someone better answer this or i'll be peeved

Micah Cohen

This is a serious music question.

I know what a BLACK SABBATH is. I understand DEEP PURPLE; it's a color. I know what THE DOORS are. I even know the whole story behind the name LED ZEPPELIN. STEELY DAN, heh heh, I know what that is, too.

I know why the band is called GUNS N'ROSES. I know what a SKID ROW is. I know who TESLA is named after. I know what a WARRANT is, and -- for all you Marylanders -- I understand what KIX are.

I know what Coverdale is thinking when he calls the band WHITESNAKE. I know what a MOTLEY CRUE is. I know what a QUEEN is, and also what an IRON MAIDEN is. I know that someone in the band is named VAN HALEN, and now we all know what ANTHRAX is.

I even know what a MEGADETH is, and I understand OVERKILL. I can get my brain around QUEENSRYCHE, cause it sounds cool, and I know what an OFFSPRING and a TWISTED SISTER is. I know who STEPPENWOLF was. BLIND FAITH is easy, and so is YES (duh).

You get my point.

But WTF is a "system of a down"?

If I don't get an answer soon, I'm gonna kill someone.

mjk91383

why does it matter?

joe

johnnyamerika

roughly translated...I'm pretty sure it means Sell a Lot of Records.

Steve@3dai

It's just another one of those "angst" bands because they grew up in suburbia and now they need to vent. Poor babies.

- Steve

johnnyamerika

ehhh, well actually they're eastern european or something and most of their music is pretty political....but that doesn't mean the name isn't designed for profit

I really dislike the 'new metal' crap and scene, all these new bands are horrible, limp biscuit, stained, disturbed, bleh! IMO of course! I think popular music is at an alltime low right now, maybe not worse than the Hammer/Vanilla Ice days...the best things coming out at the time were Tom Cochran and Damn Yankees, bleh!!!

I found this rather interesting SOAD 'video'. Just don't chastise me for visiting this site

http://download.consumptionjunction.com/multimedia/cj_8700.wmv

scottvamp

SOTD--I call them the Rolling Stones rock band of the year.2001 IMO Disturbed is one of the best rock bands in the last several years. IMO

Micah Cohen

Look, music today is vapid. I just got the new reissue of BLACK SABBATH's first LP, which has a song on it from 1970 that has never been released in the US, and there is no question that it is such a mindwarp of sonic evil and brain-mushing powerful music that nothing today even touches it. A song from a garage band in 1970 trumps anything even being thought of by a band today.

Be that as it may -- no one is answering my question.

What is a "system of a down"?!

ANSWER ME! IT MATTERS! (How can you join a club you don't understand?)

ANSWER ME!

Nashvilletitans

The Name Game
The most-asked question. "It came from a poem our guitarist, Daron, had written, called 'Victims of a Down,'" explains Serj. "He brought it to us, and 'System' was chosen as a better, stronger word, and it makes it into a 'whole,' instead of the people in particular, it's the society." Ultimately, Serj advises people to "Take your own meaning out of our name. It means different things to different people. That's the beauty of it. It's like putting art up on a wall, and going, 'what do you think of it?' It's many different things, on a personal, a political level. We leave it open to interpretation."

really dosen't give ya much though huh? hahaha
Got this from:
http://www.iconofan.com/Artists/s/system_of_a_down/bio.shtml

johnnyamerika

I said before 'Popular Music' is at an all time low, but I would disagree that music today, as a general term, is vapid (course you probably just meant popular music when saying that)....right now there are some really great artists out doing some amazing things. Music is perhaps at one of it's most interesting states, as the internet, technology and culture is bringing more genres and people together. Just like high-end audio equipment, there are underground and non-mainstream labels out there pushing the envelope and developing stuff that's way ahead of it's time and way way way better than anything in the 'pop' arena. I LOVE the classics, don't get me wrong, but I think music is the one thing that can draw people from all walks of life together and give them a connection, and I think music today (at least real music today) is doing that. I have maintained all along, and you can take issue with this, that pop music, Mtv, and the radio are for people that don't really listen to music. They more or less assimilate what's given to them and don't look beyond that. Of course, there are exceptions to this, it's not my 'rule' or anything. And there have been many artists that have crossed over into the mainstream and remain classics! But the majority of one-hit wonders and the like are crap, always has been, always will be. And I'm not chastising anyone for liking Disturbed or SOAD or whatever, I say do what you like.

