Currently listening to...

[Tin Bird]

Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back

[GentlemenTakePolaroids]

duncan sheik is doing a cover of Gentlemen Take Polaroids. for an 80's cover album.

[S4pB]

seems that people rarely expand their tastes noticeably and even 20 years old girl have the same charts on last.fm as she had when she was 16.. and the artists people like also are quite alike and bound up at some point of their artistic career.. such a stability, married couples would be happy to find in their partner!

[Sweetie]

Maybe that would be a good topic - see how much our musical tastes have expanded over the years.

My earliest, and most dismal, musical memories are of David Cassidy and the Bay City Rollers!!!

I'm very pleased to say (and very relieved) that my taste in music has improved considerably, but then that was back in 74/75 when I would've have been about 10 (really showing my age now).

[S4pB]

Maybe that would be a good topic - see how much our musical tastes have expanded over the years.

My earliest, and most dismal, musical memories are of David Cassidy and the Bay City Rollers!!!

I'm very pleased to say (and very relieved) that my taste in music has improved considerably, but then that was back in 74/75 when I would've have been about 10 (really showing my age now).

Thank You so much, Sweetie, for sharing Your memories! These are wonderful! it's just I thought it's natural for the young ones to change.. cos' music as political power in some sense, represents many ideas, attitude and being stuck in one and the same circle of bands really looks like not growing different, wiser and personally developing... I have loved Japan mostly for the attitude and emotional impact they had on me, they first made me think about many things critically and judge everything on my own, never turning back to stereotypes and tryin' to break them.. I'm still on my way to reject all the stereotypical notions completely, but I have grown to another perceive of the art of music as I've come to find out about another bands and another styles.. and just a personal thought - stability is booring ) and I personally first loved some kind of romantic and foolish disco as a kid, then.. then post-punk and new wave and then Japan which led me through weirdness of Gene Loves Jezebel, hard rock and hair-metal to a total disappointment in the last, beatlesque simplistic 60's bands and finally to... what I thought was really the music.. beautifully melodic and harmonious.. and I'm so happy to know a very perplexed and multifaceted bands now.. and I'm impossible to come back... having only the gratitude for the changes me that began to happen years ago..
so, currently listening -
L'Arc~en~Ciel, "Silver Shining".. nonetheless I'm a Chisato {Penicillin} fan xDDD

[Sweetie]

Musically, I think I was fortunate to grow up at a time when there was so many different styles of music around - glam rock, disco, rock in the early/mid 70s and then later on punk, ska, and in the early 80s northern soul, new wave and so on (admittedly a lot of it was pretty awful.)

I think having heard so many different genres early on and listening to Radio Caroline was a good education to music for me as my much older sister and step-brother had left home by the time I started really listening to music, so there were no pre-existing influences and I was pretty much on my own when it came to exploring music.

I can’t remember the last time I actually listened to the current music charts (I assume they still have them ), so I’m the first to admit I don’t know what kind of mix there is out there today or what the ‘young ones’ are listening to. Going by what the commercial radio stations play here in the UK day in, day out, it all sounds very boring to me. I don’t follow todays music scene, but the odd artist or tune here and there does make it onto my iPod and I love the likes of iTunes for exploring new artists and genres.

I don't think it matters what age you are, its never to late to explore new music and personally I think I would get a bit bored if I just continued listening to the same artists/bands all the time. I think this is why Japan and David and Steve’s solo work appeals to me so much because, as has been said countless times, their music keeps evolving, its always something new, something original and unique and there aren’t many artists that can continue to do that

[baht habit]

David and Steve’s solo work appeals to me so much because, as has been said countless times, their music keeps evolving, its always something new, something original and unique and there aren’t many artists that can continue to do that

Yes, such musical evolution should be greatly appreciated in an age when artists are usually rewarded more for playing it safe and releasing carbon copies of their past accomplishments, rather than experimenting with new forms and actually challenging the listeners, or at least presenting them with some fresh aural experience.
Yet it's still astounding to me that a certain segment of Sylvian's listening base continue to level charges of self-indulgence toward this mercurial artist. It seems as though so many of them would prefer that he remain firmly within a comfortable musical box - filled with a formula of tried and tested sounds - and when he doesn't accommodate their preferences and desires, they vehemently react in such a negative manner with absolutely no regard at all for what may be his ambitions and desires. I would think an artist so rare as he would be applauded for never resorting to a strict formula, not lambasted.

p.s. - currently listening to alternate mixes of songs on King Crimson's A Scarcity Of Miracles. Gavin Harrison's tasteful drumming sure does sound solid throughout. Fripp and Levin are normally quite inspired and inspiring. Unfortunately, Jakszyk doesn't fare so well in his major role as lyricist and vocalist, so in my opinion the album suffers quite a bit just for that...a touch too much of the '80s pop-prog persuasion.

[missouriman]

"Yet it's still astounding to me that a certain segment of Sylvian's listening base continue to level charges of self-indulgence toward this mercurial artist. It seems as though so many of them would prefer that he remain firmly within a comfortable musical box - filled with a formula of tried and tested sounds - and when he doesn't accommodate their preferences and desires, they vehemently react in such a negative manner with absolutely no regard at all for what may be his ambitions and desires. I would think an artist so rare as he would be applauded for never resorting to a strict formula, not lambasted."

Baht, my son you said it just like I think it. My less erudite nature would have resorted to four letter words. Thank you.

[Sweetie]

'

It seems as though so many of them would prefer that he remain firmly within a comfortable musical box - filled with a formula of tried and tested sounds

I've found the best approach to David's work is with an an open mind and perhaps people should consider the possibility that they've outgrown an artist, not that the artist has let them down in anyway!


By the way, I'm currently listening to Jeff Buckley's 'Grace'. His version of Hallelujah is THE best version I've heard.