I was thinking last night about how many supposedly credible bands and artists I've tried to get into over the years, but never actually manage it. With such acts, its almost as if I’m more into THE IDEA of likening them than I actually like them. The first example for me would be Bowie. I really want to get into Bowie. There’s such a wealth of material out there to discover and some of his work is truely outstanding, but I've never managed it. I'm ALMOST tempted to put Dylan in their too, but I own 6 or 7 records of his and if I dwell much deeper I think I'll end up a Bob junkie like I am with the Stones.

Anyway, any one else got some examples for themselves?

happened same thing to me...my ex-girlfriend really liked bowie..i wanted to get into him..but really didn't love his song...then months later i restarted to listen his best of bowie...i really got into him..got almost every album of him, he's my hero now (behind keith offff couuursee!). bowie insn't as direct as the stones, it takes time before you learn to love him..but i tell ya...after a while you can't get enough LOL! i tried to get into T-rex, but i can't..can't found any special song..really nothing partiluar that impresses me (help me if i'm wrong!). And kraftwerk too, love some songs..but at the end who really can listen a krafwerk album from the beginning to the end?? you really must get asleep!

i've tried hard and persisted over the years with Springsteen- but he just doesn't float my boat.. nothing i can do about it- it's me, not him.

REM have always underwhelmed me (with the exception of 1-2 tracks from 'Automatic For The People'). To top it off, they were appaling live, when i caught them at Hammersmith Apollo, 2 years ago.

Radiohead, are another band, with a dedicated, cult following, who i've long, struggled with. I loved 'The Bends', but everything else has left me cold and scratching my head.
If i hear 'OK Computer' or 'Kid A', i just want to walk out of the room.

Adrian-L Wrote:
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> If i hear 'OK Computer' or 'Kid A', i just want
> to walk out of the room.


Run, don't walk!!!

My contribution to this thread: Nirvana. what's the deal?

Adrian-L Wrote:
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> i've tried hard and persisted over the years with
> Springsteen- but he just doesn't float my boat..
> nothing i can do about it- it's me, not him.
>
> REM have always underwhelmed me (with the
> exception of 1-2 tracks from 'Automatic For The
> People'). To top it off, they were appaling live,
> when i caught them at Hammersmith Apollo, 2 years
> ago.
>
> Radiohead, are another band, with a dedicated,
> cult following, who i've long, struggled with. I
> loved 'The Bends', but everything else has left me
> cold and scratching my head.
> If i hear 'OK Computer' or 'Kid A', i just want
> to walk out of the room.

I agree with you on Radiohead. When I was at school al my mates were obsessed with them. I never really got it, but heaven knows I tried. I really wanted to like them, but just couldn’t quite like them as much I'd have liked. Funnily enough, I've just had Ok Computer on the CD player. There’s some okay stuff on it, but I too much prefer The Bends. Hell, I actually like some of Pablo Honey better.

I only own an REM compilation. I've never really tried or wanted to get into them more.

I agree about Springsteen though. I own his Essential collection and adore songs like Thunder Road. I really lie the idea of getting into him more, but can't really be bothered. Something about him is putting me of I guess.

That is a good question. because I know exactly what you mean. Dylan is a huge one with me. I went for many years knowing about him but I am too much of a rocker; I thought he'd be all folk. But he is hardcore! I made a point to discover him proper.
In Rock I got to say I probably am digging as much as I can and want. It is Jazz as a whole that I feel I am missing out on. IMO you have to really get into it. This once @ week listening to Miles and trying to clap your hands to it is for the birds...I fel like I am insulting Jazz as an art by not giving it it's full due.
The other one of course is the classical composers. There are so many I have barely tapped. And I will read a book about the great composers and iut makes me want to listen to it ALL. To know it all. I go on a binge for a while
I do think that there is barely enough time for the Stones alone. Not enough time for all the glorious rock'n roll out there.
Next life I will be an ultra cool jazz hipster.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

nikkibong Wrote:
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> My contribution to this thread: Nirvana. what's
> the deal?

saw them live in '92..didn't do much for me- 1 or 2 catchy, radio-friendly singles, and a couple of patchy albums
(In Utero being the best of an average bunch)

Fanatical teen following due to the whole 'tortured soul with a habit who kills himself, whilst still young', schtick.

If we're talking 'died before they're time' in the 1990's...look no further than Jeff Buckley. Cobain wasn't fit to restring that dude's guitar.

CCR. Miles. Country/C&W all over.

I have some problems with Springsteen, too.
Sometimes I just don't understand him.
Same goes for Bowie.

Me too on Springsteen! I just don't care for him all that much. Some songs strike a positive chord with me but for the most part he just doesn't grab me like the Stones do.

Why would you force yourself to like something you dont. I dont understand the logic here. I get into disagreements over artists all the time, but every one of us make the world go round....if it dont rock, dont worry about it...

JR

Arctic Monkeys

stone-relics Wrote:
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> Why would you force yourself to like something you
> dont.

it's not a question of force, it's if you like, a bit of peer-pressure, or
heavy advertising/influencing from the media..be it advertising campaigns or glowing reviews in the music press.
A prime example would be the late, great John Peel (UK, DJ extroadinaire).

