Artists Who Will Never Make A Good Record Again

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Criteria:

- they have to be alive and recording music.
- they have to have made a good record (in yr opinion) in the past.
- no probablies: list only people you are sure will never again make a good record.

This question came to me reading the David Bowie threads, obviously.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

90% of the ones currently still around, surely.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

REM

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

lets get the obv ones outta the way first:

- bowie
- iggy pop
- the stones
- aerosmith

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't disagree with any of those.

The sneaky subquestion is which of these might you still buy/download even knowing it won't be good.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Rolling Stones
Kraftwerk (haha!)
My Bloody Valentine (ditto)

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Kraftwerk might, that's how lame I am.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:36 (twenty-two years ago)

AC/DC
Kiss

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:36 (twenty-two years ago)

motley crue
poison
g'n'r (ha ha) (also i will still buy/download the new one)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Liz Phair (maybe)
Queensryche
anything that Sonic Boom works on

and infinite more

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Massive Attack

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)

tricky!!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I still think Iggy might pull a good record from his ass any day now. Probably not, but I don't think it's impossible.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)

oasis
manic street preachers

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Tricky is exactly the kind of artist I'm thinking about. The ones where you feel vaguely embarrassed and disappointed when you hear that they've made another record.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

i was just about to say any of the classic jungle/d&b producers, but then i remembered that shy fx/t-power album

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Poison = totally off the money. "Hollyweird" was one of the best albums of last year.

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

dr. dre (under his own name)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Sting
Metallica

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Prince.

― Nathan W (Nathan Webb), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Ooh, Kenan beat me to it with Metallica.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Randy Newman
Gary Neuman
Neu

ha!

― gage o (gage o), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

LL Cool J

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Bob Mould
Richard Thompson
The Temptations

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

peter townsend

― thomas de'aguirre (biteylove), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

invoke prince on a thread like this at your own peril

(i agree)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Photek

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Basically it has to be an artist or group that's either entirely lost the only milieu in which they found success (Temptations) or coasting on a large amount of fan goodwill and unlikely ever to challenge themselves again (Thompson) or just have seen their taste go completely down the shitter (Mould; questions of sanity arise in this latter category).

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Or that have just lost it. Lost the thread. Lost the painting. Prince.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

tom did you LIKE photek at one point? somehow it seems not your thing.

kid606.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked Hidden Camera - actually I may be thinking of a Source Direct track.

OMNI TRIO!!

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:50 (twenty-two years ago)

new order.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Elton John, but that's obviously been true since the 80's.

Peter Gabriel, maybe. He'll release a new album every five years, and each one will increasingly display his boredom with making music.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

the chemical brothers. i'll definitely buy it though.

other dance dinosaurs? betting must be strong on

no more daft punk (not counting bangalters solo stuff)

no more underworld

no more orbital surely

BASEMENT JAXX? (perhaps unfair given the junction ep was good)

― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I was about to say Omni Trio too.

Aphex Twin and Autechre come into mind. And Nightmares on Wax.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

i think the jaxx and d punk have another good album in them

def orbital

underworld were always crap

chem brothers YES

i dont think eminem has a hope in hell of making another good ALBUM now that he has access to Total Everything Now

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

The Offspring
Talib Kweli
Bruce Springsteen

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Ice T and Ice Cube.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Are Pink Floyd still around?

― original bgm, Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Gilmore is still using the Pink Floyd name. Fucker.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I think a lot of those people are unlikely to make a good record Ronan but unlikely doesn't count. We're talking people who have crossed quality's event horizon.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)

eminem
wu-tang clan
any pavement-related fuxors
superchunk
any beatle

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 15 May 2003 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Fair enough, why the distinction though? I thought this thread was to try and make it easier to see where something good might be coming from. Yes obviously Daft Punk have it in them, but the chances of them doing it are slim.

I was suggesting the others as potentially past qualitys event horizon though.

Eminem, yes.

Jay-Z?

― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 15 May 2003 15:01 (twenty-two years ago)

No, the thread is to clear out dead wood so to speak. Actually it didn't have a purpose.

