Who was more essential to the success of the Beatles - John Lennon or Paul McCartney?
They were both geniuses and both certainly could have been the lone centerpiece of the band. And to my mind they were equally brilliant songwriters. But it took both to make the Beatles reach the height of success that they did.That said, Paul was the driving force behind the band. He drove the creative competition between them. Even John said they wouldn't have written/recorded nearly as much as they did if not for Paul. This is evident in the big disparity in their solo work after the Beatles. Paul did way more. Beyond that, Paul was the most talented musician in the band in terms of technical profiency. He's responsible for much of the best guitar playing, the best vocals, all the legendary basslines, and even some of the drum tracks. So, short answer..Paul.Addendum: Upon reading my answer again I realize that I may have downplayed how much inspiration, and motivation, Paul drew from John. Especially in the early days, but even well beyond. They both pushed each other, in various ways and were both essential to the band’s success. I still think Paul was more productive, reliable, etc.
Why hasn't Lauryn Hill released an album since 'Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'?
Talib Kweli, a rapper and longtime friend of Lauryn Hill, gave an interview with Hard Knocks about her and J Dilla. According to him, she was crushed by the expectations and pressures of fans, the industry and her hometown. (watch 0:27-1:27)Kweli also mentions that she has moved in different directions creatively, such as playing the guitar and reading poetry. Unfortunately, her new ventures have not always been warmly welcomed. Fans demand the R&B/hip-hop version of Lauryn, not the new folksy-poet Lauryn. Her guitar play can be heard on her acoustic MTV Unplugged album. She showed off some of her poetry during a surprise visit on Def Poetry Jam a few years back. In 2005, Kweli dedicated a song to her, titled "Ms. Hill," in which he details a lot of what she went through.
What is arguably the best sounding/produced studio album ever recorded by a pop/rock act, and why?
My choices here are the following:(Toto) IV(Boz Scaggs) Silk DegreesIf you don’t know a whole lot about Toto, you might be shocked to learn that the members of that band were some of the most sought after session musicians of late 70’s and 80’s. Young people might not even understand the whole “session musician” concept since that is pretty much gone at this point.I’ve seen several people mention Michael Jackson’s Thriller album in the answers. There is a commonality between these three. In certain circles, this album is referred to as Toto with Michael Jackson. They were all over the album, with Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro, David Paich and Steve Porcaro all having very significant roles in the end product. Steve Porcaro also worked a little on Jackson’s previous album, Off The Wall.The Toto members were all over Silk Degrees as well. David Hungate, Jeff Porcaro, David Paich, and even the Porcaro Brother’s father, Joe Porcaro, were involved in that album. Add Boz Scaggs’ blue-eyed soul style to the slick, polished sound of great session guys and you get an album that just flows track to track.For Toto IV, it took some experimentation and learning from Toto‘s first three albums for them to really nail it on the fourth. Every track is solid, and obviously, some big standouts, like Rosanna and Africa. They won six Grammy’s for this album: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or more Voices, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s), Producer of the Year and Best Engineered Recording. Steve Lukather won a separate Grammy for Best R&B Song, co-writing (with Bill Champlin and Jay Graydon) Turn Your Love Around for George Benson.Jeff Porcaro also played drums on a couple of Steely Dan albums (Gaucho, FM, Katy Lied and Pretzel Logic), and I see those being listed in some answers as well. I’d argue that Porcaro’s style and keen rhythm add a continuity between all of the albums he played on.
Frank Sinatra vs. Tony Bennett ?
Frank Sinatra...
Is it possible to to sue someone for $100 in small claims court?
Yes, you can sue. Anybody can. Even is successful that doesn't mean you will collect. Small claims rules vary by state. I don't know yours so I can't be too specific. Usually, you have to write out a complaint, pay the filing fee and have the defendant "served" with the complaint and summons to a hearing. The process of service, again, varies by state. It doesn't sound like you have a written contract but that is not the end of the world. Oral contracts are binding so long as you can prove that they exist. If other members of your band were present to hear the agreed upon contract you're probably good. When you file your paperwork you would name more than yourself as the plaintiff, you would list all or some of the members of your band. You'd obviously ask for the $100, plus filing fees. You could ask for the $1000+ in losses you incurred as a result of this but you'll have to prove it if you defendant shows up for trial. You may just put it in the complaint to show the defendant you are serious. If she elects not to show up at the court hearing and defend herself odds are the judge will just rule in your favor for that amount. Don't bother with putting in claims for emotional duress or punitive damages, small claims really don't deal with those and it will complicate the matter. I bet she won't even show up for the hearing so you've a good chance in getting a favorable outcome. But that is only half the battle. She may have a judgment against here, but, the court isn't in the business of collecting damages for you. If you won, you'll need to take steps to collect....and that would be an entire new thread. Good luck.
Would you date Taylor Swift, knowing that she will end up writing a disturbingly catchy hit song that would trash your character?
Would you date Taylor Swift, knowing that she will end up writing a disturbingly catchy hit song that would trash your character?No. I wouldn’t. She’s not my type. Because she’s at least twenty-five years to young for me. And she’s BFFs with Uber-skank Jennifer Lawrence.But, based on the lyrics to the third and fourth verses of his song “Excitable Boy,” I think Warren Zevon did:From YouTube:(Here’s the whole song, just for context.)Well, he went down to dinner in his Sunday bestExcitable boy, they all saidAnd he rubbed the pot roast all over his chestExcitable boy, they all saidWell, he's just an excitable boyHe took in the four a.m. show at the ClarkExcitable boy, they all saidAnd he bit the usherette's leg in the darkExcitable boy, they all saidWell, he's just an excitable boyHe took little Suzie to the Junior PromExcitable boy, they all saidAnd he raped her and killed her, then he took her homeExcitable boy, they all saidWell, he's just an excitable boyAfter ten long years they let him out of the homeExcitable boy, they all saidAnd he dug up her grave and built a cage with her bonesExcitable boy, they all saidWell, he's just an excitable boyI mean, who really knows what’s going on here?