I didn't like The Cult back then, but over time I've grown to enjoy them. And yeah, I always wondered why they were labeled 'alternative'.
Scotch Sampler
- Thread starter scotchandcigar
- Start date
I never paid much attention to The Cult until we saw them in concert a few years ago when they opened for Guns N' Roses.
My wife and I were like damn that's a good rocking band.
My wife and I were like damn that's a good rocking band.
There's a whole category of popular music I like, which I'm omitting for now. It includes James Taylor, Sarah McLachlan, Bonnie Raitt, Suzanne Vega, Seals & Crofts, Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, and many others. You can call it singer/songwriter, or soft rock, or easy listening. I don't think it's useful to include them in my list right now. I may group them together and post them all at another time.
However, there are some artists that come from that genre, whose music is still a favorite in my collection. Paul Simon's resurgence in the mid-80's falls into that category. If you can put aside all the feel-good hoopla of the world music coming-together he orchestrated, 1986's Graceland stands on its own as a masterpiece of pop music. The title track and The Boy in the Bubble are great songs, but I really like the cadence of this one
Paul Simon – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (live)
I have to include this one, both because I like the song, and because it's a great video
Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al
Simon followed up in 1990 with Rhythm of the Saints, which was a little more "worldly", a little less commercial. Here are two great songs from that album
This is a great live version, once you get past Mayor Dinkins being booed
Paul Simon – The Obvious Child (live)
This one has a fantastic groove
Paul Simon – She Moves On
However, there are some artists that come from that genre, whose music is still a favorite in my collection. Paul Simon's resurgence in the mid-80's falls into that category. If you can put aside all the feel-good hoopla of the world music coming-together he orchestrated, 1986's Graceland stands on its own as a masterpiece of pop music. The title track and The Boy in the Bubble are great songs, but I really like the cadence of this one
Paul Simon – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (live)
I have to include this one, both because I like the song, and because it's a great video
Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al
Simon followed up in 1990 with Rhythm of the Saints, which was a little more "worldly", a little less commercial. Here are two great songs from that album
This is a great live version, once you get past Mayor Dinkins being booed
Paul Simon – The Obvious Child (live)
This one has a fantastic groove
Paul Simon – She Moves On
I wasn't quite sure how to take the Cult when I first saw them on MTV, but when I got to hear some more of them in the early 90's, I really started to dig them.
I got to see them in 2001 and they sounded amazing. I think Billy Duffy is a really underrated guitar player.
Monster Magnet opened for them. That was a fun set.
Time for another big big artist, and a somewhat polarizing one. U2 started as this collection of hard knocks post-punk misfits. They became wildly huge, and along the way, they've been criticized for being pretentious, pandering, redundant, corporate rock, media whores, and sell-outs. But in the 80's, they were fresh, original, intense, and creative. Their 1980 debut album, Boy, put them on the map with I Will Follow and Out of Control. They followed-up a year later with the album October, and the song Gloria (one of my favorites, but there's too many to post).
But their breakout album was 1983's War. It brought us New Year's Day, Two Hearts Beat as One, Sunday Bloody Sunday, and Seconds. I love them all, but you've heard them a million times. The following year they released The Unforgettable Fire, with the big hit Pride (In the Name of Love). The album also included the title track, as well as these great songs that haven't been played to death
U2 - A Sort of Homecoming (live)
U2 – Wire
U2 – Bad (Live Aid ’85)
Then in 1987, they followed-up with a perfect album, The Joshua Tree. Just listen to this list of songs: With or Without You, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Where the Streets Have No Name, In God’s Country, One Tree Hill, Bullet the Blue Sky, plus these lesser known favorites of mine
U2 – Red Hill Mining Town
U2 – Trip Through Your Wires (live)
But their breakout album was 1983's War. It brought us New Year's Day, Two Hearts Beat as One, Sunday Bloody Sunday, and Seconds. I love them all, but you've heard them a million times. The following year they released The Unforgettable Fire, with the big hit Pride (In the Name of Love). The album also included the title track, as well as these great songs that haven't been played to death
U2 - A Sort of Homecoming (live)
U2 – Wire
U2 – Bad (Live Aid ’85)
Then in 1987, they followed-up with a perfect album, The Joshua Tree. Just listen to this list of songs: With or Without You, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Where the Streets Have No Name, In God’s Country, One Tree Hill, Bullet the Blue Sky, plus these lesser known favorites of mine
U2 – Red Hill Mining Town
U2 – Trip Through Your Wires (live)
The next year, they released Rattle and Hum, which contained a mix of studio and live tracks. And once again, it was packed with great songs, including Angel of Harlem, When Love Comes to Town, God Part II, and these
U2 – Desire (live)
U2 – All I Want is You (live)
Once again, I would probably consider every one of these songs among my favorites. And the hits continued with their next release in late '91, but I'll save that for a part 2.
