-MISTAKEN IDENTITY singles? Most of them are alright at best, but I absolutely love "Invisible Hands". One of my favorite lost '80s 45s; I've worn the heck out of my copy!

Jeff F.
 
Not only Goofus but the whole A KIND OF HUSH album. Don't even get me started on WE"VE ONLY JUST BEGUN or CLOSE TO YOU. How "square" can we get?
 
There are a couple or so of Sheryl Crow's songs that I kind of like...not wildly excited...but will listen to if they happen to cross my path, if you know what I mean. The gym where I work out plays music and occasionally Sheryl will pop up on the radio station they play...

BUT, I think the songs could be done just as well by anyone...Sheryl Crow herself doesn't make any difference, IMO. They are catchy songs, and having them sung by Sheryl Crow is pretty much irrelevant...
 
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