I'm too much of Prog Rock (Rush, Yes, Kansas, Genesis, Pink Floyd, etc) Fan to choose the 60s.
If I could listen to only one decade of pop music it would be the 60's. That could be a mistake, but I'd choose the 60's without hesitation. Compared to the 50's, the 60's was a revolution in development. The 60's created a new world. The other decades were merely minor evolution in comparison, with a lot of relative crap thrown in to boot.
Can I split decades? If so then 66 to 75.
Note: I was released in 66 so this isn't a I love the music of my teens post.
As of about a month ago I've been doing a head-long dive into Rush, bought about 15 (almost all) of their albums from the 1st 20 years. Those other bands you mention, I'm not much into even Pink Floyd. I really like some of their tracks, but have never bought any of their albums. In fact, prior to about a month ago I'd never bought music from any of those bands you mention. I like plenty of 70's music and ensuing decades. I've been a college radio DJ constantly since 1980, I sure don't specialize in the 60's! But I think it was the most dynamic single decade for popular music, hands down. Edit: But prior to the Beatles, not really!I'm too much of Prog Rock (Rush, Yes, Kansas, Genesis, Pink Floyd, etc) Fan to choose the 60s.
As of about a month ago I've been doing a head-long dive into Rush, bought about 15 (almost all) of their albums from the 1st 20 years. Those other bands you mention, I'm not much into even Pink Floyd. I really like some of their tracks, but have never bought any of their albums. In fact, prior to about a month ago I'd never bought music from any of those bands you mention. I like plenty of 70's music and ensuing decades. I've been a college radio DJ constantly since 1980, I sure don't specialize in the 60's! But I think it was the most dynamic single decade for popular music, hands down. Edit: But prior to the Beatles, not really!
Well, I'm getting into Rush, and I have no problem with Geddy's voice. It takes a while to go from having basically no familiarity to getting deeply into their 1st 20 years! I started by buying a bunch of their CDs (7, IIRC) including Retrospective I, all used off Ebay in one purchase. Then I quickly picked off other Ebay Rush offers. I joined r/Rush right away and posted and got a whole bunch of ideas from Rush fans, which seeded my enthusiasm and propelled me to get the other albums I got. One guy said it would take me a couple decades to fully appreciate it all.I lot of normal rock fans aren't into Prog Rock, so skipping all the bands I mentioned isn't a big surprise. I am surprised you got that much into Rush. Geddy's Voice tends to turn off a lot of people. I'm a huge fan of Rush up until about Signals, then after that it's a song here or there.
I find a lot of cross-genre music especially interesting. Also music where the boundaries kind of disappear. For instance a lot of Avant Gard jazz and modern classical is to me pretty indistinguishable.There was also a lot of cross collaboration in the 60s. Jazz guys played with rock guys, played with folk guys, played with Indian guys... It was all more interesting and varied.
. She suggested reassessing Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows. So, I'm relaying that for you since you evidently aren't all that into them!
I now have all these on CD:
Retrospective 1974-1980
Rush (debut) 1974
Fly By Night 1975
Caress of Steel 1975
2112 1976
A Farewell to Kings 1977
Hemispheres 1978
Permanent Waves 1980
Moving Pictures 1981
Signals 1982
Grace Under Pressure 1984
Power Windows 1985
Presto 1989
Roll The Bones 1991
Counterparts 1993
I haven't got past 2112 yet.
I will try to approach Rush albums with an open mind. As a DJ I have filters and just push away a lot of music without giving it a chance. I do this partly because I have a huge amount of music that I don't have problems with that I can play on my shows. I'm off in a few minutes to do my afternoon show on KALX, Berkeley 3-6PM. For once, I'm doing a black history month special, at least in large part, likely to spill over to next week, etc.Not into later albums, doesn't mean unfamiliar or not owning them. Rush one of my favorite bands of all time, so quite familiar with everything they have done. I've read a couple of Neil's books, watched the documentaries, etc...
For Rush, I prefer the 1975-1980 period that was more Prog Rock guitar dominated phase, with more mystical lyrics and long complicated songs.
I also love Moving Pictures and Signals. These are probably the biggest, most mainstream Rush Albums, and it captures the transition to a more synth heavy phase.
Grace Under Pressure, and especially Power Windows is when I started fining them less interesting with only one or two songs connecting on each album. Synths now seem to dominate guitar, songs are shorter, less prog, and lyrics are more mundane. It's Mainly only Red Sector A and Mystic Rhythms that connect for me from these two.
For someone new to Rush, I'd kind recommend the Three Albums starting with Permanent Waves. This is kind of the end, and perhaps the most refined, and accessible Prog album. If you really like the longer more intricate prog songs then explore the back catalog. Moving Pictures is the intersection between new and old Rush. This is often marked as the best Rush Album. I think overall because fans of Old Rush and New Rush both like this one. Signals is perhaps the real beginning of Synth Heavy, Mundane topic Rush songs, but for whatever reason this one works for me, and I love it. While the next three just get less and less palatable for me. Together this Trio is the big shift and IMO are all among the best Rush Albums.
It always fascinated me how he managed to pull off playing bass and synth at basically the same time.I will try to approach Rush albums with an open mind. As a DJ I have filters and just push away a lot of music without giving it a chance. I do this partly because I have a huge amount of music that I don't have problems with that I can play on my shows. I'm off in a few minutes to do my afternoon show on KALX, Berkeley 3-6PM. For once, I'm doing a black history month special, at least in large part, likely to spill over to next week, etc.
Yes, I heard about the move to synth that Rush did, I think in large part due to Geddy. That could turn me off, but I'll try to not let it. He's obviously quite a fine bass player, it's not like he couldn't have just stuck with bass.
Neil Peart's lyrics already strike me as mundane a lot at times but there too I have the thought that I should accept them and not get turned off. A theme like "I'm going bald!" There's plenty in their work I could probably think I should reject, but I want to give them a pass. That girl I told you about told me there isn't a Rush song she dislikes.
Disco is greatness. Stayin' Alive. I Will Surivive.I answered the '70s but really meant 1967-76.
And no disco was NOT okay. It was an abomination which led directly to the nearly equal abomination of big hat "country."
LOL, you provide two examples of disco as though it negates the huge swarms of terrible disco.Disco is greatness. Stayin' Alive. I Will Surivive.
Country is perfectly fine.
Country should've tried making inroads in China. My mom absolutely loved country.
Alan Jackson is the best in terms of energy and catchiness.