Had a discussion with one of the lead singers of the band True North, the other

night and we were discussing how much Greg and Jim were like John and Paul

in musical character. I went one step further and stated that I thought Greg Keelor

might be the only one on this planet who not only had the musical talent, but the

attitude of John plus the lack of being intimidated by Sir Paul while creating tunes.

  Interested to hear your comments and wonder if the rumour should be started now.

As a P.S. I'll just say, "Hey Tammer, think you could get the word over to him soon?

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To be or not to be is NOT the question!

Rather, is it your will to be here, or to be elsewhere?

Greg does not consider himself to be on the same level as John Lennon, or BR's music on the same level as The Beatles.  In fact, he gets very defensive when compared and has said, "Not even close."  I personally think they're much better than The Beatles, but Greg won't hear of it.

I think of Greg as being more like George, rather than John of the Beatles.  I think Greg's talent is unrecognized by the media who tend to focus on Jim....same with George...the focus was all on Paul and John.  Also George really expanded his songwriting, more so then the other Beatles...so does Greg.

 You know, GA, that's what I feel as well. John and all had their view of things

and the musical talent superiority is obvious BUT, Greg is showing ever more

signs of expanding in new directions. Also, if BR had the air play they deserve

I dare say they'd be as popular because I can think of no other group, other than

the Beatles, that has even close to the sheer number of good tunes. Yet others

with much fewer endlessly listenable tunes (e.g. The Eagles) enjoy worldly status.
 
In my opinon, Greg has the attitude necessary to meet Sir Paul head on.
 
Once the world finally gets to hear BR's stuff, my bet is, the effect will be such

that Jim and Greg may be overwhelmed with their succes,...until they can adapt.

 Then, who knows, Sir Paul may approach them. like Kristopherson did years ago.

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To be or not to be is NOT the question!

Rather, is it your will to be here, or to be elsewhere?

Don't misunderstand me! I love Blue Rodeo's music, but I'm with Greg on that one.  I personally don't like any kind of comparisons when it comes to art.  There is no doubt in my mind that Jim and Greg are great songwriters, but if the Beatles hadn't come around in the first place, I don't know what Blue Rodeo and many other bands that followed would have sounded like.  The Beatles were precursors. They changed the world of music and have influenced almost every band who came after them.  As such, no other band can be compared on the same level.  It's like comparing someone to Dylan or The Stones. 

On his album "Flowers In The Dirt", Paul wrote and recorded a few songs with Elvis Costello and he said that that professional collaboration was the closest to the one he had with John - especially on the song "You Want Her Too".   It could be interesting to hear Greg with Sir Paul, but I bet you Greg would be very much intimidated.

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Don't waste the time, the time that isn't lost (Jim Cuddy)

I agree, I don't like comparing Jim and Greg to the Paul and John. Though their harmonizing and music writing is comparable. But everyone is their own man, they each have their own style and it just seems that maybe their love for that type of music shines through their work.  But I have to say here, that I have always loved the Beatles

I have to agree with DianneM and JAM.  I don't really think of Jim and Greg's songwriting in comparison to Lennon and McCartney.  First of all, I think that there is something about Canadian artists that keeps them grounded in a way that shows in their music.

I thought it was interesting that on Greg's site that in one of the video clips 'About Greg's Vocal Hats' Greg mentions a friend commented that 'The Dimestore Greaser and The Blonde Mona Lisa' was "the best Elvis Costello song that he never recorded".  That is one of the few Greg songs that I feel clearly shows the influence of another artist.  However, I don't feel that artist is Elvis Costello, as much as Bob Dylan, during his 'Desire' and 'Blood On The Tracks' recordings.

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I carry with me the memory of a field I once knew, of a night so full of stars that I was left humbled by it's endless beauty. I know that whatever the cost, life is worth living. So bring it on...I can take it.

After trying to type a reply about 10 times, and deleting each and every one, I'll keep it simple.

Greg with Lennon's talent???    Um....no. 

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Talk Is Cheap - Well I Outta Know!!!!!!
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I dont really think they are all that comparable.  I love The Beatles and all that.  I have every album and have almost every song memorized, Ive read a lot on it etc.  However, I still prefer BR. 

I've seen this one beat about before, but the great thing is the very interesting discussion it typically arouses and the opinions it elicits - reminiscent of a good debate on Rubber Soul vs. Pet Sounds... amazing what you pick up in good musical discussion.

By the way, Greg is unique.  Just listened to the highy-underrated Days in Between, an album where Greg particularly shines. There're a hundred you can compare him to, yet there is no-one, really.  He's got his own road.  Jim does too, but I guess my taste runs a little more to the bitter... 

coolblue:

By the way, Greg is unique.  Just listened to the highy-underrated Days in Between, an album where Greg particularly shines. There're a hundred you can compare him to, yet there is no-one, really.  He's got his own road.  Jim does too, but I guess my taste runs a little more to the bitter... 

