Ryan Adams Disses R.E.M., The Killers, Not Oasis
Ryan's unadulterated idolization of the Gallaghers is rubbing off on him in all the wrong ways. Unless you're a hot beef-craving blogger (nullus?) who scours the web for this sort of stuff, in which case nevermind, Ryan you're doing great. Actually reader Danielle did the scouring for us this time, pointing to Ryan's "Is This It?" feature for the Guardian where the estimable British publication poses existential lyrical questions ("Where's your head at?", "Who got da funk", etc.) and asks for freely associated answers. So Ryan, "What's the frequency, Kenneth?":
I mean, seriously, who is Kenneth? The answer should be, "Hey Michael [Stipe] what would happen if you sat down and actually thought this shit out for 10 minutes?" I mean, no offence but there's a slight difference between Monster and Fables Of The Reconstruction and we all know what that is; it's a level of giving a fuck. $80m will do that to anyone who has a credit card and access to a Barney's. I have seen the band since and I say all this as a fan, by the way.
Not bad. A little hedging in that kicker, but Noel would appreciate the effort. He'd also appreciate this next answer, but you already knew that:
(What's the story) morning glory?It seems like such a seedy question to ask but it's growing on me. You missed an opportunity to play the pun with me... I think (What's The Story) Morning Glory is an Oasisism. It doesn't have to make sense, it's just awesome. They find the thing, it works and it rolls off the tongue. I don't like the new album, I fucking love it. It's what headphones were made for. I've been playing Wonderwall every night on my tour. I know who I'm singing it to; unfortunately I don't think she does.
Ry saves his best zing for almost-last:
When will I be famous?My God: if you're lucky, never! Fame is an unnatural construct and those who go in search of it are the least likely to find it. I mean, really, does anyone want to sit through a show by the Killers? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, unfortunately with the exception of the Killers.
There's your Oasisism right there. However, the Killers refuse to play ball. The Winnipeg Sun asked 'em about it:
"[Ryan]'s probably never been to a Killers show," said Flowers before adding: "I'm not even going to start. It's stupid. It doesn't do anybody any good. Like that comment that he just made isn't doing us any good and it's not going to do him any good. He's going to wake up in a few days after being asked about it a million times and he's going to regret it. It's better to just stay out of it. He needs a little press, maybe?"
Spoken like a man who's learned from the past. They could use a refresher on that Signs You're An Overproducer lesson plan, though.
[Ry photo by Donald Bowers for Getty]
Posted at 11:24 AM by amrit in Where's The Beef?
Tags: Oasis | R.E.M. | Ryan Adams | The Killers
He should take a look at Heartbreaker and Love is Hell compared to his new album and apply his quote about REM to himself
Score = 15
Odd that the first two musical questions he picks weren't literally penned by Stipe & Gallagher. If he were to have highlighted other lyrics from those songs (particularly "Kenneth"), I might be more inclined to give his views a chance.
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i like the new one, but noone can make fun of the sacred REM here.
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ryan adams is the man.
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I'm a huge REM fan. But i think ANYONE can make fun of Around the Sun. That album just sucked. Accelerate is fun but flawed. but showed a big step in the right direction. and they did put on some amazing shows this summer. i get your point though, Stereogum definitely seems to be a little overzealous in their REM love these days. But i guess there are much worse big corporate bands to suck up to.
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"Rock N Roll" vs. "Sam's Town"
2 slickly overproduced albums enter! Only 1 inexplicably goes platinum!
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Does Ryan Adams think Stipe just put a name in there that sounded good or something? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Rather#.22Kenneth.2C_what_is_the_frequency.3F.22
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Is Ryan Adams seriously making fun of a 14-year old album?
Score = 12
Monster = Underrated
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Whereas Flowers is just deluded about his shitty, shitty music, Adams definitely has a shout at album of the decade with Heartbreaker. Although this year, REM's Accelerate is probably a better album than Cardinology, and that's scary.
And why is it "awesome" when he doesn't understand Oasis' lyrics, but rips on REM when he doesn't have the general knowledge to understand theirs?
