No one seems to notice, but Weezer was good, once upon a time.They are considered to be a nerd band, but most of their stuff in recent years has been more emo then nerd. So let's re-wind 15 years to 1994. One of their first big hits. I loved this song on so many levels. The music video was great too. A song based on being the nerd in high school, but a nerd who loves. This is the kind of music I wish Weezer still did. This is a nerd band (come on, the video is based on Happy Days, it doesn't get much nerdier then that). Also, remember that this video wasn't premiered on MTV or Much music, but on the Windows 95 CD after you installed it on your computer. Now that's oldschool nerd for you.
The full video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiIC5qcXeNU
HISTORY CLASS! This is one song from back in the 80's by a band called the specials. They rode on the 2nd wave of ska. Now some people ask me: "Waves of ska?" A brief rundown. Ska came out in the 50's and 60's in Jamaica and was a lot more reggae oriented then it is today. Ska bands were stereotypically from the poorer class of people, and this music was their way of escape. Played in small clubs and bars that many workers would come to after hours. This wave didn't see much outside of central America. The Second wave came in the 70's and 80's, The band I am showcasing today was at the front of the new wave. This was known as the 2 tone wave, because many americans and euopeans played in the band, making them multicultural. Finally we have the late 90's, which the Third wave is just dying out now. A few bands made it big, like Five Iron Frenzy and Reel Big Fish. For more information, see this video here: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=AesId12OKsY And enjoy one of the classics
My philosophy behind good music is quite simple: if it makes me feel something (be it good, bad, sad, happy, psychotic, etc), it's worth listening to. This has led me to appreciate all kinds of music, finding gems of musical genius in the most unlikely places. It also leaves me listening to songs on repeat for hours, riding high on the waves of emotions that somehow the songwriters have managed to make me feel. Even better is when a song can invoke an entire memory. When I was young, my mom would listen to old Patsy Cline songs when she would make dinner. Since then, her voice automatically throws me back into my childhood, sitting in my room and hearing my mom downstairs, singing along while she fried onions and chopped vegetables. Patsy Cline is considered one of the quintessential figures in classic country music (sorry if I'm treading on your turf here, Karah!). She has a strong, low voice which practically breaks your heart when she sings about love.
However, the main song choice of this post isn't a Patsy Cline song (but I'll post it after the main video for the sake of completeness). I'm posting a song by another singer, Nicole Atkins. Her voice is beautifully low and powerful as well, and she's got a strong sound reminiscent of Patsy Cline. Nicole Atkins gives me a nice hybrid feel, she's got the sound that reminds me of my mom's love of old, classic country, but a more modern feel that places her in our time.
I've had this song stuck in my head all day, so you get to listen to it too. Here is one of my favourite classic rock songs, and one of my favourite songs ever! This is a blast, from even my dads past. But I would also like to take a moment to talk about todays music. Or at least bands in general. A lot more people are picking up instruments these days. With general interest, or playing to much guitar hero/rock band, we're seeing more garage bands. And with technology today, these small time bands can get their music out there to more than just their mom and the local bar. But this means a few things with the way music is heading as an artform, but most of it good. With more people creating music, we start getting different "sounds", also known as originality. This, in turn, opens up new genres of music. Where once there was just rock, it has seperated into other music types, such as punk, metal, classic, and so on. And even these sub-genres have gotten so big that they have branched off as well: Metal has got Heavy, Power, Progressive, and even "nerd" metal. This goes for all genres. There's light country, rock country, and a few types in between as well. With new bands turning out new music, listeners are able to find exactly what they want. Sure, a lot of new bands will turn out a little (or a lot of) crap, they are learning, and experimenting, just as you "experiment" when you listen to a new song to see if you like it.I guess this is just a long way of me saying: This is a great age in music, and this form of entertainment will only continue to grow and impress us, whatever it is you listen too.
But back to my original post, some of the old stuff never gets old:
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