Republican Vs. Democrat, Male Vs. Female, War Vs. Peace, Light Vs. Dark, Good Vs. Evil, Man Vs. Machine, Love Vs. Hate, Dog Vs. Cat, Sun Vs. Moon, Brain Vs. Brawn, Oscar Vs. Grammy, Angel Vs. Demon, Laurel Vs. Hardy, Beer Vs. Wine, TV Vs. Radio, Pitcher Vs. Batter, Paper Vs. Plastic, Reality Vs. Fantasy, Yeshua Vs. Beelzebub, Conservative Vs. Liberal, You Vs. Me, House Vs. Senate, Offense Vs. Defense, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Spy Vs. Spy, Fischer Vs. Spassky, W.C. Fields Vs. Sobriety, Harold Gimpy, Jr. Vs. Sheldon J. Pismire, Rock Vs. Paper Vs. Scissors, Islam Vs. Everything, Singer Vs. Singer, Band Vs. Band...
BATTLE OF THE BANDS! (‘BOTB’)
Shoop-Shooby
–
Shooby-duh-Dooby-Doop-Dooby-Dooby-Doo-Wah
–
Buh-Doo-Wah!
Yes,
it’s time once again for ‘Battle Of The Bands’
(‘BOTB’)
Alright,
let’s get on it...
 |
| EUGENE MARTONE VS. JACK BUTLER |
Today marks the 60th installment of 'Battle Of The Bands' and I've never missed a single one. Not a single one.
As most of you know, it's kinda funny that BOTB has become a pretty popular bi-monthly blogfest considering it was never intended to be a blogfest at all. It's just something that FAE and I decided to do every 1st and 15th but music-lovers embraced the concept so much that they began asking if they could join us.
Constructing a competitive and interesting music Battle is not a science, it's an art, and experience is the best teacher. A new BOTBer today has an advantage, as they can look at the contests of other participants and use their Battles as a template, general guide, or essential inspiration. Nevertheless, the most important lessons they would learn the same way we all did: trial and error. But the experience of others would be a help.
When FAE and I first started BOTB, we were at a disadvantage because we were making it up from scratch as we went along. And I know that I made some rookie mistakes in those early Battles.
 |
| GOODNIKS VS. NO-GOODNIKS |
This being BOTB #60, and 60 sometimes representing a full revolution (as on the face of a clock), I've decided to go back to nearly the beginning and "redo" my second ever 'Battle Of The Bands' contest. You see, being a BOTB neophyte at that time, I may have inadvertently corrupted the outcome of that contest.
I was so worried that one of the two bands might get shutout that I kind of overhyped the band that I considered to be the underdog. In the end, to my utter amazement, the underdog blew the other band away, and only my own vote saved "the favorite" (in my mind) from a shutout.
THAT, ladies and gentlemen, was the first of many great surprises that BOTB has treated me to. But I've always wondered how that Battle might have turned out if I hadn't weighted my commentary so strongly toward the underdog band. A total of only 11 votes were cast in my second Battle, and today there are so many more and newer BOTB participants that I feel I can "replay" that old one and it will seem new to most, giving me an idea whether or not I really accidentally had a hand in determining the original outcome.
Please don't go back and review the original Battle, as I will give you every li'l detail about it when I post the results for 'Fleetwood Mac Versus The Rockets, Take 2' here on January 21st.
 |
| GODZILLA VS. KING KONG |
When we think of Fleetwood Mac, we think of that Super-Pop group who scored major hits with songs like 'Dreams', 'Go Your Own Way', and 'You Make Loving Fun'. But that band went through many personnel changes over the years, and before Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined it, Fleetwood Mac was a Peter Green-led Blues-Rock band with no Top 40 hits to their credit.
One of the earlier songs from the Blues-Rock era of Fleetwood Mac was titled 'OH WELL'. Let's hear it...
'OH WELL'... by Fleetwood Mac
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJMTLtZ4GSU
 |
| RIDDLER VS. BATMAN |
In 1979, a One-Hit Wonder band out of Detroit, Michigan, called The Rockets scored their one Top 40 hit (it climbed to #30 on the Billboard chart) with a cover version of the Fleetwood Mac original, 'Oh Well'.
Let's hear it...
'OH WELL'... by The Rockets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzazgG-y7uM
Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whoever you are) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other.
