I'm floored

[sparquelito]

Okay, the band Nickelback. 
Sort of a music industry joke thing right?

Some people love them. 
Most people can't stand them. 

Me, I never really heard them, I reckon. 
Couldn't name you a single Nickelback hit song. 

And this this evening I stumbled upon this youTube video from a 2007 tribute to ZZ Top. 

Holy crap. 
These guys killed it. 

 

 

😃

[Rabs]

I prefer this version  😄 

 

 

[rct]

A band that sells 50 million records and fills 20k seat arenas pretty much knows what they are doing.  Watch that video and watch some pros at work, whether you like them or not. 

rct

['Scales]

I could be wrong (I'm sure all the Nickelback fans will let me know ) but I think the stigma has been about the contrived nature of the approach to the band/image/songs as a money making scheme rather than the ability of the players. If it's true the band certainly nailed it in terms of hit songs and album sales, MTV videos, and stadium show's!

[merciful-evans]

Not heard of band or song before. Both boxes now ticked. 😶

[NighthawkChris]

Don’t like the band but won’t debate the success they’ve achieved in terms of what they have been able to do. Case in point Metallica… those that know what I’ve posted understand my feelings about them. But literally one of the most successful bands of all time and I shall concede that they are a good show live. But still this won’t push me to want to listen to them again. 

[codename]

I never got the Nickelback hate thing. I guess because I wasn't on any social media and just listened to the music . We even covered a couple of their tunes back in the day , they always went over well.

[uncle fester]

just came back to specifically watch the video a third time.  they did the song justice - they did.

[Whitefang]

Not familiar with their work either, but I also read a lot of hate for them in various forums over the years.  And sure, they no doubt have their fans.  After all, even KISS made it big, and from what I hear in that clip, these guys are WAY better than Kiss ever could have hoped to be(IMHO).   But still not enough to convert me.  I've heard a few local bar bands do that tune just as well and some even better.  It's all an "ear of the beholder" thing.  

Whitefang

[saturn]

I got sick of the song "How You Remind Me" back when it was big. But it's hard to blame a band for writing a popular song. I actually like most of the songs I've heard from them although I've never bought an album or anything.

I thing some of the hate they get may stem from the singers attitude. I don't know personally, but have heard from several sources that he behaved like a real doosh when they got big. I think they also got labeled as Mall Rock for whatever that's worth. 

This song is pretty hard core IMO and it's about the murder of Dimebag Darryl 

 

[sparquelito]

Perhaps I should explained my 'I'm floored' comment, and offer some context;

* I had never heretofore heard any actual music by Nickelback. 

* I had heard of them of course, and across the internet, that hearing was in the vein of, "most people dislike them", and it's become a never ending well of pejorative humorous barbs to even bring them up in polite society. 

I had it in my head that they were schlock-meisters of some sort, in the vein of Justin Bieber, Hanson, or Florida Georgia Line. 

Imagine my amazement when I clicked on that link in the original posting then. 
Is it the best cover of Sharp Dressed Man ever?

No, of course not. 
But I had my expectations set a whole lot lower going in, I can tell you that much. 

I need to go back now, and explore the Nickelback songs that I have missed. 
And shame on me for listening to the interwebs hype in the first place. 

😬


 

['Scales]

I suspect it might be along the lines of...

Grunge was super popular and the youth of the day were buying the 'fashion' and what have you. The music however was angsty and used lots of 'different' chord sequences and in some cases was pretty heavy rock. Personally I loved all that being a young bloke at the time who liked guitar rock... but what of middleclass American kids who like their music more middle of the road?

band figures out there a fortune to be made by going with the full on image, bit of angsty sounding vocals, hair, tatts etc...BUT...with the drenched stadium sound using turnaround style predictable chords - hey, instant zillionaire success with loads more radio play that allows the middle of the road folks to 'get' the music but still feel part of the scene. Of course this is anathema to the to the very ethos of the grunge community built on play what you got, don't dress like a rock star, sing about real world stuff...hence the vitriol from the 'real' grunge fans.

