What do you like to listen to?

[Ed]

Just wondering. My taste in music seems to broaden with every passing year and, unlike my parents, I don't dwell on a particular period of time in my life, exclusively listening to music from that time. If anything, I do the opposite. I feel like I've done that and need to move on - I want something new and fresh. Paradoxically, I'm also finding a new appreciation for music I didn't like at the time it was 'popular'. For instance, I find myself listening to and liking The Smiths, and Talking Heads, lately, among others. Always thought they were crap before.

I've always liked dance music rather than metal. In fact, I hate heavy metal music. Along with country and western music and brass bands, it is the work of Satan - get thee behind me and all that. Terrible. (apologies to all the metalheads out there)

At the moment, I'm liking Fedde Le Grand, The Shins, Mark Ronson, Justin Timberlake, Samim, amongst others. What are you liking?

Here's a few songs I like -

http://www.youtube.com/v/lqQv9J1vz4w&rel=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/OtzOg0vHX9o&rel=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/NYE2uzQ4zuA&rel=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/EPR_41pMyGE&rel=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/vqnrkVRC0VI&rel=1

Had a job finding that last one

[SamLeeFreak]

Oh man, so much stuff. Some top genres would be:

80s/90's hair band type rock
Canto-pop
Chinese Opera

Lately I've been on a Beatles kick, having finally "discovered" them at almost thirty years old   

[sylvrilyn]

Hey, Sam, I guess we're about the same age, and I've just decided to collect vinyl. 

Hm...I like a lot of different stuff, but mostly I'm listening to classical and instrumental these days, because I find myself too distracted and tired out by vocal music.

[delph_ambi]

Music... hmm...

Okay, I'm a big fan of stuff from the time of the crusades right up to the Renaissance (Tallis being my top man from that era). I love early opera - Monteverdi - as well as mainstream blockbusting stuff like Wagner. More modern - always got time for people like Nymans, and adore every film score by Morricone.

Outside the classical world, I like early Pink Floyd, early Bowie, all of Muse, much of Goldfrapp, Led Zep (of course), Yes ('fraid so), Love, Linkin Park, Eminem, Roy Orbison, UB40, Kaiser Chiefs, The Carpenters, The Fugees, Ian Dury, Soft Machine, and many others.

I hate most country and western.

From the point of view of performing, I'm in seventh heaven when I'm in the orchestra playing Haydn oatorios, Puccini operas, and anything by Bach or Mendelssohn. Ceilidhs are fun to do too. Late Beethoven quartets. Oh, and Borodin, of course.

I could go on, so I'll shut up. 

[delboy]

I'm another one who listens to anything and everything - but, unlike the general consensus here, that even includes country! In fact, some of my favourite singer-songwriters are from the country heritage: Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, Joe Ely, John Prine. And I love a well picked bluegrass tune, be it on five string banjo or flat-top guitar.

On the whole, however, I'd say that 99% of my listening is jazz. And of that 99% probably 80% is jazz guitar. At the moment I'm on a gypsy jazz kick and am listening to folks like Django Reinhardt and Birili Lagrene. I also love Wes Montogomery and George Benson (that's early George Benson, that is) and Charlie Christian. Hige fan of tenor sax and clatinet jazz, too. Well, and trumpet and piano.

I have a small but classy  selection of classical CDs and a massive amount of rock. Love Hendrix and Rory Gallagher and Jeff Beck and UFO and... and I love anyone who can tell a good story like Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits.

I can listen to Eva Cassidy all day. Over the years my favourite bands have included Little Feat and New Grass Revival and The Rolling Stones and The E Street Band...

Also love acoustic music, especially old blues for the early/mid 20th century.

One thing I don't do so much is buy new stuff. I fine that I have so many CDs that I'm yet to digest fully that I don't think there'll be time in my lifetine to fully appreciate what I already have.

Interestingly I also have a lot of vinyl I may well be off-loading...

Derek

[Ed]

Wow, quite a diverse mix of tastes there. I wonder why most Americans I know seem to like rock bands over more melodic forms of music. The closest thing I like to that sort of music is RHCP, but I tend to prefer music with a lot of bass, rather than screaming guitars (and long haired lead singers), but that could change yet, I suppose

Along classical lines, there are a few arias that I like - the flower duet, for example, and I liked some of the Three Tenors stuff from the 90s. On films scores, I liked Hans Zimmer's score for the movie Gladiator. But on the whole I'm not very cultured. Sometimes wish I was, but I'm not. Perhaps if I learned to play an instrument it would give me a key in to appreciate that sort of music more. Do you think that follows, Delph?

And I love a well picked bluegrass tune, be it on five string banjo or flat-top guitar.

Delboy - have you got any examples of that sort of music you could tell me about? Artists and songs would be good. I can generally find anything I want to listen to online with that info. Just a few would be great. Reason being I'm not sure if I've heard any of that music and I'd like to listen to see if I would like it, thanks.

[JonP]

As you might deduce from my avatar, I have a big affection for pretentious rock, from King Crimson (of course) and VDGG right through to Radiohead and Muse. But I'm also fond of eccentrics such as the Bonzos (especially Viv), Ivor Cutler and Robert Wyatt. Latest acquisition is Robyn Hitchcock's retrospective box set, I Wanna Go Backwards, which is fantastic. Did I mention Nick Drake? Richard Thompson? Joni Mitchell? Emiliana Torrini? Antony and the Johnsons? Nitin Sawhney? Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan? Cesaria Evora? The Dhol Foundation? Anton Bruckner? Ralph Vaughan Williams? Erik Satie? Gyorgy Ligeti? etc.? etc.? Oh, and ANY compilation curated by David Toop.

