Why Vivaldi Rules: No, I'm not Vivaldi. But the guy rocks. Aside from books, I love music and have been hung up on baroque and classical era music (particularly chamber music) for several years. I was trying to learn more about music from those periods when I bought this CD (http://www.amazon.com/Pachelbels-Canon%C2%B7Handel%C2%B7Vivaldi%C2%B7Gluck-Hogwood-Antonio-Vivialdi/dp/B000004CX7/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1214061806&sr=1-6) in the early 1990's and heard the second cut (a one-minute clip can be heard from the Amazon site): Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto for 4 Violins & Cello in B Minor, opus 3 number 10 or RV 580, which is from his L'Estro Armonico of 1711. I was driving at the time I first heard it and had to pull over. It literally brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it. By the way, I've heard other performances of it but none are anything like this one (by the Academy of Ancient Music) where, if you turn it up and listen carefully (preferably with headphones or earphones), you just might be blown away by the lovely interplay of the two distinctly different violins.

Compare Vivaldi's music beginning with this set of work from 1711 to earlier music of the period (e.g., Bach) and it amazes me how massive a change this must have been. I find it brilliant music and love everything by Vivaldi although The Four Seasons pieces are generally overplayed - he was prolific and there's tons of wonderful music by him.

Here's Christopher Hogwood's take on Vivaldi's L'Estro Armonico:
http://www.hoasm.org/VIIIA/VivaldiLEstroArmonico.html

There's nothing exceptional about classical music for me. I listen as much to music by Neil Young, Chris Daughtry, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Ravi Shankar, Solas, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and hundreds of other diverse composers. As long as it makes me pull over because I can longer do anything but concentrate on the music, then I'm happy. How about you? What's the one piece of music that most drives you nuts/brings you to tears/makes you stand up and dance/whatever and why?

what music do i like ? how much time do you have ?

or rather, *i* don't have enough time to tell you all the music i like... but i'll come back to that. i actually just wanted to tell you that you couldn't have chosen a more appropriate day for this post, since june 21st, the (alleged...) first day of summer, is la fête de la musique in France : a giant music fest where every band in the country goes and plays free concerts in the streets, squares, parks, bars, boats, churches, schools, houses, etc. all day and all night.

i'm meeting a friend at 7 for drinks and music and then i'll wander around for a while, seeing what i find. i might stop by a friend's bar where there will be a concert of brasilian music. and at midnight, i will definitely returning to the place ste. marthe near my house, were there will be a batucadaaa (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/album.php?albumid=17&pictureid=278) !!!! (sorry, i can't just type that word without adding several extra vowels and exclamation points, to express my enthusiasm. usually i capitalize it as well).

i will definitely check out your recording of vivaldi. another day though. good thread !

Respighi -- Ancient Airs and Dances
Coldplay
Aaron Copland -- especially "Saturday Night Waltz" and "Appalachian Spring"
Beethoven's "Pastorale"
Prokofiev
Smetena - "Ma Vlast" especially "Das Moldau"
The Weepies
T.I.S.M.
Bach - pretty much anything by Bach
Propellerheads
Radiohead
e s Posthumus - especially "Cuzco" and "Nara"
Telepopmusik
Nick Drake
Adiemus
Alan Parsons
Barenaked Ladies
Clannad
David Bowie
Dixie Chicks
Frou Frou
Indigo Girls
Matchbox Twenty
Moby
Oingo Boingo
Peter Gabriel
R.E.M.
Simon & Garfunkle (also Paul Simon just on his own)
Talking Heads
Sting
Thomas Dolby
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Yes
Josh Whelan
Vitamin Strings
and Ferde Grofe

Oh, and Holst and Vaughn Williams and Vivaldi

Yup .... that's most of them

Great list, RickyMaveety! I love half of those and will have to find out about the other half. Tell me, what one piece of music absolutely drives you to tears (of joy or whatever) and why?

you know, i haven't listened to them in years, but the first time i heard "Black sun" by Dead Can Dance (a friend of mine played it to show another friend how really awesome his new speakers were) when i was around 15, it literally paralysed me with emotion. i didn't cry though. however i did stop breathing for a few seconds.

Easier to say what music I don't like, which is hip-hop and grand opera. I respect the hip-hop stars: they are proving something a lot of people like, and there is evident growth and change in the field with a variety of different styles defined. I just happen to need melody with my beat. Grand opera is an acquired taste I simply haven't acquired. I recognize it can be splendid, but I haven't time to listen to everything I like now, let alone add another flavor to the mix.

Like VivaldiRules, I love chamber music and baroque music, and will happily listen to Telemann for hours. If I had to pick a favorite classical composer, it would probably be Mozart, with Beethoven next in line.

I love rock, and in interest in what influenced rock musicions led me to folk, blues, R&B, country and western, and jazz. In the process, I've accumulated about 1,500 albums.

My favorite musician is British singer/songwriter/guitrist Richard Thompson, the only rock musician I know who has written songs about ice cream (Hokey-Pokey) and roller coasters (Wall of Death), as well as terrorists (Pavanne) and psychpaths (Shoot Out the Lights). His lullaby to his kids, The End of the Rainbow, is one of the two most beautiful songs I know. (The other is John Dowland's Greensleeves.) I play it seldom, because that sort of beauty makes me cry.
______
Dennis

Great list, RickyMaveety! I love half of those and will have to find out about the other half. Tell me, what one piece of music absolutely drives you to tears (of joy or whatever) and why?

Oooo, that's a hard one. However, if I absolutely had to choose, it would probably be "Das Moldau." Just thinking about that piece gives me shivers. It is so powerful, and yet in places almost whimsical, and it really conveys to me the idea of a great river.

But then, "Saturday Night Waltz" makes me feel like my heart is going to explode. I was driving through the Yosemite Valley listening to it a long time ago, and between the music and the visuals, I damn near went off the road.

Damn .... forgot to ad Pachelbel and Rimsky-Korsakov.

For me, I'm in tears as soon as I hear the first notes of "Taps". It doesn't matter if I hear it on TV, the radio, or can see the bugler. Especially if I can see the bugler.

Dreamer

For me, I'm in tears as soon as I hear the first notes of "Taps". It doesn't matter if I hear it on TV, the radio, or can see the bugler. Especially if I can see the bugler.

Dreamer

As long as we're talking about being driven to tears. I love the bagpipes something fierce. Whenever I hear the pipes being played ... but especially if they are playing "Amazing Grace" .... I just break down.

I think it must be genetic. I'm a Scot on my father's side.

Dennis, thanks for mentioning Richard Thompson who I had never heard of until now. I YouTube'd him and now I'm likely to buy every CD he's made.

Hip-Hop and opera? I also like very little of it. But you know, there are always gems amongst the poop. Rap is crap (for me) but this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOELz5eLQhQ&amp) always makes me pause because of the intensity, sincerity, and the theme (you've got one chance and you had better make the best of it). Okay, it doesn't make me cry, but I'm impressed.

Rick Astley,
Glenn Miller Band, and most of the big bands.........
Chicago 17, (the album)
Most 80's music,
Early Madonna,
Laura Brannigan
ABBA
4 Tops
Simon and Garfunkel, (but not Peter Paul and Mary)
Dave Brubek especially "Take 5"
"I Hope You Dance" by ?
Lee Greenwood
Doris Day
Early Judy Garland
and to drive some of you crazy, HOOKED ON CLASSICS!!!

Not nuts about Rap, but I did like that piece. There is some Rap inspired work on the Telepopmusic albums, the song "Swamp" comes to mind. I suppose for me, it depends on what the song is conveying. I haven't heard much Rap music that has lyrics I want to hear, or want to hear more than once. Most of it makes me want to shoot myself ... or them .... but then, I think, "gee, why bother, they'll probably shoot each other, so why do I need to be in that equasion."

Opera ... only one piece of operatic music I ever heard that blew me away. I know it's from "Madama Butterfly" and it's a duet between Butterfly and Suzuki, but I don't know what it's called. It's not the Flower Duet .... but anyway, what ever it is, it is amazing.

Hate Country Music .... except for the Dixie Chicks, and rarely I will hear something by another country artist that I do like. Having said that, I love Bluegrass ... songs like "Rocky Top" or "I'll Fly Away." Those are wonderful.

I do like Gospel music, although I am not a Christian, I do like a lot of the music associated with the faith. Some of Jars of Clay I find very enjoyable.

I have been told that I loudly hum harmony in my sleep ... but people have a hard time figuring out exactly what song I'm doing the harmony to. Although, I was able to identify the song "Drive" by Incubus as one of the songs I apparently perform in my sleep from the description that "it sounded like you were melodically shifting gears."

Dennis, thanks for mentioning Richard Thompson who I had never heard of until now. I YouTube'd him and now I'm likely to buy every CD he's made.
:D Richard has been around a long time. He first came to prominence as lead guitarist for seminal British folk-rock band Fairport Convention, featuring the late Sandy Denny on vocals, Richard on lead guitar, Simon Nicol on rythym guitar, Dave Swabrick on fiddle, Dave Pegg opn bass, and Dave Mattacks on drums.

Richard left Fairport to go solo after the Full House album, and recorded an assortment of albums with ex-wife Linda as Richard and Linda Thompson for Island, Chrysalis, and Hannibal Records. He and Linda broke up, and he continued to record as a solo artist for Polydor and Capitol.

Richard's music derives principally from Scottish ballad forms, but anything is grist for his mill. My CD of The Old Kit Bag includes a bonus CD with a cover of one of Prince's songs.

I saw him do a solo date in NYC years back, where he played a hornpipe he had transcribed for acoustic guitar. I remember a chap sitting front and center, staring open-mouthed, like "I see him playing the notes, and I hear the notes he's playing, and I still can't believe he's doing that!"

