MR

There is NO WAY in hell after listening to Big Bang ANYONE can say Gowan cant sing.

EVERY song he does on this CD is EXCELLENT. His vocals on 'A Salty Dog' are incredible and with just a few listens in I feel this song is the best track on the CD.

Again, and for the 1000th time Gowan is NO Dennis Deyoung. NO ONE is!! But.... he has got a GREAT GREAT rock and roll voice. His vocals may not sound like the Styx we grew up with, but they are melodic, and fit perfectly into the Styx catalog.

Well Yogi...making statements like that do make me laugh. I don't compare him to Dennis, and I can say...I don't think he sings well. But like I said before, I don't think Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen sing well either. Glad you think he can.

Peace

EVERY song he does on this CD is EXCELLENT. His vocals on 'A Salty Dog' are incredible and with just a few listens in I feel this song is the best track on the CD.

I absolutely agree with this. "A Salty Dog" is awesome. I had never heard the original version. IMO, it's one of the best songs Styx has ever done, up to par with "Come Sail Away". I really, really, really hope Styx uses this as inspiration for the next album.

I have to agree. LG does a great job with the vocals on Big Bang.

Monker wrote:I absolutely agree with this. "A Salty Dog" is awesome. I had never heard the original version. IMO, it's one of the best songs Styx has ever done, up to par with "Come Sail Away". I really, really, really hope Styx uses this as inspiration for the next album.

How can you compare a cover song to an original composition? I don't understand this on any level.

Monker wrote:

EVERY song he does on this CD is EXCELLENT. His vocals on 'A Salty Dog' are incredible and with just a few listens in I feel this song is the best track on the CD.

I absolutely agree with this. "A Salty Dog" is awesome. I had never heard the original version.

I love that one too! It's really intense...Gowan shines on it. My favorite right now is "Summer in the City."

I agree with both Monker & 'Gina Works The Diner All Day'

How can you compare a cover to an orginal?? Thats tough!! But.... if you have NEVER heard the orginal and you just heard the cover would'nt you think its a 'new' song??? Would a new listener care if it had been sung by someone else before?? Hollywood does this all the time when they remake movies. Sometimes the remakes are MUCH better,fresher, etc and the younger generation would feel the orginal version lame at best.

I have NEVER heard the orginal A Salty Dog, and I dont have a clue who sung it orginally. Gowan and Styx do an incredible job on this song. It is REALLY REALLY good.

As good as Come Sail Away.......................... Not even close!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can you compare a cover song to an original composition? I don't understand this on any level.

They are just songs.

Do you think Elvis became famous by doing only 'original' material? No. He took Blues songs, covered them, and made them accessible for everybody. In fact, hardly any rock band or artist back then wrote their own songs.

If some people are going to go back 25-30yrs and compare BBT to that time, I may as well go back 50.

The bottom line is that it is all music, you either like it or you don't. IMO, adding these other issues of who is (or is not) in the band, or "but, it's a cover song!" is like peeing in the cup you are drinking from. You don't have to do it, and you are very foolish when you do.

I gotta agree with Yogi on this one GOWAN really shines on the CD, step away from the Dennis and judge Gowan on his own merits and the man can sing a rock song! He does not have a bad cut on the CD-in fact I don't think there is a bad cut on the CD.

As good as Come Sail Away.......................... Not even close!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL...I know hardly anybody, if anybody at all, is going to agree with me on that. But, that's what I thought so I may as well post it.

I don't think there is a bad cut on the CD.

The only one I don't care for is "Manic Depression". Guess I'm too used to the Paul Rogers/Neal Schon version...It's probably my favorite in the Hendrix set.

Also, on "Can't Find My Way Home"...Geesh, Tommy's voice is astronomicaly high...almost too high. But, it's still a good song.

ItsMyLife: How can you compare a cover song to an original composition?

Adam: It's EASY to compare. There is a history of covers that outshine the originals. Let's see...off the top of my head...
1. Without You ("can't live, if living is without you") by Nilson was a cover. The original was by Badfinger (who wrote it).
2. Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix was a cover.
3. Black Magic Woman by Santana was a cover (of a Fleetwood Mac tune)
4. Betty Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes was a cover.
5. even Close To You by the Carpenters was a remake.

Those were all mighty big records. There are no rules. A new remake can be an improvement. It aint out of the question.

Adam wrote:ItsMyLife: How can you compare a cover song to an original composition?

Adam: It's EASY to compare. There is a history of covers that outshine the originals. Let's see...off the top of my head...

