Massively overrated and or underrated

[Schwenck]

A lot of posters are picking up on the Overrated theme of this thread, but it also says Underrated, so a singer-songwriter who does not get the attention he deserves. If you check him out, you will be surprised:

Richard Thompson: the best UK songwriter since Lennon-McCartney split up, and one of the best guitarists in the world as well. No wonder no-one likes him. As David Byrne (of Talking Heads) said "Serves him right for being so good". Even Elvis Costello, no mean songwriter himself, adores his work and has covered his songs.

Suggested Albums: 'I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight', 'Pour Down Like Silver', 'Shoot out the Lights', 'Rumor and Sigh', 'Mock Tudor', Sweet Warrior'. Best of all, see him live.

[Old Jud]

Originally Posted by Schwenck

A lot of posters are picking up on the Overrated theme of this thread, but it also says Underrated, so a singer-songwriter who does not get the attention he deserves. If you check him out, you will be surprised:

Richard Thompson: the best UK songwriter since Lennon-McCartney split up, and one of the best guitarists in the world as well. No wonder no-one likes him. As David Byrne (of Talking Heads) said "Serves him right for being so good". Even Elvis Costello, no mean songwriter himself, adores his work and has covered his songs.

Suggested Albums: 'I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight', 'Pour Down Like Silver', 'Shoot out the Lights', 'Rumor and Sigh', 'Mock Tudor', Sweet Warrior'. Best of all, see him live.

I remember him from Fairport Convention. A good singer, and good but not great (IMHO) guitarist.

[Schwenck]

Originally Posted by Old Jud

I remember him from Fairport Convention. A good singer, and good but not great (IMHO) guitarist.

Then you haven't really been following his career that closely. He only sang background vocals with Fairport Convention, as they had Judy Dyble, initially, and then the great Sandy Denny on lead vocals. After he left Fairport, the vocals on his first solo album 'Henry, the Human Fly' were not that good, so in his duo with his wife, Linda, she took most lead vocals. Over the years he has managed to learn to sing really well. He will never be a natural like Pavarotti or Fitzgerald, but he can now really put a song across to an audience.

His guitar work with Fairport was good enough to get them signed - Joe Boyd has said it was Thompson's guitar work that made him sign them up. Just check out 'Time Will Show the Wiser', recorded when Thompson was 18. Q magazine put him at number 10 of their list of guitar geniuses.

But Thompson got even better after Fairport, both as as a guitarist, and especially as a songwriter. After all, he was only 21 when he left. He is especially good live.

His work with his then wife, Linda Thompson, and his solo works are just astounding. He has also managed to become a brilliant acoustic guitarist as well as the astonishing electric guitarist he always has been. It's typical of Thompson that he works hard to get good at things that he is not that adept at, like singing and acoustic guitar, while remaining brilliant at his natural talents, namely songwriting and electric guitar.

Richard Thompson is nearly forgotten in the UK, but highly regarded in the US, where he got the Americana Lifetime Award. To be fair, he did get an OBE a few years ago. A CH would be more fitting.

[Navvet]

I don't know if this has already been mentioned, but this is the most overrated president in American history.

[Estreeter]

Originally Posted by Schwenck

A lot of posters are picking up on the Overrated theme of this thread, but it also says Underrated, so a singer-songwriter who does not get the attention he deserves. If you check him out, you will be surprised:

I've never seen a post on here or in the real world about The B52's.
And no xyzde I ain't talking about that fantastic US bomber, I'm talking about the band.

My Missus likes them and had them playing a bit in the car today, the fact it's not exactly my style of music yet enjoy them make me think they should have been more successful and were underrated.

[Old Jud]

Originally Posted by Schwenck

Then you haven't really been following his career that closely.

Very true, but then again i'm not a fan of his.

His guitar work with Fairport was good enough to get them signed - Joe Boyd has said it was Thompson's guitar work that made him sign them up. Just check out 'Time Will Show the Wiser', recorded when Thompson was 18. Q magazine put him at number 10 of their list of guitar geniuses.

But Thompson got even better after Fairport, both as as a guitarist, and especially as a songwriter. After all, he was only 21 when he left. He is especially good live.

.

He might be number 10 with Q magazine, but not in my top ten.
As I said in my previous post, I think he is good but not great, just another subjective opinion.

[Schwenck]

Originally Posted by Estreeter

I've never seen a post on here or in the real world about The B52's.
And no xyzde I ain't talking about that fantastic US bomber, I'm talking about the band.

My Missus likes them and had them playing a bit in the car today, the fact it's not exactly my style of music yet enjoy them make me think they should have been more successful and were underrated.

I really like their 'Cosmic Thing' album, especially the wonderful 'Roam', which was a hit here in the UK. I agree that they never really got the success they deserved. Kate Pierson of the B52s also did some lovely vocals on some REM albums - she has a great voice.

[Schwenck]

Originally Posted by Old Jud

He might be number 10 with Q magazine, but not in my top ten.
As I said in my previous post, I think he is good but not great, just another subjective opinion.

Well, actually, I agree that these lists are rather silly. There are so many different styles of guitar playing that comparisons become silly. I think I have seen a list which said Keith Richards was a better guitarist than Pat Metheny (whom, naturally, I Agree With*). Technically, that's nonsense, but yet Keith is very effective in his own genre.


*Obscure Richard Thompson joke

[judy84]

Demonstrations. Overrated or underrated? Big or small I think they are a waste of time.
You demonstrate against one thing, while demonstrating another, eg inequality

[Old Jud]

Originally Posted by Schwenck

Well, actually, I agree that these lists are rather silly. There are so many different styles of guitar playing that comparisons become silly. I think I have seen a list which said Keith Richards was a better guitarist than Pat Metheny (whom, naturally, I Agree With*). Technically, that's nonsense, but yet Keith is very effective in his own genre.


*Obscure Richard Thompson joke

One of the music rags (can't remember which one) had Paul McCartney as the worlds best bass player year after year, probably the same one that had Ringo as the worlds best drummer.

No doubt the same rag had Danny la Rue as the best heavyweight boxer.