Who Likes John Mellencamp?

[JIF]

For years I stayed away from "Heartland Rock". Can't remember why I did now. Inspired by the epicness of early Springsteen, I decided to give this style of music a try. First Springsteen, then Seeger, and now John Mellencamp. Picked up cheap copies of American Fool and Scarecrow many years ago at Barnes & Noble. I guess that little ditty about Jack and Diane got to me. Tonight I picked up two more Mellencamp titles for $5 each at Wal-Mart:The Lonesome Jubilee and Human Wheels. Making my way through The Lonesome Jubilee now; it's good Celtic-folk-country-roots rock. Any Mellencamp fans?

[Vic2012]

I like him in the 80s. He was always my favorite of all the Heartland Rock acts. Could never stand Springsteen, and Tom Petty was okay but I was never crazy about him either. I like Bob Seger though. I've never bought a Mellencamp album but I did buy a 45rpm of one of his 80s hits. I think the title of the song was "Check It Out" or something. Great song. I remember the song had an accordion and it sounded great in that context.

[JIF]

I like him in the 80s. He was always my favorite of all the Heartland Rock acts. Could never stand Springsteen, and Tom Petty was okay but I was never crazy about him either. I like Bob Seger though. I've never bought a Mellencamp album but I did buy a 45rpm of one of his 80s hits. I think the title of the song was "Check It Out" or something. Great song. I remember the song had an accordion and it sounded great in that context.

Yes, that's the song. It's on The Lonesome Jubilee.

[Scott Bails]

Mellencamp and Seger fall into that "I won't turn off the radio when they come on but don't feel the need to buy any of their stuff" category.

Not a fan of the rest of that "Heartland" stuff.

[meimjustalawnmower]

Scarecrow was a masterpiece, especially this song...



My favorite "Heartland" is prolly this guy, tho...

[JKL2000]

Who? Oh, you mean John Cougar...

[JIF]

Who? Oh, you mean John Cougar...

Yes. What do you think of his music?

[JKL2000]

Yes. What do you think of his music?

Oh, I haven't heard him since the early days of MTV, when they played that Jack and Diane song over and over. I kind of lost track of him when he changed his name.

[SteveSly]

Mellencamp won my over when I saw him open for Heart on the “Passionworks” tour in 198?. Mellencamp and his band had played a big stadium festival in Florida in the afternoon. They flew straight from the festival to Michigan, but their plane got delayed. The concert was supposed to start at 8PM. At ShowTime a guy came on the stage and said Mellencamp was on his way, but not quite there yet so they were going to delay the start of the show until he got there. About 8:20PM, with the house lights on in the arena, here came Mellencamp and his band walking onstage. They waved to the crowd and plugged all their gear in. A few minutes later the house lights went down and they came on stage (no sound check) and totally kicked ass for an hour. I mean, they had the whole arena up on their feet from the start. When the headliners Heart came out, they were never able to match that energy. Mellencamp won me over that night and I have been a fan ever since. I think “Scarecrow” is probably his best studio album, but I also have a lot of love for probably his darkest album “Mr. Happy Go Lucky” which is also great. I was not a big fan of Mellencamp’s early stuff, but he certainly matured and got better over the years.

Steve Sly

[JIF]

Mellencamp won my over when I saw him open for Heart on the “Passionworks” tour in 198?. Mellencamp and his band had played a big stadium festival in Florida in the afternoon. They flew straight from the festival to Michigan, but their plane got delayed. The concert was supposed to start at 8PM. At ShowTime a guy came on the stage and said Mellencamp was on his way, but not quite there yet so they were going to delay the start of the show until he got there. About 8:20PM, with the house lights on in the arena, here came Mellencamp and his band walking onstage. They waved to the crowd and plugged all their gear in. A few minutes later the house lights went down and they came on stage (no sound check) and totally kicked ass for an hour. I mean, they had the whole arena up on their feet from the start. When the headliners Heart came out, they were never able to match that energy. Mellencamp won me over that night and I have been a fan ever since. I think “Scarecrow” is probably his best studio album, but I also have a lot of love for probably his darkest album “Mr. Happy Go Lucky” which is also great. I was not a big fan of Mellencamp’s early stuff, but he certainly matured and got better over the years.

Steve Sly

Passionworks come out in '83.

[meimjustalawnmower]

Passionworks come out in '83.

Well, there ya go.

