# What Music Do You Really Like That Isn't Particularly Well-Played? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069 "2011-06-27T22:32:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/21 "2011-06-29T05:13:40Z")
> [@Small\_Clanger](#): > > I’ll see your Ramones and bring in **The Cramps** You’re a bad person. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/22 "2011-06-29T06:45:59Z")
This one is easy. Harry Chapin. I have gotten all kinds of grief from my friends for this but I am proud to like Harry’s ahem, music. He even wrote a song about how bad he performed, “Six String Orchestra” but to me, his lyrics are exceptional and he manages to make the music enhance and bring out the lyrics so while it’s no technical wonder, it is magic. He also has no voice to speak of but he makes it work for him. Ok, you can laugh now, I’m used to it. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/23 "2011-06-29T07:16:51Z")
Yet another one - **The Violent Femmes**. These guys were literally picked up off the street. I almost have to laugh when, on one of the live albums, they say “Oh no, we brought it to the end of the song and we didn’t get a chance to jam!” - followed by a few minutes of artless jamming, but darn if they don’t sound like they’re having fun anyway. Nirvana as a band was actually really good at what they did - it’s just that the music they made wasn’t all that technically demanding. The surviving members have done quite well in other bands - they were all fairly talented. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/24 "2011-06-29T07:37:14Z")
It’s been suggested that The Velvet Underground was a practical joke by Andy Warhol, but damned if I don’t love a lot of their sings. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/25 "2011-06-29T13:36:39Z")
[The 5.6.7.8’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szmOPwK2AXM&feature=related) are all kinds of awesome. But it ain’t technical prowess that makes ‘em so - just their deep grokking of Rock n’ Roll. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/26 "2011-06-29T13:58:21Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > This one is easy. Harry Chapin. I have gotten all kinds of grief from my friends for this but I am proud to like Harry’s ahem, music. > > He even wrote a song about how bad he performed, “Six String Orchestra” but to me, his lyrics are exceptional and he manages to make the music enhance and bring out the lyrics so while it’s no technical wonder, it is magic. He also has no voice to speak of but he makes it work for him. > > Ok, you can laugh now, I’m used to it. Nope, I’ll back you on this, **Penguin**. With Chapin, it’s about the story he’s telling. I came in to say Big Brother and the Holding Co. They were really sloppy, espically in the early years. Same could be said for some of the Dead’s recordings too. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/27 "2011-06-29T14:51:50Z")
The Bloodhound Gang are pretty terrible as musicians, but [The Bad Touch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iALMsX-TvNU) is still a good song. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/28 "2011-06-29T15:24:16Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > I came in to say Big Brother and the Holding Co. They were really sloppy, espically in the early years. Same could be said for some of the Dead’s recordings too. To not put too fine a point on it, BB&tHC sucked from a technique standpoint, and unfortunately, unlike the Ramones, were doing it within a genre that had some technical requirements - e.g., being able to play a decent lead. I need to be careful commenting on the Dead - too many ways to offend people. I will say that it seems like some folks value their innovations as improvisors and communicators-with-their-crowd and are able to look past their technical limitations - something I really struggle with. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/29 "2011-06-29T15:30:24Z")
> [@bramma23](#): > > Other than drums, Nirvana doesn’t strike me as particularly well played but I like it. I’m sure someone with better musical training/expertise can tell how good/bad they were at actually playing music. I always thought Cobain was a pretty good vocalist and an excellent guitarist, but that may be me. To contribute: Little Johnny Jewel by Television. Parts of the song sound like a teenage band warming up in the basement, but then it just explodes into beautiful release. Actually, that could apply to quite a bit of Television’s initial stuff. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/30 "2011-06-29T21:16:26Z")
The **Insane Clown Posse**. Need I say more? ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/31 "2011-06-29T21:52:02Z")
> [@Small\_Clanger](#): > > And I’ll get in first with [**The Shaggs**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN9UT2zF8c8) game over! Yes, but can you look us in the eye and say you **really like** them? Mention should probably be made of The Clash’s Joe Strummer – he even named himself after the fact that he couldn’t do anything with the guitar beyond strumming. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/32 "2011-06-29T22:30:17Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I need to be careful commenting on the Dead - too many ways to offend people. I will say that it seems like some folks value their innovations as improvisors and communicators-with-their-crowd and are able to look past their technical limitations - something I really struggle with. I have a friend of mine who dislikes the Dead for the very reason mentioned above ( he prefers almost exclusively highly technical music ) but for the same reason he understands why others like them. I think it’s a pretty intriguing point. I actually appreciate the technical side as well as the social side pretty equally so I don’t really get wrapped up in the argument but I understand it and can see how it would be valid for those who have a preference. ---
**Author:** ![ladylinda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@ladylinda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladylinda)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/33 "2011-06-30T00:15:24Z")
A lot of female artists are staggeringly under-rated. Taking a few names at random: Ruby Murray, Alma Cogan, Laura Nyro, Gilli Smyth, Claire Hammill, Kathy Smith, Laurie Stivers, Laura Veirs, Sarah Blastock ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/34 "2011-06-30T03:49:04Z")
I’ll second **Bright Eyes** , and in a similar lo-fi/acoustic manner, add **The Microphones**. It’s all about feelin’. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/35 "2011-06-30T04:23:34Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Lots of Kinks. This does not compute. I mean, yeah, some of the early hits have a deliberate garage-band sound, and the band did need a little time to grow, but this is a very capable group. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/36 "2011-06-30T06:17:12Z")
_The Unforgiven_ 4 guitars, bass and drum. Its out there, people! Search and Discover! ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/37 "2011-06-30T08:33:14Z")
[QUOTE=cjepson] Yes, but can you look us in the eye and say you **really like** [/QUOTE] Well… I like them better than Lady Gaga\*, does that count? \*I like tap water better than Lady Gaga but I could have set the bar even lower. ::thinks:: Coldplay? Phil Collins? ::shudder:: at least she’s interesting to look at. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/38 "2011-07-01T15:14:47Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The Ramones. They were proud of their lack of technical prowess, but their music is great. Songs composed soley of down-strokes is no easy feat, it gets tiring pretty quick. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069/39 "2011-07-01T15:16:26Z")
Nirvana comes to mind. It’s sloppy but good. As Kurt put it. Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Solo, bad solo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-do-you-really-like-that-isnt-particularly-well-played/587069.md?page=1)