'Classic' Bands You Have No Desire To Listen To, And The Reasons Why

[SMiLE-addict]

Joni Mitchell - To the extent that I thought she had died ages ago. Maybe the insane hype surrounding Blue? I'm not so scared of hyperconfessional songwriting as I used to be, so maybe I'll give it a go.

Presuming you're a straight male, this video might get you a bit more interested in Joni.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp3lJg07u4w

I used to dislike her, but even before I saw that video (and similar ones) I took a liking to her. Not a big fan, mind you, but I've gained some appreciation of her stuff.

As for classic bands, I can't believe I used to buy Styx records when I was around 14-15, now I can't stand them.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

AC/DC, and Aerosmith fit the bill for me. Can't stand either of them TBH, not sure why though, I guess I just don't "get" them.
Other the other hand, unlike others in this thread, I think Pink Floyd are bloody amazing, and one of the few bands I never get tired of listening too.

I hate AC/DC as well

[Alex]

Like I said in the "throw their CDs out the window" thread, I can't stand Led Zeppelin. They're great musicians, but for some reason I just can't get past all the "macho" c*ck-rock swagger. But it's not just Zeppelin, I just don't really care for that 70s hard rock/blues rock/proto metal sound. Deep Purple and Black Sabbath also fall in to "I can't stand them" pile. I'd, sadly, add Cream and Hendrix, as talented as they were, into that group. Perhaps it was hearing them played to death on classic rock radio throughout my childhood and adolescence, and hearing the DJs/VH1/my parents' friends/my few peers in school who preferred "the old stuff" to the post-grunge/shitty metal/country and western/top 40 that seemed to be the only acceptable musical tastes among the young folk of my little podunk hometown, go on and on and on about how those artists were "the greatest", like it's a religion that can't be deviated from. I remember this kid who was known in my school as the "guitar guy", played in a couple of high school bands, still trying to make a go at it to this day...one day in school he was going on about how he thought Zep was far superior to the Beatles and all my classmates were agreeing with him. I didn't say anything at the time, but if life gave me do-overs I'd start a fierce debate with him. I've actually got  into Facebook arguments with him over Syd Barrett vs. Waters and Gilmour Pink Floyd...see below.

Pink Floyd with Barrett was mindfuckingly awesome. While Dark Side is a good sounding/well-engineered record, I could take it or leave it. Same goes for the rest of their post-Barrett stuff. Though I wouldn't lose any sleep if I'd never heard "Wish You Were Here" (the song) again for the rest of my life. See above paragraph.

I've said this a thousand times before, not a huge fan of Radiohead from OK Computer and onward. Two halfway decent records, a lot of strong songwriting, but with a few duds here and there. Starting with OKC, they start relying more on production and "sound experiments" to make up for a lack of decent songs. Still a few good track every now and again, the duds outnumber the strong tracks, but everyone wets their pants over it anyway, probably due to Nigel Godrich's production. The latter day RH stuff sounds good on the stereo, but THE SONGS ARE JUST NOT THERE. RH is nothing without Nigel Godrich.

Grateful Dead...Yes, I said it! Another one of the "classic rock radio religion" acts. Good musicians, a few good songs, and as much as I'm pro-cannabis, I feel like what they do is a lot of overrated stoned-out jamming. Nothing wrong with that, per se, I just don't have the patience to sit through things like "Dark Star". That may be a little hypocritical since I love the 10 minute live versions of "Feel Flows" and "All This Is That". I think the difference is I know the BBs songs will go the last verse and then end after the Charles Lloyd flute/sax solo, where the GD will just drag it out for an hour and a half. I found it kind of funny reading Peter Ames Carlin's book when Carlin mentions how Jerry Garcia couldn't figure out how to improvise to "Help Me Rhonda" (That particular arrangement of the song didn't really sound good to me until they sped it up and gave it to Dennis to sing).

Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Genesis, Uriah Heep, Jethro Tull, Rush, Zappa's more "serious" stuff (also Dream Theater, Queensryche, Vai/Satriani, etc.)
Good musicians...but...do we really need concept albums about Dragons and Wizards and Aqualungs, 45 minute keyboard and guitar solos, songs that take up the entire side of an LP, endless (to borrow a British term) wankery...when a few Hey Ho, Let's Go's would do the trick. Again, maybe just a lack of patience on my part.

