Life-Changing Bands (or Songs)

For me, it’s always been Dark Side of the Moon.

I was a teen when it came out, and from the start, first listen I was just taken by it. Early on got to hear it on a really high end stereo, but it sounds fantastic even on a transistor radio. I mean, other than the music, the amazing Clare Tory in Great gig in the sky, amazing sounds, loops, guitar, the whole of it, the philosophy in it, the lyrics it just is a perfect album. I used to have a hard time just listening to one song, feel like I need to hear the whole album start to finish.

The engineering, the mastering of that album is to this day, incredible, and given the equipment they had to work with, it’s mind boggling that it is so perfect, whatever you play it on.

As a musician, when they came along, Jimi Hendrix, Allman brothers, and many more had huge impact on me, and on my playing guitar and in bands, the songs we chose to cover, but just as listening, biggest has to be Dark Side of the Moon.
 
Huckster79 said:
John Lennon... I identify with much of his spirituality...

Imagine is my favorite song of all time...
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I’m still angry they butchered the line “...and no religion, too.” to become“...and all religion’s true.” at a New Year’s Eve production a few years back. It’s a vapid change that literally makes no sense at all.

“Working Class Hero” was quite the punctuation of its time as well.
 
LongRoadBob said:
For me, it’s always been Dark Side of the Moon.

I was a teen when it came out, and from the start, first listen I was just taken by it. Early on got to hear it on a really high end stereo, but it sounds fantastic even on a transistor radio. I mean, other than the music, the amazing Clare Tory in Great gig in the sky, amazing sounds, loops, guitar, the whole of it, the philosophy in it, the lyrics it just is a perfect album. I used to have a hard time just listening to one song, feel like I need to hear the whole album start to finish.

The engineering, the mastering of that album is to this day, incredible, and given the equipment they had to work with, it’s mind boggling that it is so perfect, whatever you play it on.

As a musician, when they came along, Jimi Hendrix, Allman brothers, and many more had huge impact on me, and on my playing guitar and in bands, the songs we chose to cover, but just as listening, biggest has to be Dark Side of the Moon.
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Also one of my favorites. “Time” is pure genius. I wish it were only ten years got behind me now....
 
Ignoring the dumpster fires that many threads have become lately, Nauga turns to music once again. Three in a theme and one that's just fun.


Nauga,
who tried to fit "We've got a fuzzbox and we're gonna use it" in here somewhere
 
I'm an old fart. I was a young marine in the 50's running around with a beautiful young lady when I got orders to go overseas.

With the song "Dear John" running through my head I didn't commit. I heard too many tales of the dreaded dear John letter.

Off I went to the land of loose women and cheap booze. I lost contact with that young woman.

Over the years when I was in my cups, I would lament how I used to run around with a girl who looked like the actress Susan Hayward.

47 years later, I have retired from the military and industry. I cannot bear daytime television. I decided to get in my plane and head off into the wild blue yonder .
I joined Classmates.com to see if there was anyone I used to know that I could visit.

My first contact was from that very same lady. Her opening statement was "I've been looking for you for over 30 years."

That was 17 years ago. Life is good.

Damn that song Dear John.
 
Matthew said:
I heard this one over the weekend.

It never gets old.

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I grew up listening to this song because of my parents, and it wasn't until I got older that I started to understand how important it was. Specifically that it seems so ahead of it's time. Imagine being the Beach Boys after releasing a pop hit like "Help Me Rhonda", then hearing some angsty 24 year old release this. I think it'd friggin' demoralize me.
 
Getting back to the original topic: I got my first radio (a small transistor job) when I was in 1st grade, may have been Christmas present. It was probably the best gift I ever got. That would have been in the mid-60s. AM radio back then was a lot of pop stuff, mixed with rock, and whatever was coming out of Motown. The British Invasion was getting into full swing, and it was all over the dial. If I could get it on that radio, I listened to it. And I wasn't particular, I liked it all. That really was a great time in music and radio history, that was long before all the specialization and demographics.

Eventually I started paying a little more attention to who the bands and artists were, vs simply listening to whatever was on. That opened up a lot of worlds that I still enjoy.

I'm not sure why this one popped into my head a few minutes ago, but I can remember hearing it back when it came out in 1971...I was 10.



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And this one seems appropriate these days:


Now I'm on a roll. Another one from when I was 10. The Stones never get old...well, Keith Richards doesn't...

 
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It's instrumental night.

