Happy Jack Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Does anyone have a simple Ready Reckoner or look-up table that explains what all these bizarre-sounding genres actually mean? The great misfortune in my life is that I had the nerve to be born before 1990. I have no idea what 'shoegaze' means. Well, not in a musical sense, anyway. 'Alternative Rock'? What is it an alternative to? Reggae? So couldn't you have 'Alt-Reggae' as an alternative to Bad Company? And what on earth is 'Cinematic Rock'? Their pop videos are filmed in letterbox format? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Alternative = Less Popular Version Of Cinematic Rock = Best enjoyed with a Westlers hot dog and a Kia Ora Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 On a slightly more serious note... Shoegaze tends to be fuzz-laden and drone-based with post-punk influences. For actual examples try My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. OtOH Alternative Rock is now most definitely modern mainstream rock. It was only really alternative for a few minutes in the early 90s. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 'Shoegaze' became a generic term for various UK (usually) 'indie' bands in the 80's, in which during a performance, the bassist and guitarist tended to stare at their fingers, and the vocalist tended to sing to his feet. Hence the term shoe-gaze. Alternative Rock, was coined in the USA, again in the 80's in various 'underground' rock scenes, as an umbrella term for bands who were an alternative to the prevailing popular rock music of the time, what is now referred to as Hair Metal. Cinematic Rock, haven't a Scooby, but Google is your friend: https://www.last.fm/tag/cinematic+rock/artists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted February 22, 2017 Author Share Posted February 22, 2017 Don't be daft man. There never was a time when "the prevailing popular rock music of the time" was Hair Metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVbass Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 I got asked whether we played any Garage Punk the other day, I had to inform the gentleman that sadly I had knocked my garage down 2 years ago to make way for our kitchen extension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1487773636' post='3242693'] Don't be daft man. There never was a time when "the prevailing popular rock music of the time" was Hair Metal. [/quote] LP hit parade top 5 from 13/06/87 [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [font=inherit][size=1][center][font=inherit]1[/font][color=#999999][font=inherit][size=1]Last Week: 1[/size][/font][/color][/center][/size][/font] [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [b] The Joshua Tree[/b] [url="http://www.billboard.com/artist/277577/u2"]U2[/url][/font] [/font] [/font] [/font] [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [font=inherit][size=1][center][font=inherit]2[/font][color=#999999][font=inherit][size=1]Last Week: 3[/size][/font][/color][/center][/size][/font] [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [b] Whitesnake[/b] [url="http://www.billboard.com/artist/431326/whitesnake"]Whitesnake[/url][/font] [/font] [font=inherit] [url="http://open.spotify.com/album/38rnKXPLVugFCU10JJ6zbe?utm_campaign=billboard"] Full Track[/url][/font] [/font] [/font] [color=white][font=inherit] [color=#999999][font=inherit][size=1][center][font=inherit][size=2]LAST WEEK[/size][/font][font=inherit][size=5]3[/size][/font][/center][/size][/font][/color] [font=inherit][center][font=inherit][size=2]PEAK POSITION[/size][/font][font=inherit][size=5]2[/size][/font][/center][/font] [font=inherit][center][font=inherit][size=2]WKS ON CHART[/size][/font][font=inherit][size=5]76[/size][/font][/center][/font] [/font][/color] [list] [*]Gains in performance [/list] [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [font=inherit][size=1][center][font=inherit]3[/font][color=#999999][font=inherit][size=1]Last Week: 2[/size][/font][/color][/center][/size][/font] [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [b] Slippery When Wet[/b] [url="http://www.billboard.com/artist/296092/bon-jovi"]Bon Jovi[/url][/font] [/font] [/font] [/font] [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [font=inherit][size=1][center][font=inherit]4[/font][color=#999999][font=inherit][size=1]Last Week: 4[/size][/font][/color][/center][/size][/font] [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [b] Look What The Cat Dragged In[/b] [url="http://www.billboard.com/artist/344337/poison"]Poison[/url][/font] [/font] [/font] [/font] [font=inherit] [color=white][font=inherit][size=1][center]New[/center][/size][/font][/color] [font=inherit] [font=inherit][size=1][center][font=inherit]5[/font][color=#999999][font=inherit][size=1]Last Week: --[/size][/font][/color][/center][/size][/font] [font=inherit] [font=inherit] [b] Girls, Girls, Girls[/b] [url="http://www.billboard.com/artist/312021/m-tley-cr-e"]Motley Crue[/url] [/font] [/font] [/font] [/font] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Ozzy Ozbourne was at 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1487769813' post='3242619'] Does anyone have a simple Ready Reckoner or look-up table that explains what all these bizarre-sounding genres actually mean? The great misfortune in my life is that I had the nerve to be born before 1990. [/quote] Me too. I wouldn't worry though. Songs that belong in more than one musical style (I hate using the word "genre") tend to get placed in one of them only. Now that it is trendy to redo old songs in alternative musical styles the whole "genre" thing becomes redundant anyway. I think the only folk who find a real use for genre names are filing clerks or those who like to label their shelves. It's a bit too anally retentive for me to waste my time with and I especially hate the idea of missing out on a really good tune just because it wasn't filed in a genre I associate myself with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Cinematic rock might be something like Mogwai. They featured with the Kronos quartet on the soundtrack to the fountain by Clint Mansell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Up until quite recently I thought Daft Punk was a genre.... G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Some old band mates of mine who's other bands were at a far more extreme metal end of things compared to what we were doing once sent me into fits of giggles quite seriously discussing whether an assortment of bands belonged in a book (for which one of them had been interviewed) about UK death metal, because apparently there are