Bands or musicians that you like that everybody else seems to hate

Actually, I will listen to anything Natalie Merchant sings. Great voice. Same with Tift Merritt. Of course, nobody knows of Tift Merritt.

 

I think it was John Maurer.

 

Whatever you think of Boston, Tom Scholz was more punk than Johnny Rotten. Boston's first album was a total DIY project Scholz recorded in his basement, and got sued later for not sufficiently being his record company's monkey. Meanwhile, the Sex Pistols (whose music does have redeeming value) were as contrived as any boy band, had its one album as overdubbed and sweetened as any corporate rock -- and now John Lydon is doing butter commercials.

 

Absolutely agree that Scholz did it on his own. The production quality at the time was outstanding. The whole 'bar band' thing was a myth.

The Sex Pistols were a manufactured product. Doesn't mean there wasn't value to some.

 

For me, its less a band I like that's disliked, but more albums that are disliked by liked bands. Stuff like David Bowie's Berlin period albums, the Stones' mid 70s albums, etc.

It's also uncool to love bands that are iconic. Plenty of people rip those who are Stones fan, for example. Led Zeppelin and Who fans get abuse in the same manner.

Stupid shit like, "John Bonham couldn't hold XXXXX jock as a drummer."

Much of it comes from ardent fans of well-known, but less iconic bands who betray a massive inferiority complex.

Scholz was also the paragon of pretentious studio perfection until Axl Rose took the mantle for all times. And for what? Rock 'n Roll Band? Lord I hate Boston.

 

I would listen to Thorogood before Seagulls or ELO, who you also like. Not a shot at you, just different tastes.

 

Bubbler, I like Boston's debut, but the rest of the catalog is more proof of my theory that a band with a geographic location in the name is a tipoff for bad music.

Also, never eat in a restaurant featuring the name of a geographic location that is not the one in which the restuarant is actually located.

 

The intro to "The House That Jack Built" on Load is badass too. Just builds slow, hits and has a great opening hook. The rest of the song is so-so, but that first minute or so rocks. If I ever become a fighter on the puny white guy with no skills circuit, that's my entrance music.

The mixed feelings on Metallica also got me thinking. At some point, did it become cool to just say "Everything before the Black Album is awesome, everything after sucks"?
Seems like everyone's in one of the two camps, so there's got to be some who just think it's fashionable to say that, right?

 

I have all of her albums with 10,000 Maniacs. And, yes, I'm a dude. "Our Time in Eden" is one of my desert island albums. It's a fucking masterpiece and I will cut anyone who says differently.
Her solo work, though, is a different creature. Way too chicky for my tastes. A few good songs here and there, but if you don't have a vagina you kind of feel like you're missing something.

 

Neil Diamond
and
Hootie and the Blowfish

 

I remember reading somewhere that Scholtz did not want to name the band "Boston" because he didn't want it to copycat Chicago and Kansas.
But after discussions with all the key players, he relented.

And, you're reasoning is total bullshit. Anything named after a geographic location is a tipoff for bad music.
How about "Anybody using the name Bob Cook is an idiot."

 

That geographic thing is a pretty bad example. Just from SoCalDudes example: Chicago and Kansas have both sold millions of albums over the years, and attracted some pretty loyal fan bases in the process. Argue if you want the artistic merit of their work ... but in Chicago's case especially, record sales alone would tend to argue against the "bad music" label. They don't sell out arenas any more... but they still attract a loyal fan base every summer.

Under that "geographic name" theory, you'd also be discounting these:

The Presidents of the United States of America
America
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes

Like most generalizations...bad idea.