Micah Cohen

"It came from a poem our guitarist, Daron, had written... "

Wow. That's a lot of... nothing. I love when "It means different things to different people." That gives it so much meaning. It's like art. And it's like going, 'what do you think of it?' Like. Going.

I gotta tell ya. If you give these guys any creedence whatsoever, you're screwed -- because they are vapid, empty, inarticulate goofs. And they are selling a product to us. And we're buying. We don't even think of these things. "System of a down"? Man, that is just nothing.

Sheesh. What crapola. Goddamn this SABBATH is GER-ATE! You have no idea.

right now there are some really great artists out doing some amazing things.

Name some.

TroyD

I'm right there with you brotha......I couldn't agree more. There isn't anything original out there really worth listening to.


Troy

johnnyamerika

How about:

Dan the Automator
Mike Patton
Lamb
Beth Gibbons
Massive Attack
Grandaddy
Squarepusher
The Roots
Moby
Digibal Planets
Modest Mouse
Bright Eyes
The Faint
The Strokes
Propagandhi
Refused
Radiohead
Boards of Canada

I could go on, but I do work for a music magazine, so I'm pretty hip to what's out there right now. I have to honestly say there's so much good music coming out, it's just a shame that 95% of the music that is coming out is crap. But that's the way!

Eddie624

Hmm so where is this chart or something that says what is crap and what isnt. Wait this is just your opinions and last time i have checked opinions dont mean diddly. SOAD is a good band. And a lot of other bands in this era are good. All you have to do is compare pretty much anything to like RAP then it is all good. The RAP industry is the one area where there is very little musically talented artists. That is the industry where the only way they sell records is because they use profanity constantly. To me when most songs just say the N word every other word that really isnt a quality artist. Some other great bands Fear Factory, Danzig, and yes Marilyn Manson. I almost bet most of the people that dont like the bands of today are probably old and grew up with the "Classic bands". Dont get me wrong The Doors are one of my all time favorite bands. Anyway i have typed too much and cant go on any longer. Need food

scottvamp

Black Sabbath gets much credit. But their are small labels out their that produce tons of great DOOM Metal. To write off all new music is an insalt to your intelligence. Like a 60 year old that never lets go of his Elvis 8-tracks. Their is so much music out htier for every walk of life- not like 40 years ago. YOU have to look for it. I listen mostly to Death Metal bands that do not even exsist in the USA. Groups that have 6 to 8 members-playing a varity of instruments-Paris University Music Graduates-- Awesome pure dark poetic lyrics-a complex mix of songs that take you through a jouney. So complex that I like to listen to them on muti-channel DSP modes. Why will you never hear these groups? Because as a nation we are TOO Bland. I mean look at out top ten albums at any given time-- now that's a joke. Real music isn't produced only to make $. And make the youth of America dress like Britney.
POWER and Meaning. Music that can not be made by the average Joe. Music notes that blacken a music bar. Music That America turns it back to.
Enter my World:
Sins Of Thy Beloved
Siebenburgen
Cradle Of Filth
Dimmu Borgir
Opeth
Tristania
Theater Of Tragedy
Mactatus
Love Lies Bleeding
Long Winters Stave
Trail Of Tears
Old Mans Child
Just to spout off a few. :eek:

scottvamp

Eddie well said.

The RAP industry is the one area where there is very little musically talented artists

And these guys are F___king millionaires. Unbelieveable. What Crap!

Some other great bands Fear Factory, Danzig, and yes Marilyn Manson.

Great Bands! Danzig IS my Elvis. Go to these shows and you want be standing there like and drooling zombie and snapping your fingers and tapping your feet. And yelling "Freedom Rock Man".
:rolleyes:

TroyD

I'm not disagreeing per se, but, man some of the stuff out there just doesn't do it for me. Maybe I'm getting older, I dunno.

A current band that I like, Nickleback, good stuff but it just isn't original....

To me, the last original movement in mainstream rock was over 10 years ago.

