A more modern example of their artwork is the cover for their 1994 album Back Where It All Begins:

I'm a big fan of some of the artwork that accompanied the band's releases as well. Just as with Led Zeppelin, there is a strong visual component that accompanies the Allman Brothers Band's music. Some of the most interesting examples came from a pair of artists, J.K. Holmes and D. Powell, that called themselves "Wonder Graphics". They did the amazing inner cover for 'Eat a Peach': . . . as well as the original version of the band's trademark Mushroom logo. These two images will be familiar to many of you, but I found an image of a poster by Wonder Graphics that I've never seen anywhere else, check it out: I've been a fan of the inner cover of Eat a Peach for years (have a small framed copy hanging in my house) but it wasn't until hanging out in the art threads here that a certain poster got me more familiar with Hieronymous Bosch and I recognized his influence on the boys from Wonder Graphics. Idiosyncratic in the rock world, that's for sure. Good art to go with good music!

Here's the thing . . . .I've done a lot of Live at the Fillmore/Fillmore Concerts comparison, including comparing the Liz Reeds listening for the edit. And I never could hear a difference in a lot of listening. Could it be that whoever interviewed Tom Dowd mistook a story about the original recording process with the modern remastering? I'm not saying it didn't happen, though. Anyone here heard the difference?

One of the things that blew my mind (and only one, mind you) was finding out that besides everything that he did in music, Dowd also worked on the Manhattan Project as a teenager. The word genius gets thrown around a lot in the arts, but when it comes to Tom Dowd it definitely applies. BTW- tried my little test on DTS vs. Fillmore Concerts again last night. The difference is most prominent on "Done Somebody Wrong". Duane's guitar has more sustain; and on the intro, where he's playing an the band plays two hits underneath him per bar, it's very apparent: on DTS you can hear bass and drums, On Fillmore Concerts you can hear the whole band! PS- nice work on the Duane's death rumor.

I have it on DVD and I highly recommend it! It includes interviews with Dickey and Gregg, among many others. I already knew a lot about Tom from reading about the Allmans and noticing his name on many of my favorite albums; I came away with an appreciation for the enormous impact that Dowd had on all recording of music. He was a genius.

Deluxe Edition does have one song Concerts doesn't- Midnight Rider. But in the Duane days, Midnight Rider was done uncharacteristically straight; the solos are almost identical to the studio version, it was about the only song they approached so conservatively. So IMHO, that one song isn't enough to put Deluxe in front of Concerts. I got the DTS copy when I got my BOSE home theater, since they're not made to be played with a regular CD player. Popped it in . . . and never played it again. Concerts was still the champ. I think a lot of people who are used to the way the original sounds are put off by the fuller, more three dimensional sound. Scott Freeman calls it "revisionist" in Midnight Riders: The Allman Brothers Story Whatever, dude. In Dowd we trust.

I try to see the band live at least once a year (I've only missed 1999- the first year Dickey was out- going back to 1994) This year I saw them headline the Newport Folk Festival. I snapped these pics while at the show: . . . and here's me at the show. The rabbit ears are photoshop magic courtesy of Hermit.

It's called LOVE, Spats. Although it comes as a suprise to know one that you didn't know that. You wouldn't know love if it hit you in the face with a brick. If you want to know why you can't find love, it's because it makes you want to puke. Tell your pregnant girlfriend to "take a hike?" That statement is either born out of staggerening ignorance and immaturity or is calculated to piss people off. So which are you, Spats? An idiot or a troll? That one sentence clearly proves you're one or the other.

Seconded! I weep for the woman who ever ended up pregnant off of Spats. I have a feeling he wouldn't be making any midnight trips to the corner store.

A lot of shout outs for the ABB At Fillmore East, and I wanted to post a picture of the Fillmore Concerts because I can't recommend it enough. IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO PURCHASE THE ALLMAN BROTHERS AT FILLMORE EAST, MAKE IT THIS VERSION, THE ONE WITH THE COLOR COVER. I've purchased so many versions of Fillmore- the Gold MSFL, the deluxe edition, DTS . . . screw them. The Fillmore Concerts with the color cover is THE one. Tom Dowd, the original producer, oversaw the remixing process. Every other version is a refinement of the sound of the original release, which boosted some instruments at the expense of others. Granted, they were the ones you want to hear (Duane's guitar), but listen to the Fillmore Concerts and you will hear the rhythm section properly for the first time. The instruments are evenly balanced, more like the mix of an orchestra in a classical recording. You can hear the blend of the instruments, the sound has greater depth to it. And that is what the band was going for, not featuring Duane or Gregg. Buy it and then play Liz Reed on your old copy and then on Fillmore Concerts and you will hear the difference!

