I don't like The Beatles, am I the only one?

[EJ3]

I was oh-so-tempted to post this image originally.
(I like the audiovisual alert style best, BTW)

PS I guess the la vache qui rit in a Swiss style would be higher impedance than the regular kind(?).

I liked the mental image of exploding cows (fuses) grazing in the Swiss Alps!
+ that is one of my mother's favorite cheeses.

 

[wadude]

Steve Albini was another great producer! Surfer Rosa is a fantastic record!

I used to dislike greatest hits compilations because I couldn’t help but think about all the deep cuts that were being left out.

While walking my dog it dawned on me that not only the cream rises to the top, but also floaters.

 

[Tim Link]

I think the Pixies were the greatest band of that era.

I feel that way too.

 

[Mort]

Being overrated is difficult to sustain for five plus decades, I don’t care how good your handlers are.

Not in a mono culture. That's the point.

 

[wadude]

Plenty of room outside the mono culture. It’s okay to complain but won’t help your personal outcome.
It’s rare talent that achieve artistic and popular success at that level.

 

[xanalog]

...cheeses.

I see your OT and double-down:
...cheesi.

 

[EJ3]

There's something about the Beetles' music that has held a lot of interest for a long time. Cannot be denied. If more people were like me they'd still have made it to fame, but far less prominently. The thing is, if more people were like me, I'd probably change just to be contrary. Now that I think about it, that's probably what happened to me.

Contrarianism is under rated, as (after/if they get over just being pissed off) it may cause them to at least think about whatever it was that we were being contrary about.
Many times I play the devil's advocate of being contrary (even though I may agree with them) just to see if someone is just following the consensus or actually has thought through their position on something. Unfortunately, I find that many are just following the wind of the moment.

 

[DeadBeatAnon]

Steve Albini was another great producer! Surfer Rosa is a fantastic record!

I used to dislike greatest hits compilations because I couldn’t help but think about all the deep cuts that were being left out.

While walking my dog it dawned on me that not only the cream rises to the top, but also floaters.

Not sure I'm getting you. Surfer Rosa is not a "greatest hits" compilation. It's the Pixies first full length album. The band's initial release was an EP, Come on Pilgrim (1987) which includes the track "Vamos" that later appears on Surfer Rosa. Legend has it that the band's label, 4AD released the Pixies demo tape unchanged, which became Come on Pilgrim.

 

[wadude]

Sorry for the confusion, I join in here in between responsibilities. Someone mentioned the Red and Blue compilations, you’re talking about Surfer Rosa, and I’m thinking about a world in which the worst and best can be mainstream money makers…
I also truly believe that when we hear recorded product that they are collaborative efforts between an artist and producer. Bleach was produced by the person best able to realize Cobain's ambition. Nevermind was a producer better able to achieve his goals at that time in conjunction with the label’s desire to produce a selling album. In Utero furthered that by utilizing Albini’s talents. So the artist setting the direction while collaborating with producers working to achieve that goal.

 

[xanalog]

I used to dislike greatest hits compilations because I couldn’t help but think about all the deep cuts that were being left out.

What changed your mind?

Aren't 'greatest hits' compilations similar to holding a cup in hand and saying "We ran out of talent, give us your money"?
imo: It does disservice to all of the talent who helped create their music into 'hits'?

 

[wadude]

The idea that artists should be expected to write their own material let alone entire albums became the norm largely due to the success of the Beatles. Of course they were following the example of a few of their heroes, Holly, Perkins, Penniman and Berry. But pop was usually a three way street: Producer selecting professionally written songs for an artist to interpret. Some of my favorite music was made in this way and often for singles, the medium of the industry at one time.

I used to go gaga for a band or whatever and think their whole albums were wonderful but with the passage of time it has become obvious that some of those tunes were maybe not so great!

Now there are greatest hit comps by bands I really like that are more satisfying to me than the albums they originally appeared on. Not that I don’t still have favorite albums, by any means.

This whole transition has taken me by surprise.

Edit: Should have said Dylan and…

 

[wadude]

For example: I’m a Mott the Hoople fan. I bought a few of their albums with absolutely no regrets. Then I figured out that Brain Capers is to my mind an album that is wall to wall great and combined with their greatest hits comp, also a wall to wall great album, and that together those two albums fill my Mott the Hoople needs.

 

[EJ3]

For example: I’m a Mott the Hoople fan. I bought a few of their albums with absolutely no regrets. Then I figured out that Brain Capers is to my mind an album that is wall to wall great and combined with their greatest hits comp, also a wall to wall great album, and that together those two albums fill my Mott the Hoople needs.

