> Dang Dexter, if you don't write music reviews for a living, you are missing your > calling. Absolutely fantastic, way to go. > > Scooter > > Dexter Glenn wrote: > > > Here is a review I posted on Yahoo Music: > > > > The professional music critics have never really liked the Doobie Brothers, > > especially when Michael McDonald was with them. They never felt the Doobies > > lived up to their potential. They felt the Doobies needed to be a > > richly-produced, powerful, Chicago-type version of the Airplance, Creedance > > and Three Dog Night all-in-one. The problem is they just never let the > > Doobie Brothers be the Doobie Brothers. > > > > Alas, the Doobie Brothers, not meaning too, always confused and frustrated > > the professional music critics. Very few Doobie Brother songs sound the > > same, making them impossible to categorize. Critics love categorization. The > > confusion part, as I see it, is what Pat Simmons role has been and is with > > the Doobie Brothers. > > > > Pat Simmons is the only Doobie Brother that has been with the band for the > > entire 30 years. Of the 3 main writers for the Doobs (Tom Johnston, McDonald > > and Simmons), Simmons has been sort of in the background, occasionally > > busting out with a big hit like "Black Water," but mostly has been/is an > > adjunct to Johnston and McDonald. But the critics do not like Simmons' > > music. But here lies one of the secrets to the Doobie's success. > > > > Have you noticed that Tom Johnston's and Michael McDonald's solo careers > > were not/have not been big commercial successes? Pat Simmons has done a > > masterful job through the years of helping take the edge off of Johnston's > > and McDonald's music. Johnston and McDonald alone are almost to much to > > take, like too much of a good thing - something's missing - there's just too > > much of a raw edge. > > > > Definition of the Doobie Brothers: Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston or Pat > > Simmons and Michael McDonald. > > > > On to Sibling Rivalry. There is much more of a democracy in place here > > (another criticism of the professional music critics) with Johnston and > > Simmons sharing writing credits with John McFee, Keith Knudsen, Mike Hossack > > and Guy Allison. But this serves to take some edge off as well, along with > > allowing the band to explore some new territory. The best song by far on SR > > is 45th Floor, a political satire written by Johnston and Bill Champlin > > (lead singer for Chicago and former leader of Sons Of Champlin). Lyrically > > one of the best songs the Doobies have released, 45th Floor would be a top > > ten hit if the radio stations afforded it air-play. Johnston's lead vocals > > are terrific, and Guy Allison's keyboards and arranging are magnificent. > > Ironically, some of the best work is by Simmons. Ordinary Man and Don't Be > > Afraid are beautiful tunes that beg to be heard again and again, and Five > > Corners (co-written with McFee) is a nice instrumental in the same veign as > > Stampede's Slack Key Soquel Rag. Rocking Horse, written by Knudsen and > > Allison, is the real sleeper though. The Doobies really stretch on this one, > > and, if afforded the proper amount of air-play, could become a big hit. > > > > I do feel the Doobie Brothers could benefit from a full-time producer, > > someone like their long-time producer at Warner Brothers, Ted Templeman. > > Templeman always came up with great percussion ideas, and, if their is any > > negative with Sibling Rivalry, it is the Doobie Brother's signature rhythm > > section is not as prevalent as with previous albums. > > > > Usually in music the right thing happens, and Sibling Rivalry is too good to > > go unnoticed. I highly recommend this cd to anyone who enjoys quality rock > > music. > > > > Dexter Glenn > > Tampa, Florida > > > > _________________________ > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with > > "unsubscribe doobiefans-list" in the body. _________________________ To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with "unsubscribe doobiefans-list" in the body.
