The "Ani DiFranco sucks" thread.

[Colin Ex]

It's been a long time coming, and I think the time is today.

Ani DiFranco sucks ass. She's a terrible musician and I'd rather be Jessica Simpson's support counselor than listen to her music.

Share your thoughts.

-C

(Edit: Christ, typed person instead of musician. I need some caffiene. All apologies.)

[devilgrrl]

1. Throw Tori Amos in there.

A pretentious Kate Bush ripoff if there ever was one.

[CanuckAmok]

34. "Oooh, she's playing the piano with her legs open! Take THAT, patriarchy!"

I know I've said it before, but I can't resist saying it again!

[sus]

44. BLASPHEMERS!! ALL OF YOU! SMITE SMITE SMITE!

[matcom]

2. "Self Evident"

nope. think she is the BALLS

[Shoedogg]

17. "Self Evident" is fantastic! (n/t)

[Khephra]

29. "Self Evident" is the only song she's done that I can listen to

I went out and bought the cd after I heard Will play S.E. and you know what? It sucked wind. Oh, she's talented and all that, but she's not my listening cup o'tea.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

3. I dont know how she is "as a person".

Im not a real fan or her music, though...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. time for the "I'd like to pants Colin Ex and duct tape his ass" thread

Her stuff with Utah Phillips is WAY cool

[Wonk]

15. Make it a poll while you're at it.

Some people may only want to pants him but not duct tape his ass, while others may prefer duct taping his keyboard, etc...

[Colin Ex]

19. I know what I'd prefer.

I won't share, though, in the interest of keeping the poll neutral.

-C

[reprehensor]

5. I like Ani's music.

42 Flavors and Then Some.

Why do you say she is a terrible person?

[tigereye]

8. it's defend women rockers night!

I have to admit I didn't really like her at first. Too, something... earnest maybe? But then I was in female bands and I know we were earnest at times as well, and not famous. But I think women need to say things that may sound pretentious, and sometimes I tire of having female emotions in music and in general, referred to as pretentious, overblown, gynecological ( to quote another post). As if the guy rockers/musicians didn't have their share of pretentiousness.

I do Like Little Plastic Castles - there are some good songs on that. And she also started her own record company. That takes some guts, too. So more power to her.

[NightTrain]

6. What makes you think she's a terrible person?

I've never met Ms. DiFranco, nor am I particularly torn up over her music. However, I know people in the music business who've dealt with Ani DiFranco on both a business and personal level. They all say she's a wonderful human being! :shrug:

[reprehensor]

9. Yeah, what's your beef?

Did she steal your parking space at Whole Foods or what?

[Colin Ex]

12. Yeah, she took my parking spot when I was going to the organic foodstore.

Actually, I typed "person" when I meant musician, because I haven't had enough caffiene today. My error.

-C

[fearnobush]

7. If she sucks so bad then why did she proudly put a FUCK BUSH

baseball cap on, at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in TN last week?

[Colin Ex]

10. Because she needs to stand out somehow

because Yo La Tengo was playing that festival, and Yo La Tengo is better than sex and made everyone else look bad?

-C

[fearnobush]

18. Were you their? At the show?

[Colin Ex]

20. Hell no.

I'm a student, I don't have 180 bucks to throw down for Bonnarroo. Although I would have really liked to see Cut Chemist, YLT, String Cheese, and Umphrey's. C'est la vie.

I think my point stands, my point being "Yo La Tengo is better than sex."

-C

[fearnobush]

22. Not better than the Cheese, Ani however is a great guitar player live.

But remember, 90% were their to see the Dead.

[swag]

11. 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong

I have no idea. She's cool with me.

but

50,00 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

30. If there were 50,000 Fall fans. Which there aren't.

:evilgrin:

[CanuckAmok]

35. What's the lay of the land, my son?

n/t

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

13. have all her albums and seen her a number of times, BUT

honestly, she hasn't had a truly great album since Little Plastic Castle in 1997

everthing since has been a downward slide into blandness (with the exception of reveling/reckoning, which was pretty good)
up, up, up was terrible
to the teeth was dull
evolve was ok
and educated guess was boring and felt as if it had been written in a day

she needs to get inspired and also to quit putting out an album every six months. it's diluting her quality

[adriennel]

31. I totally agree with you

her older stuff is much better and more powerful than the albums of the past several years. I've seen her a few times in concert and have not been disappointed. plus I like her spoken word stuff
damn people, stop being so harsh! the big difference between Ani and your Jessica Simpson-types is that Ani did it on her own.

[reprehensor]

14. A terrible musician?

Uh, wrong. Maybe you don't like her 'sound' man, but she probably writes more songs in an average week than uh, 'Jessica'.

