View Full Version : Describing A/I bands to people with little knowledge of non-popular music
YDload
07-29-2006, 06:04 PM
It's simple: how would you describe a band's sound to someone who hadn't heard of them, or anything at all like them?
I don't remember where I was going with this to start, but I'll give it a shot:
Dinosaur Jr: Hey remember that band that played the theme song to Pete and Pete? Well they're sorta like that, but with a bit more Nirvana or Neil Young to them.
Wire: They're sorta like The Clash but a lot simpler.
Pixies: You know that song at the end of Fight Club, when all the buildings are coming down? Yeah that's the Pixies. Their other stuff is sorta like that, but you really have to hear it to understand. You ever heard any Modest Mouse before their last album?
Minutemen: They did the theme song to Jackass. Well not really because they haven't been around for 20 years, but I mean they used one of their songs for the opening of the show.
do this. hell i sure haven't heard a lot of bands discussed in here so it should help me out as well!
masada
07-29-2006, 06:08 PM
I usually just make it short and say "it sucks" or "you won't like it". Because I'm always right.
sexymuffin
07-29-2006, 06:20 PM
Slint: imagine how boring a church ceremony is.
Squarepusher: think aphex twin, but not as popular for good reasons.
LCD Soundsystem: if you can make a little beat with your hands on a hard surface, do it over and over again for anywhere between 3 and 11 minutes. Then maybe hum something and have your friend talk about popular electronic artists coming over to your house to play.
sgrevs
07-29-2006, 10:56 PM
^^Niiiice
Belle and Sebastian: Pop/Rock that your grandparents will enjoy.
masada
07-29-2006, 10:57 PM
My grandparents wouldn't enjoy Belle and Sebastian.
Well_Respected_Man
07-29-2006, 11:16 PM
Deerhoof Funny four foot asian sings cute songs about animals and the bible. ummmm.
Zebra
07-29-2006, 11:34 PM
Quasimoto - Rap music + helium.
Otherside
07-30-2006, 12:17 AM
DJ Shadow - Know all those car commericals with people driving at night and there's this laid back drum beat? Yeah, that's him.
sexymuffin
07-30-2006, 12:50 AM
MF Doom: Ever watch aqua teen hunger force?
masada
07-30-2006, 01:39 AM
Wolf Eyes - Have you ever seen someone having their limbs torn off at a crawling pace as they attempt to emulate the sound of a ptaerodactyl with Tourette's Syndrome? Take that, filter it through a fan, run it through a broken television, and jam it into your ***. That's what it sounds like.
A Spoonful Supreme
07-30-2006, 02:37 AM
Oh hey guys are The Libertines indie? They're like The Clash except sloppier.
A Spoonful Supreme
07-30-2006, 03:18 AM
Interpol - They rip off Joy Divison, not worth the listen.
sr800bkBassist
07-30-2006, 04:38 AM
Of Montreal- The Beatles dance-party remix
Belle & Sebastian- your girlfriend's ugly friend's favorite band.
Pavement- like old Modest Mouse, but for people with good taste in music.
PolishRoyale
07-30-2006, 04:56 AM
I've seen The Beatles Dance Mega-Mix in the bargain bin once.
explosions in the sky - remember when you said you had problems sleeping?
A Spoonful Supreme
07-30-2006, 06:47 AM
^ reread first post please
Interpol - They sound like Ben Stein started a band with his gameshow contestants and called it indie. OR, they sound like they just ripped off a better band by the name of Joy Division.
SubtleDagger
07-30-2006, 06:52 AM
OR, they sound like they just ripped off a better band by the name of Joy Division.
He meant that doesn't make sense because people who only listen to popular music have no clue who Joy Division is.
team_racket
07-30-2006, 08:58 AM
the organ-debbie harry on downers whilst the smiths accompany with an organ thrown in for good measure.
Sepstrup
07-30-2006, 09:13 AM
The Smiths don't count as popular music, do they? A lot of people don't know who they are.
team_racket
07-30-2006, 09:35 AM
well they played top of the pops back in the day and have a very best of cd. plus the whole morrisey craze. id say they qualify.
Sepstrup
07-30-2006, 11:09 AM
I don't think there's much point to the thread if The Smiths for instance are considered a popular band. I'm thinking of people like girls in my class who didn't know who Franz Ferdinand were... I think it should be really mainstream music (Shakira, Eminem, stuff EVERYONE knows. For the record I do think Franz Ferdinand qualifies. Everyone has heard Take Me Out). Would make the explanations more far-fetched, and thus more entertaining :).
If you ask random people on the street, I bet you a lot of them couldn't name a Smiths song. (Well, at least in Denmark, anyway...)
team_racket
07-30-2006, 11:23 AM
haha i see where you are coming from buddy. thing is im from uk, where the band comes from. i guess more people know them over here than denmark. i see your point though :thumb:
mr_jackalope
07-30-2006, 02:20 PM
My Bloody Valentine - whales ****ing to a drumbeat
I describe music I like to people who I think should listen to it, although listen to nothing else like it often. Yet I can't think of a single example.
sr800bkBassist
07-30-2006, 04:53 PM
Shellac- that weird kid from your elementary school who ate bugs, threatened to kill the teacher, and pooped in the hallway finally started a band.
sexymuffin
07-30-2006, 05:08 PM
Shellac- that weird kid from your elementary school who ate bugs, threatened to kill the teacher, and pooped in the hallway finally started a band.
steve albini \m/
Tom Waits: Think of that old black guy who narrorated "the night before christmas" singing.
YDload
07-30-2006, 06:07 PM
Shellac- that weird kid from your elementary school who ate bugs, threatened to kill the teacher, and pooped in the hallway finally started a band.
