Bands of Note

 Page Created: 31/03/2010
Last Updated: 03/02/2011
OK so I've decided to add pages & the first one is a random page about the joys of certain musicians, bands or artists which influence what I listen to on a regular basis - it's a real work in progress & something I want to build up. I'm not trying to create a mini-biography - except when necessary - it's really to express what I think about them. So below is a list & I'm going to say a little something about each of them, as the mood takes me - it's not in any particular order:
Rock  
(powered where necessary by Wikipedia.com)
 
Nirvana: my first favourite band – the first to really strike a chord with the rebellious teenager!  I started off with ‘Bleach’ on cassette (remember those!) & lapped up everything they produced – ‘Nevermind’, ‘B-Sides’ both on tape, then with the dawn of CD’s I repurchased Nevermind & the last studio album ‘In Utero’ & the live acoustic – the legendary ‘Unplugged in New York’ & eventually the epic ‘Muddy Shores of the Wishkah’ - I even got most of their singles on CD as well. The music that was produced by Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic & Dave Grohl in their prime was raw & powerful – all aspects of the band were tight & their sound was the greatest of grunge – it’s aged but a little since the later 80’s early 90’s & their music continues to influence new musicians & bands worldwide & rightly so. They were chaotic & the epitomy of grunge at it's peak - representing the lost & broken kids of a generation. They were simply...epic.



Foo Fighters: I can't really talk about Rock music at all without mentioning my most obsessed, most collected, most seen-live band - the huge Foo Fighters! The first song I heard was a specially commissioned cover-version (made for the X-Files episode: Fire & appearing on a compilation album of X-Files tracks called 'Songs in the Key of X' which I got whilst on holiday in Canada!) of track 'Down in the Park' (originally by Gary Newman). I was hooked & wanted to hear more. However, it was not until a few years later that I got their then-current album - the actually-not-the-best-ever 'There is Nothing Left to Lose'. From here I wanted to hear more & went about searching for just that - first it was the 'One by One' album & then the 'Everywhere but Home' Live DVD & I was properly hooked & had to see them live myself. I got hold of the first 2 albums ('Foo Fighters' & 'The Colour & the Shape') just before their fifth double album - the stunning 'In Your Honour. The frontman/lead singer/guitarist/some-time drummer (Dave Grohl) is known as the nicest man in rock & his band are his brothers – they play their nuts off in any venue & are a really tight-knit band. The amount of studio albums, a live DVD or three have music to suit any musical taste – so long as you have a love for guitar-oriented music. I have had the distinct privilege of seeing the Foo’s three times over the years; Birmingham N.E.C. for the ‘In Your Honour’ Tour, then the massive sold out ‘Hyde Park’ gig (complete with the mighty Motorhead, the epic Queens of the Stone Age, the hilarious Juliette & the Licks and for some reason Angels & Airwaves!) & then their biggest UK Gig to date – Wembley Stadium for their ‘Echo’s Silence Patience & Grace’ Tour. There is talk of new album (we’ll ignore the greatest hits as it wasn’t sanctioned by the band) which is going to be recorded through September 2010, but so far everything they have released I’ve loved…I don’t see that changing with this band, hopefully ever!

Update: new album is finished, it's as yet untitles & due to be released 12th April 2011
 
Silversun Pickups: my band of 2008 & 2009 (& beyond if I’m honest) with their debut album & storming second album - I can't seem to stop going on about this band! Their sound is multi-layered; solid drumming, tight bass line & really nice guitar work, finished off with keyboards (with guitar pedals) to add a finishing touch. I first heard a track as part of Adam Freeland’s Global Underground 32 album - it was one of the stand-out tracks called ‘Lazy Eye’. The song was so good that I searched online to try to find it – but found it on iTunes as part of an album. I took an instant liking to the band & got obsessed with most of their songs. Catchy riffs & hooks was enough to get me loving the band at an early stage. I have now seen them twice in concert & both times I was blown away – particularly the second gig (in Oxford) an intimate gig, lots of friends & easily the best night I’d had at a gig (& yes, that does include the Foos!). When it comes to contemporary rock music – these guys are right up there with the Foos, Muse, Arcade Fire & the Red Hot chili Peppers – a must see act.

Coming Soon:
Metallica     Jimi Hendrix     Queens of the Stone Age/Kyuss     Muse     Them Crooked Vultures     Dire Straits     Autolux     Arcade Fire     Red Hot Chili Peppers     The Pixies     Mumford & Sons     System of a Down     Placebo

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