I have 120 GB on my iPod, and most of it is very important to me. That’s 16,000 songs. 51 days of listening without hearing the same song twice. And I’m always looking for more.
I’m gonna try this a little differently, and not mention things like Van Halen — that inspired me to pick up the guitar in the first place in 1983 — or Queen — that first introduced me to “cinematic” music. Everyone’s heard of these guys. You all need new things to explore, so let’s go that route:
Follow For Now
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9TJ0UBbo20]
That’s probably not fair of me, really, to turn you on to a band who broke up a long time ago, and whose album is long out of print? Sorry. I had long suspected that funk and hard rock could be smoothly combined, and these guys — coming out of Atlanta, so close by — proved it. And what a voice!
Living Colour were, of course, really close to thing, but Vernon Reid had a tendency to get more outside than I preferred.
Steve Vai
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw74sDWPH7U]
Did I just say something about being too outside for me? Oops.
Vai started off with Frank Zappa, and you can certainly hear that influence in his playing and composition. Ditto Hendrix. But Vai, I would argue, is the closest thing the modern age has known as a virtuoso. He’s mastered his instrument, and more than anyone I can think of, can make his guitar sing, really emotively. People argue against the techinique, saying it’s all flash, but as as writer, I immediately compare it to having a large vocabulary — you don’t have to use big words all the time, but it’s certainly nice to have them at your disposal.
I’ve long-since given up being a guitar hero, but every now and then, I can pop on some Vai and still dream…
Porcupine Tree
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ihI_5t9Ws]
I learned later in life to dig Pink Floyd (I was surrounded by people who longed for the seventies in high school, so got really burned early on Zeppelin, Floyd, and the Dead), and appreciate their psychadelic explorations, their cinematic sound. Maybe it was because I discovered PT around the same time, but I can’t help but really noticing a strong similarity between the two. Both started out as improvisational, heavily experimental bands, and gradually developed into more “pop” (ha) oriented styles. Both are known for big, epic approaches. PT is a little heavier, but I have to think that if you appreciate Floyd and would enjoy an updated, similar sound, Porcupine Tree is a good place to look.
T-Ride
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4hOyCxiIP4]
Yup – hair metal! WHOOOO!!!
These guys were only together for one album, until internal turmoil broke them up. But that album? One of my all-time favorites. Brilliant guitar work, but in very small bursts – always leave ’em wanting more. Great pop tunes and turnarounds. Funky metal. And those harmonies — with the exception of Extreme (WHOOOOO!!!!!), absolutely NO ONE has ever taken that element of Queen and worked it into heavy music so well.
3
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXNS7Pcfr_o]
I got turned on to these guys because someone told me they reminded them of my band, the Exhibit(s). The only real similarity is that the guitarist/vocalist plays an acoustic guitar, sometimes through pedals. But it was a good recommendation, nonetheless. Nice ethereal feel to their music. It’s got a little bit of a prog-metal feel, but more focus.
Oceansize
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRLwfWoV7qo]
Like Muse, or Radiohead, maybe. I have a really hard time categorizing this band. But I love ’em. Found them complettely by accident, and having stopped listening since.
No-Man
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jC4f_6sEY8]
For those decreasingly-common times that I feel like wrapping myself in a warm blanket of depression and just letting it take over me — this is the soundtrack. Incredibly wistful, but infused with ust enough hope to keep you going. And so beautiful…
Butch Walker
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U01wuIqwoB0]
If you just want some good, straight-ahead rock and roll, tight songwriting with a great delivery — Butch Walker’s your man. He’s from Atlanta, too — another lucky discovery brought to me by The Nick. His old band, Marvelous 3, is well worth checking out, as well. He’s also a lot of fun live, if you ever have the chance to check him out.
Lastly, I’m not a huge fan of Joseph Arthur in general — I’m obviously not hip enough. But this song will always have a really special emotional attachment for me — one of my few wonder-what-could-have-been moments. The studio version is beautiful, but his one man performance (seen here on the Late Late Show, but witnessed live at Smith’s in Atlanta) was jaw-dropping and heart-breaking.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Letfvx_VBvo]