Thanksgiving Day Awards 2012

[Mike Mills]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's the time of year, when we should all be thankful. I know we are all thankful for classic rock & what it means to us, but let's delve out some awards. What classic rock artist are you most thankful for in 2012? On the other end of the spectrum, which artist totally disappointed you? Who is the biggest classic rock turkey of 2012?

 

[RJhog (Admin)]

The biggest turkey is KISS!  Easily.  I'm way disappointed with Monster.  Sonic Boom wasn't great, but it was listenable.  Monster, aside from Hell Or Hallelujah and Wall Of Sound, is a total letdown.  

Biggest surprise and the one I'm most thankful for in 2012 is Van Halen.  This album is so much better than what I was expecting.  And although it was only a 75% reunion of the original line-up, Wolfgang's bass playing is out of this world and he absolutely deserves to be named Bassist Of The Year for 2012.

And let me add, I'm thankful for my family and friends, this beautiful country that we live in (we may have problems, but I still wouldn't want to live anywhere else) and the fact that I'm still kicking.  I thank God for that.  And lastly, I'm thankful for my CRB buddies.  You guys help fuel my hobby of listening to and discovering great music and I enjoy talking (or typing) to you every day.

[Mike Mills]

My Biggest Classic Rock Turkey of 2012 is Axl Rose, for blowing off the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony & being a total stubborn douche about reuniting with GNR.

Most Thankful for Slash, for continuing to make quality revelent music without Axl Rose.

[RJhog (Admin)]

That was a truly douched out move by Axl.  But I don't think it surprised anybody.  And I'll join your cheers to Slash.  While most of the original members of GNR are still making music in some capacity, Slash is definitely leading the way.  And his music is really good as well.

[Scott]

Two major Turkeys this year!

1 - KISS gets my first Turkey of the year for the highly flawed release of Monster plus the continued ignorance and disrespect of the legacy of the original band.  Unforgivable!

2 - The Music industry in general for not figuring out how to reach their consumers or caring about what they want to hear.  They continue to ignore the digital age and cant figure out a viable business model so that we can hear new artists who want to create cool listening experiences based on bands who actually play instruments.  But instead, we get our radio waves full of cookie-cutter crap pop releases that showcase samples of classic tracks, no real instruments being played but computer programmed instruments against a programmed drum track fronted by plastic imposters who are designed by someone else to suit some image.  The prophecy of Johnny Bravo is alive and well!  P-U-K-E!!!

Some dis-honorable mentions...

• Axl is an idiot!  That always been true and apparently will remain true ...  So I wrote him and his version of Guns N Roses off long ago.
• Rolling Stones for releasing yet another Greatest Hits package!  Milk It!
• Stephen Stills, Meat Loaf, Bruce Springsteen etc... for their political outspokenness - make music, its what you do best (oh wait you haven't done anything good musically in years!)
• Black Sabbath for the Bill Ward fiasco, cant believe this was even an issue.

However, I am thankful for...

• Rush for keeping is fresh and rockin'!
• UFO for really knocking this new album out of the ballpark!  What a refreshing listen this is!
• Van Halen finally getting it right and releasing a stellar set of tunes packaged very nicely
• ZZ Top taking great steps to realize their comeback is not that far away!

I feel better now...

[Mike Mills]

Great mentions, Scott!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Man, how did I forget about UFO?  They are very high on my Album Of The Year list.  And the greatest thing is that they are still a hidden treasure for me.  I'm just beginning to discover them.

[Niels (Mod)]

With the danger of be called Jon's bitch, I have to say I have been most thankfull for Devin Townsend. He is the only artist, that I have bought 6(!) albums by/with, in 2012. His Music sounds very fresh to me, at least, at the moment.

The biggest turkey must be Muse. They are by far the most overrated band at the moment. Even here at CRB.

[RJhog (Admin)]

[Mike Mills]

I totally, had you down for Devin Townsend!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Niels new name is J'sB.

[Jon]

My biggest turkey's would be ZZ Top, The Cult and Lynyrd Skynyrd. All three albums were underwhelming (and I only listened to what was posted here form Skynyrd and ZZ Top). 

Another is Axl just because he's a douche. 

And for thanks I have to go with Van Halen, Joe Walsh and Outlaws all putting out fine albums despite being away for many, many years.

Plus can't forget the fine folks here who contribute to the posts (except Rjhog, of course). It makes it worthwhile to keep going for the peeps. you know, my fans.