I hate to say it, but my favorite bar band of all time was the beginning of the end for mainstream rock - Hootie and the Blowfish. Scoff if you will but you haven't lived until you've seen Hootie at Cumberlands in Charleston. But to me, Cracked Rear View (good album but those songs were meant to be heard in a bar) was the start of pure vanilla in mainstream rock. You can argue that I am talking out of my arse, but that's just the way I see it.

Elvis is the MAN. Period. End of story. Suspicious Minds, baby.

Troy

wangotango68

hell let you frekin hair down man! i went to see slayer last month and it was one of the most interce shows i ever saw! bring back
the "clash of the titans" tour with anthrax,slayer,alice in chains
and megedeth.


scott:cool:

johnnyamerika

Originally posted by Eddie624
The RAP industry is the one area where there is very little musically talented artists.

Once again, I'll disagree. The Rap genre is no different then other genres within Pop music, be it rock, bubble-gum, or country. You have a bunch of young, marketable, good looking people playing towards materialism and angst, and it drives kids/people to purchase not only records, but clothing, movies, games, merch, etc...The Popular Rap genre caters to largely young, black males. It relates to them in terms of material possetions, women, and politics. This is not unlike rock music, with bands like disturbed, papa roach, etc...who cater towards mostly young angry teens and what they feel. Come on.....'let the bodies hit the floor?' Is that so much more insightful than 'me and my homies with the top down, roll out?' This is money baby. Market to the youth, give them what they want. In the early 60's they had 'Mrs. Brown you've got a lovely daughter,' and 'fun, fun, fun till daddy takes the T-bird away.' That was the prevelent issue then. Old guys don't buy records....kids and young adults do. Older more mature people are more secure in their beliefs, and less impressionable (generalization). But a perfect way to look at it is bands like MM, Danzig, and FF connect to you...so there's got to be many people out there who feel the same way about rap.

And on a whole, the hip-hop (rap) genre has massive amounts of talented artists. This is absolutely no different then any other genre of music, where most of the good stuff slips through the cracks. Why? Because it's not as marketable! I hate to say it but the majority of people like being spoonfed. It's cheap, easy, and makes you fit in!!! To be honest, I dislike Ja Rule and Ludacris just as much as Disturbed or any of those guys. But to each his own.

Scott, I'm kind of surprised that you can single out rap as well, when you obviously listen to music that so many could find unpleasant. I personally don't have a taste for Death/Black Metal, but I understand and relate to the genre, and will definatley say some of the most talented musicians around are playing it. I do have a liking for some Cradle of Filth stuff, tho...and I do like Morbid Angel tunes too. I'm especially surprised that you wrote such an awesome post about real music being from the heart, not for money, and you didn't think that maybe there's hip-hop acts out there just like that. If you guys want to hear some great, soulfull, roots oriented stuff, check out:

The Roots
MosDef
Gang Starr
Jurassic 5
Eric B. and Rakim
Beastie Boys
Tribe Called Quest
UMC
Kool Keith aka Dr. Octogon
Black Eyed Peas

Let me finally go on the record and say f**k genres! I love music. Good music, that's from the heart, and that has some depth. The rest is...well

john

Eddie624

Hootie hehe. I have seen them so many times. I liked them better when they werent national.

TroyD

AIC, Slayer, Megadeath, Anthrax.....all bands that have been around for at least 10 years.

Eddie, I've seen Hootie an the Music Farm, old (East Bay ST)and new (Ann St) Cumberlands, Wild Wing, Miskins (old school) the Passenger Terminal, Windjammer, Wavefest, Elbow Room and the list goes on....... A good buddy of mine's sister dated Edwin McCain, real good dude.

Elvis was the ORIGINAL. A phenomenon. No single figure has influenced a generation or an industry more than Elvis. Arguably the greatest vocalist in rock history. Just my opinion.

