jester1470

Yeah, Fish is really hit or miss, you get him on a good day and he's absolutely brilliant, you get him on a bad day and he can be a major arse, I've seen him being both several times. Although for the most part he's ok, last time I saw him he was on amazing form, most relaxed and fun I've seen him, time before he was an arse because he'd had a few bad gigs.

Cozy was a top bloke, really friendly.

Marillion are all pretty good, but I've heard of people getting the cold shoulder from Steve Hogarth but I found him to be ok, a bit standoffish, the bassist Pete is great and Steve Rothery is absolutely brilliant.

Justin Hawkins was a major wanker, made me hate The Darkness even more

Bruce Dickinson was a nice bloke, met him a couple of times, was always really cool

Bruce Watson was another nice bloke, got pissed with his wife

Midge Ure was cool, looks remarkeably like Fred Macauley, but very friendly

Roger Taylor was really cool, bought me a pint after I made a twat of myself

Meat Loaf, another nice guy, very friendly

God there's been so many over the years, the worst have been Justin Hawkins, and Fish on a bad day, the best probably Fish on a good day, Roger Taylor and Cozy...

Cheers

Stuart

I was lucky enough to meet and share a drink with Cozy Powell when I saw Brian May in Edinburgh in 93, he was the first 'hero' I'd ever met, and he couldn't have been a nicer guy, he was a great drummer, saw him do his 1812 overture on drums as a drum solo, totally blew me away, it was really sad when he died, certainly before his time, although it highlights the danger of going to fast and talking with people on the mobile !!

Cheers

Stuart

The best drummer I ever saw was the late Cozy Powell, no-one's come close to him live, then probably Mark Brzezicki and the Mike Portnoy. They're all superb drummers !

Cheers

Stuart

Originally posted by delboy:

thats as well stuart but the man has done an awful lot of pish in his time, more pish than good stuff, the early to mid 80's period for example.... actually all his 80's stuff and most of his 90's stuff but you know you gotta respect him for lasting the distance.....

I quite like some fo the 80's and 90's stuff, things like 'Sacrifice' etc. I also can't think of any band that's been around for 35 years and not done some pish stuff, often more pish than good, but people get remembered for their good stuff, reminds me of that bit in High Fidelity. should a once great artist be judged on his present crimes or past triumphs, when talking about Stevie Wonder. When we saw him he played a lot of the odler stuff including his cover of pinball Wizard, and if he plays a similar set, he'll be worth seeing,

Cheers

Stuart

Yeah, I can see that, though I have to say he came accross much better on stage than I ever believed he would, i'm sure he is a tosser but I'd still spend the money on seeing him anyday,

Cheers

Stuart

He's an amazing performer who has written some classic songs, don't see why everyone has such a problem with him, 'Goodbye yellow brick road', Sacrifice, Benny and the jets, I'm still standing, classic rock/pop. As a performer he ceratinly rates as one of the best i've ever seen, and I've seen a few great ones. I went to see him last year the same week i went to see Iron maiden, i was much more looking forward to maiden, and Elton John gave the better and longer show and the sound was much better, basically was just better !!

Cheers

Stuart

I saw him playing at the SECC last year, dragged along by my ex, and he rocked, one of the best live gigs I've ever seen !! I'd recoimmend anyone who likes live music to see him !!

Cheers

Stuart

"Duel with the devil" is not one of my favourite Transatlantic song by a long way, always preferred the tracks on the debut. I don't think I've ever managed to get through the second album more than once, whereas SMPTe is a classic album. I love songs like 'We all need some light', I have to say that rather surprisingly Transatlantic were probably the worst live band I ever saw, was really dissapointed, I found Roine Stoltz and Neil Morse to be so far up their own arses it was unbelievable. Portnoy and Trewavas were great as usual, and it's nice to be able to see that I've seen Transatlantic as they've now split up. but was surprised at how bad they were. I've seen Trewavas play over 20 times with Marillion and he's one of the most underated bassists out there, Portnoy has said on record he's the best bassist he's wever worked with, and is a big fan of Marillion, some of whom ever appear on one of the Dream theater DVDs I believe, playing one of their blandest songs for some reason tho !! Portnoy was one of the best drummers I've ever seen, I couldn't believe that Stoltz and Morse were so badm still at least I have the first album, and the live video of their first tour to enjoy before it all went so wrong !

