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

OK, the idea's this. Someone states something they really don't get, or don't like, and the h2g2 community tries to convince them they're wrong, by posting links to examples which might change their mind. It works best with things like music, but there's no reason it can't be anything, really.

After a judicious number of examples, the questioner posts either "ok, you convinced me there's some merit in it", or "no more examples, please - I'm now convinced I'm never going to like it". And the next person can post a "convince me" challenge.

I've posted this in askh2g2 as it's effectively asking the question: "Why should I like X?"


OK, I'll start:

Convince me why I should like Northern Soul music.


(over to you)

I don't think that I could convince you of something of that nature. If you don't like it, you just don't. It doesn't resonate with you. I don't like heavy metal. However, I can see that there is some musicality in it (just not the sort that I like).

So. Maybe you don't like Northern Soul. Nor do I, but my old mate from school, Chris did, and used to cross the Pennines to Wigan on The dark Side, for the all-nighters.

Northern should however, has it's place in music's family and if you like other genres it may well be that there are elements in your favourites that hark back to Northern Soul.

Remember this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZVpR3Pk-r8

And the whole new wave / synth pop scene? Well Marc Almond was a Wigan Casino (I think - although it could have been one of the others.) regular and this:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSehtaY6k1U

So if not for northern soul, one of the major influences of music throughout the late 70's and early 80's may never have played his part in getting to the wide variety of musical styles popular now. For my part, I'm currently exploring this artist:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS9xLhn-1vw

And without Northern Soul, who knows whether this would have ever come about. Chaos Theory and all that.

PP.

PS. The trousers that Chris used to wear and were the 'uniform' were just plain stupid. You won't convince me of the merits of them.

http://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/fd/53/1e/fd531e5dd7d6d6dc24e5b874733680e9--that-friday-feeling-northern-soul.jpg

PP.

Yes, I had heard the Gloria Jones original. I find it very harsh to listen to, and it doesn't make me want to dance (although the trousers are tempting)

I think that Marc Almond's actually a fine singer - and better than the material he had to work with in the 1980s.

I do concede that maybe it has influenced some modern artists who make a nicer noise, like the Susanne Sundfør you posted. I wouldn't buy it, but it's harmless.

Maybe my problem is that Northern soul's just so different to American soul. There's nothing uplifting about it - it's just an assault on the senses.

And so I'll say that you haven't convinced me, but you've made me think.

And I'll let someone else have a go.

It would be hard for me to convince you, because I didn't even know the genre existed until you mentioned it. American soul music, as represented by the likes of Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, James Brown and Marvin Gaye, is somewhat in my grasp. Get beyond those well-known artists and I'm lost.

Why sub-genre Soul? Where it comes from, how and why it is mimicked or downright copied doesn't increase or decrease my enjoyment or dislike.

Deciding who belongs in the Soul genre is somewhat hard anyway. I've seen lists of soul musicians who I thought were more appropriately placed in other genres. Finally I just embraced Duke Ellington's philosophy that "it's all music." Just enjoy it and leave genres to other people if they so desire.

well said

Similarly-

“If it sounds good, it is good.”
― Louis Armstrong

I think the point is when it doesn't sound good, but other folks say it is good.

The only way you can set things right is by outliving those other folks and then declaring it not good.

Convince me . . .

. . . as to why I should read movie reviews before seeing a flick? Invariably, what the critics think is wonderful, exciting, a "must see" - - - it is rubbish.

My first experience of that was the introduction to the world of Brooke Shields in "Pretty Baby". A handful of us went to see - and all walked out barely 1/3 of the way through.

I might check RottenTomatoes if a film is questionable to avoid a real stinker. For example, I was tempted to see _Valerian and the City of a Thousand Wotsits_ when I heard it had some relation to _The Fifth Element_ which I quite enjoyed despite some poor reviews. But RottenTomatoes consensus is that Valerian is just eyecandy, special effects with a thin plot. More importantly, RT also gives a viewer rating of only 56%. Audiences typically rate films higher than critics so 56% is bad enough to keep me from wasting my time & money.

I had fun watching Valerian. It might seem like derivative Star wars stuff, but it originated in the 1960s, and Star wars stole from Valerian. All in all, there's so much going on in every scene that I can't imagine being bored by it.

I rate it pretty highly for being interesting from beginning to end. But if you were looking for a macho male protagonist, you would be disappointed.

Hmmm... Sounds better than I thought. Maybe I'll Netflick it.

I think I definitely failed at convincing.

My idea of the best film of the year is rarely going to agree with anyone else's, though.

Movies about serial killers get tedious. I usually catch the pattern and leave the theater before it's over. Unless I'm in an airplane, and "Zodiac" is the only film option that isn't totally stupid.

I''m inclined to suggest you look up the reviews of the last few films you enjoyed, and then follow those critics who rated them highly, but not the disappointments. Assuming you can find them, that is.

I often agreed with Roger Ebert.

I agreed with Ebert's negative assessment of "Kick Ass."

I liked Kick Ass, but it was the weakest of the alternate superhero films. Defendor is better, but Special, staring Michael Rappaport is probably my favorite.

I've seen two or three of Rappaport's movies, though maybe his work as a raccoon in "Doctor Dolittle II" doesn't count for much.