Non-metal influences/favorites

[Novembers Paul]

Its not just bands like wolfmother or the darkness that rip it straight off. Point being, why not just listen to the bands like led zepplin if you want this older vibe. theres no way in hell anyone has done it better

I couldn't DISAGREE with this statement more. I am NOT a Zeppelin fan. I never liked them and feel some people today are pressured into saying they like bands like this in fear of the backlash from others. I do however love Wolfmother. It's hard to argue "who did it better" because it's personal taste. I will say this though... Even if a band DOES do it better then Zeppelin, no Zeppelin fan would ever admit to it. Just because someone does it first, or became popular at it, doesn't make it "better." Just look at the doom genre. :Smug:

 

[affinityband]

i wasnt saying it was better lol. My whole argument was that its a personal preference. Rather than using the excuse thats its not true to the roots. wolfmother and zepplin to me dont sound alike. the statement about zepplin was i didnt think any band has done it better than zepplin. again, a personal preference. But that doesnt mean i dont like newer bands more. Like Opeth. whom i love dearly.

 

[wildfyr]

No i was the guy who dissed the guy for dissing downtuning because he said you cant make good riffs because of it lololol.

Ok, my mistake. Sry.

And anyway what on earth does that have to do with my input in the discussion.

I didn't recheck the Downtuning thread for accuracy. I assumed it was you by association because of your participation in that thread. Since I assumed incorrectly, I thought you might be harboring some sort of elitist attitudes. Again, I apologize for the miscue.

edit: Just read your aggressive hissy. No, my point was that everything that new artists create has been taken from older artists, Its not just bands like wolfmother or the darkness that rip it straight off. Point being, why not just listen to the bands like led zepplin if you want this older vibe. theres no way in hell anyone has done it better since, and if they did, we sure as hell would know about it. Its down to personal taste at the end of the day, you may like it, you may not. but you cant dislike something simply because you dont think its 'true to the roots'. regardless of whether its pop or not. Fact is, its probably just shit.

Aggressive hissy? Well, I suppose the response was borne out the mistaken identity perspective, and defeatist statements like "its not going to work" didn't help. You see, there in fact used to be different "movements" within the music community to change the direction of certain trends, like when the punks came along and wanted to stamp out the arena rock dinos. Remember that? Or when the grungers and thrash/speed/black metallers were struggling to overtake the glam/hair/"commercial" rock/metal scene. That didn't happen too long ago. You probably remember that, right? As you acknowledge, everything has already been taken from the antecedents, so why do elitist attitudes exist? Why do some purists think they're the ones who invented the wheel? Why do some of them wish to disparage or discredit predecessors who are not their cup of tea? Why does it bother some when others simply wish to sing the praises of the bands and artists who maybe not be the bothered ones' cup of tea? As I've already mentioned, I think the goal of this thread was to acknowledge the virtues of our influences/favorites, but again, someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[affinityband]

my point was if anyone caught it, was that its not to do with modern bands sucking because they arent doing what everyone grew up on. Its just a personal taste.

 

[Vex Loser]

Incubus is one of few mainstream bands that i enjoy. Their Morning View has some great relaxed....chill...out...tunes

Yes it does. Excellent songwriters.

As for the thread topic, recently I've been enjoying:

-The Mars Volta ("Amputechture" is totally mindblowing - GODLY band)

-Yes ("Close to the Edge" = absolute perfection)

-King Crimson (particularly the 80s stuff with the Bruford/Fripp/Belew/Levin lineup - highly underrated period for the band)

-The Mahavishnu Orchestra

-Jeff Buckley

-Eric Johnson (by far my favorite guitarist)

-Gentle Giant (underrated band from the glory days of British Prog)

-Van Morrison (the album "Moondance" lifts my spirits in a way that almost nothing else can)

-Miles Davis ("Bitches Brew" is insane)

-The Zawinul Syndicate (organ/keyboard player/composer for Weather Report; very intense blend of modern fusion, African Music, and Brazilian music)

-Thelonius Monk (been spinning his "Live at Carnegie Hall" album w/ John Coltrane religiously)

-Weather Report

 

[Novembers Paul]

i wasnt saying it was better lol. My whole argument was that its a personal preference. Rather than using the excuse thats its not true to the roots. wolfmother and zepplin to me dont sound alike. the statement about zepplin was i didnt think any band has done it better than zepplin. again, a personal preference. But that doesnt mean i dont like newer bands more. Like Opeth. whom i love dearly.

I understand what your saying, but there are a lot of people out there who just plain refuse to give new bands a try because "No one can do it better then the original" and to me, that's not true at all.

