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Major league bands you just don't 'get'


EricZepp

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To kick things off, how about Pink Floyd? Zzzzzzzzzzz..........

After a dazzlingly unique debut, what do they do? Kick out the songwriter just because he takes too much acid and weirds-out for a few weeks, then spend the next 5 years and christ knows how many albums trying to figure out how to write a decent song. Their gigs are so tedious that they have to use blinding light shows and cruddy special effects to keep the crowd awake. They hit pay-dirt with Dark Side, an album with about three nice tunes, two guitar solos and a whole load of padding. Two good but bloated albums follow, and then what? Nothing. 90% of The Wall is utter shite, and after that, well, forget it.

And has there ever, in the history of rock, been a more egocentric, self-pitying, sociopathic lyricist than Mr Waters? Hey there, Big Dave, if you two ever do get back together, give ol' Rog a big hug. He needs it. But afterwards, just remember to stay out of spitting distance, ok?

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Wow. That was spoken like someone who hasn't heard any of their music bar what gets beaten to death on the radio. You know, they're called "bootlegs". You don't get any of the lights and smoke and Mr. Screen projections when you hear their music that way. It'll give you a better appreciation for just how talented they were. I have close to 250 bootlegs from 1968 to Live 8 in 2005. Not one sounds the same as another, even during the same tour.

All that being said however....................boy howdy are you missing out. That's your loss, though.

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It isn't that the members of PF aren't great musicians, but some of us just don't "get" it. An example for me is Frank Zappa. I know he was a talented guitarist and composer but I just don't understand the appeal.

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Bootlegs are the purest way to listen to any group. It's stripped of all studio effects and wizardry and allows you to listen to the music, plain and simple. Also, if you weren't one to get into their live shows visually, bootlegs remove that aspect and allow you to just experience the music, nothing more and nothing less.

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Well Dark Side of the Moon is on my top five of all time list. It is a masterpiece. The Wall is great and soo too is Wish you were Here. The synthesizer in Welcome to the Machine is the best I have ever ever heard. They are truly fabulous. But as far as their personalites and such, I just dont know enough about them.

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Roger was the ego. Nick was the goofy one. Rick was the quiet one. David was the moody one. As individuals they were anonymous. They weren't photographed for their albums after Meddle and were mostly obscured on stage by smoke and a light show. They preferred for people to listen to the music and focus on that rather than them as people. Roger always thought that who was playing the music didn't matter, it was what you heard and took away from it that counted. I think there's some truth to that, although toward the end of the 70s it was becoming increasingly obvious that Roger did indeed want you to focus on Pink Floyd and by Pink Floyd he meant him.

But that's another thread.

To respond to the OP's original question, a band that I've heard a lot of music by but never actually got into was The Who. I like some of their songs, but for the most part....meh.

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Roger was the ego. Nick was the goofy one. Rick was the quiet one. David was the moody one. As individuals they were anonymous. They weren't photographed for their albums after Meddle and were mostly obscured on stage by smoke and a light show. They preferred for people to listen to the music and focus on that rather than them as people. Roger always thought that who was playing the music didn't matter, it was what you heard and took away from it that counted. I think there's some truth to that, although toward the end of the 70s it was becoming increasingly obvious that Roger did indeed want you to focus on Pink Floyd and by Pink Floyd he meant him.

But that's another thread.

To respond to the OP's original question, a band that I've heard a lot of music by but never actually got into was The Who. I like some of their songs, but for the most part....meh.

I dont know if there is any truth to it but someone back in the 70s told me Pink Floyd only liked to play NY and LA because it took so long to set up their equipment and the cost of it was great. Sounded a bit fishy but I dont know? I had tickets to see them in Hamilton and the moron that was to drive us, told us his car broke down. Man, what a heartbreaker.

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The only time PF ever played just NY and LA was when they did The Wall, and that's because it was too expensive and laborious to put on as a full-scale touring production that went around the country. They toured all over the place from 1968-1977 and then again from 1987-1994.

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It isn't that the members of PF aren't great musicians, but some of us just don't "get" it. An example for me is Frank Zappa. I know he was a talented guitarist and composer but I just don't understand the appeal.

I fell asleep during a Zappa concert. Could of been the weed, but I found it to be pretty boring too.

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I happen to be a big fan of the Who, Whos Next and Quadrophenia especially. But I will admit you have to kind of develope an ear to like them. So I can see why you dont like them. Personally, I dont like Springstien. Never did, never will. Or Elvis. And I think REO Speedwagon is overated as helll. Only like one or two songs. I actually liked some disco. Dont laugh. Back in the day. Some of it was good. I actually got a disco bar to play Trampled under Foot by Zeppelin. Now that is disco and hard rock mixed. More brilliance by Mr page.

