a few questions for music lovers

Started by rick957, August 25, 2011, 09:58:01 PM

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Serephino

I love music; all kinds.  I've got Metal, Pop, Classic Rock, Country, and New Age.  I mostly just like songs, though there are a few bands that I like most of their stuff. 

Within Temptation
Disturbed
Loreena McKennit
Evanescence

I usually search for music by the bands I like. Other than that, I usually keep my ear out for stuff I like.  Most of the time I hear it on the radio.  Once in a while a friend will tell me about a song.

Lately I've been buying my music, though I'm not exactly happy about it.  Oh, and I'm 26. 

yobo

1. I was more into groups when I was younger, delving deep into their music catalog. Some of those bands were Helloween, Blind Guardian and Dimmu Borgir. Of those Blind Guardian is the one who is still with me, as for Dimmu Borgir I'm not that into their new music, but Stormblåst (not the new one, where they did a new recording of the album, but the old one!) and Enthrone Darkness Triumphany are still great albums. These days I'm looking more for albums or songs, and not delve so deep into just a few bands.

A few albums I really enjoy:
Neil Young - On The Beach
Jeff Wayne - The War of the Worlds
Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
Lumsk - Troll
Vintersorg - Till Fjälls
Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side
(and there are lots more, but these were the first that popped into my mind)

2. A lot of places. Word of mouth, radio programs (such as Sexy, playing all kinds of genres), internet (forums, youtube etc.) and music magazines.

3. Yes, I spend money on cd's (not as many as I used to though), Spotify, concerts etc. I mostly use Spotify and the iPod when I'm on the go to listen to music, and cd's or the radio in the car. I buy my music from several places, like Spotify and the traditional music shop. I also like to check out sites like NRK Urørt ( http://www.nrk.no/urort/default.aspx ), where Norwegian bands that are not yet signed can upload their music.

4. 32.

5. The opening on Alt lys er svunnet hen on the album Stormblåst by Dimmu Borgir really opened my eyes to music. There was something with that opening that just hit me, the mood it set I guess.

Geeklet

Quote from: rick957 on August 25, 2011, 09:58:01 PM
Question 1:  Do you have favorite musical groups, or do you more have favorite songs, without caring much who the artists are?  If you have favorite musical groups (bands or solo artists), please name a few of them.  If you're willing to rank them by personal preference, all the better.
Honestly, its actually a bit of both. There are some bands that I absolutely love everything they do, no questions asked, and sometimes its just a particular song from an artist I generally don't care much about. Right now, as far as bands go, some of my current favorites are The Creepshow, Mad Marge and the Stonecutters, Benedictum, Guano Apes, Garbage, Bif Naked, Pink(my guilty pleasure) and others I'm probably forgetting. And as far as individual songs, a couple examples... "Ghetto Love" by Spinnerette (I loved Brody and her work in the Distillers, havent heard much from this new venture, though) "Party Rock" by LMFAO (god damn that beat is catchy >.>)
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2:  Where do you look to find new songs or new groups to listen to?  For example, do you rely on word of mouth, or a particular radio station/internet site/magazine/TV show, or something else?
Mainly Pandora and Youtube. In the case of youtube, I'll go there looking for a video I know I'll like, and then looking through the list of similar stuff, I'll see something that has an interesting title/thumbnail, next thing you know, I'm 5 links away and in something strange and wonderfully new.
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3:  Do you spend money (directly or indirectly) on the artists or songs you like the most?  Or do you enjoy the music in some way that doesn't require any money to be spent, such as downloading free songs or pirated songs?  Absolutely no judgment here, I really want to know.
Yes, I do. I can't stand most of the radio stations around here, so I'll typically play CDs in my car, either bought or burnt. Usually, if I like a song by an artist, I'll go and pirate a couple other songs by them, and then if I like that stuff as well, then I'll shell out some money to support that artist. Sort of a "try it before you buy it" thing.
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4 (strictly optional):  How old are you?
30
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5 (optional):  Please tell me about any one song or album or musical artist that affected you in a deeply personal way.  Go into as much or as little detail as you like -- I'm interested.
Well, its not something that really affected me in a personal way, but it was something that just made me sit back and go "whoa." My dad was getting a few CDs from one of those "buy 14 CDs for only $1" things, or something like that. But he couldn't find that many, so he asked me if there were any listed I wanted. One of em was Bif Naked's "I Bificus" CD. Now, I knew a little bit about her, being a tattooed rock chick (something I've got a thing for.. *shifty eyed glance*), and had heard a couple songs from her already, specifically "Spaceman" and "Moment of Weakness." So anyway, the CD came, and I was listening to it, grooving out a bit, and then it got to "Lucky" and I was just blown away. It was so different from anything I was expecting, and for the whole song, the first time, I just sat there, listening in awe.

Bif Naked - Lucky

rick957

#28
Here'z some more comments about very very old posts to this thread.  :)  I know this thread has been dead for a while except for one alcohol-inspired rant that I posted and then quickly took down, but anyway, here I go responding to posts anyway.  New posters or anybody who wants to chat are welcome to post.  That means yooooou .....

@JackWhite

Hello JackWhite from Belgium, thank you for your post, I'm from the USA so I love the fact that you're from far away from me.  Your taste in music leaves me somewhat befuddled but highly amused.  :)  You've obviously heard some very very great music, but at the same time, you seem to be a fan of certain bands that I don't think very highly of.  ... So what?  :)  Love whatever music you love, and don't let anybody, including me, tell you different!  ;)  Keep listening to new stuff and don't be afraid to explore different-sounding music and let your tastes evolve over time.  Everyone who takes music seriously spends some time figuring out what they like most and then ends up regretting some time spent with lesser-quality music, or maybe decides that nostalgia and personal fondness are sufficient to elevate lesser-quality music to a level of greatness.  I've done both.  I hope you continue listening to music seriously long enough to also do both.

