Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Discuss: That Band You Hated in High School... and Still Can't Stand Now


Karen: Regular readers here know mine (sorry Doug):



Karen: What's yours?
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23 comments:

Edo Bosnar said...

Yeah, Doug's not gonna be pleased; but I have to say, back when they were super popular I didn't like Journey all that much. I only like a few of their songs, especially ones like "Feelin' That Way/Anytime," in which Perry and Gregg Rolie (who has a far better voice) share the lead vocals. To this day I still can't stand any of their really big hits of the '80s, like "Open Arms," which I find cringe-inducing.
Which leads me to my own entry for this post: Air Supply - o.k. I was still in elementary school when they were at the height of their popularity, but man oh man, I could not and still cannot stand those syrupy, whiny songs.

December 10, 2014 at 6:26 AM
William Preston said...

I was such an indiscriminate listener in high school. It wasn't until college that I found music to truly despise. (Well, it was the early '80s, so . . . ) REO Speedwagon and, later, Asia remain at the top of that list.

December 10, 2014 at 6:29 AM
Anonymous said...

Queen. And if we can include solo singers - Phil Collins.

December 10, 2014 at 7:04 AM
Paul said...

I'm with you on Journey, Karen. I always thought Steve Perry sounded like a duck.
But, Having grown up in an area where Southern Rock was huge, I'd have to go with Lynyrd Skynyrd! Hated them then. Hate them now. Also, Molly Hatchet and their ilk.
I've found as I get older that many of the bands that I held in disdain back in the day are not as contempable to me nowadays. But, start playing the first notes of "Freebird" and I will revolt to this day.

December 10, 2014 at 7:13 AM
Doug said...

Belted out "Just the Same Way" and "Anytime" on the way to school. With the windows up, I'm sure the other drivers could still hear me!

C'mon... So far, after only four comments, many of the bands I enjoy have already been ripped upon. Do I have no taste at all?

I'll say this, and in the past 5 1/2 years around here have probably already said it -- if you all hate Journey, REO, et al. because of the power ballads of the mid-'80s, then I'm with you (Karen did a post on that at some point in our history). Colin, throw some of Phil Collins's music into that as well. But if you go to their formative years right up to early commercial success, I'll stand by Journey (Edo rightfully points out the merits of the Gregg Rolie years) and REO Speedwagon.

I'd be more inclined to lean toward specific songs, such as "You Light Up My Life", or much later "Don't Worry, Be Happy" that make my ears bleed (did a post on that topic as well once upon a time). Although I will say that at the time I was pretty put off by Air Supply. A genre of singer that made my ears bleed was the "chain smoking female" voices of Kim Carnes and Bonnie Tyler. What talent scout signed them??

But lately, I'll admit that nostalgia does get the best of me.

Should be a fun one today!

Doug

December 10, 2014 at 7:36 AM
Humanbelly said...

Ha!
Bay City Rollers, anyone? ('Course, they were so awful and TigerBeat-prefabricated that they almost fall beneath the level of focused contempt. To know them is to dismiss them.)

The country-fried rock of the mid/late 70's and early 80's hit such a saturation point in our region-- SW corner of Michigan-- that many of the songs started to grate on the nerves like an over-played commercial during football season. But that was more of a genre issue than actually despising a particular band. W/ Lynyrd Skynyrd, you may get tortured by "Freebird"-- but then you're rewarded another time w/ "Gimme Three Steps" (which I still love).

But-- mainstream bands that would make me change the radio station in the car? And still do that today? Wellllll, seeing as how other brave folks are being very candid w/ likely-rebutted choices. . .

AC/DC-- Every song makes me want to jump out of my vehicle or smash the radio.

KISS-- Man, sorry guys. I know they're sort of a defining cultural icon of our semi-generation. . . but their act was always such a hopeless affectation aimed at 13 year old boys; just transparent self-conscious affectation backed up by what always seemed to me to be mundane-at-best musical aptitude. And I DIDN'T like their songs (other than "Beth"-- which is more like a Rod Stewart song anyhow).

You know who I do like a lot more now than I did at the time? Both ABBA and the BeeGees-- go figure.

HB

December 10, 2014 at 7:50 AM
Doug said...

Tiger Beat?

Shaun Cassidy's "Da Doo Ron Ron". *dry heaves*

Doug

December 10, 2014 at 8:17 AM
Doug said...

HB --

Now I think everyone's just picking on me. I know KISS probably has no more talent than a decent garage band, but...

There goes the nostalgia factor again. Oh, to be a 13-year old boy eternally!!

Doug

December 10, 2014 at 8:19 AM
Anonymous said...

I never liked The Police much either or Sting although I do like his song "Fields of Gold" a lot.

December 10, 2014 at 8:44 AM
Edo Bosnar said...

HB, you may be right about the Bay City Rollers, but from roughly the ages of 5 to 8, I LOVED those guys.
As for AC/DC, I completely agree with any song sung by Brian Johnson; I rather like stuff from the Bon Scott years, however.

December 10, 2014 at 9:00 AM
The Prowler said...

EDO!!!! Ripped from my own tongue. I can't stand Brian Johnson AC/DC but give me Bon Scott and I'll be late for the door.......sorry mixed songs there.

I went through a liked certain periods and hated others.

Kansas, Leftoverture to Vinyl Confessions, anything before or after I can't stand.

I like the Police, hate Sting.
Styx, anything up to Cornerstone that album just slammed the door shut for me.

And speaking of The Doors. I just don't get it. I mean, I have them on my iPod buts that's only in case some cool kids show up, you know the ones, drama and debate crowd, I don't want to look like a complete panty waist.

Yes? I can listen to the hits, but not the overly long noodling around stuff.

But if I had to put my finger on a band that I just can't listen to....Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. I just ..........can't.


