Most fans have gotten used to witnessing endless feuds surrounding the rock scene. I mean, if I have to count some of the most notable rock disputes, we could probably take a nostalgic dive into the ’60s, starting with Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s historical feud and counting into our modern age by reminding you of the never-ending conflict of Liam and Noel Gallagher.
There were even times when things got out of hand, and feuds evolved into full-on bar fights, such as when former White Stripes singer Jack White gave another rocker a swollen eye and bloody nose after an altercation during a record release party. That, for instance, was an incident where punches took the lead rather than snidey remarks.
However, with all the chaos surrounding the community, rockers also know how to appreciate one another through subtle appraisals, showing support, and never holding back while pointing out one another’s talent. These types of comments surely sound pleasant among all the endless feuds, though when it comes to the rock community, even some compliments might be a bit confusing.
Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, for instance, previously praised another drummer by calling them ‘a little f*ck,‘ and that’s undoubtedly a unique way to appreciate someone. So, as rockers have an unconventional way of lifting one another, it won’t be an exact surprise to hear the complex way AC/DC singer Brian Johnson praised another artist by calling them an enigma.
Well, being an enigma is not that bad, and Johnson uttered the worst in the best way he could possibly do. The frontman was chatting with BBC a year ago when he started discussing his favorite songs, and the topic quickly drifted to a particular track where he appreciated its singer with quite a few compliments.
The song in question was Roy Orbison’s ‘In Dreams,’ and Brian sang praises for the iconic track and Orbison’s vocal talents. AC/DC icon continued by calling the singer an enigma for never moving his mouth while singing and further discussed his unique presence and contributions to the George Harrison-led supergroup, ‘The Wilburys.’
Johnson’s words on calling Roy enigmatic and appreciating his musical talent:
“Roy Orbison is an enigma to me. I mean, he is a man who sings and doesn’t move his mouth. That song, first of all, it’s just absolutely beautiful. It builds, and it builds, and it builds until you can’t go any higher, and he does. That’s when [you go] ‘That’s just not fair’ [laughs].
I gotta tell you, it was very difficult to pick a song by Roy Orbison; there are so many fabulous ones. But ‘In Dreams,’ it was just so pure. Over the years, I’ve met some people and some of the lads that were in the Wilburys with him, and he was the reference of that genre.
When you hear the last song he did with the Wilburys the last single, you can see the smile on Harrison’s face. But he just brought so much joy, and he was wonderful.”
So, it was refreshing to see a rocker appreciating another’s talent since the scene is filled with numerous other artists who love making the headlines with different controversies. These types of appraisals are surely always welcome, and if you want to check out a similar instance where rockers praised another, you can read about the time when George Harrison helped Bob Dylan revive his career.
