Quote:
Originally Posted by ToySoldier#34
It's not hard ...
|
For me it's impossible. I can't go more than a year without adding at least one new band/artist to my list of favorites. Hearing them for the first time or even really just listening for the first time and it clicking.
I guess it's part of my dad being the same. Grew up listening to Cream, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Joni Mitchell, JT, Bob Marley, the Stones, the Beatles, Peter Gabriel (he never had any Genesis though), SRV, Third World, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, ZZ Top, Steely Dan, Robert Palmer, Neil Young, Santana, Hendrix, the Who, Yes, the Band, the Police, Al Green, Seger, Dylan, Donovan, the Eurythmics, the Allmans, and so many more (on vinyl). Concurrently, my grandparents were my introduction to jazz, mostly big bands with Ellington, Basie, Ella, Billie, and others. Then MTV helped introduce me to new wave, hard rock, metal, college radio (120 minutes), and hip hop...stuff my dad hadn't heard or liked. R.E.M., U2, Tom Petty, Run DMC, Soundgarden, RHCP, the Cars, Rush, AC/DC, Robert Cray...Closet Classics was my real intro to Sabbath. Guitar magazines, especially Guitar Player, but also Musician magazine introduced a lot of stuff.
While studying music in college I dove headlong into jazz, especially bebop, hard pop, cool, a bit of fusion. John Coltrane is pretty much my favorite musician of all time, but like most of the others, I don't love or even like everything he's done. Can't even get into all the other stuff I got loving and still love from the 90s...prog metal, dawg music, jam bands, indie, alternative, etc. ...so many amazing artists. Oh Brother and seeing Nickel Creek on ACL after 9/11 exponentially increased my love of acoustic music, especially new grass type stuff...bluegrass instrumentation, but not the high lonesome sound itself.
Within the last 13 years the Avetts have become a favorite. This was in part a result of our attempt to move back to NY during the 2008-09 school year which didn't take, but got me listening to WFUV...such a killer station. Like a cross between awesome indie/college radio, WDST, and others with a focus of great artists and great music. Not hits, but great songs...deep cuts a plenty. My old subscription to emusic...so much amazing music.... NPR Tiny Desk concerts are usually gold...Leon Bridges, Lydia Loveless, Oddisee, PHOX, the Family Crest The Round Room covers got me into some artists as well...
I've been listening to Jason Isbell for more than a decade, but during the lockdown he become one my favorite artists. So, I've been revisiting his older stuff. And this happens whenever I find a new artist...I go back a listen to everything. Similarly, when I get into an artist I dig into all their other projects...or for a band, I seek out and generally get into solo or outside projects from any/all the band members.
Very little of it has left the growing rotation.
I just don't understand how anyone doesn't want to hear more and different...and keeping finding other stuff to listen to. As I believe I've stated somewhere on these boards, I'd have saved a ton of money if I just liked a handful of bands or only obsessed over one or two. I'm just not wired that way. Which is not to say that it's wrong. We're not talking about racism or other forms of bigotry (the objectively wrong), art appreciation is all about what appeals to the individual. You can be super knowledgeable or know nothing of the history or process, but you do know what you like...and you're not wrong...unless it's...nah...no point going there.
I shoulda been a bass player and/or a record store owner...