After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also. (If their ‘BOTB’ blog bits aren’t posted yet, pour yourself two shots of ‘Grand Marnier’ over ice – do it twice – and then return to their blogs to
Voice Your Vote @ ‘FAR AWAY SERIES’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'BOOK LOVER' by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'JANIE JUNEBUG, RIGHTING & EDITING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'J.A. SCOTT' by clicking HERE.
@ 'NOVELBREWS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'QUIET LAUGHTER' by clicking HERE.
@ 'BE REINVINTAGED' by clicking HERE.
@ 'HOLLI'S HOOTS & HOLLERS' by clicking HERE.
As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 7th and 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.
~ Stephen T. McCarthy
Great battle Stephen. This one was a little tough at first because I'm a Fleetwood Mac freak and I've always loved their song Oh Well. I listened to it again and loved it just as much. Then I listened to the Rockets and was actually surprised at how much more depth their version of the song has. So my vote was then swayed. I'm definitely voting for the Rockets on this one.
ReplyDeleteToo bad they were a one-hit wonder. They have a good sound!
Michele at Angels Bark
Howdy, MY MICHELE! ~
DeleteGlad you liked it.
I agree that the cover actually has more "depth" (as you put it). It seems fully fleshed out whereas the Mac version is more like a skeleton without much in the way of "clothes" hanging on it.
BUT... sometimes a raw song with lots of exposed rough-edged bones and sharp rib cages is just the thing. We'll see how this one turns out. Seems like a rather close race so far.
When I was a teenager, I had the Rockets LP ('Turn Up The Radio') which included their hit 'Oh Well'. That entire album was downright excellent and I played it half to death. (Thanks to my friend DiscConnected, I now have it on CD and just put it into my player a minute ago.)
That was one band which deserved to have numerous hits. The Rockets were created by two former members of MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS. Remember them? Someone or many someones dropped the ball on that group.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rockets_%28band%29
Their follow-up album was titled 'No Ballads' and that thing really rocked hard!
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
60 Battles already?! I don't think I've missed any either. These have become my favorite posts of the month.
ReplyDeleteOh well, I don't think my vote has changed from the first go around with these versions. The version by the Rockets is great--dynamite. It really rocks out. Totally pro, but it's a rock cover of a great early Mac song.
My preference is Fleetwood Mac version. I like the acoustic blues sound better, the raw isolated vocal sounds more authentically retro, the quirky percussion touches are fun, and I like the driving instrumental portions especially contrasted with that almost classical traditional folk sound of the ending. The original Mac were good at this type of sound. That ethereal ending is enough to cinch my vote on this--love it!
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteNope, from the time you joined BOTB you have never missed a Battle either. Good work, man!
Yep, I was 100% sure your vote hadn't changed because... mine hasn't either.
[:o)
~ D-FensDogG
Happy New Year, Stephen! ☺
ReplyDeleteInteresting story about the beginnings of BOTB. I'm so thrilled to see Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac here! That is my favourite era of the band and not the later incarnation. I'll take blues over pop any day. Most people aren't even aware that FM was around in the 60s. The Rockets version was pretty good, but in the end, Peter Green is THE MAN. Fleetwood Mac for me, please.
P.S. I thought you might enjoy THIS, from 2012. ☺
DeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteI too prefer the earlier Blues-Rock incarnation of Fleetwood Mac. That "Pop" stuffs by the superstar version of The Mac never appealed to me. Too fluffy like cotton candy.
~ D-FensDogG
Some of it wasn't bad, but still, no comparison.
DeleteYes, Fleetwood Mac has quite a different sound without Buckingham and Nicks. The song was okay, but it wasn't as enjoyable as I'd hope.
ReplyDeletePlease give my vote for the Rockets. They performed it well.
So, now that the votes are in, are we allowed to peek? LOL
No peekie for you, JEFFY. You just sit tight and all good things will come to you. Ha!
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Wow- lots of memories make for a tough choice. No I don't simply take it as music - I seem to have a story within me for this song.
ReplyDeleteI played Fleetwood Mac's version twice, but could not place where or when I'd heard it - something vague. So I skipped to the Rockets' version and it hit like a wall of bricks.
I can say that the Rockets may do a more 'polished' version, but it's all about the recording process too. If I wanted polish, that version would be the choice. But, NO!
My memory is of my older brother sending me a tape of him playing and singing on his guitar. He was in the army, stationed in Germany. He'd never been away from home before. So that vague memory is him playing Fleetwood Mac's version, except it lasted longer. ( I now know what 'part 2' means.) That tape was a real tear jerker!
