From: falcon@camelot.bradley.edu (D. Nathan Hood)
Subject: Re: I am curious (long)
Organization: Bradley University
Date: 22 Nov 92 11:33:38 GMT

In <1992Nov22.022741.28913@netcom.com> dx@netcom.com (dx) writes:

>Here's my response: instead of giving us a useless list of bands and
>artists that you think are the Very Best, why don't you give us some
>infotainment.  For example, why do you like these artists?  What kind
>of music do they play?  Are they important, in your mind, in the
>history and development of popular music?  Why?  Why not?  What are
>the recordings you'd recommend if someone wanted to find out more
>about one or more of these artists?

ok that was the kind of input i was looking for.. i will do so...

Pink Floyd

one of the more influential bands in history... i like the fact that they
can go through changes like losing barret and then Waters (who i think is a
whiny bitch IMVHO of course) and maintain some form of unity.. they have
been around for a long time and have gone through many different musical
styles... i like them because of their sound it is more or less distinctive
and one of a kind... their concept albums of the late seventies early
eighties were exceptional... (Final Cut, Wall) while their 'early work' is
also very good (DSOTM)... and their very early work shows how they were an
experimental band that wasn't afraid to do the unusual (Piper) i also like
the fact that the artists in it are good enough to stand on their own..
most have had fairly successful solo careers... i am unsure as to how
influential they have been i will not pretend to know something i don't...
if someone wanted to find out more about them i would suggest 'a nice pair
and Delicate sound of thunder' most will disagree with me on those choices
but i feel they are good because the encompass a large cross section of
their discography...

Alan Parsons Project

i see them as similar to Pink Floyd in that they are experimental... i
really like what they did on Tales Of Mystery And Imagination (Edgar Allen
Poe).. my collection on them is fairly limited but i do like what i have...
again i am uncertain about how influential they have been but i don't rate
a band on how influential they are... i rate them on how much i like
them... i also like the way that they do very good instrumentals (Where's
The Walrus) as well as vocal pieces (Eye in the sky) i see them as a very
talented band with much to offer... if people wanted to hear them i suggest
The instrumental works and Eye In The Sky...

John Lee Hooker

After this i will stop mentioning the influence of them because i don't
know anything about it... i really like John Lee for his guitar work in
songs like the Healer... i also at times just like a good blues song...
Pinetop Perkins also comes to mind here but i think that i prefer Mr.
Hooker... this is very much a gut feeling... his music 'feels' good... i
really cannot say too much more than that... i can only reccomend that i
have from him and both are very good (the healer and Mr. Lucky)

Yes

my experience with yes is very limited the first time i heard of them was
when 90125 was new and the video for Leave it was on MTV... that was the
first i had heard of them... i then went out and bought 90210 and now also
own big generator... i like the variety of sounds they have (owner of a
lonely heart and Shoot High Aim Low I think are two good comparisons)
again since i only own two of their albums i can only reccomend them...

Led Zeppelin

to be honest with you i don't care for them very much... although i think
that they are very good... they have been very influential (i would
imagine) and i think that they are a very good band... it is more respect
than anything... i have great respect for their musical ability... from
these guys i would like to reccomend the box set but if you can't afford
that buy II or IV...

Elton John

one of my personal favorites the song that got me into him was farewell to
a friend/love lies bleeding one of the nicest songs ever recorded IMHO...
musically i think he is a genius... i was raised around a piano and played
it myself for about 8 years... and i still love nothing more than a good
piano and i get plenty of that from Elton... from him i would reccomend
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Genesis

again i like the way these guys sound... both old and new... songs like and
the lamb lies down on broadway i absoloutly love... and Land Of Confusion I
also enjoy immensely... in fact i like all of invisible touch especially
domino... again this is a very gut feeling... i like the flow of the
music... even Home by the sea is very good IMHO... from them i would find
it difficult to name one album you should get... probably invisible touch
or Duke... depending on the era you want to be first acquainted with...

Midnight Oil

probably one of the least influential bands on the american music scene...
but i like their avant-garde approach to music... their lead singer is a
6'6" bald lawyer from australia these guys were originally a surf band from
the north coast of austrailia and are best played very loud... probably one
of the funnest bands to listen to... it is very difficuly to sit still when
you are... to reccomend an album from these guys is also difficult because
from their first album back in 1978 to their tenth album in 1992 they have
changed alot... i would have to reccomend scream in blue live...

Rush

this is again one of those gut feelings... but i like their combination of
good music with lyrics that have meaning... like closer to the heart or
lyrics that paint a cool picture Red Barchetta it is difficult to tell if
they are talking about the future or making an allegory for the present...
but i consider them one of the best bands mostly for their lyrics... and no
i don't consider Neil to be a good just a good lyricist... whether or not
he has a PhD... i don't know... i still like them just the same... from
them i would have to reccomend chronicles or a show of hands...

i hope this shed some light on my previous post... and dx thanks for
telling me what you wanted to see i hope that i have answered your
questions...


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falcon@camelot.bradley.edu                                      /,)-^>>\` , \\\
D. Nathan Hood, AKA Nathan "Of The" Hood, AKA Brotherhood, AKA  (/   \\ /\\\    
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