Interesting how we define ourselves by the music we listen to. And very narrowly, too. If you're a metal fan, you might not follow hard rock, and never somebody like Neil Diamond. Music listeners can be very non-electic. They find their genre, and that's it. Some find their artist, or a couple of them, and that's it. But musicians aren't non-eclectic. You'll find Metallica listening to classical music, and Neil Diamond working with a well-known rap producer on his next album.
Neil Diamond is one of those MOR figures who are so heartland-beloved even the rockist snot-nosed will dig him, but mainly under the guise of an ironic embrace of kitsch. Yet songs like "Sweet Caroline" (or the Village People's "YMCA") are so DNA-engrained in pop culture — how many songs attain wedding band status? — they transcend genre.
Our musical tastes can be ridiculously exclusive. We think of our taste in music as this pure part of ourselves. We might've become an accountant, but hey, when it comes to music, in our souls we're pure and fine and free: we're still a diehard Van Morrison fan. In music we don't make compromises with the world. Music is what we really are. An art that defines us, the way somebody reads only mysteries, or can't get over their original enchantment with French New Wave movies.
You'd think Neil Diamond would be the one seeking out the rap producer, in some pathetic quest to update his sound. No. The rap guy pursued him. He is Rick Rubin, a founder of Def Jam, and producer of Jay-Z, the Beastie boys, L.L. Cool J and Run-DMC. And they'll make an album that's neither kitsch nor updated. More stripped-down, back to the original singer/song-writer thing. Says Diamond, who at first wasn't interested in working with the rap guy: "It all comes from the same source, whether it's rock 'n' roll or country or folk. I'm not afraid of these rock 'n' roll guys. I was there at the beginning. I'll be there at the end."
If you want to update yourself, the canny strategy is to go back: either sing standards like Rod Stewart, Carly Simon and countless others, or strip yourself down to the original demo Unplugged you, like the new Diamond album promises to be.
In related news, controversial academic Yale Professor Craphogger is releasing a new album on his "I Pee On Your Genre" label: L'il Kim sings Bob Dylan.
Article comments
1 - Vern Halen
Neil Diamond had a bunch of good tunes that have stood up over time:
Holly Holy - defies description. Acid rock, pop, or bubblegum, or all at the same time?
Cherry Cherry - Acoustic guitar driving a Cadillac of a song.
Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon - the Pulp Fiction version by whoever shows an edge you would've never thought was there in the original.
Quite versatile - more than just the pop MOR fixture that many people thinks he is.
2 - HW Saxton
Neil D.'s tunes make great rockers for
others. To wit: Deep Purple's cover of
"Kentucky Woman", Groovie Ghoulies cover
of "Hello Again" (great pop punk)and of
course "I'm A Believer" which was done
by The Monkees first and later by Bram
Tchaikovsky(ex-The Motors). Plus Neil's
tune "Cherry,Cherry" which The Romantics
TOTALLY lift for "What I Like About You"
and NOFX do one Neil D's tunes I can't
think of off hand but it's really good.
Maybe it's "Sweet Caroline"?
His songs have such strong melodies and
are so well crafted it's hard to ruin
them no matter who does them or how they
are arranged.That said,I think that N.D.
is so completely corny that it hurts to
listen to him do them himself.
3 - Shark
Saxman the Musical Whiz sez: "Deep Purple's cover of "Kentucky Woman"
...*back when they were good, I might add!
*waaay back
PS: Don't forget Johnny Cash's version of "Solitary Man" on the American Recordings. Whew. It NEVER sounded that good before!
4 - HW Saxton
Shark, Thanks fer the compliments man.
I've never heard Johnny Cash's cover of:
"Solitary Man". I can imagine that is's
great though. I 've some of the other
Rubin produced tracks and dug 'em like
mad.
Anyone who can make a f' ing Nine Inch
Nails song listenable is beyond genius.
JC is a genius anyhoo but that ("Hurt")
was just TOO cool man.
Since Rubin's producing this upcoming
Neil D. rekkid, maybe he'll do a Johnny
Cash cover?
5 - Nicolette Rivers
I freely admit my love of Neil Diamond.
6 - Mat
I'll stand right beside Nicolette and shout that, I too, love Neil Diamond. Though, I still blame my mother for it.
He went the crooning standards route there for awhile (along with way too many christmas albums) so I'm glad he's getting Rubin to produce something more old school style.
7 - cait
Neil Diamond is way cool. I too can't wait to see what Rubin will help Neil come up with this time.
If Neil Diamond is kitchy... well then I will have to say kitchy is cool!
Great Article. :-)
8 - Andrew Ian Dodge
In a word...YES. But what the hell is wrong with being hideously kitsch?
9 - Lono
As someone who listens to Bad Brains and vintage Metallica (before Cliff died), I am not ashamed to say I have a big spot in my heart and on my iPod for Neil Diamond.
The thing is, even though the songs are not hard hitters... they are very well written songs. There is something to be said about that. For example: Jimmy Buffet music is for insufferable drunken retarded middle aged white dudes (a demographic I am rapidly approaching). However, a song like 'Margaritaville' is just really good songwriting. Same goes with 'Forever in Blue Jeans' or 'Sweet Caroline'.
What is also cool about Neil D is that he embraces and plays with his public image. He really pitched in for Saving Silverman, and was at Will Ferrel's final SNL show as an homage to the brilliant faux Storytells piece Ferrell did.
dude writes great, simple, and timeless melodies... there is nothing uncool about that. Also it's important to note that he started out in the Brill Building in NYC - what this means is that he literally wrote the songs you sang. Before the Beatles, pretty much all contemporary music came from young jewish guys working in cubicles in NYC.
10 - Eric Olsen
as has been amply stated by others, early Neil wasn't kitsch at all, but well-nigh timeless rootsy pop-rock. But once he turned, he turned hard and has never returned - maybe Rubin can coax something reasonable out of him.
Of the classics, I can't believe n one mentioned "Brother Love" or, most astonishingly great of all, his original of "Red Red Wine"
11 - Bennett
Okay, I've never publicly admitted this, and would have died under torture before letting it out to my rocker buddies during the late seventies, but the very first record I ever bought was "Hot August Nights"
Oh crap, I'll never live this down...
12 - Andrew
Kitch? Irony? Was that what I was doing?
Air guitar on the sofa as a 7-year-old...31 years later -- Earl's Court last night. He took the voice a while to warm up, and he can't hit everything, but he can still rock, and croon, and get the (mainly oldie) crowd going.
Nothing beats Hot August Night.
13 - HW Saxton
"Red,Red Wine"... D'oh!!!!
14 - Eric Olsen
it makes the UB40 version sound 2-dimensional, and I love the UB40 version
15 - David M. Holdren
I've been a Neil Diamond fan since I can remember...I bought my first album in '71 or '72 (I was 11 or 12), and I've been buying them ever since. Anyone know when the new one will be released? I originally saw July 26, but I think that's changed.
Rock on, Neil!