In my high school years, I lived a pretty sheltered musical life. In my neck of the woods (talking boonies here, in a relative sense), I had no knowledge, at all, of the punk revolution (which happened in my 14th year), nor of any more esoteric fringe artists (like say Germany’s Can). I remember once getting into a heated “argument” on a desk (kind of like a message board-scribble something and the next person who sat in that desk would write you back) about music, and I expressed my dislike of Pink Floyd. Now of course up to that point I had never actually heard the Floyd, understand-but anything which smacked of arcane acid rock was not for me. [Went back to my Elton John and Chicago records, tho I started to tire of them before I graduated.]
Fast forward to my freshman year of college, where I got to listen to all sorts of stuff on their highly eclectic campus radio station, which of course included Floyd. Quickly changed my tune for sure once I heard “Echoes” and Dark Side. Never became a huge huge fan of them tho. I also ended up liking much harder rock than I thought I’d ever would as a teen.
The closest for me would be The Eagles. I hated “Take it Easy,” and they seemed to me to be just a second-rate Poco. Continued to dislike their early stuff. Then came Hotel California and The Long Run. I think it’s entirely due to the addition of Joe Walsh.
I can’t really think of anyone like that, but I can think of two who I didn’t like at first, then became a big fan
Soft Machine. I bought their Volume Two on a recommendation. I liked one or two throwaway cuts on the first side, but didn’t care for the rest. But I’d occasionally go back and listen, and decide I liked another song. Then I realized I liked the entire first side and was beginning to get into the second. By the time Third came out – one of the greatest jazz-rock albums of all time – I was a fan.
Captain Beefheart– I thought “The Blimp” was great, so bought “Lick My Decals Off, Baby.” It sounded as though the music was nothing but random plunking behind the Captains surreal lyrics. I started liking one song, then another. Then time passed; I stopped listening to records. I listened again – and realized it was great music.
Neil Young came out with Harvest in the 70’s when I was around 16. It was kind of slow and sappy. I did like some of his other stuff. Then I saw him on a TV show promoting Harvest Moon back in the 90’s and he still looked the same just older with the same old flannel shirt and jeans. I bought the CD Harvest Moon and surprisingly I loved it.