Guest Howard
GuestForum Replies Created
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You won’t get any arguments from me there Tim. #1 it is for Mona and Lisa.
I agree with you about the quality of their albums and I have a feeling another one is in gestation. Can’t wait!
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I appreciate that. I didn’t mean you had to post it here, but I guess this is as safe a place as anywhere.
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The Club is new and will obviously tak a little while to settle in. However, like you, I feel there is a decent bunch of people getting connected here who could easily assist in taking some of the demands off the Wagner family so they can get on with what we all want. MLT producing more of their beautiful music. I feel this should be a site for their supporters to meet, access all the great stuff here and offer whatever support we can to the MLT family.
I do have some thoughts I’d like to discuss with the appropriate person outside the confines of the club, but not sure how to do this. Sometimes it’s a good idea to bounce ideas off a trusted confidant before publishing. I’d be comfortable doing that with someone like you Tim, who I think has the best interests of MLT at heart.
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Hi Steve
Welcome to the club. Lots to see and do here!
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Welcome to the Club Dan. Lots to see and do here.
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Hi Daniel
Don’t worry. Tim doesn’t really expect us to take sides. He is just provoking interest and getting some discussion going. You’ll get used to his mischievous sense of humour. As you can see by this post, it’s working.
We all know that with the Twins our favourite keeps changing. That’s the nature of MLT. They’re full of surprises and both are unique individually and as the beautiful duo they are!
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And well said again Tim. As I noted earlier, you are a very wise and sensitive man (in a positive way). I have the same feelings as you about my own contributions. Always wondering if I am being too domineering or too intrusive.
I like what you are doing in terms of keeping the Forum active and really do appreciate your contributions. You have an excellent knowledge of contemporary rock/pop history and although I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable too, there are things you are aware of that I’m not. For example, I wasn’t aware of the Wilson sisters falling out and the circumstances that caused it. I find things like that interesting and I’m sure I’m not the only one here who does. Any of my digs are meant as harmless banter to keep the discussion interesting.
Don’t worry Tim. I know your heart is in the right place and I’ll watch your back if you watch mine. I’d hate to think you were pulling back because of something I posted. Your posts are always considered and interesting.
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To make things fair Tim I think we need to set some sort of criteria so that we are comparing apples with apples and not apples with oranges. You did mention siblings so that means any number from two up. Not that there would be too many bands of note including three or more siblings. The Jackson Five being a notable exception I guess.
As good as Karen Carpenter may have been as a singer, and also as a more than competent drummer, she was not a lyricist or composer so loses points there for mine. Yes the Carpenters were very successfull commercially but I think you’d agree with me that commercial success doesn’t necessarily equate with quality in the music industry. I don’t think we need to bore everyone with examples.
As for Heart, yes, they were a decent rock group. Nancy was an excellent guitarist and probably one of the best ever female guitarists. The band was also very successful commercially.
Now to the Everly Brothers. Great harmonising brothers who had massive hits with other people’s songs and influenced others. End of their story for me.
Mike and Paul McCartney. Not a sibling combo. They were members of separate bands and that’s the criteria I rule them out. Same for Michael and Janet Jackson.
Now to the MonaLisa Twins:
They are a sibling combo
They co write (with Papa Rudi) all the material on their original albums.
They play all instruments on their albums, with some help from dad (and the occasional guest musicians).
The original material they record is all of a very high standard in terms of the writing, instrumentation and vocals (in particular the harmonising) and the production values (take a bow Rudi).
They are both cute and adorable.Looking at that criteria, the only group I think might be ahead of them at the moment is the Bee Gees who also write their own material and have some brilliant harmonising going on and an extensive back catalogue of hits. However, they aren’t multi-instrumentalists and aren’t as cute and adorable as MLT.
The MonaLisa Twins are only 24 and given time, I believe they will overtake the Bee Gees if they can manage to keep their dream alive and avoid all of the potential pitfalls ahead of them. Many of which you have already flagged Tim. I think Rudolf and Michaela will assist here, along with many of their passionate supporters. However, the twins have shown just how focused and passionate they are about their dreams for over ten years now so I’m confident nothing is beyond their potential.
I rest my case!
The reason I left the Kinks out is that Ray Davies was the sole writer/composer (with the exception of Dave’s ‘Death of a Clown’) and the sole lead singer. Personally I’d put them ahead of the Bee Gees but have to concede the Bee Gees were more popular and score points for their beautiful harmonising.
Just my opinion Tim. Others of course, like you, will have their own!
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I believe Mona would have been playing the drums from at least the age of 11 as she commenced lessons during her first year at High School and had only just turned 13 when they recorded their first public concert in 2007. Have you checked out the YouTube videos where you can find most of the concert? Well worth the look. I have ordered the double CD of the concert plus the three MLT Play Beatles and More CDs which I’m looking forward to receiving a week or so after the 28 October release date of the new material.
How weird is it that ‘Ina Gadda Da Vida’ was supposed to be ‘In a Garden of Eden’, but the singer miss heard the lyrics when shouted out to him. Now that’s Rock ‘n Roll for you!
Nice chatting with you.
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HI Darryl
I’ve only ever spent an afternoon in Adelaide, while on my way to Perth. However, I have two brothers who both spent a couple of years there when they were young and only ever speak positively of their time there.
Just wondering if you’d like to share the following with us?
How did you come across the MonaLisa Twins?
What’s your favourite MLT song?
What other music do you listen to?
Tell us one interesting fact or story about you!
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Touché Mike. I think Tim is being a little bit mischievous, just like that mischievous twin we hear about. Well I guess he does provoke debate, which is fair enough. I’m up for the challenge.
I don’t think Mona has any doubts about her drumming. It would be difficult for any multi instrumentalists to be satisfied sticking to just one discipline and between her studio work and live shows she has a great opportunity to diversify. Her drumming ticks all the boxes for me but it would be good to see her have a bash at them in their live shows occasionally!
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Ray and Dave Davies were a bit like the Everly Brothers in that they fought a lot. Their fighting wrecked their first tour of America and they didn’t get back in for about five years!
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Good one Mike. And MLT have a cover of ‘You Really Got Me’ in the bag that I’m looking forward to hearing. Would also like to see them cover ‘Waterloo Sunset’.
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Ah now Tim. Very American orientated. But of course that’s to be expected from a young lad from North Carolina!
I’m going to have to disagree with you to an extent but will have to do some research before making a final call. Couldn’t help noticing though that you completely missed out the Bee Gees and a group of three sisters known for a time as ‘Holland’s BGs’. They had a massive hit in 1975, everywhere except America, and there’s a reason for that.
They were also the first Dutch group to have a number one hit in the UK, which was amazing as they were mainly a country style band and it was during the height of disco and the beginnings of Punk in the UK at the time.
There’s is an interesting story. Their father died just after the birth of the third daughter, who was born in 1953. Later their mother married a Polish immigrant who moved to Holland from the post war German army of reconstruction (Bundeswehr).
One of the first things he did was buy them each a guitar and got them a guitar teacher. When this teacher took them as far as he could he handed them over to another coach who eventually became their main songwriter/composer and wrote their major hits. His brother joined the band on guitar.
When they signed their record contract they stipulated two things. They wouldn’t work more than three days a week and wouldn’t tour America. Their families came first. This is why they never made it in America.
In the 70s being a fanatical Rolling Stones fan, my mates would have been among those who dissed The Carpenters. However, I agree with you that she was very talented and had a great voice. However, I can’t put the Carpenters above the MonaLisa Twins for reasons I’ll elaborate on in my next post.
As always Tim, another great topic. You do have a lot of time on your hands!
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Me too!
