FIVE

Finally a Friday Five that doesn't make me want to pull out my hair. As you all know, I only answer the surveys that are about music, so here goes. A fantastic Friday Five

1. Who is your favorite singer/musician? Why?
I'm going to interpret this question just as it's written, that way my already strained brain won't explode. Elvis Costello is my favorite singer/musician. The man can sing, play guitar and write snarky lyrics. (He can write pretty lyrics too, but snarky ones are funner) I won't bother to mention that he's easy on the eyes, cos that really doesn't pertain to the question (but it sure helps)

Elvis Costello makes music that can fit every mood. Even sick I found myself trying to sing along to Battered Old Bird from Blood and Chocolate. That in itself says alot for the man.

This man makes real music. Music with lyrics that make you think, cry, smile, get angry...and maybe even GET HAPPY. (Ooops couldn't resist the musical pun)

Buy all his albums, dammit, he rocks! (Well except for North, that album so doesn't rock, but Still is such a damn pretty song.)

2. What one singer/musician can you not stand? Why?
Again I will interpret this question as it is written, so Linds can be happy, that I won't be dissing the White Stripes today. (Oh how I'd love to though) Actually I'm going to go straight for the obvious, Celine Dion. Will someone please stop her incessant caterwauling? PLEASE!

When she started out doing pop music in the very late 80's, she was just barely tolerable. I actually liked Where Does My Heart Beat Now?, which was a cute love ballad. Only somewhere between her first and second albums, someone told her she could be the next Streisand. NO NO NO! Not even a duet with Babs can make you sound good. Now Stop! My ears are bleeding.

3. If your favorite singer wasn't in the music business, do you think you would still like him/her as a person?

Now that's an interesting question. I think Declan MacManus would be an interesting person to know. If he wasn't in the music business, he would probably be quite a different bloke altogether. He'd be just another geek. I'd therefore still find him attractive, as I tend to gravitate towards geeks.

Let me think on Mr. Hayward. He'd still be a beautiful 6'1 blonde adonis. I wonder what he'd have done if the call of music hadn't taken control of his life? Would he still be a sweet Swindon boy? Why wouldn't I want to know a man as beautiful as Justin. The question would really be, would he want to know me? Likely not.

4. Have you been to any concerts? If yes, who put on the best show?
That's the dumbest question ever asked. Has the music whore been to any concerts.

I've seen:

The Monkees (countless times)
Paul McCartney (fantastic show, a great showman)
Def Leppard (3 times, great performers there, regardless of what you think of hairbands)
Duran Duran (2 times..another spectacular bunch of shows..the greatness of this band was surprising to me actually)
Counting Crows
The Devlins
Cheap Trick
Love and Rockets
David Bowie/NIN (I refuse to discuss this show. Half the audience left before Bowie came on. What a bunch of morons)
Cher/Cyndi Lauper
Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber w/Michael Crawford
Phil Collins
Eric Clapton
Big Rewind Tour : Culture Club, Human League, Howard Jones
Poison
and saving the best for last

ELVIS COSTELLO---THIS MAN ROCKS!

5. What are your thoughts on downloading free music online vs. purchasing albums? Do you feel the RIAA is right in its pursuit to stop people from dowloading free music?

Oye, it's a can of worms question. There are so many reasons why I'm sitting on the fence on this one. I can see the point of the RIAA. The downloads are hurting the musicians (LOL...who are already rich) and the labels (who are a bunch of idiots).

The high cost of CDs in a crappy economy is keeping the college students, who are the target market for most of the music purchased, from buying more. Why wouldn't you download the songs for free when a CD can cost you 20 bucks and only have 1 good song on it?

Ethecially it's wrong. But it also brings about the question, What has the RIAA done for me lately? Have any of the labels reissued any old obscure albums by my favorite artists? No..Have the labels that are part of this organization lowered music costs or try to find artists with talent? No. (I lie..Universal is...kudos to you)

And as Onesy said...The RIAA sued a 12 year old.

Makes me start to wonder...who has less ethics, the RIAA or the people downloading music? Now there's something to ponder.