I'm voting for the raw, classico guitar, and other instrumentation of Fleetwood Mac. I'm probably in the minority - Oh well.
dpp ~
DIXIE PIGTAIL POLKA ~
DeleteSo far, you're in the majority, but not by a lot. That may change between now and 1/21.
I enjoyed the story you related explaining the reasoning behind your vote, and I can certainly understand why you voted as you did. Lots of emotion tied in with that original approach.
~ D-FensDogG
Hmm, the Rockets were pretty good, wonder why they only had the one hit?
ReplyDeleteI don't remember this song, so I probably did not vote in the original posting. I did not always show up for those in the early days. Or did I. Hmm, to long ago to remember, and I haven't had my Diet Pepsi yet - gotta shower, dress, and go shopping for that and I'm not ready for the world yet.
I loved Fleetwood Mac, but only remember listening to them after Stevie Nix joined. But I love their guitar sounds, they had a string guitar for a lot of their songs. This is a great song. Both versions have their merits, but I'm going with Fleetwood today.
Yep, the Battles have had a few surprises over its history. Lots of fun, and seriousness, and sometimes creepy. The comments have been the most enjoyable though.
Don't know how you can have a good weekend Mac with all that "healthy" going on; but I'll wish you all the best anyway :)
OH DONNA ~
DeleteA "string guitar" as opposed to...?
I can't remember if you voted in the original posting of this Battle way back when. I'll have to check.
I KNOW you voted in my very first Battle though because it was YOUR vote that saved me from a shutout.
You saved me from a shutout in Battle #1 and I saved myself from a shutout in Battle #2, and after that, the Battles started getting competitive.
Yeah, you're right, all this "healthy" is making me sick. Already I can hear Margarita calling me, and she's such a lovely woman I hate to let her down.
~ D-FensDogG
My vote is for Fleetwood Mac, The Rockets provided an excellent cover of the song. I really like this era of Fleetwood Mac.
ReplyDeleteThanks, MIKE. Got you locked in for The Mac Attack.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.
ReplyDeleteCrap, I sometimes read your posts from the bottom up. I’m left handed. I screwed the hcoop this time and could not enjoy your post to the fullest. At least my tastes remain the same. As long as Fleetwood Mac keeps tapping that bottle of that Boone’s Farm Strawberry wine, they’ll get my vote.
ooTgiS
ooTgiS ~
DeleteMy Pa was also left-handed, so no need to 'splain. He was a weirdo and some of those weirdo genes got passed on to me.
GAH! Boone's Farm wine... In the comment section of his most recent post, Beer Boy Bryan mentioned that just the scent of Tequila will make him gag.
Just the mention of Boone's Farm wine has the same effect on me.
That's how I got started. Then I graduated to Southern Comfort and Coke. Now, when Southern Comfort and Coke represents a move UP in quality and class, what does that say about where you've come from?
Brother, I would have gotten that Email sent yesterday but, doggone it, "Work" called and asked me to do an overtime shift at a different site because of a recent incident and they wanted extra security. (Not sure why anyone would call ME when they want to feel secure, but they did.)
So, at 6:30 AM yesterday I was driving North on I-395 which was nothing but a long sheet of ice. Me in my '89 Toyota pick-up with no chains, no snow tires, no four-wheel drive, and with two bales of straw in the bed for added weight.
It was harrowing! I'm not used to driving in this kind of treacherous weather, and a couple times my truck got sideways - once almost putting me in the passenger seat of the car to my left.
I did manage to get to the work site and "do my time", but what was normally a 12 minute drive turned into a 45 minute drive (after I deduct the 30 minutes I sat in a McDonald's parking lot, stuck 1 mile from my destination).
Cars all over the freeway, crashed and pointing in every conceivable direction!
At any rate, you see why the promised E didn't get written yesterday. But it WILL get written today and sent to an InBox near you.
~ GgoDsneF-D
Excellent battle! I really do enjoy Fleetwood Mac, and both versions of this song were really good. but The Rockets were just a smidge (that's a technical term for just a very tiny bit) better. My vote goes to The Rockets!
ReplyDeleteMARY ~
DeleteThanks for the vote with all that technical terminology. Suddenly BOTB is seeming kinda scientific. Thanks for that!
[:o)
~ D-FensDogG
I have to say I prefer The Rockets. They sound crisper and the lead vocal reminded me a bit of the lead singer from Zeppelin. Fleetwood Mac seemed less polished in this rendition.
ReplyDeleteThanks, BIRGIT!