I peeked at your music thread (which looks sooo kewl).  Pay as much attention as possible to the Clash and Black Sabbath, and you'll end up with even better taste in music than you already have.  That's a suggestion but also a high personal compliment, BTW, from one music fan to another.  :)

Incidentally, I'm listening to Prince while I'm writing this.  Take it from me, all youse peoples out there -- you will not find greater genius in all of modern music, try as you might.  Check out the first 33 seconds of "When Doves Cry" and then tell me I'm wrong.  :PPP

@ Hiya Zylvyn,

I'm a big fan of Metallica and (less so but still) a fan of Megadeth and of good ol' Rush (saw them live in Charlotte NC in about 1994 -- great effin' show, natch), although I draw a blank on the other artists you mention (except Brad Paisley -- how come he gets a pass when you avoid all other country, huh?), but anyway, good for you that you're open to different styles and you appreciate the value of matching your tunes to your mood, whatever that may be.  I had a friend once with absolutely great taste in music who had no appreciation whatsoever for matching music with mood, so he was always putting on super-dark, moody shit in the middle of bright, sunny afternoons, when everybody else was looking to party and chill out to feel-good tunez.  Never could figure that out!  Oh well, different strokes make the world go 'round ....

BTW I was really moved by what you said about your college experience and your troubled feelings then, and so forth ... I know a little bit about depression and similar emotional hells, so your comments about your personal experiences were much appreciated.  IMO, one of the most important things about music is the fact that it is one of the few things that can reach people in their toughest, blackest emotional moments and provide some sense of comfort or relief, however limited.  Anyone who has ever turned to music for that purpose has a lot in common with me, that's for sure.  :)

@GardenoftheDead,

Personally, I have huge love for Nirvana, NIN and Manson, so that makes me especially interested in the other stuff you mentioned, because I'm not familiar with those other artists, in spite of the fact that you and I seem to share some musical tastes, so maybe that means I'll like some of those groups.  Anyway, I'll keep my eye out for them and check them out, so thanks for the recommendations.

I'm glad that you spend money on music (is that what you meant by "maintaining a subscription" to Grooveshark?).  The more I think about it -- and I care about the world of pop music a lot, so I've thought about it a lot -- I think the most important thing for music fans to do in this age of widely-pirated music is to find some way to spend money in a way that actually reaches the musicians, the people who originate the music, rather than the businesses (or, too often, hyper-super-Wall Street-Fortune 5000-mega-conglomerate-corporations) that function as middlemen between the actual artists and their audience.  I find that my personal downloading/pirating habits don't actually detract from the total amount of money that I spend on music -- rather, streaming/pirating/downloading/torrenting has just become another way for me to try out new music, in the same way that listening to free radio exposed previous generations to new music.  The stuff that's really worthwhile gets money from me one way or another, eventually if not immediately, when I go to their concerts, or buy some CD that I haven't pirated, or turn on a friend to the band, or whatever.  At least IMO.

Anybody happening by this thread is welcome to post, whether to respond to the original questions in the first post, or to simply comment on other people's posts and contribute to the discussion.  I'm watching and will post again with further responses, commments, etc., whether or not it happens sooner or happens later.  Huge thanks to anyone who happens by and reads along or posts for any reason -- it's a delight to see the responses from any- and every-one.  :)

ambrosial

I like quite a few genres; I have my pop and rock (alternative, mostly, sprinkled in with a bit of classic rock) sides, but I most define myself by my love of less mainstream genres, like NeoVictorian and Dark Cabaret, both of which are hybrid reimagningings of historical inspiration and punk/modern influences.

1:  Do you have favorite musical groups, or do you more have favorite songs, without caring much who the artists are?  If you have favorite musical groups (bands or solo artists), please name a few of them.  If you're willing to rank them by personal preference, all the better.

I find myself drawn to genres and groups more than individual songs. While I may like/love an individual song, unless I can get into the entire body of work by a particular artist, I don't care that much. I like building giant collections of all the works, popular and obscure, of my favorite artists (yes, my librarian tendencies manifest themselves even here :P).

I can't really list my favs by ranking, but here are some top contenders:

Rasputina
Emilie Autumn
Dresden Dolls
Caro Emerald
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Vitamin String Orchestra
Pretty Balanced
Katzenjammer Kabaret
Stolen Babies
Clare Fader
Vermillion Lies
Amoree Lovell
Jill Tracy
Pale Young Gentlemen

2:  Where do you look to find new songs or new groups to listen to?  For example, do you rely on word of mouth, or a particular radio station/internet site/magazine/TV show, or something else?

What I like most doesn't appear on the radio, and I'm the one who broadens my friends' musical horizons, so that leaves me with the internet option. I often discover new bands hopping about on youtube.

3:  Do you spend money (directly or indirectly) on the artists or songs you like the most?  Or do you enjoy the music in some way that doesn't require any money to be spent, such as downloading free songs or pirated songs?  Absolutely no judgment here, I really want to know. I either buy them, or in the case that what I want can't be purchased (sadly happens if you get into really obscure things), I just stream it online. I'm too much of a goody goody to pirate anything.

4 (strictly optional):  How old are you? 24

5 (optional):  Please tell me about any one song or album or musical artist that affected you in a deeply personal way.  Go into as much or as little detail as you like -- I'm interested. One of my favorite bands ever is Rasputina, and their song "This, My Porcelain Life" really resonates with me. I definitely have moods where I can strongly identify with the lyrics, and the idea of life as breakable porcelain is both terrifying and hauntingly beautiful.

Alas, youtube fails me in this instance, so here's the song streaming on grooveshark: This, My Porcelain Life
We'll make the honeysuckle jealous.

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Headlights

I haven't contributed much to this forum since signing up but I probably should, as seeing as I had a little chat about music on IRC, perhaps here is a good place to start:

Quote from: rick957 on August 25, 2011, 09:58:01 PM1:  Do you have favorite musical groups, or do you more have favorite songs, without caring much who the artists are?  If you have favorite musical groups (bands or solo artists), please name a few of them.  If you're willing to rank them by personal preference, all the better.
If I hear a song I like, I usually have to find out who it is by and what else they've done; a little compulsive that way. That tends to mean I tend to have favourite artists: songs I like in isolation are usually more of the guilty pleasure variety (and of course, in public I would furiously deny liking them). There are occasions when a band puts out, say, one or two good albums, while I dislike the rest of their output, but I tend to keep listening anyway, hoping they will rediscover their sound.