Thanks for posting this, MSG! This interview is from Guitar World magazine and was conducted by GW associate editor Andy Aledort, who also happens to be the second guitarist in Great Southern. Andy's awesome!

I've seen Dickey three times since he got booted, once in 2001, two shows that I think were in 2003, and this summer at the Lowell Summer Music Series. The Lowell venue is a very nice venue- seats a few thousand people, out doors with trees and beautifull vine covered trellises coming off the sides. I was hoping for a good show, the Dickey Betts shows I saw in 2003 were very good- (even though they were in a 500 person capacity House of Blues venue). As it turned out, though, it was the weakest performance I've ever seen him give. He couldn't hit the harmony parts in Blue Sky and his solos fell to pieces. A lot of people who were at that show posted on his web board they thought he was drunk and Andy Aledort from his band actually posted to defend him. I wonder, though. Hard times for Dickey.

Many times. A good intro to the band- although I have to say that I soured on it just a bit when I found out that the ABB looks at that book about how Zep feel about Hammer of the Gods. It does make sure to tell every last detail of drug abuse and divorce in the band's history. Still like it, though. The album guide for the band's influences in the back is especially useful- turned me on to a lot of great music!

Excellent contributions Dzldoc! I've never seen most of those photos before. That is the Chuck Leavell Lamar Williams lineup and the short lived five piece with Berry. (Those shots of Dickey and Berry are the best!) Here's a vid of the Berry lineup on teh "In Concert" program. I read in Scot Freeman's ABB bio that this special aired just after Berry's death and they all watched it in disbelief. ABB "In Concert" 1972 part 1 These days I think the Chuck Leavell lineup is somewhat underrated among ABB fans. Here's a vid of this lineup at a show promoted by Bill Graham called Saturday Night In Macon, Ga: ABB- Saturday Night In Macon GA part 1 Rare examples of Dickey playing electric slide. He does pretty well!This is how the group would have sounded if you saw them at Watkins Glen in 1973 performing with the Dead and the Band in front of 600,000 people. If you either of these videos, there's a number 2 and 3 for each of them. This guy Scotiadave posts some good stuff! Keep it coming, brothers and sisters! Glad to see so many Allmans fans here.

Thanks, POTS and Jahfin. Pilot, I love Eat a Peach. Blue Sky never gets old for me. Absolutely gets a spot in my top ten albums ever. Jahfin, the Shades of Two Worlds tour was a hell of a time to see them! Every show I've seen from the Shades tour they are hot! Here's a vid from the tour of their stop in Germany. For Eat a Peach fans it's Blue Sky with an excellent guitar solo from Dickey Betts. Some of his best playing was in that year, IMHO. I have a special place in my heart for the Warren Haynes Allen Woody lineup of the band. It's how I first saw them in 1994- and that hooked me for life. I saw them again in 95 and then twice in 96 before Allen and Warren split to do the mule. Here's an image of the band from the live album they put out with performances from the 1991 tour:

If there is a band that I love as much as Led Zeppelin, it is the Allman Brothers Band. I think that Duane Allman is the most underrated guitarist- part of the magic of discovering them was finding out just how good he was and yet I'd never really heard of him before. Besides being a world class finger style soloist, he was absolutely the greatest slide guitarist who ever lived- the Jimi Hendrix of slide. I plan on posting a link to an Allman Brothers video once a week or so- this is one of the greatest live bands ever, after all. I'm going to start with the video that was played at their Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony. All the stuff at the beginning was added by somebody, but by the time it says ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND macon georgia that's what it is. This video was made with two different films of Duane Allman (the only ones of decent quality that are known to exist), plus clips from other eras and still photos. A good intro for someone who doesn't know the band too well, and just a plain cool vid for those who do: The Allman Brothers Band HOF Video As many of you will know, this lineup up of the band was tragically short lived, with Duane and Bassist Berry Oakley dying in eerily similar motorcycle crashes in 71 and 72. But the band had their greatest chart success in 73, and since 1989 have been featuring musicians of the highest quality to fill Duane and Berry's shoes. To hold down a chair in the ABB is to be one of the very best- they don't care how you look or act, just if you can play, play, play. This collage features a picture of every ABB guitarist from 1969 to the present. If you don't know who any of these guys are, come to this thread and find out! Each one of them is a virtuoso of the highest caliber. I've seen the band play live over 20 times since 1994 with different lineups. And I can tell you this- each one of them the set list was completely different, and each time the show was completely different- always good, sometimes stellar! Just what I love about Led Zeppelin live. So who else out there loves the Brothers? Stop by the thread and eat a peach!