U2 – Desire (live)
U2 – All I Want is You (live)
Once again, I would probably consider every one of these songs among my favorites. And the hits continued with their next release in late '91, but I'll save that for a part 2.
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
I had heard of U2 prior to the Joshua Tree but never was into them. Joshua Tree changed that. I bought all the old CDs and have pretty much all up to 2000. I have a thing about artists preaching to me which tends to turn me off. So stuff after 2000 they didn't get my CD $. I don't change the channel if I hear newer stuff on the radio but not my thing. I guess I do have the free album they pushed to us through iTunes several years ago (2014) but that's about it.
Both of those things annoyed many people. The preaching can be seen in different ways. One viewpoint is that people in positions of power and influence, who care about the world, should take advantage of that position for the greater good. But even if you agree with that, you may still find it annoying.
U2
1. I Will Follow
2. Bullet The Blue Sky
3. Love Is Blindness
4. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
5. Beautiful Day
U2, like Cure, can make a song I love and then a song I can't stand. The price of being creative and willing to take risks.
- I liked "I Will Follow" back in 1982? 3? (the live one the radio played). They lost me on War and Fire (though I liked "Pride").
- Joshua Tree was practically a different band to me. Might as well have changed their name to V2 (or U3?). It is an amazing album (but radio killed three of the songs). With Rattle And Hum, I really only listened to "Harlem" "Town" and "Want" (still can't stand "Desire", and I was neither here nor there about the other stuff on there).
- Achtung Baby was genius (again a different band - X2? U4?). But I credit Flood, Eno and Lanois as much (if not more than) the band for how it came out.
- Zooropa and Pop were about 80% pure shit (IMO). "Lemon" and "Discotechque" should be added to my list of worst songs of all ever. Behind and Bomb was me finding a few songs I liked and not digging the rest. The last song they made I liked was 2005's "City Of Blinding Lights".
1. I Will Follow
2. Bullet The Blue Sky
3. Love Is Blindness
4. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
5. Beautiful Day
U2, like Cure, can make a song I love and then a song I can't stand. The price of being creative and willing to take risks.
- I liked "I Will Follow" back in 1982? 3? (the live one the radio played). They lost me on War and Fire (though I liked "Pride").
- Joshua Tree was practically a different band to me. Might as well have changed their name to V2 (or U3?). It is an amazing album (but radio killed three of the songs). With Rattle And Hum, I really only listened to "Harlem" "Town" and "Want" (still can't stand "Desire", and I was neither here nor there about the other stuff on there).
- Achtung Baby was genius (again a different band - X2? U4?). But I credit Flood, Eno and Lanois as much (if not more than) the band for how it came out.
- Zooropa and Pop were about 80% pure shit (IMO). "Lemon" and "Discotechque" should be added to my list of worst songs of all ever. Behind and Bomb was me finding a few songs I liked and not digging the rest. The last song they made I liked was 2005's "City Of Blinding Lights".
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
U2 & Johny Cash. I can't believe I don't have this song in my library.
ETA: I have it under Johnny Cash. I can't believe I didn't rate this song *****. I did now. It's now my 425.
ETA: I have it under Johnny Cash. I can't believe I didn't rate this song *****. I did now. It's now my 425.
I agree completely about Achtung Baby, but I'll cover it in a future post. I went out and bought Zooropa immediately, because it was the followup album. It's got some different stuff, which I think is OK. It's not in the same league.
I didn't buy Pop. Atomic Bomb (with City of Blinding Lights) is the only newer album I have, and it's very good.
I've been hooked on the U2 channel lately.
Obviously the first few U2 albums were stellar.
I had gotten a little tired of them when the Joshua and overplayed era happened. Achtung Baby was completely exciting but when Pop and Zooropa came out, I wasn't hanging with em. Till the last couple of weeks listening to the U2 channel, I wouldn't have given Pop and Zooropa another try. I'm changing my opinion of them. Mofo and a few other songs working for me now. The production, weirdness, non-pop song structures and willingness to experiment are appealing to me.
Daddy's Going To Pay For Your Crashed Car
They played this great Jackknife Lee remix of Bullet. It's menacing, hypnotic, and beautiful.
And where the hell is Meme for the U2 discussion? We were going back and forth over if they were a christian band or not. While listening so much lately, I realized that a TON of their songs talk about religious stuff. A lot more than I had noticed before. Since they don't declare that they are a christian band, I'm sticking with my assessment. They are a rock band that talks about a lot of christian stuff.