Hip-Hop and opera? I also like very little of it. But you know, there are always gems amongst the poop. Rap is crap (for me) but this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOELz5eLQhQ&amp) always makes me pause because of the intensity, sincerity, and the theme (you've got one chance and you had better make the best of it). Okay, it doesn't make me cry, but I'm impressed.
A lot of it is impressive, and as I said, it connects with the audience it aims at. I just don't happen to be part of that audience.
______
Dennis

Phantom of the Opera, Sara Brighten, Michael Crawford, Andrei Bochelli (sp?) His Music for Romanza makes me feel like there is hope for the world, Cats, Man of La Mancha, and oh my gosh.......how about those Celtic Women? Voices from the angels.........and they just stand there and sing until the little fairy with the violin comes prancing out, and then there are those hunks with the big drums.....uh, gotta go and .....clean house, yeah, thats it, I'm gonna go clean house now....

Rick Astley,
Glenn Miller Band, and most of the big bands.........
Chicago 17, (the album)
Most 80's music,
Early Madonna,
Laura Brannigan
ABBA
4 Tops
Simon and Garfunkel, (but not Peter Paul and Mary)
Dave Brubek especially "Take 5"
"I Hope You Dance" by ?
Lee Greenwood
Doris Day
Early Judy Garland
and to drive some of you crazy, HOOKED ON CLASSICS!!!

Possibly Lee Ann Womack??

Phantom of the Opera, Sara Brighten, Michael Crawford, Andrei Bochelli (sp?) His Music for Romanza makes me feel like there is hope for the world, Cats, Man of La Mancha, and oh my gosh.......how about those Celtic Women? Voices from the angels.........and they just stand there and sing until the little fairy with the violin comes prancing out, and then there are those hunks with the big drums.....uh, gotta go and .....clean house, yeah, thats it, I'm gonna go clean house now....

Oh, you gotta love the Celtic Women.

I think my favorites of theirs are:

Walking in the Air
Send Me a Song
The Butterfly (one of my all time faves no matter who plays it)
Oh .... and the Ashoken Farewell .... that's another one that is guaranteed to make me cry.

I was hoping to have the piper play Ashoken Farewell at my aunt's funeral, but the piper said the piece is out of the pipes range. Oh well .... maybe at my wake they'll have a piper and a fiddler ... and then the fiddler can play the Ashoken Farewell.

:chinscratch:

yep, Lee Ann Womack............thanks vivaldi and rm!

Oooooh, geee. My!
Tons and tons of music! Half of Ricky's an Dc's lists + a hundred more.

These days I go for "The Dave Weckle Band", fusion at its best and "Liquid Tension Experiment". Then in speedy stuff, there's "Dream Theatre" and lots lots more.

The ultimate tear jerker is "Nine Sili Nebesniye" by the "Chorovaya Akademia". This is Russian choir music with extreme bass singers, totally discorporating stuff. If you listen to it, put on headphones and crank them up.

Oh .... and, if any of you get a chance to hear "Nella Fantasia" sung either by Sarah Brightman or Chloe Agnew .... that is one of the most screamingly beautiful songs you will ever hear.

I am sooooo enternally grateful to Ennio Morricone for allowing someone to create lyrics for that song.

Oh, I am soooo buying some of Chorovaya Akademia's albums. Just listened to some of it ..... fanfreakingtastic.

But .... ack!! I can only find one album and it doesn't have the piece you mention.

Gack ... choke.

The ultimate tear jerker is "Nine Sili Nebesniye" by the "Chorovaya Akademia". This is Russian choir music with extreme bass singers, totally discorporating stuff. If you listen to it, put on headphones and crank them up.

Brilliant, Yvan! That plus Taps, Das Moldau, Black Sun, Amazing Grace, The End of the Rainbow, The Music of the Night, Ashoken Farewell.... Those are the things I'd like to hear and hear about - music that absolutely reaches into your chest cavity and rips your heart out while it's pounding. There's tons of good music - but I want the best. Life's too short to listen to okay music or read okay books.

all kinds of music especially jazz and classical but most especially opera opera opera

Oh, I am soooo buying some of Chorovaya Akademia's albums. Just listened to some of it ..... fanfreakingtastic.

But .... ack!! I can only find one album and it doesn't have the piece you mention.

Gack ... choke.The album title is "Ancient Echoes". After a year ok listening to this piece, I still get goosebumps.

I found the piece of operatic music I was talking about!!!! And, it's not from Madame Butterfly .... it's from "Lakme" and it's called the "Flower Duet."

That's the one piece of opera that I just plain love. And, now I've got it on my iPod. Yippee.

Also .... found out today that the bird Mrs. Moon and I keep seeing outside of her window is a Painted Bunting. I thought she was kidding when she described it to me ... but then today I actually saw it too.

As they say "beautiful plumage"!!

The album title is "Ancient Echoes". After a year ok listening to this piece, I still get goosebumps.

OK ... well, that's the album I found. So, I've got it in my cart and I'm gonna buy it. Love getting great albums. Too bad they don't have it on iTunes, if only because a download is ever so much faster.

I found the piece of operatic music I was talking about!!!! And, it's not from Madame Butterfly .... it's from "Lakme" and it's called the "Flower Duet."

That's the one piece of opera that I just plain love. And, now I've got it on my iPod. Yippee.
Lakme is also home to The Bell Song, widely considered a coloratura soprano torture test. You have to have serious vocal chops to pull it off.
______
Dennis

I have pretty eclectic tastes (though I also prefer some melody with my rhythm, most of the time). To some of the gems already discussed, I'd add Libana, Loreena McKennitt (particularly the album The Mask and the Mirror), Michael Hedges, etc.

My favorite Vivaldi piece is the Gloria, of which I know most of the alto part by heart. :)

I have pretty eclectic tastes (though I also prefer some melody with my rhythm, most of the time). To some of the gems already discussed, I'd add Libana, Loreena McKennitt (particularly the album The Mask and the Mirror), Michael Hedges, etc.

My favorite Vivaldi piece is the Gloria, of which I know most of the alto part by heart. :)You may want to try Don Ross, he's in the same vein as Hedges and the only person who ever won the "National finger picking contest" twice in a row... a Canadian (says he whilst polishing his fingernails):p

Das Moldau is a great piece.

I have an other crank it up goosebump for you. Saint-Saëns: Symphony #3 In C Minor, Op. 78 - Maestoso. Allegro. It is a rare occurence that it is played since it is Organ and Symphony Orchestra combo. When that Organ kicks up I get those shivers in my spine everytime.

I have pretty eclectic tastes (though I also prefer some melody with my rhythm, most of the time). To some of the gems already discussed, I'd add Libana, Loreena McKennitt (particularly the album The Mask and the Mirror), Michael Hedges, etc.

My favorite Vivaldi piece is the Gloria, of which I know most of the alto part by heart. :)

My favorites of McKennit are: The Mummer's Dance," "The Bonny Swans," and "Marrakesh Night Market."

There are others that I love ... such as "The Highwayman" .... however, it does bother me a bit that some of the most important plot points from the original poem are left out of the song.

Das Moldau is a great piece.

I have an other crank it up goosebump for you. Saint-Saëns: Symphony #3 In C Minor, Op. 78 - Maestoso. Allegro. It is a rare occurence that it is played since it is Organ and Symphony Orchestra combo. When that Organ kicks up I get those shivers in my spine everytime.

I've got his "Carnival of the Animals" which I love .... I'll check that one out.

OH YES ...... I know that one!!!! I love that ..... I am buying that entire symphony as I write this!!

But ... which to buy?? The Boston, Chicago, or Berliner??

Decisions ... decisions ....

Boston Symphony Orchestra for sure.

So instead of posting a giant list, I'll just post one nice URL where you can go have a look at a lot of the stuff I like in music...

http://www.jkwolf.com/requests/JWolf/

Oooooh, geee. My!
Tons and tons of music! Half of Ricky's an Dc's lists + a hundred more.

These days I go for "The Dave Weckle Band", fusion at its best and "Liquid Tension Experiment". Then in speedy stuff, there's "Dream Theatre" and lots lots more.

The ultimate tear jerker is "Nine Sili Nebesniye" by the "Chorovaya Akademia". This is Russian choir music with extreme bass singers, totally discorporating stuff. If you listen to it, put on headphones and crank them up.

From Weckle to Dream Theatre.....you may be interested in a band called Behold...The Arctopus.
Interesting 3 piece band.

Boston Symphony Orchestra for sure.

The Boston it is then.

I'm also getting the song "version" by the Vards.

You know, I knew when I saw the movie "Babe" that the music was Saint-Saens, but I simply could not place it. Now I know.

Oh, man this was a good thread to start reading. :thumbsup:

Babe: Pig in the City was a good movie. I caught it in HD On Demand because I was looking for a movie I hadn't seen and it was on the list and I just said, what the heck. My father0in-law also enjoyed it too.

Camille Saint-Saëns: Symphony #3 In C Minor, Op. 78 - Maestoso. Allegro. It's a Symphonic with church Organ, a very rare public performance possibility. When that Organ kicks in it's goosebump time.

From Weckle to Dream Theatre.....you may be interested in a band called Behold...The Arctopus.
Interesting 3 piece band.

Yes .... interesting. But a bit to head-banging for me. I like my music a little more melodic. I recognize the talent there ... but unfortunately the music affects me a bit like nails on a blackboard.

(affects?? effects?? -- if my grammar is bad, my spelling is even worse, and I never could be absolutely certain I was using the correct word)

Oh, and @the Wolfie .... you really should watch the first movie, "Babe" ... it was really the best of the two films. Although I loved "Pig in the City" ... except for the one part where the little kitten says "But Mama, I'm hungry." I pretty much lost it there and just started bawling like a little girl.

Camille Saint-Saëns: Symphony #3 In C Minor, Op. 78 - Maestoso. Allegro. It's a Symphonic with church Organ, a very rare public performance possibility. When that Organ kicks in it's goosebump time.

Yes, yes, Yvan ... but my question was which performance to puchase?? I decided on the Boston Symphony. I listened to the Maestoso Allegro of three different performances, and decided that the Boston had the best balance of pipe organ to orchestra.

And, you are right .... goosebumps.

Have a physical chore you want to do in a jiffy? Try "Elbow grease" by Niacin. It'll kick your shorts down, you might want to clip on a pair of suspenders. I just wish I could put that kind of music on the soccer field.

