One thing I really really hate...

First off, I should get my positioning statement out there. I really love The Church. I own multiple copies of everything they have ever recorded. I own multiple copies of all of their solo projects. I listen to them all the time. They are very near and dear to my heart.

Now, I don't listen to The Church, etc. 100% of the time - but it's probably close to 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time is stuff recommended on mailing lists, message boards, etc.

Unfortunately, people I know also recommend music to me. I appreciate their efforts, but I really don't think they grasp how high my standards are because of how high The Church has set the bar.

Now - I think the thing that pisses me off the most is when somebody says a band "sounds like" somebody. Come on. If a band is worth a shit they don't sound like anybody else.

Check out The Church's myspace page. It's brilliant. Under influences they say "we believe we influence others". Under sounds like they say "we sound incredibly like ourselves".

When somebody comes up and hands me a CD and says "it sound like Joy Division meets The Cure" or some crap like that I instantly realize it probably sucks. Now - don't get me wrong - I LOVE music. I can't imagine life without music. But so much of the crap out there is so unoriginal it's amazing.

Just hand me a CD and tell me it's good - maybe I'll like it.

The other thing (I guess I should have entitled this blog 1.5 things I really hate) is classification. Come on - music is music! What the fuck do I care if you say something is slo-core or emo or whatever the fuck you say it is. It's freakin' music! I love iTunes - but the genre thing really pisses me off. Rock, alternative, alternative/punk, pop - who gives a shit. It's MUSIC!

Oh well - off to another evening of music. It's getting warmer. Almost time to turn on the air conditioner for the summer - which will be the subject of a later rant...