(Now the night has gone, now the night has gone......away).

December 10, 2014 at 10:55 AM
Humanbelly said...

Wellllll, and I do want to put in a word for Steve Perry's absolutely soaring (and legitimate) tenor voice. I'm sort of middle-of-the-road on Journey on the whole, but his vocal instrument was something that could have found a home across a broad spectrum of musical fields. There's not a barbershop quartet or an a- Capella that wouldn't have LOVED to have them on that first tenor line. He would have NAILED the novelty high tenor roles in musical theater (the Russian soldier in FIDDLER; Pirelli in SWEENEY TODD. . . ).

HBWife had a big ol' crush on his vocal chords-!

HB

December 10, 2014 at 11:00 AM
Steve Does Comics said...

I must admit I too had a major aversion to the likes of Foreigner, Toto, REO Speedwagon, Journey, Styx, Air Supply, etc. Sorry, Doug. Fortunately, Kiss didn't get enough airplay in the UK back then to bother me.

Beyond those, I think my major hates were Kool and the Gang and Huey Lewis and the News, who both just bored me senseless with every release they inflicted on me.

Americans were lucky. In Britain, in my late teens, we had a nightmarish duo called Chas and Dave who seemed to be permanently on the charts with dreadful cockney singalong pub songs that made you want to tear your ears off. Compared to them, even Toto were bearable.

I must however rush to the defence of the Bay City Rollers, whose music I have a strange affection for, although they were long-gone from the UK charts by the time I was in the age-range relevant to this debate.

December 10, 2014 at 11:03 AM
Garett said...

Hey Prowler, here's a funny skit by Kids in the Hall about The Doors and their fans:
Into the Doors

December 10, 2014 at 11:51 AM
The Groovy Agent said...

I didn't hate on too many bands (at least not any anyone would remember today), but I would jump out of a moving car if Sean Cassiday or (even worse) Leif Garrett (GAG!!!!!) would come on the radio...I'm pretty sure I still would!

December 10, 2014 at 12:12 PM
Anonymous said...

Milli Vanilli? But then they probably don't qualify as a "band"; I remember a lot of us hating New Kids on the Block back then (well, the guys...girls seemed to love them).

Mike W.

December 10, 2014 at 12:50 PM
Anonymous said...

ABBA-----my sister played their Greatest Hits album continuously (as well as the soundtracks for Grease, Cats, Les Mis, Pirates of Penzance, any crappy late 70s-80s musical treacle, probably why I hate musicals and Disney/Pixar musical films to this day)!!!!

Jesus Christ Superstar had a couple nice "rock"ish songs, though....

starfoxxx

December 10, 2014 at 3:12 PM
Karen said...

I swear, I did not start this to pick on Doug! But I was listening to Sirius/XM radio on the way home the other evening and even though I was going from preset to preset station, I couldn't find anything I liked. ANDDDDD....it started because Journey came on! I am truly accursed by the wail of Perry.

Thinking of the Doors, I loved them as a teen, but haven't been able to listen to them in the last 25 years or so. It has to do with Morrison being a huge jerk and that cacophonous keyboard. But I noticed lately I am sorta-kinda warming up to them... just a wee bit.

I love AC/DC, both configurations. I heard some of their new album on the radio and thought, What do you expect? I mean, it sounds pretty much like everything they've done in the last 30 years, but that's sort of their hallmark now, right? Everything changes around them, fads come and go, but they just rock on. I don't know that I will buy it -I've got what I need already, thank you -but I sort of respect them, in a strange way. They're doing what they like regardless of market trends or anything else.

December 10, 2014 at 3:19 PM
Kirk said...

Led Zeppelin. Bloated, pompous, cringeworthy dinosaur rock that sets my teeth on edge to this day.

December 10, 2014 at 7:23 PM
Redartz said...

Count me not among the Journey fans; sorry Doug! Also detested Air Supply. But as for high school, it would have been Foreigner. Frankly, boring middle of the road rock.

What I really can't stand is, unfortunately, my oldest son's favorite- death metal. Or, as I call it, garbage disposal 'singing'...

December 10, 2014 at 8:09 PM
Graham said...

Rush. If I had heard "Tom Sawyer" one more time when I was in my teens, I would have wandered out into traffic. Yeah, they were great musicians, but Geddy Lee's vocals were like fingers on a chalkboard for me. Just never got into them like some of my friends did.

December 10, 2014 at 10:40 PM
Garett said...

Hey Karen, yes I heard the new ACDC single and I couldn't tell if it was new or from 1982 or anywhere in between! But somehow with ACDC you want them to stay the same. No one has their sound.

Here's a new rock band called the Glorious Sons. Caught their show a few weeks ago, and they rocked the house! The lead singer started the crowd chanting "F*** Gene Simmons!", in reference to Simmons recently saying rock is dead.
Glorious Sons

December 10, 2014 at 11:18 PM
Anonymous said...

Mike W, Milli Vanilli was never a real band because all of their commercially released music was actually sung by studio musicians. Heck, they had to give back their Grammy fer cryin' out loud! That says a lot about the state of the music industry back then and even today.

I dunno guys - I'm gonna go against the grain here and say that I kinda liked Steve Perry (sorry Karen!) and Journey. Doug, while Kim Carnes and Bonnie Tyler aren't my cup of tea in terms of music, I don't hate them either. On the men's side, you could probably add Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart to the list of gravelly voiced singers who would never be picked for a school choir but I guess that's why rock 'n roll is so diverse.

I have to disagree with Gene Simmons if he really said rock is dead. Gene, I love ya baby, but he's way off the mark here.


- Mike 'rock on dudes' from Trinidad & Tobago.

December 11, 2014 at 8:21 PM

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