"That's As Far As I'll Go" from Saga... oh, anything from their long 30 years of being. But the two latest "Trust" and "10,000" days, I listen to often. They have the "Work mood" I need to perform in my shop. And so do Van Halen:p

To me there are two kinds of music (that's 10 for you binary types) -- interesting and boring. The high school kids down the block that are playing their hearts out and every now and then getting the right note can hold my attention far longer than many of the fine orchestras that play a wonderful piece of music to perfection without a glimmer of emotion. My favorite "serious" music is almost everything by Sir Edward Elgar (2nd Symphony is a favorite) and everything I have heard by Charles Ives (the Seasons is excellent.)

I have attached a list of the groups level directory structure from the pop/folk section of the music server. It is representative of what I listen to. Of those listed I favor the late Warren Zevon the most (as VR has already found out.) There are so many on the list that most people have never heard about; but, have made excellent music. A lot of the entries have been transfered from the original Lps as they were never issued in the CD format.

"That's As Far As I'll Go" from Saga... oh, anything from their long 30 years of being. But the two latest "Trust" and "10,000" days, I listen to often. They have the "Work mood" I need to perform in my shop. And so do Van Halen:p

Was that actually a reference to the band "Saga"? I have not heard of/from them in years! Glam/Prog/Pop...what the hell would you classify them as anyway? They seemed like "Loverboy" with some talent.

My favorites of McKennit are: The Mummer's Dance," "The Bonny Swans," and "Marrakesh Night Market."

There are others that I love ... such as "The Highwayman" .... however, it does bother me a bit that some of the most important plot points from the original poem are left out of the song.
I like all the ones you mentioned, but my favorite is probably "The Two Trees." It has some personal meaning for me.

I don't know how I forgot to list Malcolm Daglish earlier. :)

I suppose I should confess a fondness for prog-rock, too. Particularly Canadian "power trio" bands. ;)

To me there are two kinds of music (that's 10 for you binary types) -- interesting and boring.

That about sums it up.

I, as it seems most of you, have eclectic tastes in music.

My favorite genre is Classical. My favorite of that would be Rachmaninoff, and Elliot Carter (how is that for eclectic?) But I really love it all (including opera).

I also love:

Jazz
Bluegrass
Folk
Soundtracks (classical usually, but the soundtrack to Blade Runner is a favorite)
And good rock music. My most recent joy with rock is a band called Dengue Fever. They mix Cambodian pop with psychedelia, surf music and rockabilly.

Video of Dengue Fever here (youtube) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQYOGkCk2DA&feature=related)

And of course, King Crimson.

Oh, and rap music and country music are both oxymorons.

Raaaaaaaaaaap. Maybe dub.

Tell me, what one piece of music absolutely drives you to tears (of joy or whatever) and why?

Can't say it drove me to tears, but two specific performances, both classical.

1. Caught this on a live broadcast on our local classical radio station, from a performance in Berlin. Christmas Day, the year the Berlin Wall came down. Members of the Berlin Philharmonic, plus Dresden Staatskapel, a children's choir from someplace in East Germany, and individual performers from around the world, conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In honor of the occaision, all instances of the word Joy (Freuda ?) were replaced with the word Freedom (Freihart?) Beethoven, Symphony No. 9. This one is available on CD (look for "Bernstein in Berlin")

2. I have a recording of Richard Strauss, "An Alpine Symphony", and have heard several more. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a live performance. It was the first time I'd been able to attend a performance in Seattle's Benaroya Hall, which, regardless of any competition from grand old places like the Vienna Opera Hall, etc., is one of THE BEST sounding performance spaces in the world. This concert was a joint performance of the Seattle Youth Symphony, and the Portland Youth Philharmonic - they each played one work, then combined for the Strauss. The sheer energy that young performers can bring to a work is magical, and this particular work really benefits from having a large orchestra. Sorry, I don't think its available unless you can access the archives of the S.Y.S. (and the Seattle work was a very credible performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto, featuring a young concerto contest winner.)

Outside of that, I like to stop to listen ehenever I hear the last movement of the Dvorak Cello Concerto, which in my opinion is the most glorious piece of cello music ever.

Favorite artist: Fats domino
Favorite band: The Beach Boys

Was that actually a reference to the band "Saga"? I have not heard of/from them in years! Glam/Prog/Pop...what the hell would you classify them as anyway? They seemed like "Loverboy" with some talent.Very far from the typical rock group Loverboy.
Saga is a progressive rock band; any one of which has some roots in classical training. They are still performing and have started a south american tour with the new singer that came aboad in january. You can have alisten on their site.
(http://www.sagaontour.ca/)

Very far from the typical rock group Loverboy.
Saga is a progressive rock band; any one of which has some roots in classical training. They are still performing and have started a south american tour with the new singer that came aboad in january. You can have alisten on their site.
(http://www.sagaontour.ca/)

Its been a while since I gave them a listen. I believe the last time I heard them was a song called "On the loose" or something like that. Agreed, very far from Loverboy, everyone was wearing tight leather outfits in the 80's.....even Meatloaf! Thanks for the link to their site, I will be checking some of it out!
As for myself, I am particular to Rush!

Its been a while since I gave them a listen. I believe the last time I heard them was a song called "On the loose" or something like that. Agreed, very far from Loverboy, everyone was wearing tight leather outfits in the 80's.....even Meatloaf! Thanks for the link to their site, I will be checking some of it out!
As for myself, I am particular to Rush!Oh, an other icon!:)

I occasionnally make speaker cabinets for a high end speaker manufacturer in Montréal and done so for two others now out fo business. So when I needed a pair for my system, I let myself go . Here is a picture and more on my page.

The speakers are bi-amped 300w. I had the guy set the drivers and electronics in a typical size calculated square box and set the box into a curved face that I think helps in diffusion. This face is decorated with the marquetry of a stylised spanish guitar. The funny thing about it is that nobody ever notices that the guitar has two sound holes. :)

Then I hung a micro system underneath one of the speakers that accomodates an iPod, mp3 CDs and SD cards. That system graces the dining room for excellent soirées.

Most of my musical tastes are obscure, even by this thread's standards. I'll list the top 5 in descending order.

#1 - Garfield - (not the kitty cartoon or the Jazz Drummer) Particularly "Out There Tonight" and "Reason To Be" albums.

#2 - Early Shawn Phillips

#3 - Japanese Image Music (off of LaserDiscs) (i.e. Just Friends, Sundance, Wind and Wave, Pastel Colors, et. al.)

#4 - getting to the commercial world - Warren Zevon

#5 - Blue Oyster Cult - Imaginos (resequenced in a linear order - 9, 2, 3, 6, 4, 8, 1, 7, & 5) One of the finest concept albums ever produced. A H. P. Lovercraft story told as a song cycle. It works both as music and a story.

I can pretty much bet that nobody has listened to at least parts of all 5...RSE

(World without end....)

Most of my musical tastes are obscure, even by this thread's standards. I'll list the top 5 in descending order.

#1 - Garfield - (not the kitty cartoon or the Jazz Drummer) Particularly "Out There Tonight" and "Reason To Be" albums.

#2 - Early Shawn Phillips

#3 - Japanese Image Music (off of LaserDiscs) (i.e. Just Friends, Sundance, Wind and Wave, Pastel Colors, et. al.)

#4 - getting to the commercial world - Warren Zevon

#5 - Blue Oyster Cult - Imaginos (resequenced in a linear order - 9, 2, 3, 6, 4, 8, 1, 7, & 5) One of the finest concept albums ever produced. A H. P. Lovercraft story told as a song cycle. It works both as music and a story.

I can pretty much bet that nobody has listened to at least parts of all 5...RSE

(World without end....)Oh. not that obscure... well apart from that Japanese image music. I've had the pleasure of seeing Shawn Phillips in concert circa 1978. Blue Oyster Cult I was listening to in 1973 and Zevon at his beginnings.
Since you know BOC, would you remember Captain Beyond's first album?

...what one piece of music absolutely drives you to tears (of joy or whatever) and why?


Arvo Part "Spiegel im Spiegel"
The recording I first heard (and therefore the one I still love most) was Tasmin Little (violin) and Martin Roscoe (piano) from 1978.

It's like listening to the Universe telling you everything is going to be ok. :)


(Just a shame so many directors misuse it as mood music in their films. :()

I seem to have stopped listening to music actively but when I was interested I only listened to the Kate Bush or maybe Ecto genre. At some time the top favourites after Kate Bush was Happy Rhodes, Jane Siberry and Loreena McKennit.

Here is a good guide

http://www.ectoguide.org/

to music that people liking Kate Bush and Happy Rhodes also seems to like.
This guide will probably explains what I mean by Ecto genre.

I seem to have stopped listening to music actively but when I was interested I only listened to the Kate Bush or maybe Ecto genre. At some time the top favourites after Kate Bush was Happy Rhodes, Jane Siberry and Loreena McKennit.

Here is a good guide

http://www.ectoguide.org/

to music that people liking Kate Bush and Happy Rhodes also seems to like.
This guide will probably explains what I mean by Ecto genre.Ahhh! Good choices! Kate Bush is the soul grandma of Bjork.
I'm surprised that a Scandinavian such as yourself would know a Canadian such as Siberry!

To this short list allow me to add Sarah McLaughlan. Especially her earlyer albums.

Arvo Part "Spiegel im Spiegel"
The recording I first heard (and therefore the one I still love most) was Tasmin Little (violin) and Martin Roscoe (piano) from 1978.

It's like listening to the Universe telling you everything is going to be ok. :)


(Just a shame so many directors misuse it as mood music in their films. :()

Thanks, Sparrow. I hadn't heard that before but I really like it. I need to find the recording you mentioned.

I'm really enjoying this thread and all the wonderful music you people have posted. Glad I'm saving money by reading public domain books a lot because I'm about to spend some cash on some CDs.

Now I can't wait to ask you to tell me the one piece of fiction (novel, short story, etc.) that most tears you apart/drives you nuts/makes you smile/whatever and why. But that'll have to wait for another thread. And I have no idea which that's going to be for me, either. I'll have to think about it a bit.

