It looks like I may be going to Kings Island, and Holiday World. (next year)

Ensign Smith said:

The only good thing about Stryper and the tired, stultified posturing that late 80s hair metal devolved to is that it touched off Nirvana.

I'll give you a pass (barely) for the inclusion of 'devolved to' in that statement.

It's hard to hate Nirvana, but the scene they emerged from devolved in similar ways and it happened much quicker.

Tyler Boes said:

I hate metal...

Good lord, kid. You just get worse with every post.

I mean like classic metal. Metallica isn't awful, I guess, though I don't listen to them at all. Frankly, I'm more of a power chord guy instead of high pitched guitar solo.

Lord Gonchar said:

It's hard to hate Nirvana, but the scene they emerged from devolved in similar ways and it happened much quicker.

I love the 90s rock movement, but this is true. The decade that started with iconoclastic ballsiness started to fade as more insincere bands (and record executives) became more and more successful at commercializing the sound. The noisy and innovative squall of Pavement, Pixies, The Flaming Lips, Guided by Voices, etc. soon gave way to Bush, Better than Ezra, all variety of watered-down punk-pop, and ultimately, a real nadir: rap-metal.

Of course, that's tremendously simplified, but I was listening to OK Computer on my commute this past week, and couldn't help but think that it served as the punctuation mark for the era. There was great music after '97, but it was part of something else.

Smells Like Teen Spirit was the opening salvo of a revolution (and any member of my generation can specifically recall the first time they heard it on the radio), but revolutions have a way of getting co-opted and losing their way.

Some of the alterna-punk-pop was pretty good. And it was an era where it was ok to have Fiona Apple on the same station as Nirvana. The thing I hated was when everyone wanted to sound like Green Day.Grunge was an anti-scene scene. I'm pretty excited to hear things like the new Pearl Jam single, "Mind Your Manners." It reminds me of 1991, in a good way.

There was a documentary airing on Nirvana one night, and the host was accompanied by some of his colleagues inside the studio where Kurt recorded "smells like teen spirit". The guys actually sat down and played out "A Denial" at the end of the song over and over and over again, and theycould actually hear Kurt's vocal cords splitting because he was stretching his vocals so hard at the end of the song. It was amazing to hear him, but more so in an enhanced environment where ever tiny little sound wave could be heard. Even though I was listening through my television. Later they went on and talked about how the industry has almost taken that style and tone Kurt revolutionized with smells like teen spirit, and turned it into a industry phenomenon for all artists. It was a really fascinating documentary. One of the bests I've seen.

I remember Stryper. They actually broke a lot of records in the music industry. They were the only Christian rock band to ever have the number one song in the top 40. "Honestly." which was a really good song. Though they didn't last, and a lot of the big hair band lovers, hated them. Then we end up with Marylin Manson, who was quite a freak, and had hits, by ripping off old dance tunes. Then Grunge and Rap came along and ruined everything.

If it wasn't for American Idol, bringing back the older music, by the great artists of our time, I think we would be on a downward spiral, and country music would be all that anyone would want to hear. Though Christian music, and their festivals, do very well these days.

In the 80's, I was very into heavy metal. Poison, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Cinderella, Def Leppard , and KISS. I also like some Metallica, and got into Aerosmith and AC/DC in the 90's. Though most of the AC/DC stuff was also from the 80's. Though I also like a lot of the late 80's and 90's dance music.

The only music I can't stand is thrash metal, which is just gibberish, and most rap. Though Pit bull is entertaining. But I want to kick some bands ass for ruining "you spin me round round." You frickin SUCK!!

Also, I will keep my men's activities PG-13 form now on. Though playing twister in underwear, is hardly a big deal. Have you been to a Motley Crue concert? Where you get to see at least 5 minutes of Titty cam? A hand full of adults seeing men in their underwear, is a huge difference to hundreds of kids seeing women's bare breasts, and other censored body parts, at a show that is seen by thousands. Just saying, there are things out there a lot worse, than anything consenting adults do.

Timber-Rider said:

Then we end up with Marylin Manson, who was quite a freak, and had hits, by ripping off old dance tunes. Then Grunge and Rap came along and ruined everything.

I have no idea what you are talking about when you say Manson ripped off old dance tunes. Manson is as original as they come, and extremely entertaining.

Grunge and rap have their place in the music world. I would argue that Nirvana didn't ruin anything, rather they saved us all from any more hair metal being released. Hair metal had seemingly outlived it's lifespan by the time Nirvana came along. Nevermind is one of the best rock albums of all time. OF ALL TIME! That is an undisputed fact. Even if you don't like Nirvana, who pretty much changed my life and countless other disturbed teenager's lives forever, they were a class act, and deserve every bit of recognition that they can get.

Hair metal had it's place in the music world as well, but every popular music style must come to an end. Some have much longer lifespans than others, like bluegrass and rap, which I just can't see the end of anytime soon.

As a songwriter, I learned to try to find something to like about ever piece of music I hear. "The new Justin Bieber song has an interesting drum sound." "That old gospel song has some nice, haunting verses." "That hip-hop song has a really fun rhyming scheme."

