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.
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...
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Really like Mellencamp, especially the album "Uh-Huh", which rocks mightily, & contains "Pink Houses", a song I particularly dig.
[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
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Come on, guys, rise above the kind of shit in this thread!
3
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Duncan
My most recent awareness of the guy was as part of this seemingly under-rehearsed performance from about 2 years ago.
I never bought anything by Mellancamp but enjoyed his songs on the radio in the eighties. The lyrics are real if you know what i mean. My wife loves Tom Petty and Bob Seeger who were also mentioned earlier.
"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
Sad Rain
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