Ahhh! Good choices! Kate Bush is the soul grandma of Bjork.
I'm surprised that a Scandinavian such as yourself would know a Canadian such as Siberry!

To this short list allow me to add Sarah McLaughlan. Especially her earlyer albums.

I do not remember if Siberry was mentioned on a mailing list or if I just bought her blind in a record shop. I used to look for female artist that wrote their own material and were the music looked like it was folk music inspired.

Jane Siberry's videos are also very interesting. I listened to Sarah McLaughlan and I agree that the earlier albums are better.

Other artists worth mentioning are Tori Amos, Laurie Anderson and Louisa John-Krol. And for fun folk music Christine Lavin.

Thanks, Sparrow. I hadn't heard that before but I really like it. I need to find the recording you mentioned.


Glad you like it :).

The recording I have is listed on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Arvo-P%C3%A4rt-Fratres-etc-Part/dp/B00006YX7L/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1214157941&sr=8-8

The other pieces are superb too!

I do not remember if Siberry was mentioned on a mailing list or if I just bought her blind in a record shop. I used to look for female artist that wrote their own material and were the music looked like it was folk music inspired.

Jane Siberry's videos are also very interesting. I listened to Sarah McLaughlan and I agree that the earlier albums are better.

Other artists worth mentioning are Tori Amos, Laurie Anderson and Louisa John-Krol. And for fun folk music Christine Lavin.
All good, but one I don't know;Christine Lavin. I'll have to look her up.

Jane Siberry, as Laurie Anderson, is also a graphic artist of talent. Coming to think of it, they are total multidisciplinary artists, artist of most any field, and good ones.

Most of my musical tastes are obscure, even by this thread's standards. I'll list the top 5 in descending order.

#1 - Garfield - (not the kitty cartoon or the Jazz Drummer) Particularly "Out There Tonight" and "Reason To Be" albums.

#2 - Early Shawn Phillips

#3 - Japanese Image Music (off of LaserDiscs) (i.e. Just Friends, Sundance, Wind and Wave, Pastel Colors, et. al.)

#4 - getting to the commercial world - Warren Zevon

#5 - Blue Oyster Cult - Imaginos (resequenced in a linear order - 9, 2, 3, 6, 4, 8, 1, 7, & 5) One of the finest concept albums ever produced. A H. P. Lovercraft story told as a song cycle. It works both as music and a story.

I can pretty much bet that nobody has listened to at least parts of all 5...RSE

(World without end....)


I grew up listening to #5. Although I'm only 34, I grew up knowing the band as "Soft White Underbelly", their moniker of choice when playing the local clubs and bars. Phenomenal band.
More Cowbell! More Cowbell!

... And for fun folk music Christine Lavin.
Great talent from solo recordings to duets with the late Dave Van Ronk to her work with Four Bitchin' Babes. Who else could come up with lines like, "Cold pizza for breakfast, warm beer to wash it down, in a pinch cold spaghetti will do."

Oh. not that obscure... well apart from that Japanese image music. I've had the pleasure of seeing Shawn Phillips in concert circa 1978. Blue Oyster Cult I was listening to in 1973 and Zevon at his beginnings.
Since you know BOC, would you remember Captain Beyond's first album?

I don't know, all I have is Sufficently Breathless... (I wasn't speaking of BOC generically, but Imaginos in particular...)

And Arrogant Worms when I'm feeling warped...

frank zappa
flo and eddie
ramones

The Smiths, The Housemartins, The Replacements, Husker Du, Morrissey, Gil Scott Heron, Red House Painters, The Beatles, Keith Jarret, George Winston, The Pouges, Aimee Mann, The Mustangs.

Nightwish
Evergrey
Soilwork
Pagan's Mind
Circus Maximus
Vanden Plas
Freak Kitchen
Yes
ToTo
Eric Clapton
Children of Bodom
Within Temptation
Angtoria
Symphony X
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Iced Earth
Vision Divine
Firewind
Gamma Ray
PanterA
Darkane
Megadeth
Opeth
Into Eternity
Echoes of Eternity
Lacuna Coil
The Gathering
Novembers Doom
Draconian
Dimmu Borgir
Old Man's Child
Diane Krall
Patricia Kaas
Tord Gustavsen Trio
Steely Dan
Yoko Kanno
Mercenary
In Flames
Incubus
and more.

holy cow, 5 pages in one day... i'm going to have to read this thread from the beginning and make a list of all the things i want to look into. i have a hard time answering this question because i don't usually go by genres, and i like so *much* music. but... i'll try.

i keep seeing things in passing that would be on my list (ramones ! yeah ! the pogues ! yeah !!) but i don't think i could possibly even make an exhaustive list... i can talk about music for hours (in fact i frequently do, even when no-one else is listening. just ask marc or taylor...). i have pretty eclectic tastes as well (it seems we all do, around here...). like someone else, it's probably easier to list genres i *don't* like (country music... or what is called "varieté" in french, like céline dion and such).

i do like rap and hip-hop though :) : beastie boys ! i love them. public enemy ! NTM, MC Solaar, KRS-ONE, Queen Latifah, IAM... slam : Grand Corps Malade.

i love scratch too : Birdy Nam Nam, DJ QBert, MixMaster Mike...

i like old jazz, and oldschool Rhythm and Blues, Motown, soul... Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Nina Simone, Diana Ross, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding. Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus ! free jazz : Ornette Coleman ! ska : Don Drummond, Skatalites...

funk / soul / tzigane fanfares : Ceux Qui Marchent Debout, Les Fils de Teuhpu, Kočani Orkestar...

tango : Juan José Mossalini, Gotan Project...

and in no particular order, Tom Waits (but you knew that...), John Lurie / the Lounge Lizards, Alain Bashung, Radiohead, Serge Gainsbourg, Elvis Costello, Charles Trenet, Baden Powell, Boris Vian, Iggy Pop, the Sugarcubes, Les Negresses Vertes, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Yubaba Smith & Fortune, Mano Negra, Morphine, les Portugaises Ensablées, La Familia, L'Orchestre National de Barbès, Woven hand, the Pixies, They Might Be Giants, Devics, Firewater, Massive Attack...

this list is getting out of hand. i could go one, but i will stop here, also because it's past 2.30 in the morning and perhaps i should be going to bed instead of listing excellent bands... of course, if you ask me next week i'll have a hundred other bands to mention.

oh, and obviously, i adore the Squirrel Nut Zippers (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=squirrel+nut+zippers&search_type=&aq=-1&oq=), of course. :mellow:

Something I like a lot is "Jungle Blues" played by Branford Marsalis. ZP he is usually over in your area. Check him out.

I like a little bit of everything. But I grew up in a household that never played any classical music. Then one time while using my old turntable I accidently got a stereo test record mixed in with some rock albums. When my Led Zeppelin album ended the next record to fall was the stereo test record and the first song to play was the Russian Sailor's Dance by Rimsky-Korsakov and it seemed like such a good transition at the time. That got my interest going in classical, though I still don't listen to as much as I should.

Comfortable favorites that I always fall back on: Frank Sinatra, Chris Rea, Tears for Fears, The Beatles, The Beach Boys Pet Sounds, Moody Blues, ELO, Annie Lennox, Bob Dylan, Lyle Lovett, Bruce Springsteen, The Doors.

Wow! I've never seen a thread get so long so fast. What kind of music do I like? Thats like saying "Show me your fingerprints and I'll show you mine!!!" I have over 22,000 digital music files in my collection. There is so much music that I'm often undecided when perusing what to play! So what I do is set my iTunes or iPod to "Shuffle Songs" and let "random" make the choice. I'm usually very happy with the songs that come up and don't really mind that a piece by Bartok will be followed by "Over the Hills and Far Away" by Led Zeppelin which, will be followed by "Wind Cries Mary" by Jamie Cullum which, will be followed by "Californication" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers which, will be followed by "Hell" by the Squirrel Nut Zippers......well.......you get the picture!!

Christmas music, I like to listen to the classic Christmas tunes year around when I need to relax

Heavy Death Metals\m/

I forgot to mention Libby Roderic.

And J-pop. :D

Greg Brown. A local artist who appears occasionally on Prairie Home Companion.
Three Beers to Dubuque. A very local band that doesn't appear anywhere but on local stages.

Love anything that Yoko Kanno does. That woman is a genius. Other favorite composers include Yuki Kajiura, Taku Iwasaki, Tsuneo Imahori, Ichiko Hashimoto, Hikaru Nanase, Kenji Kawai, Ryo Kunihiko (Yang Bang Ean), Akira Senju, Hitoshi Sakimoto. Singers/groups: Maaya Sakamoto, Kokia, Akino Arai, Origa, Saeko Chiba, globe, Hikaru Utada, Roxette, Zabadak.

Well people, y'all really impressed me with your impeccable taste in music. Does nobody here like silly but fun hit music like Mika, Scissor Sistors, Madonna, Tom Waits ... ... ?

Well people, y'all really impressed me with your impeccable taste in music. Does nobody here like silly but fun hit music like Mika, Scissor Sistors, Madonna, Tom Waits ... ... ?

Tom Waits ? good heavens no, i can't think of anyone who likes him.

or tango.

Tom Waits ? good heavens no, i can't think of anyone who likes him.

or tango.

Phew, glad to hear. I mean, the man obviously cannot sing. Luckily there's artists like Rod Steward who can make decent versions of Wait's songs.

Phew, glad to hear. I mean, the man obviously cannot sing. Luckily there's artists like Rod Steward who can make decent versions of Wait's songs.
no, absolutely. terrible voice. no stage presence whatsoever. the *last* person i would want to see in concert. or spend an evening drinking with. i will have to check into this rod steward person you mention, if you think tom waits' abominable songs can be salvaged by his attempts.

no, absolutely. terrible voice. no stage presence whatsoever. the *last* person i would want to see in concert. or spend an evening drinking with. i will have to check into this rod steward person you mention, if you think tom waits' abominable songs can be salvaged by his attempts.

