USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Went to LaCrosse, WI about a month and a half ago coz my kid had a futures/prospects hockey showcase there. Anyway, wife and I earned our undergrads there, so decided to go out one of the nights and hit the old downtown haunts. Amazing how some of the places are EXACTLY the same more than 20 years later.

Went to my old favorite hangout (Shooters) last - around 10:30 - for a nightcap. They were just opening and as we walk in, the owner looks at me and says, "Been awhile. You used to come in here with Scott."

I hadn't set foot in that place in 20 years. To be fair I spent countless hours there and lots of money... but still. Made my night that he remembered me.

Anyway, we belly up to the bar and are warned that it gets "pretty crazy" in here. Sure... I remember. We'll be gone in an hour anyway.

Reason for this ramble in this thread?

The playlist. The owner - who's gotta be pushing 50 plays mostly alternative hits from the 90s. Apparently... every night. His very loyal customer base (mostly early 20-somethings) absolutely freaking eats it up.

I have never, EVER been in a bar that's having that much fun, or is that engaged in the music. The entire place was bouncing (literally - the floor was moving up and down) and singing along (loudly) to Blink-182, Fastball, Goo Goo Dolls, Cake, Fountains of Wayne, Rancid, Lit, Third Eye Blind, Sublime, Green Day, Toadies, Pavement, Tonic, Offspring, etc, etc, etc.

I have rarely been to concerts that are that engaged - or that fun. In fact, quite possibly never.

We stayed till bar time with **** eating grins on our faces and had an absolute blast. We just kept looking at each other as they went nuts for the next song and then the next... shaking our heads and smiling ear to ear and bouncing along with them.

The place was fun back in the day, but now it's way past what it was. Again... the energy in that place was something I can't wait to tap into again.

And it was completely about the playlist - played VERY loud. Never would have guessed that a substantial number of current college students would like that music enough to go to a bar that plays it exclusively. Not only that, but they go there to participate in that music with 60-70 other people who they probably don't even know. Seriously - they are INTO it - never seen anything like it.

I love music.

Made myself a facsimile of that list - about 100 alternative anthems from the 90s mostly - and have been enjoying the heck out of it today.


PS - The song that got the biggest reception of the night? Hanson... MMMBop. Place went ****ing ape-**** CRAZY for it and when in Rome... I got into it too. Oh yeah, and grabbed it for the playlist.

PPS - Couldn't go the next night as the wife was too hung over and asleep by 9:00. Sadly, she's no longer a professional - I am still active.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Went to LaCrosse, WI about a month and a half ago coz my kid had a futures/prospects hockey showcase there. Anyway, wife and I earned our undergrads there, so decided to go out one of the nights and hit the old downtown haunts. Amazing how some of the places are EXACTLY the same more than 20 years later.

Went to my old favorite hangout (Shooters) last - around 10:30 - for a nightcap. They were just opening and as we walk in, the owner looks at me and says, "Been awhile. You used to come in here with Scott."

I hadn't set foot in that place in 20 years. To be fair I spent countless hours there and lots of money... but still. Made my night that he remembered me.

Anyway, we belly up to the bar and are warned that it gets "pretty crazy" in here. Sure... I remember. We'll be gone in an hour anyway.

Reason for this ramble in this thread?

The playlist. The owner - who's gotta be pushing 50 plays mostly alternative hits from the 90s. Apparently... every night. His very loyal customer base (mostly early 20-somethings) absolutely freaking eats it up.

I have never, EVER been in a bar that's having that much fun, or is that engaged in the music. The entire place was bouncing (literally - the floor was moving up and down) and singing along (loudly) to Blink-182, Fastball, Goo Goo Dolls, Cake, Fountains of Wayne, Rancid, Lit, Third Eye Blind, Sublime, Green Day, Toadies, Pavement, Tonic, Offspring, etc, etc, etc.

I have rarely been to concerts that are that engaged - or that fun. In fact, quite possibly never.

We stayed till bar time with **** eating grins on our faces and had an absolute blast. We just kept looking at each other as they went nuts for the next song and then the next... shaking our heads and smiling ear to ear and bouncing along with them.

The place was fun back in the day, but now it's way past what it was. Again... the energy in that place was something I can't wait to tap into again.

