"It's no use cutting if your knife's not sharp"

equalsql

Being a fan of swampy blues I actually quite like the song.
His singing has really improved,especially in the higher register, got a real Richie Kotzen vibe which is impressive.
The lyrics are a wee bit cheesy which makes them quite funny when he tries to drawl like an old Southern bluesman but in what sounds like a west county accent. Love the thick slide tone and punchy production, but that video... it is full on David Brent.

Philly_Q

Lewy said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

I think the problem us that Chappers has cultivated his online presence to the extent that peoples expectations of anything he does are higher than they would be for the rest of us. 

I actually think it's working from the other direction...here is a highly produced track and video by someone presenting themselves as a commercial artist, with their own in-built product placement to boot - yet people are upset with the criticism because they feel like they know him from his online presence. Nobody would be getting het up by criticism of the Stones. Nobody would be saying "well done Metallica for putting yourself out there". In a way, the criticism here is a massive back handed compliment.

But conversely the compliments are, in a sense, damning with faint praise.  "Well done Chappers for putting himself out there" and "his voice has really improved" are not, as you say, comments anyone would be making about Metallica or the Rolling Stones.

EricTheWeary

Philly_Q said:

Lewy said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

I think the problem us that Chappers has cultivated his online presence to the extent that peoples expectations of anything he does are higher than they would be for the rest of us. 

I actually think it's working from the other direction...here is a highly produced track and video by someone presenting themselves as a commercial artist, with their own in-built product placement to boot - yet people are upset with the criticism because they feel like they know him from his online presence. Nobody would be getting het up by criticism of the Stones. Nobody would be saying "well done Metallica for putting yourself out there". In a way, the criticism here is a massive back handed compliment.

But conversely the compliments are, in a sense, damning with faint praise.  "Well done Chappers for putting himself out there" and "his voice has really improved" are not, as you say, comments anyone would be making about Metallica or the Rolling Stones.

If it’s a professional product we can judge by the standards of such. I’ve been emulsioning a bedroom and by my standards it’s fine. If I’d paid someone else a lot to do it I’d be disappointed and onto Trading Standards. 

I think mostly we understand that difference and make comments accordingly ( and some people just like being prats whatever).  I don’t know to what extent social media blurs our understanding of how pro someone is maybe but his channel has 748 thousand subscribers which by YouTube standards isn’t massive but it’s in the doing it for a living type category. 

crunchman

Philly_Q said:

But conversely the compliments are, in a sense, damning with faint praise.  "Well done Chappers for putting himself out there" and "his voice has really improved" are not, as you say, comments anyone would be making about Metallica or the Rolling Stones.

Would be nice if we could say that about Bonamassa.

I've done it now.  Bonamassa and Chappers in the same post.

Maybe I'll mention Mary Spender as well.

Neill

I remember when I started playing in a band, there were three of us and we thought we were Canned Heat but it wasn't working. We were down the pub one day and I remember saying to the other two look, I'm from Yorkshire which is brass band country, Welsh Pete is steeped in Male Voice Choir heritage and poor Dave from Lancashire has the Oldham Tinkers and the Houghton Weavers...  

So when Rob Chapman sings "It's no use cutting if your noif's not sharp" I can so sympathise.

Remember when Paul Weller formed The Style Council - you could hear the mass ranks of Jam fans going "Noooooooooooo......" it was so wrong.   I'm not comparing RC with Weller, though they do have the common feature of not knowing what to do with their hair, but like Woking's finest, Rob has to find something that suits him.

TINMAN82

I wonder how many of those that feel sensitive towards criticism of the music video are putting money where their mouth is and helping the artist pay his bills in return for the pleasure he has given them?

Buying the album or at least streaming it formally on a premium platform? Buying a T-shirt or thinking about paying for a ticket to see him live? Buying a Chapman guitar?

I thought not. At least you feel morally superior though.

