What do you look for in a band?

[Etheon]

I'm a bit disappointed there. I mean, you prefer technical complexity? Seems a bit elitist to me, and just the kind of thing I hear from the students in contemporary music. You have to remember that a song relies, on the most part, on its lyrics. The background music, while it may be developed and technically complex, has little to do with one's musicianship.

Good music isn't about technique, complexity or anything else...A simple song can be quite touching. Ask Ennio Morricone. And anyway, you can't measure music, so how can you judge "this is good", "this is bad"? It's either you like or you dislike, but please, don't go around saying such and such group is good and the rest is crap. You can't discard an entire musical genre because it's usually associated with musical simplicity and claim you love music. That makes no sense.


As for what I look for in a band, nothing much. I either like it or I don't. The style usually has little to do with it. I must say I especially like political and epic stuff (from Frank Zappa to Genesis, Opeth to Into Eternity), but I'll listen to anything.

[Sovereign]

I look for a band that is the polar opposite of Dragonforce, simple as that.

[The Man]

Originally Posted by Etheon

I'm a bit disappointed there. I mean, you prefer technical complexity? Seems a bit elitist to me, and just the kind of thing I hear from the students in contemporary music. You have to remember that a song relies, on the most part, on its lyrics. The background music, while it may be developed and technically complex, has little to do with one's musicianship.

Good music isn't about technique, complexity or anything else...A simple song can be quite touching. Ask Ennio Morricone. And anyway, you can't measure music, so how can you judge "this is good", "this is bad"? It's either you like or you dislike, but please, don't go around saying such and such group is good and the rest is crap. You can't discard an entire musical genre because it's usually associated with musical simplicity and claim you love music. That makes no sense.

Meh, it's not like I can't enjoy stuff that's not complex if it's composed well enough. Morricone is great. But then, you probably weren't directing that at me, so never mind.

also, lol @ Dragonforce.

[Pickens]

Even though I don't have any strong musical preferences, I typically lean towards Classic rock bands. I'd have to say that my favorite band is Queen. Other than that, if I hear a song I like, I'll go with it no matter who the band is.

[Etheon]

Meh, Dragonforce is good "highway" music, especially when you've had that one-too-many beer :P

[The Man]

Agreed, but I find it absolutely impossible to take anything they do seriously. Then again, I get the feeling that you're not supposed to.

[Etheon]

I agree on that one.

[Shakan'Dar]

I will take a moment to rant slightly: When I say "this is crap" it is my opinion and not fact and what you should hear from that is "I dislike them". Similarly, when I say "this is good" you may disagree, and I'm not stating it as a fact, you should hear, or have it implied that "I like them" so maybe if we didn't take every single word to its literal extremities there would be a lot less of the whole "don't say that's gay, say it's not good" mentality. A genre of music does not have sexual reproduction organs and obviously can't have sex, so I don't mean that it is actually gay, but that I don't enjoy it.


Anyway, now that I've got that off my chest. Etheon, while your points are very valid, I classify "music" and "songs" differently, and while a song relies upon the lyrics more than the playing, music relies much more on the playing than the lyrics. Dream Theater manages to combine great lyrics with great instrumental sections, and I won't say, indeed I didn't say that technical complexity is the be all and end all of music. My opinions are less founded on listening and more on playing. It's much more interesting to play a jazz bass line than to sit there with a punk song and play the root note of the exact chord the guitar is doing, and that's it. I'm incredibly biased because I play bass, and am willing to admit it, but if a song's bass line is comprised of "root note, root note, root note, root note while he solos, root note" then it just doesn't appeal to me. I also immediately drop my opinion of a band if I see their bassist playing with a pick. Again, I am not stating fact, merely opinion, and I believe that the punk and pop genre should be able to deliver their style of music and still have great backing. The best example of what I'd enjoy music to be if it's pop-ish is Dream Theater's "These Walls"

[Larsa]

I unusually look for a tune, something that I will hear and know that I'll want to hear it again and be able to have it stuck in my head and actually appreciate it being stuck there.

[eXo]

Originally Posted by Sunshine

I don't look for anything, if I like what I hear I can call them a good band.

That's about where I stand.

I'm listening to a lot of different stuff lately, from Freezepop ( synthpop ) to Ben Folds ( amazing piano alternative stuff ) to Saul Williams ( spoken word poetry/hip-hop music ) to to Rufus Wainwright ( adult alternative kind of stuff. ) Basically, if it sounds good to me, I'll probably pick up on it. People who are stuck on genres are missing out on a lot of good music, no matter what they're stuck on ( except country; if you're stuck on country, you can definitely stay in your own realm. xD )

[FadedDreams]

yeah if the music is pretty kick ass then I'm fine with it. Breaking Benjamin and Linkin Park were both ones that I just immediately began loving when I first heard them. what can I say? I like awesome music :P well, not to a lot of people =/

[Iceman]

To me, a good band must kick ass. I want a band to bring lots of positive energy into a song, and make one to feel good singing it. The band should have an awesome guitarist and have really badass guitar riffs. Also they should have a decent beat to each of the songs. Ya know, this brings Van Halen to mind for some reason

[KMcPansy]

the passion

[ACrum]

i look4 something catchy,fast