Round 1 Heat 9

[Cricko]

Time for me to dust off my memory and get Roy through to the next round.

Roy Orbison - Cricko v John Mayer - Onion_Bag_Dave

Over to you lot.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

After seeing Dennis Hopper in 'Blue Velvet' 'In Dreams' has taken on a life of its own. The big O for me.

 

[Cricko]

Roy Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. His own life had so many tragic incidents it comes as no surprise that he penned some truly emotional lyrics.His first wife Claudette (he wrote the song about her which was a hit for the Everly Brothers) died in a motorbike crash at the young age of 24 and his two sons were killed in a house fire while he was on tour in the UK. His career peaked during the 60's when 22 of his songs placed on the Billboard Top Forty he continued to have hits though and he made a come back with the cult band The Travelling Wilbury's during in the 80's.

IMO he has the most distinctive voice and vocal range of any singer/songwriter.

Bob Dylan said about him.

Bob Dylan marked Orbison as a specific influence, remarking that there was nothing like him on radio in the early 1960s:

"With Roy, you didn't know if you were listening to mariachi or opera. He kept you on your toes. With him, it was all about fat and blood. He sounded like he was singing from an Olympian mountaintop. [After "Ooby Dooby"] (h)e was now singing his compositions in three or four octaves that made you want to drive your car over a cliff. He sang like a professional criminal... His voice could jar a corpse, always leave you muttering to yourself something like, 'Man, I don't believe it"


​

More later.

He wrote so many wonderful songs it is hard to just pick a few out but we can start with these:


This one he wrote after the death of his first wife.

[video=youtube;-2xtPE0T_0g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2xtPE0T_0g[/video]

One of my favourites.

[video=youtube;HiMl4yX1JiA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMl4yX1JiA[/video]

And so show he was versatile an up tempo hit which has probably one of the greatest guitar opening rifts ever.

[video=youtube;_PLq0_7k1jk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLq0_7k1jk[/video]

Vote The Big O.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Have to abstain on this one. Not an Orbison fan, and not really aware of the other chap.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Roy Orbison is one of the most under-appreciated songwriters. Massive influence on the Beatles and a lot of other artists. Loved the Travelling Wilburys too.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Have to abstain on this one. Not an Orbison fan, and not really aware of the other chap.

Just watch this then its job done:
(only fair I put a vid up for Cricko as he did mine).
[video=youtube;gmsrO8xpe-w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmsrO8xpe-w&feature=related[/video]

 

[Supernaut]

Has to be Roy for me, not a huge fan but I've always had a soft spot for him.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

This is all I really need to know about John Mayer:

[video=youtube;uVJ7OM-PRQ4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVJ7OM-PRQ4[/video]

 

[GrumpyBlue]

Big O - no contest:thumbsup:

 

[MK Shrimper]

Oops, misclicked on that, didn't mean to vote. :blush:

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

Right here goes nothing.

John Mayer.

A fairly unknown gem to be honest, despite me seeing him at Wembley Arena and In Wolverhampton, both shows sold out weeks in advance. So despite not being that well know he still sells out shows.

Firstly listen to this, best live performer ever to be born in my opinion. (BIG STATEMENT, but I stand by it)

[video=youtube;p6fwA37LEqA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6fwA37LEqA[/video]

Now..Gravity

[video=youtube;7VBex8zbDRs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VBex8zbDRs[/video]
His Musicians

David Ryan Harris (singer songwriter in his own right)
Steve Jordan (Drummer, producer)
Pino Palladino (Top bassist, now plays for the current Who line up)

He played at Michael Jackson's 'concert' to remember him.

[video=youtube;DXqbIu9SZKo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXqbIu9SZKo[/video]

His guitaring ability is appreciated all over the world. He writes, He sings and he smashes out those solos.

His song writing is so different to everything else ever.

He somehow seems to be amazing at writing songs about seeing love drift away from you. For example most of his album Battle Studies holds some great examples of this.

Upbeat, Down tempo, blues, pop, rock, acoustic. It is all there in his songs.

Mayer earned his first number one single with the song "Daughters" as well as a 2005 Grammy for Song of the Year.

[video=youtube;osyRqD8-v2I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osyRqD8-v2I[/video]

He is so big in America, don't know what to compare it to, but he is gradually getting his way over here.

[video=youtube;-CfGlGQxGFQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CfGlGQxGFQ[/video]

If you get a chance to see him live do it because it will be the best decision you ever make.

Clapton loves him sooo....

[video=youtube;Zh4n1bZi4d8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh4n1bZi4d8[/video]

I could go on but that will do!

PROPER MUSICIAN, PROPER SONGWRITER, PROPER SINGER, BRILLIANT! I wont win I don't think (I SHOULD), but you should all listen to him!

 

[canveyshrimper]

It's got to be Roy Orbison for me.

 

[Napster]

The Big O for me. Drive All Night is a classic. One of my former American friends loved Mayer. I couldn't see it.

 

[Cricko]

Although Mayer can play the guitar he is no Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Therefore it has to be Roy.

[video=youtube;c-EiKPrAOHA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-EiKPrAOHA&feature=relmfu[/video]

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

Although Mayer can play the guitar he is no Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Mayer comes close..

[video=youtube;v9Nx6rzYBAc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Nx6rzYBAc[/video]

HE CAN PLAY!

VOTE MAYER!!!!! DON'T LET CRICKO WIN! :raspberry:

2:43 is the solo by the way!

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

Big O for me, Running Scared is a favourite of mine.

 

[Cricko]

Big O for me, Running Scared is a favourite of mine.

Good man, there are so many classic Roy O's songs to pick from..hopefully I will get to use some in the later rounds.

 

[Cricko]

After seeing Dennis Hopper in 'Blue Velvet' 'In Dreams' has taken on a life of its own. The big O for me.

"Was absolutely ground-breaking in its day. Broke the mould of the pop song - no verses, no bridge, no chorus, just splendid narrative. The work of a genius".

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

"Was absolutely ground-breaking in its day. Broke the mould of the pop song - no verses, no bridge, no chorus, just splendid narrative. The work of a genius".

I often sing this to my kids when its time to sleep, having not seen Blue Velvet it doesn't freak them out too much. That or the 'good night' song off Beatles white album. I love mildly sinister sweet dreams songs me.

 

[pickledseal]

Big O for me, I *love* my Black and White Night DVD

"Roy Orbison singing for the lonely. Hey that's me and I want you only"