Life-Changing Bands (or Songs)

Johnny Blue Skies aka Sturgill Simpson just dropped his new album last night on YouTube. So good. Me and the neighbors have been listening to it since about 0500.


I saw him live last year. No opener, walked onto the stage at the exact time printed on my ticket, and played for over 3 hours. I've seen him live 5 times now, and both him and his band were in the best form I have ever seen. Can't wait to catch him live again.
 
This song crossed my Spotify playlist today. Not one of their biggest songs, but the opening bass is awesome.

 
nauga said:
...and this happy duo has been occupying my time lately.

Click to expand...

Poitrine baffles Beato for nine minutes and fifteen seconds:
"The coolest thing since lake-effect snow coming off Lake Ontario."

I had initially interpreted their act, in its current form, as the realization of a gimmick; more two-dimensional performance art than compelling music. I may have been wrong. But let's see how the concept ages under the blazing heat lamps of Internet virality.

P.S.: Anything good at Noise Pop this year?
 
nauga said:
...and this happy duo has been occupying my time lately.


I stumbled onto them while going through KEXP's extensive catalog of in-studio performances by a lot of unusual musicians.

ETA: the astute listener will notice the sound like The Residents, except they can actually play their instruments :)

Nauga,
"like Devo on ketamine"
Click to expand...
I happened upon this last night... they were expecting me.
 
My favorite thing about Angry Poutine as my wife calls them, is watching the reaction videos on YT.
 
The Beatles. They set the bar as far as I'm concerned. Great to this day.
 
Nobel laureate Bob Dylan:



 
Last edited:
Dylan is a very, very good songwriter. Even Joan Baez, his very talented frenemy reluctantly acknowledged that.
 
Sure to be a contentious list…

www.nytimes.com

The 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters

More than 250 music insiders and six New York Times critics weighed in on who defines the new American songbook. Here are the artists they chose.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

Missing at least two of my favorites: Jackson Browne and James McMurtry.
 
To wit:

Jackson Browne (Before the Deluge):

Some of them knew pleasure
And some of them knew pain
And for some of them it was only the moment that mattered
And on the brave and crazy wings of youth
They went flying around in the rain
And their feathers, once so fine, grew torn and tattered
And in the end they traded their tired wings
For the resignation that living brings
And exchanged love's bright and fragile glow
For the glitter and the rouge
And in a moment they were swept before the deluge…
 
James McMurtry:

There's a high school girl with a bourgeois dream
Just like the pictures in the magazine
She found on the floor of the laundromat
A woman with kids can forget all that
If she comes up pregnant what'll she do
Forget the career and forget about school
Can she live on faith? Live on hope?
High on Jesus or hooked on dope
When it's way too late to just say no
You can't make it here anymore…
 
It's been a long 13 years since the last album.
 
I’m not sure which version I prefer, the one with Patrick Stickles from Titus Andronicus singing, or the one with Harry Kagan from Music Band, but this cover of Born to Run by Diarrhea Planet is perhaps better than the original


 
Those born to run covers were pretty good, I wish I enjoyed live music more than I do. :)

This is my jam today.

 
FastEddieB said:
Sure to be a contentious list…

www.nytimes.com

The 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters

More than 250 music insiders and six New York Times critics weighed in on who defines the new American songbook. Here are the artists they chose.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

Missing at least two of my favorites: Jackson Browne and James McMurtry.
Click to expand...
Lists are contentious, and that's why they're ubiquitous. Clickety-click!

Among the living, I nominate:

Best Lyricist: Joe Henry

Best Songwriter: Paul Simon

Honorable Mentions: Joni Mitchell, Declan Patrick MacManus, Lucinda Williams, Nick Cave, and of course, Dylan.

Relevance to OP: In post #223 I cited references that were, perhaps, life-changing, without mentioning Paul Simon. In considering Simon for this response it occurred to me that his songwriting during the Simon & Garfunkle years, which I encountered around the impressionable age of 8 thanks to my father, did indeed shape the way that I came to understand popular music, the power of song, and the songwriter's craft. If that could be said to be life-changing, it was certainly a change for the better.
 
Last edited:
Roger Wilco said:
Among the living, I nominate:

Best Lyricist: Joe Henry

Best Songwriter: Paul Simon

Honorable Mentions: Joni Mitchell, Declan Patrick MacManus, Lucinda Williams, Nick Cave, and of course, Dylan.