Cheers

Stuart

Still are one of the greatest bands !! I think Freddie would have approved of them working with people like 5, he always wanted them towork with modern acts etc. hence him recording with Michael Jacksoin etc in the 80's. I don't see the problem with them playing as Queen, Genesis still played as Genesis after Peter Gabriel left, The Wildhearts when some of their members were changed. It was Brian and Roger who started Queen as a band called Smile, so I don't see the problem with them playing together if they want to. I've seen Roger and Brian playing together since Freddie died, and they were brilliant, one of the best gigs I've ever seen. The Darkness piss on the memory of Queen far more by even trying to compare themselves to Queen, I've seen at least one interview when Justin comapred himself to Freddie. Brian May has more skill in one finger than the entire Darkness, and if they're around in 3 years let alone 30, I'll be impressed !!

Cheers

Stuart

Queen are one of the greatest bands of all time, they helped revolutionise the way music was played and it makes me sick when people compare The Darkness to Queen. Queen pretty much got me into rock music, and there's still never been a singer to beat Freddie, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better guitarist than Brian,

Cheers

Stuart

Playing an old style on a new instrument wouldn't make it original, it's the style, not the instrumentation, I have nothing against people taking inspoiration from other bands, but i tend to find the darkness to be a carbon copy stylistically of other bands, there's not a shred of originality anywhere, and therefore will stagnate quickly. They have 2 choices, which is to continue with the complete pastiche that they have done, and people will get bored, or they could try to be more original, which admittedly may allow them to survive but will lose them the commercial edge and the fans they've made through charting etc, either way The Darkness in the form and size they are now can't survive, who knows they may go on to do something interesting and original, but if they do, i can't see them maintaining the high sales etc, they're riding ona wave of nostalgia, and by the time the next album comes out, nostalgia will be looking for something else,

Cheers

Stuart

Originally posted by Dechristianise:

Well dunno but they are better than alot of the "popular" shit going around lately i.e stuff on kerrang and metal hammer

Ah but at least a lot of the new crap haven't stolen everything from far superior bands that have gone before, at least they try to be original whereas The Darkness try to be as derivative as possible !!

Cheers

Stuart

1. Queen - Sheer Heart Attack

2. Marillion - Brave and Clutching at Straws

3. Fish - Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors and Field of Crows

Originally posted by Ibid:

I love it when people say "the public" are so out of step and don't know what they like or what's good for them to listen to. Pure unadulterated arrogance. Sorry guys if that's what is popular, then it's you that are doing something wrong. If you were right, the charts would be full of pseudo punk and unaccessible alternative weirdness masquerading as cool. It's like Harold Shipman saying," but hey, it's not me that's mad, it's the rest of the world!!"

And no I'm not a darkness fan.

Have to agree, although the Darkness are an example of overhyped shit. It could be argued that the charts aren't necessarilly what is the most liked of the available stuff, but it is the most easily heard. It is getting easier and easier to manipulate the charts with a dedicated fanbase etc. For an example see John Otway last year, or what will quite possibly be Marillion's first chart success in 10 years in April, being in the charts no longer means you're the best or even the most popular.

As for whether I'd rather have the disposeable pop or bands like the Darkness then I'd rather have disposeable pop because they don't really pretend to be anything else, whereas the Darkness make out like they're the saviours of rock music, whereas if the public are led to believe that 'classic' rock music sounds like them then they've done a lot more damage than good, a lot of the best 'classic' rock was about being original, doing stuff well and differently, whereas there's nothing original about 'The Darkness', and evenm the musicianship is only average,

Cheers

Stuart

Classic Rock Album: Queen - Sheer Heart Attack

Alt Rock Album: David Devant and his Spirit Wife - Work, Lovelife and Miscellaneous

