Musical opinions that you just don't understand

[sutin]

Brian Wilson and his band, a few years ago. He was as you would expect; his band was stellar. Al Jardine's voice is amazing.

The CDs are mostly 'classical' in the broad sense, going from Thomas Tallis to Rachmaninov. Then mid- to late-period Beatles; a selection of Beach Boys albums from Party! to Surf's Up (including the huge Smile boxed set); quite a few Vince Guaraldi albums. Do Flanders and Swann count for this purpose? Oh, and that recent-ish Monkees album.

TBF, all that pop music stuff there (don't know much about classical) is stellar.

[kngen]

Please, what is Power Violence?

I've always wondered, and I like a fair bit of noise.

*cracks knuckles for a bit of microgenre gatekeeping*

Power Violence was something that was as much about the time and the place as it was the sound. The time: Early 90s. The place: Southern California. The ethos seemed to be about taking the extremes of music to their logical conclusion, playing as fast as possible, then churningly slow as a contrast, in a snap second. So there are parallels with grindcore (Siege and Napalm Death were, naturally, hugely influential), but those quick changes in pace gave it a more obvious, defined structure compared to the relentless warp speed of ND or ENT. (and, rather than crusty staples like Discharge or Disorder, who were obvious influences on ND/ENT, Power Violence bands took their cues from the fast/slow dynamics and the two or three-note creepycrawls favoured by early Boston hardcore bands and even early Youth Crew).

I'm of the mind that there were only really six proper PV bands: Crossed Out, Capitalist Casualties, Neanderthal, Man Is the Bastard, Spazz and No Comment. (Spazz's bass player Chris Dodge ran Slap-a-Ham Records, which was PV's de facto record label.) People will argue that Infest were Power Violence, but nah ... fast as fuck hardcore, but not PV).

There are many PV-style bands around (and I've been in a couple myself), but everyone else is just playing at it. These guys were so out on a limb, and so out of time with what else was going on, they deserve to have the genre to themselves.

If you like noise, you might like Bastard Noise, which is Eric Wood of Neanderthal/MITB doing harsh noise, sometimes solo, sometimes with full band ( and sometimes known as Man is the Bastard Noise). Quality is variable, but when it's good, it's amazing.

[PlanktonSideburns]

There was a lass at my school who had never heard of Michael Jackson. She didn't even recognise him from pictures. Not an opinion but I just think it's a bit odd. There are some people of a certain level of fame/icon status/exposure that you just know of, whether they interest you or not. I'd say Jacko is one.

gonna pretend ive never heard of someone really famous from now on

[cosmic-hearse]

*cracks knuckles for a bit of microgenre gatekeeping*

Power Violence was something that was as much about the time and the place as it was the sound. The time: Early 90s. The place: Southern California. The ethos seemed to be about taking the extremes of music to their logical conclusion, playing as fast as possible, then churningly slow as a contrast, in a snap second. So there are parallels with grindcore (Siege and Napalm Death were, naturally, hugely influential), but those quick changes in pace gave it a more obvious, defined structure compared to the relentless warp speed of ND or ENT. (and, rather than crusty staples like Discharge or Disorder, who were obvious influences on ND/ENT, Power Violence bands took their cues from the fast/slow dynamics and the two or three-note creepycrawls favoured by early Boston hardcore bands and even early Youth Crew).

I'm of the mind that there were only really six proper PV bands: Crossed Out, Capitalist Casualties, Neanderthal, Man Is the Bastard, Spazz and No Comment. (Spazz's bass player Chris Dodge ran Slap-a-Ham Records, which was PV's de facto record label.) People will argue that Infest were Power Violence, but nah ... fast as fuck hardcore, but not PV).

There are many PV-style bands around (and I've been in a couple myself), but everyone else is just playing at it. These guys were so out on a limb, and so out of time with what else was going on, they deserve to have the genre to themselves.

If you like noise, you might like Bastard Noise, which is Eric Wood of Neanderthal/MITB doing harsh noise, sometimes solo, sometimes with full band ( and sometimes known as Man is the Bastard Noise). Quality is variable, but when it's good, it's amazing.

Agree with all of this, but would also add Chopping Block to the PV canon:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mxSOXcLeWgk

A genuinely mysterious HC band from the pre-internet era.

[jobotic]

Cheers kngen.

I'd heard of Bastard Noise and Man is the Bastard but that's it. Interesting stuff, think I do prefer noise to hardcore though - I like a few bands from when I was young but can't summon up the energy to explore any further now. I have a Slap-a-Ham record...Melvins maybe?

There used to be a tiny record shop upstairs in the North Lane (I think) in Brighton that had a great selection of stuff and did have a "Power Violence" section which me and my friend found amusing - it is a funny name. There was a bloke serving who I remember sitting silently with his head covered by a hood, while some black metal blasted out. When I took whatever I'd chosen up to the counter he popped is hood down and was as friendly as you like!

[Goldentony]

I just don't get it. Do they like that shite ironically?! I don't even consider it music.

fuck off, you've got Primus in your avatar, fucking Rush for WORSE TITHEADS, JOIN THE FUCKING MARINES YOU TWAT

[sutin]

fuck off, you've got Primus in your avatar, fucking Rush for WORSE TITHEADS, JOIN THE FUCKING MARINES YOU TWAT

I wasn't being entirely serious Tone.

[The Bumlord]

Didn't Zappa have little pickups or mics or something built into the neck of his guitar to INCREASE the handling noise on his guitar? Did I read that or did I dream it.

I don't know if he had them built in but he used some sort of neck pickup for the I'm The Slime solo. You can hear it, sounds great to me.

[Goldentony]

I wasn't being entirely serious Tone.

THIS IS JUDGEMENT DAY MOTHERFUCKER

Spoiler alert

I saw your reply sorry and thought i'd be v over the top for a laugh

[close]

[NoSleep]

Didn't Zappa have little pickups or mics or something built into the neck of his guitar to INCREASE the handling noise on his guitar? Did I read that or did I dream it.

I know he had one guitar with a neck pickup. I think it had originally been made for Jimi Hendrix and had ended up in Zappa's possession (possibly a gift).

I've experimented with having a piezo contact mic attached to the neck of a fretless bass. Blending some of this with the sound from the normal coil pickups gave a sound that's akin to an acoustic bass; you can hear all the slap and rattle.