Well, I actually came to MB listening to basically mainstream stuff and looking to expand in the most violent and explosive manner possible. I think the most experimental band I listened to at the time was The Mars Volta, but still can't get through any full album aside from Frances The Mute. To be fair I haven't spun it in over half a year so I wouldn't know what I think of it now.
I kept going, and the first stuff I found hard to get into was Animal Collective, AIR, Tears For Fears, Neutral Milk Hotel, etc. Somehow after I went through a small stage with those bands I moved to PJ Harvey, that was a leap I think. From There Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits. It was around here I found The VU, which after I spun it enough to love got me much more accepting of distortion.
From this point on there were tons of good bands. I think some leaps were Ornette Coleman, Otis Redding, Slint, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, The Moody Blues, John Cale, A Tribe Called Quest. Anyway, in this sense MB has done wonders for me even though I'm not really into avant - garde. I like Blonde Redhead, The Book Of Knots, a little Captain Beefheart, Ornette Coleman, The Bad Plus. It's not a bad a start I think but I have a long way to go on my journey.
|