Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Greatest Hits

     Who doesn't love a greatest hits? (Other than bands who think it means "we're done.") All the best songs from that band/artist all on one CD, or 2 or 3...or volumes (lookin' at you Eagles...) Anyway, have you ever thought a band or artist shouldn't have a greatest hits, or they have 60 of them? It becomes preposterous, yet for some reason you can't help but buy it.

     I had many conversations with people, and they would tell me "I hate it when a band puts a new song on the greatest hits album. It's kind of arrogant and overzealous, thinking it's going to be a hit..." Well look at Boston, they went through the 70's and 80's, and fell apart, and when Brad went to other bands, and Fran Cosmo took over in the 90's when Tom decided to do his own thing. When Brad came back to the band, they had 2 singers. Well, they weren't done and wanted to show they were recording more music, so instead of the fans losing interest in what would be a record in 6 years, they added Tell Me (a song that would have been a good fit to close Walk On) and Higher Power, a soulful new outlook on what was to come out of Brad's and Fran's and Tom's think tank of music and show they weren't down for the count. Some bands refuse to put out a greatest hits, they feel it's a death sentence.

     Now when a band makes a ton of greatest hits, and super hits, and whatever, and suckers (me) will buy it. "Chicago and Beach Boys have a new greatest hits? Who would buy that? Oh...it's only $5? OK." I mean I have 2 copies of Boston's greatest hits because for one I thought I lost it, and it had the songs from Corporate America, But it's better to buy the collection for some bands. I could not imagine a Metallica or Beatles greatest hits ("1" does not count.) Look at Led Zepplin, they have a 4 disk greatest hits (not talking box set.) Kiss has a box set, but they also have double platinum and a few greatest hits, but it just doesn't feel right. The Eagles can get away with it because they had a career, broke up and got back together, and they had time to mature. If you listen to the two volumes, you can see it. One band I could see doing this is Pink Floyd. Their songs are long and intricate that they could do so, but they didn't. Now one greatest hits I saw that irked me was Notorious B.I.G. I think the fans would be better off getting the entire series of albums.

     So think of greatest hits as you will, sometimes it cheapens a band, or just isn't right, but sometimes there are some good ones. Now compilations are another thing, so maybe we can get into those next time, until then, keep hitting the HIGH NOTES.