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Nevermind what you're playing.. what music do you LIKE?


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What I mean is.... I realize that for a professional musician, you may well not like what you play. I know a guy playing for a Grammy winning country artist who really doesn't care for country music. He likes the people he plays with, the artist, and entertaining a crowd, but he doesn't like country.

 

I'm more fortunate than a lot of musicians, because I like a wide range of stuff. I can appreciate the art and talent behind "Bohemian Rhapsody" as well as the art and talent behind a song like "Thrift Shop". It's apples and oranges.. they both taste good, just different... and preparing each of them to eat is a different process.

 

 

That said.. what bands, artists, or songs do you guys like, on a personal level? For me.. it varies.. but some favorites, off the top of my head..

 

Big & Rich - While the newer stuff they've done is not quite as awesome.. their first CD "Horse of a Different Color" is my favorite CD of all time, bar none.

Keith Urban - The dude's an amazing musician. He's a solid vocalist, and a sick guitar player. And when you put just him and an acoustic onstage, he can captivate a crowd just like a full band. It's a shame, because the more popular he gets, the more he focuses on the love songs, and things to make the women melt... but listen to his stuff from his band "The Ranch".. or check out live bootlegs from the earlier part of the 2000s... the guy's sick.

John Mayer - Like Urban.. Mayer's radio stuff isn't really nearly what he's capable of... also a sick guitarist, solid vocalist, and not a bad songwriter. He's a dick.. but he's still got some great music.

Bowling for Soup - Everyone else will say that Blink 182 or Green Day are THE pop punk band.. but I've been drawn to BFS since they came out. The lead singer is NOT a great vocalist.. but he's a hell of a songwriter (see Nelson, Willie), and this band has a fun energy onstage. Like Blink (and the aforementioned Big & Rich), they can be a little TOO cheesy sometimes.. but that's almost part of the fun.

Tom Petty/Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - As I said in the TP thread... not much of his stuff translates to a party band. That doesn't mean he doesn't have some good music. I've never been into drugs (I'll be 30 next week and I've never done an illegal drug)... but that doesn't keep me from appreciating the guy's talent, abilty, songwriting, and heart. I've heard from a number of people that he's boring as hell onstage though, and that's sad. Still, great music.

Tommy James & The Shondells - I hope I get to see Tommy James perform live before I die. He really doesn't have a bad song (neither does the above Tom Petty really), and the guy's seen it all. Great pop music, doesn't take himself too seriously while simultaneously able to be serious about what he does, and his songs are kickass. As a side note.. I generally play guitar night in and night out in an Alternate Open D tuning. I taught myself that tuning, and have played it for years. Tommy James & The Shondells is the first band I was ever into as a kid... and I just learned about a year ago that TJ always played guitar in that tuning. That's both strange.. and awesome!

 

Ludacris - As far as rappers go... I don't think it gets much better than Ludacris. He's quick, rhythmic, and writes songs that range from funny to reflective to sexy. He did do that song with Justin Bieber.. but that doesn't take away from what he's done in the past.

Other artists and bands I like: Garth Brooks, Matchbox Twenty, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean's music (but not so much Jason Aldean), Outkast, Michael Jackson, Eminem, Lila McCann, 50 Cent, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Toby Keith, Fall Out Boy, Dwight Yoakum, Colt Ford, Blink 182, No Doubt, Green Day, Kid Rock, Queen, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Chance, Chris LeDoux, Ryan Adams, Eric Clapton, INXS, Goo Goo Dolls, Nickel Creek, Weezer, Psychostick, Weird Al, Dierks Bentley, The Cars, The Who, LMFAO, The Monkees...

 

I've also been of the opinion that Kenny Chesney, Dave Matthews, Led Zeppelin, and Jimmy Buffett are all a little bit overrated. All of them have songs I like, and I'm not denying the talent in two and half of those cases.. but I totally don't get the godlike status they get. I also don't really "get" ICP or Ja Rule. Ja Rule's voice annoys me.. and ICP just make me roll my eyes more often than not. 

 

 

I realize that my musical tastes are very focused towards "mainstream" music... but that tends to be what I like most. It is what it is, I suppose!

 

So.. what stuff do you guys like?

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Great topic!

John Mayer- You explained it perfectly. The dude is a GREAT songwriter and musciand. Most of his radio friendly stuff is solid but doesn't compare to the rest of his work.

Old Barenaked Ladies- The band is loaded with talent, great musicianship, clear and smart songwriting and arrangments.

Beatles- duh

Jimmy Buffett- I just have always loved the the entire catalog. I can go days without listening to anything else.

Zepp- I still have a softy spot for Page/Plant

Zac Brown Band- I'm not a country fan but I love this band. Again the musicianship and songwriting is A+.

 

Between those 6 artists I probably have about 30-40 tunes in my setlist.

 

 

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PJ, STP, AIC, Counting Crows, Black Crowes, Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow, Beth Hart, Jayhawks, Gear Daddies, Joe Pass, Earl Scruggs, LIVE, Gin Blossoms, Johnny Winter, Steppenwolf, CCR, Animals, Skynyrd, Dylan, Neil Young, Cinderella, Collective Soul, Carol King, Rickie Lee Jones, Willie Nelson, Dr. John, Stones, Kinks, Replacements, John Mayall, Zombies, Hank Sr. etc, etc.

