Music Wibble

[Ookii]

...For my money Mars Volta is the best new band to come along in a long time.

*cough* At the Drive In

Apparently this is the band that spawned The Mars Volta, so I find them guilty by association.

[Sky]

The new rhythym section is crushing. ATDI was cool, though. Different vibe entirely.

[Tige]

I'm actually more of a Bootsy Collins or Stanley Clarke fan, but if anyone mentions fretless Jaco always jumps to mind.  I have to confess that I don't own nearly as much Weather Report stuff as I'd like to.  That will give me something to work on. 

Oh, have you listened to much Dream Theater?  While not fretless, they have an outstanding technical bassist. 

Jaco is one of my favorites, along with Mick Karn (ex Japan), Percy Jones (ex Brand X), Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck & The Flecktones), Holger Czukay (ex CAN), Jah Wobble (ex PIL), Bill Laswell (Material) ... but Bootsy & Stanley Clarke are up there too. :)

John Myung of Dream Theater is pretty spectacular - as are all the people in band. Their music tends to be a bit too self-indulgent for me though.

Check out Michael Manring for more fretless bass. 

[RhyssaFireheart]

Steve Harris,

Damn you, Sky.  Now I just spent almost an hour watching Maiden videos on YouTube instead of doing work.     Steve Harris made me realize that bass players could be just as cool as guitar players. 

Nick Black Band - from Detroit, found them through a GitS AMV some guy made using their music. That's their myspace page link.

My 2c on screaming vocals - I just like to be able to understand that words are being said, to be honest.  I don't have to understand the words at all (which means other languages are fine), but it should sound like something more than long winded primal scream therapy gone wrong.  Which reminds me, back to Maiden, Bruce Dickinson's got some damn good breathing control.  Some singers couldn't hold a long note to save their lives, or they sound like they are out of breath while singing. 

[dusematic]

Screamo is for the emotionally crippled.

[Sky]

Damn you, Sky.  Now I just spent almost an hour watching Maiden videos on YouTube instead of doing work.     Steve Harris made me realize that bass players could be just as cool as guitar players. 

Which reminds me, back to Maiden, Bruce Dickinson's got some damn good breathing control.  Some singers couldn't hold a long note to save their lives, or they sound like they are out of breath while singing. 

Just passing the time wasting along. Making that post took about two hours as in between actually working I was watching Maiden and Sabbath videos. Not many good Cliff videos :( I was going to split his name into two links, too, with the second being Call of Ktulu or Orion. My band didn't really do covers, but we covered a couple Cliff-era songs, Orion, Master of Puppets, and Fade to Black for our first bass player who died at 16.

Watching Cliff inspired me to go home and play bass, the results of which are over in the guitar thread if you're into that.

On Dickinson, he was a fencer and soccer player (as was at least Steve Harris). My singer worshipped Bruce, vocally, and used to do a sporty stuff (he jogged and we used to spar) for lung capacity. You really have to work hard to get even close to that level of power and sustain, and even Bruce would get winded at shows quite often.

[Selby]

You really have to work hard to get even close to that level of power and sustain, and even Bruce would get winded at shows quite often.

Last time I saw them live (2003) Bruce still had amazing control, especially considering he was running all around the stage and jumping off of the risers.  It was a sight to behold.  I can only dream of ever having that kind of control.

[Margalis]

About shouty music, to me Rage Against the Machine is not shouty at all. I consider shouty something like the band Death.

Iron Maiden rules. I love bands where I can listen to a single instrument for the entire song and really fixate on it. The bass is like that in some IM songs, as are the drums in Dream Theater songs.

[dusematic]

Rage Against The Machine is like the most influential band of the 90s.  Of Course they rule.  I just saw them in NYC for Rock The Bells.  It was so intense, and then they called Bush and Cheney and Fox News fascists.  It was so rock and roll.

[Margalis]

How much of that is green?

[Sky]

I love bands where I can listen to a single instrument for the entire song and really fixate on it. The bass is like that in some IM songs, as are the drums in Dream Theater songs.

I love bands where the entire band is playing something interesting enough to listen to for the whole song. That's why I don't get the Mars Volta hate. They fucking rock. You people are weird. You might as well say early Rush sucks.

[bhodi]

http://www.moceanworker.com/

OK, i just like the video.

[Sky]

Were there DJs involved in that? It sounded very synthetic, there wasn't a good natural groove to it. It wasn't awful, I did like a few of the horn lines, but again, it sounded fake. Cool video.

