Bands that you just don't get.

Yup, I’d add Muse to my list too..
&
Elvis

AC/DC were the world’s most awesome rock band, until Bon Scot died… That said, Back in Black is a great song.

Sleaford mods.

#TheEmporer’sNewClothes

Just thought of another classic rock group I’ve tried and failed with; Led Zeppelin.

Yeah Elvis as well (thanks for reminding me bikebouy), he didn’t even write his own stuff, bunch of arse!

I went off the chilli peppers after seeing them live at man city’s ground a few years ago, music was good but they kept on talking political bollox. Put me off them a bit.

I do like muse though, and they are v good live.

Arctic Monkeys. Really couldn’t see the attraction.
Franz Ferdinand. Again hyped at the time and not altogether bad but not that great either.
U2, and I hate to admit it were a decent band but I can’t stand them now mainly because of Bono. Sanctimonious fud.

AC/DC – True about Brian except that Back in Black and Thunderstruck are two of the best rock tracks ever.

Heavy Metal bands…
Such a generic sound. 2 guitars, drums, bass. Wailing vocals, wang in a guitar solo. Some scary monsters for a bit of novelty value. For gods sake don’t attempt any originality. It’s like Spinal Tap never existed.

Punk bands… That are still going. Middle-aged rebellion just looks/sounds sad.

Then there are bands I just don’t like. Usually due to a vocalist whose voice just grates on me. Can’t list them all, it would take all day.

The XX

Simpering rubbish all sounds the same.

AC/DC – True about Brian except that Back in Black and Thunderstruck are two of the best rock tracks ever.

…imagine how much better they would be if they were sung rather than bawled.

perchypanther

…imagine how much better they would be if they were sung rather than bawled.

ZOMFG! You are so right!

Another for the Chillies; whilst it does nothing for me, I can see why people like it, I just don’t get the critical acclaim.

And another for Pink Floyd. To be honest, I can’t even see why people like it at all.

I must be different to most people in here as I love U2,the Beatles,kasabian and Arcticmonkeys,I also like stereophonics,oasis,Coldplay and I’m currently in an online queue trying to get advanced tickets to Mumford and sons tour Lol.
It’s you lot who are the weird ones

Did someone say The Edge was a great guitarist? Really? I’m reminded of that thing Bill Bailey does when he sounds like The Edge, soaring, majestic wonders of interlocking, interweaving guitar lines echoing off each other with delay, echo, reverb etc. Then he cuts the effects and it’s “three blind mice” played in the style of a child having their first guitar lesson. The Edge is a great user of guitar effects. But I digress, I “get” U2, I’m not a massive fan but I can totally understand why they are as massively successful as they are.

In fact, there’s lots of bands that I personally dislike, but I can totally understand why they are as successful as they are. Bon Jovi, for example.

But Coldplay, I really don’t understand why they’ve achieved the level of success that they have. To me they’re no better or worse than Athlete, Starsailor or even Toploader, and yet they sell millions of records and sell out massive venues. Why?

Just a thought on those that don’t like Pink Floyd, were you listening in the right frame of mind, if you get what I mean?

Just a thought on those that don’t like Pink Floyd, were you listening in the right frame of mind, if you get what I mean?

…like “Dave Gilmour looks like he needs a new Ferrari…” sort of thing? 🙄

The Smiths – self indulgent moany toss.

I get why folk hate MOR rock and pop a la Coldplay and U2, it’s literally by the numbers…but the one thing that Smiths aren’t; is moany…Any band that can get a reference to “mammary glands” on national radio can’t be all misery.

Interesting opinions on the Chillies, including a few “used to be great, now not so much” and I’d probably put myself in that camp, but slightly different on the timing from the ones I’ve seen so far. For me the slump came after Californication, although for my personal tastes maybe an album earlier.

Really, three different bands I hear – the one up to and including BSSM, the one that did One Hot Minute, and the band they’ve been from Californication onwards.

Up to and including BSSM was what made their name – some fairly brainless but nonetheless viscerally exciting funk/metal/rap/rock that you cold bounce around to while drunk.