Relevance to OP: In post #223 I cited references that were, perhaps, life-changing, without mentioning Paul Simon. In considering Simon for this response it occurred to me that his songwriting during the Simon & Garfunkle years, which I encountered around the impressionable age of 8 thanks to my father, did indeed shape the way that I came to understand popular music, the power of song, and the songwriter's craft. If that could be said to be life-changing, it was certainly a change for the better.
Click to expand...
Any list of greatest American songwriters living and/or of the 20th century that doesn't include Billy Joel is stillborn. Not surprised the NYT screwed the pooch.

Groundpounder said:
cover of Born to Run by Diarrhea Planet
Click to expand...
Quoting that just because I could.
 
My vote for best lyricist goes to Jim Ellis. His outro for WKRP In Cincinnati is, hands down, the absolute best rock & roll lyric of all time.
 
Roger Wilco said:
Lists are contentious, and that's why they're ubiquitous. Clickety-click!

Among the living, I nominate:

Best Lyricist: Joe Henry

Best Songwriter: Paul Simon

Honorable Mentions: Joni Mitchell, Declan Patrick MacManus, Lucinda Williams, Nick Cave, and of course, Dylan.

Relevance to OP: In post #223 I cited references that were, perhaps, life-changing, without mentioning Paul Simon. In considering Simon for this response it occurred to me that his songwriting during the Simon & Garfunkle years, which I encountered around the impressionable age of 8 thanks to my father, did indeed shape the way that I came to understand popular music, the power of song, and the songwriter's craft. If that could be said to be life-changing, it was certainly a change for the better.
Click to expand...
My formative years started in first grade. I got an AM radio for my 6th birthday and probably wore that thing out. At the time we were living in Brooklyn, NY and there was no shortage of stations. I listened to everything I could find.

I just looked up the top 100 for 1967. I probably listened to everything on that list.

en.wikipedia.org

Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1967 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

(…and 1968…)

en.wikipedia.org

Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1968 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
Last edited:
Meh. I like what I like. You don't have to, and I couldn't scrape together a single **** to give about what "250 'music insiders' and six NYT critics" think about something as subjective as "Greatest."

An Aloha Screwdriver to smooth down the edges a bit.


Nauga,
Bass fishing
 
nauga said:
I couldn't scrape together a single **** to give about what "250 'music insiders' and six NYT critics" think about something as subjective as "Greatest."

Nauga,
Bass fishing
Click to expand...
What is greatest really isn't the point, though, is it? Those pieces are just clickbait/linkbait (just like what the annual 100 Best Restaurants list has become in that sad and fading daily across the Bay from you).

But occasionally an actual dialog is sparked among the thoughtful, knowledgeable, and insightful. If not for those 250 music insiders and six NYT critics, I probably never would have heard of Aloha Screwdriver. So there's that.

Bass fishing, you say? I trust you're proficient with scales.
 
After numerous missed opportunities over several years I finally caught a Dakaiju show. I love their music - their shows are...um...'different,' but in a most excellent way. 11/10 would see again.
Daikaiju.jpg


Nauga,
safe as milk
 
07/14/2026. A half century ago, in 1976, I was a 9th grade no-prospects loser with a bass guitar and an amp. A classmate who was a pretty decent guitar player and I decided to form a band. He was a huge Rush fan, and the first song we worked out was…


Vive le Révolution!
 
Racerx said:
Since we're on Fat Mike and cover songs. I give you his cover band featuring Chris Shiflett from Foo Fighters.. Me First And The Gimme Gimmes...
Click to expand...
Every bay area 'punk' musician has been in the Gimme Gimmes at one time or another :cool:
I didn't place the name at first, but had you said, "of No Use for a Name" I would have jumped in.

Well, after several tries We finally saw Foo FIghters last night, this time in a DC homecoming. As I've said before, I'm not particularly fond of their music but my wife loves them and I love live music so there we were with 49,998 of our closest sweaty friends. My wife LOVED the show. I enjoyed it, they're good at what they do, but a stadium lacks the personal feel of a club or other small stage and it felt kind of like a circus. My favorite part of the show was when they played a bit of a song from a band each band member had been in prior to Foo Fighters. That means the No Use for a Name (Chris Shiflett, see above) and Germs (Pat Smear) covers made the show more than worth my time.

I appreciated the irony of the faded "AARP" logo on the 3rd base line. o_O

Nauga,
whose irony is also faded
 
nauga said:
Every bay area 'punk' musician has been in the Gimme Gimmes at one time or another :cool:
I didn't place the name at first, but had you said, "of No Use for a Name" I would have jumped in.

