David Bowie vs. James Brown

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The greater artist is....

The Godfather of Soul
35
44%
The Thin White Duke
45
56%
 
Total votes: 80

sloopjohnc
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby sloopjohnc » 28 Jul 2010, 21:27

Leg of lamb wrote:It's a pretty visceral hour, I admit, but still just an hour.


You must be young. For me, it's only a of couple minutes nowadays----if I'm lucky.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Leg of lamb » 28 Jul 2010, 21:55

sloopjohnc wrote:
Leg of lamb wrote:It's a pretty visceral hour, I admit, but still just an hour.


You must be young. For me, it's only a of couple minutes nowadays----if I'm lucky.


:D

Actually, I've been thinking about this. I'm basically choosing Bowie for Station to Station -> Low -> Heroes. I honestly can't think of a three-record run that takes me on more of an, um, journey. I'd like but perhaps not love Bowie if it was only for his other albums, but that trilogy feeds my imagination like... well, what else? Really?
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Penk! » 28 Jul 2010, 22:17

I'm a Bowie man. I appreciate Brown's talent, influence, importance and creativity, and all that. I just don't enjoy listening to his music very much.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Magilla » 28 Jul 2010, 22:29

While I "get" why people like Bowie's classics, my problem remains that he's a trend-spotter. He was very good at seeing which way the wind was blowing and going with it.
In contrast, Brown was more of a trend-setter. At the very least he invented funk, Bowie invented nothing.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby sloopjohnc » 28 Jul 2010, 22:30

Balboa wrote:
The Modernist wrote:Of course his early 60's records sounded different from his 70 onwards funk period. But within his funk period, which is arguably what he's most celebrated for -there isn't huge variety. They are still great records.


But the stuff before the funk stuff is flat out great too - why are people so dismissive of it as if he would be forgotten about if he hadn't dropped 'Out of Sight' or 'Cold Sweat'. That first Apollo album is still the benchmark by which all live albums are judged - he is one of my favourite soul singers period. That's what makes him so great in many ways - he was already pretty incredible before he turned music on its head.


It's a Man's World is the song I think of when people wonder how good a singer James Brown was. It's an interesting song. He sings it like a ballad, but you've got that propulsive beat going on behind him that keeps pushing it forward.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Count Machuki » 28 Jul 2010, 23:00

Count Machuki wrote:And then there's this guy:

http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/bowie.htm

Image


That link provides HOURS of amusement, btw.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Count Machuki » 28 Jul 2010, 23:17

neverknows wrote:
1969
...

1970
...

1971
...

1972
...

1972
...



Nice set, and that's all just from the Goulden Years of 69-72!
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby sloopjohnc » 28 Jul 2010, 23:28

neverknows wrote:
sloopjohnc wrote:
Quaco wrote:Some reasoned commentary going on here. I'm surprised, because some of these matchups seem dominated by opinions that are so obviously one way or the other that one gets the impression the other isn't even being considered. I'm most interested in hearing comparisons from people who love both immensely.

In pairing these two, you get sort of an Apollonian vs. Dionysian thing going. The Apollonians think that dancing and emoting is but one small aspect of human nature, and that an artist that explores not only this but also worlds of imagery and melody beyond this is obviously superior. The Dionysian will think that there is a trueness to the deep exploration of that world, and that flitting about with things one doesn't know about is actually a strike against, and that depth of emotion is the true test.

Or something like that.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm glad you wrote that last line because I don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Apparently he agrees with Modernist that James Brown is all right for dancing. :twisted:


I don't know if I'd wanna see Quaco or Moddie try to do the mash potato.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Count Machuki » 28 Jul 2010, 23:31

neverknows wrote:It's all remarkably boring and samey on such a long period, innit?


Just one big drone after a while, innit?
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Nolamike » 28 Jul 2010, 23:33

Look at it this way... JB had a pretty unimpeachable record from '59 through about '80 or so. Bowie's great period was from about '70 to '80 (maybe '83, if you're giving him Let's Dance). If you see it as being close, don't you have to give it to JB for having a "greatness" streak twice as long as Bowie's?
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby sloopjohnc » 28 Jul 2010, 23:35

Nolamike wrote:Look at it this way... JB had a pretty unimpeachable record from '59 through about '80 or so. Bowie's great period was from about '70 to '80 (maybe '83, if you're giving him Let's Dance). If you see it as being close, don't you have to give it to JB for having a "greatness" streak twice as long as Bowie's?


Logic plays nothing into this discussion.

Didn't the modern rock sucks thread teach us anything.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Count Machuki » 28 Jul 2010, 23:36

Nolamike wrote:Look at it this way... JB had a pretty unimpeachable record from '59 through about '80 or so. Bowie's great period was from about '70 to '80 (maybe '83, if you're giving him Let's Dance). If you see it as being close, don't you have to give it to JB for having a "greatness" streak twice as long as Bowie's?