Those were all mighty big records. There are no rules. A new remake can be an improvement. It aint out of the question.

What was that sound? The whole point of this post going over your head.

My point had nothing to do with improving a song by covering it. I'm not disputing that.

It was a respone to the statement saying that "Salty Dog" was one of the best Styx songs ever.

You CANNOT seriously compare covering a song to the actual CREATING of a song. With the wealth of incredible material Styx has, to say the best Styx song ever is "Salty Dog" or some other cover tune is absurd.

It's nothing but on of you Carrot Styx getting caught up in the emotion of this current release.

Monker wrote:Do you think Elvis became famous by doing only 'original' material? No. He took Blues songs, covered them, and made them accessible for everybody. In fact, hardly any rock band or artist back then wrote their own songs.

Artists who write their own material are much more important and significant in the grand scheme of things then ones who simply cover songs.

Covering a song is a nice diversion, but it doesn't compare with creating something from nothing.

Not to say artists can't improve songs by covering them, heck every Bob Dylan cover is an improvement over the original.

But if Jimmy Hendrix did nothing but cover famous songs of others, his name would be Joe Cocker.

ItsMyLife wrote:Artists who write their own material are much more important and significant in the grand scheme of things then ones who simply cover songs.

Covering a song is a nice diversion, but it doesn't compare with creating something from nothing.

But they HAVE written songs. Successful songs. Unsuccessful songs. Hundreds of them. We're not talking about a Brittney Spears (who, BTW, is all over "Billboard, the Almighty") who can't write her way out of a paper bag. We're talking about an established band going back to their influences and wanted to take a stab at some of the songs that shaped the artists they are today.

Not to say artists can't improve songs by covering them, heck every Bob Dylan cover is an improvement over the original.

But if Jimmy Hendrix did nothing but cover famous songs of others, his name would be Joe Cocker.

...And Joe Cocker's had a pretty decent career, I'd say. Also, Styx has far from "done nothing but" cover famous songs.

yogi wrote:There is NO WAY in hell after listening to Big Bang ANYONE can say Gowan cant sing.

Who really cares about Gowan ?
Not me
You keep pluggin the fillin Yogi

EVERY song he does on this CD is EXCELLENT. His vocals on 'A Salty Dog' are incredible and with just a few listens in I feel this song is the best track on the CD.

Great then he should do a solo tour

Again, and for the 1000th time Gowan is NO Dennis Deyoung. NO ONE is!! But.... he has got a GREAT GREAT rock and roll voice.

Yea right great great sure Yogi .

His vocals may not sound like the Styx we grew up with,

The Styx we grew up with broke up

Zan wrote:But they HAVE written songs. Successful songs. Unsuccessful songs. Hundreds of them. We're not talking about a Brittney Spears (who, BTW, is all over "Billboard, the Almighty") who can't write her way out of a paper bag. We're talking about an established band going back to their influences and wanted to take a stab at some of the songs that shaped the artists they are today.

Exactly, and to say that "Salty Dog" is as good as "Come Sail Away" is absurd. It's an insult to Stxy and their legacy.

Hey, if people wanna get all excited over an album of cover songs, so be it... but let's not be so naive as to think anything off this album could be as significant as their greatest original stuff.

I would say this about ANY band... although I can appreciate the occassional cover song... any band that I truly love I would much prefer original material from them as opposed to cover songs.

I would agree with IML on this one. The CD is a nice diversion, but it isn't new material.

On the other hand. THere are lots of bands that record songs written by others that write songs but don't record. Artists just have to choose and interpret songs that fits their styls and complimnets there sound.

Froy: Who really cares about Gowan ?
Adam: Let's see. The record label and it's formidable promotion staff, the stations who are playing Walrus and any other tracks of his...oh yeah, and Tommy Shaw, James Young, etc...

Froy: ...Not me
Adam: And you're SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than the aforementioned.

Yogi: His vocals on 'A Salty Dog' are incredible and with just a few listens in I feel this song is the best track on the CD.
Froy: Great then he should do a solo tour
Adam: And the same could be said of DeYoung. If this were a review of Grand Illusion and we replaced the title "A Salty Dog" with "Come Sail Away", someone could say the same for Dennis (FOR YOGI: 'DeYoung's vocals on 'Come Sail Away' are incredible and with just a few listens in I feel this song is the best track on the CD.'). Dennis IS on a solo tour. And from what YOU say it's completely fullfilling. Yet you enjoy bashing the band he came from.