At The Drive-In: that weird Mexican kid who drew on his arm with permanent marker (in addition to sniffing it) and got suspended for calling the teacher "PUTA!" started a band.
This is turning into the "describe bands obtusely" thread, but this wasn't supposed to be as hard.
Horrorshow34
07-30-2006, 06:46 PM
Arctic Monkeys- Imagine if Mike Skinner, the 'singer' from The Streets replaced Pete Doherty in The Libertines
Green Day- Consult your nearest 9 year-old for further information
Oasis- Imagine The Beatles and every dodgy British rock band from the 70's (Slade, Status Quo) jamming together on the morning after a blender
The Go! Team- Imagine a bootleg of a festival where all your favourite cheesey 70's band get together and take Shrooms
Interpol- A poor man's Joy Division
The Automatic- Kinda like the Lostprohets . . . . . but good
Editors- A poor man's Interpol
sr800bkBassist
07-30-2006, 06:53 PM
Interpol- Joy Division with mediocre songs but with finally good production.
Bushjump
07-30-2006, 08:24 PM
At The Drive-In: that weird Mexican kid who drew on his arm with permanent marker (in addition to sniffing it) and got suspended for calling the teacher "PUTA!" started a band.
Would that be Omar or Cedric? :confused:
Pixies - Think Jack White, except 15 years ago, fatter, and better.
World Burns To Death
07-30-2006, 09:11 PM
XTC - they're like Franz Ferdinand.
Orange Juice - they're like Franz Ferdinand.
Josef K - they're like Franz Ferdinand.
Bauhaus - they're like She Wants Revenge.
HAHAHAHAHAh
A Spoonful Supreme
07-30-2006, 11:02 PM
He meant that doesn't make sense because people who only listen to popular music have no clue who Joy Division is.
Subtle, do you're policing:
Interpol- A poor man's Joy Division
... or stop naysaying.
i love how people still make retarded comparisons of joy division and interpol
A Spoonful Supreme
07-31-2006, 12:55 AM
Interpol fanboy?
Interpol are too boring to even be talked about.
perriwinkle
07-31-2006, 01:25 AM
Slint: imagine how boring a church ceremony is.
yo
not cool
sr800bkBassist
07-31-2006, 01:26 AM
yo
not cool
it's very true.
perriwinkle
07-31-2006, 01:32 AM
it's very true.
:upset:
i am listening to Breadcrumb Trail
i think its just as creative as i thought it was when i first heard it
who writes music like this? i think they have a very interesting style, but then again, i am into some ambient stuff so i tend to have more patience with music so sometimes i will enjoy stuff that others find boring
what about Three Mile Pilot then? you dont find them boring do you? listen to Aqua-Magnetic! and Vux Intruder, and 97-MT. mmmmmm i love 3mp
Reaganista
07-31-2006, 01:38 AM
He meant that doesn't make sense because people who only listen to popular music have no clue who Joy Division is.
didn't they watch the crow?
Leonard Cohen - The boy in choir who was shunned from being able to perform at local school concerts, therefore growing up to write depressing lyrics.
Interpol fanboy?
how are people still using interpol as the comparison to jd when she wants revenge exists
I Was A Kaleidoscope
07-31-2006, 06:56 AM
yeah i know, i'm sick of people comparing them when they're really not that similar
Horrorshow34
07-31-2006, 08:49 AM
Muse- Ha! Who sounds like Radiohead now then eh?
EightMilesHigh
07-31-2006, 01:00 PM
Oh hey guys are The Libertines indie? They're like The Clash except sloppier.
I believe they're indie, but they're not like The Clash.
Morrissey - He's like the indie James Taylor.
sexymuffin
07-31-2006, 02:02 PM
Morrissey - He blows hard
this.
sr800bkBassist
07-31-2006, 03:51 PM
Ghost Mice- if Woodie Guthrie was younger, nerdier, and punk.
Shadius
07-31-2006, 04:01 PM
Muse- Ha! Who sounds like Radiohead now then eh?
I don't get it.
Tsuruka
07-31-2006, 09:03 PM
My Bloody Valentine - whales ****ing to a drumbeat
/thread
Ride - British whales ****ing to a drumbeat
Radiohead - Ever get really depressed? Well imagine that feeling except a British guy singing it with either some funky techno beats, grunge-meets-britpop guitarrs, or funky techo beats with grunge-meets-britpop guitars.
Libertines - Imagine a person on heroine. Now imagine that person on heroine with a guitar and a band. And he's British. Now imagine this situation, but with Franz Ferdinand playing in the back. But not really.
sexymuffin
07-31-2006, 09:12 PM
Libertines - Imagine a person on heroine. Now imagine that person on heroine with a guitar and a band. And he's British. Now imagine this situation, but with Franz Ferdinand playing in the back. But not really.
why didn't you just tell them to think of what it sounds like when they take a **** in a public restroom?
RedMorningLight
08-01-2006, 01:07 PM
Turn on the Bright Lights is a classic.
team_racket
08-01-2006, 05:24 PM
Turn on the Bright Lights is a classic.
nah. its ok, but lost it halfway through.
sr800bkBassist
08-01-2006, 05:29 PM
Defiance, Ohio- there was a power outage in town, so the punks had to resort to acoustic guitars, banjos, and violins.
YDload
08-01-2006, 05:32 PM
The Fall of Troy- some punk kids heard a Mars Volta record for the first time and were inspired to do something similar. So they plugged in their instruments, dropped a shitload of acid, and started recording. However, they all started having really bad trips, and their tortured instrumental excursions were all caught on tape.
EightMilesHigh
08-01-2006, 06:02 PM
Interpol didn't even sound like Joy Division to begin with.
I think they do.
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