Queereaders discussion

Music is something with a great importance in my life. I'm usually listening to something most of the time. I also consider myself having quite a broad musical taste.

So I was wondering what you guys have been listening to lately. What are your favorite genres? What's you your player right now?

I am a serious Metal addict and right now I'm listening to the "Death Magnetic" album by Metallica. Besides Metal, I also like the 80's and 90's pop music, some alternative rock and New Age or Ambient.

Tell us about you.

I've been listening to a greatest hits albumn from The Guess Who- they are playing at the County Fair here in Idaho, and my son said he had never heard of them- I was reminded of listening to them when I was 12 and thinking- this is what bad boys sound like!

I seldom venture beyond my favorites these days...Van Halen, Def Leppard, Smashing Pumpkins, INXS, select Metallica...and my nephew's band Toybox.

BTW...Toybox...did I mention them? =-)

http://www.digstation.com/AlbumDetail...

I'm a bit of a metal fan myself, although I lean toward alternative. Some of my favorite bands/musicians are: The Smashing Pumpkins, Muse, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Bjork, Fiona Apple, Metallica, Chevelle, The Cranberries, Cold War Kids, Alice in Chains, Silversun Pickups, Portishead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nine Inch Nails. I could go on and on, though. My tastes are varied.

I'm afraid I'm a little stuck in the past right at the moment. My radio is tuned into a 70's station and I'm enjoying every moment listenting to old favorites - Elton John, Carole King, Queen, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Earth, Wind & Fire, Bob Seger, Led Zeppelin, ELO.

I also love Tori Amos, the Dave Matthews Band, Goran Bregović, Green Day, Chumbawamba, Indigo Girls, Kaki King.

My tastes are pretty varied too and change according to mood.

I'm afraid I'm weird. I really only listen to classical music, especially chamber music and Beethoven. Very occasionally I will reminisce and listen to music I grew up with from the '60s.

I listen to a lot of different genres, but I have to say that Cyndi Lauper's "Memphis Blues" is really impressing me right now. She did a great interview on "Q" (a CBC radio show- check the podcast) during which she talked about how much she has studied blues music and vocal techniques. I was convinced and bought the album. It's brilliant! Very of our times, very moving and really well produced.

I listened to the samples here:

http://cyndilauper.com/music

Way different than her 80's stuff, that's for sure! I'm liking her new sound much better.

Billy Joel was another of my 70's favorites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKW...

Nancy wrote: "Billy Joel was another of my 70's favorites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKW..."

Billy was a favorite of mine back in the day. ANd of my Mom's (she had great taste in music).

I've been tuned to Last.fm these days, great stuff, recommend it. I'm here: http://www.last.fm/user/amdial

I'm on Playlist:
http://www.playlist.com/user/50370739

I'm now on Last.fm too:
http://www.last.fm/user/Squilip

I really love of Montreal, Radiohead, Cut Copy, Semi Precious Weapons, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and the Black Keys. I've been sort of retro the past few days with Tool, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Led Zeppelin--enjoying my roots.

Here's me on LastFM if anyone wants to friend up
http://www.last.fm/user/charlotteschaos

I am so loving LastFM! It's fun to share music and discover new artists. And I like how international it is.

Lately I've been listening to the Indigo Girls, Kaki King, Abney Park, Rickie Lee Jones, Elton John, Johnny Cash and The Pogues.

I agree Nancy including about the international part. I even subscribed since I'm listening so much!

You subscribed? Is it expensive? What additional benefits do you get?

I guess I need to read the FAQs more thoroughly. I'm still learning my way around the site.

All the info is here: http://www.last.fm/subscribe
I think it's a good deal and let me tell you the "prestigious black icon" included is very prestigious! It's a teeny black dot on your icon, ha!

I love the option of customizing selections on radio. I'm finding all kinds of new music that way.

Going to check out that "prestigious black icon" now! :)

I found a music blog that almost perfectly reflects my taste, and has been a wonderful source of discovering great new music. It's written by an Australian music writer who's not always the best at composing a review, but he has yet to steer me wrong. The link is
http://andpluckyourstrings.wordpress....

I recommend seeking out his best-of-the-decade lists to see if he jibes with your taste.

I love jazz!