[JIF]

Well, there ya go.

I was helping Steve out.

[meimjustalawnmower]

I was helping Steve out.

Yeah, I know, but the guy posted a really good story about his experience, and instead of responding in kind, you decided to correct him on some silly little detail that really has nothing to do with anything.

[JIF]

I just got done with The Lonesome Jubilee. It has a Celtic-folk-country-rock vibe that reminds me of Cooperhead Road by Steve Earle. I like it!!

[SteveSly]

I just got done with The Lonesome Jubilee. It has a Celtic-folk-country-rock vibe that reminds me of Cooperhead Road by Steve Earle. I like it!!

"Lonesome Jubilee" is a good album. That one and "Big Daddy" explored more of a country-ish sound for Mellencamp.

Steve Sly

[SteveSly]

Passionworks come out in '83.

I knew it was the early 80's, but could not remember the exact year. Mellencamp was just starting to really hit it big and Heart was in the middle of a commercial slide (although I thought the "Passionworks" album was pretty decent).

Steve Sly

[Hunnibee]

John Cougar Mellencamp is one of my guilty pleasures! I actually discovered his music in a health food store in 1982 when the owner was playing his version of "I Need A Lover". I thought it sounded better than Pat Benatar's version. I hung out for awhile to hear more of his songs. A few months later, I had moved to Memphis, Tennessee and "Jack and Diane" was all over the radio, and it was full steam ahead on enjoying his "down home but not corny" music. I called it "Storyteller's Music". I didn't realize it was called "Heartland". I don't care for Springsteen at all!

[trurl]

Not me!!

[Vic2012]

Jeezuz mang. Thanks guys, I needed a good chortle.

[Scott Bails]

[GuitarGeek]

Another one where I never owned any of the albums, but I like some of the singles. As over played as it was, Jack And Diane was really a different kind of song, with the acoustic guitars and minimalist arrangement, for the era it was released (and another classic example of the label not having any faith in the song). Some of the other songs I liked from him were things like Hurts So Good, Rain On The Scarecrow, and I Need A Lover (even though the intro goes on forever, much longer than it needs to...you'd think the guy was making a progressive rock record the way it goes on).

I also respect the fact that he insisted on reverting to using his given name on later records, once he had become famous enough to dictate such things. As I understand it, the stage name John Cougar (actually, at first it was Johnny Cougar) was something that was forced on him by his first manager and he never liked it. I think it shows a lot of guts to say "I don't like this phoney shit" and choosing to do something about it.

[Trane]

For years I stayed away from "Heartland Rock". Can't remember why I did now. Inspired by the epicness of early Springsteen, I decided to give this style of music a try. First Springsteen, then Seeger, and now John Mellencamp. Picked up cheap copies of American Fool and Scarecrow many years ago at Barnes & Noble. I guess that little ditty about Jack and Diane got to me. Tonight I picked up two more Mellencamp titles for $5 each at Wal-Mart:The Lonesome Jubilee and Human Wheels. Making my way through The Lonesome Jubilee now; it's good Celtic-folk-country-roots rock. Any Mellencamp fans?

First time I hear of Heartland Rock, but it kind of sounds cool and is descriptive enough for the artistes you mention (though it could encompass much of Southern Rock, Tom Petty and Dylan and many other singer-songwriter with an harder-edged sound)

Actually the only album of JCM I ever liked was Scarecrow (not that I paid much attention after 87 or 88).... but I was over it by the time it's follow-up came along...

Hated that J&D tune...

[SteveSly]

[QUOTE=Trane;38790]First time I hear of Heartland Rock, but it kind of sounds cool and is descriptive enough for the artistes you mention (though it could encompass much of Southern Rock, Tom Petty and Dylan and many other singer-songwriter with an harder-edged sound)QUOTE]

Growing up in the midwest I have heard the term since I was a kid. It was always used to describe artists that came from the area including bands / artists like Mellencamp (Indiana), REO Speedwagon (Illinois), Bob Seger (Michigan), Head East (Illinois...I think), Michael Stanly Band (Ohio), and a bunch of others that I am forgetting. They generally performed various forms of straight ahead rock n roll often using rural themes and images in their lyrics.

Steve Sly

[willyswing]

Really like Mellencamp, especially the album "Uh-Huh", which rocks mightily, & contains "Pink Houses", a song I particularly dig.

[moecurlythanu]

Mrs. Mellencamp?