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fengyunnihao wrote:

 

 

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ma qingzi ni  hao  ma

 

 

There should be a band called The Mulberry Handbags. They can play shows with Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, and fun. The name fits right in.

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I got a pretty wide range but Mainly classic metal and some prog metal:

  • Iron Maiden
  • (old) Helloween
  • Fates Warning
  • Dream Theater
  • Black Sabbath
  • Megadeth
  • (pre-black album) Metallica
  • Anthrax
  • Nightwish
  • Kamelot
  • Nazareth
  • Nevermore
  • Sanctuary
  • Dio
  • Deep Purple
  • Rainbow

Sometimes I'll get on a kick and need some doom metal or stoner rock bands like:

  • Sheavy
  • Candlemass
  • Solitude Aeturnus
  • Sleep

Or Some Folk Metal:

  • Skyclad
  • Turisas
  • Elvenking

but also dig stuff like-

  • Jethro Tull
  • The Police
  • Sons of Maxwell
  • Blackmore's Night
  • Most one hit wonders from the 80s

 

Not much nu-metal/mallcore or metalcore but I do have a soft spot for the 1st 2 disturbed albums... although the monkey noises are stupid.

 

 

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soul/acid jazz (NOT smoove jazz, I like a little more R&B grit and soul). John Scofield, Medeski Martin & Wood, early Robben Ford, David Sanborn etc. Also New Orleans piano- Dr. John, James Booker, Henry Butler, Longhair etc

blues- Lucky Peterson, Koko Taylor, Albert Collins, just about the whole Alligator records catalogue + SRV.  I can zone out for days on the Pandora Keb Mo channel.

country- Willie, Charlie Rich (possibly my 2 fave artists of all time), Waylon, Johnny, Roger Miller, Don Williams, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Price, Vern Gosdin, Ronnie MiIsap, Earl Thomas Conley. That's my comfort food.

I also love AM radio oldies and chee-Z listening like Neil Diamond, Glen Campbell (with the Jimmy Webb string arrangements). For rock it's Southern-fried like Allmans, Black Crowes, semi-obscure Marshall Tucker etc. I've always been in awe of Zeppelin but don't listen much to them now. Also just about the whole pre-hair band 80's. The Police, Prince, all the weird New Wave acts, and Joe Jackson. And can't leave out Tom Petty either- at least before "Free Falling".     

 

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I'm constantly learning or memorizing new material, so not much is left for just enjoying music (sucks huh?). When I do it's : Jellyfish, The Producers, DAG .... stuff like that. When I'm cleaning or in a focus zone I listen to ambient or electronica (with NO lyrics)

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Looking forward to catching Opeth and Katatonia on tour together in a couple months. The new Soilwork is awesome. Haven't heard the new Sevendust yet. Alice in Chains and Frank Turner have new albums coming out. Metal, alternative, and folk-pop are what I'm listening to most of the time.

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Interesting thread!

Even though im a guitarist in alt. rock band, my music taste is pretty far from our genre. I like instrumental music, electronic hiphop, some classical music. When I hear a song I want to be mindblown and left wondering how they managed to play that. I would say Gorillaz and Pendulum is my favourite bands.

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Back in 1989, I had an idea to form a band that combined the beautiful vocal harmonies of The B-52s with the power and heaviness of Metallica. And then Alice In Chains came out and I was like, "Darn, beat me to it."

My tastes are kind of all over the map. I love The Beatles, Neil Diamond, The Police, Foo Fighters, the aforementioned B-52s, Alice In Chains and Metallica, Def Leppard, Soundgarden, DEVO, Extreme, Type O Negative, Electric Light Orchestra, Gary Numan, and A Flock Of Seagulls (got teased a lot for that one!).

Others include TOOL, The Cars, AC/DC, Van Halen, KYUSS, Megadeth, Winger (another band I get teased about, saw them live in January, kicked ass!!), KISS, Pantera, Sevendust...some modern stuff like Seether, Chevelle, Three Days Grace...Loverboy, Nirvana, HELMET, Prong, GODFLESH, KoRn (up to Issues and the song "Coming Undone")...some classic rock bands like The Who, Queen, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Pink Floyd. Rush are definitely one of my all-time favorite bands. I have grown an appreciation for Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers over the years, although I have always liked a lot of his songs.

Then there are the all-girl groups like The Donnas, Go-Gos, The Runaways, Bangles, and co-ed bands like Pixies, The Breeders, Joan Jett, Heart, KiTTiE, White Zombie, Veruca Salt, Sick Puppies, Talking Heads.

Also love some Minneapolis alternative like The Replacements and Husker Du. Love some Canadian rock like Harlequin, Chilliwack, Headpins and Sloan too!

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Sevendust is one of those bands that you need to turn up loud to appreciate. Obviously they have a distinctly nu-metal background, but if you listen at low volumes, they fit in with the generic bands of today. But turn it up and the harmonies, brilliant drumming, and groove come out. I really like Sevendust.

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