DeleteYeah, The Rockets' lead singer has always reminded me of a cross between several other Rock singers. Robert Plant works. I'd mix in some Mick Jagger and... someone else whom I can't quite pinpoint. Some sort of R&B kind of singer. Hmmm... Throw in a little Ian Hunter, too, FOR SURE! That one just came to me but it's spot-on.
~ D-FensDogG
Brother Stephen, I like 'em both. Okay, I know I can't go that route...I aint' stooped.
ReplyDeleteThe Rockets sound tight and I liked the guitar work, no question about it - they're a great band and this song just proves it.
Like other commentors, I'm really familiar with post-Stevie-Nicks-and-Lindsay-Buckingham Fleetwood Mac. This version is new to me and I like it BEST. It's just a little more grittier to me and I like my bluesy stuff just that way.
Happy Friday, my friend.
Don't worry, DOC, I'm stooped enough for both of us!
DeleteAs I mentioned to Michele, THE ROCKETS were formed by two primary members of the band formerly known as MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS, so there was some serious pedigree in that One-Hit Wonder.
Got you down for the grittier version of The Big Mac Attack.
Happy Saturday, my friend!
~ D-FensDogG
When I saw the title of this one, my first thought was there is ANOTHER song covered by both Fleetwood Mac and The Rockets??? Uh no. Turns out this was very interesting for me because when you did the battle the first time it was my first listen to both versions. So, this was actually rather nice. Familiarity makes you like something more or less. I know we've both experienced (with different songs) a dislike that has turned into love and a like that has gone the other way.
ReplyDeleteAll that said... I think I'm finally figuring out myself and how my music tastes are changing over time. I started figuring it out when everyone and their mama was hosting a battle with Santana in it. Santana was filling everyone with delight. Everyone but me. That raging guitar just makes my head hurt. Sometimes literally, sometimes I just wish it was less.
I still really loved the early incarnation of Fleetwood Mac (so different from their other sound with SN and LB). I also came to appreciate the outro on that version even more. The Rockets were the equivalent of Santana. They have that driving guitar that makes this one heck of a rock song. Pulsing, gritty, hardcore. I can see why many people like it. I'm just not one of 'em.
I like my guitar in shades of blue. Give me Fleetwood Mac.
GIRL WONDER ~
DeleteYes, I could have told you long ago that you're vocals-centric and all the screaming guitar stuffs is secondary - if even that.
Sometimes less is more. And sometimes none is best.
When I was a teenager, I loved all those screaming guitars. I was like Alex Cavanaugh is today: the more, the louder, the faster, the BETTER!
But back then, I couldn't differentiate between a good electric guitar solo and a pedestrian one. All I knew was that fast and loud was best.
But I learned a lot about music as the decades went on (even though I don't play anything and can't really speak with technical jargon). I learned how to "hear" and analyze what I'm hearing. I learned how to spot something unique, original, and something tired and typical.
So many of those Hard Rock bands in the day (1970s, early '80s) were like so many of the "Metal" bands today: regurgitating the same old uninspired, uncreative licks for an audience that can't tell one solo from another because, really, they're all the same.
From the '70s, bands I used to like because or their guitars were Judas Priest, Uriah Heep, Styx, AC/DC, and so on...
I can hear them now and know: You blokes didn't have one original idea between you all!
There were exceptions though:
David Gilmour rarely played fast but he had a great, trademarked guttural sound. Buck Dharma had a way of sculpting soundscapes that added so much texture to BOC songs. Mark Knopfler was technically excellent and had such an original, complex, subtle and expressive style.
Carlos Santana would be no friend of mine, but I do think he was one of the best guitarists in Rock. Not because he was loud and fast (plenty are louder and faster) but because there was a Spiritual / Emotional element to his playing that few have matched.
Eddie Van Halen reinvented the Rock guitar, but by his 4th album, he was out of ideas.
Funniest thing of all though is that as I got older, I became less enthused by the electric guitar. I still like it at times; it's pretty cool when a player comes up with some interesting lick or tone and really amps a Rock song into high gear.
But as I discovered Jazz, I discovered a love for the tenor saxophone. And then years later, I discovered that the electric organ is really the instrument that is most firmly plugged into my soul.
Discovering music is like discovering life. There are a lot of comparisons that can be drawn.
Thanks for the great, analytical comment, Girl Wonder!
~ D-FensDogG
JUst wanted to chime in here-while a fast lick can get you amped up, as we've spoken many time STMcC, sometimes it's just a matter of bending a note-something anyone could do but not everyone thinks to do.