Thanks, Chrestus. I'll have to listen to "Rip It Up"- I think there is a story about "Rock and Roll" being based on an improv that started with Bonzo fooling around with the drum intro of a Little Richard song. Can't remember which one, though.

I'm flattered. It ain't my truth, it's a higher truth. Please go right ahead.

You flatter me. Any zep fan could debunk this stuff with a little research, I'm just more argumentative than most.

Thanks for your additions, SD. Now having heard "Knowing That I'm Losing You" it's clear that the lyrics have little or nothing to do with "Tangerine". It seems to me that Jimmy took his contribution and given that the Yardbirds never finished, released or copyrighted the song, felt completely comfortable collaborating with a new partner, never dreaming that using one of his own ideas would get him ripped by a jealous Yardie fanboy.

Will Shade's BS Ripoff Conspiracy Part 4- the final debunking Debatable? Again, one listen to the actual song undermines Shades' argument. Memphis Minnie - When the Levee Breaks Keep in mind that this is one of the cases in which Shade disparages Zep for giving itself a credit along with another artist. Much as was the case with BIGLY, the lyrics are Memphs Minnie's (considerably more so than BIGLY's were Brigg's) but the arrangement shares not one jot of similarity to Minnie's. Her version is in a major key, for Christ's sake. Does Minnie deserve her credit? Yes, she wrote the lyrics (although it could have been Kansas Joe, who did the singing.) Does Zeppelin deserve their credit? Yes, they wrote the music and she never touched it. As usual, what seems to Shade to be debatable seems to me rather undebatable. And when exactly did that happen? Even if we were to seriously consider these allegations not once is there a case where "an entire song's music AND lyrics" are appropriated. Which one of the songs discussed has all he same music and all the same lyrics as the songs they allegedly ripped off? Even if recognizable elements remain radical change is the norm for every one of the recordings discussed here. Is it an utterly blinding bias or did Shade just not do his homework? As usual, I'll begin my counter argument with the clip in question: Jake Holmes - Dazed and Confused Some similarities in the riff, but not quite the same- and every single lyric has been changed other than the words "dazed and confused". Granted, they make up the title of the song. But so does the Stones' "Heartbreaker" share a title with a Led Zeppelin song, and also has a similar boogie rhythm and similar vocal motifs. Did the Stones rip off Zep? Led Zeppelin's Dazed and Confused has a million working parts which Holmes never touched. A co credit? Maybe. But to insinuate full credit belongs to Holmes? That is as inaccurate, as misleading, as much a misrepresentation as to say Holmes deserves no credit at all. Laid out is it? Maybe it is now, with links to the music in question and all the inconvenient omissions corrected. What a bold disclaimer! How could anyone with a lick of sense read through that whole thing and think it was anything BUT gratuitous Page bashing? Not only is it clear that Shade IS Page bashing, it is also clear WHY he is, because he cannot hide his love of that "fabled (and "criminally underrated") quintet", the Yardbirds. I suppose it is no surprise that Yardies fanboys hate on Zeppelin so: the source of their group's importance, their three great guitarists, also ensured that the band existed in a continuous state of flux and weren't able to capitalize on their own innovations. They never really made the transition from singles to albums, and so fans like Shade are inclined to see the album driven success of Led Zeppelin as rightfully belonging to the Yardbirds. They haven't the strength to consider that the lesser renown of the Yardbirds can be traced back to the deficiencies of the band members not named Clapton, Beck or Page, and the relative strength of the equivalent members of Led Zeppelin. And so they concentrate on enlarging the Yardbirds' admitted influence (among others) and disguising the originality of the complex arrangements that Zeppelin brought to it. The irony is that Zeppelin wrote and recorded far more (and far better!) material that is indisputably theirs than the Yardbirds ever did- the Yardies were just better at making sure the publishing was correct. Bully for them. I've read that essay by Shade a number of times before and it never fails to piss me off. Hopefully, "gentle reader", this post will give you reason to discard most of Shades' allegations and question ALL of them. 'Nuff said.

