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Some recent Ryan Adams messageboard posts


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The common gripe that Ryan Adams releases too much material always strikes me, in a way, as unfair--as if Ryan should be striving to make each album a contender for the "canon" just so the self-appointed cognoscenti can declare it so. I'd say there's a disparity between Ryan's artistic goals and the goals of those listeners. What finally validates his generous release pattern is that, for every track one person would gladly cut, another fan would declare that track meaningful and significant. As long as each song expresses something personal and connects with at least a few listeners--which seems to be Ryan's ultimate aim--I'm not sure it matters that such an approach might push Ryan out of the running for "canon" status.

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also, rambling or not, if it's authentic, he's got some very valid points:

 

nobody is "better" than anybody else. records arent baseball cards where one is in better condition so its better. they are not fucking speed trial. people aare not erunning laps up and down a tennis court. its not football. its not sports. nobody wins and loses. bright eyes is conor. i am me. starship is starship. its ridiculous to think you could compare and contrast a painter with another or writer or musician. its just pointless. they are locked into their world view and your feelings for art aside, it will never be a collective expierence.

there is no collective consciousness. there is only your view. take it in.

and for the record, (ahem...) i dont like the if "he doesnt OD" bullshit. i do not drink or take drugs thank you and am happy to be who i am doing what i do because i love it. i have never released a record because i was fucked up or because of some drug induced idea. they take months to prepare after they are even mastered so its insulting beyong belief, and to be so blase' about something and heartless is just terribly cruel. how dare you.

everyone should have a chance to better themselves and be who they are and i didnrt see that before it just makes me sick to my stomach personally.

so whatever.

i enyoy sterogum quite alot. i will remember to disregard anything with my name attached to it in the future.

later sktr

 

Posted by: ryan adams at July 15, 2006 06:20 PM

 

now i agree w/ the posts that follow somewhat, but i also have always felt like Ryan does, in that people try and make music into some sort of competition or some tangible/measurable thing, you can't really do that with art, it's all about individual perception.

 

 

OK, now I know these aren't Ryan. He says in the above that he doesn't drink or do drugs?! Anyone that has ever seen the guy live knows how full of shit that statement is. That post has to be a troll or something...

Edited by imsjry
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OK, now I know these aren't Ryan. He says in the above that he doesn't drink or do drugs?! Anyone that has ever seen the guy live knows how full of shit that statement is. That post has to be a troll or something...

 

I was thinking the same thing.

 

I'm not a big RY fan, in fact, I wouldn't consider myself a fan at all, but I do really enjoy JCN and Heartbreaker. I've actually been listening to 'Dear John' all day, what a great duet (for the record, I'm not a big Norah Jones fan either). I also really like 'Hard Way to Fall'. Good tunes on JCN. They don't quite have the life of Heartbreaker though. I can't quite explain it. Heartbreaker just seems to have a bit more emotion. JCN seems a bit more contrived. I know that sounds stupid, but I'm not trying to be a hater, it's just a gut feeling. Anyways, good stuff all around.

Edited by jdlee23
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OK, now I know these aren't Ryan. He says in the above that he doesn't drink or do drugs?! Anyone that has ever seen the guy live knows how full of shit that statement is. That post has to be a troll or something...

 

Ryan claims he's now clean - except for the cigarettes.

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I think the guy is great and can release as many albums as he likes - ok, so the quality control button sometimes slips, but it's great that he's got all this material that's still better than a lot of other shite out there.

 

ryan jefferson starship double album adams

 

And that is just plain funny... :lol

 

And, if anyone cares:

1) Heartbreaker

2) Stranger's Almanac

3) Cold Roses

4) Pneumonia

5) JCN

6) Love Is Hell

7) Gold

8) Faithless Street

9) Demolition

10) Rock n Roll

Even the number 10 placed record has some highlights too!

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IMO Mr Adams should whittle down the large number of songs he as created and simply put out one extraordinary album. Unless, of course, all of the new songs are great. But usually it seems when artists release multiple albums in a year there are some songs that didn't need to make the cut. Just my $.02

 

 

have you even read a word of what he was saying in those posts?

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have you even read a word of what he was saying in those posts?
I initially read the "original" post on ryanadams.org a couple days before all the responses came out and it was posted on this board, but wasn't sure if it was RA or someone impersonating him. Thus, I did not take it as serious...so when I read it on here my interest began to grow. I think it's great if he has enough material to release three (more) albums. I hope it's all fucking awesome. Along with Wilco, Ryan Adams is one of my favorite performers/musicians. I wasn't trying to bash his abilities to write and release records, it was just my feeling/concern that I perhaps wouldn't like all of the things that he is planning on releasing. And I don't have to, I don't need to be selfish and have all of it appeal to me. I thoroughly understand people's wishes to release material and the understanding that people may not like the material that has been worked on so hard to write, produce, etc. That's just the breaks of music. I was simply stating that in the past, I didn't especially care for all of Mr. Adam's releases. That was simply my opinion, my two cents. I wasn't implying it doesn't take emotion or thought or time to write that volume of music. I get where he's coming from. He tends to catch more shit than most other musicians out there (IMO). And I did read what he was saying in his posts. :)
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I agree with much of what Mr. Adams has to say in those posts (if this is indeed him, which it seems to be). Artists are typically very sensitive people, and it's obvious that he takes the criticism to heart. And I think he is unfairly criticized, and I tend to be suspect of the reason behind some of the hating. It seems that it has to be something deeper within the hater, something beyond the music that sets them off, which is just plain stupid.