Yogi: ...he (Gowan) has got a GREAT GREAT rock and roll voice.
Froy: Yea right great great sure Yogi .
Adam: I suppose in Froyland Amusement Park there is only roomn for one keyboard playing, faggy-assed singer of any greatness.

When Larry is not doing a DDY song, he is great. Anybody doing a DDY song, is in for a bumpy road. Larry really does a good job on this cd.-ERIC

I agree 100%

I thought Larry did a great job on the Today Show!

I found Larry's songs on big bang to be some of the best.

ItsMyLife wrote:Artists who write their own material are much more important and significant in the grand scheme of things then ones who simply cover songs.

Elvis Presley was not a song writer. He played guitar (somewhat) and sang. He wasn't famous because he could write a hit song, he was famous because of his incredible voice and soul. Every hit song Elvis ever sang was written by someone else.

But guess what.... he's still the King of Rock And Roll.

Ash wrote:Elvis Presley was not a song writer. He played guitar (somewhat) and sang. He wasn't famous because he could write a hit song, he was famous because of his incredible voice and soul. Every hit song Elvis ever sang was written by someone else.

But guess what.... he's still the King of Rock And Roll.

And the THE BEATLES came along, turned the music world on it's head and proved that artists could write their own songs.

Yes, and rock n' roll has evolved and developed over the last 50 years.

Sorry, Elvis was nothing more than the Sean Cassidy of his day.

ItsMyLife wrote:Sorry, Elvis was nothing more than the Sean Cassidy of his day.

LOL and thats why hundreds of thousands of fans still flock to his house in Memphis every year. How many do that for John Lennon?

pwned.

Werd.

Elvis was the king. At my father's funeral, some of his own former bandmates were there for me to confirm what I considered one of my Dad's "tall tales" -- back in the day, my Dad and his band were in Toledo, Ohio playing at a club that was owned by the Justice brothers (whom also owned a radio station that my Dad jockeyed at). My Dad's band was the house music for the night and lo and behold there's Elvis Presley in the house sitting at a table surrounded by women. Confused, the band thought that Elvis was going to hit the stage and bring the house down. The people hounded him to do just that. My dad and his mates approached Elvis and asked him if were going to take the stage. Elvis's reponse to my Dad was, "I paid to see and hear YOU."

His surviving bandmates told me at the funeral that Elvis believed that my Dad was "the best damned singer since Eddie Arnold" and that he didn't think he himself could hold a candle to him. Coming from Elvis, that was a very high compliment and everything I've read or heard about Elvis was that he was a very gentle, outgoing, humble person. My dad told me that Elvis struck him as a person that if he didn't like someone, he wouldn't give 'em the time of day but if he loved you, he'd be there with tears in his eyes making sure you knew just how much he loved you and that's a consistant theme with everything I read or heard regarding Elvis as a person. A "give you the shirt off his back" type of guy.

PsychoSy,

I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your Father.

I enjoyed reading your post. What a wonderful story. I think it's really nice that Elvis' surviving bandmates paid respect to your Father.

PsychoSy wrote:Werd.

Elvis was the king. At my father's funeral, some of his own former bandmates were there for me to confirm what I considered one of my Dad's "tall tales" -- back in the day, my Dad and his band were in Toledo, Ohio playing at a club that was owned by the Justice brothers (whom also owned a radio station that my Dad jockeyed at). My Dad's band was the house music for the night and lo and behold there's Elvis Presley in the house sitting at a table surrounded by women. Confused, the band thought that Elvis was going to hit the stage and bring the house down. The people hounded him to do just that. My dad and his mates approached Elvis and asked him if were going to take the stage. Elvis's reponse to my Dad was, "I paid to see and hear YOU."

His surviving bandmates told me at the funeral that Elvis believed that my Dad was "the best damned singer since Eddie Arnold" and that he didn't think he himself could hold a candle to him. Coming from Elvis, that was a very high compliment and everything I've read or heard about Elvis was that he was a very gentle, outgoing, humble person. My dad told me that Elvis struck him as a person that if he didn't like someone, he wouldn't give 'em the time of day but if he loved you, he'd be there with tears in his eyes making sure you knew just how much he loved you and that's a consistant theme with everything I read or heard regarding Elvis as a person. A "give you the shirt off his back" type of guy.

Great story
Do we know your Dad is he a famous name?
I have heard of Eddie Arnold .

Elvis was mostly definitely THE KING. He was also apparently a very nice guy, and hats off to your dad for winning him over as a fan.