Should I be embarrassed? I am enjoying Neil Diamond...

I just got Tap Root Manuscript and am (largely) enjoying it a whole lot. Is this wrong? It's just really catchy lightweight pop, nothing too brainy, it's well-produced...
And yet, it's something I've always heard slagged all my life. FWIW.
Are there others here who enjoy him? Or am I going to have to enter a 12 step program?

 

It's all wrong Michael! I recommend that you send those Neil Diamond (first pressings only please) CD's to the firm of Gort, Gort, & Gort for the strictest evaluation to determine the level of guidance and recovery required.

 

Sorry, my Tap Root is a JVC pressing, which technically would make it a second pressing...(it's got a DIDX #). Nice try...

 

Hey, I like him! I love his Bang stuff. Universal has released all six albums (on three CD's) he did for Uni. There's some bonus stuff on there as well. I was going to purchase it through BMG because they had a good price on it, but I had to hold back. I don't trust what's coming out of Universal these days. "Hot August Night" is a good live LP of his, I lost him after he did "Jonathan Livingston Seagull".

 

It certainly wasn't "cool" to like Neil during his superstardom period in the 70s. Kinda like liking Abba! Both were guilty pleasures.

I always thought he looked very uncomfortable in The Last Waltz as if he knew that the audience would be surprised by his inclusion, but obviously he was held in sufficiently high regard by his peers to be invited.

 

Yep, we seriously need to get you into a 12-step.

My favorite era is the Bang era, followed by the Uni sides. IMHO he still makes decent music today, but is sort of coasting on auto-pilot...nothing really knew in other words. If I remember correctly, one recent album of his was supposedly a standout was Tennessee Moon since it features a lot of his own songwriting, like in the old days.

I did get Tap Root Manuscript myself, mainly to hear "Soolaimon" in the context of the entire album. For me, Classics: The Early Years is a favorite, since it covers a dozen of his Bang-era songs. But it does make me long for a complete set of Bang tracks on a single disc.

 

My favourite Neil tune - "Lordy" on Neil Diamond - GOLD - Live at the Troubador.

 

"Hot August Night" is one of the most exciting and entertaining live albums ever. Course I'm a tad biased because I was there

Neil has written some of the best pop songs of the past 40 years, a lot of great album tracks that never hit radio: "Captain Sunshine", "Morningside", "Do It", "Knackleflurg" . I'm a fan and proud of it. Who else can go over 20 years without a hit and fill MSG at the drop of a hat?

 

Neil Diamond is definitely a great talent and I'm proud to be a fan of his music.

 

While not a big fan, I like and respect his music. I was pretty fond of the song he wrote about "ET" - "Heartlight".

 

Simon and Garfunkel...

But I'm just jealous that you were at the taping show for one of the most famous live albums ever. Would that I were so lucky in my lifetime!

 

Like Koz, I do like the early stuff - specifically, the tunes he did on Bang records (e.g. You Got to Me, Thank the Lord for the Night Time, Red, Red Wine, etc.).

First few on Uni weren't bad (Soolaimon, Holly Holy and such), but after that, I don't care for much of anything he's done.

 

I'm a big fan of Neil. Seen him several times in concert, he's a great entertainer, always puts on a helluva show.

Also have a pretty extensive Neil Diamond CD/vinyl collection, including every legit US album release and a number of imports and promos.

No reason to be at all embarrassed!

 

I bought the Sony/Legacy The Essential Neil Diamond two-disc set about six weeks ago and really like it. When I was in high school and college, I wouldn't have been caught dead listening to Neil Diamond, but now that I'm 33 and married, I'm not cool anymore.

 

I was just listening to (and enjoying! very much) some early Diamond. Especially Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show! Good stuff!!

 

Same here, but I love most of his stuff up to that point. Some early 80s stuff is ok.

My favorite Diamond period is from 1966-1971.

 

I joined his fan club when I was eleven and, though I wasn't as into his 1976 reemergence, still paid my fan club dues because it was always a pleasure to open up the initial envelope packed with good things.

 

I do wonder if he actually did sign the eight by tens and five by seven colours.

 

He is among my all time top100

You are absolutely right cbsolson! I second that.
His music is gonna last a very long time.

/JJ

 

It's always disappointed me that 'back in the day' you weren't cool if you liked Abba, the Carpenters, Neil, Barbra and a host of others. I could listen to them -as well as- Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and scads of hard rock groups. I never dug that 'ghetto' mentality that you could only listen to one type of music to be 'hip'. Neil is a great entertainer who has written some very enduring songs and I know I still get a great charge out of Sweet Caroline, Cracklin' Rosie, Holly Holy, I am I said, Cherry Cherry, Red Red Wine and quite a few of his tracks from his 'golden era' ('66-'73). I even thought You Don't Bring Me Flowers had damn good lyrics and was very moving as a song that captured what was -really- going on in many peoples' lives.

 

Go to the music angle website.

There is a great interview with Rick Rubin or should that be there is an interview with the great Rick Rubin.

He mentions that he would love to be involved in a project with Neil Diamond and that he has such a great catalogue of songs.

Harry James once said: 'There are two types of music, GOOD and BAD.
If you like it it's good, if you don't it's bad!

Don't be afraid of the snobbery that goes on between music lovers,
my attitude is if Kylie Minogue brought a song and i liked it, i would buy it. BUT I DON'T THINK SHE EVER WILL! HA HA!

JG

 

During my favorite Neil Diamond period 1966-72 he wrote and recorded some great music. I lost track of him after BEAUTIFUL NOISE. But "embarrassed"? Hell no; he's practically an institution!

Jim W.

 

Re: Re: Should I be embarrassed? I am enjoying Neil Diamond...

My goodness...look what Rubin did for Johnny Cash's public profile! Of course, Neil hasn't led the same wild life, but still...

 

I too have re-discovered Neil Diamond recently with the flurry of first-pressings I've found of his, and I have to say, the sound quality of his recordings is STAGGERING, especially with the early 70's MCA (UNI) stuff.