Quote:
Originally Posted by WatchChain
By late 1979 and early 1980, acts like Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles were starting to be labeled "DINOSAUR ROCK ACTS". The music business was about to shift toward so called "new wave" with acts like The Knack, The Clash, The Talking Heads, The Police, The Cars, Blondie, and Elvis Costello. Lindsey's contributions to the TUSK album are very similar to work from these new wave bands. Lindsey knew exactly what he was doing, and I believe his decision kept the band alive.
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It all seems like rather a defeatist attitude to me; 'we cant top Rumours so lets do something
completely different'. Who says they couldn't have topped Rumours? They were the World's favorite band. They won a Grammy for best album just the previous year. The 'DINOSAUR ROCK ACT' The Eagles topped the album chart for quite a few weeks in 1979. Of the so called 'New wave' bands you listed only The Knack had a US Number 1 in 1979.
I've never quite understood what demographic Lindsey was aiming for with Tusk. I don't have a problem with shifting the emphasis and doing something a bit different per-se. I have a problem more with the execution. All of Lindsey's Tusk songs have a strong melodic base and each one has a great song begging to get out. However, I just don't get who or what he was aiming at in the execution. I disagree with the notion that his songs sounded similar to The Knack, The Clash, The Talking Heads, The Police, The Cars, Blondie, and Elvis Costello. They are similar in that they have some unconventional song structures but the overall sounds just aren't the same.
London Calling had much more anger. Though it explored a range of genre's it was still rooted in its punk rock base. Would/did a considerable number of the demographic who listened to that album really appreciate Tusk? I cant see the angst-ridden rebellious youth of the time going for Save Me a Place (please correct me if I'm wrong here- I was 5 at the time). Neither can I see the likes of Stewart Copeland or Clem Burke accepting shoe box and biscuit tin percussion.
I can see some parallel with Talking Heads, but even then Lindsey's songs make 'More Songs About Buildings and Food' sound positively mainstream by comparison.
I remember Carol-Ann Harris' story about her and Lindsey's visit to the Elvis Costello concert (instead of launching into his familiar rock and roll numbers he proceeded to play country and western songs one after the other- badly. Lindsey stormed out in anger after Carol-Ann and John Courage found the performance so hysterical). Perhaps in this sense I can pick up on some country and western influence in some of the Tusk songs.
I still find it rather disappointing though- we're the biggest band in the world...but I want us to be more like Elvis Costello.