DeleteTo me, a true test of a player's ability and creativity is what they do with a acoustic guitar in their hands.
I have always loved what Buck does mid way through the lead break in Reaper where he transitions from the picking to the actual solo.
LC ~
DeleteYeah, to me, very often what differentiates a really good solo from a hackneyed one are just little touches. The player drops in a couple of effects in perfect places and it makes the solo memorable.
And sometimes it's just a sudden shift in tone that immediately takes the solo into a slightly different direction.
So often, to my ears, it's subtle things that distinguish a memorable solo from an instantly forgettable one.
And for me, there is not really any difference between electric and acoustic. The same things I'm looking for in an electric solo, I'm looking for in an acoustic one.
In the 'Hotel California' solo (one of the best of all time) there's that little "bwip!" sound effect added at the end of a few lines which gives it so much character and becomes sort of a guitar "hook".
All the speed demons play mostly fast, high notes until everything sounds alike. Then you get a "REAL" musician like Gilmour and he's probably thinking: I have this entire guitar neck to play on, and why should I keep all my notes down on the bottom and sacrifice half of the tonal possibilities?
With Santana, it's all those long, long notes of sustain that give him that recognizable sound.
Yeah, I know what you mean about Buck, and he's still one of my favorites (and I still say he's the single most underrated Hard Rock guitarist of the Classic Rock era).
In 'Godzilla' he uses his guitar to mimic the sound of "high tension wires" coming down. In 'Nosferatu', he somehow finds the aural equivalent of "evil" to match the vampire's wickedness.
Back in their earlier days, when BOC was doing really heavy Heavy Metal (e.g., 'Tyranny & Mutation', 'The Red & The Black', etc.), I feel Buck's playing was good but didn't really stand out.
When BOC started doing more melodic songs (albums like 'Agents Of Fortune', 'Spectres', 'Mirrors'), Buck really shined because he started thinking more in terms of tone and "colors".
RAISE YOUR CAN OF BEER ON HIGH
AND SEAL YOUR FATE FOREVER
OUR BEST YEARS HAVE PASSED US BY
THE GOLDEN AGE OF LEATHER
OK, I just took Paul Simon out and put BOC in, McBuddy.
~ D-FensDogG
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteI just went and listened to '...REAPER', and for the first time it dawned on me: If Buck Dharma had played that same solo on acoustic rather than electric it would have sounded very "Classical". I think it's really a Classical music piece played while turned "up to eleven".
Now if only they had added more (or even SOME) cowbell. HA!-HA! [Speaking of "classic"!...]
~ D-FensDogG
Hey, Stephen-
ReplyDeleteBoth versions are solid-I was actually more familiar with the live Fleetwood version from the late 70's/early 80's.
While I think I had the Rockets album, it wasn't until you talked them up that I broke that back out.
I like the Rockets fuller arrangement, but I like the raw sound and pace of the Mac version.
I'm gonna go with Fleetwood Mac but not by much.
LC
Man, LC, I've been wondering what in the hell happened to you! You've been AWOL for awhile.
DeleteAt first, I worried that maybe you were really ill or... worse.
Then I thought: Nah. He's probably just on another cruise with 101 Rock And Roll bands.
Glad to know yer "STILL ALIVE AND WELL". (I know that's a Rock music reference, but I'm not sure from where. Uhm... is it the title of a Rick Derringer song and/or album? I could Google it but that would be cheating.)
~ D-FensDogG
I forget if "Still Alive And Well" is Derringer solo or with Edgar Winter, but I think it is him solo.
DeleteSpending a lot of time in from of a PC at work and carpal tunnel pain has been acting up, so I don't get online at home too much.
No cruises, but I saw Todd R. last Friday night.
Hope things are good wit' you!
Things suck, but I've gotten used to it.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Oh wow. I was from the generation that never experienced the Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac (until we sought it out on our own later, anyway), and would never even have guessed the first one was Fleetwood Mac.
ReplyDeleteI liked both, but they were both very similar to my ears. So because of that, I'm going with the original, Peter Green.
And I hate to do this to you again, but I came across affordable web hosting sooner than I thought I would, so I took the leap and bought my own domain. I'm blogging at my new domain now (linked to my name in the comments. My new battle, specifically, is located here:
Battle of the bands for 1.15.16 (On the 17th, because me)
Thanks, KIM.
DeleteI have changed the links. The one in the sidebar leads to your current site, and all future page links will lead to your new site as well.
