My Taste in Music.

My music tastes vary widely but there are really two that I focus on. Rock and Alternative both Mainstream and Indie. Bare in mind that I do boycott the RIAA so when I buy music I make sure none of my money goes to them, either buying used or directly from the artists.

Here is the moral dilemma I deal with. I've listened to several types of rock music. Some I just stay away from altogether. I don't agree in the least with most of rock music's messages. I don't do drugs, sex isn't a main focal point of my life, and well, I do like to rock.

Blasphemy is something I stay away from as much as possible. It bothers me. Now, I'm not the most holy of people. I don't like the fact that I have to say that statement and I do work toward being a morally just person. The problem with all of this is that I love the sound of rock music. I love the energy.

I don't even mind if I can't hear the lyrics from all the screaming and growling going on. To me screaming in itself can be a talent. Could you go out on stage and do that every night? I wouldn't want to as I would bet that it would eventually mess up your vocal chords as evidenced by the lead singer of Avenged Sevenfold.

On the opposite side of this, there's Country Music. A vial grotesque super mainstream type of music. The kind where the music writers are the real ones making money. Did you know Garth Brooks doesn't write his own music? I challenge you to find someone who does write their own music in country music. To say that someone doesn't would probably be inaccurate but it would be interesting to find out who does. I don't like most country. I enjoy Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. Some of the older stuff is good at times, because it seems more honest and less tailored to line the big wigs pockets with platinum.

But there's one positive to country. The stories. Those who actually do the writing of these songs do a good job of it. Interesting, dramatic and often touching stories. After all, it is country. The emo for hillbillies. I can relate to some country as well. I am a man of the mountains. But far from a Redneck. I would consider that word to be a racial epithet against me.

I have found a couple of bands that kind of touch on both sides of this hunger for stories and rock music. Death Cab for Cutie and The Weakerthans. Very good bands, but I suppose I crave more. So, who do I turn to? What bands do you suggest? I like rock, alt folk, alt pop, not a huge fan of rap though. Similar bands are The Postal Service, Cloud Cult, and Bishop Allen.

So I was up late last night and Nocturnal State was on VH1. I was watching this band because watching it made me really uncomfortable. Sometimes I like to feel uncomfortable and cringe at what I'm viewing and that feeling is kind of a phenomenon to me. So this video was definitely fulfilling that:

http://www.chairpage.com/media_files/YoungModern/video/straightlines/straightlines_bb.htm

First off, I don't like the song. I can't place why, but I guess that the album name "Young Modern" kind of sums that up. It's not rock exactly and it's Way too mainstream pop for my tastes. What bothered me most about it is that the camera in the video just gets incredibly too close for my comfort and he's wearing a vest with no shirt on. The guy reminds me of Freddie Mercury of Queen, and I wouldn't doubt that that is the intention.

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9968/freddiemercury0ve.jpg


















http://keepqueenalive.com.sapo.pt/freddie%20mercury%20friends.jpg


















This fellow seemed vaguely familiar to me somehow, and I'll usually sit through something that I don't like just so I can see the name of the band at the end of the video and from then on steer clear of that band. But doing so was kind of a slap in the face for me this time. I never would have dreamed that this is the same band who put this song out in the U.S. in 1995:

http://www.chairpage.com/media_files/Frogstomp/video/tomorrow/tomorrowUS_bb.htm

Yes.. the same band that I saw on VH1 last night is the same band that released the song "Tomorrow"; Silverchair. "Tomorrow" is one of my favorite songs, the guy's voice in that song is truly powerful and it Rocked! I kind of wish it was on Guitar Hero III, that would've been awesome! "Tomorrow" was a sort of continuation to Nirvana and Alice in Chains and it really fit for the time.

But now they came back and put out this tripe? I realize that bands have to mature and do what they feel is right and that is alright. But expect to lose a lot of fans if you change too much. That means you too No Doubt. I guess Silverchair lost me after "Frog Stomp" because I missed out on "Freak Show", and the singles from "Neon Ballroom" weren't any good either as far as I'm concerned.

Oh Well.