Taking the Pink Floyd (mis)cue:

Nauga,
who...thinks she...can manipulate...time
 
This was the last song I remember dancing to at the disco in Frankfurt before I woke up in the morning in in the back of an MP jeep in the middle of the red light district. Needless to say, I had some 'splaining to do. Actual music starts about 0.40 in to the video.

 
The currently appropriate song "Silent Running" by Mike and the Mechanics... (Phil Collins)
 
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For most of my life I was obsessed with music, but these days I've found myself not listening to anything at all, particularly on my work commute. At one point I tried switching to podcasts instead of music, but didn't enjoy that either, now it's usually just silence for me.

Some of my favorite albums in the past:
  • Pantera: Vulgar Display of Power
  • Rage Against the Machine: rage against the machine
  • Jimi Hendrix: Blues
  • Stevie Ray Vaughan: The Sky is Crying
 
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The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band during my fish year.

Still sends a rush up and down spine when those opening notes play and they step off into their routine.

For those seeing them for first time, pay particular attention to how the tubas and bass drums do their about face.

The first routines in the season and video are fairly simple and tame. Later they get crazy complex. Worth fast forwarding to see.

 
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AggieMike88 said:
The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band during my fish year.

Still sends a rush up and down spine when those opening notes play and they step off into their routine.

For those seeing them for first time, pay particular attention to how the tubas and bass drums do their about face.

The first routines in the season and video are fairly simple and tame. Later they get crazy complex. Worth fast forwarding to see.

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In marching band parlance, we call that drill "follow the leader". It's easy to train because you only have to teach the drill to the first guy in each line! :) lol, just messin' with ya, it's always fun to see the Ags do their thing. They're good at it for sure.
 
Some recent bands in heavy rotation.

The Chats

Amyl & The Sniffers

IDLES

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
CharlieD3 said:
The currently appropriate song "Silent Running" by Mike and the Mechanics... (Phil Collins)
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When I hear "Silent Running", I think of this,
which may also be appropriate for today.
 
Of all these posts it boggles my mind not a single youtube posted of some of the greatest moments in rock and roll history...

Who hasn’t heard Bohemian Rhapsody? Another one bites the dust? We are the champions?

Under pressure????

Tie your mother down????


Radio Gaga? I want it all? Somebody to love?


******Fat bottomed girls???????****




 
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Everskyward said:
When I hear "Silent Running", I think of this,
which may also be appropriate for today.
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Back in 1980, worked with one of the guys that wore those robot contraptions in that flick.
I think there is a video somewhere on the net about the making of the movie where they show them getting into the outfits.
 
Oddly, if I had to chose one group that shaped me growing up into adult hood, it would be the semi-obscure Chad Mitchell Trio. It was they who led me into the larger realm of folk music.
 
The Eagles tonight, about the only way I can stand to listen to them :)

Nauga,
who wonders what happened to Mojo Nixon
 
Life changing for a different reason. The summer of 1967 I flew to Pittsburgh to spend the weekend with a close friend who was leaving for Parris Island.
The Pittsburgh Pirates used to honor guys who were leaving for basic training with a ceremony on the field. I was a really nice thing to do.
Anyway, I get to Pittsburgh and there was a Paul Revere and the Raiders song, they were playing it to death. I had never heard it before.
When I got back to New York I took a ride up to the local radio station, because I knew the mid day DJ. This was when I found out about the existence and the extent of censorship in this country. He explained that the state of New York and the city of New York printed a list of things they did NOT want played on the radio. Legally, they can't do that, but as we all know, government can make your life really difficult whenever they want to.
I also found out there was a Manfred Mann song, "The Mighty Quinn" which was not allowed to be played because it made fun of the Sheriff who controlled the Woodstock, NY area.

Eventually, both songs made it to NY radio stations. Thank God for pirate FM stations

Here is the song:
 
Not really life changing, but it's my nomination for the trippiest video featuring a low pass by what appears to be an early 182:

Definitely life changing, I've been listening to Milton Nascimento for more than 40 years now. I don't speak Portuguese and I don't care, his music transports me somewhere that I suspect doesn't exist:

An instrumental from Love and Rockets, who previously were three quarters of the gloomy goth band Bauhaus. "Saudade" is a Portuguese word which has been described as meaning a longing for something that can never be, or for something that was and can never be again.

One more instrumental, this time from John Williams. If you've seen the movie "The Deer Hunter" you'll remember this.
 
I've never let a stranger or group of strangers that I've never met influence me to the point that it changes my life. I never had any heroes growing up, so I certainly wasn't going to let some drug addicts shape my future. Be your own hero, and be your own life changer.
 
