Can you convert me?

[Paulie_Walnuts]

I was listening to The Flying Burrito Brothers last night and one of the songs struck me as sounding very like The Rolling Stones. This obviously ties in with Gram Parsons' influence on the Stones at a certain point. I liked the Burrito's song that I was listening to and it prompted me to ask myself why I don't really like The Rolling Stones.

Saying that I don't like The Rolling Stones music to some may be sacrilege, but I'll up the ante here and say that I don't really like The Beatles or Bob Dylan either. Now before anyone attacks me I'll say that I haven't listened to lots of their music. My approach is that if a band hooks me in the first few times I hear them then I'll investigate further. The Stones, Beatles or Dylan never hooked me in early.

As a result, I can't offer a critique as to the merits of an individual album as I haven't listened to an entire one from any of the mentioned artists. However, I have heard plenty of their songs......the usual suspects, or what might be classed as their "greatest hits."

My question is whether anyone on here can offer me up some songs that I might not have heard before that might change my opinion? I do consider myself to be open-minded and open to conversion. I do remember once hearing a song by Bob Dylan on a late night programme on BBC London that I thought was really good and nothing like any Bob Dylan I'd heard before. Unfortunately I never made a note of the song title.

Anyway, throw me some Youtube clips or songs I could listen to that might change my viewpoint.........

[Jaimoe]

All three acts you mentioned are album bands, so there's lots to choose from.


These come without thinking too much:

The Rolling Stones- Loving Cup

The end was an improv with a transcendent Mick Taylor guitar solo

Can't You Hear Me Knockin'


Factory Girl - The Rolling Stones



Rolling Stones - Dear Doctor



Sister Morphine


Rolling Stones Stray Cat Blues Beggars Banquet


The Dirty Mac (John Lennon, Keith Richards, Mitch Mitchell and Eric Clapton) doing "Yer Blues" from The White Album


Yer Blues - Dirty Mac



Girl from the North Country Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash


Forever Young

[Penny Lane]

I was listening to The Flying Burrito Brothers last night and one of the songs struck me as sounding very like The Rolling Stones. This obviously ties in with Gram Parsons' influence on the Stones at a certain point. I liked the Burrito's song that I was listening to and it prompted me to ask myself why I don't really like The Rolling Stones.

Saying that I don't like The Rolling Stones music to some may be sacrilege, but I'll up the ante here and say that I don't really like The Beatles or Bob Dylan either. Now before anyone attacks me I'll say that I haven't listened to lots of their music. My approach is that if a band hooks me in the first few times I hear them then I'll investigate further. The Stones, Beatles or Dylan never hooked me in early.

As a result, I can't offer a critique as to the merits of an individual album as I haven't listened to an entire one from any of the mentioned artists. However, I have heard plenty of their songs......the usual suspects, or what might be classed as their "greatest hits."

My question is whether anyone on here can offer me up some songs that I might not have heard before that might change my opinion? I do consider myself to be open-minded and open to conversion. I do remember once hearing a song by Bob Dylan on a late night programme on BBC London that I thought was really good and nothing like any Bob Dylan I'd heard before. Unfortunately I never made a note of the song title.

Anyway, throw me some Youtube clips or songs I could listen to that might change my viewpoint.........

Great clips---Listen to Let it bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street (the twangy-parsons infused-mick taylor albums). I don't listen to the Stones other than those 3..

[Shug]

Those bands you mentioned are all in my top 5 all time faves, so its hard for me to resist the urge to convert you, especially since you requested it!  While its cool of you to want to try to like bands you seem to think you might be missing out on, maybe they are just not your cup of tea stylistically?  What other stuff do you like (besides MMJ, of course)?  I mean some people just don't dig classic rock. 

But I agree with Jaimoe and Penny, my fave Stones and what I think is most impressive is the Mick Taylor years (Jaimoe also suggested Beggar's Banquet, right before Taylor joined, which is also a great suggestion), so that's Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main Street, Goat's Head Soup and Its Only Rock 'n' Roll.  Out of those I'd say Sticky Fingers is the most consistently high quality. It also covers quite a few styles (the Parsons-influence country rock, as you mentioned, and straight up horn-driven R&B flavored rock 'n' roll and some pretty good blues and some ballads).  If I could only pick one Stones album that would be it.

As for Dylan, don't try too hard to like him.  It'll either grab you or it wont, I think.  If its his voice that bugs you, the only way to go is Nashville Skyline, the only record on which you might argue that he was singing pretty.  He claims it was the only time he was relaxed in the studio, but for whatever reason his voice never sounded like that before or after. In addition to the Johnny Cash duet Jaimoe posted, its also got Lay Lady Lay which seems to be a song loved by many who don't like much else by Dylan.  Its a very country, folky laid back record but his voice sounds warm and rich.  Dylan also has lots of different periods, so its hard to suggest albums without more information about what you like and don't like.  You probably can't go too far wrong by checking out Blonde On Blonde, Blood On The Tracks, Highway 61 Revisited and for later stuff, Time Out Of Mind.  I'd also consider the live album with The Band, Before The Flood.

