Official "The Last Hero" Thread (pre-release discussion)

[AB23]

Love the last "You've gotta keep FIGHTING"! Great melody! Also "My CHAMP-ION"

My Champion kind of feels like Myles is just patting you on the head like you're his child. "Whose my little champion... YOU are"

[riemslag1]

No, I really hope they will skip this one playing live ! With such a great catalogue it would be a really waste of valuable gig-time to play a song like this live.

[AB23]

I'd rather they play this than SMAL any day of the week. This doesn't feel like a song Myles would feel comfortable singing live though.

[anguyen92]

No, I really hope they will skip this one playing live ! With such a great catalogue it would be a really waste of valuable gig-time to play a song like this live.

I understand you not liking the song and all, but to me, this sort of thought is why I believe they keep relying on Blackbird songs, so much. I feel the opposite though. It may not be in my fave five of the album when it is all said and done, but I think this is something the majority of the crowd could get into.

[AB4Lyfe]

If they release it as a single, they better play it live on their mini-tour. My two cents, after a couple of plays I think it should close the set.

[Ashlee]

Next person who requests, supplies or implies they can supply links to the song for free through unofficial channels will have their account suspended.

Cut the shit guys, and familiarize yourself with the rules.

[AB23]

There goes the happy mood

[Ryan]

I really dig that lyric video. They did a great job with it!

[Ashlee]

There goes the happy mood

Happy Mood still in tact!

[riemslag1]

[*]

No, I really hope they will skip this one playing live ! With such a great catalogue it would be a really waste of valuable gig-time to play a song like this live.

I understand you not liking the song and all, but to me, this sort of thought is why I believe they keep relying on Blackbird songs, so much. I feel the opposite though. It may not be in my fave five of the album when it is all said and done, but I think this is something the majority of the crowd could get into.

OK, understand that, but imo the overrepresented blackbirdsongs in the gigs can better be replaced by songs far better than My Champion. So much better songs to choose from on their other albums and hopefully also on The Last Hero. Still keeping my hopes up for 12 more real AB rock anthems in stead of these poppy hitparade tunes.

[AB23]

Maybe some people don't like the "bang your head until you have an aneurysm" type of jams every. SINGLE. song. Maybe its nice to have uplifting songs that make you want to go out and better society upon every listen, instead of hearing songs about the Earth ending or how god doesn't exist or how every strong relationship in your life will eventually end at some point.

I think a lot of people would agree with that. I'm not one who goes to concerts and gets in a wild, inexplicably stupid mosh pit, and leaves a concert with injuries. I'm one who gets a beer, takes a friend, and just enjoys the music. This song is perfect for that, and I damn well hope they play it live... its a single. You market singles by playing them at concerts.

This may come as a shock to you, but some people... MANY people... who haven't ever heard of AB are going to hear this song and think "wow! This singer sounds so genuine with his words! I gotta see them live!" And then they go see them live just because they heard this song and were inspired. And those people would be disappointed if this song wasn't played live at that concert.

You don't have to like the song, but its basically a fact that its going to be one of their more popular songs just because its a single. That's something all the haters will have to resolve with. That's something that I had to resolve with when I heard Isolation and Addicted to Pain (some of the most agonizing AB tracks to my ears). That's just the way music goes.

And I mean this post in the most polite way possible. May come across as condescending, but I'm just spittin da troof. This is gonna be a popular jam. And I'm happy to be apart of the group that welcomes that notion.

[anguyen92]

You don't have to like the song, but its basically a fact that its going to be one of their more popular songs just because its a single. That's something all the haters will have to resolve with. That's something that I had to resolve with when I heard Isolation and Addicted to Pain (some of the most agonizing AB tracks to my ears). That's just the way music goes.

And Isolation is their biggest hit on active rock radio and you got to deal with that notion that it's going to get played live a lot. Now the tables have turned and it's up to other people to live with it.

On that note, I found this interesting sentence that one of the singers of Cypress Hill stated regarding albums that influenced him and he mentioned Led Zeppelin's House of The Holy and how that album ranged from country/funk/rock/blues and he had this to state regarding Zeppelin.

"They challenged their fans to move on with them, and the fans accepted that. I believe that is a true mark of greatest."

That stated, the band should have this thought of "We’re not some dining run by an opinionated old man, and should never be that way. We shouldn’t put our product in the audience’s face and rant, “This is how we do it! And you should appreciate it!” We should make it enjoyable for everyone." (a quote from Japanese wrestler Hiroshi Tanahashi regarding how wrestling should be presented).

AB do have to vary between being all moody and realistic (which does result in being pessimistic) to trying to find that light at the end of the tunnel and actually have uplifting/optimistic songs for those that are in doubt with their lives. Maybe Mark is onto something back, months ago, when he stated The Last Hero will have something everyone can enjoy.

[Raven]

I'd rather they play this than SMAL any day of the week. This doesn't feel like a song Myles would feel comfortable singing live though.

I like this song but Smal >>>>>>My Champion all day every day

[Raven]

I will say, I wish they added more lyrics in the bridge. I know its meant for the solo, but they usually hit the hardest in their bridge, and I think it kinda lacked.

For me, the one key aspect I feel like they are missing in Show Me A Leader and My Champion is them setting up that anticipation (the calm before the storm, I guess) before the bridge section, since they are really great at that.

Agree so much with this i think its the the only thing really missing from Smal imo and like u said no pun intended they do really bloody good bridges as a rule

[Dolo]

This song sounds like a symptom of regression in their songwriting. I really, really hope it's just a catchy single to get some airplay on radio.

[gbruin]

Ok, a bunch of listens and I really love the song. I understand why some diehards won't like it because it's definitely a concession from the more recent AB sound that is probably a reach at a broader audience (i.e. the U.S. market). Personally, I am glad that they are staying diverse by recording one poppier song rather than everything becoming a Tremonti album type song. I think this is a nice follow up to SMAL because they sound so different. Nice work on the lyric video, too. Definitely higher quality than the SMAL lyric vid.

This is the song that Ryan turned to me at the listening party and said it sounded like a Journey song (and I've loved Journey for 35 years). That chorus is just so damn smooth.

[SamarthJoshi]

I would love to see the passion with which Myles is going to sing this song live!

[Blackbird]

99% sure this is gonna be my skip track. Not because it's bad, but because it's nowhere near the quality I'm expecting most TLH songs to have. I'm fine with that, every AB album so far has at least one skip track for me, but I really, REALLY hope they're not gonna play this one live because they have so many better songs that it would be a total waste of a slot.

[axlar]

This song sounds like a symptom of regression in their songwriting. I really, really hope it's just a catchy single to get some airplay on radio.

That's how I rated it on first listen. To me this song is nowhere representative for the rest of the album... Also I think this song will do better in USA market than Europe...

[Lotha]

I'm listening right now and I'm liking the song. Great melodies. The lyrics are still a little meh and probably will get old fast, but what can you do. I didn't expect to like it this much after seeing all those mixed feelings on the boards.