 

[Mort Divine]

"No one can do it better then the original" and to me, that's not true at all.

Yes. ****ing yes. Totally agreed. I hate this mentality that is in the metal and rock communities that if you were influential you are great and nothing can be better.

Sorry, but you can hold your precious Slayer in high reguards, thats fine but to me they're of little worth musically. I'll respect their influence and their hard work to churn out material that people like and to tour to give them the time of their lives, but I'm not going to buy into this BS herd mentality.

 

[affinityband]

there are a lot of people out there who just plain refuse to give new bands a try because "No one can do it better then the original" and to me, that's not true at all.

that was my point. maybe my bad choice of comparasions and examples confused people.

 

[BloodSword]

The T.V. Show "American Idol" to me , is a microcosm of what is fucked up about America. I too have never watched it, except when my little sister had it on. And I spent the whole hour trying to point out all it's flaws to her. The most concerning to me is I believe some of those contestants are very serious about their musical ambition, and their dreams are "crushed" by the likes of that loser panel. This panel should be taken out and beaten with a lead pipe, and left to bleed in the moonlight. On the other hand, there appears to be contestants that know they don't have a chance. The point being is young people, maybe with the same aspirations see this garbage and believe this is how people who fail should be treated. Sickening!!! And this was all during my one and only and last viewing of this monstrosity.

 

[Novembers Paul]

The T.V. Show "American Idol" to me , is a microcosm of what is fucked up about America. I too have never watched it, except when my little sister had it on. And I spent the whole hour trying to point out all it's flaws to her. The most concerning to me is I believe some of those contestants are very serious about their musical ambition, and their dreams are "crushed" by the likes of that loser panel. This panel should be taken out and beaten with a lead pipe, and left to bleed in the moonlight. On the other hand, there appears to be contestants that know they don't have a chance. The point being is young people, maybe with the same aspirations see this garbage and believe this is how people who fail should be treated. Sickening!!! And this was all during my one and only and last viewing of this monstrosity.

Yeah, but all the negative put downs come from the brittish prick. America laughs at it, so it gets the highest ratings on American Television. I watch the show. I enjoy hearing the talent. I disagree with a lot of the way it's run, but I'd rather watch something music related on TV, then another "friends" sitcom.

 

[Phoenix5]

Yeah, but all the negative put downs come from the brittish prick. America laughs at it, so it gets the highest ratings on American Television. I watch the show. I enjoy hearing the talent. I disagree with a lot of the way it's run, but I'd rather watch something music related on TV, then another "friends" sitcom.

Agreed. I wish there was an instrumental one somewhere. That would rule.

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

My choice between reality shows or friends-style sitcom tv? I don't watch either of them Thank god for the History and Travel channels haha

American Idol has sadly given a huge portion of the uninformed american public the idea that the show represents the industry and the way it all works. That show is about as realistic as Sesame Street. There are people who audition for the show who are in truth far more naturally talented and gifted than the ones who make it on the air. Those people will never make it onto the show because in truth, they're too good. They wouldn't have that kind of bland sameness that can easily be dissected, abused, made fun of, and "molded" into a star possibly later. And honestly those people are better off anyhow, because they'll have a better shot at respectability and longetivity in the business if they just try to make it the good old fashioned way, even if they never make it as far as getting on tv and radio. Some people crave their fifteen minutes of fame I suppose. Personally I'd rather labor in relative obscurity knowing that I'm being honest about my craft, and not make a joke and spectacle of myself just to be on "Talk Soup" and Entertainment Tonight a few times before plunging back into nothingness.

Simon Cowell is a joke anyhow. Neither he nor any other person, in the business or otherwise, is an absolute expert on what is true talent and what isn't. It took two years of selling out shows and topping the charts in the UK before the American labels would even think of giving The Beatles the time of day......the A&R people at the labels here felt that their music "wasnt right for the public here." That was some true genius at work eh? Countless other bands and artists were passed over repeatedly by labels because they weren't "good enough", and yet these artists eventually went on to be the biggest hits in the history of popular music. But they work at a label for a living, how could they be wrong??? *evil smirk*

Not all people who work in the biz are that stupid though, many of them are very smart and informed. I'm just making a point that the public shouldn't follow too closely what a British label guy and some relatively washed up r&b artists have to say about what's "good" or what isn't.

