Artist you know you should like but don’t.

Miles Davis and Frank Zappa leave me cold. There are many others but the old sieve won't let them out ATM.

I do have the consolation of knowing that many of my favourites don't rock many peoples boats either.

Very odd what people do or do not like!

I for one can't stand Zappa, Genesis (in all incarnations), Yes or anything drum'n'bass. And try as I might, I can't get into reggae at all.

Vlad

Graham, not sure about the "should like" but of the few I cannot swallow I can firstly nominate B Sprin...(can't even bring  myself to write his name, that bad!) and then, heaven knows I tried, Porcupine Tree. I am very tolerant to a lot of music and try to keep an open mind to all sorts of sounds. I also  appreciate that people are different and listen to music in different enviroments and influences - I blame friends and childhood  But, boy oh boy some stuff do suck!

KR

Tony

PS. I never waste saliva discussing P. Weller!

These are always complex threads. What I like or don't like probably says more about me than the artists. Many posters will know the music I don't like. In terms of genre Rap and Hip Hop and Dance and the New Romantic 80's music leave me cold: I just don't understand the appeal. 

I do like Zappa, Yes and early Genesis (Trespass being my favourite album by them), but didn't like what they became after Peter Gabriel left. The same goes for Fleetwood Mac who stopped being a blues rock band and became an AOR band ... sorry another genre I never grew to like with groups like Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, the Eagles and the list goes on.

However, I have to confess I have never tried to like post Peter Green/Danny Kirwan Fleetwood Mac, I just heard Rumours and thought not for me. The same goes for Dire Straits. I can't explain why these groups don't appeal and yet others like or even love them.

So where I don't get it all is the affection shown by some for Frank Sinatra and to a lesser extent Ella Fitzgerald.  Now I immediately accept Ella was very nice person and there was a superb documentary on BBC4 about her life, but the listening experience is beyond me.

So what of Frank S ... this one is totally beyond my comprehension: what is to like? A monotonous voice interject by blasts from an overloud orchestra. If somebody could explain the appeal then I'd at least be educated in why he has so many admirers. Somebody once told me, well he was the best around in 40/50s because there wasn't much else: have they never heard of George Formby. 

I guess in the end we like what we like and so I'll just hang another Roger Dean poster on the wall and play the new album by My Dying Bride . At least everybody on the forum loves Bauhaus (never read a word against them) so there is something we all concur with.  

With you on Sinatra but definitely not with Ella!

And I wouldn't count on everyone liking Bauhaus either!

Vlad

Where do I begin...? Bruce Spingsteen certainly, Porcupine Tree, Yes, most of the in vogue female solo artistes, there's a start.

Very interesting. For me, I might only like a couple of songs, and then that's it. Stevie Wonder? Two songs I like, a lot. Same with Miles Davis. One song from Kate Bush that I prefer. I like a few songs Ella did with Louis. Only 2 Frank Sinatra songs, the one called 'Summer Wind' and the song he did with Nancy. So it's hard to get into their albums, per se, but one or two songs may please.

Dave

There are plenty of artists I don't like. Some of them are "canonical", I suppose, but whether I'm "supposed" to like them - who makes these rules? - or not I've no idea and to be frank I don't give a flying one.

So, Van Morrisson, Weller/Jam, REM and Brooooooce are all utter crap. Can't stand them.

Same goes for: Pogues, Joe Strummer, Genesis, Elvis Costello, ELP, Clapton post-Cream, Dire Straits/Knopfler, Police/Sting, Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention, Incredible String Band, Kiss, Crosby Stills & Nash, Eagles, Whitesnake, pre-electric Dylan, Pete Seeger, Kirsty MacColl, Ewan MacColl, Eva Cassidy, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Franz Ferdinand, Suede, Queen, virtually all U2 except Achtung Baby, Paul Simon, Randy Newman, Loudon Wainwright and Tom Waits.

Well that narrows it down a bit!

All that hardware and only 7 albums to play on it!

Oh, and while we're at it - can we get Mozart to edit Beethoven?

On the rock side I say Arcade Fire

They are critics darlings but they can't write songs, they can't play their instruments, and the singer sounds like a dying cow.

Reminds me of what Robert Christgau said about Carly Simon.  "If a horse could sing, a horse would sound like Carly Simon.  Only a horse wouldn't rhyme yacht, gavotte, and apricot"

For me it is Rush - I appreciate that they are talented, but the music just grates on my nerves...and Geddy Lee's voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard to my ears.

I am sure there are others, but that is the one that jumps to my mind.

I guess what is interesting is artists that are always being recommended to you as something you 'ought' to like in view of your current favourites or tastes.

For me it is The Decemberists, I just find them (or maybe just his voice) really irritating.

Bruce

Jeff Buckley - 'Grace'.  Can't see what all the fuss is about.  G

Ugh! Arcade Fire - I'd forgotten about them. Dire! Thanks for reminding me

I think we can also add Laura Marling, Ellie Goulding, red Hot Chilli Peppers and the vomit-inducing Mumford & Sons to the list.

With you on that. Unlistenable.

And I'll never forgive Cohen for rhyming "Hallelujah" with "you". Only Dylan can get away with that sort of nonsense.

Graeme,

Get this   dvd and see Jeff do it live.£1.09 from amazon sellers.

It might change your mind?

Seeing a band or artist play live can very often change how one thinks.

Stu.

I'd agree with that.

When i used to live in London in the 70s and early 80s i used to go and see so many live gigs i have trouble remembering who and when.

I used to get so many free tickets to concerts of bands and artists through work and friends i would not have given LP rack space to until after i had seen them live.

That said ,I still cant stand Barry Manilow.

I can't forgive him for messing up the brilliant Scott English song Brandy.

Stu.

Thanks Stu.  G

All Jazz, Zappa, REM, U2, Genesys, Yes, Arcade Fire, .  All boring to me.

Jeez do you guys ACTUALLY listen to any music? 

Howard,

You know i do.

I think i  have tried to slip my Barry Manilow vinyl picture discs into your bag before now

Stu.

Of course. Throbbing Gristle, mostly.

That's the most obscure euphemism I've read in some time!  G