My appreciation for it developed only in the last couple of years after taking a Jazz History class. Now I can't get enough of it.

I like all the artists you mentioned, plus Stan Getz, the Count Basie Orchestra, John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan.

When I was visiting Poland I discovered Tomasz Stańko (trumpet) and Michał Urbaniak (violin).

Dave Brubeck had a significant impact on Polish jazz when he visited the country in 1958.

My tastes pretty much cover every genre. Some of my favourites at the moment -

Lior - This Old Love - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pvoTQ...

Kylie Auldist - http://www.myspace.com/kylieauldistmusic

To My Table, Mama Kin (Aussie artist with this very recent song) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtpQg8...

Church Lady, Dennis Ferrer (something for your next party) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XdhZE...

Cassandra Wilson - http://www.myspace.com/cassandrawilson

I kind have been in a real 80's mood, which is not hard for me, but two of my recent favorite albums are

Night Work by the Scissor Sisters
and Aphrodite by Kylie Minogue.

Oh, and I currently LOVE the Hoosiers. And the new Sarah Bareilles CD. And Planet Jedward.

I listen to a lot of music! Yay!

I've been in the mood for Irish music and have been listening to The Pogues, Blood or Whiskey, the Bloody Irish Boys, Greenland Whalefishers, the Real McKenzies, the Dropkick Murphys and the Young Dubliners.

Doug, you should join LastFM. Here I am:

http://www.last.fm/user/Squilip

No one seems to like R&B!
I am really into Me'Shell Ndgeocello, Stevie Wonder, Sade, Isley Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Prince, Mary J. Blige, Anthony Hamilton, Maxwell, Gladys Knight...any one else out there appreciate 'ole head R&B?

Also don't laugh, but if you check out George Michaels recent work, like OLDER, Listen Without Prejudice, and Patience, I think they are great.

Thanks so much to Nancy for turning me on to Playlist and Last.fm — I really like hearing new music.

I love R&B too and listened to it a lot in the 70's. Gladys Knight, Robert Flack, Barry White, Earth, Wind & Fire, the Commodores, Sly and the Family Stone, Ohio Players, Marvin Gaye and lots of others.

"Strawberry Letter 22" was one of my favorite songs and I can't remember the artist right now. Oh, and I also loved "Ooh, Child".

Lee, feel free to add me as a friend on Last.fm.

I like some R&B, I guess it depends on the mood I am in. I am more of a pop person, but some R&B does slide into pop, depending on the artist. I am a member of Last.fm but did not know you could have friends on that site! I usually listen to Pandora.com at work. They are a great site, too, and provide internet streaming radio based on songs or artists you like, and we have a monthly paid subscription with no ads because we use it so much, but I don't think you can have friends on that one.

This morning, I seem to have Britney Spears in my head. "stronger".... and "All that Jazz" from Chicago.

Did you guys know that Weezer has a new album! Yay!

I'm currently on the same page as Nancy and Lee. Check out Kylie Auldist, Marlena Shaw (especially her version of California Soul), Kofy Brown (espcially 'Erotik'), Terry Callier, John Legend (Ordinary People), Martin Luther and Renee Geyer.

Also have a soft spot for Lupe Fiasco at the moment.

Awesome Kevin...I haven't heard of any of your artists except John Legend. I will definitely look them up on Itunes and let you know what I think.
Peace!
Lee

Donimo wrote: "I listen to a lot of different genres, but I have to say that Cyndi Lauper's "Memphis Blues" is really impressing me right now. She did a great interview on "Q" (a CBC radio show- check the podcast..."

OMG Donimo! Thanks for the recommendation. Love Cyndi and am downloading "Memphis Blues" right now! :-)

Memphis Blues is awesome! I downloaded it based on Donimo's recommendation and can't get enough of it. As much as I loved her in the 80's, I'm liking her new style a lot better.

Brad wrote: "Hey all...

Anybody else into jazz? I'm totally into classical jazz, with Miles Davis and Charlie Parker being almost like gods to me. Also like Dave Brubeck and Thelonious Monk.

And the incom..."

Brad - You should try some Ella Fitzgerald. She did recordings of different composers (Irving Berlin, Gershwin, Cole Porter, many others) called 'Songbooks' (basically, all of their significant songs)and her renditions of them are flawless. I think I have all of them at this point and never tire of listening to them - her versions are considered the standards to which all others are compared.

