There is a lot of music I love that seems not to be known or especially enjoyed by others! I am always working to change that!

There is even more music that others love and remains a bit beyond me. I always listen, and really enjoy listening to other people's choices, but it is fairly rare for me to be hooked by it after the event. I have a sad thought that Geoff P has, over the years, tried very hard to get me into Jazz, and not really succeeded. I adore some of it, but not all, or even very much. I suppose among Jazz, I enjoy best the vocal numbers more than the purely instrumental, which is the other way round to other styles.

Of the popular music, I find the biggest obstacle is that so much of the singing is actually out of tune, and nothing is ever going to get round that till I go tone deaf in old age …

I even find there is some music that I once really liked that I no longer do! I am getting to a smaller core of music that I love ever more deeply! More accurately I am growing to appreciate the works of a fairly small number of composers, and the real growth for me is discovering their lesser-known works, rather than trying to know the major works of every famously known composer.

On the other hand I think that core of favourite is rather challenging in some parts. I am careful how I try to hook others onto Bach for example. And once they are hooked I don't interfere. It is more a case of making a good introduction, and possibly getting into detailed discussion with the tiny minority who are very close to my wavelength ...

George

Does your childhood music affect your later musical choices?
I suppose for me yes,I knew I didn't want to listen to my parents music. Nina and Frederick type stuff, show tunes and Opera.
What did I like ? Buddy Holly,Shadows DC5, Rolling Stones (not the Beatles). We started listening to Buffy Saint Marie,Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. I became a mod and The Who Faces (large and Small) where derigeur.
At the back of my mind was the wish to be guitar player(which I failed to become) and my began to concentrate more and more on guitar based music so rock reared it's pretty head. Purple,LZ on into Rush(quite a lot later). I always liked organ/synth in amongst these genres and listened to more and what was to become prog.
I suppose my folk interest must have followed on from Dylan etc especially when he went electric.
Sally (Mrs) love of Irish dance lead us in to Celtic music and on to more traditional folk music.
My guitarist friend has introduced me to "soft/smooth" Jazz Rippingtons and Fourplay as examples.
I also like African and African influenced music.
This place has and continues to offer more and more choices and so my musicial horizons expand.

quote:

At the back of my mind was the wish to be guitar player(which I failed to become)

It's never too late and you never know what might happen at the crossroads

On a project a few years ago, I worked with a very prim and proper looking dude, who always came to meetings in a three piece suite, white shirts and tie. He had short well styled hair. He was a first class computer programmer too.

One day, he phoned me to say he was leaving the project. Turned out he had an audition as a support guitarist for Lemmy on tour.

I didn't know you didn't like Nina and Frederick.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by 555:


I also started listening to John Peel after seeing Buzzcocks & JD. I can't count the number of bands & music generally JP opened my ears to. How much thanks do we as music lovers owe to dear uncle John? He certainly had as a big an influence on my musical tastes as anything else. If there's one person the likes will not be seen again it's JP.

I had the IPOD on shuffle when I was out for my constitutional the other evening when on came a John Peel show from September 2004. I found it a very poignant moment. We all felt we knew John, didn't we, that if we met him we could sit and talk about music all night. I miss him.



SJB

quote:

Originally posted by Whizzkid:
To the general debate.

I grew up in a musical house where my brothers played Bowie, Blondie, Stevie Wonder, Human League, Jean Michel Jarre with my mother playing the radio and listening to Abba and The Carpenters sorts of music when I was 12 I was given a tape done by a work friend of my Mother which had Jazz Funk, Electro Funk and early Hip Hop on it and even though I was used to music in the house this thing blew my socks off it was so different from anything I'd ever heard in my short life and that has been the catalyst for me being interested in underground/non-popular music to this day (I had the same experience at 16 hearing ny first House record). Why did I react to that tape in such a way I'm a white guy from South London getting off on Black/Hispanic/White New York Music. For me I think as with Rotf's love of lyrical/Storytelling music I love on the whole raw music that has an edge or complexity to it.

Dean..

Dean, have you heard the new Stereo MC's album "Double Bubble" - in my opinion, it's a master piece! Best album by them by far, interesting, fun, technically great, well produced, melodic, great beats, just a great album!!!

I got a pre-release CD but is available - sort of (you can buy it on-line from their web site).

I listen to all sorts of music, people like Coldplay, I "like" but they don't rock my socks off...... I prefer Keane, or even The Feeling (particularly live) who have something more to say and rock a bit........

I to must listen to OK Computer again, - I have never "got it"........... There must be something there as so many people reckon it's the dog's doo-daas, but me, left me cold... Perhaps it's like a previously unheard classical piece that needs to listened to several times more.......

quote:

Originally posted by Ian G.:
Probably the most widely admired album that I just don't get is Radiohead's 'OK Computer' - if anyone wants my CD drop me an email and it's yours! (addy in profile).

