A Social Media Music Challenge

I came across one of those 'social media music challenge' questionaires, and since we're in the quiet time of the year, I figured I might as well answer the questions myself. Some of these things I have either talked about at length before, or will probably talk about in the future, but this will be a nice little summation of a few opinions.

Band I Hate: I could be a pill and say Black Sabbath's Ozzy years, but that almost feels too easy. Also, it feels disingenuous, since they redeemed themselves later on. A band that never impressed me, from beginning to end, is Queensryche. I don't like Geoff Tate's voice, I don't think they've written more than two or three songs in forty years I would want to listen to, and I continue to be annoyed at how they (among other bands) have given us a never-ending discussion about what being 'progressive' actually means, since it now has to be specified 'progressive' or 'Progressive'. Ugh.

Band That's Overrated: Here's where I will put Black Sabbath with Ozzy. I firmly believe they are largely as popular as they still are only on the basis of being the first true metal band. Ozzy's voice is a mysterious thing, as I can't understand why people want to hear it. Their songs often are Ozzy following the riff, which isn't interesting songwriting either. Much of that era sounds to me like music that would get dismissed as good riffs without good songs, if they were to come out today.

Band That's Underrated: The Wallflowers never get talked about, other than to mention "One Headlight". I love that song too, but there is much more to them than their one big hit. Jakob Dylan is perhaps the most interesting lyricist of his generation, and he has surrounded himself with great players who allowed him to update Tom Petty's Americana-style rock for a new generation. They deserved better than to fade from the mainstream so quickly.

Band I Love The Most/Band That Changed My Life: Tonic has been the answer for more than twenty years now. I can't explain why their records spoke to me more than all the others I was listening to around that time. Something about Tonic hit me differently, and now the mix of music and nostalgia is an inertia I can't change. They also changed my life, because it was Tonic's music that convinced me to pick up a guitar and learn to play. Being a musician is a big part of my identity, so I'm not sure who I would be without them.

Band I Can Listen To Over And Over Again: Let's go with an album instead. When I get into the mood to listen to Green Day's "Warning", I find myself listening to it five times within a week. There is something so engaging about their classic power-pop influence I can't flush out of my system. I don't need to ever hear "Dookie". I'm good with "American Idiot" ever once in a great while. "Warning", though, I could have listened to every week for these last twenty years if I didn't make sure to give myself a break.

Band That Made Me Fall In Love With Music: This answer isn't a band, but rather Meat Loaf. I was only the most casual of music fans before "I'd Do Anything For Love" came out (I was a kid, after all), but that song and video caught my attention in a way nothing else had. "Bat Out Of Hell II" was the first album I ever owned, and getting swept up in Jim Steinman's song is something I still experience even now. I don't know if I would have ever fallen in love with music without that experience.

Band That Surprised Me: I could go a couple of different way, but I'm going to choose Soen. Their first album was a write-off for me, since it sounded like a Tool clone. Their second album was also a write-off, since it sounded incredibly dull. Then something happened, and the three albums that have followed each won Album Of The Year from me, and they are my favorite metal records of the last decade. I don't know if any other band has taken that kind of leap, and then maintained it for a stretch. It's a rare thing, and I did not see it coming at all.

Band That's A Guilty Pleasure: The Backstreet Boys greatest hits would qualify. After hearing those songs so many times during their halcyon days, I can't escape my memories of them, and I also can't deny that they're also some really great pop songs. Honestly, I still put them on from time to time, and I enjoy the heck out of it.