I'll list a few nominal favourites here, but let's not pretend if you asked me list them tomorrow, I wouldn't choose an entirely different set:

  • Sigur Ros
  • The National
  • Joni Mitchell
  • Alison Krauss & Union Station
  • Ryan Adams (+/- The Cardinals)
  • Asobi Seksu
  • M83
  • absolutely any reasonably well engineered Chicago blues

I have three genres in which I will listen to almost anything, being broadly dreampop/shoegaze/post-rock/noise, electric blues, and bluegrass.

If you want to read between the lines about kinds of music I don't like, feel free.

Quote2:  Where do you look to find new songs or new groups to listen to?  For example, do you rely on word of mouth, or a particular radio station/internet site/magazine/TV show, or something else?
A combination. There are specific radio shows I listen to, and will quite often follow up recommendations from them (for example, I almost always like the featured performers on Bob Harris Country). I do read the various review sites and newswires, but I struggle to keep up a little so am often a little late - or a lot late - on the latest "big" album.
Quote3:  Do you spend money (directly or indirectly) on the artists or songs you like the most?  Or do you enjoy the music in some way that doesn't require any money to be spent, such as downloading free songs or pirated songs?  Absolutely no judgment here, I really want to know.
In general, I listen to, but don't download, music for free online (although I always keep my eye out for free download offers). If I like it, I will buy it. For a smaller group, I will try to go see them live, this being the way I prefer to support acts. I very rarely spend money in other ways, though: I have maybe one poster and three T-shirts and that's it.
Quote4 (strictly optional):  How old are you?
20s
Quote5 (optional):  Please tell me about any one song or album or musical artist that affected you in a deeply personal way.  Go into as much or as little detail as you like -- I'm interested.
kd lang once put out an album called Hymns of the 49th Parallel. It consists of covers of Canadian songs (Joni, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young). I'm not sure how well the album has aged, actually: I wonder if when I first liked it, I was simply a callow teenager enchanted by her voice (undeniably one of the best in the business). But I still remember one of the reviews of the album: "It makes you homesick for a country you've never been to". It still does: I can't think of Canada (to the annoyance of my Canadian friends) without that music in my head. In The Heart of the Moon had a similar impact, with regard to Mali.
"That's when you know you've found somebody really special: you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and comfortably share silence." -- Mia, Pulp Fiction

"The real test of a man is not how well he plays the role he has invented for himself, but how well he plays the role that destiny assigned to him." -- Václav Havel, Writing For The Stage

"With a little poison we can burn this whole place down to the ground, again." -- Lights, Romance Is...

rick957

I'm so glad that people keep posting here.  As long as other people post, I'll keep replying to posts.  Back-and-forth discussion is welcome but not required.  New posters always welcome.

@ Type70item

I didn't mean to overlook your post last time I replied to posts -- it was a total accident.  Sorry!  Your comments about Pink Floyd were quite interesting to me.  I've always liked them but never loved them with the kind of devotion that so many others seem to have.  The more compliments I hear for them from dedicated fans, the more I'm compelled to take them more seriously and explore their stuff.

To anyone reading along ...:  as Type70item and others have noted, it appears to me that YouTube might be the single most widespread method by which people hear new music nowadays, kinda like MTV used to be in my teenage days (late 80s-90s), or radio before then.  Does that sound believable to anyone else?  Is YouTube that important in terms of popularizing new songs and bands?  Or is there another medium (website/TV channel/magazine/social construct) that wields greater influence?  Or is there no dominating force any more when it comes to pushing new music out to the masses?

Before reading this thread, I would have guessed (without first-hand knowledge) that the iTunes Store and site was the most important medium for getting people to hear new music nowadays.  After reading this thread, I'm starting to think that YouTube is at the fore, because it's more widely-used and more non-Macintosh/Ipad/Iphone-centric. 

Thoughts, anyone?  I'm very very interested.  I don't think that people in the music industry have a good grasp on how the public gravitates toward new music (after all the sea-changes wrought by technological change over the past 15 years or so), so I'm terribly curious what other people think about this.  Back when I became a pop-music devotee, all you had to do was watch MTV now and then to figure out what was popular and what was widely available and "hot" ... Or, for the discriminating fan, you could check out the reviews in Rolling Stone and Spin and similar widely-distributed magazines.  All those mediums are ancient history now in terms of influence and penetration into the mainstream of music listeners.  (Right?)  But I still don't fully understand what's replaced them.

Hee hee, I'm a verbose MF.  :)  Next time:  comments about Serephino's post and others since then.


SinXAzgard21

1:  Do you have favorite musical groups, or do you more have favorite songs, without caring much who the artists are?  If you have favorite musical groups (bands or solo artists), please name a few of them.  If you're willing to rank them by personal preference, all the better.

Nirvana
System of a Down
Slipknot
Maximum the Hormone
Dir en Grey
Bring me the Horizon
Parabelle
Evans Blue (first album only)
Rise against
The Birthday Massacre
Ill Niño
AFI (before december underground)
Linkin Park (save for catalyst)
Girugamesh
The Gazette
Hollywood Undead (select songs, others are garbage imo)
Rush
Metallica
The Misfits
Styx
Queen
Ozzy Osborne
Pantera
Black Sabbath
Bullet for my Valentine
Soul Fly
Static X
Disturbed
The High Kings
Dropkick Murphys
Flogging Molly
The Dubliners
The Pogues
The Young Dubliners
Blink-182
Apocalyptica

I'm tired of listing them lol

2:  Where do you look to find new songs or new groups to listen to?  For example, do you rely on word of mouth, or a particular radio station/internet site/magazine/TV show, or something else?