I hate to agree with Brandon here (partly cause I hate him, partly cause I like Ryan) but I would agree that this is probably nothing more than a cry out for media attention.
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Ryan,
Kenneth is Dan Rather.
It's well known that "What's the Frequency Kenneth" is what was said to Dan Rather by a mugger/mentally deranged man just before the mugging.
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Shorter Ryan Adams: If I don't understand something, it must be meaningless and/or stupid.
(By the way, "morning glory" is British slang for a morning erection.)
I mean, Ryan, what would happen if you actually sat down and thought this shit out for ten minutes?
Score = 12
To Nicolas Cage in a Bear suit -
Rock N' Roll was recorded simply to appease the record label bastards that wouldn't release Love is Hell. It was done in two weeks. You seriously want to compare that to the Killers big label sophomore record? Have you heard Love is Hell? Move on.
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well played.
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stupid fucking ads in the way of the post
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I'm a fan of all groups mentioned except for the Killers, and I think it's sad that Ryan Adams is just like a bunch of other knuckleheads who don't want artists to try new things. R.E.M. could do that great I.R.S. stuff again without even trying, but they try news things that sometimes work (Up) and sometimes not (Around the Sun). It seems pretty sad also that he wants to emulate Oasis, who've never changed THAT much at all. I liked Love Is Hell and Rock N Roll was just okay, but at least he was trying something different. Now Ryan Adams is permanently stuck in this Grateful Dead/classic rock fixation. I loved Easy Tiger a lot, but this shit could get old very quickly. Do you want to be Bowie or AC/DC?
Score = 6
Uh, Ryan Adams has put out a different sound on essentially every album. Easy Tiger and Cardinology are similar, but every single other record has been completely different from the others...I dig all the bands mentioned in this article, but typecasting RA as a one trick pony who expects the same from others is kind of dumb.
PS Whoever said Paul Westerberg's toe has more talent than RA is ridiculous. The Replacements are awesome, but Paul Westerberg is kind of a ho...
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I lLOVE Ryan, and I LOVE Oasis, always have been a fan, always will be, but with the exception of a few albums by each, I don't really feel I can defend my love for these two on a musical or intellectual level like I could hundreds of other musicians.
Which is why I find it funny that he's taking shots at other people, and also because he always seems to want to silence his critics and say they should just leave him alone because he's trying to make art for people to listen to.
Also, I like the new Oasis album, but does anyone else seem to be having trouble hearing this "brilliant" work that Ryan hears?
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his criticism of the REM song from 'monster' makes him sound like an ignorant fool. the picture of him in this post confirms it.
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Ignoramus 103
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man, did you hear that song "convoy"? breaker 1-9...i got a smokey here....he says your song sucks! but i'm only saying this as a fan....
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it's no wonder ryan adams has no friends left - maybe michael stipe will make him cry again like paul westerberg did
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=19088
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/23612450/ryan_adams_highlights_from_his_record_collection
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Westerberg's left toe has more talent than Adams. Fact.
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who mocks the song 'whats the frequency kenneth'? i love RA but what a fucking tool for saying that....
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is it that hard to see that he is just being a smartass? the whole nature of the "is this it" article is comedic and light. i mean, it seems like everyone else takes ryan WAY more seriously than he takes himself. ya'll need to chill out and let ryan be the artist and musician he is. albeit a crazy one, but he has made quality music in his career so lets just leave it at that. you don't sound any better or wiser for tearing ryan apart for tearing your beloved killers apart. i'll back ryan any day.
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is it that hard to see that he is just being a smartass? the whole nature of the "is this it" article is comedic and light. i mean, it seems like everyone else takes ryan WAY more seriously than he takes himself. ya'll need to chill out and let ryan be the artist and musician he is. albeit a crazy one, but he has made quality music in his career so lets just leave it at that. you don't sound any better or wiser for tearing ryan apart for tearing your beloved killers apart. i'll back ryan any day.
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I really dislike ryan adams, and even more so Oasis.
