BANDS THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE

Unknown

I know it sounds a bit cornball, but I'm sure most of us here have went through the crazy stage of adolescent band fandom, or are perhaps going through it now. And, you know, those bands really did change our lives. So, ladies and gentlemen, my treacherous friends ( sorry, couldn't resist), what bands and/or albums changed your lives?

I'll start. Gorillaz' album "Demon Days" totally changed the way I listen to music when it came out two years ago (I was 13). Actually, it was the album that got me into music in general. Before that, I just didn't listen to anything. Awful, right? That album really means a lot to me, I get really sentimental when I listen to it, which I know might sound silly to some of you because "Feel Good Inc" is so incredibly overplayed, but it really did have an incredible effect on me. Gorillaz changed the way I thought about music and culture that I'm growing up in, and woke me up to all the sick stuff that's happening on our planet. But it also introduced me to so many good things, like amazing music I never would have listened to before. Thanks to Gorillaz I have very ecclectic music taste, which I think is great considering I'm only 15. I think every one should listen to that album, start to finish. Really.

Okie doker. Anyone else?

rain7look

OK, well I have a few artists/bands. All in chronological order according to my age . . .

First, Tom Petty. My dad listened to him a lot when I was a little kid (probably about 2 or 3), and that's the only music I remember listening to when I was that young.

Then after going through my little pre-pubescent phase with the Backstreet Boys, I discovered the Beatles. One day my dad put in the 1 album and I immediately loved it. I was about 12. The Beatles set the course for the type of music I listen to now, and it also made me the weird kid (once again) in middle school and early high school because I had started to actually develop an actual taste in music at a younger age. I was one of the few kids who did that at the time in my school.

After about five years of just listening to the Beatles and other old music (the Doors, the Who, etc.), I was watching Conan O'Brien one night during summer vacation and saw this band called the Redwalls perform. I took a liking to them instantly because of their old school vibe. For those of you who know of the Redwalls, you may think this sounds kind of ridiculous, but if it weren't for them, I wouldn't have known about OK Go as soon, or any of the other bands I like now. They also regained my faith in good modern music. I was about to turn 17 when I found out about them.

And finally, Elliott Smith. I really started listening to his music about 6 months ago, but I've known about him for almost two years. He's one of my main influences right now, and he's helped me through a lot . . . so I'll just leave it at that.

Sorry this is so long. But this was a really good topic, and I wanted to contribute.

okraparrot5

The first band I really started to listen to was The Strokes. I didn't really listen to anything. I didn't have a Backstreet Boys phase or a Spice Girls phase. My sister introduced me to 80s music. New Order, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, etc., became part of my daily routine. But then, for Christmas, my dad's friend asked me what I wanted and, since I had listened to a couple of Strokes songs on the radio, I told him to buy me Is This It. It was magical since day one. The feeling was undescribable. Every single beat made me love them more and more. It ws the first cd that I liked the first time I listened to it. Then came other bands, but I still haven't found any bands that could duplicate that feeling.

veinleo09

i had a huge backstreet boys when i was like 9 and that lasted a couple years.. then during junior high i listened to mostly radio stuff like hip hop and all that but then i listened to a lot of linkin park for awhile.. and then i listened to all sorts of rubbish through 10th grade.. then during the summer after 10th grade two of my friends and i fell in love with COLDPLAY.. and even now coldplay has gotten me through so much.. i absolutely love them and seeing them in concert last year was beyond amazing.. uhh other than i had a short incubus phase and aqualung phase... but now other than ok go of course, some of my other favorites are death cab for cutie, john mayer, imogen heap/frou frou.. and im starting to explore more alternative and indie music like uhh the decemberists, interpol, matt costa, pinback, sufjan stevens, shout out louds.. i dunno i cant think of anything else..
sorry that was a really long post for a simple question.

KristaMichelle

I was in love with Green Day's American Idiot album for a few months. I couldn't even tell you why, I just felt a connection to it. It was fun. They made me realized that I love being who I am, and that I shouldn't care what other people think.

The Beatles didn't change my life, exactly, but they have shaped a big part of who I am since I was very young. I didn't even realize how much I love them until I got into high school. One day I just thought "I really love these guys, don't I?" (Now that I think about it, that's what it was like when I realized I love OK Go too...) I can't imagine life without The Beatles. They're such an inspiration to me, I don't think there's more than one or two aspects of my life that haven't been directly influenced by them, musically or otherwise.

I suppose I should mention Matchbox Twenty, since they gave me my theme song. They didn't really change my life, though.