I hope you dig your new digs.
~ D-FensDogG
Since this is a rehash, I'm just gonna recycle my original comment from a couple years back.
ReplyDeleteasdf12312 4Ghliahslihrl, kahslkd hlasifhh grrrr aslkhdh.
(I think I was suffering major brain trauma at the time, but at least I still somehow conjured up six words, a comma, and a period)
Both of us are over here preparing for the big game and still rocking out to The Rockets. So needless to say, we give two very eager votes to them. Or should I say: Yeah, two votes for the Rockets.
~6(word)B
HA!-HA!
DeleteComment: Winner! Winner! Chicken dinner! (Or should I say?: BOYS, THAT WAS A GREAT COMMENT.)
Of course, only you, me, and Father Majeski with the beard know what we're yakkin' about. HA!
Thanks for the vote, 6WordB and Brandon with the beard-- er... facial stubble.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen, I don't remember this Fleetwood Mac song. I can't even imagine the group doing this tune, so I couldn't wrap my brain around it. But, my ears totally tuned into The Rockets sound and they get my vote. Thanks for the intro to a new-to-me, old tune by one of my favorite groups of all times. Have a tunetastic week, my friend, and thanks for keeping all of us together on the BoTB!
ReplyDeleteCATHY ~
DeleteThanks for coming by and keeping THE ROCKETS flying. I know they're behind in the voting but it feels like it's fairly competitive, with two more days of voting to go. This could still be won by either band, I think.
~ D-FensDogG
I gave them both an honest re-listen, and my vote has not changed.
ReplyDeleteBoth are good, but the Rockets have more of a garage band sort of unpolished sound to me, while the Mac-Daddy's put out an awesome bluesy sound worthy of musicians of that caliber. Or is it calibre? I'll ponder the question whilst sipping from an aluminium can. MAC MAC MAC.
Go Cardinals.
SBB-VI ~
DeleteDang! That's interesting. Because to my ears, it's The Mac that sounds more unpolished and "garage-y", while The Rockets seem very tight. I won't say they sound "polished", because it's too hard and chunky for that, but definitely "tight" and controlled.
Hmmm... Don't you love BOTB? It's always interesting to see how the songs sound to different ears and the reasons why one gets selected over the other.
Thanks for the vote and input, Bro.
YES! GO CARDINALS!
I'd like to see a Cardinals / Broncos Super Bowl. I hate the Cheatriots (not just the team but the entire New England area).
A Cheatriots / Panthers Super Bowl is a Super Bowl I wouldn't even bother watching.
~ D-FensDogG
Fleetwood Mac's version of "Oh Well" is just about perfect. I don't know of any cover that can prevail over it. Peter Green and crew get my vote here.
ReplyDeleteOK, thanks, JOHN.
DeleteGot you down for The Big Mac Attack.
~ D-FensDogG
Though I do prefer the Stevie Nicks Fleetwood Mac tunes, I liked this early version much better than the Rockets. I also liked the surprise cowboy strumming toward the end. Stephen, I must say "You make bloggin fun!"
ReplyDeleteJulie
GEM JULIE ~
DeleteHa! And you make my comment section fun.
Thanks for your friendship and your continued support of BOTB.
~ D-FensDogG
Difficult decision. They seem pretty similar to me. *tosses quarter in the air* Fleetwood Mac has my vote. I really do prefer them a bit.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Okie-Dokie, JANIE.
DeleteThanks for checking in. I think The Mac is probably out of The Rockets' range at this point.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen, We'll regarding the charting information, YOU AIN"T no Kasey Kasem! I'll hand it to ya another good BOTB and without reading anyone else's opinion, I gotta go with Fleetwood Mac as the better version. Just more bluesy and the interlude at the end beckons me back to the spaghetti western days. Now that said, the Rockets weren't all that bad and I do remember hearing both tunes. One on the Radio in the 80's and another on a mix tape I think Robby brought our 1977 road trip to Virginny. Oh well, now there you have it.
ReplyDeleteSincerely and a manly JW,
Pooh
OK, thanks, GENERAL POOHREGARD.
DeletePredictable as always, but I'm still grateful for yer time to listen and yer time to vote. By the way... you got the time? ...Does anybody really know what time it is?
Fleetwood Mac is going to win this Battle. And... "I ain't sayin' it was yer vote... but... I APPRECIATE it."
Love ya, you old fart (JOHN WAYNE!-JOHN WAYNE!)
