Whilst perusing a Julian Cope website, I happened upon this review of 'Love it to Death' it is an interesting read, but the following stuck out like a sore thumb and would appreciate your view of this, the site is linked below so you can read it in context, but here is the part that sparked my query.
”Second Coming” is the last chance for redemption before the entry into the puzzle farm as military snare and huge descending guitars cut out in the outro to leave the piano line to run right into “The Ballad of Dwight Fry” -- compressing both tunes into a twisted, two-ply epic (in furtherance of this, both tracks were not banded separately on the album.) A loony bin rumination framed by an acoustic guitar ripped off from Bowie’s “Supermen” (and subsequently re-ripped off back by Bowie for “Starman”) the shining moments are by Glen Buxton and a little girl’s voice asking, “Mommy, where’s Daddy? He’s been gone so long..."
I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the “ripped off” part?
https://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/t ... t-to-death
Supermen ripped off.
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Re: Supermen ripped off.
It's natural for a new song to remind people of the similarity to a song they're already familiar with. That often dissipates upon further listenings. And like Michael Bruce used to say, there are only so many notes in an octave.
As a songwriter, sometimes inspiration is influenced subliminally as in George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" sounding like the Chiffons' "He's So Fine."
Oftentimes musical similarities are just co-incidence. There are only so many notes.
And sometimes its outright intentional, as in Alice singing like Jim Morrison on "Desperado."
Providing The Relentless Crusader for Originality (me) didn't catch it, Michael managed to sneak a few obvious influences into our songs, as in Pink Floyd's organ riff in "Black Juju" (semi-intentional) and Jimi Hendrix's "Dolly Dagger" riff in "Elected" (full-on rip).
Comparing "Ballad of Dwight Fry" to Bowies "Supermen" is a stretch to put it mildly. Harsh album reviews were popular back then because, and this is my opinion, critics wanted to be edgy like Hunter S. Thompson.
When I listen to the trilogy on Love It To Death, the feel draws me into the story and it stands on its own merit.
As a songwriter, sometimes inspiration is influenced subliminally as in George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" sounding like the Chiffons' "He's So Fine."
Oftentimes musical similarities are just co-incidence. There are only so many notes.
And sometimes its outright intentional, as in Alice singing like Jim Morrison on "Desperado."
Providing The Relentless Crusader for Originality (me) didn't catch it, Michael managed to sneak a few obvious influences into our songs, as in Pink Floyd's organ riff in "Black Juju" (semi-intentional) and Jimi Hendrix's "Dolly Dagger" riff in "Elected" (full-on rip).
Comparing "Ballad of Dwight Fry" to Bowies "Supermen" is a stretch to put it mildly. Harsh album reviews were popular back then because, and this is my opinion, critics wanted to be edgy like Hunter S. Thompson.
When I listen to the trilogy on Love It To Death, the feel draws me into the story and it stands on its own merit.
Re: Supermen ripped off.
Thank you for your excellent reply, upon further investigation of the website, the review is seemingly by singer/songwriter Julian Cope (The Teardrop Explodes).
Cope also reviewed Pretties for You, Easy Action, Don’t Blow your Mind (Recorded Live in Toronto 1970) and Killer.
The review for Love it to Death was written in November 2002, it would seem Mr Cope is a fan of the Alice Cooper group, once you unravel verbal hyperbole, I think what infuriated me was the line ‘an acoustic guitar ripped off from Bowie’s “Supermen” (and subsequently re-ripped off back by Bowie for 'Starman,’ it is written as fact and of course it isn’t, he was not there.
Once I got a bit more perspective on the Mr Cope’s review, it is apparent, he came to praise the ACG, not bury them. I think if this review had been written recently, I might have suspected AI's hand in its over the top flowery prose.
Thank you again for answering my question.
Cope also reviewed Pretties for You, Easy Action, Don’t Blow your Mind (Recorded Live in Toronto 1970) and Killer.
The review for Love it to Death was written in November 2002, it would seem Mr Cope is a fan of the Alice Cooper group, once you unravel verbal hyperbole, I think what infuriated me was the line ‘an acoustic guitar ripped off from Bowie’s “Supermen” (and subsequently re-ripped off back by Bowie for 'Starman,’ it is written as fact and of course it isn’t, he was not there.
Once I got a bit more perspective on the Mr Cope’s review, it is apparent, he came to praise the ACG, not bury them. I think if this review had been written recently, I might have suspected AI's hand in its over the top flowery prose.
Thank you again for answering my question.
Re: Supermen ripped off.
I once wrote a song called "Rockin' in The U.S.A." which I admit isn't remotely off the beaten path, but I was excited about what I thought were fairly clever lyrics incorporating all of the originators of Rock and Roll. I got Neal to play it with me at a rehearsal. I think Alice and Kane Roberts were there. Within weeks after that John Mellencamp released "R.O.C.K. in The U.S.A." which was pretty much the same song as mine. I hadn't heard his song and he hadn't heard mine.
Re: Supermen ripped off.
Again, thank you for your insights, it is fascinating stuff. 