RandallFlagg

TINMAN82 said:

I wonder how many of those that feel sensitive towards criticism of the music video are putting money where their mouth is and helping the artist pay his bills in return for the pleasure he has given them?

Buying the album or at least streaming it formally on a premium platform? Buying a T-shirt or thinking about paying for a ticket to see him live? Buying a Chapman guitar?

I thought not. At least you feel morally superior though.

I have bought a Chapman guitar and some of music in the past, I paid for the first Clockwork Wolf EP and quite like it.

Philly_Q

RandallFlagg said:

I have bought a Chapman guitar and some of music in the past, I paid for the first Clockwork Wolf EP and quite like it.

Get it right.  Clockwork Wolf & Co. 

The "& Co." is crucial, it gives the name so much authentic old-timey character.  It's Chappers' equivalent of the "Sons" in Mumford & Sons.

carlos

I like some of his company's guitars. I'm a sucker for shreddy through-necks and they don't even say that silly monkey lord stuff on the back these days. 

Rabs

I think anyone who puts themselves out there to be judged has to always expect one of three responses.. Some people will like it, some people wont.. And most people just wont care one way or another... 

Its the same for anyone who makes whatever for public consumption or performs for the public..  I have felt the same fear on first showing my guitars. But once you accept the above its all what ever what ever after that.. And its not that you shouldnt care, of course you want people to like what you are doing. But you cant be upset when people make their own judgments cos everyone will..  

This is a guitar forum.. Its like one of the main things people do on here.. Make a comment or judgment about whats being discussed.. Some people can be a bit mean about it but come on, we are all (assumingly) grown ups...

I dont think Rob needs anyone to defend him and even if he reads this forum, I am sure he is more than used to it by now and how to deal with it.

guitarjack66

Im not sure why you cant criticise this guy if hes made a song that hes trying to sell to the general public. Its no different than anybody else. The stuff about 'you couldnt do any better' is childish given he has resources that most others dont. Miming in the garden of your Yorkshire council house with your dog whimpering in the background just can compare to a mediterranean beach.

BlueStrat

If you release music to the public then it follows that you do so for people who'll like it, not for people who don't.

So do you care of the opinions of those people who  don't like it?

I don't like EDM or rap but there are millions who do.

Perhaps don't release your music if it causes such levels of anxiety.

WiresDreamDisasters

"It's no use fucking if your dick's not hard" doesn't quite have the same ring to it, I suppose.

Seziertisch

guitarjack66 said:

Im not sure why you cant criticise this guy if hes made a song that hes trying to sell to the general public. Its no different than anybody else. The stuff about 'you couldnt do any better' is childish given he has resources that most others dont. Miming in the garden of your Yorkshire council house with your dog whimpering in the background just can compare to a mediterranean beach.

I don’t think the song is necessarily the message here, it seems more like it’s an ad for Chapman guitars

Caffeine_Vampire

I keep watching it.



It's still Spinal Chap.

Snags

WiresDreamDisasters said:

"It's no use fucking if your dick's not hard" doesn't quite have the same ring to it, I suppose.

Also not necessarily accurate. Other more imaginative solutions are available. That's what @Bridgehouse says, anyway.

Bridgehouse

Snags said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

"It's no use fucking if your dick's not hard" doesn't quite have the same ring to it, I suppose.

Also not necessarily accurate. Other more imaginative solutions are available. That's what @Bridgehouse says, anyway.

Citation required.

bobblehat

I quite like that but the Video is bloody awful.

crunchman

The video is dreadful.

He does need to make up his mind whether he wants to be a serious musician, or sell guitars.  Or at least do the two at different times.  The constant guitar swapping was ridiculous, although not as ridiculous as some of the miming.

Don't like the vocals either.  Whatever effect is on them sounds like he was signing in the bathroom with the mic at the other end of the house.

BlueStrat

I've only seen a couple of their guitars but they were nicely made at the price.

It has to be incredibly difficult to launch a new brand, so absolute respect to him for being a success