That kind of dedicated song-smithing makes for a pretty good musician. Technically speaking. She doesn't sing off key or play guitar shitty, either.

I like Ani's music.

A similar argument is, "Neil Young is a shitty guitar player." Well, people who say that are missing the point that players like Joe Satriani don't miss. He plays from the heart. He plays to transmit emotion. Would he play better if he took off the mittens? Yes. But it just doesn't matter.

Ani is a folk-singer/songwriter. She's been at it for years. She's not a terrible musician.

[adriennel]

32. bob dylan can't sing

he's still a god-damn musical genius! (seriously. I love Bob!)

one year Ani opened for Bob--that was a great combination and a great show!!!

[Blue-Jay]

16. Ani does NOT SUCK!

She's one of those types who is 10 times better live than on recordings, though. Also in that group is Delbert McClinton and The Neville Brothers. Good to catch live, but so-so in the studio.

[mzmolly]

21. She's great. Your just behind the times man...

:spank: She's a visionary, and ... my little daughter loves her music. :)

[Radical Activist]

23. She endorsed Kucinich, so she can't be all bad!

Although I'm no fan of her album with Utah Philips. I like Utah but that album was very difficult to appreciate. Sometimes the traditional version of traditional songs really is better.

[PittPoliSci]

24. i'd rather listen to bush speak than her music.

cause at least bush's bullshit and lies would keep my attention (more like "rage") than difranco's brand of folksy-bitter-shit.

[NashVegas]

39. Bitter?

You need to go to a live show and see the groovy vibe of love Miss Ani lays down on the crowd.

Bitter like a Georgia peach.

Gonna go out to the arrivals gate at the airport
And sit there all day
Watch people reuniting
Public affection so exciting
It even makes airports OK
Watching children run
With their arms outstretched
Just to throw those arms
Around their grandpa's neck
Watching lovers plant kisses
Old men to their misses
At their arrivals gate

Watching a mother
With a mother's smile
Don't tell me to move
I just wanna sit here for a while
I have determined
It's a sure cure for cancer
Watching excitement turn family dogs into dancers
At the arrivals gate

I got me a white bread sandwich
With some shredded lettuce
And I got me a ringside view
For my quaint little fetish

I just wanna drain my pink little heart of all its malice
And kick back for the afternoon
In this fluorescent palace

Everybody's in a hurry
Here in purgatory
Except for me
I'm where I need to be

At the arrivals gate

[WilliamPitt]

25. Awesome musician, extraordinary lyricist, passionate soul

so yeah, you're wrong.

[geniph]

45. What Will said.

harrumph.

[DinahMoeHum]

26. Bite your tongue, fella. She's performing in my area this weekend.

At the Clearwater Festival, Croton, NY

www.clearwaterfestival.org

Sunday afternoon/evening.


:kick:

[Screaming Lord Byron]

27. Damn good guitarist, pity her songs are truly, deeply pretentious drivel.

She is a very decent, progressive individual, but her music is terrible.

[Fenris]

38. She's no Liz Phair.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

40. To be Phair, who is?

[Fenris]

41. Very Phew are.

[SiouxJ]

28. Ani Rocks!

She's great. I admire her independent spirit and "not afraid to speak my mind" attitude as well as her music.

[Squeech]

33. I wish I liked her

because everything I've ever heard her say in a public forum or interview has been totally spot-on wonderful, and I'm massively encouraged by what she's doing for independent music. But her songs and her performances do not appeal to me.

[Kipepeo]

36. Colin Ex Sucks

I think she's a genius. So you don't like her music? Fine, (bad taste is not your fault) :) but she's also got politics and I'd take politics over airheaded bland conformity any day.

I love her music, so her political message is a bonus.

Just wondering why you feel the need to start a whole thread to bash a feminist DIY musician who stands up against Bush and who has, in the past, canceled appearances rather than be censored by mainstream media....

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

37. Only the Eagles suck more than Ani DiFranco

I know she thinks she's so important, earnest, sensitive and aware. But her music is garbage.

Actually, she may suck more than the Eagles.

Welcome to the Hotel California....

[Warren DeMontague]

42. I Can Think of 20,000 Better Targets than her to gripe about..

Look, I don't know if I would dig 4 hours straight of her music, but she seems to have a brain and talent, which is a helluva lot more than you can say about 80-90% of the big corporate ass-acts out there. Besides, anyone who bothered to show up at the March in DC in April, like I did, I'm not going to bad-mouth.

[NashVegas]

43. I'm So Sorry You Feel the Need to Justify Ani's Failure to Move You

So you don't enjoy her music. Fine. Just because it doesn't appeal to you doesn't mean it has no deserved appeal.