I could probably only pick maybe 3 or 4 songs as being Nickelback if they came on the radio. However...when I hear there name I think of this one - great example of the abovementioned approach to their 'plan' but the softy/romantic in me dug the video... at 2:54 when he 'gets it'...

 

 

[Rabs]

Cant say I know much about them apart from they did the soundtrack for Spiderman...  Again.. Predictable boringness meant to appeal to the masses..

 

[slimt]

Ya. You either like or dont.  For being from a small town here in Alberta. They actually have done well.    Like most bands. There music has the same type of catch to it.    They will never be ZZTop.  But they have done well considering.   To me .  Some of there tunes are really good.  But like any band out there. Theres only so much a person can listen too.  Radio plays the crap out of these  daily.    Not sure why there not liked.  Some of it is decent music.  

Edited August 15, 2021 by slimt

[Whitefang]

And sorry,

But it's "THEIR"  not "THERE".    And "THERE'S".  Same in either Canada or the U.S.    Oh, and as for the last try up above....

It should read "Not sure why THEY'RE not liked......"  

Hope that helps.

Whitefang

[Rabs]

19 hours ago, slimt said:

Ya. You either like or dont.  For being from a small town here in Alberta. They actually have done well.    Like most bands. There music has the same type of catch to it.    They will never be ZZTop.  But they have done well considering.   To me .  Some of there tunes are really good.  But like any band out there. Theres only so much a person can listen too.  Radio plays the crap out of these  daily.    Not sure why there not liked.  Some of it is decent music.  

This is what the internet says  🙂 

 

 

[merciful-evans]

early 90's interview (rock musicians) recalled:

Q/ "...so are we (rock music collectively) just going to rehash the whole fukcing thing again?"

A/ "hopefully not".

 

Strictly personal view follows:

Well its disappointing for me at least. What makes it far worse though is that its still going on. 

Hearing the simulation of energy and passion incorporated into (formulaic) music can sound great initially; but it swiftly fades and I realise that its joined the ranks of pap. 

Obviously though, there's still money to be had in that dead horse carcass. 

 

[rct]

A serious question.  I don't care about Nickelback, I like a song or two of theirs, but I do like seeing them in big arena films, they are a good band and I'd bash at guitars with that guy doing all the singing all day.

You do not hear the formula in the Beatles?  Zeppelin?  Any supposedly serious, "good" band that isn't just garbage pop music, according to those that know these things?  Anything that sells has a recipe behind it, that's how you get from one record to the next and stay on top.  Even Zappa knew what he was doing in order to move records.  I'll never hear the end of that, because he was "good" and not Madonna or Gaga, who also knew what they were doing in order to move records.

You know a Beatles song from 7 miles away, the very definition of formulaic recipe pop music.

I've never understood the hate for any of it, even the stuff I don't particularly personally care for.  I don't hate it.  I'll play it if you want and we have a singer for it.  I don't hate any of it, especially because I dismiss it as formulaic recipe pop.  It's all formulaic recipe pop.

rct

[Whitefang]

2 hours ago, rct said:

A serious question.  I don't care about Nickelback, I like a song or two of theirs, but I do like seeing them in big arena films, they are a good band and I'd bash at guitars with that guy doing all the singing all day.

You do not hear the formula in the Beatles?  Zeppelin?  Any supposedly serious, "good" band that isn't just garbage pop music, according to those that know these things?  Anything that sells has a recipe behind it, that's how you get from one record to the next and stay on top.  Even Zappa knew what he was doing in order to move records.  I'll never hear the end of that, because he was "good" and not Madonna or Gaga, who also knew what they were doing in order to move records.

You know a Beatles song from 7 miles away, the very definition of formulaic recipe pop music.