You might want to check "Downtown Train". Listen & puke :angry:

You might want to check "Downtown Train". Listen & puke :angry:
too true, i absolutely HATE that song. cannot stand it. definitely do not find it heartbreakingly gorgeous or secretly wish that it had been written for me. never ever ever listen to it endlessly on "repeat one".

glad to see you're getting over missing out on the Wam! tickets.

Phew, glad to hear. I mean, the man obviously cannot sing. Luckily there's artists like Rod Steward who can make decent versions of Wait's songs.

You know something? I may have not seen the man for the better part of 45 years, but he's a success. You let me know when you are even half the success he is, and we'll talk about your talent.

With respect to Mr. Stewart (not "Steward"), I have also met him on several occasions. In fact, he used to come in to the ice cream parlor I worked at in Westwood in the 70s ... and he was a very nice person as well. I have a feeling that he probably appreciates Tom's music since my conversations with him (over the counter) often moved towards what music he thought I should purchase ... and his tastes were (and I would guess are still) quite varied.

PS: It's properly "there are artists" not "there's artists." If you are going to insult the people I grew up with, at least do it with proper grammar.

Ummm... Ricky?

Irony button was "on" with those posts.

Just sayin'.

Ummm... Ricky?

Irony button was "on" with those posts.

Just sayin'.

Did not see it ..... just sayin'.

If someone is going to say nasty things about people I like .... they better splatter smiley faces alllll over the post. Otherwise, I'm takin' them seriously. And after that, I'm smacking them upside of their heads ... in a virtual way of course. :)

Long time ago I used to listen to stuff like:
Bauhaus, Einstürzende Neubauten, Sonic Youth, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (up to the Mercy Seat), Butthole Surfers, Pixies so mostly what's now called indie bands but used to be labelled 'noise' (as in "Turn down that noise")
& more regular bands like Guns & Roses, The Cure, Beasty Boys &cetera.

Then at university I discovered the decennia before with the Doors, Rolling Stones, The Stooges (Raw Power !), Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin (anyone of you know Dread Zeppelin ? - one of the most amazingly silly concerts I EVER been witness to ....), . Most of this stuff I can't listen to anymore without developing a headache.

I also started going to the opera rather heavily (I'm a big fan of Callas).

Had an episode that I was heavily into dance music: I discovered The Prodigy and a whole new world opened with house music and Techno, my favourite DJs were Gene Farris and Derrick May. I never before and since been at better parties :) No music to just listen to though.

Following a visit to Cuba I started my trip in Latin dance music (Son, Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, ...). The "Buena Vista Social Club" is still one of my favorite CDs of all times. And since I started taking tango lessons I've been absolutely obsessed with tango music (primarily the Golden Age stuff although some of the neotango stuff is ok)

Add to this a dash of 'general' pop music, some early jazz and bossanova, some Sinatra, Jaques Brel, Waits (Rain Dogs), Randy Newman, The Cure, Prince, Michael Jackson, Radiohead, James Brown, The Orb ("little fluffy clouds"), Ween

... oh, and last but not least the soundtracks of
"The Sound of Music" (which I more or less know by heart) to the chagrin of my beloved, and "Mary Poppins".

Long time ago I used to listen to stuff like:
Bauhaus, Einstürzende Neubauten, Sonic Youth, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (up to the Mercy Seat), Butthole Surfers, Pixies so mostly what's now called indie bands but used to be labelled 'noise' (as in "Turn down that noise")
& more regular bands like Guns & Roses, The Cure, Beasty Boys &cetera.

Then at university I discovered the decennia before with the Doors, Rolling Stones, The Stooges (Raw Power !), Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin (anyone of you know Dread Zeppelin ? - one of the most amazingly silly concerts I EVER been witness to ....), . Most of this stuff I can't listen to anymore without developing a headache.

I also started going to the opera rather heavily (I'm a big fan of Callas).

Had an episode that I was heavily into dance music: I discovered The Prodigy and a whole new world opened with house music and Techno, my favourite DJs were Gene Farris and Derrick May. I never before and since been at better parties :) No music to just listen to though.

Following a visit to Cuba I started my trip in Latin dance music (Son, Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, ...). The "Buena Vista Social Club" is still one of my favorite CDs of all times. And since I started taking tango lessons I've been absolutely obsessed with tango music (primarily the Golden Age stuff although some of the neotango stuff is ok)

Add to this a dash of 'general' pop music, some early jazz and bossanova, some Sinatra, Jaques Brel, Waits (Rain Dogs), Randy Newman, The Cure, Prince, Michael Jackson, Radiohead, James Brown, The Orb ("little fluffy clouds"), Ween

... oh, and last but not least the soundtracks of
"The Sound of Music" (which I more or less know by heart) to the chagrin of my beloved, and "Mary Poppins".

Did not see it ..... just sayin'.

If someone is going to say nasty things about people I like .... they better splatter smiley faces alllll over the post. Otherwise, I'm takin' them seriously. And after that, I'm smacking them upside of their heads ... in a virtual way of course. :)
see, you might not have guessed it from WDecraene's post (although, if you read the whole series, it should have been rather clear), but you really should have caught on when *i* started slamming Tom Waits... if ever there was a situation where the irony meter shoots directly to 11, i'm pretty sure that is it.

hmm, WDecraene, i can't go with you for Michael Jackson and certain others of your choices, however i have to tip my hat to anyone who also likes :

Bauhaus
Einstürzende Neubauten
Sonic Youth
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (up to the Mercy Seat)
Pixies
Beastie Boys
The Stooges
Latin dance music (Son, Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, ...)
The "Buena Vista Social Club"
early jazz and bossanova
some Sinatra
Jaques Brel
Waits (Rain Dogs)
Radiohead
James Brown

and you are taking tango lessons... my my.

do you know, i saw Ruben Gonzalés in concert :smiley: it was like an evening in heaven. that man has so much charisma you can't look directly at him. in between songs he told stories and somehow we understood everything he said.

(although i have to say, i am with your fiancée when it comes to those soundtracks, i'm afraid...)

allow me to recommend, since you like Jacques Brel, Charles Trenet (http://www.deezer.com/fr#music/result/all/trenet) also. two of my favorites : "Boum", and "la fenêtre d'en haut".

do you know, i saw Ruben Gonzalés in concert :smiley: it was like an evening in heaven. that man has so much charisma you can't look directly at him. in between songs he told stories and somehow we understood everything he said.


Me too !! And Ibrahim Ferrer (2x) as well and actually most of the other members of the BVSC. I missed Hendrix & Jim Morrison by a couple of decades but I'm truly glad that I still could see Gonzalez & Ferrer. Did you see the movie ??


hmm, WDecraene, i can't go with you for Michael Jackson and certain others of your choices, however i have to tip my hat to anyone who also likes :

(although i have to say, i am with your fiancée when it comes to those soundtracks, i'm afraid...)



Women just don't understand. I love singing "You know I'm baaaaaad, I'm baaaaaad ... ... who's bad", or, "The hilllllllllllllllllllllssssssss are allllllliiiiiiiiiiiiiiive .... with the sound of muuuuuuuuuuuusic".

I also do a good impression of a flamenco singer by the way. But that's something else. :D

Me too !! And Ibrahim Ferrer (2x) as well and actually most of the other members of the BVSC. I missed Hendrix & Jim Morrison by a couple of decades but I'm truly glad that I still could see Gonzalez & Ferrer. Did you see the movie ??
heh, funny story about that : i first discovered Ibrahim Ferrer (never saw him in concert though, alas !! i would have loved to) when i got his cd at the library, just because i liked his photo on it. i loved it so much that i started looking for every old cuban musician i could find, and discovered Ruben Gonzales and a lot of others that way. when i was in the middle of this period where i listened exlusively to old cuban music i wrote a letter to a friend of mine, she was in New York at the time, telling her how amazing these musicians were. She wrote me back saying that she would let me go hunting out all the obscure cds, she was content to just listen to Buena Vista Social Club. I wrote her back : "what's that ?"

when i found out about that film (Wim Wenders is one of my favorite filmmakers, by the way) it was almost too much joy. the first time i saw it (in fact, every time i see it), at the end i had tears in my eyes from so much beauty.

so, yes, i saw the movie...

Women just don't understand. I love singing "You know I'm baaaaaad, I'm baaaaaad ... ... who's bad", or, "The hilllllllllllllllllllllssssssss are allllllliiiiiiiiiiiiiiive .... with the sound of muuuuuuuuuuuusic".
hee ! no, i can't understand that at all... :p

I also do a good impression of a flamenco singer by the way. But that's something else. :D
i'll bet it is. :rolleyes:

see, you might not have guessed it from WDecraene's post (although, if you read the whole series, it should have been rather clear), but you really should have caught on when *i* started slamming Tom Waits... if ever there was a situation where the irony meter shoots directly to 11, i'm pretty sure that is it.


The irony was clear in your posts ... not so much in his/hers. And, I did read the whole thread. Again, very clear in your posts ... his/hers not so much. And, when people say unkind things about people I like and respect, they generally tend to find out that I do not take kindly to it. If they are joking, better to make that ever so clear, because I'll go to the mat for those I support.

:p

i say it was clear if you read the whole series, because he was actually the first person to mention *liking* tom waits, wondering how it could be possible that no-one had mentioned him yet. so i replied ironically to that, and the whole thing went on from there.

with a few exceptions, most people / subjects around here are pretty easy going and tolerant, and there is also a lot of tongue in cheek humor, irony, sarcasm... since we don't know each other personally, and have no facial expressions to give us clues, i find it's best to give people the benefit of the doubt. when i see a post that at first glance *might* be rude, i generally give it a second look and / or wait to see how someone else replies, to make sure. maybe i just misunderstood, after all, or am feeling particularly over-sensitive that day...

sometimes, people really are just rude / offensive though. :rolleyes:

i say it was clear if you read the whole series, because he was actually the first person to mention *liking* tom waits, wondering how it could be possible that no-one had mentioned him yet. so i replied ironically to that, and the whole thing went on from there.

with a few exceptions, most people / subjects around here are pretty easy going and tolerant, and there is also a lot of tongue in cheek humor, irony, sarcasm... since we don't know each other personally, and have no facial expressions to give us clues, i find it's best to give people the benefit of the doubt. when i see a post that at first glance *might* be rude, i generally give it a second look and / or wait to see how someone else replies, to make sure. maybe i just misunderstood, after all, or am feeling particularly over-sensitive that day...

sometimes, people really are just rude / offensive though. :rolleyes:

Ever so true. And, I will admit, Mr. Carlin's death has put me in a black mood. But, even on my best days, while I love silliness .... I detest sheer stupidity and willful ignorance. I have no patience for it.

