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Author Topic: Where to start?  (Read 87658 times)

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #150 on: 18 Feb 2010, 08:21 »

god, i wish there was a separate thread for the "some labels don't pay their bands so good" debate.
(oh wait)

okay i'm done pretending to be a mod now.
here is a great diamanda galas song for you, alex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jjCnKvA4IE
<3
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #151 on: 18 Feb 2010, 08:39 »

So, how 'bout that Colour Haze?  I've technically already started (with their self-titled album), but I am wondering where to go next.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #152 on: 18 Feb 2010, 10:44 »

Paging Onewheelwizard and/or dimmukane to this thread...

I'm not super knowledgeable on Colour Haze save for I know I'd like them if I put the time into listening to more of their stuff. At the very least, Los Sounds de Krauts is excellent and really easy to get into, especially if you're into their oeuvre already.

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #153 on: 18 Feb 2010, 13:10 »

Talking Heads (though I guess Emilio sort of said Remain In Light?)

You have to get the first four albums in order because there's a massive difference between each one which would be hard to accept if you ignore chronology.

The live album The Name of This Band is Talking Heads wouldn't be a bad start actually.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #154 on: 18 Feb 2010, 13:47 »

What da ya want outta yr Tom Waits? He's got kind of a lot of records. Before Small Change his voice sounds like a totally different animal than around, say Swordfishtrombones, and by Bone Machine he sounds totally raspy and ragged, but his voice is still big.  The early stuff is all like, piano and strings Americana, occsionally bluesy and jazzy. Blue Valentine amps up the jazz quotient and Heartattack and Vine is a straight up blues record.

Small Change would be an interesting place to start because it's something of a transitional record. You can use it to decide whether you want to explore his earlier, less accomplished records, or move forward chronologically as he explores new sonic territory. I do like his early records: Closing Time, The Heart of Saturday Night and Nighthawks at the Diner. But they're definitely less essential documents of his career. You may only want to listen to them after you've already decided you really like Tom Waits.

Swordfishtrombones and his other, stylistically related mid-period records Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years, depart somewhat from his earlier style by approaching songwriting in a less rigid manner. The instrumentation branches out a lot too; he introduces more interesting drums, marimbas, glockenspiel, organs, harmonicas; w wider variety of horns, etc. All of the three records from this period are excellent. If you're going to start with this period of his music, you ought start with Swordfishtrombones and go through them in order.

Bone Machine is where he starts to get weird.  His style varies more from album to album after that, so they stand alone more than his earlier albums, which form a clearer progression. For my money, the highlights from this period are Bone Machine and Mule Variations. The rest are all pretty good too, but they're not as close to my heart as those two.

So, tl;dr I'd say start with Swordfishtrombones or Small Change, just know that the two options will lead you to pretty significantly different paths.
Oh and fyi Frank's Wild Years is the one with the theme song from The Wire on it. Hope that helps!

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #155 on: 18 Feb 2010, 13:52 »

Blues Music In General (not a band)

Did you download that Rory Gallagher album I posted a couple days ago on the mediafire thread?  Excellent and easy place to start before you start getting into the really hard-core, early stuff.  I'm also a huge fan of Lightnin' Hopkins, (Texas style) and Howlin' Wolf (Chicago style).   Listen to those three guys and you'll have a nice broadstroke introduction to guitar based blues.


Tom Waits

Raindogs is probably my favorite, and then start going backwards chronologically from there for awhile.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #156 on: 18 Feb 2010, 14:12 »

i won't dispute anything De_El said, but personally i would start with Bone Machine, because it is simultaneously his most accessible album and his strangest.  it has the most wide range of sounds and is by quite a large margin the one i listen to the most.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #157 on: 18 Feb 2010, 14:14 »

I started with Raindogs and never looked back.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #158 on: 18 Feb 2010, 15:07 »

You have to get the first four albums in order because there's a massive difference between each one which would be hard to accept if you ignore chronology.

The live album The Name of This Band is Talking Heads wouldn't be a bad start actually.

I don't know if the chronology is that important since the "essential discography" is relatively small. I listened to their first four albums in alternate pairs, I guess you could say. I found More Songs About Buildings and Food at a farmer's market then picked up Remain in Light from a used record store about a month later. Then I got Talking Heads: 77 after that. I never bought Fear of Music and maybe that is why I don't rate it as high as the other three, but it is still great.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #159 on: 18 Feb 2010, 16:24 »

Where do I start with Wire?
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #160 on: 18 Feb 2010, 17:15 »

At the beginning, with Pink Flag. The first three albums are absolutely stellar.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #161 on: 19 Feb 2010, 00:49 »

Soul Music In General (not a band)

Sam Cooke, for sure. The Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964 comp should suffice as a good introduction.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #162 on: 19 Feb 2010, 03:56 »

Where do I start with Wire?