Will Shade's BS Ripoff Cospiracy part 3 A direct nic? This is a Willy Dixon song. Just how much claim to the Small Faces have over a version of a song they didn't write and, as they themselves admit, with "a different rhythm" from theirs? Again, the entire British Blues movement was working from the Dixon songbook, and so for one group to claim any kind of theft over competing covers is preposterous. At this point, there are many, many different versions of every single song Dixon ever wrote by many, many different artists. Did Cream steal "Spoonful" from The Butterfield Blues Band? Did they steal it from Dion? No one has a claim except Dixon, and so the Small Faces deserve no considerations of authorship of anything, except in that likely Plant had the idea to do a cover of that song by watching the Small Faces. As for the claim that Plant copied his vocal style from the Small Faces, highly debatable. Here's a link: Frankly, Plant's version sounds more like Janis Joplin than Steve Marriott to me. And as usual, lots of lyrics have been changed, the arrangement is radically changed . . . not that Shade cares . . . Now we get into some of the few actual facts that Shade uses, as opposed to the biased opinions that make up the majority of his argument. Even so, he gets his facts confused. There were two suits against Led Zeppelin here, Dixon in the 80's over Whole Lotta Love, and ONE suit in the 70's over Bring It On Home and the Lemon Song by Arc Music, the publishing arm of Chess Records who Dixon himself had to sue to get his royalties. I think a "discerning listener" (which it should be clear at this point Shade is not) would note that it is only in the intro, (which is clearly a pisstake of the Sonny Boy Williamson version) is this song not completely original, sharing only the words "Bring It On Home" with anything Dixon wrote. I suppose it's fair that the band give credit for the parody intro. But as far as Shades' larger charge of plagarism goes, the song is completely original once the band kicks in. Sharing a title isn't enough- or do the Stones and Pat Benetar owe Zep for Heartbreaker? Regarding the suit from Arc music- Shade conveniently ignores the fact that the true party who Zep were denying royalties to wasn't blues artists but was, in fact, a publishing company who blues artists had to sue in order to get royalty money. Denying Arc music doesn't seem like much of crime in that light. Notice that Zep credited the Richie Valens influenced Boogie With Stu not to Valens himself but to his mother? Could it be that the band might be more aware of just who ends up with the royalty money than their critics are? The Dixon suit was settled out of court. Lennon and Harrison were both successfully sued for plagarism. It happens. The Beatles are good company to be in. Do they indeed? Why do you think he stops short of saying that Relf wrote them and only say it "smacks" of him? Because he doesn't know that, that's why. This is speculation. Shade read about Tangerine being based on a Yarbirds idea and made a huge assumption that the old idea hadn't been radically altered, lyrics and all. Oh yeah, and Plant's lyrics were SO much less flower childy than Relfs. According to Wikipedia, the Yarbirds version was entitled "Knowing I'm Losing You" (?) and the lyrics are completely different except for the verse that begins "Measuring a summers day". This would imply that the chorus is completely original. Sounds like a different tune to me. Of course, none of us can properly attest to this because the song has never been released. Could be a polka and none of us would know. Though lacking in evidence Shade is happy to take the worst possible interpretation- no surprise there. What point? Drum Intro? DRUM INTROS are fair game for allegation of theft? Of course, as usual I'm happy to post a link to whatever Shade is on about if it can be found because invariably it's not nearly the slam dunk he thinks it is, and frequently quite the opposite. One may have inspired the other, but the two intros are DIFFERENT. Listen for yourself: Little Richard- Keep a Knockin' I'm not even going to dignify "elements of the solo" with a response. Suffice to say if Shade really thinks individual elements like intros, solos, and chord progressions can individually constitute theft, the Stones should give all their money to Chuck Berry right now. Note for note? That certainly isn't true, all it takes is one listen to the actual sound clip to realize that once again Shade is overstating his case. Spirit - Taurus Are the chord sequences similar? Yes. Are they both descending arpeggiated sequences. Yes. BUT, are there differences? YES! The notes arpeggiated in each chord are different! The resolution of the measure is completely different! The two songs are different! What can I say? I think there is a case to be made that Taurus may have inspired Page to write that sequence. But he changed it! That's as much as can be expected considering there is a clear precedent for some element of every song ever made! I can't find anything by the Chocolate Watch Band to confirm or deny Shade's claim. His reference to the Yardbirds as "that famed quintet" is rather instructive, though.

