h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So, music is something that we all appreciate in one form or another.

Do you want to talk about Hard-Fi's new album?
Are you madly in love with some band from New Zealand that none of us have ever heard of?
Maybe young people don't appreciate Chopin enough for your liking and you want to make an argument for why his pieces are so brilliant?
Does Evanescence help you to wallow in misery after a hard day at school?

We want to hear about it, argue about it, announce our discovery of new bands, crow about the great gig we're going to...

Hmm...well just to get this started off, I'm going to tell you about some small bands that I like.

http://www.hypopsycho.com

http://www.theresearchgopop.com

http://www.david-ford.com

http://www.lodger.tv

I saw David Ford in a really small venue where there were only about 50 people, all sitting down recently. It was brilliant.
The Research are playing REALLY close to me tonight but I can't go due to work.
Hypopsycho seem to favour going around London and....deepest darkest Scotland
Lodger are only ever touring in Europe

So yeah, admittedly all of those four are very different bands..but take a look

This is kind of quiet, so I thought I might ask everyone a question. What do you think of a mainstream band, Gorillaz?

Personally, I don't think much of them. The concept is alright - its a fictional band meaning they can do whatever they like and make the music they like seeing as there is no actual 'singer' for each band member, just a whole bunch of different people.

But at the same time, the concept is terrible, and could kill rock and roll as its been pretty well since the start. It takes that exciting, everybody aspect out of music, by making it something that can practically be produced in a factory. For instance, their world tour next year will be a completely pre-recorded holograpgh, taking the whole interactive idea out of a live concert - people will be paying over a hundred bucks to go and see whats basically a 3D movie.

I don't really like the music, and I dislike the actual characters in the band immensly. One is a satanist, another mentally deficient, another possessed. Doesn't sound like the kind of people anyone would like! Some of the tunes are pretty catchy, but they've all got weak lyrics and I really dislike rap music, which they have a lot of.

I much prefer a real band, with real emotions in their songs and real songs. If anyone is interested, my all time favourite band is The Beatles, followed by U2. I also like some more recent stuff of course, Ben Lee is awesome, i dig Jamiroquai, I like Pete Murray, and this band that no one outside of australia probably would have heard of is really good: http://www.littlebirdy.net

DV.

The only names I recognised there were The Beatles and U2, Orange, so I fear you've somewhat lost me.

I have to say, though, that the concept of a band that's not really a band is somewhat bizarre - albeit quite futuristic. Perhaps that's what's driving the sales of tickets for their concert that's not really a concert.

I like folk music. Call me lame, yes, though my tastes have moved on since I wrote A4423600, The Life and Times of a Teenage Folkie. Now I mostly like folk-rock, my favourite bands being Steeleye Span and Great Big Sea. I also listen rather obsessively to old British comedy radio series, but that's not really music exactly.

Anyone who is interested have a look atthis song, by clicking on the title:

http://search.au.music.yahoo.com/search/?m=all&p=nine+million+bicycles

I saw the clip on the telly the other day, and have been near obscessed with it since. Its really odd, yet really nice. After a few listens it does kind of get a bit mushy, but the lyrics are just awesome and shes got the voice of an angel.

Unfortunately, I can't find the single in any music stores where I love.

Sorry, I can't check it out now, as I'm in the school library and I think the noise would scare and frighten people - but I'll take a look when I get home.

Hi guys, I'm into Punk Rock music, but apart from that I like blues, folk and protest songs.

My fave band of all time are My Chemical Romance, closely followed by HIM and Green Day.

I occasionally listen to Great Big Sea (Donkey riding, donkey riding) and I like Bob Dylan (Johnny's in the basement mixin' up the medicine.)

So those are my tastes, whats your opinions? (Most people think I'm a "confused punk")

Just for the record... I *love* Great Big Sea!

I saw them on TV the other night. They were playing at the Niagara Falls New Year's festivities.

referring to the High Priest of The Great Green Arkleseizure's post, how can you say you like 'protest songs' as a genre?

