Alex Peak
Music
I like a lot of music.
A lot.
Genres
Various genres I enjoy listening to include punk, grunge, metal, ska, thrash, oldies, gothic, jazz, new wave, industrial, blues, reggae, bluegrass, and classical, just to name a few. I also like some country, some rap, some classic rock, some emo, and even some pop. In fact, let’s throw Gregorian chant and early colonial American folk in there as well.
Of course,
there are numerous subgenres as well that I could list as well, such as doom metal or horror punk; but to make this a less arduous task, it will suffice to say that I am a fan of a variety of sounds, and therefore the over-sub-classification of music is unnecessary here. Further, since a love for certain artists of a certain genre does not necessarily indicate the love of other bands or artists from the same genre, it seems to me that genres are most useful only as a general yardstick of where an artist falls, rather that a guide by which to judge musical artists in general. It therefore pays, it seems, to take a look at the band or artist in question rather than passing judgment prematurely.Bands and Musical Artists
I
f I were to list all the bands I enjoy, it would likely end up shutting down the internet. This is not worth my time and effort. So, instead, I’ll just name a few bands to give you a “taste” of what I enjoy.
Ever since seeing High Fidelity, the idea of having a list of one’s five favourite bands has appealed to me. However, forming such a list is more difficult than it sounds. For some time, I’ve considered Nirvana to be my favourite band. I realise, of course, this is the most stereotypical answer I can provide, but if I said anything else, I’d probably be lying.
It was only recently that I finally came to a decision as to what my second and third favourite bands are. This is due to the high volume of bands that I so greatly adore. Number three is the Violent Femmes, whose self-titled debut album I consider to be the greatest album of the ’80s. Upon listening to that album, I immediately became addicted to their folk punk sound. Number two on my list is Tool, the progressive metal band that never fails to paint wonderfully dark and moving portraits with their craft. The difficulty with these two bands was figuring out which one to go second and which to go third, and I must admit I still wonder if I’ve made the right choice.
As I said earlier, creating a list of one’s five favourite bands is harder than it sounds. We can see why when we look at my number four and number five spots, both of which remain thus far empty. I have a myriad of bands vying for these spots on my list, including Cell, The Doors, Marcy Playground, Bad Religion, Black Sabbath, The Soundtrack of our Lives, and Offspring. I ask you: How can I truly render an opinion which eliminates most of these bands?
Perhaps the solution is it make a list of my hundred favourite bands. But, of course, there are thousands of other musical artists I love, and I would surely run into the same problems. Would Bauhaus make the cut? Would Arch Enemy, or Johnny Cash? How about Ludwig von Beethoven? The Beatles? The Ramones? The Strokes? Slayer? Marilyn Manson? The Cure? Bright Eyes? Muddy Waters? Black Flag? Miles Davis? System of a Down? Soundgarden? The Buzzcocks? Suicidal Tendencies? The Misfits? Motörhead? John Coltrane?
Clearly, difficulties arise in the judgment of certain bands and artists against one another.
Songs
After much consideration, I believe I’ve come to a conclusion at to what my favourite song must be. Indeed and without doubt, it is the Toys “Я” Us theme song.
Instruments
Some may say that I can play guitar. That, of course, depends upon your definition of “play.” I took one “lesson” some years ago, which amounted basically to a friend-of-my-roommate teaching me parts from a couple of songs. Following that, I took another “lesson from a friend of mine, who taught me, again, parts of a couple of songs. Outside of those two “lessons,” everything I know about this wonderful instrument I’ve taught myself, which likely explains why I’m somewhat reluctant to label my action “playing the guitar.”
Still, it’s a quite-enjoyable activity, and I recommend it to everyone. I’m happy to say I’ve come up with a few songs that, whether others like them or not, bring me joy.
Related Materials
Directed 2003