Will Shade's BS Rip Off Conspiracy Part 2 First of all- the fact that this guy uses HOTG as a source should give you pause. Is there any more questionable source in the history of rock music? But on the other hand, who knows- this might come from the 50% of HOTG that's true! Secondly, doesn't sound like Beck. If he cried I'll eat my hat. I don't believe this exchange truly happened, and I believe that Beck has denied it, in fact. Thirdly, Dixon was being covered right and left by the Stones, the Yardbirds, the Animals . . . the idea that there would be controversy over two different versions of the same Dixon song is preposterous. Shade obviously favors the Yardbirds in all of this, so it's predictable that he doesn't think that the Yardirds nicced Little Red Rootser from the Stones, nor that the Stones nicced it from Sam Cooke- selective prosecution! Besides, the sound and arrangement of the two versions are completely different. Next! This is the biggest piece of garbage of the lot. Here's a link to Eddie Cochran's "Nervous Breakdown". Nervous Breakdown Does he actually expect us to believe that CB is a rewrite of this? No, he touches on it quickly because he knows it's one of the weakest points in a weak argument. A non point, in fact. The two songs have almost nothing in common. I think a damn fine debate can be made, in fact! First of all, there is a very good chance this is a traditional. Certainly, Page and Plant picked it up from Joan Baez, who credited it as a traditional. If Anne Briggs has a beef with anyone, it's her. Second of all, have a listen to Baez' version of the song: Joan Baez- Babe I'm Gonna Leave You Shade makes these claims, but when you listen to the music yourself they all fall apart. Zeppelin's contribution to the song debatable? The chords are different, the bridge part is new, there's nothing like the fast driving section in Baez version, in short the arrangement of the two songs is incredibly different. Furthermore, let's take a look at the lyrics of the two versions: Joan Baez lyrics: Babe, i'm gonna leave you Tell you when i'm gonna leave you leave you when ol'summer time, summer comes a-rolling leave you when ol'summer comes along Babe, the highway is a-callin' the old highway's a-callin' callin'me to travel on, travel on out the Westward callin'me to travel on alone Babe,I'd like to stay here you know I'd really like to stay here my feet start goin'down,goin'down the highway my feet start goin'down, goin'down alone Babe,I got to ramble You know I got to ramble My feet start goin'down and I got to follow my feet start goin'down, and I got to go Led Zeppelin Lyrics: Babe, baby, baby, I'm Gonna Leave You. I said baby, you know I'm gonna leave you. I'll leave you when the summertime, Leave you when the summer comes a-rollin' Leave you when the summer comes along. Baby, baby, I don't wanna leave you, I ain't jokin' woman, I got to ramble. Oh, yeah, baby, baby, I believin', We really got to ramble. I can hear it callin' me the way it used to do, I can hear it callin' me back home! Babe...I'm gonna leave you Oh, baby, you know, I've really got to leave you Oh I can hear it callin 'me I said don't you hear it callin' me the way it used to do? I know I never never never gonna leave your babe But I got to go away from this place, I've got to quit you, yeah Baby, ooh don't you hear it callin' me? Woman, woman, I know, I know It feels good to have you back again And I know that one day baby, it's really gonna grow, yes it is. We gonna go walkin' through the park every day. Come what may, every day It was really, really good. You made me happy every single day. But now... I've got to go away! Baby, baby, baby, baby That's when it's callin' me I said that's when it's callin' me back home... The only thing they have in common is the first verse and the line "I've got to Ramble". Enough for a writing credit to Briggs? Sure, and she has one. The band thought it was a traditional because the version they knew was Baez' and she credited it as such- so they never intentionally denied Briggs anything in the first place. But moreover- 70% of the lyrics are completely original to Led Zeppelin. Let's see- 100% original arrangement, 70% original lyrics, yet Shade questions the way the song is credited. The Ultimate Pastiche. This guy probably thinks Land of a Thousand Dances was stolen from Bonie Maronie and Long Tall Sally. Pastiche and collage are recognized as original work in visual art, just how many bits have to go in this stew before Shade will acknowledge it as it's own entity? It has a bolero rhythm, but the chords are different. if rhythms are fair ground to cry theft, Bo Diddley should just drop whatever he is doing and sue EVERYBODY. Besides, Jimmy wrote that part at the Bolero session, he can't steal from himself. Next!

