Mrd00d here, hoping to settle in
 

Well hello, hello. Welcome to my introduction thread. I feel almost blessed to have found a worthwhile place to talk music. It's unbelievable how 'taken over' a lot of forums have gotten. Ahh... I literally feel I can relax a little better knowing that there are other people here that know what I'm talking about once in a while. Phew! :bowdown:

I'm 23. Born in Oakland, Ca. Grew up around Berkeley. Went to UC Davis for a while. I moved to this pitstop of a town nearby and now I'm an overnight cashier at the local gas mart. I blast Mrd00d radio whenever I'm at work, which some have come to thoroughly enjoy, and well... some stopped coming. :finger:

Very mellow fellow. I'm California medical Prop 215 etc. etc. so I'm pretty... mellow. I'm not overstating at all when I say I have music playing around me from the beginning of my day til the end, and sometimes while I sleep. Well, most times.

Up until the moment I first got into music, I had this thought in my head that ALL music was blah. I didn't really take any interest whatsoever in music until I was 11 or 12. Just whatever was on the alternative rock radio or mom was playing metallica or dave matthews or zeppelin or the beatles or hootie and the blowfish (zomg). Well, my friend showed me a local Bay Area experimental rock/metal band called Nuclear Rabbit and took me to a show. That was it. Done deal. Bassist had a 9-string at the time, the guitarist was noodling and strumming like a madman. The drummer was combination jazz drummer and Dave Lombardo. Singer was literally tweaking his a$$ to rehab. Nothing really captivated me until I saw this 4-piece, where every member was technically insane and the sound that came from that was at once beautiful and 'hard'.

From there I picked through my mom's collection. High school was Sabbath, Ozzy, Hendrix, Zepp. Typical high school classic rock junkie + Nuclear Rabbit, which opened up the door to Mike Patton/Mr. Bungle. Simultaneously paying attention to bands like Disturbed, Godsmack, and SoaD, etc. on the radio and what not, I was delving into the weird subculture of Mike Patton and friends.

Feels great finding something rare, that nobody else around you has come close to hearing. Deeper and deeper into the music network I've gone. And I still continue burrowing deeper and deeper. What happened to all the amazing music of the past that never made it big? The blogosphere is raising some of these gems from the dead.

So, you get the idea there. Currently, I'm floating around a) Psychedelic Rock, b) Prog., c) Underground HipHop, d) ambient electronic, e) dubstep, f) any fusion/genre-mashing, g) funk, h) free jazz, i) instrumental most anything, esp. guitar virtuosos, ambient soundscapes, avantgarde, Liquid Tension Experiment style instrumental metal.

The only thing I can't support, for the most part (not absolutely, but I don't have a lot of time to waste on "so-so") is country [new country, esp.], mindless techno [DOO DOO DOO DOO], and radio rock/rap/alt./pop anything.

Mainstream musicians that are in it for the money: Please stop, you have enough. But if you must, best of luck with your money collecting...

Welcome Mrd00d :)

Do you have any current psychedelic rock, prog, ambient electronica or free jazz favourites? Sounds like you should also like jazz fusion. Any favourites from that genre?

I just spent a few minutes adding some general recommendations to the psychedelic space rock thread (theme of the week).

I do also enjoy the free jazz. How free? Bad Plus free. But anything. Art Blakely to Miles Davis. Weird, eccentric jazz or grandpa's jazz. I'd rather hear wacky jazz OR jazz fusion, yea, similar to Arcana than conservative jazz, but I'm open.

I could write for hours about each genre you asked me about. Hopefully we can take it a little slower. I'm trying to medicate here and my brain wants to type all these ideas. I've got to spread out the goods for my own sanity's sake. Trust me, I have lots of recommendations. Here's to a great music community!

I haven't heard Bad Plus, but I'm familiar with the other artists you like about, obviously particularly Miles Davis which is a jazz favourite. I just got a 6 disc box set of all Art Blakey's Blue Note recordings which is brilliant. Of Arcana, I only have Arc of Testimony from 1997, but it's a fine album.

You mention that you listened to some 60s/70s staples like Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Since you mention prog, does that mean you're familiar with the same period giants of that genre like Yes, King Crimson, Genesis or Pink Floyd?

Absolutely. It came around to the point where you could say I've researched my way from modern 90s all the way back to swing and blues, and jazz, and then progressed back forward picking up the less obvious on the way back..Right in time to catch up on the good music that came out while I was 'gone' (I had given up on current music by 2002, not having proper knowledge of where to look and for what) The way back has been a slow enjoyable journey. In the last couple of years, I've fallen in love with more music than I ever knew existed, times 10. My musical knowledge of the 80s in general is still 'pathetic', at least as compares to any other decade in music from 60's through present at least. I am also very happy I was wrong in thinking that good music would cease to be released. There will always be Kashmir's and there will always be Kung Fu Fighting's. It's up to the music fan to find what the music fan likes. The radio is not your friend.

Ah, The Court of the Crimson King.
Ah, The Return of the Giant Hogweed.
Ah, Dogs.......... oh dragged down by the stoooonneee....
Just got my hands on a Yes Greatest Hits pack a weekend or two back. Ready to unwrap that sucker here soon. I'm not oblivious to their existence. I know their influence. I just had hell getting around to and still listening to them.

How bout that Van der Graaf Generator? Killer for one.

It's too much, man. We could sit here and banter back and forth about every relevant band in music's history that we have in common. Personally, I've got about 5 hours left in my night. So maybe we can strike up richer conversation yet.

Hehe, I've had a similar journey backwards in time. I am quite pathetic with knowledge about music from the last decade, but from the 90s and back through time to the 50s/60s, I'm familiar with/know a lot more.

It's always nice to see someone else with an interest in both jazz and rock music from previous decades! Among your space rock mentions in the psychedelic rock thread, I saw you mention Steve Hillage which makes me think you might enjoy our prog & fusion album club which was created for discussing prog & fusion, one album at a time. We've done quite a few Canterbury scene albums, hence the Hillage connection.

You should check it out when you have the time :)

Far out. I'm really digging your style, too. I'll be there man. Need to give my eyes a 30 minute break. Okay I'm down with that. Give me some direction. That's exactly what I'm looking for. It looks perfect.

I guess this is good to know for my intro thread. I have this thing, I post a long post and then I sit there and edit it for another 5 minutes after I finalize it (it's backwards, I know). How bout Van der Graaf Generator, eh?

Oakland has an amazing music history. I wish I lived there.

I've given VDGG a few attempts, but they haven't stuck with me so far .. good potential candidate for the album club, though. :D

Hey Kung Fu Fightings a classic.