My music preferences focus mainly in two categories, probably with 80% of my listening time falling into category #1, 10% in category #2, and the remainder in other music that doesn't fit in neatly with the rest.
1) Angry music with a strong sense of melody. Favorites include the Gits, NOFX, Pennywise. Better know bands in this category would include Weezer, Greenday, and The Offspring (which pretty much show a range of the popular bands in this category from light to hard, IMO). Of course this includes folks like the Clash, Sex Pistols, Ramones, etc... basically just all punk except for true hardcore bands that border on thrash metal. I also have a special place in my heart for "angry chick" music - from folks like Liz Phair (old stuff only), Joan Jett, the Donnas, and the whole group of Riot Grrl (L7, Bikini Kill, etc) bands. Nothing finer than an angry woman who isn't angry specifically at you. :thumbs: I enjoy almost any cross-over band that is "half-punk", including Punk-Ska bands like Sublime or Less than Jake, etc.
2) Bluegrass and country that doesn't suck ass (which excludes almost everything heard on my local country station, IMO... my apologies in advance to top-40 country fans). Favorites range from Steve Earle to our beloved man in black (everyone drink a whiskey to the Man), with lots of Hank Williams Sr (only senior - his spawn make me ill...
) mixed in. If it came from the hills, I probably like it - if it came from Nashville, I probably don't (though there are plenty of exceptions, but I'm generalizing).
I know I'm going to get booed here, but I cannot stand 70% of the stuff played on classic rock stations - and I find Led Zeppelin to be particularly droning. Hate hair metal of all variety as a rule, and enjoyed about 20% of the grunge era (e.g. Nirvana good, Pearl Jam bad... no idea why...)
I almost never go to concerts for music in the first category any more - even though my musical tastes never matured beyond those of an angst-ridden 14-year old boy - I certainly don't want to be around a bunch of them in real-life...
The
Birchmere is a great local place to see music from category #2, wonderful place if you're ever in the DC or Northern Virginia area.
Ironically - when I was a 14-year old boy - I listened almost exclusively to classical music along with rock from the early 70's (Judas Priest, some Kiss, some Ozzy, etc). Product of having a mother who made us learn 3-4 instruments, and 5 older siblings with hand-me-down tunes from their eras... Seems as though my tastes are regressing...
Cheers,
- Oak