And it was completely about the playlist - played VERY loud. Never would have guessed that a substantial number of current college students would like that music enough to go to a bar that plays it exclusively. Not only that, but they go there to participate in that music with 60-70 other people who they probably don't even know. Seriously - they are INTO it - never seen anything like it.

I love music.

Made myself a facsimile of that list - about 100 alternative anthems from the 90s mostly - and have been enjoying the heck out of it today.


PS - The song that got the biggest reception of the night? Hanson... MMMBop. Place went ****ing ape-**** CRAZY for it and when in Rome... I got into it too. Oh yeah, and grabbed it for the playlist.

PPS - Couldn't go the next night as the wife was too hung over and asleep by 9:00. Sadly, she's no longer a professional - I am still active.

Now that sounds like a place I could have some fun at. Even though I don't listen to that style music these days, I heard plenty of it growing up.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Went to LaCrosse, WI about a month and a half ago coz my kid had a futures/prospects hockey showcase there. Anyway, wife and I earned our undergrads there, so decided to go out one of the nights and hit the old downtown haunts. Amazing how some of the places are EXACTLY the same more than 20 years later.

Went to my old favorite hangout (Shooters) last - around 10:30 - for a nightcap. They were just opening and as we walk in, the owner looks at me and says, "Been awhile. You used to come in here with Scott."

I hadn't set foot in that place in 20 years. To be fair I spent countless hours there and lots of money... but still. Made my night that he remembered me.

Anyway, we belly up to the bar and are warned that it gets "pretty crazy" in here. Sure... I remember. We'll be gone in an hour anyway.

Reason for this ramble in this thread?

The playlist. The owner - who's gotta be pushing 50 plays mostly alternative hits from the 90s. Apparently... every night. His very loyal customer base (mostly early 20-somethings) absolutely freaking eats it up.

I have never, EVER been in a bar that's having that much fun, or is that engaged in the music. The entire place was bouncing (literally - the floor was moving up and down) and singing along (loudly) to Blink-182, Fastball, Goo Goo Dolls, Cake, Fountains of Wayne, Rancid, Lit, Third Eye Blind, Sublime, Green Day, Toadies, Pavement, Tonic, Offspring, etc, etc, etc.

I have rarely been to concerts that are that engaged - or that fun. In fact, quite possibly never.

We stayed till bar time with **** eating grins on our faces and had an absolute blast. We just kept looking at each other as they went nuts for the next song and then the next... shaking our heads and smiling ear to ear and bouncing along with them.

The place was fun back in the day, but now it's way past what it was. Again... the energy in that place was something I can't wait to tap into again.

And it was completely about the playlist - played VERY loud. Never would have guessed that a substantial number of current college students would like that music enough to go to a bar that plays it exclusively. Not only that, but they go there to participate in that music with 60-70 other people who they probably don't even know. Seriously - they are INTO it - never seen anything like it.

I love music.

Made myself a facsimile of that list - about 100 alternative anthems from the 90s mostly - and have been enjoying the heck out of it today.


PS - The song that got the biggest reception of the night? Hanson... MMMBop. Place went ****ing ape-**** CRAZY for it and when in Rome... I got into it too. Oh yeah, and grabbed it for the playlist.

PPS - Couldn't go the next night as the wife was too hung over and asleep by 9:00. Sadly, she's no longer a professional - I am still active.

Not surprising to me at all. The 90's are the cool thing among us young(ish) whippersnappers right now.

 

[wildcatdc]

Went to LaCrosse, WI about a month and a half ago coz my kid had a futures/prospects hockey showcase there. Anyway, wife and I earned our undergrads there, so decided to go out one of the nights and hit the old downtown haunts. Amazing how some of the places are EXACTLY the same more than 20 years later.

Went to my old favorite hangout (Shooters) last - around 10:30 - for a nightcap. They were just opening and as we walk in, the owner looks at me and says, "Been awhile. You used to come in here with Scott."

I hadn't set foot in that place in 20 years. To be fair I spent countless hours there and lots of money... but still. Made my night that he remembered me.

Anyway, we belly up to the bar and are warned that it gets "pretty crazy" in here. Sure... I remember. We'll be gone in an hour anyway.

Reason for this ramble in this thread?

The playlist. The owner - who's gotta be pushing 50 plays mostly alternative hits from the 90s. Apparently... every night. His very loyal customer base (mostly early 20-somethings) absolutely freaking eats it up.

I have never, EVER been in a bar that's having that much fun, or is that engaged in the music. The entire place was bouncing (literally - the floor was moving up and down) and singing along (loudly) to Blink-182, Fastball, Goo Goo Dolls, Cake, Fountains of Wayne, Rancid, Lit, Third Eye Blind, Sublime, Green Day, Toadies, Pavement, Tonic, Offspring, etc, etc, etc.

I have rarely been to concerts that are that engaged - or that fun. In fact, quite possibly never.

We stayed till bar time with **** eating grins on our faces and had an absolute blast. We just kept looking at each other as they went nuts for the next song and then the next... shaking our heads and smiling ear to ear and bouncing along with them.

The place was fun back in the day, but now it's way past what it was. Again... the energy in that place was something I can't wait to tap into again.

And it was completely about the playlist - played VERY loud. Never would have guessed that a substantial number of current college students would like that music enough to go to a bar that plays it exclusively. Not only that, but they go there to participate in that music with 60-70 other people who they probably don't even know. Seriously - they are INTO it - never seen anything like it.

I love music.

Made myself a facsimile of that list - about 100 alternative anthems from the 90s mostly - and have been enjoying the heck out of it today.


PS - The song that got the biggest reception of the night? Hanson... MMMBop. Place went ****ing ape-**** CRAZY for it and when in Rome... I got into it too. Oh yeah, and grabbed it for the playlist.

PPS - Couldn't go the next night as the wife was too hung over and asleep by 9:00. Sadly, she's no longer a professional - I am still active.

Would that now be considered "classic rock"??

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Now that sounds like a place I could have some fun at. Even though I don't listen to that style music these days, I heard plenty of it growing up.

Yeah, I don't listen to it much these days and some of it came after I was done with college, but the mood in the place was infectious and the songs are mostly upbeat, rockin' and catchy. I was aware of all the songs and had most of them already in my collection, but the boy listens to most of it more than I do these days.

Was fun. Would definitely recommend it to the right people - meaning people who would get into it and go with it.

They pour nice strong drinks too - the reason we went there back in the day along with the owner and the good (at the time - Jane's, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Husker, Replacements, etc.) jukebox. Had Bushmills now, which for a hole in the wall was a nice surprise.

Not surprising to me at all. The 90's are the cool thing among us young(ish) whippersnappers right now.

The 90s had some good alternative music, especially compared to the 2000s, which imo is very weak musically other than a few notables such as Interpol.

Would that now be considered "classic rock"??

Yes it probably would. It's a lot more fun than what was considered "classic rock" (the 70s) when I was in college though. Not as good in some ways, but certainly more fun in a party atmosphere.

Don't remember any bars all singing along to Sultans of Swing or Dancing Days or Have a Cigar.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

90s was the best decade for music since the 60s and still hasn't come close to being equalled since.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Just remembered another bar's CD jukebox at the time that was mostly 70s classic rock.

They had Pink Floyd - Animals in it and my buddy would always plug in his dollar, choose Pigs, Dogs & Sheep and some other song and get almost 45 minutes worth of music. Would be funny to start to hear people who didn't know the music ***** about the length of the songs - Dogs is like 18 minutes (?) long.

Was always a favorite Floyd album of mine, so I was happy to hear it.

 

[rufus]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

90s was the best decade for music since the 60s and still hasn't come close to being equalled since.

ummmmm................ no.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

ummmmm................ no.

It's certainly arguable.

You did this to me when I stated that Achtung Baby was U2's best album - which it is.

If you disagree, explain - on both counts.


The 90s was incredibly rich for music. Personally, I'd put the 80s above it and I wouldn't rank the 60s first by themselves although I believe the case could be made for 65-75 as the richest in rock history.

Putting the 90s above anything that's come since is a no-brainer imo though. The only caveat being that I believe we are a few years into another potential boom time. I like the direction that a lot of new artists are taking and think that the surf-roots genre is gonna keep getting bigger and better.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

ummmmm................ no.

It's certainly arguable.

You did this to me when I stated that Achtung Baby was U2's best album - which it is.