~ D-FensDogG
Sorry, I'm so late to the party. I was intentionally holding out so as not to leave a trail of spoilers for the other voters. When you told me that ship had already sailed, I intended to come by and cast my vote immediately, but well, you know me.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I had mentally formulated an intricate response to post here, but since I'm so late and I'm sure you are already mentally formulating your final response post, this comment will be lost to the winds.
Of course, we who have been around know that once again you will cast the wrong vote for the wrong band (poor musically misguided soul that you can be sometime), but...Oh well.
Give my vote to Fleetwood Mac. I like their rougher sound from the early days when they were more...Macky. Still my favorite version of this tune is by Mike Gordon and Leo Kottke. I would give you and any other latecomers a link, if I was able, but it's easily available at Youtube.
FAE ~
DeleteSince when did you start criticizing my BOTB botes like yer Lee or sumpin'?
Since right now? Oh. Oh well.
I'll check out the Gordon fish guy and Leo the kottkekitten soon. Don't think I've heard it before, BUT... it obviously won't be better'n The Rockets.
~ D-FensDogG, ready to blast off!
Al Bondigas here. I think I ruled for The Rockets last time, right? Well if thats true, I'm not over rulin' my rulin'. I'm rulin' for The Rockets. If I did rule for Fleetwood Mac last time, then I'm over rulin' my rulin'. That's it that's my rulin'.
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL ~
DeleteI'm pretty sure you weren't voting on my BOTB contests back in those early days (and BOTB #2 was pretty damned early).
I had no doubt that you would rule in The Rockets' favor on this one.
If you think The Mighty Xie Hong would vote "Rockets", see if you can get his ass over here. Time is running out for our side.
~ D-FensDogG
He's in bed already and today is the last day, right? If its still going tomorrow I'll get him on this thing.
DeleteI made it!!! I was afraid I'd come by and your results would already be posted. Sorry to be so late, Stephen. This one was seriously tough... Both are excellent versions. I think I'm going to have to go with Fleetwood Mac, though... I love their music from this period, and it just sounds more "special", somehow, to me than the Rockets version.
ReplyDeleteGreat battle! Will be cool to read the results, and the background from that earlier battle. Looking forward to it!
Guilie @ Quiet Laughter
Alright, alright! I guess I have to do this...
ReplyDeleteSTMcC’s Vote On '2016, Jan. 15th: Battle Of The Bands' (Or, 'Fleetwood Mac Vs. The Rockets - Part 2') And The Final Tally:
First of all, AS ALWAYS, genuine thanks to everyone who took the time to listen and vote. I appreciate you all. Really I do!
The first time I used this FLEETWOOD MAC / THE ROCKETS match-up (BOTB #2 on August 15, 2013), in my pre-Battle commentary I seriously played up how great Peter Green was on guitar because I was afraid Fleetwood Mac was going to get shutout by The Rockets.
Was Peter Green really that great? Well, for his time, in the Blues-Rock genre, he was pretty darn good. But guitar gods like Green, Clapton, and Hendrix have been so thoroughly surpassed in subsequent decades by far less drugged-out guitarists, that their playing doesn't impress me all that much anymore. Yes, I understand and respect that they were foundation stones for others who came later, but let's not pretend that they're still "all that".
This time I gave the Battle straight with little commentary because I didn't want to sway voters in any way. In retrospect, I still think the "FLEETWOOD MAC" name gave that band a big edge in this Battle. Perhaps I shouldn't have waited until somewhere in the comment section to mention that the guitarist and drummer of THE ROCKETS were straight out of MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS.
At any rate, this BOTB match-up will not be repeated by me again.
I like BOTH versions of 'OH WELL' presented here. I wouldn't look for something else if either one started coming through my car radio speakers.
I especially like the cowbell on the Fleetwood Mac original, although their recording gets a bit sloppy and noisy at times.
And I also like the (Part 2) bit at the end which seems like it's right out of a Sergio Leone "Spaghetti Western" soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. The only problem with it is that it has NO BUSINESS being tacked on to a Bluesy rocker. What, pray tell, has that low-key Western strumming got to do with Blues, Rock, or the theme of the song 'OH WELL'? I suspect it's there because the song was recorded in 1969 and everyone was drugged out of their minds.
My vote would go to Fleetwood Mac if not for the fact that the cover version by THE ROCKETS has better singing, better guitar playing, and a better rhythm section. Other than that, the Fleetwood Mac original is superior.
Just the "chicken scratch" rhythm guitar effect on The Rockets' cover would have cinched my vote all by itself.