Nine Inch Nails...whiney "nobody likes me" teenage bullcrap (says a guys who loves Pet Sounds    ). Same category as Linkin Park, just with slightly better lyrics, no cheesy rapping, and put in more "artistically legitimate" packaging.

Rage Against the Machine, Henry Rollins...though I tend to agree with both Rage's and Rollins' politics, and I like Morello's guitar work, I just don't care for the angry, violent, macho thing they did, nor the "every song sounds the same" rap-rock style, at least in Rage's case. The Clash at least put their politics through a catchy rock and roll song filter (as did Bad Religion), AND dabbled in a variety of musical styles.

Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Tool, STP (sorry Billy C!), Bush, Silverchair, Seven Mary Three, Live, Godsmack, (plus Creed, Nickelback, Three Doors Down, Fuel, and all their third rate latter day imitators) grunge sludge... I'll get my early to mid 90s fix from MBV, Teenage Fanclub, Edwyn Collins, Barenaked Ladies, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Gin Blossoms, the less-grungy sounding Smashing Pumpkins songs, Blur, Oasis, Lush, early Radiohead, Stone Roses, even small time indie stuff like Black Tambourine, the Swirlies, the Magnetic Fields, etc.

I don't really care for metal and all its subgenres, but I really wouldn't mention it and just let it be if it weren't for a small minority of pretentious metalheads that sometimes pop up on the internet. Once in a while I'll see someone who posts on a message board, or in the old days a chatroom, and hype up metal for being based on "classical music" and vehemently denying any influence of rock and roll, the foundation their genre was built on, dismissing it as "blues-based", as if that's a bad thing. Do they not realize metal is, or at least at one time was, a subgenre of "rock"?

[runnersdialzero]

Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Tool, STP (sorry Billy C!), Bush, Silverchair, Seven Mary Three, Live, Godsmack, (plus Creed, Nickelback, Three Doors Down, Fuel, and all their third rate latter day imitators) grunge sludge.

Maybe at one point. A little later, though, they were capable of mind-fuckingly brilliant stuff like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cPq78av2Ow

Orchestral arrangement courtesy of our own Van Dyke Parks, it should be noted, who said he hadn't heard anything like Daniel Johns' songwriting since working with Brian.

[MBE]

90 percent of anything post 1981 or so except by artists who started before and even that isn't hardly ever as good with a few dozen exceptions.
Kansas-drek
Rush-more drek
Janis Joplin screechy
Joni Mitchel-boring
Genisis-Phil Collins in general too
Yes-boring
Emerson Lake and Palmer-boring
Herman's Hermits-wimpy
Neil Young-except Buffilo Springfield
Bee Gee's disco era and on
Fleetwood Mac 1975 on don't hate just don't need to hear again
Bread-yawn
Carpenters-too mellow
Olivia Newton John-just so dopey especally the Greece stuff.
Donna Summer-disco....
Yoko Ono-nighmare time
VIllage People-more disco
Barry Manilow-corny crap
Neil Diamond-I like some of his songs but not how he sings them
Wayne Newton-no soul
Engelbert-yikes
Julio-double yikes.

[hypehat]

Between my Spotify and my new overtly huge external HD, am remedying my transgressions of taste. Joni tonight, if I manage to stop listening to The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines off Mingus. Shall report back.


God, speaking of Charles Mingus, there's probably vaste swathes of Jazz that fit this category. Although I do like Miles Davis and Bill Evans. Time to think.

C'mon, Mike - don't hate on Donna Summer! Some of the greatest music ever! To quoth George Clinton, 'Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow' Also, what's your beef with Neil Young?

[hypehat]

Oh sh*t, Hendrix is also the other HUGE example/transgression of this for me. To the extent that I feel really bad for not listening to Hendrix and never do anything about it. Although I do hate his 'reimagining' (and the subsequent canonisation) of him doing The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock. It was pretty much the worst thing in that movie for me, especially after the sheer party jam that was Sly Stone, and then The Who ripping the place a new one, and John Sebastian being cute, and then.... oh sh*t, Hendrix falling asleep with his foot on the wah pedal in front of 25 people on the Monday morning....


