OT: ♫ The Music Thread ♫

[Bourque]

@eco's bones I've enjoyed your posts and although I'm not as knowledgeable as you or @bhamill I have some thoughts of my own.

I agree with you that punk should be political or irreverent. The problem is that critics are now applying that to all entertainment and it has ruined serious criticism. The underlying political or social commentary has become the most important thing and not the quality of the product itself. VU is great but it also helps that they check all the cool elitist boxes. If a Midwestern musician was almost as good as Springsteen but didn't make any political or social commentary the critics would not praise them. Mediocre films are being nominated for and winning Oscars.

I agree with you that The Clash is their best punk album, but I consider London Calling a ska album. I like The Offspring also. You never commented on XTC, but I like them and consider them New Wave or pop, but definitely not punk.

Here's some 80s punk or New Wave albums I like. If you feel like it, please give me a thumbs up or down on some of them.

Au Pairs - Playing with a different sex
Bad Brains - Self titled, I against I
Black Flag - Damaged
The Cramps - Songs the Lord taught us, Psychedelic Jungle,
The Cure - Staring at the Sea: The Singles,
Descendants - Milo goes to college
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
Husker Du - New Day Rising, Zen Arcade, Flip Your Wig,
Jesus & Mary Chain - Psycho Candy
Joy Division - Closer, Substance,
Minor Threat - Complete Discography, Minor Threat,
Mission of Burma - Signals, Calls, & Marches,
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight,
Swell Maps- in "Jane from Occupied Europe"
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
Television Personalities - And don't the kids just love it,
U2 - I still haven't found what I'm looking for,
X - Los Angeles, Wild Gift
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth

 

[bhamill]

View attachment 1026412​

@eco's bones I've enjoyed your posts and although I'm not as knowledgeable as you or @bhamill I have some thoughts of my own.

I agree with you that punk should be political or irreverent. The problem is that critics are now applying that to all entertainment and it has ruined serious criticism. The underlying political or social commentary has become the most important thing and not the quality of the product itself. VU is great but it also helps that they check all the cool elitist boxes. If a Midwestern musician was almost as good as Springsteen but didn't make any political or social commentary the critics would not praise them. Mediocre films are being nominated for and winning Oscars.

I agree with you that The Clash is their best punk album, but I consider London Calling a ska album. I like The Offspring also. You never commented on XTC, but I like them and consider them New Wave or pop, but definitely not punk.

Here's some 80s punk or New Wave albums I like. If you feel like it, please give me a thumbs up or down on some of them.

Au Pairs - Playing with a different sex
Bad Brains - Self titled, I against I
Black Flag - Damaged
The Cramps - Songs the Lord taught us, Psychedelic Jungle,
The Cure - Staring at the Sea: The Singles,
Descendants - Milo goes to college
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
Husker Du - New Day Rising, Zen Arcade, Flip Your Wig,
Jesus & Mary Chain - Psycho Candy
Joy Division - Closer, Substance,
Minor Threat - Complete Discography, Minor Threat,
Mission of Burma - Signals, Calls, & Marches,
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight,
Swell Maps- in "Jane from Occupied Europe"
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
Television Personalities - And don't the kids just love it,
U2 - I still haven't found what I'm looking for,
X - Los Angeles, Wild Gift
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth

Some great records in that list. I'm going to see X next week. First saw them in like '81. This is their last go 'round. Couldn't even tell you how many times I've seen them.

 

[Bourque]

Some great records in that list. I'm going to see X next week. First saw them in like '81. This is their last go 'round. Couldn't even tell you how many times I've seen them.

That's awesome!

 

[bhamill]

That's awesome!

Going to see the BellRays and the Damned tomorrow night.

 

[Bourque]

Going to see the BellRays and the Damned tomorrow night.

Awesome!

 

[eco's bones]

View attachment 1026412​

@eco's bones I've enjoyed your posts and although I'm not as knowledgeable as you or @bhamill I have some thoughts of my own.

I agree with you that punk should be political or irreverent. The problem is that critics are now applying that to all entertainment and it has ruined serious criticism. The underlying political or social commentary has become the most important thing and not the quality of the product itself. VU is great but it also helps that they check all the cool elitist boxes. If a Midwestern musician was almost as good as Springsteen but didn't make any political or social commentary the critics would not praise them. Mediocre films are being nominated for and winning Oscars.