Makes me very unpopular around the skinhead and knuckle-dragging types.

yeah.... i feel confident asserting that WDecraene is neither a skinhead (except possibly in the most litteral sense) nor a knuckle-dragger. he really was being ironic.

yeah.... i feel confident asserting that WDecraene is neither a skinhead (except possibly in the most litteral sense) nor a knuckle-dragger. he really was being ironic.

In which case ....

SORRY, WDecraene!!! You are apparently one of the good ones, and I am sorry I missed the irony in your posts. If Zeep says you are neither a skinhead nor a knuckle-dragger, then it must be true. Please proceed with the humerous portion of this thead as if I had never tossed my two cents into the ring.

I'm supposed to be cleaning up cat crap anyway .....

:poke:

What's the one piece of music that most drives you nuts/brings you to tears/makes you stand up and dance/whatever and why?

Picking one is hard. Too many songs make me dance/go nuts/whatever. But using the criteria of tears as a guide, I immediately thought of the one song that brings me to tears every time: Fly with the Wings of Love, performed by the Crusaders, featuring Joe Sample at piano, and accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, in a live concert in London.

I'm a jazz fan from waaaay back, and a Crusaders fan ever since I first heard them in the seventies. I'm also a Fantasia fan, and for whatever reason, listening to this song causes me to imagine a detailed animated sequence in my head, of two songbirds flying an intricate and sensuous dance over a lake, meeting other birds which accompany them in the "chorus," and a fiery-red starling that performs a "solo." The closing moments, with the birds alighting in sequence at the end of the movement, brings a tear to my eye whenever I hear it, or even think about it.

Fly with the Wings of Love may not be the perfect jazz song, but it makes me tear up every time.

I cannot bear listening to Tom Waits' music. Neither can I listen to Ennio Morricone's music (particularly that for The Mission). I've only recently been able to tolerate Paul Simons' Rhythm of the Saints.

I do have my extremely subjective reasons for this of course.

Oddly, I've been listening to Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight on repeat a lot over the last couple of weeks, though admittedly usually while working on photos (and learning how to use the Aperture software). That, and Get Funky Tonight (John Butler Trio). For some reason, I'm in a Kate Bush mood at the moment, and just realised that I only ever had an album of hers on tape, and so it looks like I'm ordering some Kate Bush music online today.

Cheers,
Marc

I really liked Lee Marvin in "Paint Your Wagon" singing "I Was Born Under a Wandering Star". It always seemed appropriate for me. :2thumbsup

I cannot bear listening to Tom Waits' music. Neither can I listen to Ennio Morricone's music (particularly that for The Mission). I've only recently been able to tolerate Paul Simons' Rhythm of the Saints.

I do have my extremely subjective reasons for this of course.

Oddly, I've been listening to Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight on repeat a lot over the last couple of weeks, though admittedly usually while working on photos (and learning how to use the Aperture software). That, and Get Funky Tonight (John Butler Trio). For some reason, I'm in a Kate Bush mood at the moment, and just realised that I only ever had an album of hers on tape, and so it looks like I'm ordering some Kate Bush music online today.

Cheers,
Marc

Well, I would have to say that the two of us should never try to be in the same room listening to music, because one of us is almost certain to be gagging.

I think "The Mission" is one of the most beautiful things I've heard. "The Rhythm of the Saints" is not my favorite Paul Simon (that one would be "Graceland" ... ), and I can bear listening to Tom Wait's music.

The only Kate Bush song I've ever liked is "Don't Give Up" ... the duet she did with Peter Gabriel. However, I do like that song a lot. Not saying that I can't stand her singing ... just that it doesn't do that much for me personally.

Oh .... and I should put Peter Gabriel on my list .... because some of his music has brought me out of despair when nothing else seemed to work.

Most notably:

Solsbury Hill
Don't Give Up
Wallflower
Biko and
In Your Eyes

Wallflower in particular has some of the most moving lyrics ever written. Any time I've felt like there was no hope ... that's the music I listen to ... and it always makes me get back in the fight. :2thumbsup

I'm not a big fan of Tom Waits, I only have about 25 of his albums so perhaps I have not heard enough. Of his own music I think his best album was Small Change -- "Small Change got rained on with his own 38"

Of his songs performed by others (cover versions) my favorite is Ol' 55 as performed by the Eagles and the aformentioned Downtown Train.

Well, I would have to say that the two of us should never try to be in the same room listening to music, because one of us is almost certain to be gagging.

I think "The Mission" is one of the most beautiful things I've heard. "The Rhythm of the Saints" is not my favorite Paul Simon (that one would be "Graceland" ... ), and I can bear listening to Tom Wait's music.

It is good of you to note my phrasing. As you could obviously see, I never said that I did not like Waits or Morricone - I simply said I could not tolerate listening to them, for unspecified subjective reasons.

Paul Simon's Graceland would likely be hovering around the number one spot as my favourite album of all. I am enjoying that my tolerance level has increased to allow me to listen to Rhythm of the Saints (which paradoxically means that "tolerance" fades as unnecessary). The Obvious Child makes me cry, as does Father & Daughter from Surprise, while Call me Al does the same for different reasons (I sometimes think Graceland as an album is underrated partly because of some aspects' affinity with an oft-loathed musical decade, the 80's...then it might just be me looking for excuses as to why people don't rate it as highly as me :) ).

The only Kate Bush song I've ever liked is "Don't Give Up" ... the duet she did with Peter Gabriel.

Although not my favourite, I do like that one (even moreso since Australia was subjected to an execrable cover of it recently, one half of the duet being a loathed (by me) Australian Idol contenstent, thus making the Gabriel/Bush version infinitely brilliant in comparison). I fondly remember playing the album So repeatedly. For tears though, I'd go for a song that you have listed - Solsbury Hill.

Cheers,
Marc

It is good of you to note my phrasing. As you could obviously see, I never said that I did not like Waits or Morricone - I simply said I could not tolerate listening to them, for unspecified subjective reasons.

Paul Simon's Graceland would likely be hovering around the number one spot as my favourite album of all. I am enjoying that my tolerance level has increased to allow me to listen to Rhythm of the Saints (which paradoxically means that "tolerance" fades as unnecessary). The Obvious Child makes me cry, as does Father & Daughter from Surprise, while Call me Al does the same for different reasons (I sometimes think Graceland as an album is underrated partly because of some aspects' affinity with an oft-loathed musical decade, the 80's...then it might just be me looking for excuses as to why people don't rate it as highly as me :) ).



Although not my favourite, I do like that one (even moreso since Australia was subjected to an execrable cover of it recently, one half of the duet being a loathed (by me) Australian Idol contenstent, thus making the Gabriel/Bush version infinitely brilliant in comparison). I fondly remember playing the album So repeatedly. For tears though, I'd go for a song that you have listed - Solsbury Hill.

Cheers,
Marc


Ah, well, then as long as it is "Graceland" or "So" ... we CAN be in the same room listening to music without one of us gagging!!

Isn't progress wonderful??

I simply must remember to put Peter Gabriel on all future lists of music that makes my heart take wing.

Oh well .... gotta clean out the litterboxes, take a fist full of Benadryl and hit the sandpaper sheets.

G'nite you son of Oz!!

Its funny, I liked Simon & Garfunkel, Art Garfunkel solo work, and early Paul Simon solo work. By the time of Graceland I had stopped following his work. The few times that I have heard it I was completely unmoved. It just shows how diverse a community we have here.

Ah, well, then as long as it is "Graceland" or "So" ... we CAN be in the same room listening to music without one of us gagging!!

Isn't progress wonderful??

"Progress"? I prefer the term "serendipity" - it has a much friendlier and fateful ring to it. :)

G'nite you son of Oz!!

Oh, my, I've not had that one before! I am most tickled (as you will see if you glance left and aboard my avatar). Thank-you.

I assume when you referred to "gagging" you were mostly referring to Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight (I am only going on the low probability that you have heard John Butler Trio's Get Funky Tonight)?

I, of course, cannot fault you on that. I somewhat expect it of many folk, and I expect it not in a condescending way but in an acknowledgement that my pleasure in all things can often extend to the superficially Dionysian.

You see, in music (amongst other things), while my tastes do extend to the despairingly angry rants of The The's The Mercy Beat or the heady tones of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill amidst everything else, usually lyrical, that strikes the right notes (or, more likely, beat, since percussion shakes my cockles), if I want to "get funky tonight", then closing all the blinds and dancing alone in my room in my arrhythmic and uncoordinated Natalie Imbruglia-fashion to George Michael's Freedom 90 or howling along to Robbie Williams' tongue-planted-so-incredibly-far-in-his-cheek-it's-surprising-he-doesn't-have-two-mouths-to-feed Let Me Entertain You or filing photos to the funky beat of Get Funky Tonight or the bum-wiggling bass of Rapper's Delight is the kind of thing where my massively-introverted chronically-inhibited, "cold as a razor blade, tight as a tourniquet, dry as a funeral drum" spiralling self-absorption and self-loathing can be righted, and bob to the surface of the drowned woods in which I wallow, and let me head out to sea on my own private party boat.

I don't have problems saying "I like icecream" or "the most fun I ever have is at a waterslide park" or "I like good, kids' cartoons/animated movies as a kid" because joy is not always easy for me to find, especially when I overlook the visceral pleasure these provide. My neurology quite often doesn't seem to concern itself as much as I often do with maturity, or appropriateness, or depth, or intellectualism. If the cockles are anywhere to be tickled, they're possibly truly centred not in my heart but in my hindbrain, where the gibbon lurks. I don't mind letting the gibbon point me in the direction of fun sometimes. He points to the tribal, the pop-ish, the bright colours and the sugary, creamy sweetness of icecream most often.

