what bands should aspiring musicians be forced to listen to?

peacocoa

With a gun to their heads, i feel like aspiring musicians should be forced to listen to the beatles and the grateful dead for both songwriting and musical talent. Thoughts, questions, concerns?

I know there's several more out there that should be included here but this is a half ass effort and I would like to hear others opinions.

DewieCox

Zeppelin
The Band

Pap

Bob Marley
Tom Waits

big mick

Rolling Stones
Muddy Waters
Howlin Wolf
Jimmy Reed
Son House
Leadbelly

LukinFan

The Doors
Hendrix

Jason P

They should listen to Hocus Pocus, by Focus for a 24 hour period on repeat.

Pap

Rage Against The Machine
Cypress Hill
Ramones

peacocoa

Pap wrote:

Bob Marley
Tom Waits

could you explain your choice to someone who hasn't listened to much bob marley?

peacocoa

Jason P wrote:

They should listen to Hocus Pocus, by Focus for a 24 hour period on repeat.

i think most would have them pull the trigger

Pap

peacocoa wrote:

Pap wrote:

Bob Marley
Tom Waits

could you explain your choice to someone who hasn't listened to much bob marley?

Sure. Lyrics, music, activism, stage presence. All in all, he was a wonderful human being.

All Those Yesterdays

With The Beatles, I'm more impressed with their vocal harmonies then anything else. How they would keep notes out of chords on the guitar, and fill it in with the harmonies is just awesome.

he.who.forgets

Wilco
The sounds these guys can produce with their instruments is incredible, and Tweedy's song writing is up there with the very best of them, albeit a little wierd sometimes.

DriftingByTheStorm

You shouldn't be able to be in a band with out listening to The Velvet Underground first.
If you need an explanation, you don't need to play music.


You really have to appreciate how they could take a song, so clean and sterling beautiful in the studio, and then just trash it live ... make you wanna smash things ...

What Goes On (studio) \ What Goes On '68 (shreddin it)

Or, in fact ... do the exact opposite ... take a screaming ear bleeder, and shoot it full of, well ...

Heroin (studio) \ Heroin - Paris '72 (acoustic, short)

bonus features:
Black Crowe's laconic rockin' "Oh Sweet Nothin"
Jane's Addiction - Rock n' Roll
Blind Melon plugging Velvet Underground during No Rain
REM - Pale Blue Eyes
Record Club (Beck & Friends) - All Tomorrow's Parties
Screaming Trees - What Goes On
Nirvana - Here She Comes Now
Pearl Jam - tagging "Beginning To See The Light" during Daughter

xtremehardy388

Shouldn't be FORCED to listen to anything. Who is to say what's good and not? It's a matter of opinion. I personally LOVE Boyfriend (Justin Bieber) and many Nsync songs...but I doubt anyone else would agree. Just listen to what YOU like and write what YOU want. I could care less for most of the Beatles catalog. It's boring. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

peacocoa

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Shouldn't be FORCED to listen to anything. Who is to say what's good and not? It's a matter of opinion. I personally LOVE Boyfriend (Justin Bieber) and many Nsync songs...but I doubt anyone else would agree. Just listen to what YOU like and write what YOU want. I could care less for most of the Beatles catalog. It's boring. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Well, obviously I don't think that people should be forced to listen to music with guns pointed to their heads.

I feel like if musicians are going to listen to other music for guidance and direction, it's my opinion they would be wise to listen to the beatles and the dead (and many others). Those musicians can like those bands or not like them. The exposure to those bands or any of the bands listed above is the important thing. It's all a matter of opinion and that was the point of the post. It's probably a stupid post but I was bored at work.

As far as Justin bieber and Nsync - variety and diversity are good things. That's why I included the dead. Their sound is an eclectic mix of several different genres of music. Casting a wide net is a good thing too. Some people may choose to cast a wider net than others and include (and possibly enjoy) musicians (?) like Justin bieber and Nsync and that's ok. I was just interested in the opinions of other board members.

All Those Yesterdays

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Shouldn't be FORCED to listen to anything. Who is to say what's good and not? It's a matter of opinion. I personally LOVE Boyfriend (Justin Bieber) and many Nsync songs...but I doubt anyone else would agree. Just listen to what YOU like and write what YOU want. I could care less for most of the Beatles catalog. It's boring. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I completely agree. I personally don't listen to pop radio, or actually radio in general. But there are pop songs I hear that I think are catchy. Makes me glad I don't listen to the radio to have those songs ruined from being over played. i also think there are great songs that are catchy that are by bands that are completely unknown. I encourage everyone to just go out on a limb and check out local artists, or go to small music stores and get some unknown artist album.... Or go back and buy something from some unknown band from the 50's or 60's.

I don't really think i copy my bass playing, guitar playing or song writing off of anyone specific. A mix of a bunch sure... But I find it flattering once in a while when I'm playing that someone says "hey that reminds me of such and such". Makes me think about what they say and focus on what I played to try to see what they are saying. Most times i find that I'd of never noticed that if it wasn't pointed out.

The final recommendation I have, that I personally use is that when I'm in "SONG WRITING" mode i tend to listen to the complete opposite of what I'm trying to play or write. So those are the times when I'm listening to tons of rap.