Music

[Navarre]

Although this forum is primarily for comics, I often find similarities among comic readers' interests. For example, most comic book readers seem to like sci-fi, fantasy, and D&D.

One place there are often differences, however, is musical tastes. I think this is because we were most likely exposed to music quite separately, and probably earlier, than comics. Thus, while comics/sci-fi/RPGs might have all influenced each other our musical tastes may be diverse.

Of course, most people assume that if we read comics our favorite musical artist is Weird Al. heh ... Then again, Weird Al is one of my favorites, so...hmmm.

So who do you listen to?

Personally, I tend toward cacophonous metal and rap. I like Disturbed, Mudvayne, Linkin Park, and Hollywood Undead.

That all stems from my early entrance into music with metal and hair metal. So I also like WASP, Motley Crue, and such.

I will listen to pop like Britney, Rhianna, and such, depending on my mood.

I will watch Taylor Swift and some country music videos as long as I can mute the sound.  ;-)

So what about you? What's on your ipod...or your 8-tracks, as the case may be?

[The_Julian]

Well right now I'm really into the Arctic Monkeys who just came out with their new album.

I'm also really digging Bryan Lee O'Malley's (Scott Pilgrim creator) music as Kupek that he has available for free on his blog.

As far as long time favorites go, I love me some Radiohead and Porcupine Tree any day of the week especially since Porcupine Tree has a new album out this month.

Other of my favorites include Fugazi, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, The Flaming Lips, and Spoon among many others.

Yeah I like just about anything. Well, most of anything.

[Navarre]

Interesting. Of your favorites, I have only heard of Radiohead.

But I live in a frickin' music vacuum. I never heard music in my house and wasn't exposed to anything until I heard other teenagers listening to stuff in 1981 or so. So most of what I know are more conventional artists.

Even though your tastes are varied, do you have a preferred genre?

[The_Julian]

Ugh... That's difficult. I guess if really twisted my arm and forced me to give an answer it would be most forms of alternative rock. But I really do like to think that I've tried a bit of everything.  Comic Books and Music are the two material items that I pride myself in being connoisseurs of the topics.

[Gaumer]

I seem to share your taste in music, Nav, but I'll add Slipknot to your list.

Lately, though I have been listening to a lot more classical music.

I can listen to anything though, and my wife loves old school country, like Willie, Waylon, Conway Twitty, Patsy Cline and all that. That stuff I can handle (I actually like it a little but I would never tell my wife)

[Navarre]

Slipknot is great too, Gaumer. I just couldn't make a list long enough to hold everyone.

I listen to a variety of things but I don't seem to listen to music that much. Again, I think it's because I was raised in silence.

But music makes people feel, just like a great movie or a great comic book. And it's always good to feel.

[Gibralter]

I find that my taste in music changes depending on my mood. I listen to everything from metal to jazz. I resently found a band called The Protomen ( http://www.protomen.com/lightupthenight/ ) They have a good classic rock feel to them that love. Also I recommend Django Reinhardt, that man could play a mean guitar.

[Navarre]

The good thing about this thread is that someone could easily be turned onto a new artist they will really enjoy, if they take the time to listen to some songs by other posters' favorite artists. There is an endless supply of musicians out there but I think most of us tend to hear what's common and songs by the artists we already know.

But it's cool to find someone less known that you enjoy. Kinda gives you that niche.

Being one of those guys who listened to thrash metal in college, I came across a German band called Warlock. The lead singer was a woman named Doro Pesch.

Their albums had fantasy artwork, like a Larry Elmore or Boris Vellejo. Their lead singer was hot. Their sound was full of thrashy guitar and drums. Suited me perfectly.

For a long time I collected their efforts, including Doro's when she went solo. Some albums I even imported from Germany.

Those days are over but there's still some nostalgia for their head-banging, screaming ways. And I think the way a given song can invoke specific memories, even decades old, is another sign of how powerful music can be.

[Otter Disaster]

Nav, I'm guessing I'm close to your age and I still love me the metal too.  I've been off most American Metal since the mid 1990s, but I love the European Power Metal like Helloween, Gamma Ray, Hammerfall, and Sonata Arctica.  I also enjoy folk metal acts like Korpiklaani, Falconer and my fave raves Finntroll!

I'm also a big fan of the bands Cracker, The Donnas, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, and the Monkees.  I also enjoy classic country like Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, and Patsy Cline. 

[Navarre]

Otter, according to our profiles, I am 5 years older than you. ... I wonder if I am the oldest person on the board?

I like music that has power and drive. That is why I like metal (and what rap I like). I even listen to some techno for that reason.

It is interesting that you have metal as favorites along with classic country. Such a dichotomy. Diversity is good, eh?

[Beta Ray Bill Cosby]

Currently in rotation:

Doves
El Ten Eleven
Santigold
Paramore
Looker
Tegan and Sara
Metric
Sonic Youth
The Go! Team
Queens of the Stone Age
New Rhodes
They Might Be Giants
Hot Hot Heat
N.E.R.D.
Ludacris
Atmosphere
The Strokes
Reindeer Section
Ol' Dirty Bastard
The Like
The Sounds

[Navarre]

I have never heard of a lot of these artists. I'm not well-versed on music anyway but I'm curious...

How did y'all come across some of the artists that are not widely known? Have you sought things out, had artists recommended, or just stumbled across them?

[Gibralter]

Good to have some other metal heads as well (which I should have metioned earlier!) But is anyone else a fan of Manowar? I love their stuff. One of the few bands that I have all of their albums.

[Gaumer]

Wow

Crazy so many metal heads

Gotta say Pantera just cause it hasnt been said yet, but I know every good metal head has memorized every seething grunt of Vulgar Display of Power.

Let me throw a band called Vision of Disorder into this mix. I cant help but jump to this shit even if I'm sitting down. http://www.myspace.com/vodhardcore

And Rodrigo having TMBG, Ludacris and ODB in the same list is awesome.

[campaigner]

When asked what kind of music I like, I generally answer: more guitar music than non-guitar music, more British than American. There are some exceptions, but I usually tend to like Alternative, Indie and Songwriter stuff.

Over the last months, I have rediscovered Neil Young (I listened to him excessively for about 4 years). Some of the other bands in my itunes playlist atm are:

Pearl Jam
Oasis
Bob Dylan
Bruce Springsteen
Hawkwind
Secret Machines
Maximo Park
Okkervil River
David Bowie
Glasvegas
Guided by Voices
Warren Zevon
Tocotronic
Wir sind Helden

Also, a friend of mine recently introduced me to some rap. I quite like Edan.