bjaiken

I am excited about the new Strokes album, but I can't help but get disappointed when I think about them. It just seems like they've lost so much steam over the years when they started out with so much potential. I really hope this next album is great.

This was a heck of a bump. I absolutely love the Police. Sychronicity and Zenyatta Mondatta are two of my favorite albums. I am a huge fan of Stewart Copeland's drumming. His style is so uniquely his own.

^ Really? See, I don't even consider that a hiatus. It appears it's all semantics anyhow.

How long do we anticipate this hiatus being? I mean, what's really the difference between their announced hiatus and a band taking time off before they write their next album? Most bands do take off some time between albums, so I'm wondering if this means an extended break.

My opinion is that the Foo Fighters are too hit and miss to really recommend many albums. The only album I enjoy all the way through is The Colour and The Shape. Other than that album, I find all the rest to be spotty. I would recommend the live acoustic album they put out a few years back. That was pretty darn good. The song "Razor" makes it on pretty much every playlist I've ever made.

^ you are right. I can only speak from a US perspective. While we are talking about Goo Goo Dolls, I just wanted to say that Name might be my favorite song of all time. It has the authenticity and alternative qualities of their early music and the sense of melody and hooks for which they would later be known. Great lyrics and vocals, too.

+1

I don't know about that. Name and Slide were massive successes, and they reached number 1 on multiple charts. Also, the band has scored more top 10 singles on the adult top 40 charts than any other band in the formats history. Iris was easily the biggest song of 1998, so duplicating its success is virtually impossible. Granted, the Goo Goo Doll's music is not the most innovative, but they have put out some really good pop tunes over the years and, in my opinion, some of their best work comes from earlier in their career. Early Goo Goo Dolls is very alternative sounding. However, they found a niche in mainstream pop rock and never looked back. Whether that was a mistake or not is very debatable. Usually the debate is driven by whether you prefer alternative rock or pop rock.

I hope Arcade Fire win the Grammy for Album of the Year. I'm not a fan of the Grammies, but I would like to see some level of decency restored to that award show.

I'm always surprised the Goo Goo Dolls thread doesn't get more traffic on this board. Different generation, but their music should appeal to the Coldplay audience.

For one reason or another, I never bought Rated R. However, I do like Songs for the Deaf.

^ Very nice. Goo Goo Dolls write some of the best pop-rock songs. I think 10-20 years from now Johnny Rzeznik will get the credit he deserves.

^ Brilliant! Sad thing is that it's probably not far from the truth.

^ That's why I like the hot girl with the leather glove. It's far less complicated.

The second one. Enough said.

Punk music is all about attitude. Look at Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols. He could barely play his instrument, however, he had the look, attidude, and lifestyle associated with punk music. For that, he's a punk icon. Hell, he didn't even play bass on the Sex Pistols only studio LP.

Yes, Social D has an album coming out any time. Their last album, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, and Self Titled are all fantastic. They are gritty yet accessible. It's hard to identify artist as specifically punk, as there are elements in most modern rock. Alternative Rock was a progression from Punk Rock. And are Pop-punk artists like Green Day considered punk? I say yes, but many people say no. Check out "Story of My Life" and "Ball and Chain" by Social D. They are good starting points in terms of individual songs.

I've been listening to Riceboy Sleeps recently. It's so peaceful.

Check out Social Distortion.

I love the Sex Pistols. Of course Johnny Rotten acts like an asshole. His name is Johnny Rotten! I think he does a lot of it because he craves attention and likes to be sensational. It's no different than being a class clown. Anyone who traffics in shock value will say things to get a rise out of people. It's what they do, but not necessarily who they are or what they believe. I've met Johnny Rotten on more than one occassion. He was very nice, gracious, and engaging. Like I said, he always likes to act like a comedian, so he was throwing out comments in a small group designed to get a reaction. He seems to feed on that type of attention. However, I find him to be a very observant and witty guy. Not only that, he was at the forefront of two musical shifts - both with the Sex Pistols and PiL. Definetly one of the most important artists is music history, and I almost instantly identify him as the embodiment of punk music.

I don't like all punk, but I am a huge fan of certain punk artists. So many other bands that I love grew out of or were directly influenced by punk.

I can't wait to listen to/watch the DVD. I hold the unflattering distinction of being closest to the show that night without actually being inside. The tickets were going for a minimum of $500 a pop. Looking back, I kind of wish I would have ponied up the cash. It was a rare opportunity and the money went to a good cause. Oh well, water under the bridge. At least I can watch the show now. I did get to listen to the entire show from the outside, which was better than nothing.

^ MTV unplugged use to showcase unbelievable talent. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots all knocked it out of the park. I'm sure I'm missing a few, but I'm thinking of similar artists. Edit: I might even have to say that the Alice in Chains' Unplugged is my favorite of all time. Listen to Nutshell or Down in a Hole. Those songs are heavy, heavy, heavy. Layne, like Kurt, was near the end of his life at that point. AIC is a flipping fantastic band. 90s alt music was just awesome. Probably my all time favorite genre.

^ I miss early PJ when they were so full of piss and vinegar. And I am excited about the re-issues. I always buy them for some reason, even when they turn out to be a disappointment (cough, cough U2). If I recall correctly (since I haven't listened to it in awhile), the Ten re-issue did have a noticeable improvement in sound quality.

I definitely fall under "It doesn't matter, listen to what you want to listen to." I do not like musical elitists at all. In fact, they drive me crazy acting like there is some empirical or objective evidence that the music they listen to is the best. Even worse is when they talk down to people who don't like exactly what they're listening to. Music is personal; you should listen to what you enjoy.