Edited because I'm an idiot.

KristaMichelle

DP, oopsie.

auntscale1

I grew up listening to The Beatles. They were my dad's obsession when he was younger, he still listens to their music now. So I've had to put up with it the last 16 years of my life. I'm not really sure which albums or which songs in general, but my dad has every single one of their albums that has ever come out if I'm not mistaken. Of course they're in cassette tape form, but...woah. Whole box full o' Beatles.

Sometimes I find myself quoting lines from their songs without even realizing... People are like, "Hey! That's a lyric from a song by The Beatles," and I'm like, "Uh... What?"

They haven't defined who I am, but they've definitely made an impact.

Other than that... I can't think of any specific band that has changed me significantly. OK Go, Tally Hall and Meg & Dia are doing that to me right now.

dramasalmon5

There are three for me, well, two bands an a solo artist person thingy
1) Barenaked Ladies. They showed me that whatever age you are, whatever life style you have, no matter what happened in your past, you can still create awesome tuneage and change peoples lives. They also showed me that famous people are just people, like everyone else. They are the most down to earth famous people ever. They are also hella funny!
2) My Chemical Romance. These guys whoed me it's Ok to be different from everyone else, and no matter what people say about me, it's not gonna change who I am, and I shouldn't take their crap. They also taught me not to change for people. People who want you to change aren't worth being in your life. And because of them, I found an MSN group where I spend most of my time online. Those people over there are like my family.
3) MC Lars. Man, if you've never heard of this guy, go look him up. He is just amazing. He's (as he describes it) a post punk laptop rapper. Basically, he says he raps to fit more of his message into a song. He showed me that it's ok to listen to different genres of music, as it doesn't change who you are and just makes you more unique. He is also a hella nice guy. I've met him twice and both times he was a sweetheart! First time we met him, it was the day before Easter so we gave him an Easter egg. The second time we met him, we had bought doughnuts and gave him some. He turned to me and said "hey, you're one of the girls that gave me that Easter egg, aren't you". I was like 'omg yeah' *off topic*

So yeah, that's it!

poppy18female

I definitely have to agree with Gorillaz, they really did change the way I listen to music. Other than that, Relient K and Dream Theater.

God, I listen to a lot of different types of music, don't I? Heh.

tenor2barber

Oooh oooh, also:
Last year I went through this pretty intense infatuation with 90's Britpop, but particularly Blur. I love love love love Blur. They definately changed my life. Especially "The Great Escape" and their self-titled album. Damon Albarn's voice really blew my head off the first time I heard him sing the song "Beetlebum." It's really very beautiful. And for the record let me just say Blur beats the crap out of Oasis. Sorry Oasis fans, but it's true.

nerverise9

I gues the band that really changedmy life would be Rufus Wainwright. Before Rufus Wainwright I didn't really listen to music all that much, i mean i listened to like nsync at shitty music because I was 14 or whatever but no music that had any meaning. Then I got Poses my way of a recommendation from a older friend and I fell in love. that allbum speaks to me so much, and I just got it, you know. Like it was love right off. Then within the next month i saved up fro the S/T. And I've been a huge fan ever since.

Later I got into a lot of indie music, later being my sophomore year of high school going into the junior year and We are Scientist was my first sort of indie band love(prior to that i had dabbled in Of Montreal and things but it wasn't love). And in all their interviews, festival performances and concerts they would always talk about other bands they tour with and love and from there i fell in love with maybe 10 bands by way of W.A.S. they always reccomend the best indie stuff.

Unknown

QUOTE (starshaped @ Jan 15 2007, 05:55 PM)

Oooh oooh, also:
Last year I went through this pretty intense infatuation with 90's Britpop, but particularly Blur. I love love love love Blur. They definately changed my life. Especially "The Great Escape" and their self-titled album. Damon Albarn's voice really blew my head off the first time I heard him sing the song "Beetlebum." It's really very beautiful. And for the record let me just say Blur beats the crap out of Oasis. Sorry Oasis fans, but it's true.

you are aware that its damom albarn singing in the gorillaz right?




i know thats a stupid question but you seem to have not conected the two in your posts

poppy18female

QUOTE (Head Full of Crazy @ Jan 15 2007, 12:19 PM)

you are aware that its damom albarn singing in the gorillaz right?
i know thats a stupid question but you seem to have not conected the two in your posts

U RUINED IT FOR ME

THERE IS NO REAL PEEPZ ITS 2D, HE SINGS NOT SOME ALBOM D00D U L0000S3RZZZ12!#@!@#!$#@$!@!!!!

