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No musician wants to receive negative press. Whether you’re as prominent as Sting, the Eagles, or Frank Zappa, when you engage creatively and release your work to the world, you naturally hope for a positive response. However, this isn’t always guaranteed. Due to music’s inherently subjective nature, something that you hold dear might not resonate with others.
As a result, some music is met with harsh criticism. If you want to take any kind of positive away from negative press, it could be that what you have made is bold. People might listen to your music and not be able to get through it because it is too outlandish or too far out, and while it’s not nice to hear that someone couldn’t remotely engage with what you created, at least you can take away from that that you haven’t played it safe.
With the above in mind, the worst kind of negative press that anybody could receive is that their music is boring. If people listen to your music and can get through it but find it incredibly lacklustre and dull, soliciting no response, there aren’t many reactions worse than that. It means the artist has played it safe and hasn’t created something of note.
You would be surprised at just how many musicians have been criticised by fellow musicians for having music that they perceive as boring. What is one of the worst insults in music is hurled around the industry frequently. This article will look specifically at some of the most boring artists in history, according to their contemporaries.
The most boring musicians in history (apparently)
Elton John, according to Keith Richards
While Elton John may be one of the most successful recording artists in the world, he has captured the hearts of millions with his music, and Keith Richards didn’t hesitate to denounce him. Apparently not a fan of some of his ballads, Keith Richards harshly described Elton John as “An old bitch,” adding, “His writing is limited to songs about dead blondes.”
Elton John didn’t take Richards’ comments lying down, though. Upon hearing what the Rolling Stones artist said, John responded, “It would be awful to be like Keith Richards. He’s pathetic. It’s like a monkey with arthritis trying to go on stage and look young. I have great respect for the Stones, but they would have been better if they had thrown Keith out 15 years ago.”
The Eagles, according to Tom Waits
The Eagles are among the most famous country rock bands ever to walk the Earth. Their barrage of hits has amassed countless fans around the globe and helped them cement a borderline untouchable legacy. However, their global acclaim wasn’t enough for Tom Waits, who has gone on record stating that he finds the band’s music deeply dull.
“I don’t like the Eagles; they’re about as exciting as watching paint dry,” he said in an interview, making it clear he was not a fan of the band that so many others loved. “Their albums are good for keeping the dust off your turntable, and that’s about all.”
Frank Zappa, according to Lou Reed
While many of Lou Reed’s songs are slowed down and relatively tranquil, his intricate lyricism makes every song he wrote a great listen. On the other end of the spectrum was Frank Zappa, who made upbeat and chaotic music. While many people found his sound engaging, Lou Reed thought he was talentless and craving attention.
“Frank Zappa is the most untalented musician I’ve ever heard,” he said, “He can’t play rock n roll because he’s a loser… If you told Frank Zappa to eat shit in public, he’d do it if it sold records.”
The Grateful Dead, according to Kurt Cobain
Rock music has always been a form of rebellion, and therefore, many musicians have often used the sound as a way to rebel. Nirvana is an excellent example of this, as they were never afraid to get political with their music and fight for what they believed in. Cobain was never a fan of people who opted for peace but didn’t fight to achieve it, which led to a disparaging view of the majority of hippy culture.
It’s not that he thought the Grateful Dead’s music was boring per se, but their attitude was. He saw the entire movement as people “giving up” rather than standing up for themselves. “You know what I hate about rock?” He said, “I hate tie-dyed tee-shirts. I wouldn’t wear a tie-dyed tee-shirt unless it were dyed with the urine of Phil Collins and the blood of Jerry Garcia.”
Sting, according to John Lydon
There was a lot of excitement behind Sting. His time in The Police and as a solo artist showed people that he was happy to merge different genres together to create something new and exciting. Of course, some people weren’t fans of his music, John Lydon being a prime example, who thought he took himself too seriously to be entertaining.
“Sting amuses me because here’s a man who’s joined now so many causes and so many charities that he’s dissipated the energy behind them, and you can’t really take anything he now contributes to too seriously anymore,” he said, “He’s gone and taken himself far too seriously, hasn’t he? ‘I am an intellectual, honest, please believe me. Look how unshaved I can be’.”
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