I've probably mentioned this before... My mom wanted to see The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, so I took her. I didn't expect to enjoy it much, because I pretty much detest all things country music, but it was absolutely amazing! One of the most entertaining things I have ever done in my life.

The band who "ruined" Right Round Baby was Dope. Their version isn't that bad, even though I really don't like the band much. That cover sounds overly influenced by Marilyn Mansion, in my opinion.

These aren't even bands that I regularly listen to. I love Korn, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, and even Disturbed, among others, but I try to have an open mind with all music, because it isn't easy to create a song from the heart and then put it on display for everyone to critique.

I, who record music, with a lot less seriousness than Travis, like to make mine completely different than what I listen to. I listen to rock, and I record using mostly synths and pianos.

LostKause said:

I have no idea what you are talking about when you say Manson ripped off old dance tunes. Manson is as original as they come, and extremely entertaining.

I saw Manson open up for NIN years ago before he broke big, and then a couple other times here and there. I really dig his original stuff, but I agree with the assessment as well. I'm sick of the dumbell cover songs, and unfortunately that is what the masses remember him for. Tainted Love, Sweet Dreams, Personal Jesus... there are plenty of others.

Break Trims said:

The noisy and innovative squall of Pavement, Pixies, The Flaming Lips, Guided by Voices, etc. soon gave way to Bush, Better than Ezra, all variety of watered-down punk-pop

It's not even that stuff that I consider bad. It wasn't as "sincere" if that matters to you, but it was fun music that I didn't mind hearing on the radio. It was Seven Mary Three, STP, Limp Bizkit, et al that ruined whatever the "alternative" movement was in the first place. It became what it rallied against.

I agree with Jeff, though, that it was nice hearing things like the Cardigans, Happy Mondays, and Alice In Chains all on the same station.

AltNation on SiriusXM feels close to those good old days. Some stuff is destined to cross over to the masses (like Lorde), but that's ok if I enjoy what I'm hearing.

Actually the I think the band who ruined "you spin me round round" was Flow -Rider or Flow-ida. Or ORIDA potatoes...whatever. They turned it into a rap song, and it sucked. I'm not sure but I thin Manson also remade it, only his version was slow and dark, so unless you listened carefully, you could not tell it was the same song.

But, I am a lot older than you Travis, so when someone remakes a song, I can usually tell it's bad right away. A good remake was "You are always on my Mind." by the Pet Shop Boys. And. "Venus." by Banarama.

Most confusing. "Satisfaction" by Brittany spears. Vs. The Stones. Don't know if I should like it, or let Jagger punch me in the face. It's not horrible.

That's ridiculous. The best version of Satisfaction was recorded by Devo.

The only song I ever heard by Devo was crack that whip. And, I'm not even sure if that's right. Or was t called Whip it...it's not too late...to whip it...whip it good.

Then of course there's the "come" song. "Relaxe" actually a good song.

Based on the other thread, "Whip It" sounds like the future theme song for Beastbuzz.

Devo did THE remake of Satisfaction. Not sure that takes anything at all away from Mick, Keith, and Co...

LostKause said:

I have no idea what you are talking about when you say Manson ripped off old dance tunes. Manson is as original as they come, and extremely entertaining.

I like Manson, but he was hardly as original as they come. He was just the inevitable evolution of Alice Cooper. (Who by the way, he toured with this year)

I can't think of Alice without flashing back to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5FT3IGXtAk

tambo said:

LostKause said:

I have no idea what you are talking about when you say Manson ripped off old dance tunes. Manson is as original as they come, and extremely entertaining.

He was just the inevitable evolution of Alice Cooper. (Who by the way, he toured with this year)

Who's a Christian. :)

Maybe as a stage performer, Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson have some things in common, but musically, they are very different.

What makes Manson stand out to me is the instrumentation of their songs, especially Antichrist Superstar and everything afterwards. They treat Pogo's synthesizer as another guitar, and make sure that the guitar parts don't take up too much "space" to make room for the keyboards. Add to that the drum loops, samples, and all the bells and whistles, and I think the music that they have been creating is unique.

I will agree that without Alice Cooper, Brian Warner would never have become the Marilyn Manson that we all know (and hopefully love.) Alice Cooper is known as "The godfather of shock rock." Many acts have followed Alice Cooper's lead, as far as performance art goes, but musically, Manson's band was groundbreaking.

A lot of amazing bands have done covers of songs that can be fitted to their style. Disturbed's Land of Confusion and Korn's Word Up immediately comes to mind.

Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) might have had something to do with Manson's sound too, but I shall not go on any further, because I feel like I am just rambling, and this has nothing to do with Timber-Rider planning a trip to Kings Island as early as eight months from now or playing Gay-Twister in his underwear. :)

I like a few "Christian" bands.

Norma Jean, Comeback Kid and As I lay Dying (though, *allegedly* putting a hit on your wife, is pretty un-christian if you ask me)