Musicians you admire, especially those that most aren't familiar with Options

[edstipe]

This is a thread to comment on musicians you admire, especially if he/she doesn't have much name recognition (though feel free to name those who are well known too!).

The inspiration for this comes from a show I attended recently. It was a Jeff Tweedy show, and he was absolutely brilliant. However, Jeff isn't the guy I want to mention here. The opening act was a guy named Glenn Kotche. He is Wilco's drummer, but in a band he is somewhat confined by the sounds of the other guys around him (as all members of a group inevitably are).

I didn't think I would like an act that is all percussion and no words, but man was I wrong. This guy blew everyone away. His skill on drums is unbelievable, but he isn't just about drums. He brought out more instruments -- some traditional, but many self-created -- than I could keep count of.

A sort of defining moment of his set was when he brought out about 20 boxes and opened them up to reveal the sound of.....crickets. He then mic'd them up and used the crickets as an integral part of his song. I wish I could describe some of the other things he did, but my knowledge of instruments is far too limited to even attempt to do so.

Anyhow, after witnessing his genius, I was definitely hooked on his music. Anybody who can delight a crowd of people who have never really heard your song is pretty damn admirable in my book.

If you're interested in checking out his music, you can do so here: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=56510273

[Pokey]

Oh Mike Patton .. not much explanation needed.

[mrmcpheezy]

Good thread.

Mike Patton

Hella.


I also have to mention Tool and NIN, but mostly people here are familiar with them, so I won't say much.


I'd also like to mention 2Pac. While most people here know who he is, I doubt many are all that famliar with his work. This guy wrote songs back in the day when rappers actually performed with a band with them on stage. It's not at all like the mindless dribble you hear on most rap radio stations. A lot of it was straight gangsta rap, but I understand this probably won't interest as many people here as it does me. Coming from the ghetto, I really can relate to a lot of what he says. Just...the values, and things he focuses on. The way he feels about life. It's a difficult thing to explain, but while it just comes across as stupid bullshit to a lot of you, it is a reality for many. He, so clearly, expressed the thoughts and feelings of an entire demographic. Not many musicians can say this. In addition to the gangsta rap, he had a lot of interesting things to say. He was no poet. He was no philosopher. But he was a man with interesting thoughts.

"jealousy is misery. suffering is greed".


Danny motherfucking Elfman.


Pineapple Thief. I'm listening to these guys right now, actually. I've got four of their albums. My favorite two are 8 Days and Variations on a Dream. Amazingly creaitve. They have a sort pop-ish, groovy feel to a lot of their songs, but they also mix in a few heavy, distorted sections, and the occasional ambience. Nothing astonishing going on, I guess, but I definitely think they're worth listening to. Probably a band a lot of Live fans would like, I think.


Tortoise is probably the most chill band on the planet. Songs like Djed and TNT are great music for parties. The thing I like most about their work is that while the tone is perfect as background music, it's also music that has enough going on to hold your attention should you choose to focus on it while listening by yourself or something. They explore a lot of different tones and styles. They'll be rock-ish one song, and then jazzy the next, and the almost hip-hop-ish at times as well. I love it.


I don't even know what to say about Secret Chiefs 3. A bunch of amazing musicians doing some absolutely crazy shit. I'm just starting to get into it, so I can't say much about it, but I'm quite impressed.

[Lively Chick]

I'd also like to mention 2Pac. While most people here know who he is, I doubt many are all that famliar with his work. This guy wrote songs back in the day when rappers actually performed with a band with them on stage.

No they didn't. They all had DJs. Bands were not used by rappers " back in the day" because they were not deemed neccessary. All they needed was a DJ to hype the crowd and spin a music tracks/records for them to rap on/over. And its still generally the same today. The Roots are an example one of the rare hip hop bands that exist today.
Tupac I listened to until I heard the track with him cursing out Biggie and his family and saying how he was gonna basically fuck them all up. Some really scary ranting and raving. After hearing that he became like shit to me. Utter filth