It’s not all that I listened to at the time, nor is it the only genre that influenced me, but American hardcore punk (Minor Threat, Black Flag, Bad Brains, Dead Kennnedys, etc.) had a HUGE impact on me. Not just in my musical tastes, either; I realize more and more that it’s affected my tastes in, and approaches to, most of my artistic endeavors, including music, photography, and moviemaking. The sense I got from it was that it wasn’t an adaptation of an old art; this was an obliteration of the old art and building something from scratch.
Then again, I saw the documentary American Hardcore tonight, so I may be a little bit moony at the moment.
To the extent that Music affects us all I cannot see how it would not be an integral part in most eveyones life…I remember a study in College of a Mayan group in Guatemala who had a band of sorts…it was said to be sounds from the ancients as they played instruments I had never seen and they sang so melodically (sp?)
Today my tastes have changed, I listen to a lot of Bob Dylan, Krishna Das, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, David Gray…
5 labels ruled my teenage life, from 85 onwards - Mute, Factory, Creation, Rough Trade and 4AD. If it was on there, I listened to it, if it wasn’t, I mostly couldn’t be arsed. OK, maybe Beggar’s Banquet & Strange Fruit (Peel Sessions) as well, but not every artist with those labels. For instance, the Ramones were BB and I can’t stand them (or most US punk).
That should tell you all you need to know, I think. Oh, also “C86”, if you know what I mean.
I enjoyed reading your post, Agent Towers. Yours was quite an interesting Odyssey!
My influences were from 1964 to 1974. Too many individual names to mention. I not only love the music, but in retrospect, I’m proud of it. Unabashed political statements and demands for change. It was revolutionary in every sense of the word.
I currently have my heels duct-taped because I’m breaking in new Docs. My old ones lasted for seven years.
I didn’t have musical taste in high school. Sorry. I do remember listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Loreena McKennitt, Pearl Jam, and Barenaked Ladies, but I don’t think I started any kind of music collection until post high school.
I’m still not sure I have any real musical taste.
The most formative pop experience I remember was the first time I heard KMFDM and Wolfsheim, and I would have been 19.