Wu-Tang, Jay-Z and Eminem can still make good records - not necc. full albums but thats not what was asked.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 15 May 2003 15:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Gilmore is still using the Pink Floyd name. Fucker.

I want a Pink Floyd where only the original drummer remains. That guy just found the drum beat he liked best and stuck with it forevah! (See also: Phil Rudd, AC/DC)

― original bgm, Thursday, 15 May 2003 15:04 (twenty-two years ago)

jay-z i dunno about...blueprint 2 and all his recent guest verses make me think he's turning into a very wealthy late-period odb. but then i felt that way right before the first blueprint was released.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 May 2003 15:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree with aphex twin.

MBV will never make another record.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 15 May 2003 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)

elvis costello.

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Thursday, 15 May 2003 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)

eminem's gotta find a new boogeyman to be his enemy to avoid turning into a caricature of himself (see: marilyn manson). until he does that, his records will sound increasingly hollow and dull (see: the eminem show).

wu-tang's dead in the water. iron flag and the w each had a few good cuts, but i think the rza's bored of his boys. wu-tang solo records have outshined legit wu-tang albums ever since 36 chambers! the most recent example being supreme clientele.

odb will be back in full force with the dirt mcgrit projekt!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 15 May 2003 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 74 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

did somebody say:

frank black,
everybody asscoiated with the sex pistols and the clash (ok joes dead but micks not)
simple minds (though you could have said this in 1982)
Echo and The Bunnyman or side projects there of
Massive Attack
Portishead
Anybody associated with the Stone Roses (ever)
Shaun Ryder
Paul Simon
Eric Clapton (sorry i'll stop now that one made me laff.)
teehehe

― gallantseagull, Thursday, 15 May 2003 22:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd say Frank Black is still making good records (notice I did not say "great"). I haven't heard Kool Keith's very latest stuff, but I know he has continued to release some top-notch material in the past couple of years, so I would hardly count him out.

― o. nate (onate), Friday, 16 May 2003 00:55 (twenty-two years ago)

not Low, I can't see that happening at all

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 16 May 2003 03:14 (twenty-two years ago)

flock of seagulls

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 16 May 2003 03:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Flock of Seagulls goes under 'will never make a record again,' surely.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 May 2003 03:42 (twenty-two years ago)

So spot on re: native tongues.

Q-tip's era is over, and the shelving of Kemaal just clinches it.

But the Em stuff is totally odd -- he just keeps releasing better singles from his album and the 8-mile stuff was spectacular and meanwhile his stuff vs Benzino AND Ja is great. So.. uh?

Also Erikah Badu!!

Madonna?

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Friday, 16 May 2003 03:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Some of the more cynical bastids out there might have cited my beloved KILLING JOKE just to get my oft-gotten goat......but I just heard a track off their fortcoming album.....and it ROCKS LIKE A THING THAT ROCKS MIGHTILY WELL, BY GUM! So y'all can just go and step off, as they say uptown.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 16 May 2003 03:48 (twenty-two years ago)

i like the fact that Killing Joke doesn't record unless they think that their music is up to snuff by their standards. i wish more recording artists would work like that.

― Tad (llamasfur), Friday, 16 May 2003 03:51 (twenty-two years ago)

i second ice cube (and fellow NWA alumnus mc ren). but the cube is concentrating on his film career these days. i would also include public enemy. then again, until a few years ago i would have included sonic youth on this list.

and i respectfully dissent with the fellow upthread who said that echo & the bunnymen will never made another good record ... i kinda like their newer stuff (though admittedly it isn't as good as their eighties music).

― Tad (llamasfur), Friday, 16 May 2003 03:53 (twenty-two years ago)

if Prince rebounds from The Rainbow Children it'll be a miracle.

Sonic Youth haven't made a bad record, and neither have De La Soul

― M Matos (M Matos), Friday, 16 May 2003 04:28 (twenty-two years ago)

R.I.P. June Carter Cash.

― hstencil, Friday, 16 May 2003 04:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Jenny Toomey.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 16 May 2003 07:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Siegbran - I think that's a little harsh on Slayer, as they're still capable of the occasional mighty moment (Disciple and New Faith off the last album, while admittedly not exactly Chemical Warfare or what have you, were just great, I thought).

