Posted on 03/18/2021 5:50:25 AM PDT by mylife
Pop culture is forever playing tricks on us. What we perceive as an unrivalled classic that defined an era, in reality, quite often had a difficult upbringing sullied by capricious circumstance before fate decided it had been held down too long and unleashed it upon the world. Sometimes it would seem that the masses weren’t quite ready for these culture-changing epics. Other times it would seem that the fist of fate was unwilling to release the record from its ruthless grasp. We’re taking a look at the top ten times in which a record nearly sunk completely before it swam its way to gold.
First, though, let us ask why such a mind-boggling phenomenon happens so often? How on earth can such paragons of brilliant pop-culture have been initially condemned to the doldrums of the dismissed, unloved or misunderstood? Sometimes it’s like Google Glasses, and the world just isn’t ready. On other occasions, like trying to get into a bar after a few too many, there’s a bastard in the way. And the final key factor is that sometimes the littlest is always last in line, as talent gets wrestled out of the limelight by those already basking in it.
Fortunately, when it comes to these first-time floppers, they survived the test of fickle fate and wormed their way to the top. Without further ado, let’s have a look at the ten that will leave you head-scratching and wondering how such classics ever flirted with failing.
10 iconic albums that initially flopped:
The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds (1966)
Ramones – Ramones (1976)
David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
The Stooges – The Stooges (1969)
(Excerpt) Read more at faroutmagazine.co.uk ...
Some of the best new music. Billy Strings. Just won a grammy for best bluegrass cd.
More rocking than a lot of Rock.
I agree. I actually enjoyed the movie CBGB, though I really hate punk. Hoever, I like a lot of the mainstream bands that started out there. e.g. Talking Heads, Blondie, etc.
And regarding modern music, yeah. this video covers it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVME_l4IwII
However, nowadays there are thousands of bands recording. Sometimes it’s hard to find the good stuff. I just picked this up in december and absolutely love it. And it’s really cool colored vinyl and limited edition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIAaVIofpHQ&list=PLZqsyBiYZFQ0WYQq4MMFgVm4j0dgcC7Q_
It’s welcome to Bobby’s Motel by Pottery. It’s just plain fun, and so were the inserts.
I got it here:
https://www.vinylmeplease.com/products/pottery-welcome-to-bobbys-motel?variant=31843267838042
The Ramones are the most tragic because they played and toured so long and now all the original members are dead.
I finally got tired of moving mine around
That is good to go.
That is also good to go.
People used to call me 'Gato' because I wore a hat similar to his.
Heh. I got the floor in, but I’m married so I have to finish the walls. :)
Wow, I owned none of those albums, have heard about 15 of the songs and really liked about seven of them.
I discovered “Boots of Spanish Leather” by Nanci Griffith several years ago and later found out it was a Dylan song released in 1964 on his album “The Times They Are a-Changin’” which is on this list.
I’ve seen the quote about the first VU album many times, but this is the first I’ve seen Eno getting credit for it.
Interesting to note that many of those bands who theoretically got started were produced by and/or collaborated with John Cale. The Stooges first album (also on this list) was produced by Cale. Patti Smith, The Modern Lovers, Nico. (And Cale was an A&R guy for several years - talk about the fox watching the hen house. )Eno himself was a long time collaborator. And now at 79, he has never dulled his edge. HIs work on those first two VU albums were a mere starting point. The became quite normal after his departure.
On a semi-related note, I think the biggest loss in the transformation of the music industry and its delivery mechanisms has been the loss of album Liner Notes. So much of my collection was built by hearing elements, seeing who did them, and tracking down their other works. Sure the internet has a ton of information, but that ground-zero information point is gone.
White Riot from The Clash should be an anthem.
White riot - I want to riot
White riot - a riot of my own
White riot - I want to riot
White riot - a riot of my own
Black people gotta lot o problems
But they don’t mind throwing a brick
White people go to school
Where they teach you how to be thick
They were all over the map but a great band.
Politically most punks lined up on the conservative side but were not conservative per se.
That’s a good way to put it.
The Guns of Brixton puts forth a thought Solzhenitsyn would have well understood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcW8VNwYvL0
When they kick at your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun
To me, Cale is far more interesting than Lou Reed.
He did some good stuff with Eno too
I should know better, yesterday on a whim I stuck Ziggy Stardust in my car and drove around a bit.
Today I got “Moonage Daydream” stuck in my head and there’s no getting rid of it...
♪ Ohh yeah...
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