I find them at random on youtube, or from friends.

3:  Do you spend money (directly or indirectly) on the artists or songs you like the most?  Or do you enjoy the music in some way that doesn't require any money to be spent, such as downloading free songs or pirated songs?  Absolutely no judgment here, I really want to know.

This all depends on if I can't get it online.... I will not buy from Itunes.  If the CD is not for DL online I will usually just wait, that said if they are a band from Japan playing at a convention I will buy their CD though they tend to be pricy.

4 (strictly optional):  How old are you?

Between 20 and 30

5 (optional):  Please tell me about any one song or album or musical artist that affected you in a deeply personal way.  Go into as much or as little detail as you like -- I'm interested.

I don't have one song that has changed my life, different songs help me deal with certain moods.
If you know me personally, you know how to contact me.

midwestgal

1:  Do you have favorite musical groups, or do you more have favorite songs, without caring much who the artists are?  If you have favorite musical groups (bands or solo artists), please name a few of them.  If you're willing to rank them by personal preference, all the better.

My musical tastes are incredibly eclectic and range from Pop/Rock to J-Pop/Rock and everything in between. I don't have any particular songs I like better than others. Whatever sounds good, has a good beat and is decent to exercise to (weird, I know).

2:  Where do you look to find new songs or new groups to listen to?  For example, do you rely on word of mouth, or a particular radio station/internet site/magazine/TV show, or something else? Usually talking with friends or listening to the music stream at work.

3:  Do you spend money (directly or indirectly) on the artists or songs you like the most?  Or do you enjoy the music in some way that doesn't require any money to be spent, such as downloading free songs or pirated songs?  Absolutely no judgment here, I really want to know.

If I can purchase it from iTunes (and if it's J-Pop/Rock, it usually comes from iTunes Japan thanks to the gift cards I can buy from J-List), I will. I refuse to acquire the songs illegally. If I have to, I will pay for the CD, which can yield even more music.

4 (strictly optional):  How old are you?

36

5 (optional):  Please tell me about any one song or album or musical artist that affected you in a deeply personal way.  Go into as much or as little detail as you like -- I'm interested.

I think probably the Vision of Escaflowne:  For Lovers Only. I acquired it at a local import shop and it was at a time when I was at the lowest point of my life. I think I played that CD over and over until it was worn out.
"He cannot be a part of me. Batman does not eat nachos!" - Batman, The Brave and The Bold

Lyron

1. I think I have more favorite bands than songs, but there are always songs from other bands and artists who I wouldn't deem as favorites. Usually, though, most of the music I listen to is in the rock and metal genre. There's something about that kind of music that speaks to my soul. There are some pop songs that I listen to, though, but they aren't as frequent. On extremely rare occasions I might listen to a country song. I never listen to rap. I just can't get into it. Here are my favorite bands, listed in no particular order: Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Korn, Digital Summer, and 3 Doors Down. I would try to list them in order on how much I like them, but this always changes with my moods.

2. Currently, I use the radio in my car to find new songs. There's also Spotify for when I want to look at songs from bands I have already heard a few songs from. ...And Glee occasionally shows me a good song. I've been hooked on "Cough Syrup" for the longest time thanks to that show. I used to use Pandora, Slacker, and Yahoo! radios to find new songs, but I haven't lately.

3. Lately, I just use Spotify to listen to music...and occasionally YouTube, during those rare times Spotify doesn't have a song. I don't have the premium service for Spotify, so no, I don't pay for the songs, but I guess Spotify does. I used to buy songs on iTunes, but I went through money a little too fast. I probably need to buy more soon, though. My iPod is really out-dated, and I'm beginning to get tired of what I have on there.

4.  19, almost 20

5. I'm going to have to go with "Imagine" by John Lennon. It's a beautiful song, and it's a dream that would be nice to see come true. It's actually made me tear up a few times. There have probably been other songs like this, but this would probably have to be the biggest one.


M/M Players for Groups: A Registry


Music junkie here!
Love random song shares.
Anyone, any genre, any time.

Parlabane

1) For me it's a mix of both - there are some groups who I'll listen to almost anything by, and others where there are just one or two songs that I really like and will play the hell out of.
According to last.fm, my top 10 most listened to artists are: Manic Street Preachers, Doves, Matthew Sweet, Regina Spektor, Julian Cope, Sigur Ros, The Rolling Stones, Queen, The Wonder Stuff and Everclear.
Top 10 tracks are: Dear God (XTC), Your Love Alone Is Not Enough (Manic Street Preachers and Nina Persson), Supernaut (1000 Homo DJs), The Cedar Room (Doves), Rockin In The Free World (Neil Young), Fidelity (Regina Spektor), Good Morning Britain (Aztec Camera), Running The World (Jarvis Cocker), What God Wants, Part 1 (Roger Waters), Satellite (The Hooters)
2) Stuff I hear on the radio, see on TV, see friends mentioning on Facebook and the related artists feature on Spotify - the latter is currently my guide into the realms of post-rock having started with Sigur Ros and now listening to lots of Explosions In The Sky and God Is An Astronaut
3) Mainly Spotify premium at the moment, and the £10 a month that costs me is a lot less than I used to spend on CDs! Plus, having premium means I can put offline playlists on my phone and listen to stuff whenever/wherever I want.
4) 39
5) Just about every song in that top 10 has some sort of personal story behind it, as I can usually connect all my most memorable songs to a place, an event or a person. Supernaut, for instance, reminds me of the alternative nights I used to go to when I was at university, while The Cedar Room always takes me back to seeing Doves live in Cambridge in 2004, when it sent shivers down my spine at 'and I tried to sleep alone, but I couldn't do it'.

rick957

Hello out there, here's another bump with responses to some posts.  I'm probably too chatty to actually catch up to the most recent posts, but keep an eye out, I'll get there eventually.  So glad to see people continue to chime in.

@ Serephino

QuoteLately I've been buying my music, though I'm not exactly happy about it. 

