I love all of the Tool albums TBH. But when I listen to Tool, I actually strongly prefer their live shit off of youtube (as long as the sound quality is good). Their live performances sound way better than the studio recordings if you ask me.

Like for example




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The simplicity is part of the original allure imo. I've lost countless hours playing basic, simple Nirvana songs.

Come as you are, smells like teen spirit.....easy to learn and fun to play.
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I'm not a guitarist but I thought the whole allure of Nirvana and grunge in general was the whole "do it yourself" ethos. Sort of the second coming of punk.
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Like every other pop song out there. It's just not for me.
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She was hot AF.
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Well, I can't stand his music but Cobain's suicide ensured that he became a musical martyr which means he will be around forever.
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There's a distinction between passion demonstrated through technical proficiency and passion demonstrated through emotion, and either has the potential to move and inspire you, or leave you cold, depending on what you value.

A good deal of guitarsturbators leave me cold, even if I appreciate their skill.
And a good deal of sloppy garage bands inspire me with their exuberance.
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Yeah, there's a TON of unnecessary, ego driven bullshit that bogs down genres **cough metal cough**. I lean towards the metal/punk crossover stuff that strips out the one upping, insecure standing within the fanbase, bullshit that gets labeled as "technical" and just stays focused on the fury. Anyone that's been in a band knows it and that's how weird solo parts turn a good 3 minute song into a 4.5 minute mess that people skip to the next track before it ends and usually why the first 2 albums of a discography are the best.
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Frazod, what are some of your favorite bands?
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This is absolutely true. Technical proficiency can only take one so far. That's why I much prefer Vai to Malmsteen, for example.

Yep.

We part ways here. It's just impossible for me to enjoy music where they're literally beating on their instruments without any thought to musical construction. I just can't do it. I guess I'm a snob.
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As member of several metal communities, the elitism is absolutely present. But I will say this - it isn't confined to just metal. I see it the rap scene too. I think it has to do with "hardcore" genres where people are really invested in the artists. Not so much with pop or country.
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I think within punk and hardcore, which aren't focused on instrument mastery and technical skill that metal is (speed of drumming being the exception), the ego competition becomes more about who can keep it the "realist". That's why 90% of their songs are about "selling out" and "betrayed our friendship" because someone in the band actually got a real job and can't make practice at 1:00am on a Tuesday.
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Exactly. It's not always about musicianship. In fact, a lot of the times it's about things like you mention.

90% of the elitism I see in my main metalhead group is because I like metalcore. It's not about technical proficiency, it's that black and death metal guys think metalcore is for girls. :-)
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My musical likes and dislikes were solidified in the mid/late 70s. My favorites are the Eagles, Boston, Queen, Pink Floyd, Van Halen, AC/DC, Journey, Def Leppard, Fleetwood Mac, Cheap Trick, and other bands of that era. From the 80s, I picked up bands like Night Ranger, Poison, Cinderella and GNR.

I hate grunge. I hated it more than I hated disco.
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Not even, say The Ramones?

I mean, I'm not a Ramones superfan, but I appreciate what they did and why they did it, short powerful fast ditties in response to the meandering studiobound math major opuses of the late 70s.



Also, since people are ragging on Nirvana specifically, and Teen Spirit ultra-specifically, to my point I always thought that the star of that video was Dave Grohl's knees and elbows. His contortions wailing on the drums and the way the cinematographer framed it, is the essence of garage band passion, reminds you of Animal on drums in The Muppets.
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