Obviously the first few U2 albums were stellar.
I had gotten a little tired of them when the Joshua and overplayed era happened. Achtung Baby was completely exciting but when Pop and Zooropa came out, I wasn't hanging with em. Till the last couple of weeks listening to the U2 channel, I wouldn't have given Pop and Zooropa another try. I'm changing my opinion of them. Mofo and a few other songs working for me now. The production, weirdness, non-pop song structures and willingness to experiment are appealing to me.
Daddy's Going To Pay For Your Crashed Car
They played this great Jackknife Lee remix of Bullet. It's menacing, hypnotic, and beautiful.
And where the hell is Meme for the U2 discussion? We were going back and forth over if they were a christian band or not. While listening so much lately, I realized that a TON of their songs talk about religious stuff. A lot more than I had noticed before. Since they don't declare that they are a christian band, I'm sticking with my assessment. They are a rock band that talks about a lot of christian stuff.
For me, Zooropa has "Stay (Faraway)" which is good. And "Numb" was at least interesting.
As for Pop, I don't think I liked anything I heard back when it was out. I just sampled five of the songs for any signs of enjoyment, then stopped.
As for Pop, I don't think I liked anything I heard back when it was out. I just sampled five of the songs for any signs of enjoyment, then stopped.
Religion and politics and power and race are at the root of all wars, such as with Ireland and Northern Ireland, or South Africa. That's why they sing about it. Right, Meme?
Here's another preachy band, but due to their sincerity and integrity, they seem to be more universally well-regarded. The very Australian band Midnight Oil, led by perhaps the most imposing front man, the 6'4" politician/ lawyer/ activist Peter Garrett. Wikipedia says he has a "mesmerizing onstage presence". They formed in the mid-70's, released their first album in '78, but didn't chart internationally until 1983, with this song about their favorite topic - corruption and greed. Here the world was introduced to the wild, spastic, infectious movements and antics of the Frankenstein-like Garrett
Midnight Oil – Power and the Passion (live)
Their first major success in the US came with 1987's Diesel and Dust, containing their only top 40 hit, the way overplayed Beds Are Burning. The album also featured these great songs
Midnight Oil – The Dead Heart (live)
Midnight Oil – Dreamworld (live)
They followed-up in 1990 with Blue Sky Mining, which topped the alternative and rock charts with Blue Sky Mine and Forgotten Years. Other songs getting radio airplay were Bedlam Bridge and King of the Mountain. I like these songs, but have grown a bit tired of them. However, I'm going to break my own rules, and jump to 1993 for their last charting album (and my favorite), Earth and Sun and Moon. Hits include Truganini, Drums of Heaven, and these
This is my favorite song of theirs, and Peter Garrett is in his most wildly spastic form when performing it
Midnight Oil – My Country (live)
This is just a beautiful, mood-setting piece from them
Midnight Oil – Outbreak of Love (live)
Midnight Oil – Power and the Passion (live)
Their first major success in the US came with 1987's Diesel and Dust, containing their only top 40 hit, the way overplayed Beds Are Burning. The album also featured these great songs
Midnight Oil – The Dead Heart (live)
Midnight Oil – Dreamworld (live)
They followed-up in 1990 with Blue Sky Mining, which topped the alternative and rock charts with Blue Sky Mine and Forgotten Years. Other songs getting radio airplay were Bedlam Bridge and King of the Mountain. I like these songs, but have grown a bit tired of them. However, I'm going to break my own rules, and jump to 1993 for their last charting album (and my favorite), Earth and Sun and Moon. Hits include Truganini, Drums of Heaven, and these
This is my favorite song of theirs, and Peter Garrett is in his most wildly spastic form when performing it
Midnight Oil – My Country (live)
This is just a beautiful, mood-setting piece from them
Midnight Oil – Outbreak of Love (live)
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
I like them too. I have never really heard them preach but their songs are preachy which for some reason is more tollerable. Bruce Cockburn is similar (a Canadian artist who produces preachy music -- not the same success as Midnight Oil particularly outside Canada).
1. Beds are Burning
2. Truganini
3. Forgotten Years
4. My Country
5. Outbreak of Love
6. Blue Sky Mine
1. Beds are Burning
2. Truganini
3. Forgotten Years
4. My Country
5. Outbreak of Love
6. Blue Sky Mine
Had no idea until the above posts that Midnight Oil existed prior to "Beds"
1. Beds Are Burning
2. Outbreak Of Love
3. Blue Sky Mine
4. The Dead Heart
5. Forgotten Years
1. Beds Are Burning
2. Outbreak Of Love
3. Blue Sky Mine
4. The Dead Heart
5. Forgotten Years