Both have made decent music, but have countered it with their asshole personalities
It's annoying.
Hopefully in twenty years very few people will remember Ryan Adams.
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Opening lyrics from The Telephone Hour, from the 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie (about a rock 'n roll singer patterned after Elvis Presley):
Hi, Nancy!
Hi, Helen!
What's the story, morning glory?
What's tale, nightingale?
Tell me quick about Hugo and Kim!
Hi, Margie!
Hi, Alice!
What's the story, morning glory?
What's the word, humming bird?
Have you heard about Hugo and Kim?
Did they really get pinned?
Did she kiss him and cry?
Did he pin the pin on?
Or was he too shy?
Well, I heard they got pinned
Yeah! Yeah!
I was hopin' they would!
I think that quoting a psychotic mugger is way more legit than subtly connecting back to 1960s icons by referencing a totally lame song...
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no wonder the Gallaghers love this guy
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It's weird that Adams compares one of R.E.M.'s worst mid-period albums to their worst early-period album.
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yeah, of all mid-90's songs to crap on, "what's the frequency, kenneth" should be one of the last you'd choose. maybe "crush with eyeliner" or something, but "kenneth" still holds up very well.
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Crush with Eyeliner is still a great song.
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its funny how he rips on lyrics by REM, when noel gallagher has admitted his songs dont realy mean anything, usually he just writes them to rhyme.
and incidentally, whats the story morning glory came from a phone conversation liam had with a mate one morning, i doubt its from a forgotten 1960s musical (the phrase has probably been around longer than the musical and said many times for different reasons).
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Wise words Mr. Flowers.....
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Why does anyone care about any spewed opinions of anyone, anywhere, ever? Seriously?
Opinions = the most overrated thing in the history of mankind and particularly the internet.
Actions = underrated, especially currently.
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I don't understand why musicians feel the need to pull this juvenile shit in interviews. The music industry isn't middle school or World Wrestling. They just end up looking like idiots.
Besides, Ryan Adams hasn't been relevant since the late 80s when his last hit was "Summer of 69." Guffaw!
Now give Courtney Love her money back you pretentious little shit.
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How does Michael Stipe's lyrics not make sense? As Fran Healy of Travis sung, "What's a Wonderwall anyway." Oh Ryan Adams, why do I continue to support your music. Well, b/c you write pretty great songs. Except Magick. That song is wretched.
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At least Magick is blatant, cheesy rock that's really just meant to be a laugh. Natural Ghost on the other hand is the worst thing he's ever recorded. EVER. Honestly.
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Really Flowers, really!? "asked about it a million times"
I doubt it.
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nicole, serious or not, if he hadn't taken shots at people, there would be no reason to "take him seriously." Also, if you had actually read the posts above instead of getting angry at the backlash, you would see that no one here is defending the Killers, although I guess it's easier for you to just write everyone off as that. It explains away the need to argue.
It's just all odd that a guy is "joking" about the Killers and praising Oasis, when, even though he has a great band with some decent songs, he just released the 2 most overproduced and unambitious albums of his career. Although I mostly blame the critics' harsh treatment of his previous albums for steeting him in that direction.
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I'm just glad people like Ryan Adams make great music and give people things to talk about in blog land
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If any of Ryan Adams' many, many albums were as good as 1/4 of R.E.M.'s albums, or if most of his many, many songs were as good as half of the songs on Monster and half of the songs on Fables, he might have something to say. The next time someone asks his opinion, he can thank Berry, Buck, Mills and Stipe for being the reason he has a platform for anyone to care about his opinion. To answer the question the guy from Travis asked, a Wonderwall is an album by George Harrison, who is also one of the 4 reasons anyone cares whether or not you know what a Wonderwall is.
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There is one solution to Ryan Adams.
It involves Paul Westerberg, Peter Buck, two extremely large knives, and several Hefty bags.
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kenneth and every other rem song is 100 times better than any adams song
matter of fact all bryan adams songs are better than ryan adams songs
i hope he dies have cancer
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