Rush. I should love Rush, people are often very surprised not only that I don’t like them, but that I actively dislike them. My problem with them is, 100%, Geddy’s voice. I just can’t get past it. I’ve even, a few times, turned on the radio to some great guitar solo or instrumental part of a song, wondering who it is, only to hear Geddy come shrieking back into the mix.
It seems to throw people even more that know my taste in music and know I like bands like Supertramp or Yes.
Also Bjork. I dismissed her in high school. I knew of her just never bothered with her. Keep in mind, this is when I was listening to Radiohead and Aphex Twin and all kinds of techno music and all kinds of other similar (for lack of a better word) music. I should have liked her. Nowadays, whenever I try to listen to her music, all I can think is that if I had started listening to her back then, I certainly would have liked it, but I just can’t seem to do it now.
Probably the ultimate musical artist that I Don’t Get, greatness-wise, is the Beastie Boys. I thought they were most likely a one-hit wonder at the time, and kinda wish they’d stayed that way.
Branching out a bit, I don’t think David Sedaris is funny, either.
Don’t blame Bruce for that one; it was written by Narada Michael Walden and performed as a duet by Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne (with backing vocals by Daryl Hannah.)
A lot of Springsteen’s better known singles are meh. If you want to check out some of his lesser known, but better (imo) stuff, give The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle or Tunnel of Love or The Rising a few spins.
I can definitely hear the Springsteen influence in “Fire” and “Because The Night”, no matter who sings them. But did you also know that he wrote “Blinded By The Light”? (That mysterious word, BTW, is “deuce”, as in a roadster or a racecar.)
I don’t mean to trash Bruce Springsteen. I’m just saying I never jumped in and bought everything he put out for purchase. I think a lot of people can contribute to their field…the guy who wasn’t a great player might go on to become a great coach. I adore “Hallelujah,” but not the Leonard Cohen version. Anyway I think Bruce will be composing a song on his death bed.
I’ve had multiple “music recommendation” algorithms recommend Cat Power and had her come up on radio that I listen to (well, back when I listened to radio) but any time I gave her a shot, I just couldn’t get hooked.
As for Radiohead: “The Bends” and “Ok Computer” are two of the best albums of the 90s, hands down. But I’ve got problems with the rest, maybe problems that have to do with the fact that their later albums weren’t as accessible as those two and I maybe haven’t given them enough time. All the critics have told me to listen to “Kid A” and further, but I just haven’t got into that.
Man I hated those guys. I hate them even more now after I have seen what a colossal prick Gene Simmons is (hyper-narcissist).
All of my friends were in to them and this was while I was about age 8-16(ish…I forget exactly). Those were the years where I most wanted to not stick out and wanted to agree with the crowd. I hated Kiss so much I was willing to be the loner on this one. Fortunately my friends didn’t seem to care too much (and I certainly kept quiet about it unless asked directly).
Ugh…never understood the attraction to them.
I was totally fine with Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath and Judas Priest and AC/DC and Zeppelin and Rush and Thin Lizzy…to name a few.
Another vote for Nick Drake; and another vote for Bruce Springsteen. Yep, in theory I should love 'em. I don’t hate them, they just leave me…uninterested.
Now for the heresy: there’s been a lot of apathy towards Jeff Beck, but the comments I read about him just make me think of… B.B. King. Virtuosity, yeah, sure; and undeniable blues credentials, but he just leaves me cold. Sorry.
A long time ago, we saw Frank Zappa in concert. The opening act left me cold. I told my wife “These guys really suck!” The band was Steely Dan, and they still suck.
My favorites include Boston, Styx, Reo Speedwagon and Foreigner. I do not like Journey. It’s Steve Perry’s voice. Some of the earlier stuff is okay. I don’t ever want to hear Don’t Stop Believing again - but you can’t avoid it.
Bruce Springsteen was exactly who I thought of when opening this thread. I just don’t get it. His songs are probably okay, but his mumbly voice just turns me off.
Interesting thread. I’m surprised by all the votes for Nick Drake. I never found anything objectionable about him, and his voice and his various open tunings with all the ringing open strings and different chord voicings are beautiful and makes his acoustic guitar work sound different. Combined with his voice, I’ve just found his music hauntingly soulful and emotinoal.
Anyhow, the biggest one for me is Hüsker Dü. Everything about my musical tastes says I should like them. I have fairly eclectic tastes, but the early-to-mid-80s post/post-punk scene is some of my favorite music. i love Bob Mould’s work in Sugar. I just can’t listen to the Hüsker Dü albums. They do look like they put on a terrific show, but I just haven’t gotten into them from their studio work.
Bob Dylan is another one I just can’t quite get into. I tried to hunker down a couple years ago and give it a fair shot by buying Blood on the tracks and ]Highway 51 Revisited but, minus a track here and there, it just doesn’t do it for me for some reason. I recognize the depth of his lyrics, but music & words, I prefer people like Leonard Cohen, John Prine, Steve Goodman, Arlo Guthrie, Simon & Garfunkel, etc.
He starts off normal enough (and I don’t love his voice but whatevs) and then…@55 seconds in (Sings, “What you say about his company/Is what you say about society—for those who don’t want to click”)
That's against the Geneva Convention or should be. Subtract out that voice and you've got some really good music.