― M Carty (mj_c), Friday, 16 May 2003 07:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Has anyone said Beastie Boys yet? Their downward spiral seems to know no end.

― M Carty (mj_c), Friday, 16 May 2003 07:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex my head says Morrissey but my heart says he will make a good record again - even if it's just some 7" on one of his many boutique labels.

Tracer I can't see myself ever buying a Fall record again but I'm not sure they'll be bad.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Friday, 16 May 2003 08:44 (twenty-two years ago)

actually The Streets is an interesting choice. i was trying to imagine what the next album will sound like and struggled a bit. an OPM part 2 is probably not a good idea but what else is there for him to do unless he hooks up with Tom Dinsdale for production or goes more Dizzeefied? of course either of those options would be grate.

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 16 May 2003 08:57 (twenty-two years ago)

agree with the Prodigy choice too, can't imagine the new album will be good, its taken too long and most of the new tracks that were being played live (Nuclear, Trigger, something else with miltaristic connotations...) sounded powerful enough but just too dated.

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 16 May 2003 09:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Blur (believing their own myth)
The Breeders (they don't give a toss)
Godspeed (perhaps, have not listened to last one but suspect it can not equal heights of earlier material)

― Eamonn Maher (Eamonn Maher), Friday, 16 May 2003 10:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Low? I don't think so. Their last album was superb. Aphex Twin? This man is always capable of something special (even if Drucqs was a bit patchy). I'll second Belle and Sebastian but hope it isn't true. How about Robyn Hitchcock? His Dylan covers album was a bit over-earnest. Anyone heard his latest?

― Kim Tortoise, Friday, 16 May 2003 11:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah Madonna.... Also Alanis Morissette , The Cardigans , Bush (1st one = good) , Nine Inch Nails , Courtney Love , Tori Amos (?) and very possibly Garbage. Hearing Portishead and Stereolab on the list hurt :( , but Bjork ?? Vespertine was good...

― Mr. Eff, Saturday, 17 May 2003 23:43 (twenty-two years ago)

― A. Garcia, Saturday, 17 May 2003 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)

(Mr.Eff and A.Garcia undivided at birth shockah?! however, whichever way that might be...)
i'm inclined to agree with the above twin-IlxOrs as far as Björk's concerned: she def'tly doesn't belong on the shitlist

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Saturday, 17 May 2003 23:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Michael Jackson (so obvious he hasn't been mentioned)
Lee Perry

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 17 May 2003 23:58 (twenty-two years ago)

oops! - Michael Jackson actually was named upthread

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Sunday, 18 May 2003 00:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I actually picked Bjork to be obnoxiously off the mark. When I first read this thread, I was kind of shocked at the nastiness of it...even if some of the suggestions are spot on.

― disco stu (disco stu), Sunday, 18 May 2003 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Michael Jackson actually was named upthread

WTF?? I searched for his name twice.

― oops (Oops), Sunday, 18 May 2003 00:57 (twenty-two years ago)

oops - m'jackson is mentioned in pete b's post about midthread

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Sunday, 18 May 2003 01:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm going to buy the new Twilight Singers when (if?) it ever comes out, but I expect to be disappointed with this one too.

― j.lu (j.lu), Sunday, 18 May 2003 02:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Richard Thompson
His last three albums ("Rumour and Sigh", "Mock Tudor" and "You, Me, Us?") have all been uniformly excellent. Its the stuff after "Hand of Kindness" but before "Rumour and Sigh" where he was treading water.

Peter Gabriel, maybe.
Well, he'll never make an album as good as "So" ever again, but his last three ("Us", "Ovo" and "Up") have been okay.

The Offspring, eminem
Doesn't the rules state you have to make at least ONE GOOD RECORD FIRST, and *THEN* *START* sucking?

http://www.mugshots.net/axl_rose/axl_rose.jpg
B-b-b-but "Chinese Democracy" will R0X0R yer sad little WURLD!!! (*cough* *cough*)

As for Prince, Sting and Madonna:
Sure their output has weakened over time, but each has a nasty habit of putting out 1 or 2 great 'choons on every record they make. Their records have always been a big pile o'butt...but their "Greatest Hits of..." is where the action is.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Sunday, 18 May 2003 03:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Goddam this is a depressing read! I'm going to start a contra thread...