people who are very serious about whether a band is black metal, death metal, blackened death metal, or any number of sub genres. There is genuinely "shoegaze black metal" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='Monkey Steve' timestamp='1487782528' post='3242861'] Some old band mates of mine who's other bands were at a far more extreme metal end of things compared to what we were doing once sent me into fits of giggles quite seriously discussing whether an assortment of bands belonged in a book (for which one of them had been interviewed) about UK death metal, because apparently there are people who are very serious about whether a band is black metal, death metal, blackened death metal, or any number of sub genres. There is genuinely "shoegaze black metal" [/quote] reminds me of the old joke: what is the difference between poison and venom? Poison are glam metal, Venom are black metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1487781534' post='3242845'] Up until quite recently I thought Daft Punk was a genre.... G. [/quote] Apparently it was a description of their previous band's debut single. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1487782663' post='3242864'] reminds me of the old joke: what is the difference between poison and venom? Poison are glam metal, Venom are black metal. [/quote] Venom are black metal - I think you're in for a good two hours of lively debate from the true black metal aficionados there my friend!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 I love the term hair metal, it was cock rock 'back in the day' where I was. But why worry about 'Genres' it's just for borderline OCD people who have to pigeonhole stuff. I condsider there to be three types of music, the stuff you love, the stuff you tolerate and the stuff you loathe. Beyond that it really doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='Monkey Steve' timestamp='1487782528' post='3242861'] Some old band mates of mine who's other bands were at a far more extreme metal end of things compared to what we were doing once sent me into fits of giggles quite seriously discussing whether an assortment of bands belonged in a book (for which one of them had been interviewed) about UK death metal, because apparently there are people who are very serious about whether a band is black metal, death metal, blackened death metal, or any number of sub genres. There is genuinely "shoegaze black metal" [/quote] Just put a random word in front of 'Metal' and there'll be a band that plays it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 RnB has always confused me. It doesn't sound like any rhythm and blues I've heard. It seems to be such a wide genre too - so many turns are described as an 'RnB artist" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fftc Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1487783362' post='3242875'] I love the term hair metal, it was cock rock 'back in the day' where I was. But why worry about 'Genres' it's just for borderline OCD people who have to pigeonhole stuff. I condsider there to be three types of music, the stuff you love, the stuff you tolerate and the stuff you loathe. Beyond that it really doesn't matter. [/quote] I loathe hair metal. Back in 1988 it was very useful to me to know whether a band was hair metal or thrash metal before I bought the album based on the sleeve artwork or edgy sounding name. Remember, no Youtube, spotify etc. If you couldn't get a tape from your mates or their big sister/brother you had to buy the thing to hear it. So there is a big vote for well defined genre names! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 BnB confuses me. I can never get the idea of having breakfast in bed out of my mind. They don't like me at all in the boarding houses in Clacton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='Norris' timestamp='1487785738' post='3242918'] RnB has always confused me. It doesn't sound like any rhythm and blues I've heard. It seems to be such a wide genre too - so many turns are described as an 'RnB artist" [/quote] It's the whole misappropriation of genres titles. To me, R'n'B is late 40s/50s stuff, like Ray Charles, Bo Diddley and to an extent the white British derivation in bands like The Who and early Rolling Stones. The stuff my parents listened to. TLC and Rhianna are not R'n'B. And don't get me started on Garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='fftc' timestamp='1487786394' post='3242925'] I loathe hair metal. Back in 1988 it was very useful to me to know whether a band was hair metal or thrash metal before I bought the album based on the sleeve artwork or edgy sounding name. Remember, no Youtube, spotify etc. If you couldn't get a tape from your mates or their big sister/brother you had to buy the thing to hear it. So there is a big vote for well defined genre names! [/quote] What's wrong with asking the music shop to play it first? Way ahead in Derby was awesome, full of similarly minded spotty youths waiting for the next big thing. They would happily stick it on for the whole shop to listen to if it was quiet or via a pair of headphones if it was busy and you were one of a few. It was also word of mouth through mates 'have you heard such and such they are great/ crap'. I can't imagine just buying something based on the album cover, some of my collection would not have been bought and Big Black 'songs about ******* would have had me running scared! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Despite being an old git I quite like a bit of Grime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1487789205' post='3242964'] ...Way ahead in Derby was awesome... [/quote] Looks like they may still be trading as "BPM" - https://www.bing.com/local?lid=YN1029x104104376&id=YN1029x104104376&q=BPM+Records+Derby+Derbyshire&name=BPM+Records&cp=52.92343~-1.479184&qpvt=way+ahead+records+derby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1487791180' post='3243004'] Looks like they may still be trading as "BPM" - https://www.bing.com/local?lid=YN1029x104104376&id=YN1029x104104376&q=BPM+Records+Derby+Derbyshire&name=BPM+Records&cp=52.92343~-1.479184&qpvt=way+ahead+records+derby [/quote] I think BPM were the ones who used to be in the arcade in Sadler gate weren't they? Way Ahead was over the other side opposite what was then Argos and next to the Army recruitment office. It's now that big horrendous shopping centre - Westfield? I am up in Derby on Saturday but it's a quick visit, I will drop into BPM next time I get a chance though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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