Monday, March 12, 2018
That Was Then, But I Hate You Now
As I mentioned last week, I was a fan of Judas Priest, but haven't listened to their music with any real enthusiasm in over 30 years. Then, "Firepower" was released on Friday. I loved the opening track so much, I went all in. I have listened to this record exactly four times since Friday and for the moment, I am thinking it will end up in my Top 10, by year's end.
With all things Judas Priest this past weekend, I decided to go back to some of the records I had missed, mainly all but one, in the last 20 years. "Painkiller," especially, got high marks, but it left me cold. "Turbo" made me laugh. I finally had to put on "British Steel," which as I mentioned last week, is the greatest heavy metal record of all time. It still floored me. So, this made me think, maybe this new record "Firepower" really is the shit, as opposed to me crying nostalgia. With that, I started to think about other bands I listened to with great fervor.
As hard as it is for me to admit this, from 1984-1991, I was a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan. My dear friend, the late, great Tim Vega, took me to a show at The Ritz, with opening acts Royal Crescent Mob and Faith No More, and something about the energy in the room, and the endless supply of white boy punk and funk on that stage, really impressed me. At that time, nothing sounded like "Freaky Styley," the RHCP record produced by George Clinton. I listened to that record continuously until their follow-up was released, and then listened to that until the next.
I tried listening to "Freaky Styley" this weekend. I can't stand the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I listen now and it all sounds like some of the worst music ever put to wax. Maybe a song or two every now and then, will remind me of a fun night out with Tim, but even when their breakthrough record, "Blood Sugar Sex Magic" was released, I was stunned by the success of "Under The Bridge," which is as horrible as it gets, mostly because there is no worse singer than the perpetually flat, Anthony Kiedis. I realize that song was very personal to its composer, but that doesn't make it any less unlistenable.
I listened to Angel. Yes, the band with Punky Meadows. It still sounded okay by me. Nothing to take too seriously, but hardly as offensive as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I didn't quite feel "Helluva Band" the way I used to, but it didn't embarrass me.
I am listening to the new Judas Priest again as I wind this up, and I am genuinely in love with this record. The musicianship is something to behold, even if metal is not your thing. And while the toughest mountain to climb is believing Rob Halford has aged gracefully, as he preens in head to toe leather, while singing about necromancers and spectres, the band truly does not sound dated, at least not on "Firepower."
Is there an artist or band, that you once loved, but now, can no longer stand the sight or sound of?
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18 comments:
I don't have much hate in my heart anymore. It helps to avoid FM radio.But i will speak for my son who loved Incubus dearly in high school in the90s, seeing them everytime they came thru the area and points farther. Drove him and his girlfriend over 3 hours one way to see them.I stayed and actually enjoyed them.
It was only after he broke up with the girlfriend and never talked about the band that i realized she was pushing the buttons.
when remodeling his bedroom recently, he said he wanted no part of all his Incubus live cds etc.Says he can't listen to them. I now kind of enjoy hearing them when they do come up on sat radio.
my fave song is Aqueous transmission which should put you in a zen like trance. great for relaxing before bed
thanks for the RC Mob shout out - altho their albums aren't must haves, their live shows were must see. Saw them open for both Screamin Jay Hawkins and the Ohio Players.
the band that wore out my affection is the Pixies. The soft/loud dynamic and Frank's shout/scream voice finally got to me. He didn't seem to rely on it as much on his solo albums.
I have been briefly in love with probably every post-rock band there is - Explosions in the Sky, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Stars of the Lid, Flying Saucer Attack, Mogwai, but again with the soft/loud thing. you only really need GYBE's first album, F#A#∞, which has a middle-period Pink Floyd feel to it.
I don't *hate* them now, but I've pretty much lost all interest in all things Yes. Not really sure when it happened, either.
U2 and The Barenaked Ladies are *almost* at the "if I never hear them again, I wouldn't care" stage.
The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. I'm indifferent to Yes, U2 and BNL at this point. Surprisingly, that's about it.
well you certainly have piqued my interest. And even though I'm not a huge metal fan I am gonna listen to this one.
An I really offending people because I used the word "hate?" It's a word. "That Was Then, But I Hate You Now" is a great title for a post, or maybe a song.
I've had that experience more with individual songs than artists. Bob Seger's version of "Old Time Rock and Roll" comes to mind. I bought the 45 as a teenager, but now it's an immediate punch-out when the piano intro comes on the radio. This may partially be due to classic rock/oldies radio overkill, but I've been able to avoid hating a lot of songs by not listening to those formats as often, just not that tune. Maybe it's just not a good song. I still love a lot of Seger's other music. Hell, I'll even give "Shakedown" a listen if I'm driving.
I'm certainly more indifferent to some beloved artists' later, "inferior" work--U2. R.E.M., the Stones, Neil Young (though I like Prairie Wind)--without my enjoyment of their stronger earlier material abating.
The Rolling Stones.
Angel, god bless you (discount that I'm an atheist). Totally loved their first 2 albums, still give them my attention when they randomly pop up on my ipod.
That was then, I hate you now...... Genius title.
And I like all of the Angel albums.
If I looked at the back of an album and saw that one of the songs was titled. That Was Then, I Hate You Now, i'd buy the record.
I hate people who say. "Hate is too strong a word."
First of all I'm gonna check out the Judas Priest today
Eric Clapton is the artist that came immediately to mind. I remember saving up for "Crossroads" when I was younger. I couldn't wait! Now, with the exception of "Layla" and a few other things (I still like a few things on "Journeyman"), he bores me to tears.
I think I liked James Taylor at one point. I'm sure he's a nice guy. Bores me to tears.
I don't HATE them by a long stretch, but at one point in my life I was completely obsessed with Nirvana. I never, ever listen to that band now. Same goes for a lot of the 90's stuff I was really into back then. I still love Hole, but I haven't listened to Pavement, L7, the Breeders, The Meat Puppets, etc etc. I don't hate that stuff. I view it fondly. But it feels irrelevant to me in many ways now.
Conversely, I have come to sort of begrudgingly admire the song craft of Billy Joel. The guy could write a melody.
Okay, here's the thing:
HATE-
I could spend the rest of the week talking about music I am "indifferent" to, or music I just don't listen to anymore. I am looking for an about face. A commitment. Listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers made me squirm, and I used to LOVE them. But I hated everything I heard this weekend and I am not afraid of Flea no longer sending me a birthday card.
So I will take back my comment. There are still U2 songs I like and I recently replayed "Gordon" by BNL -- and it's still a great album. And I wouldn't be the same without "Starship Trooper" or "Going For The One".
There's nothing I've liked that I can honestly say I would turn my back on their entire catalog. I can even deal with Cat Stevens, John Lennon's solo albums, and stuff by the Residents (and other "Ralph Records" artists...) There's always that *one song* that reminds me of why I liked the band/artist.
Aerosmith. Seventies, love. After, hate.
Styx (though I feel I should’ve always known better)
The Doors. I went all in in the late 70s and by 82 I was done. Can't stand to hear them now, and I quickly change the station if they come on the radio.
Oh! I have one. Paul Simon. While I realize he wrote some amazing, amazing songs, I can never, ever listen to them ever again. Something about how anti-apartheid activists asked him not to do "Graceland" there and how he told them to fuck off, or maybe it's how his character in "The Boxer" says things like "I have squandered my resistance for a pocket full of mumbles, such are promises"- you know, the way every poor street kid talks. Or maybe it's being a dick to Art, poor Art who looks like he'd be scared of a mouse.
Either way. I hate Paul Simon.
The Police/Sting, U2, Eagles
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