stuff that seems like a blatant rip off

[joeysimms]

Rock music is certainly derivative, but please don't touch Lust For Life, that song is damn near perfect.

The funny thing about that song, is that some of the words are copped from Burroughs' "Soft Machine". All that stuff about "Johnny yen" and his "sex machine", it's all there on the same page. I'll find the page number.

Okay Okay, even Lust for Life is derivative, but the percussion and bass is at least perfect.

Yep. Of course.

[lutopia]

I'm going to strorngly guess that I'm the only Erasure fan on the messageboard.

nope.

you wrong there. they fucking rock HARD. great for parties to piss off hipsters... ummm.

I'm happy to go on record as an Erasure fan. Love it - almost every minute of it. Although, I've never thought of using an Erasure disc as a weapon against hipsters!

[teleharmonium]

Almost every Stereolab track on their first few records is a blatant ripoff of something or other, especially the 3 or 4 songs they "wrote" that closely resemble the first track on the first Neu ! record. "Red Sails" by Bowie, from Lodger, is also an incredibly blatant Neu!/Harmonia ripoff, which is all the more reprehensible because it is halfassed in comparison to the original.

Which leads me to another related phenomena - when bands do an exact, replica style cover of something slightly obscure at a live show and don't mention that it is a cover. I mean, I'm not big on a lot of stage patter, but obviously in this situation most people at the show are assuming that the band is doing original material unless they recognize it themselves as a cover; the band is wrongly taking credit for it by omission of credit, IMO. I saw part of a show by 'Simple Machines' recently, they opened their set with an extremely close copy of a song from the second Harmonia record "Deluxe".
I wouldn't be such a nazi about it if the cover was done in a different style or arrangement; I guess my feeling is that replica-style covers are lame regardless. If I want to hear Harmonia, I'll fucking listen to Harmonia, you know what I mean ? The hell with watering down everything.

[craigloom]

Here's one that erks me a little. That 2nd song on Beck's "Sea Change". I can't remember what it's called. It's a total ripoff of Serge Gainsbourg's "Melody Nelson". Right down to the fuzzed guitar solos and string swells. Now, I'm a fan of Beck (and Serge) but I just think this album is way too much of a "influence on your sleeve" kinda deal. There's a song on there that totally sounds like Nick Drake's "Way to Blue" as well. Another that sounds a lot like a John Martyn song (can't remember which one).

[Snarky]

That puddle of mudd "she fuckin hates me"
They got that from Suicidal Tendencies "I saw your mommy"

[craigloom]

sorry, I ment Drake's "River Man". Not "Way To Blue".

[bobbydj]

I always used to think that Beastie Boys Fight for your Right sounded like Smoke on the Water. Not a blatant rip-off though, granted.

[apropos of nothing]

Listen to early Jesus & Mary Chain and the self-titled Love & Rockets album and tell me this band has one ounce of creativity or originality.

Funny you should mention that. When Love&Rockets' eponymous CD came out, my roommate at the time was pretty annoyed at them for schlepping on Jesus and Mary Chain's schtick.

I wasn't super-huge on that album by them. 7th Dream and Express and even Earth Sun Moon were all great, great albums, and L&R,L&R just seemed like such a blatant sell-out attempt.

[inhumentor]

Granted I can't really find a good example of 'direct' rip offitude, but what about Lenny Kravitz? That guy just irks me something fierce.

[dirty]

Rock music is certainly derivative, but please don't touch Lust For Life, that song is damn near perfect.

The funny thing about that song, is that some of the words are copped from Burroughs' "Soft Machine". All that stuff about "Johnny yen" and his "sex machine", it's all there on the same page. I'll find the page number.

Okay Okay, even Lust for Life is derivative, but the percussion and bass is at least perfect.

Yep. Of course.

WRONG! The percussion and bass are only 98.9% perfect. (Although this is a very common misperception.)

Now the backing vocals.... are perfect.

[discs of tron]

on the kravitz tip:
"it aint over til it's over" is pretty much earth wind and fire's "that's the way of the world," minus soul.

[wayne kerr]

The funny thing about that song [Lust For Life], is that some of the words are copped from Burroughs' "Soft Machine". All that stuff about "Johnny yen" and his "sex machine", it's all there on the same page. I'll find the page number.

I will argue that the Ig's use of Soft Machine is NOT derivative, but rather referential. And while we're on the topic, does anyone know anything about the time that Grant Hart spent with WSB in the last days of his life? I've never been able to get much info on that...

SB

[craigloom]

Wait. Grant Hart is dead?

[GrimmBrotherScott]

I really haven't seen anyone make this connection, but The Strokes sound pretty much EXACTLY like The Smiths. Take that distortion off of Julian's voice and poof...there is Morrisey. Even got cool guitars like Johnny Marr.

Same goes for Ryan Adams "Rock and Roll"...two of the best Smith's songs they never wrote are on there "Anybody Wanna Take Me Home" and "So Ailive".

All good stuff.

s

[vvv]

U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky" = Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold."

I love 'em both, though.