I'm glad somebody is!  (Why are you unhappy about it?)  I've fallen way behind in buying the latest albums from my many favorite artists.  I find myself worrying about the financial welfare of the small, lesser-known artists whom I like.

I take it as something of a given that everyone in the music industry (with very rare, brief exceptions) is making way less money than they did 10 or 20 years ago, but I have seen other music fans who seem to find that fact hard to accept, especially among those who wish to believe that the internet represents vast new revenue streams that will democratize and diversify the popular arts, seizing control of the gateway to success from the hands of the grubby music industry.  I so wish that fantasy would become a reality -- it may still -- but it so hasn't happened yet.  I saw a quote recently from one of my favorite musicians pointing out how low the actual album sales have been for Adele, whom I gather was the belle of the ball at this year's Grammy awards ... The sales threshold for considering an artist "successful" has never been lower.

Hope nobody minds that I'm using people's replies to just riff about music-related topics.  You knew that was coming, right?  Sure ya did.  :)

I'm glad to see the diversity in your musical tastes, Serephino; that seems to have become such the norm for people younger than me nowadays!  There's a positive development, for sure.  I was astounded, however, to see that you pay attention to radio, given the favorite bands you cited -- you must live in a large radio market with stylistically-diverse radio stations, or maybe a college town?  Just guessing.

Nobody should feel obligated to reply to my queries, BTW.  (But feel free to if you'd like!)

Crap, I rambled for so long that I didn't get very far, yet again.  :(  Oh well, be back soon ...

rick957

#37
Strange.  Very strange.  :)

So, I noticed that since I last posted here, lots of people have stopped by and looked at the thread, or at least, the view count has gone up a good bit.  (Unless that just means that spybots or search engines count as views.  I've never been sure about that.)  Anyhoot, what's strange to me is that all these people have a look and none of them have anything to say!  How come?  You don't have to fill out the questionaire thingy -- although you're welcome to -- but you can also comment about anything else written here, or heck, just say 'what's up' and let me know you stopped by.  There can't be that many shy people on Elliquiy, right?  So, post why dontcha.

Here's some more comments from loudmouth me ...

What's up yobo?  ...

I too have always been inclined to delve deep into an artists' whole catalog as soon as I decide that I really like something from them.  That's one of the reasons why I'm so mystified by the decline in popularity of listening to albums.  From what I hear, more and more people are content nowadays to just listen to singles, individual songs, without checking out the rest of the artist's album (much less their back catalog).  Is that a generational thing?  Makes me feel old.

Yobo, your taste in music scared me at first, because I've heard Helloween and Dimmu Borgir, and they scare me.  (But in a good way.  I'm not a fan personally, but I'm glad that bands like them exist.)  ... But then I saw that you're a fellow Neil Young fan!  So now I'm not so scared of you.  Also you get brownie points for having refined and diverse tastes.  :)  Ooo, also you get points for enjoying both metal and punk, which used to be a rare thing to do, not any more I guess. ... I've never heard of Sexy, so I'll have to Google it ... Holy rock and roll, your link goes to a site in a foreign language, Norwegian I guess.  Rock! ... Hey, you're almost as old as I am.  Not quite though.  *pouts*

Hiya Geeklet, ...

Kewl, more bands I'm not familiar with.  Is anybody else but me planning on checking out all these bands other people are recommending in this thread?  I hope so.  I'm assuming, of course, that there are other people besides me reading this thread, which may or may not be the case.  Meh. ... I like Garbage!  Somewhat.  Remember that one year when Garbage was on top of the whole world, music-wise and sales-wise?  Back in 1998 or something.  Those were good days in the world of music, IMO.  Is Shirley Manson still scary and hot?  Hope so.  ... Glad to hear that Brody is still making music. ... Excellent, it's great to see that so many people posting here make it a habit to spend money on music, one way or another.  I don't worry much about major label artists with hit singles, but from what I know, many of the semi-famous music groups out there barely make enough money to support themselves, or else have day jobs, and either way, I still like the idea of a vibrant community of full-time musicians sharing their talents with the public rather than wasting away doing scutwork to make a living.  *gets off soapbox* ... Wow, two 30-somethings in a row!  It's nice to not feel so old.  :)  I love the fact that Elliquiy draws a good number of people of diverse ages.  ... Aww!  I went to listen to your youtube link, and it's already been taken down!  Phooey.  I may have heard the song before though -- I recall hearing Bif Naked once and thinking well of whatever I heard, but never explored any more of her/their stuff.  Props to all the sexy tattooed rock chix of the world.  (Are they still called "grrrls"?  Probably not.  I liked that word though.)

Somebody put up another link to that song so I can listen to it!  Please.  :)  Believe it or not, I almost never go to youtube and wouldn't know how to search it, although I'll figure it out someday, when I get around to searching for all these unfamiliar bands people keep recommending.  Until then, though, getting a link or two from posters in this thread is very helpful!

More blabbery to come, same bat-time, same bat-channel ...




Geeklet

Quote from: rick957 on March 23, 2012, 12:57:02 PM
I like Garbage!  Somewhat.  Remember that one year when Garbage was on top of the whole world, music-wise and sales-wise?  Back in 1998 or something.  Those were good days in the world of music, IMO.  Is Shirley Manson still scary and hot?
Its Shirley fucking Manson. Of course she is!

QuoteGlad to hear that Brody is still making music.
Me too. Always loved her unique voice. Though there are a lot of old Distillers fans that hate this group and say that she's 'sold out.' Its different, yeah, but I appreciate many types of music, I so still enjoy it.

QuoteAww!  I went to listen to your youtube link, and it's already been taken down!  Phooey.  I may have heard the song before though -- I recall hearing Bif Naked once and thinking well of whatever I heard, but never explored any more of her/their stuff.  Props to all the sexy tattooed rock chix of the world.

Pfft. Lets try it again, then.
Bif Naked - Lucky with Lyrics


And yes... I have a weakness for sexy tattooed rock chicks. >.>

rick957

#39
Excellent, thanks Geeklet!