U MAKE ME SADDING!!! ARRRGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHH!!!!

rain7look

. . . Holy shit . . .

tenor2barber

UM OF COURSE IT IS 2D LIKE DUH HE'S SO xxxxHOTTTTTxxxxx I LOVE HIS SPIKY HAIR IS DA SExxxXxxxxY!!!!

auntscale1

I say.

women60banana

OMG GUYZ GIVE PIECE A CHANCE K!??/

tenor2barber

Yes. I know Damon Albarn sings for Gorillaz. He's my hero. He saved me from a lifetime of crappy music. Jamie Hewlett (illustrator of Gorillaz and also the comic book Tank Girl) is also amazing. I saw him at the Gorillaz concert at the Apollo in Harlem and I flipped. I considered waving, but seeing as how he had no idea who I was, I decided against it.

tune1shade

1) Shania Twain/Kenny Loggins. (I can admit it.) Both were the first artists who I listened to constantly. I had an old Shania Twain CD and would listen to it on long carrides, learning all the words. I would put it on in my room and sing loudly. I fell in love with Kenny Loggins' version of Rainbow Connection and it remains one of my favorite songs (so much so that, "One day we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection, the lovers, the dreamers, and me" was my senior quote and I got all teary when my guyfriend played it for me on his guitar and sang along [he was a beautiful voice, the kind tthat made me swoon. I had such a crush on him). They were the two artists that had me loving music from a young age.

2) Me First and the Gimme Gimmes: I LOVED THEM. I have all of their CDs and when my friends said they were going to the Foo Fighters/Weezer concert (I couldn't go. I had work), it wasn't for the love of Dave Grohl that I was upset about missing it, but for Chris Shiflett (a.k.a Jake Jackson) who is also in the Gimme Gimmes, that I was in a huff. They taught me to have more fun with music and were, for once, something my mom didn't mind listening to on long car rides. I still love them. Sam would put them on in the Barn as we cleaned. I'd be on top of the fridge, clearing off god knows what, and dancing (read: shaking my ass awkwardly), singing my little heart out. This band also introduced me to punk, more or less. I began listening to Swingin' Utters, NOFX, and then more traditional punk: Operation Ivy, the Clash, the Ramones, etc.

3) Yann Tiersen: reintroduced me to instrumental based music. Not to mention he's SUPER talented.

4) The Shins: Introduced to me by my friends Christine and Loren, the Shins are the first real "indie" band I remember listening to. I loved how different it was and the fact that it's sound was completely contrary to everything playing on the radio, songs for which I was quickly developing disgust. Suddenly, I wanted to have everything i could that wasn't mainstream. There was SO MUCH MORE! How didn't I know that before? Why had I never known that there was better music? ...
4a)...From there, it was the New Pornographers (from one of my best friends L who is always one music step ahead of me), Violent Femmes (their self-titled CD was the first thing I listened to when I drove by myself for the first time), Spoon, Philip Glass, the White Stripes, the Decemberists, the 88, Squirrel Nut Zippers (who made me realize how influential and important and absolutely beautiful swing music could be...
4b) ...and They Might be Giants who weren't afraid to be intelligent (Dr. Worm because a mild theme song amid our group, as did Birdhouse in Your Soul, Experimental Film, Ana Ng, and (one of my personal favorites) Bangs)...
4c)...and the reappreciation for things my mom and aunt listened to (which was brought on by a group of my friends known as The Hippies. Go figure, right?): Simon and Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin, the Who, the Doors, Janis Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company (which then brought me to the artwork of R.Crumb who, for some reason, completely fascinates me). It was a whole big chain.

5) Kimya Dawson: probably my favorite out of all the CDs Ken gave me (during his "let's give Amy music!" phase). Honestly, her music has made me feel better about everything. It's beautiful and heartbreaking without being pretentious. I love the Moldy Peaches, but Kimya's music is the kind that makes you feel warm and supported. It's comfoting and I've spent afternoons listening to her music, laughing and crying and reacting in ways I never thought music would make me react.

6) The Books/Kid Koala: both ALSO given/recommended by Kenneth. They both made me change what I thougth music could be. For the Books, it was found sound and the piecing together of music. It was smart and beautiful. As for Kid Koala, I never considered scratching a muscially artisticc thing. It toally is.

OK. That was super long. Whoops?

women60banana

Dude! I love Shania!

tune1shade

QUOTE (mixtape @ Jan 15 2007, 09:59 PM)

Dude! I love Shania!