 

[wildfyr]

Yeah, it was about 2 years before they really took off but I think they started out like a lot of bands where the majority of their stuff was cover material. Covers were really popular in the 50s. It seemed like everyone was covering everyone else until they finally came up with their own stuff. I don't have first-hand knowledge (remembrance) of that but as far back as I can remember as a child the 45 RPM was the big thing. Although the LP was around it was the hit singles that were heavily marketed. It might be fruitful to look into how music has been marketed over the years as well. Or pehaps not, I dunno. It seems that after The Beatles made the wildly successful Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band record a lot of groups (like The Beach Boys, et al) were more keen to contribute (publish) their "collective" masterpieces, and the labels were more keen to push the LP. Enter the 70s with more lengthy epic LP releases pushed to the fore, AND FM radio stations to play tracks longer than 2 or 3 minutes. They used to get really bold and play whole albums at certain times but that idea quickly was squashed.

I don't know if it will shed any light on the matter but I decided to get an overview on the "record" by visiting this Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/78rpm

Have we come full circle and back with the likes of iTunes, etc?

Some interesting points:

Columbia Records developed the 33-1/3
RCA Records developed the 45

Among others...

Larry, regarding your comment about plunging back into nothingness... it's happened to the best of them, too! Some bands have reached great heights only to plummet back to the ground. That's where that old saying comes from I think. The one about be careful who you step on on the way up because you'll probably meet them again on the way back down, or something like that.

 

[Novembers Paul]

I just enjoy seeing the people perform. I enjoy the Rock Star show as well. It's entertaining, and I honestly don't give it much more thought then that. It's also family friendly TV with a kid in the house. No blood, guts, viloence, or animal attacks. Just kids singing.

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

Larry, regarding your comment about plunging back into nothingness... it's happened to the best of them, too! Some bands have reached great heights only to plummet back to the ground. That's where that old saying comes from I think. The one about be careful who you step on on the way up because you'll probably meet them again on the way back down, or something like that.

Not sure what that has to do exactly with what I was trying to say....

Many acts do rise and fall like that, but if they're at least doing what they truly love and are honest about it then they've got that going for them. My rant was directed more towards the people who will sell themselves out and make asses of themselves on television just for their shot at fifteen minutes of fame. They get all this attention and notoriety from it, whereas there are some truly gifted artists out there who'll probably never reach the acclaim they deserve. It's just a bit unfair I guess.

 

[wildfyr]

Yeah, this is about TV now so I'll bow out.

 

[BloodSword]

Well, I'd like to add my 5 cents. Larry and Paul both make very valid points about the garbage that is American Idol. I don't watch T.V. that much at all. Hockey and a good music or movie dvd. However, The National Geographic channel and Discovery Science have some interesting things on. I do like "24". Jack Bauer does more in one day than I do in a month. Haha. On the Disc. Science channel at 9'o'clock on Wednesdays is "Survivorman" This cat (Les Stroud) goes to various places and trys to survive for 7 days. Last week he was in the Boreal Forest with 1 match, 7 cashews and some beef jerky. It's amazing how inventive he his for surviving. He's been in the canadien artic, the desert, swamps and of course, he makes it out. Anyway, if Paula Abdul would take her clothes off and bend over, I might watch American idol. Paul and Larry got more talent in a single strand of their hair, then she has in her whole body, but really I would'nt mind tappin' that. Peace.

 

[FrostGiant]

I'm still convinced American Idol is nothing more than a marketing ploy created by the record companies to promote their new artists. All of these "finalists" have already been signed by the majors and are just playing the game. It's all a scam. There's no competition, just marketing. But then again I'm a big fan of conspiracy theories.

 

[Tharuz88]

I bought a guitar I don't know how to play, but respective to my private craft I'll definetely have Novembersdoom and rammstein as my biggest influences in music, I'm young though, its the future I tell you.

Fro TV, you should watch The late late show with craig ferguson on cbs

he is this scottish guy that comes up with lots of uk bashing and irish type of themes

Please post how to play For every leaf that falls somewhere, you guys can be spoken to, that makes you awesome.

 

[LuminousAether]

Some popular rock bands who I do enjoy recently are The Killers, Modest Mouse, White Stripes, The Hives. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Coldplay, The Fray....most of these bands don't have much flash to them, they just perform basic pop/rock songs that are enjoyable (to me, at least.) But all of this American Idol-sort of crap out there and the bling-bling rap and such are just useless in my eyes. I've never watched an episode of American Idol, I'm quite happy to say. Some of those people do have some talent I'll give them that. But other than that, I just disagree with alot of what that show is about.

I think Modest Mouse has a lot of depth to them. Listen to songs like Cowboy Dan which are really sprawling epics with a lot of burning building rage. I also have to love lyrics like "He drove to the desert, fired his rifle in the sky / and said "God if I have to die, you will have to die."