I know I shouldn't judge him on that, but it's such a strong image of him.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Tool, STP (sorry Billy C!), Bush, Silverchair, Seven Mary Three, Live, Godsmack, (plus Creed, Nickelback, Three Doors Down, Fuel, and all their third rate latter day imitators) grunge sludge.

Maybe at one point. A little later, though, they were capable of mind-f***ingly brilliant stuff like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cPq78av2Ow

Orchestral arrangement courtesy of our own Van Dyke Parks, it should be noted, who said he hadn't heard anything like Daniel Johns' songwriting since working with Brian.

Also, STP was never really grunge , apart from their first album. In fact, they're more of a 60s and 70s influenced band than anything else.

[Mike's Beard]

Also, STP was never really grunge , apart from their first album. In fact, they're more of a 60s and 70s influenced band than anything else.

Billy was there ever a more ill defined musical genre than 'Grunge'? It seemed in the early 90's anything rock that didn't look or sound like Motley Crue was termed grunge.
Anyway time to slaughter the sacred cow that is NIRVANA. It's been 20 years people, time to get a bit of perspective on this group. Yeah they wrote the alt rock anthem with 'Teen Spirit, but everything else was rather average and had already been done better by Mudhoney and The Pixies. And Kurt was such a twat, "I hate corporate rock so I'm gonna sign a deal with Geffen". Yeah right! Nobody would give a sh*t about them now if he hadn't shot himself.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I do love Nevermind, but my favorite disc Nirvana ever put out is the Unplugged album, followed by Incesticide.

Billy was there ever a more ill defined musical genre than 'Grunge'? It seemed in the early 90's anything rock that didn't look or sound like Motley Crue was termed grunge.

Exactly.

I mean, is this grunge?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p9hzcx5PEU

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Like I said in the "throw their CDs out the window" thread, I can't stand Led Zeppelin. They're great musicians, but for some reason I just can't get past all the "macho" c*ck-rock swagger. But it's not just Zeppelin, I just don't really care for that 70s hard rock/blues rock/proto metal sound. Deep Purple and Black Sabbath also fall in to "I can't stand them" pile. I'd, sadly, add Cream and Hendrix, as talented as they were, into that group. Perhaps it was hearing them played to death on classic rock radio throughout my childhood and adolescence, and hearing the DJs/VH1/my parents' friends/my few peers in school who preferred "the old stuff" to the post-grunge/sh*tty metal/country and western/top 40 that seemed to be the only acceptable musical tastes among the young folk of my little podunk hometown, go on and on and on about how those artists were "the greatest", like it's a religion that can't be deviated from. I remember this kid who was known in my school as the "guitar guy", played in a couple of high school bands, still trying to make a go at it to this day...one day in school he was going on about how he thought Zep was far superior to the Beatles and all my classmates were agreeing with him. I didn't say anything at the time, but if life gave me do-overs I'd start a fierce debate with him. I've actually got  into Facebook arguments with him over Syd Barrett vs. Waters and Gilmour Pink Floyd...see below.

Pink Floyd with Barrett was mindf***ingly awesome. While Dark Side is a good sounding/well-engineered record, I could take it or leave it. Same goes for the rest of their post-Barrett stuff. Though I wouldn't lose any sleep if I'd never heard "Wish You Were Here" (the song) again for the rest of my life. See above paragraph.

I've said this a thousand times before, not a huge fan of Radiohead from OK Computer and onward. Two halfway decent records, a lot of strong songwriting, but with a few duds here and there. Starting with OKC, they start relying more on production and "sound experiments" to make up for a lack of decent songs. Still a few good track every now and again, the duds outnumber the strong tracks, but everyone wets their pants over it anyway, probably due to Nigel Godrich's production. The latter day RH stuff sounds good on the stereo, but THE SONGS ARE JUST NOT THERE. RH is nothing without Nigel Godrich.

