...Something to Be is the debut solo album from the Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas. The album was released on April 5, 2005, and it debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart, knocking out Mariah Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi. This marked the first time that a male artist from a rock or pop group has debuted at number one with his first solo album since Billboard introduced the chart 50 years ago...
CRITICAL RECEPTION
Reception for ...Something to Be was mixed. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said Rob Thomas "sounds less like his usual tortured self and more like a boy-band veteran who still knows a thing or two about a grabby hook" and noting that the single "Streetcorner Symphony" sounds like "the world's greatest Black Crowes parody — until you realize Thomas is completely serious".
It looks to me like they took the video from a Japanese car show where they hired strippers for visual publicity, and then dubbed in the audio for the original version of the Deep Purple song, completely unrelated to what the video was originally shot for. Unusual, but I'm not complaining, it seems to work.
I was frankly disappointed both visual and sound-wise with the live versions of the song from Deep Purple I viewed. This actually is far preferable with the original sound, and is much nicer to look at.
Definitely of the grunge era, but it reminds me of "Strawberry Fields Forever" and some of the other more psychadelic later offerings from the Beatles.
I've often wondered what gives you a special affection for Warren Zevon, G-man. Is it just his music you like? Or is it something about his personality or character?
Zevon died young of cancer at age 56.
I have a special affection for the band Foghat, and their lead singer/frontman "Lonseome Dave" Perret, who likewise died very young of cancer at age 56. I especially like their Foghat Live album.
I've often wondered what gives you a special affection for Warren Zevon, G-man. Is it just his music you like? Or is it something about his personality or character?
I loved the Outlaws. I always wondered what happened to them. They were huge in 1981-1982 when I began college, then very quickly faded from the limelight.
For a rock star, he comes across as a very modest, likeable and low-key guy. He had a number of appearances on Letterman, right up until his death after this. He even announced and discussed his terminal cancer diagnosis in one show.
I loved the Outlaws. I always wondered what happened to them. They were huge in 1981-1982 when I began college, then very quickly faded from the limelight.
I always wondered what happened to the Bangles, they were very popular into the mid and late 1980's and then pretty much disappeared overnight. Back in the day, I think Susanna Hoffs was pretty much every guy's fantasy.
