Acclaimed Bands You Can't Force Yourself To Like

Cafe Society
81

There are a bunch of seminal alternative bands that are critics’ darlings that I don’t get at all.

The big two in this class are Sonic Youth and The Pixies. I just don’t hear anything about them that should make critics cream their jeans.

Also, Husker Du, Janes Addixtion and Dinosaur Jr. Nope, nope, and nope. The Replacements are OK, though.

82

The most rabid fans also, who will start frothing at the mouth if you tell them that you don’t like DMB’s “music”. Two of my kids have been rabid fans for years, traveling great distances to see live concerts, etc. A guy who worked for me some years ago was obsessed by this group and gave me a bunch of CDs to listen to. I started out listening to some songs, then thinking “Oh, this must be one of their lesser efforts, let’s try this track. Hmmm. . .this is really boring stuff. . .how about this one. . .nope, that’s just a bunch of instruments noodling. . .how about track 13 on disk 3. . .WTF?” My sons are always urging me to listen to DMB’s drummer randomly whacking the skins. I grant that the man is a competent rock drummer, but that’s it. He’s no kind of genius at it, and I’ve heard far better drummers in my life. And what the fuck is with Matthews’ singing style?

Others: U2, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Van Halen.

The Doobie Brothers after they started using Michael McDonald for vocal leads; I can never understand WTF the lyrics are when that mushmouth is singing.

I agree about The Band, especially for songs like The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and Cripple Creek; a Southern crapfest of a band.

Steve Miller band: great intros, really crappy lyrics.

The Bangles: Susanna Hoffs’ voice is like chalk on a blackboard; they had one amusing hit with Walk Like an Egyptian, but the rest was just shit, and her voice wasn’t up to the task, especially on Eternal Flame.

83

I intensely dislike Oasis and Bush, and I like a few Smashing Pumpkins songs but overall, I don’t care much for them. Those are my 90s band dislikes. I grew up with people not understanding why I didn’t “get” them.

I also don’t like Phish, not a huge Grateful Dead fan, but I like a few of their songs.

Someone mentioned Creed, but nobody liked Creed.

Some of these hurt my feelings…

Pink Floyd, the Foo Fighters, The Doors, Nine Inch Nails, REM, Motley Crue, you would have made my childhood/teenage years a lonely/silent ones had you taken those bands away …oh man,

84

I have never liked U2 and I thought everyone else did!

To my ears Coldplay sounds exactly like U2, and so I ignore them as well.

85

Steely Dan
U2
Phish
Dave Matthews Band (seen them live many times and they are great musicians but I just don’t like most of the songs.)

86

Never:

Dave Matthews - ex-wife loved him, I think it’s mostly drivel
Grateful Dead - I seem like I should like them, but I can’t stand listening to them. Oddly enough I do like some covers of their songs.
Jay-Z, Kanye, etc. - seriously, any redeeming value here? I like some hip-hop and rap, but get nothing from this group
Beyonce - overrated. Way overrated.
Bruno Mars - does nothing for me.
Sometimes: I like some, some I just don’t get

Radiohead
Prince