I agree with you that The Clash is their best punk album, but I consider London Calling a ska album. I like The Offspring also. You never commented on XTC, but I like them and consider them New Wave or pop, but definitely not punk.

Here's some 80s punk or New Wave albums I like. If you feel like it, please give me a thumbs up or down on some of them.

Au Pairs - Playing with a different sex
Bad Brains - Self titled, I against I
Black Flag - Damaged
The Cramps - Songs the Lord taught us, Psychedelic Jungle,
The Cure - Staring at the Sea: The Singles,
Descendants - Milo goes to college
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
Husker Du - New Day Rising, Zen Arcade, Flip Your Wig,
Jesus & Mary Chain - Psycho Candy
Joy Division - Closer, Substance,
Minor Threat - Complete Discography, Minor Threat,
Mission of Burma - Signals, Calls, & Marches,
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight,
Swell Maps- in "Jane from Occupied Europe"
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
Television Personalities - And don't the kids just love it,
U2 - I still haven't found what I'm looking for,
X - Los Angeles, Wild Gift
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth

Never cared for U2 very much. From Ireland it starts really with Stiff Little Fingers. They were the band and then there were the Undertones. The first SLF record was pretty much about the troubles and it is loud and raw. One of the best punk rock records ever. Two protestants and two catholics in that band at a time when it was very dangerous for people to mix. Most areas of Belfast were absolutely segregated and having the wrong friends or being in the wrong place could get you killed.

Bad Brains 1st album came out in a red ROIR cassette and it was just that for years. I ended up with 2/3 of them before it finally came out in vinyl. I think I have the cassettes anymore. I do still have an ROIR from the same period called New York Thrash that had Bad Brains, Kraut, the Stimulators, a few other bands including the Beastie Boys who back then were a punk band. To me the Bad Brains 1st album is as good a punk rock record as was ever put out by an American band.

I had Black Flag's Damaged and a few others of theirs. I think they got borrowed and I never got them back. I liked the records but I liked other west coast bands better like D.O.A from Vancouver, Agent Orange and Savage Republic from SoCal.

Cramps were great. Also a pretty outrageous stage act.

The Cure, Siouxie, Bauhaus the goth stuff never did a lot for me. TSOL was kind of like that. I liked them though. Early Sisters of Mercy were good too.

I got Milo goes to college when it came out and the Feelies Crazy Rhythms and Mission of Burma's Signals and also Vs.

I like Joy Division but it's not something I want to listen to that often. I got the first New Order LP that came out shortly after Curtis's suicide. I like that.

Got Zen Arcade and Land Speed Record from Husker Du in vinyl. All the early Minor Threat stuff.

Young Marble Giants as far as I know only put out one album. I have that.

Early X was great. Those first three/four records are outstanding.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Off the top of my head---The Ruts--they didn't last long. Their singer Malcolm Owen heroin overdose. They were every bit as good as the early Clash and somewhat in that vein. Actually I might say they were better. They regrouped in 2007 to do a benefit for guitarist Paul Fox who was a couple months away from dying from lung cancer. Fox played at his own benefit. He looked like a skeleton and ran out of steam after about 20/25 minutes. They recruited Henry Rollins to sing for them that night.

Wire--Pink Flag, Chairs Missing, 154 are great records.

The Fall--one of my favorite bands ever. A lot of people don't like Mark E. Smith's vocalizing but he was a trip.

Gang of Four---Entertainment is outstanding.

Crass---maybe the first anarcho/punk band. I'm not sure if the Apostles came before them. They had a huge impact on me.

Another anarcho/punk band the British Subhumans. There is a Canadian Subhumans too.

The Pogues

I like Durutti Column. They have this post punk label but to me they're almost uncategorizable. Basically two guys---Vini Reilly on guitar and Bruce Mitchell on drums and sometimes other people.

The Stranglers first 3/4 lps.

The Specials---my favorite ever ska band and I do like that genre.

Angry Samoans---Back to Samoa.

D. O. A. from Vancouver.

Agent Orange---one of the first if not the best surf punk bands.

Savage Republic one of the first industrial punk rock bands.