I've never understood the hate for any of it, even the stuff I don't particularly personally care for.  I don't hate it.  I'll play it if you want and we have a singer for it.  I don't hate any of it, especially because I dismiss it as formulaic recipe pop.  It's all formulaic recipe pop.

rct

Well, just about any band certainly has their "sound".  I don't necessarily consider that "formulaic"  as I do when it seems that EVERY band in some particular genre seems to not only LOOK alike, but SOUND alike too.  Like all those '80's big hair "heavy metal" bands.  Seemed like every one of them had a front man(or either lead guitarist) that had long, blond hair with a wide headband tied around his head.  And they all looked like they bought all the same spandex at the same store.  And the only difference in their music was the titles of the songs.

If you want to think of any band's particular "sound" as "formulaic", I guess that's OK, but when an entire GENRE becomes formulaic, that's another thing.  Other bands that came along and sounded similar to say, The Beatles or whoever quickly disappeared  as all copycats do.  But with a few exceptions(and it's an "ear of the beholder" thing).  Like, I've always referred to two bands by one name because to me they sound so much alike.  That (those) band(s) is  ----

REO STYXWAGON!  

Whitefang

[Rabs]

By the way, just to make it clear. I posted that video above which I only saw after I looked up the Spiderman one and Youtube algorithms then suggested it.. So I watched it as I had no idea what the issue was either.  And well that video basically just said the internet didnt like them very much and that the singer bloke can be a bit of a d*ck..  But that could be said for a lot of people and wasnt a very convincing video... I dont hate them as I know nothing about them..  I just thought id share the vid as it was being discussed,..   As it goes I do find them bland but that does not in any way amount to hate.

[zigzag]

59 minutes ago, Rabs said:

...  And well that video basically just said the internet didnt like them very much and that the singer bloke can be a bit of a d*ck..  But that could be said for a lot of people...

"They say he's never had a hit, and he's hard to get along with. And they say that like it's a bad thing..." -Tom Waits

[merciful-evans]

I don't hate the band. I am bored with that style of song. I've been hearing it for 40 years. I'd had enough of it 30 years ago. 

The Beatles? Even within the confines of pop they were innovative and eclectic. Yes I can pick out a Beatles song quickly enough. I can also recognise a Jimmy Herring guitar solo when I hear it. I couldn't pick out Nickleback from a dozen other bands. A style signature does not equal formulaic. 

That said. I'm glad that Sparky enjoyed this enough to say so and post a link. We should be celebrating difference always. To put it another (more acceptable?) way, if I don't appreciate Nickleback, then I'm the one who is missing out. 

[Whitefang]

I've never considered The Beatles as being "formulaic".  I seem to recall enjoying the feeling of anticipation for the next Beatles LP just to hear what they were up to NEXT.  Sure, you couldn't mistake the vocals, but musically there was a HUGE difference from RUBBER SOUL to REVOLVER to SGT. PEPPER to the White Album and on....

Same with Dylan.  Couldn't mistake his voice from album to album,  But HIGHWAY 61 wasn't a BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME redux,  as BLONDE ON BLONDE  wasn't another 61, and the successive LPs were all departures from the previous. 

Somehow rct didn't catch that.  

But, as the OP was the only time I've ever heard NICKLEBACK ,  I really couldn't comment on their discography. Just by that clip alone I can only claim they aren't the BEST band I ever heard, but still, far from the WORST.

Whitefang

[slimt]

On 8/16/2021 at 12:00 PM, Rabs said:

This is what the internet says  🙂 

 

 

 I dont care about there personal lives or how they evolved.    There music is okay.  But they played the death out of there tunes up here. They  Kind of wore it all out.  
 

 

Edited August 19, 2021 by slimt

[Whitefang]

16 hours ago, slimt said:

 I dont care about there personal lives or how they evolved.    There music is okay.  But they played the death out of there tunes up here. They  Kind of wore it all out.  
 

 

Personal lives WHERE?   Music WHERE?  

Whitefang