James Brown also never gave the Nazi salute to a crowd of adoring admirers at a train station.

BUT, he never recorded 'Cygnet Committee' or 'It Aint Easy' either.

So, it's pretty much a wash.

Funny how these threads go, though. For the first page James is always winning, then the boring crowd comes along and casts their votes. Remind me of a certain BCB Cup... :)
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Then it follows that ∀ k ∈ K: K ∈ U ⇒ k ∉ D

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby The Modernist » 28 Jul 2010, 23:38

Magilla wrote:While I "get" why people like Bowie's classics, my problem remains that he's a trend-spotter. He was very good at seeing which way the wind was blowing and going with it.
.


http://www.bcb-board.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93824&start=120

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby The Modernist » 28 Jul 2010, 23:44

Count Machuki wrote:
Nolamike wrote:Look at it this way... JB had a pretty unimpeachable record from '59 through about '80 or so. Bowie's great period was from about '70 to '80 (maybe '83, if you're giving him Let's Dance). If you see it as being close, don't you have to give it to JB for having a "greatness" streak twice as long as Bowie's?


James Brown also never gave the Nazi salute to a crowd of adoring admirers at a train station.

BUT, he never recorded 'Cygnet Committee' or 'It Aint Easy' either.

So, it's pretty much a wash.

Funny how these threads go, though. For the first page James is always winning, then the boring crowd comes along and casts their votes. Remind me of a certain BCB Cup... :)


To be honest the default vote is for Brown, the more independent minded are more likely to go for Bowie. Not by accident has the most thoughtful post come from Leg of Lamb.
There are good reasons for voting for Brown, but I'm not convinced everyone is voting for him for the right reasons.

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Jeff K » 28 Jul 2010, 23:44

The Modernist wrote:
Magilla wrote:While I "get" why people like Bowie's classics, my problem remains that he's a trend-spotter. He was very good at seeing which way the wind was blowing and going with it.
.


http://www.bcb-board.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93824&start=120


:lol:

I don't know why you bother, Moddie.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby The Modernist » 28 Jul 2010, 23:47

Jeff K wrote:
The Modernist wrote:
Magilla wrote:While I "get" why people like Bowie's classics, my problem remains that he's a trend-spotter. He was very good at seeing which way the wind was blowing and going with it.
.


http://www.bcb-board.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93824&start=120


:lol:

I don't know why you bother, Moddie.


I'm hoping to gather a few posts like these (there are probably a few I've done in the past too) and whip them out like a card from my sleeve ..then I need not bother having to keep writing the same stuff!

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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Jeff K » 28 Jul 2010, 23:51

Count Machuki wrote:James Brown also never gave the Nazi salute to a crowd of adoring admirers at a train station.


Brown's behaved far worse in his personal life than Bowie has. Praise his talent all you want and you'll get no argument from me but outside of all that, Brown was shady. There should be no comparison in that regard.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby mentalist (slight return) » 28 Jul 2010, 23:53

The Modernist wrote:There are good reasons for voting for Brown, but I'm not convinced everyone is voting for him for the right reasons.


That comes out as a bit you vil 'keep voting until you get it right :)

Anyhow I protest against having to rank them at all. Rather than a pyramid I have a top shelf of artists and they're both up there next to the Crystal and Blue Label.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby sloopjohnc » 28 Jul 2010, 23:58

neverknows wrote:
The Modernist wrote:the more independent minded are more likely to go for Bowie.

I don't see the independence in anything you wrote about Brown - it's the same thing that's been written in every thread about him since mojo4music started out! "You've got to admit the brilliance... But he invented just one thing. He did it good, but he did it to death" and so on.


I thought Balboa's post on his changes earlier in the thread was good. His sound changed dramatically from when he started to the mid seventies.

The latter part of it was more what we now consider funkified, but even then, his sound changed from when he first started the harder funk to when he finished.
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Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Postby Sneelock » 29 Jul 2010, 00:03

Jeff K wrote:
Count Machuki wrote:James Brown also never gave the Nazi salute to a crowd of adoring admirers at a train station.


Brown's behaved far worse in his personal life than Bowie has. Praise his talent all you want and you'll get no argument from me but outside of all that, Brown was shady. There should be no comparison in that regard.


you ever see that performance on "Late Night with David Letterman" where Letterman had the good sense to bump all his guests and let JB keep going? I'm pretty sure he was in the slammer not long after that. PCP ain't for me but it would appear it put a tiger in James Brown's tank.

look, this is always going to boil down to if you think he's the 8th Wonder of the World or not. anybody who's not convinced by now is not going to be convinced.


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