Club Ninja: Lamest BOC album.

[Carl E. Anderson]

> The current/ongoing Sabbath material is pretty heavy, though it leans
> heavy on the mythology angle.  Personally, I don't dislike the Sab
> material as much as others do.  I think Tony Martin's a great singer,
> certainly better than ozzy.

        I would agree that on technical grounds Tony Martin is a better
singer than Ozzy.  But IMHO Tony's voice is not terribly _interesting_
where as Ozzy's sounds _strange_.  And Ozzy has better charisma on stage.

        Mostly I don't really like the production on the newer Sab
albums.  Motorhead managed to use modern studio gear an technique to
have a _better_ sound than before while Sabbath has just gotten too
shiny and slick, too much going on.  The sound on their old albums
was much more vital and immediate.

> > It had Dio & Iommi.  If they didn't hate each other, they'd be the
> > greatest team in heavy metal.  ;-)
> >
> Like Iommi and Ozzy.  Maybe he, like Jeff Beck just hates singers?

        Iommi seems to get on OK with Rob Halford--they're working on
a new project together.

> Yeah, but that only applies to the lyrics.  Buck's gtr playing is
> pretty hard to attack, even if it occurs in the midst of shitty songs.

        I agree, but that only makes the song worthwhile for Buck's guitar
playing--the song is still crap :)  Take away everything but Buck's guitar
and it would be an improvement!
        The band can't make it on Buck's guitar alone, as has been proven.
They need good songs and righteous production as well!

> Maybe if the band listened more
> to its truly concerned fans, and less to the fawning sycophants, they
> wouldn't be in the quandry they now face.

        Agreed.  A fan who likes you warts and all is better than a
"yes man" fan.  Can beings that think for themselves _always_ agree
on everything?  No.  But that does't mean if I disagree with an artist's
choice and tastes that I hate them!

> Well, maybe Al gets less idolatry, but I'm sure he gets more respect,
> at least I'm sure he does from me.  And I think he hears the pulse of
> the true fan a lot better than the other guys...

        Idolatry and respect are very difficult to combine.  But it's
easier to idolise than respect, and easier to _be_ an idol than a figure
of respect.

        My only beef with BOC is that they seem out of touch with
reality, or perhaps just don't know what they want.  If they want to
keep at the rehash circuit, fine.  If they want to hang it up and spend
more time with the kids, fine.  If they want to get out and drum up
some support for the new material, fine.  Just get on with it, whatever
it is they're doing!

Cheers,
Carl

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Carl Edlund Anderson              "So that's Terra.  Oohwee, look out
ASNAC Dept., Cambridge U.          wenchlings, here come the Hawklords."
cea20 at cus.cam.ac.uk                -Lord Lemmy (Hawkwind, _Space Ritual_)
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