A Flock of Seagulls

Should've owned the early-to-late 80s pop market instead of wrongly being summarized as a one-hit wonder.

The infighting between brothers Mike Score (frontman) and Ali Score (drummer) is a debacle of Axl vs. Slash proportions. After a phenomenal debut record with 3 top-tier tracks, they followed it up with an experimental, anti-pop snyth record. It's like Neil Young's Trans without the pop smarts. Their career never really recovered.

If they dropped their drummer, didn't rush their 2nd album to market, and got a better producer, they could've been big.

1. Shacker's was inspired by media coverage of 2007 Virginia Tech shooting and connection to Mr. Brownstone.
2. Axl's comment about singing it over Christmas. Vocals were finished in December 2006 and 2007 at The Palm in Vegas. Betas comments about the album being finished/in-negotiations.
1.-4. All sound to the ear markedly different than the Sean Beavan "clean vocal" sessions. Even "Better". Way more body in his vocal.

1. Axl described it as much:

2. Fan reported story to GNROnTour in 2002. Obviously not exactly a smoking gun but that's what they said. And far before the Baz comment "he's like George Lucas, dude!" story which underscores its reliability. "Catcher = 3rd album, Chinese is more aggressive" is the summary. I'll have to dig it up.

Yes but boomers like Axl are incapable of seeing past their nose.

The time for a "Ryan Reynolds leaks Deadpool demo" powerplay was pre-VMAs in 2001-2002.

He didn't have a band ready to make good until then.

Everything after the tour cancellation should be interpreted as Axl falling back to earth and acting like a mere mortal.

I have no idea about 2004. That's always been the most interesting part of the saga to me.

What do you mean?

I think it's a result of being out of touch with the music business and real life shit. He was a child star, he wasn't a businessman. He had his ass kissed from the jump and he could get away with it because he was in the Top 5 entertainers in the world. I'd like to give him credit but tearing down YouTube videos in 2020 doesn't exactly prove he's wisened up. Him having the clarity of mind to leak something on Napster in 1999-2002? You're more likely to see pigs fly...

In regards to never releasing it: he was afraid, pure and simple. Everyone treated him like a fragile snowflake. So he went into turtle mode and tried to polish TWAT on repeat. He didn't want to admit that he needed a producer. He just wanted to delay reality to maintain control in his head.

And the finished album had to be a Caram abomination, no one was gonna fund it, he wasn't paying Wallace, and he had to change it from the leaks somehow to justify its commercial existence.

Azoff knew exactly what he was doing on both sides of the aisle.

Huh? How does the first statement not contradict the second?

The "I'll kick your ass" line is the worst thing Axl's ever written.

The chorus lyrics are solid.

He made a powerful song with Civil War level potential about personal vendetta.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I support neither political party.

I'd appreciate it if you'd humor entertaining that thought.

Politicians work together? The shock and horror!

The problem being it fires up Russiagate truthers that it's all a grand conspiracy.

It could be a conspiracy. Conspiracies happen. There's just no evidence for this one.

And the saga itself was beyond the pale in absurdity.

Do what you will.

But the only way you could say this with a straight face is if you have a short memory or unknowledgeable of the Clintons.

Hillary has a rap sheet a mile long: NAFTA, Travelgate, Chinagate, a career of lies. Take your pick.

I mean I could take or leave all that and just say "Hey, look at 1998 of the Clinton administration".

And no I'm not talking about the blowjob.

There are many journalists "on the left" that constantly, to this day, point out the evils of the Clinton and Obama admins.

Yes, powerful people are often not prosecuted for their crimes. See: Bush administration.

You mean like Russiagate?

Like Fox News?

Like CNN?

Of course you believe it. You just don't understand the structure of the U.S. political system.

It all brings us back to the original point. This thread is 99% innuendo and calling each other stupid.

I haven't seen any discussions of the economy, economics, monetary policy, money in politics.

You know, real political issues and policy positions.

It's all just political theatre. And you're dancing to someone's tune.

You can dismiss me as a Trumper, Berniebros, conspiracy theorist, idiot, whatever. I don't care. I'm confident and happy with my orientation towards the world. It takes too long to elucidate my thoughts and as evidenced by the COVID thread, when I do take time, people just kinda brush it away and don't engage with it because it counteracts the dominant narrative that has been spoonfed to them by the media. Could I be wrong? Sure! Show me. Let's have a conversation like grownups.

I'll back out of the thread now. It just doesn't seem like a productive use of time. I don't want to come off as an elitist, not my intent at all. I want to be cool with everyone. Always have, always will. I'd just encourage everyone to turn off the news, look into recent history (Reagan-Obama admins), read some finance books, and ask questions. Maybe this kick in the ass will help you get in the right direction maybe you'll laugh and be like hey that Wags guy is a real asshole. I can't control the reaction.

I came into the now locked political thread to post about the radical left which is very worrisome and then posted an article from the educated left about the dangers of the far right. Maybe there's a balance there. Maybe I look at both sides and care about everyone. Maybe I'm right about some things.