Musically Beyond The Pale

[Steliz]

I think I'll wait for the dub reggae version.

While maintaining full respect for my elders I'll point out that Dub and Reggae are different music styles. Dub is a derivative of Reggae granted, but they are not the same. This would be like saying 'I think I'll wait for the soft hard rock version'. Just saying.

 

[beech1948]

Back in the days when I was a student type, I was quite often employed (for extra cash) as a session musician. I could read music fluently (classically trained piano) and could play guitar and could mange a violin. Half the time we had no idea what the stuff we recorded was being used for. Some of it was definitely intended to be "music". The guys (and a few girls) playing this stuff could do it whilst half asleep. I've always found background music pointless: if it's good enough to listen to, I will do that. Otherwise why bother - it's just noise.

Some sense in there AJT.

I had no musical sense, sound or hearing until I was 31. I learned to play the piano and to read music. I even entered a few competitions over the next 3 years. Then I heard an American playing the Sax and was lost to "normal" music and learned to play the Sax quite well. Good enough in my 40's to form a Jazz, Fusion Jazz, Trad Jazz band. I still play occasionally at 72 but the band has started to move away from my musical norms and has become less attractive to me.

Hate rap ( childish), hate most modern pop music as its just noise and more about the money to be made than music, still love classical music, jazz but hate the cat strangling stuff mentioned by the OP.

 

[AJB Temple]

I edited to say musak. I do hate the autocorrect here!

Despite doing quite a bit of pro work when I was a kid (ie under 30) I eventually decided to up my game on classical piano, so I did a royal academy performance diploma. I engaged a Russian concert pianist called Evgenia Startseva for lessons. I was learning a concerto for the exam (this is not beginner stuff) and she was not super impressed. She showed me how I played it, followed by how, in her view, it should be played. Then she said, "I learnt this when I was 11, but I haven't played it since then". Some people are super talented. Then there is everyone else. I was firmly in the everyone else category

 

[Andy Kev.]

I think I'll wait for the dub reggae version.

While maintaining full respect for my elders I'll point out that Dub and Reggae are different music styles. Dub is a derivative of Reggae granted, but they are not the same. This would be like saying 'I think I'll wait for the soft hard rock version'. Just saying.

Let's not get too pedantic about semantics. :mrgreen:

I thought it was generally accepted that dub being a derivative of reggae meant that it was essentially a kind of reggae. FWIW I've got no time for the nursery rhyme style music of people like Bob Marley but I do like ska and dub.

 

[AJB Temple]

You do not like Bob!!! No woman No cry. One of the best classic guitar solos ever!!

 

[Trainee neophyte]

[youtube]54G5eNvWf4A[/youtube]

Dub (old-school, music-to-take-drugs-to, 1970s dub) was all about the drugs. Dub-step is something else - I have no idea what, given that I am too old. Check out the high-hat! LSD and Prince Far I - good job I never took any drugs in my youth

 

[Andy Kev.]

You do not like Bob!!! No woman No cry. One of the best classic guitar solos ever!!

I realise that it's more or less unforgiveable but no I don't. I'm afraid I can't go along with a lot of the sacred cows of popular music. I always felt that Queen and David Bowie were little more than electric music hall junk. Elton John was just overrated rubbish - how he got a knighthood I'll never know. I couldn't stand Genesis. The Clash's first album just seemed like very bad tempered nursery rhymes from kids who were being threatened with being sent to bed without their supper. All of which sounds very negative which is unfortunate because I like far more artists than I dislike. I think the problem is that success often brings with it a kind of critical teflon coating and we're all supposed to find certain artists more or less beyond criticism.

 

[MikeG.]

.......In the good old days (aka pre-lockdown) I noticed a trend of people listening to music typically on trains via loudspeaker on their phone rather than headphones ... now that is unacceptable.

I reckon that would help with the social distancing thing nowadays!

 

[Steliz]

I realise that it's more or less unforgiveable but no I don't. I'm afraid I can't go along with a lot of the sacred cows of popular music. I always felt that Queen and David Bowie were little more than electric music hall junk. Elton John was just overrated rubbish - how he got a knighthood I'll never know. I couldn't stand Genesis. The Clash's first album just seemed like very bad tempered nursery rhymes from kids who were being threatened with being sent to bed without their supper. All of which sounds very negative which is unfortunate because I like far more artists than I dislike. I think the problem is that success often brings with it a kind of critical teflon coating and we're all supposed to find certain artists more or less beyond criticism.

These artists all had success before becoming mainstream and that is the music to look for most of all. Once they were mainstream their quality seemed to be more thinly spread on their albums. I remember my school friends and I often having discussions about bands that had 'sold out' which always coincided with them becoming popular and making some money apart from Elton who has always been sh1 t.

 

[Andy Kev.]

I realise that it's more or less unforgiveable but no I don't. I'm afraid I can't go along with a lot of the sacred cows of popular music. I always felt that Queen and David Bowie were little more than electric music hall junk. Elton John was just overrated rubbish - how he got a knighthood I'll never know. I couldn't stand Genesis. The Clash's first album just seemed like very bad tempered nursery rhymes from kids who were being threatened with being sent to bed without their supper. All of which sounds very negative which is unfortunate because I like far more artists than I dislike. I think the problem is that success often brings with it a kind of critical teflon coating and we're all supposed to find certain artists more or less beyond criticism.

