Unpopular Music Opinions

JGuy Grungeman · 07-06-2016, 02:12 PM

LA Woman's better than Doors.

Zhanteimi · 07-06-2016, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

One of the greatest bands ever.

[talking heads video]

Talking Heads are amazing, but I can't really get into them. I've tried repeatedly.

Neapolitan · 07-06-2016, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

I like plenty of contemporary music, so I'm not saying it was better in "days of yore".

Still getting mixed messages especially when you say "technically proficient" in the glory days of twenty, thirty years ago. When you say "contemporary music" I get a bit stumped. You have a true proficiency to befuddle me sometimes. I think of either Contemporary R&B or Contemporary Adult music - idk. tbh I don't understand half of what you say. Not to be mean or anything but you sacrifice context in an attempt to use a "twenty dollar" word like "contemporary" and "proficient." I am often non plus when I read what you write.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

I am saying that technical proficiency is not something that many people use as a criterion for good music anymore in popular music.

Well the way music is made has changed. A lot of music that is today is not entirely based on musicians knowing their instruments in the most proficient way but is made with a studio band, or made by a producer on a computer. The proficiency of a producer isn't the same as a guitarist's proficiency on guitar so comparing Kirk Hammett to "contemporary" music is a bit of an "apples to oranges" comparison in that respect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

People are still making technically proficient music, sure...but you aren't going to hear it on the radio. Not like you would 2 or 3 decades ago.

I think you are assuming that, I am not sure that is the case. It just seem it was that was years ago. It is more likely that someone who would be considered a proficient musician wasn't on Pop Radio, maybe some station that played underground bands on underground radio station. As good as Jimi Hendrix was and that fact he was practically was a household name he wasn't a Top 40 act with Top 40 singles and junk like that. Same with Jimmy Page, or Steve Howe. I know that Yes and Led Zeppelin might have released a truncated version of some their songs that went over the three minutes to be more radio friendly, to get airplay. Still they weren't a Pop band, and they produce more music that wasn't aimed for popular radio.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

Kirk Hammett - being a popular musician to this day - then becomes the exception, and other popular musicians of today you might compare him to are not as technically proficient.

Maybe you are confusing two ideas. Someone (for the sake of the argument) not on the "Pop" chart who is popular let's call "well-known," and the other who is on Pop radio, let's call them "Popular," as in a Pop artist like Katy Perry. Unless Metallica is vying for the number one position on the Pop charts along side Katy Perry then Kirk Hammett isn't "popular" he is "well-known."

Just to note I am not much of a fan of Metallica. I thought once that Kirk Hammett was talented. That was when I saw a Metallica documentary. However I recently saw him do a guitar solo on YouTube and I was not impressed. For the stuff he was playing he seemed to have the level of guitar playing as someone still in High School. Maybe he was high at the time, and what he wanted to didn't come out that way he wanted. What I am saying is maybe he's better than what he displayed on stage. Either way I have to agree with your assessment of Kirk Hammett. I just didn't agree in the the manner you went about to prove your point. Thank you for knocking down one of guitar idols down a few notches and making me dislike popular music even more.

OccultHawk · 07-06-2016, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGuy Grungeman

LA Woman's better than Doors.

If The End wasn't self-censored The Doors The Doors would win by far but when he denies himself the right to free expression by refusing to acknowledge the Eodipal content with the word f uck it shows a kind of artistic cowardice that still haunts his legacy. It's all the more pronounced when considering his place in the rock'n'roll pantheon because he predicated what he was doing on wildness and freedom but there was always this annoying self-restraint. My favorite Doors record is Waiting for the Sun. L.A. Woman has some great songs, most notably Riders, but when it misses, it misses very badly. I'll also add that American Prayer is insanely underrated.

duga · 07-07-2016, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neapolitan

Still getting mixed messages especially when you say "technically proficient" in the glory days of twenty, thirty years ago. When you say "contemporary music" I get a bit stumped. You have a true proficiency to befuddle me sometimes. I think of either Contemporary R&B or Contemporary Adult music - idk. tbh I don't understand half of what you say. Not to be mean or anything but you sacrifice context in an attempt to use a "twenty dollar" word like "contemporary" and "proficient." I am often non plus when I read what you write.