All this talk of sexy rocking women made me think of this song.  Heard about this artist a long time ago but got the video recommendation from another Elliquiy person with excellent musical taste.  :)  Nice when that happens. 

This song (circa 2006?) is catchy as hell; the video is fucked-up as hell, IMO.  Subtle, though, watch carefully and all the way thru.  [FYI my personal favorite rock and roll female of all time isn't Peaches, it's PJ Harvey, at least at the moment.  I want to have her children.]

Peaches.

Saerrael

Quote from: rick957 on August 25, 2011, 09:58:01 PM
Question 1:  Do you have favorite musical groups, or do you more have favorite songs, without caring much who the artists are?  If you have favorite musical groups (bands or solo artists), please name a few of them.  If you're willing to rank them by personal preference, all the better.
2:  Where do you look to find new songs or new groups to listen to?  For example, do you rely on word of mouth, or a particular radio station/internet site/magazine/TV show, or something else?
3:  Do you spend money (directly or indirectly) on the artists or songs you like the most?  Or do you enjoy the music in some way that doesn't require any money to be spent, such as downloading free songs or pirated songs?  Absolutely no judgment here, I really want to know.
4 (strictly optional):  How old are you?
5 (optional):  Please tell me about any one song or album or musical artist that affected you in a deeply personal way.  Go into as much or as little detail as you like -- I'm interested.

1. No, I don't. My taste ranges all over the spectrum. I'm... also not posting that spectrum. Just imagine a list containing anything and everything >.>
2. Word to mouth, for me. I don't really like the music offered by the more official media due to how limited that is.
3. No, I don't spend money on music. I hardly have money to feed myself.
4. 33
5. Dublin Philharmonic, Dvorak, New World Symphony - 1st Mvt, Conductor Derek Gleeson

I've not been into classical music for all too long, but the music linked forced me to look into it and I have been sold ever since.
I encountered it the first time in musical appreciation class in the Dutch equivalent of High school. It was very effective >.>

QuoteI am a big music fan, and the questions above are great sources of curiosity to me, particularly because I'm no longer a young person by most estimations, so I feel out of touch with the lives of young people, especially those under about 25.  (Old fogeys like me are very welcome to respond too though!)

I'm over 25 and I felt insulted to be called (hinted) old >.>

rick957

#41
[I'm in the (slooow) process of replying to all the posts in this thread, not because I have to but just because I want to and enjoy doing so; however I reserve the right to occasionally and spontaneously reply to things out of posting order, like now.  :)  Who cares?  You don't, right?]

QuoteI'm over 25 and I felt insulted to be called (hinted) old >.>

I reserve the right to insult everyone younger than me.  ;)  I'm 36, FYI, and none too happy about the new gray hairs I keep discovering in the mirror first thing in the fucking morning.  I will not dye my fucking hair before I turn 50 45 40, dammit.  :)  (Seriously tho, no offense intended, Saerra!  All my posts here, and everywhere else on Elliquiy except in the RPs, are slightly sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek, you know.  Thanks for posting!)

Saerrael

As it is possible to reach 100 years of age (though that's rare...) I consider people over 80 'old', myself.
And I have met plenty of 80+ people who did not like it to be called old nor did they act 'old'.
Age is in the heart, Rick, in the way we view the world and how much swag we have (left). It is not in the wrinkles in our skin nor the grey hairs on our head.

Anyway! I shall discontinue the derailment of your thread.

[/derailment]

rick957

Quote from: Saerra on March 23, 2012, 09:21:10 PMAge is in the heart, Rick, in the way we view the world and how much swag we have (left). It is not in the wrinkles in our skin nor the grey hairs on our head.

*breaks out in great big smile* 

QuoteAnyway! I shall discontinue the derailment of your thread.

[/derailment]

Here's to further derailments of any and all kinds.  :)

rick957

#44
Okay, I know, way too many posts from me in a row, but you know, there's no telling when these kinds of threads will suddenly up and die, so it can't hurt.  Also I got nuthin' better to do right now.  *shrugs*

While writing this post, listening to:  Nine Inch Nails, With Teeth.  Great artist, but not a great album IMO.  Then again, I'll take Reznor's weak moments over most musicians' best moments, any day.

@ ambrosial

QuoteI like quite a few genres; I have my pop and rock (alternative, mostly, sprinkled in with a bit of classic rock) sides, but I most define myself by my love of less mainstream genres, like NeoVictorian and Dark Cabaret, both of which are hybrid reimagningings of historical inspiration and punk/modern influences.

Neovicabawhaaa -- ?  Heh, I'm already intrigued.  I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm intrigued.  :)

QuoteWhile I may like/love an individual song, unless I can get into the entire body of work by a particular artist, I don't care that much.

Yes!  Thank you.  :)  If an artist is worthy of anyone's attention, then they ought to be able to make more than one song worthy of note.  (Yeah, I'm lookin' at you, Maroon 5! you sell-out prettyboy cocksuckers!)  (Ahem.  Sorry.)

*puts on devil's advocate mask* But then again, there's a lot to be said for a great single, and much of the history of Rock and Roll has been written by venerable One Hit Wonders -- cf. "Louie Louie," "Born To Be Wild," "Closing Time," etc. etc.).