A lot of early Elvis Costello is very good too. Was watching a YouTube video of his band doing Watching the Detectives recently from 1978.

Killing Joke.

 

[Bourque]

Neil Young, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, Phil Collins, Paul Simon, Kiss, Sting, etc.

Remember when musicians made comments such as "I ain't singing for Pepsi, I ain't singing for Coke"? Those are some of the musicians who have sold their catalogue.

 

[nyrage]

Never cared for U2 very much. From Ireland it starts really with Stiff Little Fingers. They were the band and then there were the Undertones. The first SLF record was pretty much about the troubles and it is loud and raw. One of the best punk rock records ever. Two protestants and two catholics in that band at a time when it was very dangerous for people to mix. Most areas of Belfast were absolutely segregated and having the wrong friends or being in the wrong place could get you killed.

Bad Brains 1st album came out in a red ROIR cassette and it was just that for years. I ended up with 2/3 of them before it finally came out in vinyl. I think I have the cassettes anymore. I do still have an ROIR from the same period called New York Thrash that had Bad Brains, Kraut, the Stimulators, a few other bands including the Beastie Boys who back then were a punk band. To me the Bad Brains 1st album is as good a punk rock record as was ever put out by an American band.

I had Black Flag's Damaged and a few others of theirs. I think they got borrowed and I never got them back. I liked the records but I liked other west coast bands better like D.O.A from Vancouver, Agent Orange and Savage Republic from SoCal.

Cramps were great. Also a pretty outrageous stage act.

The Cure, Siouxie, Bauhaus the goth stuff never did a lot for me. TSOL was kind of like that. I liked them though. Early Sisters of Mercy were good too.

I got Milo goes to college when it came out and the Feelies Crazy Rhythms and Mission of Burma's Signals and also Vs.

I like Joy Division but it's not something I want to listen to that often. I got the first New Order LP that came out shortly after Curtis's suicide. I like that.

Got Zen Arcade and Land Speed Record from Husker Du in vinyl. All the early Minor Threat stuff.

Young Marble Giants as far as I know only put out one album. I have that.

Early X was great. Those first three/four records are outstanding.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Off the top of my head---The Ruts--they didn't last long. Their singer Malcolm Owen heroin overdose. They were every bit as good as the early Clash and somewhat in that vein. Actually I might say they were better. They regrouped in 2007 to do a benefit for guitarist Paul Fox who was a couple months away from dying from lung cancer. Fox played at his own benefit. He looked like a skeleton and ran out of steam after about 20/25 minutes. They recruited Henry Rollins to sing for them that night.

Wire--Pink Flag, Chairs Missing, 154 are great records.

The Fall--one of my favorite bands ever. A lot of people don't like Mark E. Smith's vocalizing but he was a trip.

Gang of Four---Entertainment is outstanding.

Crass---maybe the first anarcho/punk band. I'm not sure if the Apostles came before them. They had a huge impact on me.

Another anarcho/punk band the British Subhumans. There is a Canadian Subhumans too.

The Pogues

I like Durutti Column. They have this post punk label but to me they're almost uncategorizable. Basically two guys---Vini Reilly on guitar and Bruce Mitchell on drums and sometimes other people.

The Stranglers first 3/4 lps.

The Specials---my favorite ever ska band and I do like that genre.

Angry Samoans---Back to Samoa.

D. O. A. from Vancouver.

Agent Orange---one of the first if not the best surf punk bands.

Savage Republic one of the first industrial punk rock bands.

A lot of early Elvis Costello is very good too. Was watching a YouTube video of his band doing Watching the Detectives recently from 1978.

Killing Joke.

Lots of great bands above. Funny that you mentioned Kraut.

I started out in the early 80s being into metal. I lived in Queens and my friend in High School told me that he roadied for a band called Kraut. That was my gateway for listening to hardcore although I was mostly into thrash and death metal.

One morning I met Doug Holland (Kraut/CroMags) on the train in Astoria. He was out partying all night, but was the nicest guy. He put me on the guest list for a show at Sundance that night and I got to interview him for my fanzine. I never thought he would be able to remember my name in his condition. To this day, the CroMags "Age of Quarrel" is one of my favorite records.

Btw, good to see another Specials fan. I love watching their live performances on YouTube. So entertaining.

 

[eco's bones]

Lots of great bands above. Funny that you mentioned Kraut.