What instrument(s) do you play, delph?

[PaulH]

I'm another allsorts person, but it tends to be all sorts of rock and pop more than anything else. I'll happily listen to early Iron Maiden, Ac/DC etc. Fave band has to be Rush, Canadian rock trio. They often get lumped in the heavy metal category, but it's more soft rock. They still amaze me after more than 30 years together.

80's music of all sorts gets a frequent airing, love to wallow in nostalgia! I like classical, but I tend to stick with very well known pieces - O Fortuna from Carmina Burana is great to listen to when writing scary scenes!

Not a country fan, nor jazz.

Current albums getting a lot of airplay while I'm writing are anything by Rush, Best of Roxy Music and (bizzarrely!) Betcha Bottom Dollar by the Puppini Sisters. If you've not heard them, try to find them singing Withering Heights, or even better, Panic (yes, the Smiths song) I certainly couldn't believe my ears!

[delph_ambi]

JonP, may I say what excellent taste you have in music. King Crimson! Nick Drake! Bruckner! RVW! Ligeti!

I play violin, viola, baroque violin, baroque viola, bass viola da gamba, mandolin (badly), guitar (even worse), piano, harpsichord, etc. Professional performing has been mostly on upper strings. I teach upper strings and piano, and compose once in a blue moon.

Ed, learning an instrument in order to appreciate classical music is not necessary. Best way to appreciate it (as with any kind of music) is to go to live gigs, preferably in offbeat and non-stuffy venues, where you haven't heard of any of the music (listening to a bored orchestra slumming their way through a turgid performance of Beethoven's 5th could put you off for life).

Oh, and download a recording of Vaughan Williams' "Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis". Two of my favourite composers in one brilliant package.

[JonP]

JonP, may I say what excellent taste you have in music.

Curiously, not many people say that 

I play violin, viola, baroque violin, baroque viola, bass viola da gamba, mandolin (badly), guitar (even worse), piano, harpsichord, etc. Professional performing has been mostly on upper strings. I teach upper strings and piano, and compose once in a blue moon.

Wow. I used to play oboe and cor anglais, but gave up years ago. Too much effort keeping up the bloody embouchure.

Oh, and download a recording of Vaughan Williams' "Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis". Two of my favourite composers in one brilliant package.

Seconded! The Lark Ascending is pretty cool, too. Although RVW's not just pastoral. The 4th symphony is one of the scariest pieces of music ever written.

[delph_ambi]

Absolutely (re: lark ascending). I studied (briefly) with Hugh Bean, who made one of the classic recordings.

And yes, agree with you about RVW's 4th. Played it years ago and it bowled me over. Brilliant, scary piece.

Did you ever get to play on an oboe d'amore? (Sort of cross between oboe and cor anglais, for those who don't know what the heck I'm talking about). Glorious sound. One of my favourite instruments. I can't get a note out of any wind instruments, unfortunately, but am full of admiration for people who can. A friend used to play baroque oboe. Horribly difficult to play in tune. Well, it was when she played...

[starktheground]

This is almost as bad as saying I don't like tea . . . My favorite form of music is heavy metal. I love the raw energy of it. My roots are in punk rock, but I've drifted away from it as all that teenage angst has shifted into middle-aged repose. Most people that know me are surprised that I (1) write horror and (2) listen to heavy metal. I actually find the music inspring, emotionally and (sometimes) intellectually. And there's nothing like being in a mosh pit at a metal show. You can feel the music thumping and pulsating in your body; it's a great release (although it's been awhile since I've been in a mosh pit). As for country: ugh! I live in Texas, so I'm surrounded by it, but I absolutely, positively hate it! Well, that's my two cents. (Don't lynch me!)

[JonP]

I studied (briefly) with Hugh Bean, who made one of the classic recordings.

I'm looking for a "we are not worthy" smiley, but I can't find one. I am very impressed!

Did you ever get to play on an oboe d'amore?

Sadly, no. I've got a lovely recording of Leon Goossens playing one somewhere.

Oh, and stark, don't be ashamed of HM!

[SamLeeFreak]

To Ed:
Dude, you guys gave us the Beatles. What did you expect to happen? 
On a serious note, I think part of it is that we see rock music as "ours" hence there is a pride factor. Then we find out that our favorite singer is from the UK and go into culture shock.
As for me, it's the music that turned me onto music. Back in middle school I discovered Mtv (back when it played music) and fell deeply, madly in love with Guns N' Roses. I wanted to BE Axe Rose. Only, you know, not batshit crazy. Classical music can be amazing, but it's never made me feel anything like rock has with the noted exception of Chinese opera.

[delboy]

As for country: ugh! I live in Texas, so I'm surrounded by it, but I absolutely, positively hate it!

Stark, I'm envious of you living in Texas. There was a time when just about everybody I listened to seemed to come from Texas. I've already mentioned Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt, but there was Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan and The Fabulous Thunderbirds and - of course - ZZ Top. I used to love ZZ Top.

The old time blues guys - Blind Lemon and T Bone Walker, I think they came from Texas.

Then there's Buddy Holly, of course. And one of my favourite gals: Janis Joplin.

Bus special mention must go to Bill Hicks. When we're talking about what we listen to, my Bill Hicks CDs get spun more often than most of my stuff. He remains one of Del's heroes.

Kind regards,
Derek