Grateful Dead...Yes, I said it! Another one of the "classic rock radio religion" acts. Good musicians, a few good songs, and as much as I'm pro-cannabis, I feel like what they do is a lot of overrated stoned-out jamming. Nothing wrong with that, per se, I just don't have the patience to sit through things like "Dark Star". That may be a little hypocritical since I love the 10 minute live versions of "Feel Flows" and "All This Is That". I think the difference is I know the BBs songs will go the last verse and then end after the Charles Lloyd flute/sax solo, where the GD will just drag it out for an hour and a half. I found it kind of funny reading Peter Ames Carlin's book when Carlin mentions how Jerry Garcia couldn't figure out how to improvise to "Help Me Rhonda" (That particular arrangement of the song didn't really sound good to me until they sped it up and gave it to Dennis to sing).

Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Genesis, Uriah Heep, Jethro Tull, Rush, Zappa's more "serious" stuff (also Dream Theater, Queensryche, Vai/Satriani, etc.)
Good musicians...but...do we really need concept albums about Dragons and Wizards and Aqualungs, 45 minute keyboard and guitar solos, songs that take up the entire side of an LP, endless (to borrow a British term) wankery...when a few Hey Ho, Let's Go's would do the trick. Again, maybe just a lack of patience on my part.

Nine Inch Nails...whiney "nobody likes me" teenage bullcrap (says a guys who loves Pet Sounds    ). Same category as Linkin Park, just with slightly better lyrics, no cheesy rapping, and put in more "artistically legitimate" packaging.

Rage Against the Machine, Henry Rollins...though I tend to agree with both Rage's and Rollins' politics, and I like Morello's guitar work, I just don't care for the angry, violent, macho thing they did, nor the "every song sounds the same" rap-rock style, at least in Rage's case. The Clash at least put their politics through a catchy rock and roll song filter (as did Bad Religion), AND dabbled in a variety of musical styles.

Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Tool, STP (sorry Billy C!), Bush, Silverchair, Seven Mary Three, Live, Godsmack, (plus Creed, Nickelback, Three Doors Down, Fuel, and all their third rate latter day imitators) grunge sludge... I'll get my early to mid 90s fix from MBV, Teenage Fanclub, Edwyn Collins, Barenaked Ladies, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Gin Blossoms, the less-grungy sounding Smashing Pumpkins songs, Blur, Oasis, Lush, early Radiohead, Stone Roses, even small time indie stuff like Black Tambourine, the Swirlies, the Magnetic Fields, etc.

I don't really care for metal and all its subgenres, but I really wouldn't mention it and just let it be if it weren't for a small minority of pretentious metalheads that sometimes pop up on the internet. Once in a while I'll see someone who posts on a message board, or in the old days a chatroom, and hype up metal for being based on "classical music" and vehemently denying any influence of rock and roll, the foundation their genre was built on, dismissing it as "blues-based", as if that's a bad thing. Do they not realize metal is, or at least at one time was, a subgenre of "rock"?

Alex, we're pretty much on exactly the same page except I like a few Deep Purple songs like Hush and think that Hendrix is great. Otherwise though, I could have said much of this myself.

[SMiLE Brian]

Early Deep Purple is actually close to progressive rock and I am a sucker for that sound. ELP ruined that genre with their ego trip performances and stage show. The best best prog/art rock bands had a solid background in playing rock and roll.

[Myk Luhv]

hypehat reminded me that I think Sly & The Family Stone are some of the most un-funk, boring music ever. Maybe I should snort some Roxis before listening to There's a Riot Goin' On or something but goshdarn is that and their preceding albums snore-inducing.

[hypehat]

hypehat reminded me that I think Sly & The Family Stone are some of the most un-funk, boring music ever. Maybe I should snort some Roxis before listening to There's a Riot Goin' On or something but goshdarn is that and their preceding albums snore-inducing.

To say that Riot isn't 'funky' enough is kind of missing the point (although the drumming on the very first tune is enough funk for most men). I don't go to it for a good time, I guess? It's a really dark and uncomfortable record, helped of course by the lo-fi home recording/mixing techniques and vast amounts of drugs being consumed. His lyrics are insane and he sounds strung out as f***! It's like Smiley Smile if they'd invented the drum machine in 1967.


To say that Stand! is nothing but a good time is, however, insane. I will fight for Sly Stone to the death!