Sometimes "Greatest Hits" albums have many songs from different albums in which each album (or perhaps each side of an album) had a theme and told a story.
The individual hit songs may be great stand alone chapters but can also be as if taking something out of context.
For songs like this, I, many times prefer the albums to just the "Greatest Hits".
I can record (or "rip", if you prefer) from both anything that I can play with a turntable and any 2 channel CD to CD+-R's and can make my own greatest hits, if and when I like.
Maybe, one day (if I am feeling ambitious, when I have all the right gear, during a rain week, I'll digitize that stuff. In the meantime (and maybe for the rest of my life): I'll enjoy it as it is. Somehow, I just do not particularly feel like doing the work involved.
I'd rather just kick back, relax and enjoy.

 

[wadude]

Sometimes "Greatest Hits" albums have man songs from different albums in which each album (or perhaps each side of an album) had a theme and told a story.
The individual hit songs may be great stand alone chapters but can also be a if taking something out of context.
For songs like this, I, many times prefer the albums to just the "Greatest Hits".
I can record (or "rip", if you prefer) from both anything that I cam play with a turntable and any 2 channel CG to CD+-R's and can make my own greatest hits, if and when I like.
Maybe, one day (if I am feeling ambitious, when I have all the right gear, during a rain week, I'll digitize that stuff. In the meantime (and maybe for the rest of my life): I'll enjoy it as it is. Somehow, I just do not particularly feel like doing the work involved.
I'd rather just kick back, relax and enjoy.

Totally with you on that, which is why my own change of heart on the matter surprises me. In the case of Mott the Hoople, All the Young Dudes was a fave of mine and at one time it would have been inconceivable that I wouldn’t have replaced with a CD as I replaced vinyl. But, that’s what happened. Another greatest hits that comes to mind is Badfinger’s. I was a big fan of ZZ Top’s first three albums, but now one of their greatest hits suffices.

At the same time I still buy full albums. There are great ones: Screamadelica by Primal Scream, quite a few Cocteau Twins, Felt…lots of full albums actually, too many to name.

I’ve only digitized one album, Circle Round the Sun by Leo Kottke. It turned out great!

 

[mhardy6647]

seems to me that Greatest Hits albums virtually always* leave off one Greatest Hit, thus pretty much forcing the dilettante also to buy the Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 when it comes out. Lookin' at you, Reg Dwight, Elton John's Greatest Hits, Levon, and Elton John's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.

... and then there are the Greatest Hits albums that include the artist's Greatest Greatest Hit in the form of some jive-butt** live version or alternate take or somesuch nonsense. Frickin** Styx re-recorded the song Lady for their Greatest Hits!?!

but not that I'm bitter or anything.

_______________
* yeah, I know: this is oxymoronic weasel wording.
** please pardon my vulgarity. I blame it on the dudgeon.

 

[xanalog]

Reminds me of an outburst by Julian Casablancas (Strokes):

"Don’t you f*cking look at your watch while I’m singing!"

Would 'greatest hits' exist, if no one prescribed to the original album releaseS?
Would you go to a concert or a symphony, and then leave after hearing that one song you 'love'?

If the infiltration of A-Pop into algorithmic streaming was not bad enough, we seem to be gravitating toward the "One song Charlie" bands again.
Do we swipe right or left?

 

[wadude]

Would you go to a concert or a symphony, and then leave after hearing that one song you 'love'?

Have done!

I have no problem whatsoever with one hit or one hit album bands. The Seeds’ Pushin Too Hard alone is worth a stack of lesser band’s albums. Let’s say, Seals and Crofts?

 

[GroeneLeeuw]

I have a few "Best of" or "Greatest Hits" of artists or bands I (kind of) like but not enough to buy the original albums.
In that sense, it makes sense.
It also happened that based on 1 of those "Best of" I was triggered enough to go find more about the band, in this case Simple Minds and their early work. Very pleased I did so, they were a great band in those days (prior to Don´t you), something I didn´t know.

 

[wadude]

seems to me that Greatest Hits albums virtually always* leave off one Greatest Hit, thus pretty much forcing the dilettante also to buy the Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 when it comes out. Lookin' at you, Reg Dwight, Elton John's Greatest Hits, Levon, and Elton John's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.

... and then there are the Greatest Hits albums that include the artist's Greatest Greatest Hit in the form of some jive-butt** live version or alternate take or somesuch nonsense. Frickin** Styx re-recorded the song Lady for their Greatest Hits!?!

but not that I'm bitter or anything.

_______________
* yeah, I know: this is oxymoronic weasel wording.
** please pardon my vulgarity. I blame it on the dudgeon.

The wild thing about the Mott story is that Brain Capers and Greatest Hits don’t overlap! I wish someone would release a “best of” between The Doors and LA Woman.

 

[Mart68]

Sometimes the 'Best Of' album has songs that are not on any of the albums. Such as on the Steely Dan compilations 'Greatest Hits' and 'Gold.'