Saturday, January 24, 2009

back-words... an unlikely essay subject...

Saturday, May 31, 2008
an unlikely essay subject...

i was recently online (go figure...) checking some of my other accounts when i came accross someone who seemed to genuinely want to compare black sabbath and ac/dc. usually these discussions are fodder for teenie boppers and i saw many of the replies were either not serious or were focused on opinion rather than facts. my interpretation of the asker's question was that she was asking for an answer based on fact. so i said what the hell and did a little research based on a gut feeling, which turned out to be right. here is my answer:

May 31, 6:15 AM
have you ever heard the expression "that's like comparing apples and oranges?"
here is a prime example of that expression: comparing black sabbath and ac/dc is
like comparing apples and oranges.

both are great, but both are distinctly different. furthermore it isn't really a
fair comparison to match them as black sabbath got their start much earlier (5
years) than ac/dc did.

if you were to match them up by albums, then black sabbath would win hands down
at 18 albums where as ac/dc only has 14 (and planning one more release later
this year). however it isn't just a matter of 4 more albums; black sabbath
hasn't released any new studio work since 1995 and they have practically
released one album per year since they started. their popularity thrives on a
fan base dedicated to their past work and their tours. ac/dc, on the other hand,
last released work in 2000 and their last 3 albums have been separated by 5 year
increments (that's 3 albums in 15 years- too few for most fans). while both
groups have had issues with band member activity, ac/dc clearly put less focus
on releasing new music.

as a dj, producer, and avid music consumer, i recognize the importance in
regular and frequent album releases by bands. it's one of the essential ways to
keep an audience hooked and longing for more. it's also a way to avoid becoming
another one hit wonder. with the frequency of which one's tastes change, it's
important to keep their attention with new music and touring. black sabbath
accomplishes that hands down, more so than ac/dc.

even though both groups have critical claims to success, commercial
acknowledgment of their work, tracks covered by other groups, not to mention
remixes, black sabbath would still lead by a noticeable margin. you could also
compare by album/concert sales, the success of solo careers, and their
subsequent albums and tours as well. there's a lot to research, but i think you
would see that in the end, black sabbath would be the heavy weight champ.

for more information, consult your local wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath_%28band%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC/DC_%28band%29

plur...

No comments: