There is a wealth of music out there and sometimes some of it can pass us by. Just recently, I've made an effort to listening to bands I've been fully aware of for years but haven't really paid any attention to their music etc.
So for me, 3 bands and there respective albums are:
Blind Melon - Blind Melon
I knew this band existed years ago - probably 13 - due to the late Shannon Hoon being Axl Rose's cousin and contributing backing vocal's on GNRs Don't Cry. Amazing album.
Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible, Everything Must Go, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours
If I remember correctly, the first Manics song I heard was If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next during my secondary school years. I heard a couple of other songs of theirs afterwards but never really made an effort to listen to them properly despite their success and critical acclaim. Well hadn't I missed out. I love these albums, especially Everything Must Go.
Blondie - Parallel Lines
In a continuous and fervent effort to bulk up my record collection, I bought this album after stumbling across it in a charity shop. I noticed it had the track One Way Or Another, which I like, and I thought it was worth 99p just for that song. Again, a great album.
Overall, it amazes me I haven't heard this stuff considering how long it's been around, and also considering that I've actually known about them, which makes me think there is so much more good music to discover that I previously turned a blind eye to.
So, if any, what are your only-just-listened-to bands/albums?
Comments
A couple of years ago I finally got around to listening to Wishbone Ash, who I had been aware of for about thirty years but never tried, no idea why not! Great.
If you like Parallel Lines, get Eat To The Beat as well - if anything it's even better.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
As a result, it's only been in the second half of my 41 years I've caught up with bands like Led Zep, Iron Maiden, ACDC, ZZ Top etc etc...
My most recent one, maybe a year or so ago, is the Black Crowes....why didn't I think of listening to their albums earlier?!
I've recently bought Powerslave.Bloody brilliant album.
Just wish I'd started collecting their early albums sooner.
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
Dismissed by me as hipster indie twats until heard on American Dad.
Slightly confused by their back catalogue so a Beginner's Guide to them wouldn't go amiss for me.
And although not just got around to Richard Thompson has been my discovery via MR and here the last couple of years - why wasn't I listening to him 20 years ago?
I completely missed the Velvet Underground until my mid 30s, after over 15 years of being a full on indie kid. Embarrassing.
And currently I'm getting into Professor Longhair. 50 odd years after the event.
Please don't tell me he has released a ton of albums as I shall have to buy them all.
When I was in my late teens I used to go see a band in the Leeds University refectory every Saturday night. Sometimes we got tickets during the week, sometimes we would just go and hope it was not sold out. The only time I can recall not getting in was Elton John.
I am convinced that if we had have got in I would now be a huge fan and own all his albums. And in a small (?) way that has changed my life. :-S
Soon after that a guy I was in a band with insisted that I sat down and listened to Steely Dan (sh*t..which album was it) and I was hooked for life. If he had not done that would I have been drawn in by hearing the singles on the radio? I am not sure. Can you imagine a life without Steely Dan?
:-O