Have a look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Comp...

I'm with you Tom on Ella. She sets the bar, I never tire of her either. I also have all Etta James' Cds. A few years back Etta did two cover Cds: One all Billie Holiday and one called Time After Time that I love too.
Etta's is called: Mystery Lady: Songs Of Billie Holiday
And the Ella I love is called: Jazz 'Round Midnight: Ella Fitzgerald

Lee wrote: "I'm with you Tom on Ella. She sets the bar, I never tire of her either. I also have all Etta James' Cds. A few years back Etta did two cover Cds: One all Billie Holiday and one called Time After Ti..."

Right on, Lee. I have that Etta James album, which is fantastic. I also really like Dinah Washington & Carmen Mcrae, both of whom are worth checking out if you're not familiar with their work. I have a thing for jazz chanteuses!

I love Ella! I love jazz standards and pop standards as well, like Peggy Lee, Doris Day, Jo Stafford...

Heavy traffic and lots of rain, so I had a chance to listen to lots of music - Depeche Mode, OMD, Duran Duran, Fine Young Cannibals, The Human League, David Bowie, The Cure, and others I found on LastFM personalized radio.

Brad wrote: "Tom wrote: "Brad - You should try some Ella Fitzgerald..."

Oh man, how could I have left out Miss Ella!!! Yeah, Tom, she's definitely right up there in my top 10! God what a voice, and what she ..."

Nice to know that our youth can appreciate the classics! Check out Carmen Mcrae and Dinah Washington if you haven't already. Different from Ella, but both quite unique talents.

Nancy wrote: "Heavy traffic and lots of rain, so I had a chance to listen to lots of music - Depeche Mode, OMD, Duran Duran, Fine Young Cannibals, The Human League, David Bowie, The Cure, and others I found on L..."

You're takin' me back, Nancy! I heard "Magic" by the Cars the other day and that song automatically whisks me back to my first year at University! I remember hearing it at a party I was at and in a moment of clarity and self-realization appreciating that I was young, on my own (tangentially...), having a ball and had better appreciate it!

I recently read that OMD is making a new album. I love them.

Recoil is a very interesting band. I hadn't heard of them before today.

I was just speaking to a work friend, waiting for our coffees, and he was listening to Recoil on his iphone. Like you Nancy, that was the first I'd heard of them. When I asked him about what he was listening to, I thought he was talking about something other than music when he said 'Recoil'.

One band I have trouble with is Grizzly Bear. They nicer to look at than they are to listen to.

Kevin, I was really surprised I hadn't heard of Recoil, since Depeche Mode is still one of my favorite bands. Did you like their music?

Can't say Grizzly Bear looks much like bears at all. LOL!

[image error]

Just playing Recoil clips on YouTube. Quite good.

One of Grizzly Bear is wearing plaid. But not flannel plaid. I heard about Grizzly bear. I heard that they were pretty good.

I just listened to the new Brandon Flowers solo cd and I thought it was terrible. The songs were all so... blah. And I am not sure what genre he was going for. And it was all so... blah.

They played the Sydney festival a year or two ago, and there was a sweet picture of them in the guide...but once I heard them, hmm.

One local DJ on community station FBI said he finally 'got them' even though it took a while.

Maybe we're just out of fashion, Doug?

Well, Kevin, everything out of fashion eventually comes back INTO fashion, just you wait!

Nancy, the new OMD album is out and it is interesting. I think it really maintains the spirit of the older work.

I just found out that Anthony and the Johnsons has a new cd coming out.. I love them so much.

So I recently listened to this song that I remember liking way back in 1972 and decided to explore the artist further.

Soul Makossa

Manu Dibango is a saxophonist and vibrophone player from Cameroon. The guy is now 76 and still performing!

Manu Dibango

He has a great website with music samples here:

Manu Dibango


Thanks, Doug, I'll have to check out the new OMD.

I'm listening to Rickie Lee Jones now. Her first album was one of my favorites when I was in high school.

I only know her from the one song "Chucky's in Love", but I always loved that song.

Buffy Sainte-Marie

That was a great video! I haven't listened to her for years.

Dropkick Murphys