"Chinese Democracy" and "O.K. Computer"

[C.D.]

I'm not sure what percentage of HTGTH users here are diehard Radiohead fans (though I consider myself a very casual one). It's just that lately I've been reflecting on what kinds of albums from the past, say, 20 years, are widely considered landmark recordings in rock/pop. I've always been interested in the climate of each album around the time of its release, and what various factors led to it becoming such a phenomenal success. Very frequently the most obvious factor is musical taste, and what kinds of trends are generally popular at the time. Sometimes the trends will just be starting to churn from underground, and all it takes is a couple of records emblematic of those sounds (i.e. Nirvana's "Nevermind," Pearl Jam's "Ten," etc.) to blast the style into the stratosphere and make it the hottest new musical trend of an era.

As music progressed toward the late '90s, I got the sense that rock music in particular just wasn't feeling as exciting or revolutionary as it did years earlier. Furthermore, I admit that at the time I was hardly aware of "O.K. Computer" - or Radiohead, for that matter - when it was released in '97...but then years later, when I became more aware of recent music history, I was amazed to read about just how groundbreaking that album was considered upon its release. Sometimes I would give anything to go back in time and re-live an era with new perspective, and appreciate certain types of music when they're fresh.

My open question though is: As increasingly unlikely as it may seem, is there anyone else out there with a similar sensation - that if/when GN'R's "Chinese Democracy" is released, it may have the same impact, or reach the same status that "O.K. Computer" did in '97, a time when rock music in general was similarly perceived as a "dying" breed? I'm not saying that it will be identical to "O.K. Computer" in sound necessarily - although a lot of recent speculation about what "C.D." may sound like has reminded me an awful lot of what "O.K.C." represented (straightforward guitar rock mixed with heavy doses of "electronic" noises to achieve an atmospheric, epic feel). In short, whether you like it or not, "O.K.C." is considered by a majority of music fans/critics to be among the most important and influential albums of the '90s, creating an unusual rock sound that was both familiar and alien - and yet could still reach massive critical and commercial success.

I'm really curious as to what others may think of this, if they haven't already shared their input (without me realizing it). If this is considered a horribly redundant thread, then I apologize for wasting time. This just came out of a moment of pure inspiration I had a while ago, thinking about music now, and where it may be heading...and the whole recent spectacle of "Live8" has really fuelled my passion for music in general. I just hope that, whatever's going on in the GN'R camp of late, that something - ANYTHING - will come to fruition, and prove to the world that GN'R have not perished and "gone to hell" (to borrow from the site name).

P.S. - Happy Fourth of July to all the Americans on this board!?

[gilld1]

It will be awfully hard for any band to top OKC by Radiohead, it is perhaps the best album of the last 10+ years.  It wasn't just a critics album, many other musicians in other well known bands raved about OKC.  CD could be bigger in sales but in impact, who knows?  It all depends on the chops that Axl brings to the table.

[jameslofton29]

I dont think CD will revolutionize the industry, or start a trend, etc. Those are unrealistic expectations. CD is going to sell millions of copies. Its going to get ALOT of media attention before and after its release. Whatever year its released, it will be one of the Top 10 stories of the year. Then the hysteria will die down, and alot of people will be happy it came out, and they will move on.

[nesquick]

I hope CD will sell better.

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

you can't just take OKC as a reference.
First there are a lot of people that dont like this cd.
music is about taste. and OKC please some people that like its very specific boring sound.
and is sooo overrated because music was dull at that time.
97 was a dead year. thats why people care about okc.

CD will come when music is everywhere. ipods are all over the place. people carry 20 gb of music with them. 50 cents releases a cd every month.

marilyn manson or rage against the machine did so much more than radiohead. radiohead was a trend. radiohead is merely cited by critics.
manson (who has, i'm sure, 5% of radiohead musica talent) blew the world away.

thats what CD will do; i dont want critics to talk about it. i want everybody to be blown away.

[DoubleTalkingJive]

I dont think CD will revolutionize the industry, or start a trend, etc. Those are unrealistic expectations. CD is going to sell millions of copies. Its going to get ALOT of media attention before and after its release. Whatever year its released, it will be one of the Top 10 stories of the year. Then the hysteria will die down, and alot of people will be happy it came out, and they will move on.

James, I agree 100% with this statement. ? ?They did that in old GNR [AFD], I don't know if Axl and New GNR can pull something as vast as that, in this type of music industry again. ?