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Wow. That was spoken like someone who hasn't heard any of their music bar what gets beaten to death on the radio. You know, they're called "bootlegs". I have close to 250 bootlegs from 1968 to Live 8 in 2005. Not one sounds the same as another, even during the same tour.

Well I have several Floyd bootlegs actually, Electrophile, and I have to say they're even more boring than the studio versions. My favourite ones are from 1967. If you have c.250 boots, why none from 67? Don't you like the early stuff? I hope you're not one of those Syd Haters. He was on such an exponential writing-curve when he was ousted. Cut off in his prime. Apples and Oranges (that video of him refusing to mime - priceless!), Vegetable Man.....pure psychedelia. If only the others had given him a little more time and respect, they could have been such a great SONGS band in the late 60s, instead of just sounding like a bunch of jam-band amateurs banging around in a tool-shed. Look at 'The Madcap Laughs', and compare it to the space junk Floyd were putting out around the same time. Christ, even Hawkwind were more coherent.

Good call up there on The Dead, luvlz2. What was that all about? Yawn.

Oh, and can I add Jethro Tull to the list? Sweet jesus, what a joke they were.

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To kick things off, how about Pink Floyd? Zzzzzzzzzzz..........

After a dazzlingly unique debut, what do they do? Kick out the songwriter just because he takes too much acid and weirds-out for a few weeks, then spend the next 5 years and christ knows how many albums trying to figure out how to write a decent song. Their gigs are so tedious that they have to use blinding light shows and cruddy special effects to keep the crowd awake. They hit pay-dirt with Dark Side, an album with about three nice tunes, two guitar solos and a whole load of padding. Two good but bloated albums follow, and then what? Nothing. 90% of The Wall is utter shite, and after that, well, forget it.

And has there ever, in the history of rock, been a more egocentric, self-pitying, sociopathic lyricist than Mr Waters? Hey there, Big Dave, if you two ever do get back together, give ol' Rog a big hug. He needs it. But afterwards, just remember to stay out of spitting distance, ok?

Actually for most of the 5 years after Syd the Floyd didnt have much of a stage show at all, it only started to be devolped again when Darkside was written.

For me its alot of the prog bands of the early 70's, Yes, ELP, Genesis, King Crimson(although Fripp elsewvere I like) etc, they do have there moments but generally I just hear a load of muscial wanking and laughable lyrics/concepts. It was basically a evolutionary dead end if you ask me where as the actual evolution of rock continued though the German krautrock bands who devolped the Floyds concepts much mroe sucessfully.

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^^ I agree with EricZepp in that case the early Pink Floyd were more interesting than post-Syd, but I do like the stuff they made up until about The Wall.

There are many bands that I don't get, mostly corporate radio friendly sell-out music, which tends to be very popular. Often they just sound dull and boring.

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With Floyd, I had an interesting experience:

At first, I was quite obsessed with them (there are few artists I've been obssessed with - Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan and the only one that resisted more than a year -Zep): in high school, I saw The Wall movie on some big screen projection, and then we discussed it in class (of course, now, when I remember it..I see what a pretentious, overblown young snobs ("know it all" type) we were :lol: ); I had DSOTM and Shine On You.. on casette in the early 90's; when the internet and mp3 spreaded to my neck of the wood, I had several PF playlists on my computer, including songs from all their career.

Then, not long time ago, I managed to get all their discography, and I started to listen to it in order. Maybe it was the age, or the wrong mood, but I had a hard time to get through many of the dragging songs. Plus, I had an accute sensation that they repeted themselves (musically) too many times (bits of songs found in other songs). Of course, their best stuff is still better than anyone's (IMO, again). But I don't keep them in such high regard as before.

But I still listen to them when I'm in the right mood (a depressive one). The emperor have beautifull clothes in this case, for me.

From the bands I really don't get (even after listen a good amount of their work) is The Who. I listened Tommy and Quad-integral. Plus, I listened to lots of advices, to listen this or that on YouTube, but I hate their sound. I kind of like some of Pete's solo work, so I guess the problem is Roger's voice (I hate his tone) and the cacophonic sound (simple melody overloaded with suplimentar drum/bass frenzy). For me, the emperor is in his underwear, doing windmills and smashing things, but in this case I can see his crown.

From the bands I could't get myself to listen enough songs, since I disliked it too much, is Def Leppard. Maybe I could blame the drum sound - I know, he guy have only one hand. But for me the emperor is naked, in this case. Radiohead falls into that category - of bands I never made it pass the front gates- for me (but I'm aware that are hugely popular. Also, this "indie" music, where all those new bands sounds the same ...it was pleasant at the beginning, but now I start laughing / rolling eyes when I hear yet another Snow Patroll follower.

I'm kind of over-feed with Queen and U2 (so, you couldn't make me listen to them right now, even if I don't hate them and I get why they are so high regarded). The emperor have clothes ... but I don't like them.