One of his all time favourite bands, were The Fall. He used to push them, and soundcheck them, on a nightly basis.
Many people,have tried to connect with this band and get into their music (mainly out of respect to Peel and his more often than not, superior taste in music) but most, (me included) have failed miserably.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-06-20 16:13 by Adrian-L.

ablett Wrote:
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> Arctic Monkeys

get off the bandwagon, put down the 'andbook!

There are 1000s

I no particular order: Pink Floyd (I like something here and there, but I confess I never made it to finish a full album) Clapton (OK, he did some great stuff, but bores the s out of me) and his Cream (will NEVER understand what the big deal is with them) in general, all the "flower-power" bands and singers, all the "I gave my love a cherry That had no stone I gave my love a chicken That had no bone" kind of music (the mighty Cat Stevens being the KING of them), Springsteen live (yes, he does not excite me), etc.

C

?????????????????????????????????????

Don't succomb to peer pressure...remain true to yourself...I always anger friends when I say I cant stand Springsteen, but everything about him rubs me the wrong way...I dont say its bad, but I just dont like it. Same with many other artists...but if I dont dig, I cant pretend to, just to appease someone...in the words of Bob Marley, "...get up stand up.."

JR

stone-relics Wrote:
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> Why would you force yourself to like something you
> dont. I dont understand the logic here. I get
> into disagreements over artists all the time, but
> every one of us make the world go round....if it
> dont rock, dont worry about it...
>
> JR



That’s a more than valid point, but most of us can think of examples of bands or artists whom we LIKE the idea of likening, but when it comers to the push, were not the fans we perhaps should be. Music is of course all down the personal taste and preference, but as Adrian-L has rightly pointed out; many things draw us to attempting to try and try again. As I said in my initial post, Bowie is my personal prime example. There have been times when I've really wanted to get into him, but have to confess that I like the idea of being a big Bowie fan than to me, the music warrants.

Ok...good luck...
JR

Hip hop music. I tried so hard to fit in, but I can't!!

Seriously though, good topic.

I would say Dylan. I enjoy songs like Like A Rolling Stone, Hurricane, Blowing In The Wind and that kind of stuff. But I can't really get into most of what he's done.

My experience is similar to Chelsea's. I really prefer jazz in a live setting, and classical is just so vast... with that you have to consider not only the composers, but the performers, conductors, and recordings!

I also got into dylan in a similar way.

And I share Adrian's feelings on the Fall. I really like several of their mid-80s albums. But they have tons of live shows available on the torrent sites, and I just stopped trying to keep up with them after sampling a few. I saw them once and it was an eventful show.

A rock act I like but wish I felt inclined to listen to more is (early) Little Feat.

I feel no need to get into Springsteen. Bowie is one of my absolute faves.

I have lots of friends who like Radiohead but I can never get into them.

A few other bands that I never liked are The Who, U2 and Springsteen.

Oasis I think are the biggest crap band I have ever heard, I can't understand how they ever got popular. And to top it off they are pricks with huge egos.

The art-rock movement of the 70's largely escaped me. I've tried on occasion to sample some Yes, Floyd, Genesis - mostly to no avail. These bands ART just not happening for me....

I thought the question was "bands you WANT to get into". Not bands that you jst don't get into to for various reasons. I mean Springsteen, I also have problems with but I really don't even wnat to get into him. I guess I could if I wanted to. I thought the Q was more opne about time. That there is so much potentially great stuff out there that we don't even have time to absorb it all.
Clapton, Cream...YAWN! Springsteen...to me is this talented, well intentioned pseudo-blue collarpreacher. Who needs to learn how to relax and who runs the decidedly most UN-sexy band on the planet.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Every once in a while there will be someone who many people that I respect highly are into. But I just don't like'em. And then I keep going back becuase I think "well there is surely something that I am missing. Am I just too stupid?" Band like the Who, or albums like "OK Computer". I revisit and am satisfied: "No no problemo. I was right. They still suck!"

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

I listen to a very broad range of music, but I have to say Springsteen and U2, as much as I would love to love them and eventually will end up loving them, to me they just seem so phoney. When I look at the old Springsteen live footage, him in that jeans outfit, singing political songs, making silly righteous faces and shaking fist, I can't help but cringe. And what freaking retard-names are "Bono Vox" and "The Edge"? Don't flame me, I know a lot of their music is great but they have some serious phoneyness issues with their image and presence. Anyway, like I said, I'll get over it eventually.

Red Hot Chili Peppers....I like some of their music, but never have been able to see what the big deal is. I have friends that like them a lot, friends whose opinions I respect, but I just don't get it....so I say thanks, but no thanks.

ChelseaDrugstore Wrote:
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> I thought the question was "bands you WANT to get
> into".

It's not just that. I was also hoping to touch on groups or artists you like the IDEA of being into, but that’s it. For instance, I like the idea of being into Bowie because of al his different styles etc.. but I find getting into his actual music the stumbling block!

I don't get the Chili Peppers either. I saw their performance at Pinkpop in Holland on TV a few weeks ago. There was that bass player jumping around like a bunny on coke, doing everything but playing the bass. The singer hardly sang and everything he sang was out of key. I didn'te even notice a drummer. The guitarist wasn't bad. But the songs were so vague; some kind of strange mess, no melody, and lots of crying and strange sounds like they had a synthesizer on stage or something.

Reptile Wrote:
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> I don't get the Chili Peppers either.

Ah, but thats not what this threads really about. Do you at least LIKE the idea of getting into them? )