Things I probably shouldn't say out loud: I like Darius Rucker's country music

I can't be the only one on the board. (I hope.)

Above and beyond the fact that I *dig* his voice, I like that a guy had success in pop last decade, had the success dry up on him, then went another direction and has succeeded.

Pardon me if, as a newspaper employee, I find hope in that.

Anyway, an interview with Darius Rucker from EW.com:

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/04/darius-rucker-t.html

 

Re: Things I probably shouldn't say out loud: I like Darius Rucker's country mus

Dave Matthews disagrees. So does Ben Harper (well, OK, he sits part of the time) and Jack Johnson.

 

I haven't looked at the numbers, but is Dave Matthews doing anything close, saleswise, today as he did in the late 1990s?

 

I hope not.

 

Re: Things I probably shouldn't say out loud: I like Darius Rucker's country mus

Not sure about album or iTunes sales. But judging from concerts I've been to, he's doing just fine. But even if he's only doing half the business he was in the 90s, he ain't hurting.

Hootie needs to figure out if he wants to be a singer/songwriter or a superstar. I think he was really saying that he can't make as much money doing pop as he can doing country.

 

I like Darius Rucker's country stuff too.

 

I'm not a big fan of his stuff, but I saw him at the REM tribute concert I went to and he had a good stage presence. He might not have had the talent of people like Rhett Miller or Glen Hansard who were also there, but his on-stage charisma made him enjoyable.

 

Went to see Hootie at Chastain Park in Atlanta last summer with my wife. They still put on a great show, and Darius' couple country songs that he did were excellent live. Those guys still work it, almost 15 years later.

 

Jack Johnson is NOT rock. Don't insult the rock genre by lumping Johnson's tripe in with it.

 

Re: Things I probably shouldn't say out loud: I like Darius Rucker's country mus

One man's tripe is another man's feast.

I don't think Johnson is rock either. But he's certainly doing OK as a singer/songwriter without going to country, as Mr. Blowfish suggests.

 

Dave Grohl disagrees.

So does the guy from Bloc Party.

And The Hold Steady.

And Built to Spill.

 

Love Hootie and the Blowfish and love Rucker's country album.