Bjork is another barren space for me - I can appreciate for a few minutes many of the original things she does but is never gels into music for me - more like performance art.

I also can't get on with the hatted BB for some reason.

Fortunately that still leaves me plenty wonderful ear fodder.

Ian

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
The Who. I just don't get them. And yet I love so many of the other big groups of the same era. I'm also not really that moved by the Stones, U2, Bruce Springsteen or Bucks Fizz.

Mark

The Who are amazing! I only recently bought Whos Next - basically because one of my all time favourite songs is "Won't Get Fooled Again" and I realised I didn't have it.... I LOVE the whole album.
The Stones, again, I LOVED some of the their songs but only rcently actually bought one of their albums.
U2 I sort of got into after waking up every morning in the late 70's/early 80's to "New Years Day" on the radio alarm which I thought was the best thing ever, then when I saw U2 on a Midsummer Nights Tube on Channel 4 shortly followed by seeing them live, I really enjoyed them - they kicked my arse and I loved those gigs! I then "went off them" after the first 2 or 3 albums
Springsteen I have never "got" and I guess I never will.........

Bucks Fizz were one of those anoying Eurovision "bands" but I have to confess that when they released "New Beginning" towards the end of their career, I bought the re-mix 12" which was regularly played at the nightclubs I went to at that time and I still think is a classic dance/club track.

There is only one band that I have ever bought every LP they made and that was "City Boy" - the Birmingham band who had a big hit with 5-7-0-5. Sadly, they were never well known and remain relatively unknown............

Hi Blythe,

Now I haven't heard the new Stereo Mc's album I have their first album and a couple of 12's but have not really got into them much. Hip Hop or Rap if you like was my way into alternative music but I was more an Electro Funk boy and thus moved on to its spiritual successor House music in 1986 and though I stll listen to good underground Rap where I can though its not as important to me as House, Techno & Drum 'n' Bass.



Dean..

quote:

There is only one band that I have ever bought every LP they made and that was "City Boy" - the Birmingham band who had a big hit with 5-7-0-5. Sadly, they were never well known and remain relatively unknown.....

Not by me. "Young Men Gone West" - great album. Worked at a place where they came along as support for Smokie of all people.

They were superb.

Mind you I also remember Queen circa 1974ish, being blown off stage by a band, I think called "Nutz". The rest is ....as they say, history.

Steve

I cant stand this bloke.
Munch

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
I could also add Frank Sinatra, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Neil Young, the Eagles and Dire Straits.

The only one that really disturbs me here is Neil Young. You don't like Neil Young ?? and consider yourself a folkie ?? Then I remembered that you were the guy who liked the freebie Paul McCartney CD.


Have you listened to Decade ? After the Gold Rush ? You really should give ole Neil another shake....


Just shows you how different music tastes can be. I might not like HMHB, but if they offer it as a freebie in the papers, I'll give it a whirl...

quote:

The only one that really disturbs me here is Neil Young. You don't like Neil Young ?? and consider yourself a folkie ??

Having enjoyed some of ROTF's recommendations (OK, not Basia) I'm also amazed that JT and Jackson Browne feature as subjects of his ire.

I would have thought many of ROTF's fav artists would have messrs Browne, Taylor & Young in their top influences list, hey ho.

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by Steve S1:
I would have thought many of ROTF's fav artists would have [James]Taylor in their top influences list.

Absolutely. In some circles it is fashionable to denigrate popular artists like James Taylor. Truth is, a whole generation of singer song writers (as well as a big segment of the current crop of indie artists) owe Taylor a huge debt. I was surprised to learn recently that a big fan of Taylor is none other than Chuck D of Public Enemy (!!)



Noyes

quote:

Originally posted by blythe:

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
The Who. I just don't get them. And yet I love so many of the other big groups of the same era. I'm also not really that moved by the Stones, U2, Bruce Springsteen or Bucks Fizz.

Mark

The Who are amazing! I only recently bought Whos Next - basically because one of my all time favourite songs is "Won't Get Fooled Again" and I realised I didn't have it.... I LOVE the whole album.
The Stones, again, I LOVED some of the their songs but only rcently actually bought one of their albums.
U2 I sort of got into after waking up every morning in the late 70's/early 80's to "New Years Day" on the radio alarm which I thought was the best thing ever, then when I saw U2 on a Midsummer Nights Tube on Channel 4 shortly followed by seeing them live, I really enjoyed them - they kicked my arse and I loved those gigs! I then "went off them" after the first 2 or 3 albums
Springsteen I have never "got" and I guess I never will.........

