Old Fart Music

Okay, so I'm an old fart. I'll admit it. In fact, I'm proud and a little surprised that I've survived this long.

Anyway, I thought I'd post a few names of bands and albums that I grew up with and that I really like. I think these groups are amazing, and they've been a big influence on modern bands.

Led Zeppelin - "Houses of the Holy" and "Zoso." If you're into rock at all, you know Zeppelin. 'nuff said.

Yes - "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge." Yes is what's known as "Progressive Rock" and they specialize in complicated songs with interesting themes and lots of changes and strange time signatures. I find their music to be great "brain music" in that it gets me inspired and helps me think, but if you don't like long songs or music you can't dance to, then Yes isn't for you.

Rush - "Signals" and "Moving Pictures." Another progressive rock group, Rush has a heavier, "crunchier" sound than Yes. These two albums feature classic songs like "Tom Sawyer," "Subdivisions," and "Tom Sawyer" and I think this is Rush at their best (although their new album "Snakes and Arrows" is pretty good).

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - "Trilogy" and "Brain Salad Surgery" and "Welcome Back My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends." ELP is by FAR my favorite prog rock group. Keith Emerson (the keyboard player) is AMAZING. Even if you don't like this style of music, you'll have to admit that this guy has some serious chops. He was also the first musician to tour with a Moog synthesier (a VERY big deal with a huge and somewhat quirky electronic beast back in 1971). Keith basically made it cool to be a keyboard player in a rock band. Carl Palmer is also one of the best drummers in the world and is nothing short of incredible. Anyway, you can see lots of ELP clips on YouTube, but if you can listen to the "Welcome Back My Friends" album, that is a live album is the best example of ELP at their peak.

Okay, I'll shut up now

Tim Servo

The radio station at my work, when we tune it to the classic rock station, plays a led zeplin about ever other song. It's ridiculous. That coupled with all the songs in between zeplin totally sucking is making me rather dislike Zeplin. I really like their stuff but I'm hearing far too much of it.

I havent heard alot of zeppelin, but the 12 or so tracks i have all amaze me everytime in how good everyone is at their instrument/singing. i love hearing Page "shred", i mean the crazy solo's hes playing cramming as much notes as he can into a small amount of time cause they're just great! they just have a hugely different feel than the shredding of today. I also like how you can tell most of their guitar work is actually based on proper scales.

Same goes for Rush, Geddy's got a cool voice and everyone is amazing at their instruments. I'll have to find snakes an arrows and give it a listen.

Stew, tell your boss to change the station for the sake of you liking good music.

Try this for a listen to the best song off of Snakes & Arrows:
http://popup.lala.com/popup/360569449464170040

The first time you hit it, it should give you a full-length preview (after that, it only gives you a 30-second play). There's also a bunch of YouTube stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQL6S8Q2RTk
(this one features a South Park cartoon they use for the intro to Tom Sawyer).

And yeah, too much of a good thing (even Zep) can ruin it for you. Especially if they play the same five or six songs over and over.

And here's an Albino Smiley... for some bizarre reason...

the bunny is freaking me out a little bit.
On a different note, Rush is releasing a new album and going on tour again soon. Am I correct?

Yes, you am correct! Apparently, Rush is working on a new studio album, and will soon go out on the "Time Machine" tour where they play some new stuff and all of the "Moving Pictures" album (their most popular album).

I will call it the "Tim Machine" tour, and pretend that they've called me in at the last minute to play drums for them (Neil Peart got a nasty hangnail). I live an exciting and full fanatasy life.