Troy

scottvamp

johnnyamerika,

I'm not against Rap, but it seems that the genre hasn't gone very far. I grew up in Louisiana listening too 2 Live Crew, LL Cool J, Ice-T. I'm not just a metal head, I'm into lots of different music.

shack

I've said it before... the true test of great music is time. I don't care what genre it is...if it is still around years later then a case can be made that the artist or their music was great. And I am not just talking about the 60 year old guy listening to his Be Bop album that no one else has heard of. There is a reason that some of the old blues and jazz greats have gained different audiences over the years....not every generation ..but they keep coming back. You see the same thing with artists like Glen Miller, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Tony Bennett, Patsy Cline, The Beatles, Hendrix etc... These artists are not only listened to by their peers but they periodically make a comeback with a whole new audience of younger people that hear them and recognize talent even though it is not the current hot stuff. Some of the stuff I thought was great years ago is crap and some are classics. There are some albums that you go back and listen to and you wonder why you ever wasted your money and there are others that you rediscover all over again. To me that is great music. Another thing, there is very little truly "new" music. The hip-hop, metal, pop, techno, angst rock (for lack of a better term) are all just variations of a theme that’s been done in other times. Popular does not necessarily mean something is good. When music can withstand the test of time, changing fashion, tastes, and whims then it is probably pretty good.

johnnyamerika

2 live crew, hee hee, those were the days! One of my design professors in college did some photo shoots and album covers for Luke Campbell! Skywalker!

Also, since you're into death metal, did you ever heard of Garden of Darkness or Azazel?

vrede

Clash of the Titans tour, eh. Holy crap! When was that anyway? '92? Yeah, I think I was in 10th grade when I went and that was '92. That was back when those bands could still pack the house. Oh sweet memories.

I love music. I spend the majority of my downtime cranking the soothing tunes of various death/black metal bands. I mean, I love me some Jewel, but it just doesn't mellow me out like Dark Funeral, ya dig?

I'm actually listening to a new band right now called Anaal Nathrakh "the Codex Necro". It's killer. Totally fast and brutal, yet it puts me in the best of moods. Nothing better in my opinion than a good blast beat. The faster the better I say.

Here's a few weird band names for ya:

Myrkskog (great band. Fast as hell too!)
Marduk (not as good as they used to be, but they still smoke live.)
Carpe Tenebrum (Former members of Dimmu Borgir FYI.)
Cryptopsy
Mork Gryning
Naglfar
Setherial

This is the type of stuff I love. When I was younger I'd sorta not own up to the type of music I listened to in fear of what people would think of me. "Oh look honey, he worships satan." I remember a long time ago being stopped by some elderly couple at a local amusement park because I was wearing a Deicide t-shirt. "Do you know what that means young man" they said. I didn't giva fug what it meant. I liked the music, I bought the shirt directly from the band so I felt I was doing my part in supporting them. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Anyway, music of all kinds, I love it.

Should I get pissed at P. Diddy when he makes cover song after cover song while making millions of dollars of it when the very bands I love do the same thing from time to time? To each their own I say.

And yes, I can't wait until Episode 2.




~ s

scottvamp

Great to hear from some people that have gone outside the box and have had some death metal influence.

Also, since you're into death metal, did you ever heard of Garden of Darkness or Azazel?

No, but I will check them out. Thanks:)

wodom1

i don't listen to 2 Live Crew or any rap but I saw them during spring break my freshman year at LSU at Club La Vila in Panama City Beach, FL. man, were there some horny ladies out there! the music just made it that much more intense. too bad i was so drunk i could barely walk or else i would have hooked up with some hotties. every other word in their songs was F**k or p***y.

-josh

ntculenuff

there is a lot of really good music out there, unfortunetly the only thing we really get to hear is the crap that has a catchy cliche' hook and gets thrown on the radio and played so many times that you are forced to like it. just because it is on the radio and popular doesnt mean it is any good, some of the best artists out there dont get radio play, because they just dont have that top 40 appeal.
i listen to a lot of diff music about the only thing i dont listen to is country just dont get it (more crap thrown on the radio) read an article a few years back that said country music was the easiest industry to break into because you really dont need to be to talented to make it you can learn along the way you just need to twang your voice.
i listen to what peeps say is the best band as so on and it really depends on what you grew up on. i personly cant stand ac/dc, dont like led zepplin, not a big kiss fan, these are the bands i should like since that is what everyone in my school was listening to but i chose a diff route and explored mor underground stuff like ween, ministry, techno style music, hip hop. yet i was the weirdo becuase my music wasnt played on the radio so it couldnt be good.
any way if it makes you smile, takes you to your happy place, or releases stress or aggretion go with it.
sorry so long

Micah Cohen

Ah, I just got in and have been reading this thread and I have to say, this is a great great thread! There's tons of great info and sharing going on here! I wish I could get you ALL to write me expanded-mind reviews for the Polk newspaper -- because this proves to me at least that I'm missing the mark with my current reviews; stuff that old white hippies listen to. I wish there were a way to take more advantage of some of your knowledge of this stuff.