If you disagree, explain - on both counts.


The 90s was incredibly rich for music. Personally, I'd put the 80s above it and I wouldn't rank the 60s first by themselves although I believe the case could be made for 65-75 as the richest in rock history.

Putting the 90s above anything that's come since is a no-brainer imo though. The only caveat being that I believe we are a few years into another potential boom time. I like the direction that a lot of new artists are taking and think that the surf-roots genre is gonna keep getting bigger and better.

Yeah, I mean you have disco and 80s pop between the two eras and since then it's been a lot of garbage pop. Top 40 back in the 60s and 90s was actually good music. I mean, KDWB (our local top 40 station) used to play things like Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Beck, etc. in the 90s. Since then? Turrbl.

In the late, late 80s we saw the birth of rap as a mainstream genre. BUt I think it really came into its own in the early 90s.

Edit: And I say 60s but I really mean the same decade you mention, 65-75. Early 60s was the birth of rock and between 65 and 75 it became THE genre. Tons of influence and creativity that hasn't been touched since.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

The late 80s to early 90s saw the rise of REM, The Cure, U2, Depeche Mode, Soul Asylum, The Smiths, Smashing Pumpkins, RHCP, Jane's Addiction, The Pixies, Paul Jam, Soundgarden, etc. But that rise has its roots in the 80's and imho made it all possible. Not disputing any previous opinion but rather offering perspective.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

To be clear, I'm not trying to pick a fight about music... I just think this thread can be more than a what I'm listening to at the moment thread. I like to discuss it as I often learn more than I did previously and find new bands to check out.

I don't like to criticize (publicly) other people's choice/preference in music as I understand that everyone is getting to a similar place through whatever music they like. I don't want to argue about that.

I was semi-joking about the Achtung Baby quip, but I wouldn't mind hearing what Rufus's take on their best would be - since he definitively shot my take down. The case can certainly be made for War or the Joshua Tree or... ?

Also, what decades/eras are the best and why. I mean, if you're gonna say "Ummmm... no," then explain.


I may not end up agreeing, but that's okay... we don't need to agree. It's not personal. I know what I like and if it's not someone else's bag, no worries here.

Heck, I'm a big Phish fan - I don't think anyone else here has ever mentioned them in a positive light... which is fine by me. I understand that they aren't for everyone.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

The late 80s to early 90s saw the rise of REM, The Cure, U2, Depeche Mode, Soul Asylum, The Smiths, Smashing Pumpkins, RHCP, Jane's Addiction, The Pixies, Paul Jam, Soundgarden, etc. But that rise has its roots in the 80's and imho made it all possible. Not disputing any previous opinion but rather offering perspective.

I'd even go back to the early 80s as the post-punk movement really started there for almost all of those bands.

You really can't discount how huge MTV was also.


EDIT: I guess you were saying that.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

You can't discount the 80s simply because there was some bad music.

There was plenty of bad music in the 70s too - anyone remember "light" rock? I do.

There was also plenty of questionable stuff in the 90s - Hammer, C&C Music, etc...


PS - Fashion in the 80s though deserves to be mocked. Can't believe I lived through that. And to think at the time, we looked back at bell-bottoms and pointed and laughed.

 

[rufus]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Well, you can probably say this same about the 80's, which I think was the best decade, but to me, the 90's seemed to be a lot of one-hit wonders sandwiched in around a few bands that actually were able to carve out fairly successful long term careers, Pearl Jam probably being the most prominent.

And the music itself was often a bland mish-mash, everything sounds the same sort of post-grunge sludge-fest. Again, you can say, as I say about the 80's, you have to dis-regard a lot of the popular stuff you heard on the radio, and look a little deeper. But by the 90's, "alternative radio" was the new mainstream, just as Katy Perry/Rhianna fluff-pop is the new mainstream today. A lot of the really great stuff from the 80's, you didn't really hear on the radio, except for the few and far between great stations who were playing the new stuff, stations like WTOS in Skowhegan, Maine(?!!!), or WFNX in Boston, KROQ in LA. Most was relegated to the small college stations. By the nineties, every market had their major "alternative" station, and all played pretty much the same artists and songs. And usually, there'd be bands coming out with a new song, it would get pushed heavily, their second single might have gotten a little play, but usually it was the one song, played to death, and then that was the last you ever heard of them, on to the next big thing. Now maybe I'm just limited in what I heard, but what were the major 90's bands that had a huge impact in the music world but barely got played on mainstream radio? From the 80's I can name dozens. And like I said, by the 90's, "alternative radio" was the mainstream.