Firstly, the reason a protest song is a protest song is because it protests about something , so woulsd contain a very strong opinion. You might not agree with that opinion, so you can't rea;;y say you like all protest songs for their content.

Secondly, protest songs can be any genre of music, rock, rap, pop, anything! So even if you like the message the song is sending, you might not actually like the song itself.

I'd be interested to know what protest songs you like.

As far as American ones are concerned, 'protest songs' are generally considered to be a sub-genre of folk music. Think Bob Dylan, pre-electric: songs that question the establishment or express dissatisfaction with something - in the 1960s and 70s, the big event to write protest songs about was the Vietnam War. There's a Dylan song called 'Cruel War' that follows that theme. And then there are union songs, like 'Solidarity Forever' and 'Which Side Are You On?' - oh, and loads of others. In any case, it's not the fact of protesting that makes something a protest song, it's the way that they protest things and the style in which they're sung/played.

I think.

I'll have to disagree with you there.

True the early and a lot of protest songs were folk songs, and Bob Dylan wrote a stack of great ones, a protest song is what the name describes, a song that protests something.

Would you describe John Lennon's 'Give Peace a Chance' a protest song? Probably. What about Greenday's 'American Idiot'? Or The Black Eyed Pea's 'Where is the Love'? I wouldn't probably, but some would.

I concede that you have a point, Orange, but I don't really see how a protest song with different instrumentation (like Lennon's) is any different. I can't speak for the other examples, though, because my knowledge of modern music is so embarrassingly limited.

Perhaps you should try and listen to some more modern music echomikeromeo, I'll admit, most of it is absolute crap, especially rap music, but there certainly is some really great modern music. often it is not the more popular stuff, but there are exceptions. How about trying something like Coldplay for starters? If you can get hold of it in the states (I'm not sure how big he is over there), try and get hold of Ben Lee's newest album, Awake is the New Sleep. It would have to be one of the greatest albums I've ever heard.

heya, people, i am new, so please be nice....so, *tries to fit in*.

I dunno, i would definately listen to older music over new. esp the eighties right back to the sixties. Although, i do like nickelback, the prodigy and a few others. yeah, i am easy going, but i dunno, does one have to listen to rap and pop to be cool?

lol xxx

spreadthelove

bob marley rocks.

Hey spreadthelove!

Don't worry about trying to fit in - I never have (hence the reason why she has so few friends, she wonders).

At my school a lot of the kids who are considered popular listen to rap or pop, and if they play music at lunch (as they sometimes do) that's what they always play. But the people I hang out with are more likely to like either metal or show tunes (don't ask me how that works out).

I put that so that you thought i was normal. Big mistake, i am not mormal, i detest that cursed word. Yup i can;t stand hip hop or rap or whatever, i like old stuff, and a few things like nickelback, rammstein, foo fighters and other random songs. But i mainly like eighties, seventies, and sixties music. Strangeness. Oh well.

lol xxx

spreadthelove

what music do you like, i have different tastes from some of my friends, so dare to be different!

Dare to be different indeed! I'm listening to Steeleye Span right now, as a matter of fact (British 60s folk revival) which, along with Great Big Sea (Newfoundland folk-rock), is one of my all-time favourite bands. My favourite playlist also includes Stan Rogers, Tom Lehrer, the Hitchhiker's movie soundtrack and the Goons' Ying Tong Song. You get the picture.

(You shouldn't give me these chances to talk about myself. I tend to go a bit overboard.)

yeah! I am currently listening to nickelback, in a very short time i shall be listening to either bob marley, massive attack or madness (decisions decisions!).......it shall be massive attack! yes, indeed! I like odd songs too. And my brother is making me a rammstein CD!! YAY!

lol xxx

spreadthelove

can't wait, freuer frei!

I am currently listening to Coldplay. Aren't they just incredibly awesome?

I don't know; I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I've never actually heard them. I'm listening to Great Big Sea ... but that's normal.