Well the way music is made has changed. A lot of music that is today is not entirely based on musicians knowing their instruments in the most proficient way but is made with a studio band, or made by a producer on a computer. The proficiency of a producer isn't the same as a guitarist's proficiency on guitar so comparing Kirk Hammett to "contemporary" music is a bit of an "apples to oranges" comparison in that respect.

I think you are assuming that, I am not sure that is the case. It just seem it was that was years ago. It is more likely that someone who would be considered a proficient musician wasn't on Pop Radio, maybe some station that played underground bands on underground radio station. As good as Jimi Hendrix was and that fact he was practically was a household name he wasn't a Top 40 act with Top 40 singles and junk like that. Same with Jimmy Page, or Steve Howe. I know that Yes and Led Zeppelin might have released a truncated version of some their songs that went over the three minutes to be more radio friendly, to get airplay. Still they weren't a Pop band, and they produce more music that wasn't aimed for popular radio.

Maybe you are confusing two ideas. Someone (for the sake of the argument) not on the "Pop" chart who is popular let's call "well-known," and the other who is on Pop radio, let's call them "Popular," as in a Pop artist like Katy Perry. Unless Metallica is vying for the number one position on the Pop charts along side Katy Perry then Kirk Hammett isn't "popular" he is "well-known."

Just to note I am not much of a fan of Metallica. I thought once that Kirk Hammett was talented. That was when I saw a Metallica documentary. However I recently saw him do a guitar solo on YouTube and I was not impressed. For the stuff he was playing he seemed to have the level of guitar playing as someone still in High School. Maybe he was high at the time, and what he wanted to didn't come out that way he wanted. What I am saying is maybe he's better than what he displayed on stage. Either way I have to agree with your assessment of Kirk Hammett. I just didn't agree in the the manner you went about to prove your point. Thank you for knocking down one of guitar idols down a few notches and making me dislike popular music even more.

Haha...this is funny considering I find you to be one of the most confusing posters on this site. Forgive me for my brevity, but I didn't feel like writing a 10 point dissertation on the topic. For your edification, contemporary music refers to, essentially, "music being made today". In the end, it looks like you agreed with me so I'm not really sure where to go from here.

Aloysius · 07-07-2016, 07:47 PM

Swans are a good band but some of their songs are just too long.

**Frownland** · 07-07-2016, 07:48 PM

As a massive Swans fan I kind of agree. It's more because I'm disappointed when I don't have time to hear a whole epic song I'm in the mood for (like Bring the Sun).

Zhanteimi · 07-07-2016, 08:07 PM

I'm still trying to get into Swans. I've tried once before. I'm going to give them another try.

**Janszoon** · 07-07-2016, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mordwyr

I'm still trying to get into Swans. I've tried once before. I'm going to give them another try.

They've had a lot of different styles over the years so even if you didn't like one album you like another.

Zhanteimi · 07-07-2016, 08:14 PM

Yep. That's why I haven't written them off.

07-06-2016, 02:12 PM	#11621 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	LA Woman's better than Doors. __________________ I'm a pretty nice troll if you ask me.

07-07-2016, 07:48 PM	#11627 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	As a massive Swans fan I kind of agree. It's more because I'm disappointed when I don't have time to hear a whole epic song I'm in the mood for (like Bring the Sun). __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

07-07-2016, 08:07 PM	#11628 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,874	I'm still trying to get into Swans. I've tried once before. I'm going to give them another try. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

07-07-2016, 08:14 PM	#11630 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,874	Yep. That's why I haven't written them off. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

07-07-2016, 07:47 PM	#11626 (permalink)
Aloysius Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 351	Swans are a good band but some of their songs are just too long.