[uosux]

Lately, since delving into the head-fi world I have been discovering a lot of music I never knew existed. I'm not talking about wierd stuff, I'm talking the 'essentials', or things that everyone older than me seems to know about. To break it down, I'm 18, so if it appeared before the 90's I didn't know about it. This isn't to say I didn't know the names of many famous bands from the last few decades, but I had never listened to any of them. Suddenly I am browsing the CD racks of older relatives and discovering a massive amount of music I througly enjoy. What distresses me is that I have had no appreciation for the roots of many genres i.e. Pink Floyd, Ramones, Bob Dylan, Led Zepelin, Henrix, and the list goes on.

I suppose I could blame my parents but it wasn't to their tastes. It makes me feel rather low, because I had been living in ignorance for so long. I didn't remain purposefully in isolation, but there was never any chances for me to experience older music. This is kind of a rant, but it bothers me that I should be so uneducated in the realm of music.

How can I go about becoming better informed on music history? I realize this is a stupid post to many of you, for the fact that you are signifigantly older than I am. Please understand that it is different when you have been alive 40 years versus 18. If anyone recomends albums etc. please let me know.

 

[fewtch]

Well, congrats on discovering that good music existed before 1990

. Enjoy!

Personally I have sort of the opposite problem... after 1990 (well, more like 1993 or '94) I have almost no familiarity with music. About the point that grunge died out, I stopped following developments in the music world almost completely.

 

[Masonjar]

Most of my musical world, so to speak, (except Jazz or Classical) lies in the years after 1980. I think not having some kind of memory or association with the music makes a big difference. I don't yet own one Beatles album. Yet, probably dozens of the bands I listen to were influenced by them. I have a friend, he grew up in a house with two older brothers who were total Beatles freaks. My friend owns every Beatles album and knows every note and every lyric. I didn't have anyone turn me onto the Beatles, and while I do appreciate and enjoy their music, it's difficult to make those kind of connections to the music if they weren't there in the first place. I can listen to and appreciate the Stones, but, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, this isn't *my* music, I wasn't there, I have no connections to this. So, it probably knocks my appreciation for it down a few notches. Plus, as I get older, I have far less and less time to explore music I haven't heard before. When I listen to the Smiths or Jane's Addiction, I can remember all the crazy fun (and depressing too) times I had in my college and post-college years. Those kinds of connections are very strong and definately color the music for me. I'm sure others have that same connection to the musics of THEIR era. I wasn't there to buy Led Zep IV or RUMORS when they came out. I missed that.. and that's something that's difficult to re-create.

-jar

 

[acs236]

I'm with you Fewtch. I feel old and crochity.

uosux,

Do you want to know pre-90s music by reading about it or by listening to it? There are probably books out there, but reading ... sigh...

 

[Braver]

sounds very familiar

just stick around and you'll discover lots.

one site that will help you tremendously is
George Starostin's reviews. anything rock or rock-ish that was good between 1960 and 1990 is covered there.

 

[john_jcb]

Well there is no need to feel bad at all because I think if you read the music forum enough you are going to be introduced to music you were unaware of. I am in my early 50's and I have greatly expanded my listening habits based on discussions here. I have also rediscovered Jazz especially what I heard around the house in the 50's and 60's. If you are enjoying the rock and folk music that blossomed in the 60's and grew from there you may also enjoy listening to the early Blues. Clapton, Mayall and many more based there early work on the Blues. My son also discovered the music of the past at about your age, soon after I started seeing CD's disappear.

 

[DarkAngel]

Use the internet as a "school of rock" tons of info available. Extremely valuable source is ALL MUSIC GUIDE:

AMG

If you search for "pink floyd" for instance you get history of band, list of albums with reviews for each one, and list of similar bands..........this feature is how you find countless number of new groups you will like, like a giant expanding pyramid of info.

No music samples here, but go to any music site and hear samples of groups recommended. Amazon is also a useful source for find new groups by same method above, plus they have music samples, favorites by genre and individuals own lists.

WARNING.......using above methods can be hazardous to your wallet.