 

But here we have a talented, creative and prolific artist who seems to care what people think of his records, who wants his records to be out there and for people to like them, and we crucify him. I guess some prefer musicians who are jaded and could give two shits what anyone thinks about him/her. Let them count the days until the new Supernova record comes out; they deserve music like that.

 

The guy's taking some real risks putting out as much music as he has lately, what with the stylistic shifts and such. Like he says in the post, he's writing about himself and making himself vunerable in the process, which is going to inevitably incur much criticism, and some just plain unwarranted hatred. It's too bad that he bothers to take the criticism to heart so much; I'd hate for the results of all this to be a guy with a lot to offer us musically holing up and just saying "fuck it" because he can't deal with all of the negativity. Levon Helm left Dylan's '66 tour and took a job in a New Orleans kitchen because he couldn't stand being booed night after night. As a musician, I understand the desire to want people to like your music. To me, it's an honor to know that you've created something that others enjoy and are able to escape, if just for the moment, the pressures and let-downs of life and let your music be a catarthis for their soul. And that is what I sense that Adams wants. More power to him; I think the world needs more musicians that care.

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I agree with much of what Mr. Adams has to say in those posts (if this is indeed him, which it seems to be). Artists are typically very sensitive people, and it's obvious that he takes the criticism to heart. And I think he is unfairly criticized, and I tend to be suspect of the reason behind some of the hating. It seems that it has to be something deeper within the hater, something beyond the music that sets them off, which is just plain stupid.

 

But here we have a talented, creative and prolific artist who seems to care what people think of his records, who wants his records to be out there and for people to like them, and we crucify him. I guess some prefer musicians who are jaded and could give two shits what anyone thinks about him/her. Let them count the days until the new Supernova record comes out; they deserve music like that.

 

The guy's taking some real risks putting out as much music as he has lately, what with the stylistic shifts and such. Like he says in the post, he's writing about himself and making himself vunerable in the process, which is going to inevitably incur much criticism, and some just plain unwarranted hatred. It's too bad that he bothers to take the criticism to heart so much; I'd hate for the results of all this to be a guy with a lot to offer us musically holing up and just saying "fuck it" because he can't deal with all of the negativity. Levon Helm left Dylan's '66 tour and took a job in a New Orleans kitchen because he couldn't stand being booed night after night. As a musician, I understand the desire to want people to like your music. To me, it's an honor to know that you've created something that others enjoy and are able to escape, if just for the moment, the pressures and let-downs of life and let your music be a catarthis for their soul. And that is what I sense that Adams wants. More power to him; I think the world needs more musicians that care.

 

 

Well Said Sir!

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I saw Phil & Friends Tuesday. They did THREE Ryan songs, thus pissing off a bunch of old hippies. Encored with My Sweet Carolina. Real good show. :cheers

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Gold and Heartbreaker would stand as significant albums in my collection, the kind of records that you hear and they re-invigorate your love of music and remind you why you spend so much time with it.

 

I don't care how many records he releases or what an asshole he is or who he's fucking. I picked up JCN and Cold Roses on the day of their release but i haven't bought 29 yet...I figured I'd save it.

 

For anyone who doubts Ryan's hit-to-miss ratio, I suggest listening to his unreleased stuff andsee the calibre of the stuff he doesn't let out. Some amazing songs there.

 

Here's my top whatever Ryan Albums:

 

1) Heartbreaker

2) Gold

3) Pneumonia

4) Love is Hell

5) Cold Roses

6) Faithless Street

7) Jacksonville

8) Demolition

9) Rock N Roll

 

Don't own:

Stranger's Almanac (shameful, I know)

29

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For someone who has built alot of their musical themes/ persona to a huge extent around being a vulnerable drunk/ partying wanderer (read DRUGs) I think the big story is that by all accounts (at least as of last Saturday) RA is now sober.

 

How this will influence and inform his future art, is of great interest to me. The odds are stacked against him, but I wish him luck, and hope he can maintain his health.

 

In most cases these type of discussions are taboo and for good reason, but I think RA has led such an open/honest/flayboyantly drunken lifestyle that this doesn't fall into the typical speculating about someone's private life. Anyone with eyes could see what goes on, and anyone with a heart or soul should do nothing more than wish him all the luck in the world at reaching his goals, especially if that means a better life for him as he so chooses it.

 

I see him being even more proficent and focused if this is the path that he choses, and as someone who appreciates 86.75% of his releases, I think its a good thing.

 

Cassius

 

and while we are playing

 

Top tier:

Heartbreaker, Gold/ Suicide Handbook material, Love is Hell, Demolition

 

Second tier: Cold Roses, JaX

 

Third tier: RnR, 29

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as someone who appreciates 86.75% of his releases

 

Did you literally do the arithmetic on this? :P

 

As far as the rest of your post goes, I would say yes, he has been very open about his partying and included said exploits in a lot of tunes. BUT... the majority of his songs don't include partying references (most of the best ones IMO). I don't think it should be a big problem. Of course, these are all BIG if's, considering we don't know how sincere he really and truly is about being totally sober anyway.

 

Favorite Albums:

Heartbreaker, Stranger's Almanac, Jacksonville City Nights

 

Least Favorite Albums:

I don't own any others

 

Peace

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