Heh, edit after my post ftw!

[bhodi]

I've heard this one somewhere before.. I like the music fine, but that video was cooler than the music :)

http://www.moceanworker.com/videos/right-now

You're right about the synthetic sound. There isn't a lot of groove.

[Margalis]

I love bands where the entire band is playing something interesting enough to listen to for the whole song. That's why I don't get the Mars Volta hate. They fucking rock. You people are weird. You might as well say early Rush sucks.

Hey, I didn't say anything about Mars Volta, I have no idea what they sound like. And yes, obviously I like songs where the whole song is great, I was just making the point that it's extra special to be able to zone in a single instrument for the entire song.

[Righ]

Check out Michael Manring for more fretless bass. 

Yes - I heard some Michael Manring recently, and I need to get some more. Quite different from the wacky slippery style of Mick Karn or Percy Jones, but pretty brilliant playing. Butler, Harris & Burton. Good stuff. I've seen them all live.

[Selby]

I love bands where the entire band is playing something interesting enough to listen to for the whole song.

Which is my entire thought process for music.  If I like the song, who cares who wrote it and whatnot?  A good song to me is still a good song.  Some bands just don't get to be "good" song writers or performers.

As far as not liking music because it is hip or cool not to, I was like that when I was 15 too.  I got over what other people thought of my musical tastes a long time ago (I got enough questions asking when I was going to carve "Slayer" into my arms it almost became their signature greeting to me with most people).

[Margalis]

Which is my entire thought process for music.  If I like the song, who cares who wrote it and whatnot? 

I would counter with "knowing stuff is cool." I really enjoy learning about the history of different bands and performers and what links them, and it has a practical advantage of helping you find similar stuff you might like.

[Merusk]

Since you all seem to know WAY more about music than I do, I've a question.  I don't like buying albums without knowing I'll like the material within, so how the hell do you find out about all these other bands?

  Given that the only radio I can listen to locally is Clear-Channel owned and run, their playlist is maybe 100 songs. Given that it's also a hard rock station, most of those songs are 20+ years old.  It's certainly widened my appreciation for stuff I ignored when I was younger (because the only stations I listened to then played 80's pop)  like Zep and AC/DC, but it sure as hell doesn't broaden my musical horizons.

Also, anyone got some stuff similar to Monster Magnet?  That's a live version of one of my favorite songs, but most folks know them for Space Lord which I've heard pop-up in a few different movies.  Great vocals, awesome riffs without being too damn repetitive and lyrics I dig - which is usually important, since if I can't understand the song I usually can't enjoy it.

[Sky]

Hey, I didn't say anything about Mars Volta

I was referencing other posters, sorry.

Righ: I've seen 'em all, too. So glad I got to see Burton, especially.

Merusk: I use a combination of tools. Allmusic.com is a good start. LIke say I'm digging some Buddy Guy, I'll go look at people he's jammed with. He jammed heavily with Junior Wells, who I hit up some previews (on allmusic or amazon), and he's incredible. So I grab some Wells albums. Then I hit up the Credits tab and I can see who played on the album.

A lot of time they'll tell you about former bands that band members come from or bands they splinter into. Or they'll list some influences or similar artists. Finally, they also list stuff they think is similar through their algorithm. Amazon also starts to get decent about recommending things, but it takes them a long time and it's a bit work intensive to 'train' their site imo.

Finally, there are some great streaming music apps out there. Pandora alone got me several dozen albums. You enter an artist or song name, and it plays stuff it thinks is similar. You then give each track a thumbs up or thumbs down and train it on what you like.

Monster Magnet. Have you checked out the Melvins or Kyuss? Two of my favorite heavier bands. Demon Cleaner is sick. I need to go listen to some Kyuss right now, I think.

[Engels]

Merusk, I would also recommend playing with pandora. It manages to expose you to stuff you'd not heard of before based on your prior tastes. Its a little hit or miss, but on the whole, you get a good selection of stuff you've not heard of.

[Merusk]

So do you guys play with Pandora at work then? Kinda kills it for me, since our internet is locked down from any sort of streaming.  Hell, I've gotten the "stay off the internet" warning just for posting on F13 at lunch.

Thanks for the heads up tho, I'll check out those bands and add Pandora to my bookmarks so I actually remember to play around with it this time.  I know it's been mentioned here before, I just forgot about it.