I'm kind of over-grown from Metallica (even if One is still in my current playlist)- but the emperor still have clothes in this case

I kind of start to see the emperor's clothes in Rolling Stones case (after a long time I was convinced he's naked)- but Far Away Eyes made me to dig deeper.

Uh, Kiwi, I love RHCP (but not all their songs)! I melt when I hear the guitar in Scar Tissue (Californication album is in heavy rotation, when I need a break from too much Zeppelin :P - this album and INXS's Greatest Hits)

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I like Syd's work but I think alot of the praise he gets is based far more on the cult of personality and his closer connection to the spirit of 67 than it is quality.

The great thing about Floyd post Syd for me was exactly that they werent great songwritters or virtuoso musicans yet the bands name ment they had the time and the money to devolp there own sound. The way they deconstructed rock in those post Syd years on tracks like Careful With Tha Axe Eugene made for both great music and a massive influence(far greater than any of Syds work), Can, Neu. Kraftwerk etc wouldnt have maded the way they did without them(and the Velvets) which fed into endless musical advances down to the present day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPgAM31N5Co

If anything beyond simple rock/blues/pop songs isnt something you like then I spose theres little to enjoy from the Floyd of that era but I think your cutting yourself off from much of the best modern music.

That said I agree The Wall only has a few good tracks on it and nothing they've released since is that great.

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I like quite a few songs on Piper, I just don't have any boots from that year. Me hating Syd? What pish. Besides I have plenty of boots from later years where they did songs off Piper as part of their set list, so it's all good. I wish they did IO more, but what can you do?

Anyway, you have no clue as to why he was dropped from the band and it has absolutely nothing to do with your assertion that they didn't give him enough "time and respect". They gave him plenty of time and plenty of space and even tried to treat it like a Brian Wilson-situation, where he'd be at home writing music and David would be the touring guitarist, but it became increasingly obvious that Syd was too mentally unstable to do even that. They had no choice but to drop him, he couldn't work anymore. So don't try and make it out to be big, bad Pink Floyd and poor widdle Syd. He did it to himself, they did what they felt they had to do. They've all said in later years they wished they'd done more/better for him, but at the time, they just didn't know what else to do.

Frankly, they made the best of a shitty situation. As much as I like some of the stuff he did, the music they made post-Piper is about a trillion times better.

But again, going back to my very first post.....it's your loss.

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Piper is a masterpiece. Personally, I had no knowledge of the character Syd Barrett when I first heard early Floyd, so I can't say his cult has influenced me at all.

Besides pre-Wall albums, I do like some of the live recordings they did without Waters. Gilmore is always a pleasure to listen to, both guitar- and voice wise.

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Uh, Kiwi, I love RHCP (but not all their songs)! I melt when I hear the guitar in Scar Tissue (Californication album is in heavy rotation, when I need a break from too much Zeppelin :P - this album and INXS's Greatest Hits)

I don't dislike RHCP entirely though! I do like "Stadium Arcadium"...bit of a weird album but it did grow on me quite a bit! :P As for INXS, they are awesome! I love songs like "Original Sin", "Mystify", "Suicide Blonde", "Never Tear Us Apart", "Listen Like Theives", "Need You Tonight", "New Sensation" and "Devil Inside"....I turn to INXS, Deep Purple, ABBA (yes, I do like a bit of disco too! :P) and The Stones when I face a Zeppelin overload! LOL! :lol: But that's sort of a rarity though! :P

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How can someone hate Pink Floyd???! Gosh! :huh: But I guess a person's music taste is really subjective! Oh well! Each to his own, I guess! :huh:

The same way someone can also not like Zep, the Beatles, the Stones, Elvis Presley, etc. I think "hate" is a very strong word. Definitely one I would not apply to music. There are artists I favor and some I don't like so much but there are none I outright hate.

Also, this "indie" music, where all those new bands sounds the same ...it was pleasant at the beginning, but now I start laughing / rolling eyes when I hear yet another Snow Patroll follower.

"Indie" is not a type of music. It's an indication that an artist is on an independent record label. I love new music and crave it constantly. The joy of discovering that new artist I just can't stop listening to is what attracts me. Unfortunately I seem to be in the minority on this board when it comes to that. For a band that was as original and groundbreaking as Led Zeppelin, they have some of the most narrow minded fans I've ever encountered when it comes to embracing other music styles and current music.

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For a band that was as original and groundbreaking as Led Zeppelin, they have some of the most narrow minded fans I've ever encountered when it comes to embracing other music styles and current music.

+1

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Exactly Jahfin. Independent artists are the only ones who are allowed to sound different, because they have more control over their own destiny - typically speaking. John Butler Trio was able to have the #1 disc a few months ago, in Australia, as an independent artist over such musical giants as Lady Gaga and others. That rarely happens anymore - which is sad.

Another band I really don't get is Phish. I mean I love the Grateful Dead and so many fans are cross-over fans of both bands, but I never could stand them.

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