A couple weeks ago, Angel and I drove to Georgia to see Nickelback in concert. Angel blogged about our enlightening (and damp) experience. We stayed with the ever hospitible Queen Jen and made a pitstop at the Marietta Diner for a slice of baklava cheesecake the size of our heads. (YUM)Despite everything, we had fun. Its always an adventure when we go somewhere (although I was hoping that without PC and Instigator to stir up trouble, we'd have a low key weekend. So much for that.) Everything aside, it was a good concert. I like Nickelback, although they seem to get a bad rap. I think Chad Kroeger actually got voted as the ugliest guy in rock. Personally, I think there are far worse - think KISS sans makeup or Quiet Riot. That Angus guy from AC/DC. The well-pickled Keith Richards. Scary. He's no Jon Bon Jovi and I still much prefer Daniel the drummer, but I'm pretty sure his rough voice could charm the panties off most women. Then again, I have a musician thing, so who knows. Maybe I'm biased.
Anyway, people are always hating on them, yet their albums fly off shelves. I bet they laugh all the way to the bank. It might be unpopular, but I like their stuff. I like Dark Horse and All the Right Reasons. I tend to enjoy their darker, raw songs over the more radio friendly stuff. It captures this sort of vibe that intrigues me.
Compared to the other things in my playlist, there are far more embarassing music gems in my closet than Nickelback. As much grief as I give my mother for her Osmond fetish, I dare say there are a few boy bands and maybe even a Spice Girl or two hiding away in my collection.
In the famous words of Travis the skateboarding stoner guy from Clueless... "Like, the way I feel about the Rolling Stones is the way my kids are gonna feel about Nine Inch Nails, so I should probably stop tormenting my mom so much, huh?" A random thought from a random character, but it fits here.
Do you have any music or groups that you listen to in private, but wouldn't want the world to know about? Boy Bands? Hair Bands, perhaps? Share! This is a safe, supportive place where we understand the need to sing the Carpenters into your hairbrush every now and then. :)
SP
PS. Speaking of hair bands - don't forget about our Big Hair event on June 16th! Email photos of yourself with some big, bad hair to problemchild@writingplayground.com to play along! Its going to be a ton of fun.
11 comments:
I listen to a lot of the old bands from my youth. The Buckingham's Kind of a Drag, The Gentry's Keep on Dancing, Chrispian St Peter's Pied Piper,Left Bank's Walk Away Renee, The Turtle's Happy Together,The Robb's Rapid Transit, Chicago's Color My World, Cat Steven's , Jethro Tull, Moody Blues, CSN&Y, Neil Young, Dan Hill, Beatles & Stones.
I hate Bubblegum music!
Oksy, so I like Barry Manilow. There. I'm not even ashamed of it nor am I going to tell you how much Janis Joplin and Rolling Stones I've got. I went to a Barry Manilow concert a few years ago. My husband, who would follow me into the dressing room at Parisian if I'd let him, wouldn't even go. But for someone who is supposed to be so uncool, there sure were a lot of people there--all of them willing to pay, well, enough.
(Yes, I know there's no Parisian anymore. Sort of. Denial is helpful until you actually get to the mall.)
Jean)
Yes, I am a KISS fan. *sigh*
That and Billy Joel. At one time I even had a Shaun Cassidy album, not sure where that went though.
And I LOVE Nickelback and he is SO not ugly. Rob Zombie would have to take that award, or I have to admit, some of the Rolling Stones band members as well....(and yes, I even went to A Rolling Stones Concert-one of their Final Concerts, where I thought one of them for sure was going to vapor lock)
I think we all have a very eclectic taste in music, and I think that is so cool.
Laurie - those aren't embarassing. Mary's Shawn Cassidy album is embarassing. My mom's Don Johnson album is embarassing. :)
Jean - I was going to list Barry Manilow, but I knew PM was a fan. You can make fun of him all you want, but like you said, the theater is packed and the records sell. Someone likes him.
Mary - KISS and Billy Joel aren't that bad. I love Billy Joel. I dated a guy who just loved KISS, so I had to listen to it a lot. Even 'our song' was a kiss song. In retrospect - not very romantic.
My most embarassing albums would have to be the Spice Girls - Spiceworld, I think or maybe my Air Supply's greatest hits. Love that album. Know EVERY word. :)
Oh my yes, I love Nickelback. And I happen to think Chad Kroeger is a hottie! I have all their CD's. My musical taste varies from rock to light rap. But I'm not a country fan..at all. Too despressing. I can switch from Foo Fighters to Beyonce to Shinedown to Snoop Dogg and be quite happy. : D
But I will admit to listening to Harry Connick Jr. sometime. There's just something about the Crooner.
Left Bank's Walk Away Renee is an all-time favorite! I hadn't thought of that in years. And Suite: Judy Blue Eyes. ::sigh:::
And Jean, I too am a Fanilow. I'd love to see him in concert and sing along to Copacabana.
Right now I am singing along with The Little Mermaid while Grandbaby is stretched out on the couch still in her jammies but with two necklaces and her high heels.
I like HINDER (they sound sexy but they aren't all that great to look at).
BON JOVI!! Love them.
And, I must confess, I am illiterate in band names after that--sure I know Shaun Cassidy, Barry Manilow, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, etc. But I am just not good at paying attention to who sings what. My daughter just laughs at me when I try to sing along as well. I'm pathetic.
Oh, just remembered a few others I like-CARS, TOM PETTY, FLEETWOOD MAC, SUPERTRAMP--can you tell when I went to HS? Oh yeah, JOURNEY --
As I am the proud owner of a New Monkees CD (google them), I have no room to make fun of anyone else's music choices... :-)
I'm a rocker gal. Love Nickelback, Creed, Daughtry, Led Zeppelin, etc. Bon Jovi, Journey, Heart, CCR, the Stones -- I could go on and on.
But my guilty I-love-him-no-matter-what-you-say guy? Dwight Yoakum. I know, I know. Very odd when compared with the stuff above.
Actually, I am eclectic as hell with all my music. I've got Barry (White and Manilow and Gibb, btw), show tunes, opera, new age, Tom Jones, etc. Depends on the mood.
But the guy who could sing anytime to me? Who isn't in the least bit handsome and used to wear those really awful tight pants? Dwight. He was on Leno the other night, and I stayed up on purpose just to hear him sing. Sigh....
My husband says Nickelback gets a bad rap because Chad Kroeger is a sorry excuse for... Okay, so I won't go there. But I think it has more to do with his antics than his looks. Hubby said I could sigh over Bon Jovi all I wanted, but not Chad.
I guess the most embarrassing thing on my iPod is Miley Cyrus and not just because my daughter is a fan. I also have some Mandy Moore and old school hip hop. :)
Angel
Chiming in a littel late, but I love NickleBack. I've been to several of their concerts and really had fun!
I'm a child of the 80's and so my faves are Hair bands and Heavy Metal. I really enjoy the alternative rock bands of today like Breaking Benjamin, Theory of a Deadman, Hinder, Stone Sour, and I could just go on.
Like you said, not very popular, but it sure gets my creative juices flowing to listen to such dark, tortured and decidedly alpha songs.
Jenn!
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