[SMiLE Brian]

hypehat reminded me that I think Sly & The Family Stone are some of the most un-funk, boring music ever. Maybe I should snort some Roxis before listening to There's a Riot Goin' On or something but goshdarn is that and their preceding albums snore-inducing.

To say that Riot isn't 'funky' enough is kind of missing the point (although the drumming on the very first tune is enough funk for most men). I don't go to it for a good time, I guess? It's a really dark and uncomfortable record, helped of course by the lo-fi home recording/mixing techniques and vast amounts of drugs being consumed. His lyrics are insane and he sounds strung out as f***! It's like Smiley Smile if they'd invented the drum machine in 1967.


To say that Stand! is nothing but a good time is, however, insane. I will fight for Sly Stone to the death!

Sly Stone sadly never got off the drugs like Brian did...

[hypehat]

So I listened to Blue, and it's pretty amazing. I think the range of imagery is a lot to unpack on an initial listen, mind, so will definitely give that more listens.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

AC/DC, and Aerosmith fit the bill for me. Can't stand either of them TBH, not sure why though, I guess I just don't "get" them.
Other the other hand, unlike others in this thread, I think Pink Floyd are bloody amazing, and one of the few bands I never get tired of listening too.

I hate AC/DC as well

Anyone who hates AC/DC has some serious issues..... Just sayin...

But to each their own. I used to hate The Beatles and got some serious sh*t for it, so I know the feeling.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I...really don't like Brian Johnson's voice, and that style of rock is not to my taste, for the same reasons I hate Guns & Roses (just to name one example). That whiny, screechy, nails-on-a-chalkboard vocal mixed in with brain-dead dunderhead rock really does not appeal to me.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

But you're not SUPPOSED to like Brian's voice. You're supposed to be attacked and mauled and by it as he puts his love into you babe!!!

But, I hear ya!

And I agree with you completely about G&R (though Axl sounded good when he sang in his low register)

[MBE]

Between my Spotify and my new overtly huge external HD, am remedying my transgressions of taste. Joni tonight, if I manage to stop listening to The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines off Mingus. Shall report back.


God, speaking of Charles Mingus, there's probably vaste swathes of Jazz that fit this category. Although I do like Miles Davis and Bill Evans. Time to think.

C'mon, Mike - don't hate on Donna Summer! Some of the greatest music ever! To quoth George Clinton, 'Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow' Also, what's your beef with Neil Young?

For what she did Donna Summer is fine, I just don't like that kind of disco. Don't hate her, just have no desire to hear her. I like funk from earlier in the decade, just not too much disco. I like some of the sounds Gene Chandler, James Brown, and the Jacksons did with disco, even stuff like Miss You by The Stones, but there was always a little more meat or funk influence to it.

Neil Young comes off kind of depressing to me half the time and too political the other half. Maybe the tone of his voice isn't to my taste. I again have respect for who he is, but he's never moved me. I do like some of the Buffilo Springfield stuff. More peppy I suppose.

[Myk Luhv]

hypehat reminded me that I think Sly & The Family Stone are some of the most un-funk, boring music ever. Maybe I should snort some Roxis before listening to There's a Riot Goin' On or something but goshdarn is that and their preceding albums snore-inducing.

To say that Riot isn't 'funky' enough is kind of missing the point (although the drumming on the very first tune is enough funk for most men). I don't go to it for a good time, I guess? It's a really dark and uncomfortable record, helped of course by the lo-fi home recording/mixing techniques and vast amounts of drugs being consumed. His lyrics are insane and he sounds strung out as f***! It's like Smiley Smile if they'd invented the drum machine in 1967.


To say that Stand! is nothing but a good time is, however, insane. I will fight for Sly Stone to the death!

I'm unmoved. It's all just boring to me, whether it's meant to be upbeat or not. I'll pass

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Probably for the best. There's a My Little Pony episode about to begin anyway.

[Myk Luhv]

You're not very good at trolling dude

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh burn!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

 It was Dr.V's  opinion, which is he entitled to.  I mean, sh*t, there are several bands listed here that I personally really like, but you don't see me throwing jabs, do you?