[Engels]

Well, considering its my first week at my new job, nope, I will not be pulling up Pandora at work. Heh.

[Righ]

Also, anyone got some stuff similar to Monster Magnet?  That's a live version of one of my favorite songs, but most folks know them for Space Lord which I've heard pop-up in a few different movies.  Great vocals, awesome riffs without being too damn repetitive and lyrics I dig - which is usually important, since if I can't understand the song I usually can't enjoy it.

Yeah, I have quite a lot of stuff that sounds akin to Monster Magnet. They were significantly influenced (and covered a few songs by) the kings of the heavy acid space rock sound: Hawkwind. You may well like Fu Manchu, Orange Goblin, and (the related) Atomic Bitchwax. Kyuss was a good call too. There's a nice online store that specializes is 'stoner' / 'doom' rock:

http://www.stonerrock.com/store/ath.asp

[Selby]

I would counter with "knowing stuff is cool." I really enjoy learning about the history of different bands and performers and what links them, and it has a practical advantage of helping you find similar stuff you might like.

I do this religiously about a band I get interested in.  I want to know all about the members, lineups, and history.  Mostly because I don't want to be seen as a moron who only likes one song from them.  Finding out who influenced a band is the quickest way to discover other music that you may like.

As for finding new music, I've used this site for almost 10 years to locate different bands and track members of their various projects and get an idea of what others out there in the field are listening to.

[Righ]

http://www.rockdetector.com/ is pretty good for mainstream rock and metal
http://www.progarchives.com/ is great for all things arty

[CmdrSlack]

We just got this album in the mail. After you get past the first track ("Rehab," which is WAY overplayed on local radio), the rest of the album is quite good. There are a couple of tracks that rely on a very minimal instrumental track, which doesn't work as well as it could -- she's not an Aretha or a Nina Simone. But yeah, a darn good album.

It came with the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, which is also quite good if you like reggae/first wave ska.

[Phildo]

Personally, I just make it a point to hang out with people who have diverse tastes in music.  Most of the bands I listen to now are groups that friends have recommended, played in their car, etc.

Also, CMJ magazine is great.  Every month they send you a CD with songs from brand new albums, and a lot of the artists are groups you would never hear of otherwise.

[stray]

Another fun band in my opinion.

BLOC PARTY

Kinda hard to categorize. Sometimes upbeat and ska-punk like, sometimes Morrisey-ish, sometimes as dance poppy as Pink (lol).

Helicopter

The Prayer

Positive Tension

[Signe]

Morrisey-ish

[stray]

I only say that because the singer is British and can hit high notes. And I'm just being silly. He's really nothing like Morrissey. For one, he's Black.... :)

[EDIT] What really got me to say that is some of the song structure with their ballads (so to speak). To be serious though, they're like a strange cross between Coldplay and Gang of Four. With a lot of Bush bashing inbetween.


ANYWAYS...

I've been trying to think of more abrasive or "experimental" stuff to post, but I give up. I'm just going to keep posting these poppy bands. I've come to the conclusion that catchy tunes are the truly experimental ones -- because the easiest, least experimental thing to do as a musician is sound like shit and not write any hooks at all.

[dusematic]

I've been trying to think of more abrasive or "experimental" stuff to post, but I give up. I'm just going to keep posting these poppy bands. I've come to the conclusion that catchy tunes are the truly experimental ones -- because the easiest, least experimental thing to do as a musician is sound like shit and not write any hooks at all.

Amen.  I need music with a healthy pop sensibility. 

[dusematic]

How much of that is green?

None of it.

[Sky]

the easiest, least experimental thing to do as a musician is sound like shit and not write any hooks at all.

I can agree with this. I love bands that jam, I tend not to like jam bands. I mean, I can listen to them and dig the instrumentation, but I just can't get into them or buy an album or anything. There's no framework. There's no good songwriting. Someone like Moe or String Cheese Incident, they jam. But they're boring imo. On the other hand, I can watch a twelve minute song by the Allman Brothers Band (modern or classic) and be into it the whole time. Same with Mars Volta, they have interesting hooks in their music to go back to and ground the jammy parts.

[Margalis]

How much of that is green?

None of it.

I was referring mostly to "Rage Against The Machine is like the most influential band of the 90s." Although giving it more thought that might be more accurate than I first thought. It doesn't seem like grunge bands have had a lasting influence compared to shouty rap-metal.