I'm going to dissect this bullshit pile point by point. I agree with Steve that Will Shade's biased agenda is obvious. This will take a couple of posts, folks. This alone should call into question the author's judgement. I'm all for individual taste, but to claim that Armageddon is as good as ANY Led Zeppelin album is a gigantic stretch. It's not fit to wipe Coda's ass, not to mention any of Zep's superior work. This entire paragraph is utter bullshit. While Entwhistle was being targeted as a member of the hypothetical new band, he was not present at this particular session. Look at the credits, John Paul Jones is the bass player. Entiwhistle was "involved in some capacity?" Yes, Moon said in conversation that he was also interested in bolting the Who. Shade also has it wrong regarding how the name came out. The joke was entirely Moon's on that day at least. Entwhistle later claimed that he had told the joke to Moon, and Moon had repeated it at the Bolero session. Jimmy said something to the effect of "That may be, but I heard it from Moon." Shades essay is the first time I've ever heard this story told where Entwhistle was actually present at the session. IMHO, Shade is combining these two stories in a way that settles the dispute between Moon and Entwhistle as the originators of the band name. After all, if the origin of the name is in dispute, it doesn't make Jimmy look quite so much a thief for adopting it, does it? Taking credit for a traditional arrangement is nothing new. By the time Jimmy got around to it, both Bob Dylan and Paul Simon had taken credit for the traditional "Scarborough Fair", to make only one of many possible examples. Also, the idea that Davey Graham truly devised DADGAD tuning is preposterous. Tunings are as old as the hills, saying he popularized it would be far more accurate. Furthermore, Jimmy's DADGAD is different from Graham's because he tunes it down half a step, so it is in fact Db-Ab-Db-Gb-Ab-Db. And, just to put icing on the anti-bullshit cake we're making here, Jansch doesn't play in DAGAD at all, but in drop D tuning. Jimmy's version of a traditional tune is played in a completely different tuning then Jansch's, and yet he somehow is ripping him off? You'd be hard pressed to prove that arrangements in two different tunings of the same melody are, in fact, one and the same. The only thing Jimmy is guilty of here is taking credit for a traditional song, something that is commonplace in music. Ever hear of Brahm's Hungarian Dances? Moving on. Like in his assessment of Armageddon the author's bias is writ large. First of all, if "Beck's Bolero" was more dramatic than, say, "Good Times Bad Times", you'd hear it more often on the radio. What, are all the radio listeners in the world had the wool pulled over their eyes by the charlatan Jimmy Page? If people other than Shade thought Beck's Bolero was better than Zeppelin, it would be more popular. The ear doesn't lie, and 200 Million Zeppelin fans can't be wrong. It's not like Truth isn't out there for comparison, I have several copies myself. And BTW, Mr. Shade, if by chance you end up reading this, it would be "to better effect" It is ironic that Shade uses a track on which Page produced, played and wrote as an example of him ripping someone off. Perhaps it isn't called "Page's Bolero", but clearly he's the mastermind of the session. He plays the rhythm part on 12 string, Beck plays the lead. And it's always been the rhythm part that defines a song, however dramatic Beck's lead parts sound in Shade's ears. I feel the same way as Shade does about Duane Allman's lead parts on "Layla", which have at least as much to do with defining that song as Beck's do on Beck's Bolero. (I say more). I think it would be fair to give Beck (or Allman) a co-writing credit, but certainly not at the expense of Page. Bottom line, no matter how much Shade wants to paint Jimmy as a thief, putting a lead part over an existing rhythm track doesn't count as writing the song- the song existed before you put your lead on it. What was to stop Page from playing a lead himself, other than his desire to include Beck in that supergroup? End Part 1

Worry not. You're far too cheerful, you're not nearly whiny enough and you like color too much.