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Sunday, 18 May 2003 04:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Axl Kaelin!

My choice: Girls Against Boys. Cruise Yourself was All KillX0r No FillX0r, but the thing they released last year (You Can't Fight What You Can't Listen To For More Than Six Minutes or whatever) had one great song and some... well, stuff. That was there. Sitting.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Sunday, 18 May 2003 04:44 (twenty-two years ago)

(and Freak*On*I*Feararhgaghgh was just... no.)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Sunday, 18 May 2003 04:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Ludwig Van Beethoven.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Sunday, 18 May 2003 05:23 (twenty-two years ago)

("He's not composing anymore!" "Sure he is, he's decomposing right now!")

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Sunday, 18 May 2003 05:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Richard Thompson

Fully out of line. 'Mock Tudor' was a misstep, but fully redeemable. The rest of his 90's albums have been underrated beyond belief, and are quite stellar, particularily 'You? Me? Us?'.

― derrick (derrick), Sunday, 18 May 2003 06:47 (twenty-two years ago)

disagree with the Fall. Unutterable was pretty wonderful and the new one is apparently more in that direction. Hell, I even started liking AYAMW before I quit listening to it.

Picks:
Rocket fr. the Crypt
GYBE
Air
Madonna
YYYs

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Sunday, 18 May 2003 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

two weeks pass...

piano magic.

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Friday, 6 June 2003 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

mitch: possibly true, that's why we have arbol and charles atlas instead.

I'd disagree with some of the above, eitzel's next album sounds like a winner and there will be another american music club album by the end of the year, god willing. A better choice might be Kozelek/Red House Painters.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 6 June 2003 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

whatbol and who now?

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Friday, 6 June 2003 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

arbol: miguel (pm drummer) doing laptop work with other pm people but no glen; charles atlas: charles wyatt (the pm bliss out) on guitar and other people doing the pretty bliss-out instrumental thing. Both sound more like their respective earlier Piano Magic work than the most recent PM stuff sounds like PM (if that makes any sense at all).

FWIW I liked the last PM single but I hope it's a one off and not a sign of a new rockist attitude.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 6 June 2003 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Paul Westerberg
Van Halen
Todd Rundgren

― Chris Clark (Chris Clark), Friday, 6 June 2003 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

seven months pass...

revive
Blink 182

― jole, Sunday, 18 January 2004 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Seconded, not without some sadness: REM, Primal Scream, Neil Young, Morrissey
Also: Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Ryan Adams (I just about admit "Heartbreaker" as "good")
Giving some cause for concern: Low, Nick Cave, Beck

I was going to second Kozelek, but have read positive things about Sun Kil Moon.

― Snnap Dragon (snnap dragon), Sunday, 18 January 2004 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

if not yet mentioned: Beastie Boys, sigh. that protest track was, as they say, wack.

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Sunday, 18 January 2004 19:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Bands listed here whose last album I frikkin' adored: Neil Young, Rocket From The Crypt, Liz Phair, New Order (ok I half-adored Get Ready), Superchunk (ok I 1/3 adored Here's To Shutting Up but that's just as much as any other Chunk full-length), De La Soul, Conor Oberst, and maybe GVSB (the last album was merely a slight comeback but New Wet Kojak is pretty damn great these days so who knows. Plus GVSB's Series 7 soundtrack rocked).

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 18 January 2004 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

Dodgy (Yes, they still exist)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 21:30 (twenty years ago)

Primal Scream could come out of nowhere with a great record, just like Neil Young. It's all up to the whims of taste, stupidity and x-factor.

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 22:08 (twenty years ago)

no cat power?

you guys are losing it.

― aline, Wednesday, 15 February 2006 10:37 (twenty years ago)

Geir, the question is Artist who will never make a good record AGAIN.

― snowballing (snowballing), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 10:51 (twenty years ago)

great try.

― aline, Wednesday, 15 February 2006 11:08 (twenty years ago)

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