I agree wholeheartedly!!! That is the great thing about BR, the uniquness, the individuality, the diversity!! Don't get me wrong, I love the Beatles and many other bands past and current, but it takes too much away from the individual artist when you start comparing with many artists you can see or hear the influences that brought them to where they are, but it is the combination of those influences that become the artist's unique style.

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"There's one in every crowd, for crying out loud,
why was it always turning out be me"

Elvis was not only the King, but a really awesome person as well!

I agree and disagree.

The working dynamic between Greg and Jim is much like that of John and Paul.  And they are a like in that Greg/John was the dark, more introspective, more illusive and Jim/Paul the more poppy, more palitable, outgoing, more musically accessible.

That is where the similarities end.  I mean no disrespect to Blue Rodeo or Jim and Greg (afterall I like to say that Jim is the devine ruler of my musicial universe) but they don't compare to the Beatles.  No one does and no one ever will.  Whether you like them or not the Beatles changed the way music was made and had such a profound cultural impact on the world that I doubt will ever be rivaled.

I'm not sure you can measure talent so its hard to say who's more talented.  Though when you consider works like The White Album, Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road somehow They Days In Between, Diamond Mine and Outskirts don't quite measure up.  Great albums in their own right though.

Now everyone put your shot guns down.  And don't send out the lynch mob to my house.  Its a free world and we're all entitled to an opinion.  I love Blue Rodeo.  That's why I've been to 30+ shows, been on this board for 5 years or however long its been and spend three years building the BR Guitar Tab Archive.  My point is this...there are similarities in character and their working relationship but that's where the comparison ends...in my opinion.

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Check out Canada's best independant musician at blakepreston.com

The ONLY complete archive of Blue Rodeo guitar tablature is stratomaster.ca

Stratomaster:

Now everyone put your shot guns down.  And don't send out the lynch mob to my house.  Its a free world and we're all entitled to an opinion.  I love Blue Rodeo.  That's why I've been to 30+ shows, been on this board for 5 years or however long its been and spend three years building the BR Guitar Tab Archive.  My point is this...there are similarities in character and their working relationship but that's where the comparison ends...in my opinion.

No shotguns here, you are right everyone is entitled to their opinion. Music is very personal to the people who love it and like a person's spirituality, no one can dictate how they should feel.

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"There's one in every crowd, for crying out loud,
why was it always turning out be me"

Elvis was not only the King, but a really awesome person as well!

katiescarlet:

......everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Except Stratomaster. You see, as bona fide member of the BRB Crew and

CEO of Stratomaster.com, the lofty positions are such that he must be careful

what he says so as not to unduly influence innocent lurkers with his aerial views.

 I kid of course.

On  to the topic at hand... I've thought about this a lot and have to disagree in

large part because I fail to see where the greatness of Sir Paul and/or John

is so far beyond Jim and Greg's abilities, song-wise .

  First of all, you must remember that Lennon McCartney had the greatest of influences

from George Martin, a.k.a. 'the fifth Beatle' such that many of their tunes were actually

altered (some say improved) by his imput. To this end, I wonder what a David Foster, or

a Daniel Lanois, might accomplish with them if they collaborated in the same way as GM.

  Also, if you hear the bare cuts of John's last single (Free as a bird) before it was

re-mixed and dolled up by the rest of the group, you'd see that his raw version was

more melodic but not a whole lot better, if at all, than Greg's offerings. As for musical
 
ability, if you hear Greg's latest c.d., he's obviously experimenting with much more

complex work (guitar-wise) than before. As for songs, granted tunes like Let it Be ,

Hey Jude and Imagine were anthemic but, are they really that much more than say

HHMY,  Lost Together and Five Days in May?

 Okay the Beatles influenced many and are/were great. My point is musically, the

fact that we can listen to Blue Rodeo (not to mention their solo material) tunes over

and over, just like the Beatles tunes, without getting tired of them over the years,

says a lot in that they both stand the test of time.

 I agree with what Stratomaster said about temperment and all but, when it comes
 
to hearing what Sir Paul and John did post Beatles, I really don't think that either

Jim or Greg are found wanting in their solo material either and, after 20 plus years,
 
they're both still coming out with great tunes. I mean, would anyone here disagree

that they're material in the last few year's has been less endearing; less able to

grow on you than earlier tunes? The bottom line, to me anyway, is that Jim and

Greg haven't been as popular internationally, by a long shot. If that were the case, 

( I still believe they'll be the sleeper group who get 'over night' success) they too

could influence a whole generation of musicians.

Wait a minute, (in Canada at least) they already have. ( Okay, that's like 4¢ worth)  

 

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To be or not to be is NOT the question!

Rather, is it your will to be here, or to be elsewhere?

I thought this thread was about comparisons between Jim/Greg & Paul/John and not about who are the better musicians.

Anyway, I can see the similarities in character but that's about it... I don't think I've ever compared the guys in BR to any other musicians except for maybe Jim & Jackson Browne...