QuoteI like building giant collections of all the works, popular and obscure, of my favorite artists (yes, my librarian tendencies manifest themselves even here :P).
*puts on music nerd mask* Oooo!  Do you collect B-sides and import singles with bonus tracks?  I do too.  *rolls eyes*  I'm ashamed of myself for it though, it's so expensive and time-consuming ... then again, I swear, from doing that, I've got one or two masterpiece songs in my collection that almost nobody else in the world has ever even heard! for whatever that's worth, heh.  Yep, music nerd here.  :)

What surprises me about your list of artists you like is that the only artists on your list that I've ever heard of are artists that I like, and all the rest are artists I've never even heard of.  That's not the case for me with most people, because I worked at a big chain music store for several years in the 90s/early 00s, so I became very well acquainted with popular music that I didn't personally enjoy listening to.  (And no, I'd just as soon never hear Limp Bizkit or Los Del Rio again, thanks!)  (Then again, I still like Korn and OMC, so go figger ... )  Stuff you like that I like too:  Dresden Dolls, Rasputina.  (I'm waiting for somebody to post here who likes only music that I absolutely can't stand!  I don't think that's happened yet, but considering how much popular music I detest, you would think it would have happened by now.  I tend to think that Elliquiy draws people with somewhat-more-refined tastes than the general public.  Of course, if I get lots of complaints from Los Del Rio fanatics after this post, then I'll know better.  Heh.)  Ambrosial, if you see this post, I'd love for you to tell me one or two of your personal favorites out of the list of artists you gave, and if you can cite a favorite album or song from each, all the better -- anything to help me zero in on the best music you know about that I'm not familiar with.  (And yes, I'm genuinely, personally, interested, as I am in everyone's posts in this thread!)

It's been over a decade since the last song I heard from Rasputina (off their second album), so it was a delight to listen to the link you provided.  I'm glad to hear that they're still around and still doing stuff worth hearing; it's hard for me to think of them as music-industry "veterans," but I guess they definitely qualify, at this point!  Can you hear my bones creaking?  Yeh, sorry 'bout that.  :) 

ambrosial

Quote from: rick957 on March 24, 2012, 12:29:34 AM
@ ambrosial

Neovicabawhaaa -- ?  Heh, I'm already intrigued.  I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm intrigued.  :)
I'm glad my choices intrigued you! I hesitate putting genre labels on anything, since they seem so limiting, but there you go.

Quote from: rick957 on March 24, 2012, 12:29:34 AM*puts on devil's advocate mask* But then again, there's a lot to be said for a great single, and much of the history of Rock and Roll has been written by venerable One Hit Wonders -- cf. "Louie Louie," "Born To Be Wild," "Closing Time," etc. etc.).
I certainly like songs without liking the whole body of work of the artist - I just don't take much effort to acquire my own copies of them.

Quote from: rick957 on March 24, 2012, 12:29:34 AM*puts on music nerd mask* Oooo!  Do you collect B-sides and import singles with bonus tracks?  I do too.  *rolls eyes*  I'm ashamed of myself for it though, it's so expensive and time-consuming ... then again, I swear, from doing that, I've got one or two masterpiece songs in my collection that almost nobody else in the world has ever even heard! for whatever that's worth, heh.  Yep, music nerd here.  :)
Well, I try to collect alternate versions of songs or limited releases, but that's easier said than done!

Quote from: rick957 on March 24, 2012, 12:29:34 AMWhat surprises me about your list of artists you like is that the only artists on your list that I've ever heard of are artists that I like, and all the rest are artists I've never even heard of.  That's not the case for me with most people, because I worked at a big chain music store for several years in the 90s/early 00s, so I became very well acquainted with popular music that I didn't personally enjoy listening to.  (And no, I'd just as soon never hear Limp Bizkit or Los Del Rio again, thanks!)  (Then again, I still like Korn and OMC, so go figger ... )  Stuff you like that I like too:  Dresden Dolls, Rasputina.  (I'm waiting for somebody to post here who likes only music that I absolutely can't stand!  I don't think that's happened yet, but considering how much popular music I detest, you would think it would have happened by now.  I tend to think that Elliquiy draws people with somewhat-more-refined tastes than the general public.  Of course, if I get lots of complaints from Los Del Rio fanatics after this post, then I'll know better.  Heh.)  Ambrosial, if you see this post, I'd love for you to tell me one or two of your personal favorites out of the list of artists you gave, and if you can cite a favorite album or song from each, all the better -- anything to help me zero in on the best music you know about that I'm not familiar with.  (And yes, I'm genuinely, personally, interested, as I am in everyone's posts in this thread!)
It's not that I don't like popular music (I have a collection of alt rock as well), but I most identify with my more obscure fancies. And I thoroughly encourage you to start searching for those artists on, say, youtube, if you like the Dresden Dolls and Rasputina. That's how I found most of them in the first place (especially since they don't get radio play or wide circulation of any sort).

But since you asked for recommendations, here're a few. It was hard to pick just two, but I decided to try something non-Dresden Dolls or Rasputina, since you're already familiar with them. ;)

Emilie Autumn's "A Cure," an instrumental piece (though her vocal songs are stunning as well):
Emilie Autumn - A Cure

Pale Young Gentlemen's "Clap Your Hands":
pale young gentlemen - "clap your hands"

Quote from: rick957 on March 24, 2012, 12:29:34 AMIt's been over a decade since the last song I heard from Rasputina (off their second album), so it was a delight to listen to the link you provided.  I'm glad to hear that they're still around and still doing stuff worth hearing; it's hard for me to think of them as music-industry "veterans," but I guess they definitely qualify, at this point!  Can you hear my bones creaking?  Yeh, sorry 'bout that.  :)
They're going strong - on a smaller scale than mega-hits, of course, but still! I saw them last year in concert (and it was fabulous!), and the opening act was Voltaire, who mentioned that he himself was inspired to become a musician because of Rasputina. So I think it's awesome they have influence, in some circles. ;)
We'll make the honeysuckle jealous.

Ambrosial's Wine Tasting - Original and Fandom Plots (Updated May 2014)
Ons and Offs and Current RP - Updated Sept. 12, 2014
Avatars- For a visual sampler (Updated June 2, 2013!)
Absences - Semi-Absent Through 01/20/15. Please read!

JackWhite

Quote from: rick957 on February 28, 2012, 07:21:40 PM
@JackWhite

Hello JackWhite from Belgium, thank you for your post, I'm from the USA so I love the fact that you're from far away from me.  Your taste in music leaves me somewhat befuddled but highly amused.  :)  You've obviously heard some very very great music, but at the same time, you seem to be a fan of certain bands that I don't think very highly of.  ... So what?  :)  Love whatever music you love, and don't let anybody, including me, tell you different!  ;)  Keep listening to new stuff and don't be afraid to explore different-sounding music and let your tastes evolve over time.  Everyone who takes music seriously spends some time figuring out what they like most and then ends up regretting some time spent with lesser-quality music, or maybe decides that nostalgia and personal fondness are sufficient to elevate lesser-quality music to a level of greatness.  I've done both.  I hope you continue listening to music seriously long enough to also do both.