I mean, anyone one of the "children of the 90's" here can probably name off the great songs or bands of that decade, and chances are, I've heard them. And yeah, I've got an advantage over them when you run off songs and bands from the 80's cause I'm an old fart, but there's so much great stuff that flew under the radar back then. I mean, c'mon, who knows a Shriekback song? Anyone ever heard of Bill Nelson? Blue in Heaven? The Feelies?

Maybe I'm just a cranky old man.

 

[rufus]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

The late 80s to early 90s saw the rise of REM, The Cure, U2, Depeche Mode, Soul Asylum, The Smiths

Really, all early 80's

Smashing Pumpkins, RHCP, Jane's Addiction, The Pixies, Paul Jam, Soundgarden

And those middle 3 are basically 80's bands who came to prominence in the 90's when alternative went mainstream.

Edit: But I guess that's what you were saying anyway. A lot of people sem to not know that REM and U2 released their first records in like 1980, 81, The Smiths in '84, etc. and a lot of us were fans from the get-go. But then I think of The Clash as an 80's band and they released their first record in 1977.

 

[rufus]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Top 40 back in the 60s and 90s was actually good music.

As with any decade, some was, some wasn't. Remember Bobby Goldsboro or Paul Anka and Engelbert Humperdinck? Creed, Seven Mary Three, Boyz II Men and Celine Dion?

I think there's always a tendency, and most prominent among those who never really lived through the time period in question, to dismiss all the crap that existed, and just think about the good stuff. There was a ton of dreadful music released in the 60's as well.

Stuff like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGF5ROpjRAU

 

[busterman62]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Just remembered another bar's CD jukebox at the time that was mostly 70s classic rock.

They had Pink Floyd - Animals in it and my buddy would always plug in his dollar, choose Pigs, Dogs & Sheep and some other song and get almost 45 minutes worth of music. Would be funny to start to hear people who didn't know the music ***** about the length of the songs - Dogs is like 18 minutes (?) long.

Was always a favorite Floyd album of mine, so I was happy to hear it.

Hi, my name is busterman62 and I'm a jukebox ASSSSSSSSSHOLE.

Nothing is more fun than dropping several bucks in the jukebox and playing obscure album tracks that nobody knows. Even better is picking tunes that are polar opposites. Clash followed by Tony Bennett followed by Hank Williams followed Pink Floyd followed by Buddy Holly followed by Dropkick Murphys followed by Happy Birthday followed by.... ad nauseam.

I usually drink long necks for safety purposes.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Just remembered another bar's CD jukebox at the time that was mostly 70s classic rock.

They had Pink Floyd - Animals in it and my buddy would always plug in his dollar, choose Pigs, Dogs & Sheep and some other song and get almost 45 minutes worth of music. Would be funny to start to hear people who didn't know the music ***** about the length of the songs - Dogs is like 18 minutes (?) long.

Was always a favorite Floyd album of mine, so I was happy to hear it.

We were at a bar, and a buddy wanted to pull $40 out of an ATM. The only problem with his plan is that MP3 jukeboxes tha accept plastic had recently hit the scene, and he mistook one for an ATM. We had a lot of songs to pick that night.

This is what happens when you drink and ATM - you end up with a lot of music.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 2: Rock On, Amigo.

Hi, my name is busterman62 and I'm a jukebox ASSSSSSSSSHOLE.

Nothing is more fun than dropping several bucks in the jukebox and playing obscure album tracks that nobody knows. Even better is picking tunes that are polar opposites. Clash followed by Tony Bennett followed by Hank Williams followed Pink Floyd followed by Buddy Holly followed by Dropkick Murphys followed by Happy Birthday followed by.... ad nauseam.

I usually drink long necks for safety purposes.

A friend of a friend from a few years back was either a big Neil Diamond fan or a bar troll and he would play most of the Best Of 2 disc set every GD time we went to a certain local bar.

It was funny the first time...