Anginator

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Sounds Like Chicken

I was just sitting here having a perfectly pleasant morning watching Duke lose to NC State (right up until Duke won by one - ugh, H8 Duke), and for some reason started thinking about pop music from my college and early post-college days.

I brainstormed a list of late 80s/early to mid-90s bands that I listened to a lot: Toad the Wet Sprocket, Gin Blossoms, Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, Hootie and the Blowfish, Better than Ezra, Spin Doctors, Crash Test Dummies.

So now it occurs to me, these are basically all the exact same band. I sort of have to remove Toad, because they are one of my favorite bands ever and it doesn't seem right to disparage them by lumping them in the with others... and Matchbox has had some staying power... but the others. Eeesh.

Don't get me wrong, I still like hearing some of the classic hits from these bands because like music always does, they take me back to specific memories that are primarily of the good variety. But we really aren't talking classics here. Sure, there are some arguments to be had: which is the better song - Hey Jealousy or Mr. Jones? Push or Name? Only Wanna Be with You or Two Princes?

Um, you could similarly argue which of the previous comparisons is the worst song. Or band. Seriously, in retrospect, did Crash Test Dummies have any redeeming artistic value?

Which brings me back to my original point -- most of these bands are essentially the same band. Thank goodness my music collection at the time also included Nirvana, Live, Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, REM, Pearl Jam, U2, the Indigo Girls, and Madonna. C'mon, you can't argue with Madonna.

So go search your itunes or do some web surfing and weigh in, what are your nominations for best and worst 90s bands?

3 Comments:

  • I reckon we're doing univeral college bands, and not some esoteric "look at how much I know about music" bands (like some obscure shit I was into like the Volbeats or Antenna).

    WORST BANDS
    Dave Matthews
    Bush
    Barenaked Ladies

    BEST
    Nirvana
    Foo Fighters
    Pearl Jam
    Sugar
    Uncle Tupelo (if they count as 80s, I'll go with Wilco and Sun Volt)

    By Blogger Rocco, At 10:37 PM  

  • can't really argue with either of your lists. though i'm not a hater of BNL as much as virtually every boy (now including you) i know is. LOVE the addition of Sugar.

    By Blogger Anginator, At 1:08 PM  

  • Ah, the 90's. Come to think of it, I went through lots of music listening transitions: from primiarily black music, to country music, to somewhat obscure male folk singers (Chris Smithers, anyone?), and then finally, in the late 90's, Moby etc. I listened to a little Counting Crows (awesome!) and Dave Matthews.

    By Blogger sakamaho, At 4:35 PM  

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