Bucks Fizz were one of those anoying Eurovision "bands" but I have to confess that when they released "New Beginning" towards the end of their career, I bought the re-mix 12" which was regularly played at the nightclubs I went to at that time and I still think is a classic dance/club track.

Exactly..."Music you know everybody seems to like except you".

Mark

Guys,


Anyone have any thoughts on WHY certain bands don't float your boat and do others. Was it that one of their songs was played endlessly by your sisters until you nearly broke the record and shoved it up the proverbial? Was it because that you were not cool enough in your youth to be into a certain band? Was it because you were too cool to be into anything "popular" it had to be music only heard by you a few mates on limited 10 copies type of obscure for you to like it? C'mon the threads about Why not What.



Dean..The REBEL with a cause

quote:

Originally posted by Steve S1:

quote:

The only one that really disturbs me here is Neil Young. You don't like Neil Young ?? and consider yourself a folkie ??

Having enjoyed some of ROTF's recommendations (OK, not Basia) I'm also amazed that JT and Jackson Browne feature as subjects of his ire.

I would have thought many of ROTF's fav artists would have messrs Browne, Taylor & Young in their top influences list, hey ho.

Steve

No ire involved - just don't like their singing or songs that much. I wrote at the beginning of the thread, it doesn't imply they are not good artists. I think they have all recently had sessions on BBC4 and I did try to listen for a bit, but found myself wandering off as they just didn't hold my attention - can't explain why.

I've never really liked James Taylor since I first heard him and friends at school used to rave about Sweet Baby James when I much preferred Baby James Harvest. My view hasn't really changed. Possibly Fire and Rain was OK - sorry,

Neil Young I first heard on those Graham Nash albums, the ones he made with Crosby Stills after he left the Hollies. For me, and I know I'm the only one the world who thinks this, it didn't have the magic of King Midas In Reverse or those Hollies' gems like Butterfly and Evolution.

As for Jackson Browne and the Eagles (was he ever in the Eagles?), I was probably the only one at University who didn't really understand what they were all about. Whilst others clambered to play them on the juke box - I was happily selecting Urban Guerilla and Devil's Answer.

For folk music is Shirley Collins and the music she inspired from The Incredible String Band, Fairport Convention, Trees, Steeleye Span and all thing Albion. It is revival that has carried on through Jackie Oates, Kate Rusby, Lisa Knapp, Jenna Witts and top of the shop, Karine Polwart. My favourite newish folk group are Waking The Witch (please click for more info). If were a choice between a CSN&Y re-union concert or WTW then I'd be listening the band singing songs from Boys from the Abattoir.

I'm not convinced any of my favourite artists would have been influenced by Browne, Taylor & Young, but I could be wrong and discover Basia, Martha and Chas n Dave are all big fans.

I'm not that keen on Roxy Music either.

But I do think Oh My Darling! by Basia Bulat is the most compelling debut album I have heard for years: probably since Faultlines by Karine.

What a diverse world we live in.

ATB Rotf

quote:

In some circles it is fashionable to denigrate popular artists like James Taylor

I'm not denigrating him - I just don't like his singing or music.

I don't think I simply follow fashion - you won't find any Paul Weller solo albums in my collection, and I'm still happy to admit that I think ELP and ELO are wonderful.

The thread is Music you know everybody seems to like except you and I know everybody likes James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Dean Friedman and thanks their lucky stars they have all their elpees, but as the great Ray Davies once sang I'm not like everybody else.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
I cant stand this bloke.
Munch

But munch - check his web site, he says your a great bloke

Hi there everyone,

I don't like Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen. I prefer my music to be entertaining not thought provoking and definitely not depressing.

I tried Sigur Ros once based on recommendations and to this day the ( ) album baffles me and leaves me cold (despite the fur coat)

Garfield

from Letters Sent (Achtung Bono)

Keeper you just made a decent save
So why do you feel the need to rant and rave
Screaming at defenders makes you look dead stupid
Especially when they haven't done much wrong
Please cease the trait

Thank you to who ever found my purse
Also when I fell the passing nurse
And when in my coma as I try to bludgeon
Chartist demonstrators in the square
Those on the ward
Yours much restored

I disagree entirely with your choice
Peetie Wheatstraw had a better voice
I'd like to warn your readers
Stapeley Water Gardens
A nice day out but best to take a flask

Dear Miss McVeigh
It pains me to say
The school choir was dull
And the blame lies with you

Sewage farm an absolute disgrace
Picnic tables somewhat out of place
Leisure Centre cash-point always out of order
And there's too much chlorine in the pool

Thirteen across
Where was the clue
Bird on the wire
Len you're the dogs

Only goes to show how tastes differ - and we're probably all the better for it.