I started out in the early 80s being into metal. I lived in Queens and my friend in High School told me that he roadied for a band called Kraut. That was my gateway for listening to hardcore although I was mostly into thrash and death metal.

One morning I met Doug Holland (Kraut/CroMags) on the train in Astoria. He was out partying all night, but was the nicest guy. He put me on the guest list for a show at Sundance that night and I got to interview him for my fanzine. I never thought he would be able to remember my name in his condition. To this day, the CroMags "Age of Quarrel" is one of my favorite records.

Btw, good to see another Specials fan. I love watching their live performances on YouTube. So entertaining.

I have Kraut's 1st lp An adjustment to Society and a very early 45 or two---also that early ROIR compilation cassette that they're on. Whether Bad Brains were a DC or a NYC band--Kraut would have come next for me in the early 80's. Of course there were the Ramones and the Misfits but I guess I had my own peculiar tastes.

The Specials are just the best ska band ever IMO.

 

[Bourque]

... The Specials are just the best ska band ever IMO.

@eco's bones Agreed. I just hope if they ban punk, you don't support it. My mom threw away my best porno mag. Now I can't touch this.

​

 

[nyrage]

@eco's bones Agreed. I just hope if they ban punk, you don't support it. My mom threw away my best porno mag. Now I can't touch this.

​

That video makes me thing of two things:

1) Kerry King & Slayer. I've seen way over 1000+ concerts in my life and nothing will ever beat Slayer live in the early and mid 1980s. Those concerts were always sold out and had an energy of its own like I have never experienced before at any concert. I got to see them at L'Amours about 10 times, the Ritz, the Felt Forum, etc.

2) Beasties always make me think of Kathleen Hanna. It's hard to keep your eyes off of her in that Sonic Youth video "Bull in the Heather". No wonder Adam married her. She's adorable in that video. Quite the rebel girl.

 

[nyrage]

You better think of your future Chris Drury.

Man, ska bands are so much fun to watch. Love this song.

 

[Bourque]

​

 

[Takeahnase]

New York City’s finest thrash / death metal

 

[Machinehead]

@DialUp You mentioned being a fan of Deafheaven. Have you considered Ghost Bath?



It's amazing that people thought to mix the harshest music in the world with some of the softest subgenres of rock, and it actually works.

 

[DialUp]

@DialUp You mentioned being a fan of Deafheaven. Have you considered Ghost Bath?



It's amazing that people thought to mix the harshest music in the world with some of the softest subgenres of rock, and it actually works.

I have not, will check it out! BTW seeing Deafheaven next week at Irving Plaza. Their new album will win the Metal Grammy this year, book it.

 

[Bourque]

Historically, the Grammys' Album of the Year usually goes to lesser albums. I'm gonna post a critically acclaimed album(s) on the left and the "Album of the Year" that year on the right. If I think the album(s) on the left is better, I'll give the Grammy winner a thumbs down. Please reply if you feel like it.

1966 - The Beatles' Revolver & The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds - Sinatra's A Man and his Music
1969 - The Beatles' Abby Road - Blood, Sweat, & Tears
1971 - Marvin Gaye's What's Going On & Joni Mitchell's Blue - Carole King's Tapestry
1975 - Dylan's Blood on the Tracks - Paul Simon's Still Crazy after all these Years
1976 - Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life won.
1977 - Fleetwood Mac's Rumours won.
1984 - Prince's Purple Rain - Lionel Ritchie's Can't Slow Down
1991 - Nirvana's Nevermind - Natalie Cole's Unforgettable with Love
1998 - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill won.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Y'know how Oscars voters now must abide by a "new" rule that says they MUST watch every film in order to vote? And everyone just assumed that was always the case?

I wonder if Grammy voters are the same way, just voting on trends and reputation.

 

[Bourque]

Y'know how Oscar's voters now must abide by a "new" rule that says they MUST watch every film in order to vote? And everyone just assumed that was always the case. I wonder if Grammy voters are the same way, just voting on trends and reputation.

@Dr Pepper Agreed. The problem with the Oscar's new system is that it's based on streaming & I can just stream films at home w/o watching them.

 

[Overcast]

Y'know how Oscars voters now must abide by a "new" rule that says they MUST watch every film in order to vote? And everyone just assumed that was always the case?

