ABBA ROCKS!

[Brian37]

No, any new movement is seen as anti formula, then when it takes off becomes a formula. Look at how many bands competed with Nirvana and had the same "grunge" sound.

Following others and being inspired by them, but still largely making your music your own? Not necessarily formulaic, though it may be guilty of various other 'crimes' (Black Eyed Peas). Following either your own songs or another's songs in such a way as to make a 'templet' for your music, on the other hand, is necessarily formulaic. It is the latter of these which I would fault ABBA for, and listening to the music I just can't get over either how similar they are, or how much 90% of the music (any non-chorus bit) just sucks and is annoying on the ears for the clash.

Now, you and others here keep calling ABBAs music "formulaic" and predictable. Which says to me you are focused solely on their hits and not all their history. Otherwise you would not be saying that.

19 ABBA songs on my itunes, I've listened to all of them, and I consider all of them shit (but some more so than others, my gods). If I can't know whether a band is GOOD by their *greatest hits* (and a good number of them): why on earth should I waste my time listening to their *flops*?

On the subject of ABBA, I've heard a few more than the ones I own already... and I'm not impressed. Also: Live ABBA? Terrible.

The beatles played a shit ton of music, and were fairly ah 'experimental'... and yet: you know how the beatles sound when they make a record. THAT'S the face they're presenting to you. A lot of it is utter shit, but there are a few redeemable things about them (just like ABBA). The key is in knowing what those qualities are and not claiming them to be the gods of talent (they're not).

It is like trying to define Pat Benatar by "Hit Me With Your Best Shot". Not knowing about "My Clone Sleeps Alone" or "Rated X", or "Tough Life". Which sound NOTHING like "Hit Me With Your Best Shot".

I'm not impressed by Hit Me With Your Best Shot... are her other songs *worth* knowing about? I hope to the gods the rest of her music doesn't sound like her big hit

Most albums OF any artist, ave 10 to 12 songs on them, and any artist with a long career is going to have one because they have a range.

Usually a definable range, mind. Look: I wouldn't be knocking ABBA if it weren't *only* for a casual listen that doesn't pay attention to the lyrics or to nonchorus portions. But if I'm listening to music, and I'm not around someone who grew up with ABBA, I'm not playing it

Punk.

Stop, look you knock ABBA because you think they were not talented, not because they were not.

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Now you are fucking with "Hit Me With Your Best Shot?" So is this going to be a Jew vs Palestinian thing with us?

[Nine]

Now you are fucking with "Hit Me With Your Best Shot?" So is this going to be a Jew vs Palestinian thing with us?

Never play that shit in Rock Band expert mode with a standard Xbox 360 controller. It will fuck your hands up.

[Brian37]

No problem there. I am an Atari kid, and even with just a joystick and fire button, those games confounded me.

[Nine]

No problem there. I am an Atari kid, and even with just a joystick and fire button, those games confounded me.

No, no, no, no! You don't understand. I could play any game for 3 days straight no problem. That song will murder your hands. Pain.. Pain.. Torture..

[Brian37]

No problem there. I am an Atari kid, and even with just a joystick and fire button, those games confounded me.

No, no, no, no! You don't understand. I could play any game for 3 days straight no problem. That song will murder your hands. Pain.. Pain.. Torture..

I am not sure if I am misunderstanding you.

I am saying like guitar, I tried to play, like video games, and some simple things I could do, but the more complex the cord or solo, like video game level, even with ATARI, was frustrating for me.

[Violet]

Stop, look you knock ABBA because you think they were not talented, not because they were not.

No, I knock ABBA not because of whether they were talented or not (which they were and are not, that's a fact), but because what they produced is shit. Know another band like ABBA in this regard?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cQh1ccqu8M

Plenty of music, okay for the first listen, but absolutely annoying and shittastic if you keep listening to it.

Now you are fucking with "Hit Me With Your Best Shot?" So is this going to be a Jew vs Palestinian thing with us?

Considering that I haven't given you any material to judge, no. However, I do admit I mostly do this because I love your reaction

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Never play that shit in Rock Band expert mode with a standard Xbox 360 controller. It will fuck your hands up.

Expert mode with the standard controller? What? 0.o

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I am not sure if I am misunderstanding you.

I am saying like guitar, I tried to play, like video games, and some simple things I could do, but the more complex the cord or solo, like video game level, even with ATARI, was frustrating for me.

I remember struggling to play this for a few days, on *just* expert with the 'guitar' controller (not pro mode or anything).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il2krz_uqcE

The closest I ever got was something like 78% of the song before failing. My gods...

I wish I had that song and rockband 2 in my household, so that I could give it a shot again now that I'm like 4 years older I think I could do it these days (survive it, not perfect it).

[Brian37]

Says you. If Yngwie likes ABBA and does a cover of them, you prove to me you have no case. And yes, I love giving you my reaction.

[Violet]

Says you. If Yngwie likes ABBA and does a cover of them, you prove to me you have no case. And yes, I love giving you my reaction.

Ummm.... did I ever say anything about Yngwie being something I like? No, I did not (I think he's alright, but it's not really what I listen to). Is he talented? Ehhh... a bit. Why would a talented artist doing a cover of a song by a nontalented artist (usually making it... better) somehow modify whether or not the original artist sucks or not?

Protip: it doesn't Also, if you'll pay attention, you might notice that I put that up as an example of something I considered way harder than 'hit me with your best shot' (which I play nigh flawlessly (95-99%), I might add). 4 years ago Caprici Di Diablo was above my level on rock band's guitar controler, which only has five note-markers

[Brian37]

Blah blah blah, look, you will never admit that ABBA was/is talented. And to this day still sells records. You are merely a hater in the rear view of my "kiss my ass" mirror.

[CleanShavenJesus]

Blah blah blah, look, you will never admit that ABBA was/is talented.

Because it was/is not true.

And you will never accept proper criticism of them because of how much you like them. This is why it's so difficult to debate music with people. If they like someone, it's impossible to show them a different point of view. It's a more dangerous subject to debate than religion!