Chillout Album: Dido - Life for rent

Modern Rock Album - Fish - Field of Crows

Punk Album - Don't really listen to punk

Hardcore album -Don't listen to hardcore

Emo - see above

Heavy Metal Album: Iron Maiden - Best of the Beast

pop album - Duran Duran - Greatest

and can I just add

Prog Rock album - Brave - Marillion

Cheers

Stuart

I thinkt hat's the problem I have with them, beyond the fact thati think than Justin has the worst voice in music, I cringe when threy get compare to Queen, they just all seem like a bunch of twats. For me to rally like a band I have to feel some kind of connection with them, I don't with then, because I just want to smack Justin. We met them at the Glasgow Barra's Def Leppard gig where they supported and he was a major twat, acting like a major rock star, and at the time he was a guy in a support band who didn't have a deal. Nothing wrong with a bit of rock'n'roll attitude, but at least you should have earned it. It's one thing to have that attitude onstage, even in interviews, but quite another to have wt woith the fans !! He's a twat and I can't wait to see them fall into obscurity when people get bored of the one trick pony.

Cheers

Stuart

Hmmm, can narrow it down to about 5

Barenaked Ladies in Edinburgh - stunning gig, by a great band,

The Eagles - Glasgow - Legends and absolutely amazing musicians,

Brian May - Edinburgh - my first ever gig, amazing guitarist

Marilllion and Jo McCafferty - Sheffield - 2 of my favourite musicians live, great atmosphere, stunning musicians

Fish - Warm up show in Dalkeith - about 100 fans in a small venue watching a great set of musicians

Cheers

Stuart

Cheers

Stuart

Hopefully never... easily the worst band of last year. When we saw them supporting Def Leppard they were out of tune, crap and I've never disliked a support slot so much before. I find them annoying, Justin comes across like a twat, and certainly seemed that way when we met them, he just seemed like an arrogant fuckwit and I had to stop one of the guys who was with us from smacking him one as he was being so up himself and pissing off the people chatting there. I really hope that they quit whilst they're ahead because the joke'll have grown thin by the time for a next album !!

Cheers

Sstuart

Originally posted by Jonny Lucifer:

Tom's toured loads though.

Doesn't mean he isn't jealous about a trip to the States, still seemed out of line as far as I can see !

Cheers

Stuart

God the Gin Goblins have been going for over 10 years, saw them in Edinburgh years ago... interesting to note that one of them is also a special guest in the Fish video Just Good Friends, bizarre link but true

Cheers

Stuart

Good crew is helpfull, and just try to take new experiences wherever you go, and take things easy, try not to get stressed cos if anything can go wrong it will !!

Cheers

Stuart

he does play better with one arm than most drummers do with 2 !! Initially he used a lot of pedals and electronic kit, now I believe he just uses a slightly modified kit, brilliant drummer, he was under 18 when Def Leooard recorded their first album and started playing with them aged 15 !!

Cheers

Stuart

go to Amazon you should get 3 side there, stunning album !!

Cheers

Stuart

Ah Extreme, the great Queen wannabee's Actually I really like them especially the 3rd album which was when they were at their creative peak, 3 sides is a classic, even if the Queen influenceis huge, but then that's not a bad thing, amazes me people will day the Darkness sound like Queen, which is sacrielege, at leat Extreme were a good band, and Nuno one of the most underated guitarists ever, saw him doing flight of the bumblebee on TV att he Seville guitar legends, not many people can hold their own in gig with Brian May, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Tony Iommi, and Joe Walsh, but he did and was superb !!

Cheers

Stuart

Def Leppard are polished, but have writtten some of the best commercial rock music out there, saw them 4 times last year, the highlight being the Barrowlands show, spoiled only by The Darkness in support, Ricky Warwick was the other support and he rocked !! They are a stunning live band with some great tunes, I wouldn't say something like Rock of Ages is sugar coated, i admit there is some commercial stuiff, but at least they stopped before they became like the othger huige 80's rock band Bon Jovi !!!

Cheers

Stuart