I wonder if Grammy voters are the same way, just voting on trends and reputation.

Now they just have to respond to the question "Did you watch all of the nominated movies?" with "Oh of course!" and they're set. The Oscars will finally have honest voting now. (I can't put the little sarcastic emoji because of whatever site formatting, but it would go right here if I could)

 

[Bourque]

Now they just have to respond to the question "Did you watch all of the nominated movies?" with "Oh of course!" and they're set. The Oscars will finally have honest voting now. (I can't put the little sarcastic emoji because of whatever site formatting, but it would go right here if I could)

Agreed. Your post is slightly inaccurate. In the new system you have to attend an official screening or stream at home (you can stream w/o watching). You can't just say you saw them. The sarcasm emoji works.

 

[nyrage]

New York City’s finest thrash / death metal

My Demolition Hammer story:

1990. Sadus, Obituary, and Sepultura are playing at the Sundance club in Long Island. I'm friends with all three bands, but I was good friends with the guys from Sadus, a thrash band from California known for smoking pot.

I'm on the tour bus with Sadus and I start smoking with them. A little while later, I get stoned out of my head, but it wasn't the usual pot high. I ran out of the tour bus in a panic and start running around the Sundance parking lot. For some reason I think my friends have left me. I run through the back door and run onto the stage while Obituary is playing. Then I just stand there for a while frozen when one of my friends sees me and waves at me to come off the stage.

I spend the rest of the night alternating between crying and laughing. I even rode on the floor of the car on my way home. I was zooted like never before.

So where is Demolition Hammer in my story? So I remember seeing Steve Reynolds on the bus, but for years I don't know what happened that night.

Fast forward to 2014. I'm on the 70K Metal boat cruise from Miami to Mexico. I run into Steve from Sadus and their roadie who were both on the boat with the Death tribute band Death to All. The Sadus roadie was on the bus that day in Long Island and told me that Steve Reynolds from Demolition Hammer had brought Angel Dust (PCP) laced pot that we were all smoking that night. Now it all made sense. I had never touched Angel Dust in my life before or after, but let me tell you, the paranoia, hallucinations, and detachment were real.

The night after the dust incident was much better though. I got to introduce Sadus at L'Amours. No pot for me.

 

[nyrage]

Historically, the Grammys' Album of the Year usually goes to lesser albums. I'm gonna post a critically acclaimed album(s) on the left and the "Album of the Year" that year on the right. If I think the album(s) on the left is better, I'll give the Grammy winner a thumbs down. Please reply if you feel like it.

1966 - The Beatles' Revolver & The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds - Sinatra's A Man and his Music
1969 - The Beatles' Abby Road - Blood, Sweat, & Tears
1971 - Marvin Gaye's What's Going On & Joni Mitchell's Blue - Carole King's Tapestry
1975 - Dylan's Blood on the Tracks - Paul Simon's Still Crazy after all these Years
1976 - Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life won.
1977 - Fleetwood Mac's Rumours won.
1984 - Prince's Purple Rain - Lionel Ritchie's Can't Slow Down
1991 - Nirvana's Nevermind - Natalie Cole's Unforgettable with Love
1998 - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill won.

I couldn't agree more. I always thought the Grammy's were a joke. I used to help out for the Grammys when I worked for Atlantic Records. I can't say for sure, but considering everything else that I saw while working there, I'm sure the voting was heavily influenced by the labels. Bribes and payola is how a lot of things got done in those days.

 

[Bourque]

I couldn't agree more. I always thought the Grammy's were a joke. I used to help out for the Grammys when I worked for Atlantic Records. I can't say for sure, but considering everything else that I saw while working there, I'm sure the voting was heavily influenced by the labels. Bribes and payola is how a lot of things got done in those days.

Agreed. There was a year where Harvey Weinstein told everyone to vote for Shakespeare in Love. It wasn't a great film, but all listened to Harvey and it won Best Picture.

 

[nyrage]

Agreed. There was a year where Harvey Weinstein told everyone to vote for Shakespeare in Love. It wasn't a great film, but all listened to Harvey and it won Best Picture.

I almost typed that example out, but considering how much I loved Saving Private Ryan that year, I just couldn't. I was so mad about it at the time.