So, yes, please, anyone, feel free to mock and berate and belittle me (but I'll remind you of a common reaction of monkeys in the zoo to such actions ;) ), call me a musical heathen; tell me I'm hanging with the hubris of the hoi polloi; condemn me for at all supporting manufactured "art" rather than created art, but, regardless, I'm going to say it anyway...

I love the Spice Girls' Wannabe !

There, I feel better now. You'll find the Ignore feature of the forum right here (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/profile.php?do=ignorelist) (<-----linky).

Cheers,
Marc ("...I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ah")

Its funny, I liked Simon & Garfunkel, Art Garfunkel solo work, and early Paul Simon solo work. By the time of Graceland I had stopped following his work. The few times that I have heard it I was completely unmoved. It just shows how diverse a community we have here.

My father liked it all. I recently bought the DVD of The Concert in Central Park, but have yet to arrange to watch it. Thursday night, perhaps...

Thanks, Good Mister Wood. I'd have not thought to otherwise (I am alone Thursday and Friday, apart from the dogs - free to be me, no matter how ugly it gets ;) ).

Cheers,
Marc

Marc: Throughout my teen years we lived with the threat of atomic war ending civilization today, tomorrow, the middle of next week at the latest. Music was one of the true pleasures. (I said "one of" not "the only") Without passion there is no joy and life becomes mundane. You and I differ in our musical tastes. Big deal. I like Zevon and you like Simon (Paul, not sure about Carly.)

What music is real and what is manufactured? All of it is both. For me it all goes back to my basic division of music: there are only two types -- boring and interesting. In the US in the 60s the pop charts were topped by the British Invasion bands (Beatles, Rolling Stones, Hollies, Animals, DC5, Moody Blues, etc) and an outfit from Detroit called Motown Supremes, Four Tops, Dianna Ross, etc.) Their music was every bit as manufactured as any of the British girl or boy bands of the past 20 years. What matters is not how the music was created but how you feel about it when you hear it. Enjoy it.

There is no reason to shun certain music just because it is created by professional musicians.

...
There is no reason to shun certain music just because it is created by professional musicians.

The problem with me over-dramatising something (as I am wont to do) is that sometimes the irony and the intended statement becomes lost in unnecessarily elaborate rhetoric. It makes my point an occluded, self-caused travesty.

Between our paragraphs, there occurs the music of the spheres; the aforementioned "serendipity" of thought; a choral "Hallelujah" in an acoustically perfect auditorium.

Which is to say, Good Mister Wood, "We are, and have always been, in agreement". :)

Sorry 'bout the profusion of prose. My mind's a tangled net of word-wankery at the moment, struggling to be free so it can go to Massimos and give itself an icecream headache.

Cheers,
Marc

I am, again, sans pants.

Why does this always happen to me?

The irony was clear in your posts ... not so much in his/hers. And, I did read the whole thread. Again, very clear in your posts ... his/hers not so much. And, when people say unkind things about people I like and respect, they generally tend to find out that I do not take kindly to it. If they are joking, better to make that ever so clear, because I'll go to the mat for those I support.

:p

Just for the record Rick, I WAS kidding !! I still have to get used to this forum stuff where you can't actually see or hear the persons talking so I should have used :)

Yet I DO prefer Tom's version of Downtown Train over Rod's. ;)

Oh, and as far as language errors are concerned, you should realise that a lot of the people on this forum are not native english speakers - I being one of them ....

I am, again, sans pants.

Why does this always happen to me?

Because your parents have gone away and you like that old time rock and roll?

Cheers,
Marc

What matters is not how the music was created but how you feel about it when you hear it. Enjoy it.

There is no reason to shun certain music just because it is created by professional musicians.Actually, being from a musician family caused me to shunt vocal based stuff, I was mostly interested by the unending solos and musical structures. At first it was Zeppelin, Deep Purple and heavy metal as it was called at the time. I played bass in a garage band. Further on, progressive rock came to the scene as our skills got better, then we were good enough for Steely Dan which was our springboard into jazz. A woodworking accident cost me two fingertips on the left hand, tearing up my dreams of being a musician and composer; but I don't believe I was good at it anyway.
Out of spite I tore up and burned all tapes we did. So for the past 25 years, I've been mostly enjoying music as a critical listener.
Although I do not like the raspy voice and the drug induced mantras of Waits, his connection to the channel of creation is notable and pure.
Having tasted the composition and performance sides of music, there are kinds of music I truly can not stand. Singer interpreters (Celine Dion's kind) and canned music producers such as one can find in techno, rap and elevator music; although there are little jewels there... sometimes.

Music is good to the soul and we are the lucky who can enjoy it. My father now in his seventies, played professionally in a military band and a little in the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He is now loosing his hearing because of the loud volumes of the band classes he used to teach in small classrooms. That is the worst nightmare for me.

Throughout my teen years we lived with the threat of atomic war ending civilization today, tomorrow, the middle of next week at the latest.
good one, i remembeer those days, i forget a lot, i remember one lady who played sax, i liked her music, i was a dirty young man then

I'm not a big fan of Tom Waits, I only have about 25 of his albums so perhaps I have not heard enough. Of his own music I think his best album was Small Change -- "Small Change got rained on with his own 38"
yes, if you only have about 25 albums, you must not like him any more than i do.

ah, Small Change... Tom Waits, as i have said before, should be the poet laureat of our generation. he is, in my own personal reality...

Of his songs performed by others (cover versions) my favorite is Ol' 55 as performed by the Eagles and the aformentioned Downtown Train.
Downtown Train really is a masterpiece. Strange Weather is amazing too. and I hope that i don't fall in love with you. and... well, i'll stop there, otherwise this post will never end.
EDIT : oh, and Shore Leave ! you should listen to that one too.
EDIT : Burma shave !!! amazing lyrics.


Although I do not like the raspy voice and the drug induced mantras of Waits, his connection to the channel of creation is notable and pure.
i *adore* his raspy voice. :smiley: i love deep gravelly voices.

Having tasted the composition and performance sides of music, there are kinds of music I truly can not stand. Singer interpreters (Celine Dion's kind) and canned music producers such as one can find in techno, rap and elevator music; although there are little jewels there... sometimes.
ugh, céline dion... <shudder> but i have to stand up for rap ; like the blues, it was born out of a dispossessed population's need to express and affirm themselves and their identities, and honestly the less commercial rap can be brilliant and poetic and brutal. and some of it can also be hilarious fun (beastie boys...). techno drives me crazy as well, however *electro* can be brilliant stuff when done right.

Music is good to the soul and we are the lucky who can enjoy it. My father now in his seventies, played professionally in a military band and a little in the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He is now loosing his hearing because of the loud volumes of the band classes he used to teach in small classrooms. That is the worst nightmare for me.
amen to that.

but i have to stand up for rap ; like the blues, it was born out of a dispossessed population's need to express and affirm themselves and their identities, and honestly the less commercial rap can be brilliant and poetic and brutal. and some of it can also be hilarious fun (beastie boys...). techno drives me crazy as well, however *electro* can be brilliant stuff when done right.Rap as text, I respect so as Slam (Grand Corps Malade comes to mind. That is art). Rap as a musician means nothing to me. Most sounds are an elogy to the laziness of not properly learning an instrument. It takes years of dedicated work to do so. Bluesmen took the time to learn.

Rap as text, I respect so as Slam (Grand Corps Malade comes to mind. That is art).
hey, you know Grand Corps Malade over there ?? wow, he's international !! i'm glad ; he deserves it. you're right, it *is* art. although here we call it "slam" ; that's the spoken word, where musical accompaniment is secondary or absent. but it's all part of the same family.

Rap as a musician means nothing to me. Most sounds are an elogy to the laziness of not properly learning an instrument. It takes years of dedicated work to do so. Bluesmen took the time to learn.

hey now, a little respect :smiley: learning to be a turntablist is just as demanding of skill, practice, technique and hard work as the trumpet. and the great mcs are really poets. the good ones also take the time to learn, just like the bluesmen. if you ever see the DMC World DJ Championship you might change your mind ; the really good DJs are playing turntables just like an instrument. in fact, in 2002 the winners were a french team, Birdy Nam Nam (they're on my list already... :rolleyes:). on their site http://www.birdynamnam.com/outro.html (which, incidentally, is graphically amazing) you can listen to some of their songs (in "sounds" page). one of my favorites is abbesses.

or here is a video of the 2005 Championships, with maximum respect for tradition and the musicians who have come before them :
http://ma-tvideo.france2.fr/video/iLyROoaftvB2.html

i forgot, if you want to learn about the history of turntablism, i recommend the film Scratch (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0143861/) by Doug Pray. excellent film.

hey now, a little respect :smiley: learning to be a turntablist is just as demanding of skill, practice, technique and hard work as the trumpet. and the great mcs are really poets. the good ones also take the time to learn, just like the bluesmen. if you ever see the DMC World DJ Championship you might change your mind ; the really good DJs are playing turntables just like an instrument. in fact, in 2002 the winners were a french team, Birdy Nam Nam (they're on my list already... :rolleyes:). on their site http://www.birdynamnam.com/outro.html (which, incidentally, is graphically amazing) you can listen to some of their songs (in "sounds" page). one of my favorites is abbesses.

or here is a video of the 2005 Championships, with maximum respect for tradition and the musicians who have come before them :
http://ma-tvideo.france2.fr/video/iLyROoaftvB2.htmlI did not insult anybody. I said that to me it means nothing. Turntables are to music the same as throwing paint on a canvas to art. Yes you need skill, yes you need to master composition but working at it to make it work will not take long to master.

I did not insult anybody. I said that to me it means nothing. Turntables are to music the same as throwing paint on a canvas to art. Yes you need skill, yes you need to master composition but working at it to make it work will not take long to master.

with respect, but that is so wrong it's laughable. seriously, take a look at the film "scratch" sometime ; it will at least help you understand, even if you never learn to like it (you don't have to like it ;)). it takes years of hard work to become a good dj, like any instrument. on the piano, in 10 minutes you can learn to play "clair de lune" with one finger, it doesn't make you a great pianist. dj-ing is the same.