EdFred said:
I've never let a stranger or group of strangers that I've never met influence me to the point that it changes my life. I never had any heroes growing up, so I certainly wasn't going to let some drug addicts shape my future. Be your own hero, and be your own life changer.
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I wholly agree, at least on the surface. I don't think I was referring to idolization when I created this thread. I was referring to hearing a song or a band that moved you, or the lyrics spoke to you in a way that changed your perspective or gave you a profound insight. I'm never one to be starstruck by anyone, musician, movie star, or otherwise. I could honestly care less about someone's iconic status, but there are some I'd love to speak/jam with just because I think the conversations would be great. Just like reading or watching a documentary, one can gain knowledge and wisdom when information is presented in a way that truly speaks to them. With music, sometimes that knowledge/perspective is life-changing, most of the time it isn't.
 
EdFred said:
I've never let a stranger or group of strangers that I've never met influence me to the point that it changes my life. I never had any heroes growing up, so I certainly wasn't going to let some drug addicts shape my future. Be your own hero, and be your own life changer.
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Going with @SoonerAviator on this one. Really rare to commingle the individual band members or their behavior when not making music, when listening to a studio track of anything. Just listening to the tunes.

In the case of the song I posted above, a couple members of that band fought off drug addiction a long time ago and now run a massive charity helping others... but we only know that because we’ve met them personally at live events decades after.

They’re all old guys now who kicked their destructive youthful habits and book younger bands with them at large festivals, who often also have rehabilitated band members staying sober, just to make sure the younger bands have “safer” venues and some solid peer pressure amongst their peers to stick to their sobriety. They’ve also tossed some bands from the rotation of bands they call upon when they went back into the drug lifestyle.

Super nice guys. During Covid stuff they have downplayed their own charity saying it’s going fine, and have been making videos highlighting other bands and their charities since they have a bunch of time on their hands.

But anyway. The stereotype is somewhat deserved but there’s music biz folk who buck the trend.
 
EdFred said:
I've never let a stranger or group of strangers that I've never met influence me to the point that it changes my life. I never had any heroes growing up, so I certainly wasn't going to let some drug addicts shape my future. Be your own hero, and be your own life changer.
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I’m not against being influenced by others, but modern music/musicians have had little impact on me. I’ve actually been rather surprised by the effect others claim it has.
 
All over the place tonight:

(Tread carefully with Fleshies, most aren't like this :rolleyes: )



Nauga,
off the charts
 
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The Bangles, egyptian, magic man, crazy on you, etc, etc, etc...
Super chick band. Nancy Wilson.
Amazing creatures.
 
@nauga I think you won the contest for some of the most eclectic combinations of artists, lol. Definitely a lot of bands I've never heard of, and I listen to a wide array of music genres. Seriously impressed.
 
SoonerAviator said:
@nauga I think you won the contest for some of the most eclectic combinations of artists, lol.
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Haha! Thanks...I think. I know what I like, and I'm continually surprised by the variety I'm able to find new. It used to be that the only way to hear about a lot of this stuff was word-of-mouth, handing out mixtapes and demos at shows, and fanzines and stuff - all pretty narrow focus. It's gotten much easier to find what you like and I've found that no matter what niche I decide to burrow down there's always more than I expected. I also keep an open mind when it comes to listening to new stuff.

This is probably my favorite thread on POA. :D

Nauga,
who can fix it, he's got an awesome set of tools

 
I strayed quite a bit from the "life changing" theme into many that just have a lot of meaning for me.
Back on track, The Only Ones definitely helped change the way I listened to music in the late '70's.

Nauga,
of an age
 
Dang, about a year late to this one. I think I'm WAY too poppish/mainstream to really contribute life-changing music tracks, but...

There are some songs that end up in my playlist time and time again, and seem to either accentuate a mood I'm having, or stop me in my tracks and make me take *the song's* mood.


This has been my "Perfect Friday" song for decades. Played right about 4:50PM, to set the mood for departing the hateful cubicle and irritate underlings by going "Mmmmm cha cha cha" at them.

Caviar - Tangerine Speedo

This song always puts me into some sort of "F Yeah" ass-kicking mode. I'll play it before interviews and difficult meetings. :D

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Love Burns


If I've done something stupid, and need to reflect and regret my impulsivity (it happens a lot) -- nothing really works as well as this one

Placebo - Special Needs

But if all is well and i just want to chill? I like these

The Go! Team - Everyone's a VIP to Someone

The Shins - Phantom Limb


...I feel like the venn diagram of "music I like" and "music PoA likes" has the tiniest little sliver of overlap in the middle with "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins there. :D
 
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