In the music business, feuds are common and close together. They range from epic to minuscule, but not every feud started off with mean words and passive aggressive songs.
Communications junior Hillary Anderson is from Texas, and says she always has to hear about the feud between Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson whenever she goes home.
“Everybody likes to watch people in the public eye and scrutinize them,” she says. “Maybe it makes them feel better about themselves.”
Ladies are always a problem amongst men, and a classic example of this is Eric Clapton v. George Harrison. Clapton's hit “Layla” is about his marriage to Pattie Boyd, originally Harrison's wife. It's worth mentioning Boyd went to Clapton before her relationship to the former Beatle had ended.
Another situation occurred between the famous Michael Jackson and the slightly more famous Paul McCartney. The two had once been pals, and had even done a couple songs together in the '80s, such as “The Girl is Mine” and “Say, Say, Say.” Things turned dark — unlike Jackson — when the King of Pop outbid McCartney and Yoko Ono for the rights to certain Beatles' song. The friendship quickly died.
Not every feud involves a Beatle, however. Telling someone to “catch AIDS and die,” will start some beef no matter who you are. The legendary battle between Oasis and Blur started this way. The London-based Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher wished this on Manchester-based Blur singer Damon Albarn. Oasis proves to be the bigger band, but Albarn's ears are almost certainly still ringing.
There are countless other feuds. You've got your Biggie v. Tupacs, your Lynyrd Skynyrd v. Neil Youngs, your 50 Cent v. Kanyes. Any way they’re sliced, music feuds are always fun.
Reach the reporter at lauren.cusimano@asu.edu.