Well, after several tries We finally saw Foo FIghters last night, this time in a DC homecoming. As I've said before, I'm not particularly fond of their music but my wife loves them and I love live music so there we were with 49,998 of our closest sweaty friends. My wife LOVED the show. I enjoyed it, they're good at what they do, but a stadium lacks the personal feel of a club or other small stage and it felt kind of like a circus. My favorite part of the show was when they played a bit of a song from a band each band member had been in prior to Foo Fighters. That means the No Use for a Name (Chris Shiflett, see above) and Germs (Pat Smear) covers made the show more than worth my time.

I appreciated the irony of the faded "AARP" logo on the 3rd base line. o_O

Nauga,
whose irony is also faded
Click to expand...
We've seen the Foo in concert as well. I think their music progression over time is distinct, as their earliest albums are more "garage band" and raw, whereas the middle-current stuff is polished and increasingly touched by editing. I can appreciate them for what they are, a middle-of-the-road rock band. Not the most talented in each of their respective instruments, but certainly as a group they are well-balanced. May be a bit of a hot take, but I enjoy this version of Dave Grohl rather than the earlier timeline with Nirvana where his talent would have likely been masked.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I can appreciate them for what they are, a middle-of-the-road rock band. Not the most talented in each of their respective instruments, but certainly as a group they are well-balanced.
Click to expand...
I don't necessarily disagree with any of that but I will conceded that Grohl excels at writing songs with hooks. I guess I just need different bait.

Speaking of which, Didjits are touring again and passing through town soon, I hope to finally see them too. I don't exactly expect a full stadium :rockon:

Nauga,
and Killboy Powerhead
 
schmookeeg said:
Those born to run covers were pretty good, I wish I enjoyed live music more than I do. :)

This is my jam today.

Click to expand...
You might like this:

As for life changing bands, the National. A voice like velvet, lyrics that hit, music that hits all the right notes:
 
nauga said:
Every bay area 'punk' musician has been in the Gimme Gimmes at one time or another :cool:
I didn't place the name at first, but had you said, "of No Use for a Name" I would have jumped in.

Well, after several tries We finally saw Foo FIghters last night, this time in a DC homecoming. As I've said before, I'm not particularly fond of their music but my wife loves them and I love live music so there we were with 49,998 of our closest sweaty friends. My wife LOVED the show. I enjoyed it, they're good at what they do, but a stadium lacks the personal feel of a club or other small stage and it felt kind of like a circus. My favorite part of the show was when they played a bit of a song from a band each band member had been in prior to Foo Fighters. That means the No Use for a Name (Chris Shiflett, see above) and Germs (Pat Smear) covers made the show more than worth my time.

I appreciated the irony of the faded "AARP" logo on the 3rd base line. o_O

Nauga,
whose irony is also faded
Click to expand...
Ironically something crossed my youtube feed this morning the Foo's were celebrating the anniversary of their Garage Tour. My cousins buddy won locally and the Foo Fighters played in his garage.

 
I think Nauga took over my Spotify shuffle today...



 
First time I've been inspired to look in this thread. I lost my longtime friend, my former girlfriend, after a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia just a few months ago. She always seemed sad and depressed, and she mentioned this song to me when I read aloud the title of this thread some time ago, posing the question to her. After she died, her sister brought the song up as well, so I listened to it for the first time, at least that I'm aware — I may have heard it in its day but just forgot. Anyway, now it has crossed my path with its haunting lyrics and changed my understanding of my friend's unhappiness. So, now my dear cousin has died too. We buried her yesterday. A kinder, more upbeat person never walked the earth. And there, on a hillside in rural Ohio, in a tiny church's cemetery a few steps from her final resting place is the grave of the man, Benjamin Orr, who sang this very same song, "Drive", for the Cars:

 
Last edited:
I'm not sure if anyone (me?) has posted any Deer Tick songs, so here we go. Their newest album Coin-O-Matic is probably their best work yet.


Distant aviation connection....the lead singer is married to Vanessa Carlton (yes, that Vanessa Carlton). Her dad used to manage a flight department that I did some contract flying for.
 
Music in general and some songs in specific were hugely important to me as a teenager. Now that I'm officially an old fart, not so much. I still like various genres of music and sometimes I'll play a song to motivate myself for a specific task, but as I've aged up, podcasts and talk radio have become more important to me. Perhaps because I'm not on the emotional teeter totter that I walked as a teenager.
 
21541803 said:
Johann Sebastian Bach. You might like it too.
Click to expand...
Are you joking? No one likes Bach. But seriously...

Nietzsche wrote, "without music, life would be a mistake." He might have added (only slightly facetiously), without Bach, there could be no music.

My own personal desert island composer, it's virtually impossible to overstate JS Bach's impact on (Western) music. Infinitely adaptable, essentially meaningful, eternally delightful. Even Peter Johansson couldn't screw it up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top