In this case, there are good reasons why the Fleetwood Mac original only got to #55 on the Billboard chart, while the cover by The Rockets climbed to #30 and got plenty of radio airplay.
It's good to have a famous name, eh, Mac? Just ask Paris Hilton.
Anyway, thanks again for voting and I hope to see you all back here again for my February 1st BOTB edition which will be an entry in the 'LOST AND FOUND VALENTINES' blogfest.
Fleetwood Mac = 17 votes
The Rockets = 9 votes
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
Wow, I lost. What was the original score?
ReplyDeleteJEFFREY ~
DeleteThe first time I did this battle Fleetwood Mac won 10 to 1, with my own vote being the one The Rockets got.
At least this time 9 more people heard it my way, including you.
~ D-FensDogG
Aw you should do this match-up again next year. Third time's a charm, right?
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with for "Lost and Found". A lot of great songs can fit this concept.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
&
Wrote By Rote
Nah, LEE, I officially give up on this match-up.
DeleteYeah, I've got a great song for 'Lost And Found', except that mine will be more 'Found And Lost'.
~ D-FensDogG
I'm surprised by the vote gap. I felt certain that the Rockets would finish up closer, or possibly win. Strange, I could have voted for either, but my own sentimental journey took over, again.
ReplyDeleteIs it me or do you sound a bit disappointed? Not to worry, this was a good battle. Anytime I get a chance to experience new music, or enjoy something that still pleases me, I think it's worth it. You did good!
~ dpp
Thanks, DIXIE POLKA.
DeleteYes, I'm kind of disappointed with this outcome. I feel a couple of other negative things about it as well.
Some less than satisfactory things recently have me down a wee bit, but I'll bounce back. Or at least claw my way up again.
I totally understood your vote, and you really couldn't have gone any other way with it. You are forgiven, my child. Now go and sin no more.
[:O)
~ D-FensDogG
Al Bondigas here. I'm sure glad I chose wisely. I'll be honest with you, I never really cared too much for that song, and the end of the Fleetwood Mac version seemed ridiculous to me. I thought there was something wrong with my computer at first, and some other music was bleeding through.
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL ~
DeleteSo you're saying you don't really like THE ROCKETS' cover of the song very much either?
Yeah, I really don't get that "Part 2" part of the Fleetwood Mac original. I guess I'm not doing enough drugs. Gotta work on that.
~ D-FensDogG
Al Bondigas here. The Rocket's version is better than the Mac people's, but it's just an ok song for me. I remember how much you liked it when it was a hit, and getting so much air play back in the day. In fact, I remember when, years later, you mentioned how surprised you were that they never made it very big.
DeleteAnyway, Go Card's, right?
JUDGE AL ~
DeleteYeah, they were a damned good band and the album that gave us the hit 'OH WELL' contained several other songs that could have / should have been radio hits.
Their follow-up album contained some good hard rockers, too. It's a shade "too hard" for my tastes today, but would have been a favorite of mine if I'd owned it back then.
I believe "payola" was always bigger than we know and accounts for why many artists did or did not make it big.
GO AIRHEADZONA KURTINALS!
~ D-FensDogG
I'm thinking you are taking this a bit too hard. It comes down to taste again. I think most everyone agrees that the version by The Rockets is an outstanding rock recording--nothing wrong with the version by rock standards. Good playing, fine vocals, and everything about the performance is tight and sparkling.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how others might see the Mac recording but it just strikes me as having a greater diversity of styles mashed together to present a cohesive perform. There's a ragged trad blues sound, hard rock blues, a bit of psychedelic wildness, and topped off with that ethereal ending that I absolutely love. I can hear that "western" sound that some refer to though my initial reaction was that it sounded almost Celtic renaissance. There is so much happening in the Mac performance that for me it addresses a range of emotion and though. And the quirky sprinklings of percussive sounds add to the surprise of the performance.
Bottom line is this: If I were to pick a version to listen to alone at home it would be Mac. If I were choosing the version to put on the jukebox in a bar I'd choose The Rockets because I think it would be the greater crowd pleaser in such a setting.
There's a time and place for each version on each works a bit better in one setting or another. But that's just the way I see it. Taste and opinion, right?
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
&
Wrote By Rote
Yep. Taste and opinion.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Yep. Pish 'n' Pshaw.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
To quote Fleetwood Mac, "Oh, well".
ReplyDeleteLee
Yep. Oh, Well.
Delete~ D-FensDogG