Yeah, first three records in order and then feel free to stop there.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #163 on: 19 Feb 2010, 13:14 »

Yeah with Talking Heads start at the beginning. Remain in Light is in my opinion the best one but it is not exactly representative of their career, indeed the first four album are markedly different and they only really settled on a sound after Speaking iN Tongues, which is the last one you SHOULD get.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #164 on: 19 Feb 2010, 14:04 »

So, how 'bout that Colour Haze?  I've technically already started (with their self-titled album), but I am wondering where to go next.

Ewige Blumenkraft is the next one you should listen to, it's absolutely essential.  Los Sounds De Krauts is also pretty much too good to pass on under any circumstances.  After that, it kinda depends which direction you want to go in.  Listen to Tempel and All if you want to hear their more recent, more polished work.  Listen to CO2 and Seven to get a sense for the grittier, earlier sound.  If you want to see their trippiest side, listen to PeriscopeChopping Machine is not really that great but it's worth a listen if you like everything else so much that you just have to listen to everything they've put out (which is pretty likely, they're an absolutely superb band).
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #165 on: 21 Feb 2010, 19:32 »

So not so much "where to start" but "where to next": Elvis Costello.

I have the My Aim is True, This Year's Model, Armed Forces, Imperial Bedroom and  Secret, Profane and Sugarcane but I've basically no idea about the varying quality- and tone- of his discography through the 80s and 90s
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #166 on: 22 Feb 2010, 00:48 »

Blood & Chocolate is probably his third best record after the first two.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #167 on: 22 Feb 2010, 09:04 »

I actually quite like "Mighty Like A Rose"
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #168 on: 22 Feb 2010, 12:19 »

Blues Music In General (not a band)

Well hey look at that I can actually be of help in this thread.

Like any genre, blues has many different strands and aspects, and I guess it's all about finding what you like and don't like. I, for example, have never really been bothered by the 12-bar blues style and prefer the early delta records, open-stringed tuning stuff. So, for example I love these fellows:
Skip James
Bukka White
Reverend Gary Davis (song starts at about 2:10 and is the best thing you will ever see ever)
Blind Willie Johnson
I recently found out about Washington Phillips, who played this bizarre instrument that sounds like nothing I've ever heard and is brilliant.

Also many others such as Son House, Blind Willie McTell, Fred McDowell, Robert Johnson, Lonnie Johnson, Charley Patton, Elmore James etc etc. If you're not into that, you might be into stuff like Muddy Waters and the electric blues thing. Also check out Taj Mahal who is awesome pretty much whatever he does.
« Last Edit: 22 Feb 2010, 12:22 by nufan »
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #169 on: 22 Feb 2010, 12:55 »

honestly my favorite blues musician is Lightnin' Hopkins.  i can't recommend him enough.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #170 on: 22 Feb 2010, 13:22 »

I'm going to second Mississippi Fred McDowell.  Amazing stuff.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #171 on: 23 Feb 2010, 04:04 »

OK guys I know this isn't a specific band but something just clicked and as of an hour ago I'm really into new wave. I have Joy Division - Substance and Permanent, Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair, and Echo & the Bunnymen -Heaven Up Here. What else do I need?
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #172 on: 23 Feb 2010, 04:57 »

OMD's first albums until Dazzle Ships. After that, you only get Sugar Tax from the same band and that's it.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #173 on: 23 Feb 2010, 07:17 »

OK guys I know this isn't a specific band but something just clicked and as of an hour ago I'm really into new wave. I have Joy Division - Substance and Permanent, Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair, and Echo & the Bunnymen -Heaven Up Here. What else do I need?

That really depends on how you look at it.

If you want to change artists I can't really help you much

But if you want to expand your catalogues of those artists - from Echo And The Bunnymen you need Ocean Rain. I have no greater knowledge of their catalogue other than that is an awesome record. I do know Joy Division, though, and you need both of their studio albums, Unknown Pleasures and Closer. Luckily having those two compilations doesn't ruin the albums for. Substance in particular mops up a lot of the useful stuff from singles and EPs that's not on the albums.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #174 on: 23 Feb 2010, 08:07 »

OK guys I know this isn't a specific band but something just clicked and as of an hour ago I'm really into new wave. I have Joy Division - Substance and Permanent, Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair, and Echo & the Bunnymen -Heaven Up Here. What else do I need?

uhhh B-52s?
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #175 on: 23 Feb 2010, 13:45 »

OK guys I know this isn't a specific band but something just clicked and as of an hour ago I'm really into new wave. I have Joy Division - Substance and Permanent, Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair, and Echo & the Bunnymen -Heaven Up Here. What else do I need?