I peeked at your music thread (which looks sooo kewl).  Pay as much attention as possible to the Clash and Black Sabbath, and you'll end up with even better taste in music than you already have.  That's a suggestion but also a high personal compliment, BTW, from one music fan to another.  :)

Of course there's a difference in our bands and I can understand that you don't like every band I put up here or in my thread. I can inform you that I do like The Clash and Black Sabbath too but that I didn't mention them here. Both are great bands. As you mentioned spending time listening 'lesser-quality' music, I think I don't really regret it. That music makes us decide what we want and it seems to me that such thing is at least as important. Maybe one day I'll have a completely different taste of music but I won't regret listening this because it does bring back all the memories of what used to be.

Semantics

#47
1.  I fall a bit between the two.  There are plenty of songs I listen to that are the only songs I listen to by that artist.  But there are also plenty of bands/artists I'll listen to for days on end.

I can't rank my favorites, but in no particular (and also incomplete, especially since my JPop/JRock, sea shanty, and folk songs generally come from smatterings of different artists) order:
Louis Jordan
Mississippi Fred McDowell
Mississippi John Hurt
Gaelic Storm
Anuna
Metric
Sons and Daughters
Flogging Molly
Dropkick Murphys
Movits!
Collective Soul
Oingo Boingo
Squirrel Nut Zippers
Queen
The Four Tops
The Clash
Edward Elgar
Brian Setzer Orchestra
Union Station
Jethro Tull
The Hot Club of San Francisco
Clutch
Tom Lehrer
Tom Smith
(And I'm forcing myself to stop remembering here.  >.>)
Edit:  Actually, add Gorillaz, just because I skimped on the genre.

2.  Sometimes word of mouth from a friend.  In rare occasions where I've been able to raid my brother's music collection for names, I've found we have a lot of the same tastes (Which is pretty easy, since our tastes both cut a pretty broad swath.)  Pandora has been great for expanding who I know about by leaps and bounds.  Plus sometimes I'll figure out what song was in a commercial, or track them from a game.

3.  I used to pirate some songs, mostly in batches after which I'd sort out those I liked and didn't like.  That's how I found out about Gaelic Storm, since which I've bought two CDs by.  Most of the time, though, my CD buying is rare, maybe two CDs a year.  I'd love to buy more, but between books and games I already have two money-pit addictions.  Spotify and the aforementioned Pandora play a big part, and if I really feel the need to listen to a song that's not on Spotify, I'll just look it up on YouTube.

4.  25.

5.  I don't know that I can go that far, although some have hit close.  There was a song that completely got to me a long time ago, but.  If I can't specifically remember it now, probably isn't fair to count it.

And as to a question you asked along the way.  I'd probably say YouTube is the most used method.  While I've gotten in to using Spotify, and I still have some time left before the non-Premium services are cut, if I listen to something on YouTube and like it, I can immediately link it to friends so they can listen to it, and they don't need any sort of membership or account.  I don't think that ability can be overlooked.

Thraben

1. A bit of both, I have favorite artists (In Flames, Killswitch Engage, Eluveitie, Deadmau5, Foo Fighters, System of a Down, etc) and favorite songs.

2. Word of mouth, opening bands at shows, and on occasion iTunes.

3. I support the bands I like by going to their concerts.

4. 21

5. I didn't have the greatest childhood so I used to put on the album "Soundtrack to Your Escape" by In Flames on my discman and just listen to it on repeat for hours on end to try and drown reality out. It helped me get through allot of tough times.

yobo

Quote from: rick957 on March 23, 2012, 12:57:02 PM
What's up yobo?  ...

I too have always been inclined to delve deep into an artists' whole catalog as soon as I decide that I really like something from them.  That's one of the reasons why I'm so mystified by the decline in popularity of listening to albums.  From what I hear, more and more people are content nowadays to just listen to singles, individual songs, without checking out the rest of the artist's album (much less their back catalog).  Is that a generational thing?  Makes me feel old.

Yobo, your taste in music scared me at first, because I've heard Helloween and Dimmu Borgir, and they scare me.  (But in a good way.  I'm not a fan personally, but I'm glad that bands like them exist.)  ... But then I saw that you're a fellow Neil Young fan!  So now I'm not so scared of you.  Also you get brownie points for having refined and diverse tastes.  :)  Ooo, also you get points for enjoying both metal and punk, which used to be a rare thing to do, not any more I guess. ... I've never heard of Sexy, so I'll have to Google it ... Holy rock and roll, your link goes to a site in a foreign language, Norwegian I guess.  Rock! ... Hey, you're almost as old as I am.  Not quite though.  *pouts*


I must admit, I am guilty of listening more and more to songs/single instead of whole albums these days. I think it has something with the way I listen to music. When I was younger I didn't listen to mp3's, I listened to cd's. I remember I used to bring maybe 5 or 6 (as many as fitted into a pocket in my bag) cd's to play in my discman. That way I listened to album, and not just singles. Now I have an iPod, and often just use the shuffle setting. The same with Spotify, mostly just use shuffle. I should start listening to albums again more often.

Brownie points are always nice.  ;D I like to branch out I guess, and I think it gets a bit boring just listening to the same old genre of music all the time. I remember liking both metal and punk were a bit rare earlier, but I guess that depends on which circles you are wandering in. Being a metal-head, I remember a lot of the metal fans was very narrow in their views of what good music was. There even was a real divide among black metal fans about what was "true" black metal, and what was not. Dimmu Borgir was not true black metal for example.

Sexy was an awesome radio show, unfortunately they stopped it in February.  >:( I loved their motto: "A good tune is a sexy tune."