One Hot Minute – should really not have called themselves the Chillies for this imo, just like Audioslave didn’t call themselves RATM when Chris Cornell replaced Zack. Quite different from anything else they’ve done. I happen to like it, others don’t (including the band themselves, as it goes).

Californication onwards. The same lineup (for a while) as BSSM but a very different sound. Flea went away and studied music. They started being more musically complex (arguably not difficult compared to their earlier work), vocal harmonies all over the place etc… Personally, I enjoyed Californication to an extent, as something different from what came before, but since then it’s been diminishing returns on a similar theme (for me).

The thing is, I think going away and studying music and getting competent / proficient was what ruined them. If I want competent proficiency, I’m more likely to reach for someone playing the Bach violin solos than a funk rock CD. Maybe age was another factor, but to me, all the spontaneous energy and mindless enthusiasm has long gone, and it was largely that, rather than pure musical talent, that made them great in the first place.

The thing is, I think going away and studying music and getting competent / proficient was what ruined them.

Unlike these Dudes……STATION!

I can’t stand U2 now, but in fairness, they were pretty remarkable in the 1980s. I don’t think they were ever about great music per se but rather about the energy and (at the time) ideological earnestness.

I mean does anyone remember them at the US Festival when Bono climbed the scaffolding? Or Live Aid? Or, best of all, the Amnesty International ‘Conspiracy of Hope’ concert broadcast from New York? Heck, even Under A Blood Red Sky was good.

I would argue that this carried on until Zooropa before it all went egomaniacal and pear-shaped.

I agree with most of the bands mentioned, apart from the Beatles, but may I add Velvet Underground? Never understood the reverence in which they are held.

Gunz – Member

Just a thought on those that don’t like Pink Floyd, were you listening in the right frame of mind, if you get what I mean?

I even tried that, listening to whole albums in one sitting and it still bored me to tears.

The rolling stones, some of their tunes are okaaaaayyy but the vast majority is a mehhhh for me.

I’ll also second David Bowie, but he’s not a band if that’s allowed. I just do not get how he’s sold so many records. It is all because he’s a bit quirky but the music is just rubbish, no hooks at all.

Sort of agree on the Chilis Edlong. But I think it was after Hillel died that they blanded out (also see Manic Street Preachers).
But don’t honestly see the point in picking people up on their choices, as it won’t make any difference. I mean, someone doesn’t get the significance of the Velvet Underground or the originality of Bowie? It’s more their ignorance than anything else. No offence like. 😀

I’ve always struggled to get interested in Coldplay, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Mumford and Sons.
I agree with Saxonrider on U2- I used to love them in the 1980s/early 90s and saw them live 3 times, but I lost interest after that. They became self important and a bit bland.

Sorry DezB, have to disagree with you on punk, I still love it. Give me Middle aged rebellion any time- it’s way better than middle-aged beige and mediocrity.

jekkyl – Member
The rolling stones, some of their tunes are okaaaaayyy but the vast majority is a mehhhh for me.

I’ll also second David Bowie, but he’s not a band if that’s allowed. I just do not get how he’s sold so many records. It is all because he’s a bit quirky but the music is just rubbish, no hooks at all.

Totally agree with both of these statements. I mean, I kind of respect Bowie for being like some sort of pop/rock godfather, but beyond that… No thanks.

I forgot about Bowie. I like his originality, and the fact he’s not bland, but his singing sounds like a bag of cats!

I seem to remember when U2 were good, it was a long time ago though and they disappeared very far up their own collective arses very quickly.

Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd are great shouts, what utter pretentious shite.

Madness – dire.
UB40 – worse.

Ed Sheeran, a cuddly little scamp who writes “edgy” songs about drug abuse and whatnot, but lives a life whimpering and following around Pretty Popstars, who keep him on the hook for a bit of credibility. Captain Friendzone.

Tiesto, can’t hate the guy he’s made £50m from one song, which he rejigs every few months.

The Libertines – I just don’t get them, their fans see them as the second coming or something, but they had 2-3 good singles, but their albums are a bit rubbish and they’re a total basket case, I think some people just buy into the whole “rock and roll lifestyle” thing.