SABBATH still rules. But I'll get back to that in a bit... Gotta get some coffee.

MC

Eddie624

Micah have u watched that Ozzy show on MTV. Ozzy looks kinda bad he almost seems retarted at times. The show i watched he couldnt figure out how to operate is home theater setup with the satellite. He couldnt change channels. Anyway check it out if you havent seen it pretty much it is day to day life and his families. I never really got into sabbath too much. The one song from ozzy that i have always liked was Crazy Train. awesome song. My favorite band growing up was Van Halen just too bad they really went to crap when they got Sammy Hagar. I think if they had Dave still in the band they would still kick butt today.

wangotango68

eddie van halen needs to get off his **** and call dave. why do you think warner bros. droped them? warner wanted dave,but eddie (burr up his ****) van halen did not,so they droped them.
without david lee roth van halen is done.


scott :cool:

Micah Cohen

Ah, okay; two things first.

1. VAN HALEN doesn't need to do anything. He just needs to stop. Don't make any more music. Retire and don't even think about making any more music. Same goes for Dave. Just retire. Get out of any spotlight that may be near you. I am tired of these old guys making parodies of themselves and making me ashamed for liking them when they really meant something. Relax guys; enjoy your investments and don't make any more music. Thank you.

2. "The Osbournes" is the funniest effing show on TV now. I don't know... I am a HUGE Ozzy fan -- I have always loved Ozzy. He's the king of evil, and a very underrated songwriter and singer in his genre as well. (Part of the reason his SABBATH was so great was because he has a very pop songwriting sensability, and a song no matter what genre is crap if it is not well crafted; Ozzy could craft 'em.) So I can't decide whether or not MTV -- which is the worst possible thing ever -- is making fun of him, or just celebrating him. Anyway, I go with it, because he is one effing hilarious dude. He's totally effed up, completely messed up (he says, "35 years and 60 million decibels have done it") and totally screamingly hilarious! I love how he hates everyone and everything, and seeing him just waddling around in sweats, all fat and tattooed and wisecracking, is just wonderfully funny and great. Listen, if you did the stuff he's done, you'd be the same way. I wish I was him. I used to have a scan of a picture of me that made me look like him, and I was real proud of it. I love Ozzy. Ozzy **** Osbourne, man! He's great!

.... And maybe that's the thing that turns me off to death metal and the harder, more MORBID ANGEL stuff, which I'm surprised is turning up in this thread so much. It certainly isn't any satanic bent to it, because I think all that stuff's funny (cept Ozzy), but maybe it's because I can't get around the "lack of accepted musical direction." Which is not to say they are not musical or not good musicians at all. It's just that I like my music, or my rock, to be basic, bluesy, simple, relatively slow. The Ramones and Black Sabbath are key. (Of course, I love my share of pompous musicians, as well: Keith Emerson is a god.) Anything less than simple powerful straightforward is wimpy. Even when JPJones adds keyboards and strings to ZEPPELIN songs he veers dangerously into wimp-ville.

This need for simplicity extends into the lyrics as well. I don't like anything pompous or "fantastic." Dragons and devils and knights and crap like that are goofy. I've seen SLAYER & MAN-O-WAR (back in the day, heaven help me). They were silly. When Ozzy sings, simply, "My name is Lucifer, please take my hand..." Man that is simple and direct and backed by that horrifying evil riff and that's all I need to know he's not joking! No wimpy stuff there!

if it makes you smile, takes you to your happy place, or releases stress or aggretion go with it.

I agree. This is great thread. I'm just glad I like the good stuff!

MC