The Chameleons
The Church
The Wedding Present
The Damned
That Petrol Emotion
The Smiths
A Certain Ratio
Wall of Voodoo's "demo" album
everything XTC recorded pre-1983

for starters.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #176 on: 23 Feb 2010, 14:52 »

I've never really been able to work out where the borders of new wave are, but I'm gonna suggest Blondie and Sparks, mainly because I can.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #177 on: 23 Feb 2010, 15:53 »

are Devo new wave?

I'm not really sure what new wave is, but I am sure that Devo kicks ass.



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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #178 on: 23 Feb 2010, 16:35 »

Thanks guys, this list will keep me occupied for a while!

The Wedding Present
Seamonsters.

this is so good
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20 jazz funk greats

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #179 on: 23 Feb 2010, 19:20 »

here are some underrated post-punk-type bands!

-delta 5
-esg
-scritti politti (that one is kinda borderline i guess. early = poppy post punk. cupid and psyche '85 = new wave-y stuff!)
-liquid liquid
-konk

okay i'm done, back over to tommy. 
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #180 on: 23 Feb 2010, 19:40 »

Blues Music In General (not a band)





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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #181 on: 26 Feb 2010, 06:48 »

I have a question about the Rolling Stones. It is not really so much "where to start" as "how do I navigate through their early years most efficiently"? Their early discography (1964-67 I guess) is a jumble of US and UK releases that I don't really want to wade through blindly. Does it even make much of a different which versions I get?

Also, is it worth it to grab a singles compilation or two?
« Last Edit: 26 Feb 2010, 06:52 by michaelicious »
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #182 on: 27 Feb 2010, 20:00 »

Tommy where should I start with Silkworm?
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20 jazz funk greats

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #183 on: 28 Feb 2010, 11:13 »

yo, i'm not tommy, but he told me to try libertine if i like rougher stuff, and italian platinum if i like it smooooooth, hurrr hurr.

i love libertine. i don't think i ever got into italian platinum.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #184 on: 28 Feb 2010, 11:55 »

Were should I start with Bob Dylan and others of the (electric) folk persuasion? I've been listening to On The Beach and the rest of Neil Young's Ditch trilogy and digging it immensely.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #185 on: 28 Feb 2010, 14:17 »

Were should I start with Bob Dylan and others of the (electric) folk persuasion? I've been listening to On The Beach and the rest of Neil Young's Ditch trilogy and digging it immensely.

Stick a random pin in any of Dylan's 60's output and you've got a winner. Like Young in the 70's Dylan pretty much could do no wrong for near an entire decade all the while exploring new options with each album. For his one-man folk stuff Freewheelin' is probably the best bet, for his electric phase I'd go with Highway 65 Revisited, but I'm serious when I say get pretty much everything from that period.

Actually now I think of it, your best bet is probably Bringing It All Back Home, as it has 50% folk (the second half) and 50% electric rock (the first half) and also contains Subterranean Homesick Blues which is worth the money all by itself, and also has the finest lyrics of any album I know of. Blood On The Tracks is also one of the best albums of all time and pretty much a must (yes I'm a bit of a Dylanphile).
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #186 on: 01 Mar 2010, 01:19 »

I don't know anything about Jazz outside of Miles Davis, any suggestions on where to go?
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #187 on: 01 Mar 2010, 01:28 »

Do you know what type of jazz you prefer? Big band? Small group? Dixieland? Swing? Bop? Fusion?

Hahaha, no, I'm kidding, nobody prefers fusion.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #188 on: 01 Mar 2010, 01:34 »

Well, I like all the Miles Davis I have (Kind of Blue, Birth of the Cool, Bitches Brew) so stuff like that is good I guess.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #189 on: 01 Mar 2010, 01:35 »

Actually, have a listen to all of these, tell me which you like best, and we can go from there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86bO53-gpFs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqmgVOc-K1Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeqwPX4T4E0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT4CVz1TXUg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q-ePYiCJYM

I only really go up to the 50s as far as jazz is concerned. After that you'll have to get someone else to help you out.
« Last Edit: 01 Mar 2010, 01:43 by Inlander »
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kwami42

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #190 on: 01 Mar 2010, 01:43 »

I like the 4th and 5th ones the most out of those.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #191 on: 01 Mar 2010, 01:44 »

Oh, listen to this too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acT3XJHrMlU