Nirvana – made a record which was okay, not great, about 5 people bought it, then made the definitive soundtrack for a not a generation perhaps, but if you were say 13 – 18 when Nevermind came out you certainly knew about it, but 18 months later it had blown over, the next record was okay, but not great and I think most people had moved on – 2 years later Kurt Cobain committed suicide and that’s when the real hype started – in 1993 you didn’t see kids wearing nirvana t-shirt, in 1995 and ever since you did. I think Nevermind was amazing, it was of it’s time, their performance on MTV unplugged is very very good – but I think if Kurt was still around they would be forgotten now.

Sort of agree on the Chilis Edlong. But I think it was after Hillel died that they blanded

I disagree, I loved the Chilli Peppers in the 90s (and still do) but the early stuff is just shouty and puerile.

When John Frusciante joined them, they were great.

Then he left and they crimped off “One Hot Minute” which is terrible.

Then he came back and they were great again.

Then he left and they’re a bit rubbish again.

Please explain the significance of the Velvet Underground then? It seems to me that there were far more significant bands around at the same time. Just sayin’ like.

Stoner – Member
The XX

Simpering rubbish all sounds the same.

Corrrrblimey… another to add.

I bought their first album too #pileofshite

UB40 – worse.

For me the ultimate band for deterioration – their first album is, imho, very, very good, if also very much of its time. Since then, ghastly..

Give me Middle aged rebellion any time

But going through the motions of playing the music of your youth is the OPPOSITE to rebellion!

I can’t stand soft rock and the likes of Kiss, Guns & Roses, Motley Crue etc. ACDC do nothing for me either.
I hate wailing vocals like Whintney Huston & Celine Dion & pretty much all soul & motown music and anything in the overblown, showing-off X-factor style.
Never got The Clash, although I am a fan of a lot of punk. Billy Bragg makes me want to give him a good shoeing. I hate Elvis, The Farm, anything with Paul Heaton in it, The Jam, Razorlight, Morrisey, Franz Ferdinand, New Order, Level 42, Mike & The Mechanics, Bob Dylan, almost all R&B & boy / girl bands… I could go on all day.
I can’t understand the popularity of Frank Sinatra either – I don’t dislike his songs particularly, but he just sounds like someone’s dad who can hold a tune. Nothing spectacular.
I don’t get the whole obnoxious swagger that goes along with Oasis & Kasabian, although I admit to liking some of the songs. I have a huge problem with their attitude.

As regards some of the bands mentioned so far – I love Elbow, Coldplay were good up until their last few releases IMO and U2 have some awesome songs, although I wouldn’t call my self a fan. I loved RHCP, but they have become way too easy-listening now. The same could be said for Pink Floyd. I love their really early twisted, psychedelic stuff, but then it went a bit wishy-washy.

I might have given the impression that I don’t like any music at all, but I love tons of different styles, mostly at the more extreme ends of the spectrum though. Music tends to polarise my opinion in the main. It’s usually either a love or hate thing – there’s not much middle ground. 😉

*Ed Sheeran ‘writing’ his songs is a very loose term.

Frank Sinatra is mostly a massive pile of dog poo, but listen to ‘In the Wee Small Hours’

Listening to a man who is so arrogant and his career being on it’s backside is really interesting listening.

Please explain the significance of the Velvet Underground then? It seems to me that there were far more significant bands around at the same time. Just sayin’ like.

Not sure why there’s a challenge necessary here – we can all have different opinions, no one’s “right” but I’m reminded of the quote, might have been from Cale, but for some reason I’ve got Brian Eno in my head, that that first VU album only sold 30,000 copies originally, but those 30,000 purchasers all went out and started a band.

There’s similar quotes about the legendary Sex Pistols gig at the Manchester Free Trade Hall, although it also seems that if everyone who has claimed to have been at that gig actually was, it would have to have been held in a stadium.

fwiw I genuinely like the VU, but then I also like Bach, Taylor Swift and early UB40. I never got on with the Smiths and struggle to like much by the Beatles. Isn’t it great that there’s such a diversity of music out there for us to choose from?

Fair enough.

Isn’t it great that there’s such a diversity of music out there for us to choose from?

…and discover 🙂

Isn’t it great that there’s such a diversity of music out there for us to choose from?

Absolutely!
Just a pity that all the work-friendly radio stations play the same tiny selection of crap day after day. 😥