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'Trying too hard'

Joe Hutch

Joe Hutch

Mate of the bloke
Someone on the Mighty Fall Facebook group suggested that certain artists could be accused of 'trying too hard', and cited P J Harvey, Tom Waits and Nick Cave as examples. I thought this was an interesting idea, and, listening to The Clash earlier on today, thought they too might qualify.

Does anyone else agree, or am I talking bollocks (again)?
 
Its an interesting idea. I know what you mean.

The best artists just make it look easy and natural. The magic just seems to happen although we tend to forget it must involve some hard work and rehearsals.

I would hesitate to name names but some people have just got it while others have to try harder.. Oh what am I saying? :) Some people are just more talented. Some people are geniuses in the field of music
 
I sort of know what you mean regarding PJ Harvey; I sometimes wish that she would go back to her hard edged, angular, alternative rock routes.
 
Interesting that you mention The Clash. I've been reading Rip It Up And Start Again by Simon Reynolds.

He writes about how some post-punk bands felt that rather than re-invent or rock music The Clash had just adopted some of it's more theatrical cliches.
 
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Joe Hutch said:
Someone on the Mighty Fall Facebook group suggested that certain artists could be accused of 'trying too hard', and cited P J Harvey, Tom Waits and Nick Cave as examples. I thought this was an interesting idea, and, listening to The Clash earlier on today, thought they too might qualify.

Does anyone else agree, or am I talking bollocks (again)?
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P J Harvey,no chance, quite the opposite
 
Dream Theater - group of talented musicians trying so hard to be more impressive talented musicians but the songs just baffle me and to why people rate the band, I do not know.
 
I love The Clash but I do know why they’d be mentioned in this context, they teetered on the edge but for me they did it so well they can get away with it. But Strummer certainly was a try hard and contrived in my opinion. I always thought image was too important to him, in his early musical days his style was very different, not just musically but the whole image and his character. Watching the Julian Temple doc there were people saying he changed rapidly and turned his back on all his friends as they didn’t fit this new image he was trying to portray. Even when listening to him speak, although I can’t but listen I’m always feeling even his voice is put on.

Don’t want to sound harsh on him, he is still one of my favourites.
 
Have you ever heard of the 'Towers of London'? painfully try hard. They had a brief show on some Sky channel following them around, I remember him sitting back stage doing something idiot an insisting to the camera "Sid Vicious has f a on me?!" I think he was actually being serious.

I remember him appearing on Never Mind the Buzzcocks too and recall he put his feet up on the desk and lit a fag, thankfully Simon Anstill (spelling) was on hand to make him look like a tool. Something along the lines of "ohhhh cigarettes legally bought in a shop, Anarchy is not dead".
 
Bobby Gillespie. A man that puts so much effort into being carefully and correctly dishevelled, cool and anarchic, he ends up being a Harry Enfield character.
 
Someone once remarked that Julian Cope tried too hard to be legendary. Was it Bill Drummond?
 
So what bands arn't trying too hard?

I can name one at least AC/DC with Bon Scott on vocals, later on they could come into the tring too hard category.
 
Ragaman said:
So what bands arn't trying too hard?

I can name one at least AC/DC with Bon Scott on vocals, later on they could come into the tring too hard category.
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Half Man Half Biscuit. Most of the bands that didn't try too hard just folded after a few years because they couldn't be arsed selling themselves. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. Better a good album or two then oblivion than decades of re-heating the mixture trying, usually in vain, to revisit earlier triumphs.

I'd say Leonard Cohen doesn't try too hard, but he's getting on a bit so he needs to pace himself anyway.
 
Can't agree with the original proposition that Tom Waits could realistically be accused of 'trying too hard'. His presentation is definitely theatrical and has elements of drama but there is an enormous difference between that and being a pseudo, something he would never be.

PJ Harvey? I don't know enough about his work to comment. Nick Cave I would put in the same category as Tom Waits, although the latter never did a recording with Kylie...
 
Clive D said:
Can't agree with the original proposition that Tom Waits could realistically be accused of 'trying too hard'. His presentation is definitely theatrical and has elements of drama but there is an enormous difference between that and being a pseudo, something he would never be.

PJ Harvey? I don't know enough about his work to comment. Nick Cave I would put in the same category as Tom Waits, although the latter never did a recording with Kylie...
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Obviously not as P J Harvey is a woman, to me she she doesn't try hard enough, a fantastic talent.
 
Is anyone interested in bands not trying hard enough?
If so I nominate Coldplay.
 
overprint said:
Dream Theater - group of talented musicians trying so hard to be more impressive talented musicians but the songs just baffle me and to why people rate the band, I do not know.
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Massively have to disagree with this one. Whether or not you 'get' the music, I dont think anyone can wonder why people rate a band that has been consistently releasing music for just under 30 years..... and ONLY just peaking in popularity. They must be doing something right!!! And as for trying too hard, take a look at the guitar solo on youtube on the track Hollow Years from the Live at Budokan show..... technical yes.... but emotional... hell yes.
 
Joe Hutch said:
Someone on the Mighty Fall Facebook group suggested that certain artists could be accused of 'trying too hard', and cited P J Harvey, Tom Waits and Nick Cave as examples. I thought this was an interesting idea, and, listening to The Clash earlier on today, thought they too might qualify.

Does anyone else agree, or am I talking bollocks (again)?
Click to expand...
PJ Harvey, no, the exact opposite.

FYI Clive, Polly Jean Harvey is a woman.
 
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