 

[markl]

Music magazines from the UK are a GREAT source of info. The two I can recommend most are Mojo (more of a classic rock bent but covers contemporary rock equally), and Uncut (more of a modern rock bent, but also covers earlier rock music). These mags cover REAL music, not teeney bop bubblegum garbage, not boy bands, lip-syncing divas, or rap music wanna bes. These mags have the best writing, real articles on *music* not what the musician is wearing or who they're dating, and have 200+ reviews every issue of new releases AND rereleases of older material. These magazines often have entire issues devoted to detailing the history of individual movements within rock. for example, a recent Mojo did a survey of the post-punk movement of the late 70s/early 80s.

These magazines are sadly not cheap in the US, but the US mags (Spin, Rolling Stone, Blender) are COMPLETELY USELESS, utter crap. I can't recommend these UK mags enough, even if you just go to the bookstore, grab a cup of coffee, sit down and just read them there in the store if you don't want to spend the $8 per issue. I find myself reading these mags practically cover-to-cover, indispensible.

You can easily find these mags in Borders or Barnes & Noble.

Mark

 

[stark23x]

One way would be to explore all those "Customers that bought this album also bought blah and blah and blah" links at Amazon. Just start with something you already know and like, and follow the yellow brick road from there.

Wait, you do know that phrase, right? You're not THAT young.

In all seriousness, though, that's how I find *some* stuff I might not have considered in my sphere of likability. I use iTunes Music Store for the same purpose. And of course, someone recommended the All Music Guide, which is fantastic.

BTW, I feel young most of the time, but this thread made me feel like 34 is 134.

 

[Rempert]

For sampling music, see what you've got available on the FM dial, too. Obviously it varies from city to city, but in most cases you can get a decent sample of what was big in pop and mainstream rock from the 50s to present just by listening to the different radio formats.

 

[Music Fanatic]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl Music magazines from the UK are a GREAT source of info.... These magazines are sadly not cheap in the US, but the US mags (Spin, Rolling Stone, Blender) are COMPLETELY USELESS, utter crap. I can't recommend these UK mags enough, even if you just go to the bookstore, grab a cup of coffee, sit down and just read them there in the store if you don't want to spend the $8 per issue. I find myself reading these mags practically cover-to-cover, indispensible.

It's true. It is strange, UK mags are better in Classical (Grammaphone, BBC Music), Avant Garde (Wire), Jazz, etc. as well.

 

[terrymx]

i listen to underground music too much, i dont know who j.lo. is.

 

[blessingx]

Buy some good books on Rock criticism. Maybe some Richard Meltzer or especially Lester Bangs Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung. Every year pick up a copy of De Capos Best Music Writing. Browse around Christgau's site. Read his annual Jop and Pazz breakdown. Shift around triangulating origins.

 

[minya]

uosux,

Since you're probably going to college soon, check and see if your school offers any "History of Music" classes. I'm almost positive they'll have a classical music history class -- which is a good one to take -- but I took a class on the history of jazz, blues, and early rock. Though these genres of music are not my favorites, it was a very interesting class, and it taught me a lot of things I hadn't known prior.

edit: And I second DarkAngel's recommendation of the internet, especially for "non-traditional" music. Start reading up on John Cage. The minimalists. Schönberg. Throbbing Gristle. Steve Reich. Sun Ra. Etcetera...

- Chris

 

[bong]

i second the music mags from the UK. i'm quite partial to Q and UnCut. like markl said, i won't pay $8 for a magazine, but whenever i'm at B&N, i read these from start to end. they are quite indispensible. every now and then, even the NME is worth reading.

i also agree with DarkAngel that the All Music Guide site is quite useful as well. however, since about a year or two ago, they've been deleting a big number of negative album reviews for more positive ones. maybe they have an influence on album sales or something...

i would also recommend the book "The Trouser Press Record Guide." i don't know when the most recent issue is, but the latest one i have covers the world of (the real) alternative and modern rock music up to 1996. i also have an older edition that covers up to 1991 (right before Nirvana exploded). the 1996 edition is really an appendix to the 1991 edition, really...

as for my music collection in terms of history, besides a few essentials from the 60's and early 70's, my main focus starts from the UK punk movement up to now, that's still easily three decades of great stuff.