Re: great performance is not enough?

["Mark R. Leaman" <mleaman@sccoast.net>]

> He never has been much of a writer (even on Layla), his gift has always
been
> in the performance.  IMHO - His playing and singing are better (sometimes)
> post-heroin.

Jeff:

Where? To me, there's a blank period in his career from 461 to From The
Cradle (other people's songs), during which the best material he recorded
was written by others.
And even if it makes me a bad person, I don't like Tears In Heaven.

> Why isn't that enough to keep him off the 'meltdown' list?

Hey, YOU want to put The Who there! Career meltdown indicates an artist
coming down from a high to a low. High: D&D, low: There's One In Every
Crowd. Thus we have a meltdown. Another low: Slowhand. Have you heard any JJ
Cale? If and when you do, you'll hear what Clapton was shooting for (but
never quite got to).

> You heard some old methods of performance used by the experts who invented
> them.  Isn't that good enough?

It's great, but it's not new.

> Is there a new VH1 list show in the works here?

You pitch it and I'll write it. How about a board game? I know there's a
website where they talk about TV shows when they went downhill....Stern was
talking about it this morning, but I don't recall the name.


"Neither in French nor in English nor in Mexican."
     George "Sha-ZAM!" Bush

               Cheers                 ML