Are You Experienced?

I listen to my iPod constantly and am always mentally categorizing songs and artists into my own piles. So I thought I'd share some of my categories.

Five Bands that I Can Listen to Just About Anything From:

* The Tragically Hip - the CRTC rules on Canadian content on the radio has elevated some real dogs to "success". TTH is not one of them. Every time they come out with something new, I think to myself "yeah, I guess they've run their course" and then about a week later, I find myself loving the new stuff. They grow on me and I almost never turn the radio away when they're on. Their concerts are even better.

* Pink Floyd - growing up waking to my Dad blaring obscure Pink Floyd albums - yes, I said "albums" (and I said "obscure") on Saturday mornings can do things to you. Good things.

* Jimi Hendrix - Also growing up, Jimi was one rock artist that my Step-Mom liked (really liked). So I got to listen to a lot of Jimi, and found that old-people music didn't always suck! And he died on my birthday (not the actual day of my birth, and I don't know why I feel the need to point that out) so I feel like I have a connection (yeah, it's weak).

* Santana - You can pair just about anyone with Carlos and he sucks magic out of them. I even like his Chad Kroeger stuff (see below). I never particularly liked Matchbox 20 and I thought it was because the singing was kind of, um whiny. But Santana can pull a whole new sound out of Rob Thomas. Even (c)rap artists benefit!

* Maroon 5 - Now, one might suspect my reasons for appreciating this particular artistic group could be less than - uh - artistic in nature. I can assure you that my "appreciation" of the physicalliosity of certain individuals within this five-some came after I realized I really liked several songs on the radio, picked up the CD and then realized I loved the whole thing. Not just the music, but the poetry within, and some of the best song lyrics I'd heard ("the sex she slipped into my coffee". And I love how they STILL play "not fit to fuckin' tread the ground that I am walking on" on the radio). THEN I saw a video and forgot what I was talking about.

(Honourable Mention) *AC/DC - I realized a long time ago that they had a formula - but I really liked the formula. When I say just about anything, it's a stretch but the library is so great that there's always something I can crank.

Five Bands That I Can Listen to Just About Nothing From:

I've tried to think of unique reasons for each the following, but I can't without going into a rant about overrated hacks who crank out the same singles again and again. We don't need to hear that five times. There are of course, dozens of artists who would fall into this category (I mean, there's whole categories of country, country-rock, country-pop hybrids). I only include those that, according to the programming directors of the radio station(s) I listen to, I should like. [Don't tell me what to do pin-head]

* Nickelback
* Rush - ok, their stuff is at least a little varied.
* The Guess Who [may get some home-town hate-mail. Give your head a shake people. Because we were on the map once? They sang about Saskatoon for crying out loud!]
* Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Metallica - "King Nothing" is a rare exception. [I'll know Max will have read this when I get served with divorce papers.]

Five Dirty Little Secrets [be ashamed for me]:

I've just included five, to limit my shame [for today]

* Justin Timberlake
* Christina Agulara
* Pussy Cat Dolls
* Duran Duran (a BIG Duranie in high school. BIG. Hair, white blazers & everything... eyeliner. Oh yeah... no photos [thank you sweet baby Jeebus!])
* Kylie Minogue