[AdZ]

marilyn manson or rage against the machine did so much more than radiohead. radiohead was a trend. radiohead is merely cited by critics.
manson (who has, i'm sure, 5% of radiohead musica talent) blew the world away.

thats what CD will do; i dont want critics to talk about it. i want everybody to be blown away.

No, manson shocked the world.

Radiohead blew the world away.  Radiohead achieved an entirely new sound.  Manson copied an old sound, and revived it a little.

[August 18th]

chinese democracy will be the defining record of this decade, there is no doubt about it. even if the material doesn't live up to it's hype, the hype alone will carve it's way into rock and roll history.

[BurningHills]

Am I the only person here that thinks Radiohead completely blows, except for maybe 2 songs?

-Jeff

[Neemo]

Am I the only person here that thinks Radiohead completely blows, except for maybe 2 songs?

-Jeff

Nope!!! I'm not a big fan of them either

[blasphemer]

who fricken care I just want the damn album

[Izzy]

Am I the only person here that thinks Radiohead completely blows, except for maybe 2 songs?

-Jeff

U think they have as many as 2 good songs?

I pray C.D has nothing in common with Radiohead in anyway, shape or form

[August 18th]

radiohead is more boring than counting grays of sand and should not in any shape or form be compared to guns n' roses. ever.

[blasphemer]

radio head   should be called fag alert.

[jameslofton29]

blasphemer, that was hella funny!! Thanks for the laugh!

[ppbebe]

My open question though is: As increasingly unlikely as it may seem, is there anyone else out there with a similar sensation - that if/when GN'R's "Chinese Democracy" is released, it may have the same impact, or reach the same status that "O.K. Computer" did in '97, a time when rock music in general was similarly perceived as a "dying" breed?In short, whether you like it or not, "O.K.C." is considered by a majority of music fans/critics to be among the most important and influential albums of the '90s, creating an unusual rock sound that was both familiar and alien - and yet could still reach massive critical and commercial success.

P.S. - Happy Fourth of July to all the Americans on this board! 

I do like Ok computer. Otherwise the works I like are of some major ones such as NIN, White Stripes, some retro bands e.g. Zep n Can and some minorities possibly you've never heard of...
As I rarely read pop/ rock reviews I don't know what they say. Are they (critics) any good?
What did the critics who rate OKC high say about AFD back in the old days? Anyone?

Sound wise, I prefer this GN'R to the old, with that I no way mean the latter (OLD GN'R) not great.
Just this hybrid version is something else.
It's the current lineup that made me, a casual fan choosy about music but too fickle to be a fanatic of a specific band, a maniac.

Tommy says it will make all hell break loose. Hell, Brain even says it gonna be the Zeppelin 2nd.
I dare say the odds are Chinese Democracy will surpass OKC easy n peasy.

Hey Americans Happy Independence Day!

[blasphemer]

If u want a priceless album go buy    Nola  by the group called  "down"        One of the greastest unknown records of all time.  But the true rockers should already know about this one.

[jimmythegent]

OK Computer is a masterpiece

Some of you people need to broaden your horizons a little

I also think along with Achtung Baby, it is a very good reference point for CD (in terms of how we've heard the new material described)

[IndiannaRose]

Well, to me, the old GN'R seemed to have been based on Aerosmith while this new band seems to have been based on Led Zeppelin. I am not too sure but I think C-Democracy will sound like Zeppelin + NIN + Garbage + Radiohead + old GN'R mixed in to create something cool.

I.R.S seems very Led Zeppelin-ish, (well, to me anyways) Chinese Democracy seems very grungy, while The Blues sounds a lot like UYI II. But who the hell knows now, Axl is always puting on "finishing touches" so who knows what it will sound like now.

I feel this record will be more diverse than any old records. (even UYI II) Definately....I can tell you right now that a lot of the "Appetite only" fans won't like as Axl likes to keep people wondering what kind of sub-genre he's trying to play. For some reason I think C-D will have a Kashmir-type of song in it....Hah, I haven't talked about the album like this in a long time.....heh.

Too bad it's not out....

[conny]

After all this time, the money, the fan support and the musicians, I expect a daring, eclectric, traditional and at the same time progressive album.

And I'm sure Axl has better sources than Radiohead to find inspiration for that.

"O.K.Computer" is just one of the most pretentious, boring and overrated albums of all time. Their lead singer obviously just sucked a little too hard on Michael Stipe's cock.