These artists all had success before becoming mainstream and that is the music to look for most of all. Once they were mainstream their quality seemed to be more thinly spread on their albums. I remember my school friends and I often having discussions about bands that had 'sold out' which always coincided with them becoming popular and making some money apart from Elton who has always been sh1 t.

Or perhaps success gave them the freedom to do what they really wanted to do? It's hard to tell which is the case.

It is worth remembering that there are many performers who could never be accused of having sold out. Jeff Beck, the Stones, the Who and Rory Gallagher spring to mind as do most of the blues and jazz greats.

 

[Blackswanwood]

I realise that it's more or less unforgiveable but no I don't. I'm afraid I can't go along with a lot of the sacred cows of popular music. I always felt that Queen and David Bowie were little more than electric music hall junk. Elton John was just overrated rubbish - how he got a knighthood I'll never know. I couldn't stand Genesis. The Clash's first album just seemed like very bad tempered nursery rhymes from kids who were being threatened with being sent to bed without their supper. All of which sounds very negative which is unfortunate because I like far more artists than I dislike. I think the problem is that success often brings with it a kind of critical teflon coating and we're all supposed to find certain artists more or less beyond criticism.

These artists all had success before becoming mainstream and that is the music to look for most of all. Once they were mainstream their quality seemed to be more thinly spread on their albums. I remember my school friends and I often having discussions about bands that had 'sold out' which always coincided with them becoming popular and making some money apart from Elton who has always been sh1 t.

Or perhaps success gave them the freedom to do what they really wanted to do? It's hard to tell which is the case.

It is worth remembering that there are many performers who could never be accused of having sold out. Jeff Beck, the Stones, the Who and Rory Gallagher spring to mind as do most of the blues and jazz greats.

I would add Tom Petty and Lou Reed to the list for not selling out but not sure I can justify The Stones being on there.

 

[Andy Kev.]

I think that the thing about the Stones is that while the quality of their music has always ranged from the sublime to the stunningly average - sometimes within the same album! - they've always done what they wanted and have gone their own way. That to me adds up to not selling out.

I also admire the fact that they've never been routinely on hire for trendy causes and have generally shied away from making overtly political pronouncements (compare with the unbearable Bono and many others).

So on the whole, I think that their integrity has been maintained, mainly because they've never presented themselves as being something they're not.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

I always found the Beatles slightly annoying, and never understood the Rolling Stones' appeal - I suppose you had to have been there to get it. Genesis was slightly tame but accessable prog-rock until Peter Gabriel left, whereupon it became the worst kind of elevator music, but hugely successful. Which reminds me - must put Foxtrot on my MP3 player and see if it is as dull as I remember.

I am currently enthusiastic about Muse, but looking for something new - any ideas?

 

[Marineboy]

Elvis Costello. He has periodically gone down some weird musical avenues but he always returns to the hard hitting yet melodic style which first brought him fame. The greatest living British songwriter.

 

[Blackswanwood]

I

So on the whole, I think that their integrity has been maintained, mainly because they've never presented themselves as being something they're not.

Okay, I will accept that they haven't sold out on their ideal of being pretentious and all about the money.

TN - I too enjoy a bit of Muse who are IMHO one of the best acts live. I am enjoying revisiting Mott the Hoople at the moment - well worth a listen.

 

[Andy Kev.]

I always found the Beatles slightly annoying, and never understood the Rolling Stones' appeal - I suppose you had to have been there to get it. Genesis was slightly tame but accessable prog-rock until Peter Gabriel left, whereupon it became the worst kind of elevator music, but hugely successful. Which reminds me - must put Foxtrot on my MP3 player and see if it is as dull as I remember.

I am currently enthusiastic about Muse, but looking for something new - any ideas?

If you want to understand the Stones' appeal, I would suggest listening to Let It Bleed (precondition: if you are not predisposed the blues, you might not like it) or the live album of about the same time Get Yer Ya Yas Out.

As for recommendations ... which era? From the 80s I would recommend without hesitation The Only Ones, in particular the Baby's Got A Gun album. It's the most catchy pop rock you'll ever here but the lyrics tend to be pure vitriol. I love it to bits.

If you want to have a go at jazz, maybe get one of the compilations from the Blue Note label: just make sure that it has Art Blakey's Moanin on it.

The folk (ish) trio called Show Of Hands are definitely worth a listen. There's a double Best Of CD which I would give five stars.

Otherwise, no record collection could be regarded as complete if it didn't include Bach's violin concertos, Brandenburg concertos and Mozart's symphonies.

Ref. The Beatles: a bit of a curate's egg for me but I suppose one can't deny their significance in opening the floodgates. I much preferred the Animals and the Yardbirds though.

But what do I know?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I was taken to a London private member's club by the national manager for a major spirit company. We went out to sit in the smoking area, and as I went to sit down in huge leather armchair he said that's where Bono sits when I bring him here. He looked most surprised when I moved, saying I'd prefer to sit somewhere else. :lol:

 

[That would work]

This may not go down too well.
I find most things by Prince really irritating.

 

[Andy Kev.]

This may not go down too well.
I find most things by Prince really irritating.

He was a bit of an odd chap, wasn't he?

I don't think that many people would deny that he was a virtuoso on guitar (there's a clip of him playing a blues on youtube) but his music could be difficult to take to.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

James Blunt gets the sick bucket out in our house.