Just for the record Rick, I WAS kidding !! I still have to get used to this forum stuff where you can't actually see or hear the persons talking so I should have used :)

Yet I DO prefer Tom's version of Downtown Train over Rod's. ;)

Oh, and as far as language errors are concerned, you should realise that a lot of the people on this forum are not native english speakers - I being one of them ....

And you did see the post where I fell all over myself apologizing?? :)

Since you are not a native speaker of English, then let me say that your grammar is pretty damn good under the circumstances. I don't usually point out grammatical errors .... unless I get really (really) angry, in which case I'll point out every little teeny tiny thing.

It is sad that there is no screamingly effective way of "hearing" irony or sarcasm in our posts. Nothing like a head bashing you didn't deserve. :poke:

Just curious .... does anyone here actually like Celine Dion?? (No, I don't ... I do not like anything about her singing ... but like I said ... I'm curious.) :chinscratch:

My wife likes her. Not enough guitars in her music for my tastes, though.

*someone* must like her, doesn't she sing in Las Vegas practically every night ?

of course, i don't personally know a single person who does, so this is pure speculation on my part.

I really meant ... does anyone HERE like her. I don't know anyone who does, personally, but then again, her name doesn't come up in conversation much (or at all), so maybe it's just that I don't know.

Shows to you the :good taste: that floats around MR.

Just curious .... does anyone here actually like Celine Dion?? (No, I don't ... I do not like anything about her singing ... but like I said ... I'm curious.) :chinscratch:
I like some of her stuff. Mostly from before My Heart Will Go On (which is not actually a bad track but has been ruined by overexposure) - e.g All By Myself or It's All Coming Back to Me Now.
But then I like all kinds of music.

...with respect, but that is so wrong it's laughable. seriously, take a look at the film "scratch" sometime ; it will at least help you understand, even if you never learn to like it (you don't have to like it ;)). it takes years of hard work to become a good dj... That, is still juggling, a performance. It is not music. It is using canned music, often someone else's.

I'm sorry Zelda. I can not accept this.

well, as a melomane who has a long and diverse experience with music of all kinds, i disagree completely, as do quite a lot of people, and i suspect probably you think that partly because your opinion is too uninformed. but i won't try to convince you. if you ever are interested, you can find out more about it, and maybe you'll end up changing your mind.

well, as a melomane who has a long and diverse experience with music of all kinds, i disagree completely, as do quite a lot of people, and i suspect probably you think that partly because your opinion is too uninformed. but i won't try to convince you. if you ever are interested, you can find out more about it, and maybe you'll end up changing your mind.Have you ever Made music?

I like some of her stuff. Mostly from before My Heart Will Go On (which is not actually a bad track but has been ruined by overexposure) - e.g All By Myself or It's All Coming Back to Me Now.
But then I like all kinds of music.

Phew! I was about to say that a guilty, shameful pleasure of mine (hell, it's a bit late for shame - I've already admitted to Wannabe ;) ) is My Heart Will Go On, which I haven't let be ruined, simply by not listening to it (ie. I turned off the radio whenever it came on). There's few songs that can ever beat that kind of overexposure. There was one recently, which I could listen to every time, and still listen to, and leave on repeat, and never have it go bad...what was it?

Hmm...must have gone bad afterall.

No, wait! It was Mika's Grace Kelly. I love that song (and the album isn't bad either - not fully realised, but it has some pretty nifty songs).

Cheers,
Marc

Queen Zee, Yvan, if this keeps turning uglier between you two - two of my most favouritest people on MR - I will be most distressed, and you wouldn't like to see me all weepy, and trantrummy, and throwing all my toys around my playroom, would you? It's really tragic when I do. You'll lose all respect for me at my pathetic whine and petulant moping and abjectly selfish demands for attention, and, you don't want that, do you? [eyes go all full and soft and a little weepy; lower lip starts to tremble...]

Here's a good one for you both...I *love* the banjo. Surely you can both join forces against me on that (if not, I also love the bagpipes and the accordion. I'm currently playing Bucks Fizz's Making Your Mind Up on alternate repeat along with the Bangles' Walk Like an Egyptian. C'mon, there's got to be something you can jointly dislike about music I listen to? :) )

Cheers,
Marc

Celine Dion? I hate to say that my wife bought four tickets for her January concert here and that she bought them last November. Yes, she bought them 14 months ahead of time before everyone else did. Since I found that out, I've been trying desperately to dream up a creative way to be deathly ill that day without letting down the family. Suggestions welcome - my precious bacon for the best idea. What puzzles me is why I am going to have to go through this - my neighbors and friends won't. What did I do? And even more strange is the fact that my wife owns none of her CDs. Was this an opportunity to torture her spouse that she just couldn't pass up?

I think Marc makes a great point. It is obvious his taste in music is simply atrocious!

ZP and Yvan, I really think your esteemed collective taste and intellect are much better served bashing ol' montsnmags abysmal aural patheticness!

What do bagpipe players and accordionists have in common? They both enjoy stuffing feral cats in bags and squeezing them for their own sick enjoyment!

Yvan, while I have no great personal like for rap music (there are exceptions) I do wonder about your stand on "dj"s as using "canned music"

Do you find players of the Mellotron not to be musicians? It too uses "canned music" that is manipulated for the purposes of the song. While it has a more standard form "keyboards", it is just taped sounds that are manipulated by pressing keys and foot pedals.

I really would not disqualify a "dj" from being a musician just because he uses a unique way of producing his sounds.

What matters if whether the music produced is enjoyable to you, or not.

And yes, I am a musician (player of music) going on 35 years (guitar and keyboards).

Vivaldirules, is the concert sold out yet?

You could possibly talk her into selling them for a profit, and then buying something more enjoyable, and longer lasting... like prefrontal lobotomies.

But then after the lobotomies, you might actually regret missing the Celine Dion concert.

Now this is quite good. A bloke named Gus from Scotland that makes simple videos of he and his buddies covering old rock and roll classics with plastic ukuleles, melodicas, maracas, beat up suitcases and other thrift shop instruments.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbPYmGq74eI

Turntables are to music the same as throwing paint on a canvas to art. Yes you need skill, yes you need to master composition but working at it to make it work will not take long to master.

Maybe it is a bit like throwing paint to a canvas ... in the sense that it is easier to really master than classical instruments (although it still does take lots of years of hard practice). But as with modern art, it sometimes has a certain creativity and energy that's lacking in a LOT of contemperary rock music (which often suffers from bad production and band members who don't really know how to play or to sing ... )

Try to check out Kid Koala's "Some of my best friends are DJ's" - I like what he does with the turntables.

The same goes for pop/dance music. When you hear it, it sounds really easy and simple but I've been told it's actually very hard. My brother is very much into music: he plays guitar, bass and piano and has a small studio. He claims it's much harder to make a good dance or pop number than a rock song, the difficulty being in good timing, good sound, good groove ...

Someone mentionned Mika's "Grace Kelly". I adore this song. It sounds easy, catchy but I'm sure it is very hard to make music like this ...

Have you ever Made music?

I hope you're not saying that you need to have actually MADE music in order to really appreciate it or know what you're talking about ?

(...)you wouldn't like to see me all weepy, and trantrummy, and throwing all my toys around my playroom, would you?

no, you're right, we absolutely don't want that !! good heavens.

Here's a good one for you both...I *love* the banjo. Surely you can both join forces against me on that (if not, I also love the bagpipes and the accordion.
I think Marc makes a great point. It is obvious his taste in music is simply atrocious!

What do bagpipe players and accordionists have in common? They both enjoy stuffing feral cats in bags and squeezing them for their own sick enjoyment!
heh heh... actually i like the accordeon myself but bagpipes, good god man, don't you have *ears* ??? :unafraid:

Phew! I was about to say that a guilty, shameful pleasure of mine (hell, it's a bit late for shame - I've already admitted to Wannabe ;) ) is My Heart Will Go On
(...)
Mika's Grace Kelly. I love that song (and the album isn't bad either - not fully realised, but it has some pretty nifty songs).
ok, well i had to check these on youtube because i didn't know either of them. i confirm that i don't like céline dion (i was a bit worried that was slamming her without actually knowing any of her songs, because i couldn't remember ever actually hearing one). but Grace Kelly, not bad, i can see why you like that. since we're admitting guilty pleasures (and because i am confident that nothing can top "wannabe", which i also had to look up on youtube...;)) i like "freedom" by george michael... i don't actually own it, mind you, but i have a girlfriend who always plays that when she has a party, and *everybody* dances to that one. also "express yourself" by madonna... :rolleyes:

WDecraene : thanks for the tip about Kid Koala "Some of my best friends are DJ's" ; excellent stuff. and the videos are brilliant too.

Now this is quite good. A bloke named Gus from Scotland that makes simple videos of he and his buddies covering old rock and roll classics with plastic ukuleles, melodicas, maracas, beat up suitcases and other thrift shop instruments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbPYmGq74eI
those guys are my new heroes.

i humbly submit for your sensory pleasure a linky of my own :
http://www.7secondsoflove.com/love/
this is yet another pearl from boy genius Joel Veitch (my hero), who brought us (among others) the spongmonkeys and countless other strange masterpieces which you can find on his site rathergood.com (it's more than rather good).
i liked this song enough to buy the mp3 (what can i say, i like ska and i dig a good horn section, and after all it's the least i can do to encourage Mr. Veitch) but everytime i want to listen to it i find myself going back to the site, because the video is so brilliant. singing kittens from 1940's, y'all, it doesnt get better than that.

if still in doubt, take a look at a few other popular favorites :

http://www.rathergood.com/soluble/ (i'm glad i'm not soluble too.)
http://www.rathergood.com/biscuits/ (mango biscuit tragic travesty)
and of course, the spongmonkeys :
http://www.rathergood.com/moon_song/ (we like tha moooooooooooooon !!!)

As somebody who is pretty familiar with '90s semi-commercial rap, I can say that there's plenty to like. The music will tend to be ignorant, but it's so content-heavy and the kick mixes are often going groove good.