I'm just about to head out for a few hours but I'll get back to you.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #192 on: 01 Mar 2010, 01:58 »

That last one was pretty good too.
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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #193 on: 01 Mar 2010, 05:38 »

Okay so basically it seems like you're digging the modern jazz, which is fair enough. Seeing as how you already like Miles Davis I'd suggest you get a recording of Charlie Parker's Dial recordings. Just get the master takes, there's no need to go crazy and get all the alternates and false starts and what have you that are floating around. You'll notice that there are a lot of different editions of these recordings available: they're all the same, but because the original recordings were made over 50 years ago they're out of copyright now, which means a lot of different record companies are reissuing them. Anyway, Charlie Parker's quintet at the time he recorded on Dial included a very young Miles Davis.

Seeing as how you liked the Gerry Mulligan, I'd also suggest you give the Birth of the Cool album a listen: this was a band that included Mulligan and, again, Davis. It's quite different but very beautiful. There was an edition released several years ago called the Complete Birth of the Cool, which includes a bunch of live recordings which, though enjoyable, aren't essential: it's the cuts on the original album that are the good stuff. (There was also an album released by Mulligan late in his life called the Rebirth of the Cool, so don't get confused.) The Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker quartet was one of the most famous groups in jazz history, so check out the original recordings by them (there's also a "reunion" album available which, while good, isn't a patch on the group's original recordings).

That Clifford Brown/Max Roach tune I posted was composed by Bud Powell, who was the major pianist of the early bop years (just as Charlie Parker was the most significant saxophonist for that style, Dizzy Gillespie the most important trumpeter, etc). There's a series of great compilations called, collectively, the Amazing Bud Powell - volume 1 is the best one to get. The Clifford Brown/Max Roach quintet is also well worth exploring further - active in the 50s, they weren't pure bop but a variant follow-up style called hard bop, which mainly differed by having a more hard-driving sound with some gospel influences creeping in. If you like classic bop you're almost certain to like hard bop. For the Brown/Roach group start with the self-titled album (it has a distinctive orange and blue cover). Blue Note was the label of choice for that style and there are literally hundreds of Blue Note albums from the late 50s and early 60s which can be classified as "hard bop", but some of the classics to check out are the Sidewinder by Lee Morgan, Una Mas by Kenny Dorham, and Page One by Joe Henderson.

Finally, a couple of great albums and personal favourites from this era which should be in any collection: Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus, and on a completely different note Waltz for Debby by the Bill Evans trio (you may have come across Evans playing piano on Miles Davis's Kind of Blue).

Beyond all that, you'll find that jazz is a pretty incestuous genre, so I'd recommend finding a musician you like (Davis, as we've seen, is an excellent example), reading about them and finding out who they worked with, and seeing where that leads you. It's how I got into jazz years ago when I really didn't know what I was talking about.
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kwami42

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #194 on: 01 Mar 2010, 05:39 »

Damn, thanks man, I appreciate it  :-D
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Inlander

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #195 on: 01 Mar 2010, 06:12 »

You're welcome!

Oh and also, check out the several albums recorded by the (first) Miles Davis Quintet, in the 50s. It was one of the unquestionably great jazz groups. Start with 'Round About Midnight and if you like that pick up Relaxin' and Cookin'.
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Retrospectre

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #196 on: 01 Mar 2010, 07:15 »

The Jesus Lizard.

Please keep in mind that I am somewhat of a pussy and don't want my ears completely shredded to pieces.
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De_El

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #197 on: 01 Mar 2010, 09:38 »

Does The Jesus Lizard sound ear shredding to you? I mean I know they're called "noise-rock" but I never thought they were actually that harsh on the ears. Anyway, The Jesus Lizard, like many bands, started really strong and stayed solidly good, but their later work is perhaps slightly less consistently amazing than the first 2 or 3 albums.  Start with Head, and if you like that, reward yourself with Goat. Be sure to get Liar and the first EP, Pure, but beyond that only bother if you're in love.

JayJayD

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #198 on: 01 Mar 2010, 12:14 »

Well, I like all the Miles Davis I have (Kind of Blue, Birth of the Cool, Bitches Brew) so stuff like that is good I guess.
Get some Herbie Hancock from the 60s, esp. Maiden Voyage.
And John Coltrane's Crescent.
For stuff like Bitches Brew: Weather Report.
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Retrospectre

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #199 on: 01 Mar 2010, 16:10 »

Does The Jesus Lizard sound ear shredding to you? I mean I know they're called "noise-rock" but I never thought they were actually that harsh on the ears.

I've never actually heard anything by them so it seems I built them up in my mind.
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