And as for The Beatles, same deal, it depends on what you like.  Many indie rock fans who love stuff like Big Star will go for Revolver and Rubber Soul for the jangly Rickenbacker guitar sounds and the start of psychedelia.  Abbey Road is considered a masterpiece by many ditto for Sgt. Pepper's of course (which is probably more of a cultural watermark than it is a brilliant album when taken out of context).  White Album is all over the place stylistically, kinda schizophrenic and obscure, but some think its tops for the Beatles.  The early stuff with the really simple yet masterful pop songwriting is not for everyone, but if you like early '60s pop, they were obviously very good at it.

Let us know what you think if you check out some of this stuff, its interesting to me to hear about somebody coming to this music later in life.  For me its the stuff that I first loved and always will be tops in my book.

[EverythingChanges]

This is the song that caught me for Dylan and it is still my favorite.  It is truly beautiful.

Bob Dylan - It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (1965)


Can never go wrong with this jingle jangle tune.

Mr. Tambourine Man (Live at the Newport Folk Festival. 1964)


Neil Young and Bob Dylan - Helpless + Knockin' on Heaven's Door 1975

[Shug]

Good ones, everythingchanges!

This one is killer, too.  Just at the very beginning you see Rick Danko realize what song the unpredictable Dylan is about to launch into (this was a reprise, they had already played the song earlier in the short set and Dylan decided he wanted to play it some more) and the Band is right there with him in an instant.  They had musical telepathy, so tight and so blazing, the best band Dylan ever had, by far, IMO.

The Band & Bob Dylan - Baby Let Me Follow You Down (HD)

[Angelo]

Good ones, everythingchanges!

This one is killer, too.  Just at the very beginning you see Rick Danko realize what song the unpredictable Dylan is about to launch into (this was a reprise, they had already played the song earlier in the short set and Dylan decided he wanted to play it some more) and the Band is right there with him in an instant.  They had musical telepathy, so tight and so blazing, the best band Dylan ever had, by far, IMO.

The Band & Bob Dylan - Baby Let Me Follow You Down (HD)

That's great, I never noticed Danko trying to figure out the song in the beginning, thanks for pointing that out. I may need to share this on my fb wall.

[Paulie_Walnuts]

Thanks for giving it a go. I have listened but there's still nothing that immediately hooks me the same way other music has done. Out of all the stuff posted my favourite is the the song Dylan does with Johnny Cash.

I really like the musical part of the Stones' Loving Cup, but I've decided that it's Jagger's voice that I find off-putting in general terms. The same applies to Dylan, and I guess that's the most cited reason why some people aren't drawn towards him.

To answer your question Shug I would say that my favourites are The Band, Gram Parsons, Doug Sahm, Bonnie Prince Billy, Bill Callahan, Wilco, The Gourds, Midlake.

I suppose it has made me conclude that I need a band to have a great vocalist/s at the helm and I don't personally see that with the Beatles, Stones and Dylan. That's just my opinion.

The Band are my favourite band of all time and with three amazing vocalists in that group I don't see what Dylan adds to them when he's singing. If I could go back in time to see them I'd want to see them on their own and not with another vocalist.

Anyway, this wasn't trying to be negative about any of the groups mentioned - it was just a way of getting some recommendations for songs I might have not heard of. I guess if it hasn't got me now it never will!

[EverythingChanges]

Do you like Neil Young?

I feel like if you do, then you should warm up to Dylan just fine.  Especially his older stuff.

[Jaimoe]

Mick is a good lead singer and front man, but not overly versatile. He's pretty average as a blues and country singer, but he can belt out rockers with the best of 'em.

Three of the Fab Four are very good to great singers and harmonizers. The Grateful Dead are one of the greatest harmonizing bands in rock, but none are above average lead singers.

[Tracy 2112]

Trying to be converted by listening to crappy ass crappy YouTube clips where you lose anything resembling stereophonic sound makes me think you don't really care in the first place. You have to give back. You have to commit. This isn't a drive by or a gimmick; it's basically some of the pillars of ALL the music you like.

Buy Let it Bleed or Sticky Fingers (Exile won't do it for a newbie), lock yourself in your home for a couple of days and L I S T E N. And don't download; downloaded music is shit. It's fast food. Try to get the purest form out there that you have access to. This may be the most important thing you have ever done in your life!

If you REALLY want to know, do that. If you DON'T do this, then you have only yourself to question

good luck

[Jaimoe]

At the same time, in some cases, conversions will never work. Try as I might, I'll never like Widespread Panic, Genesis, Broken Social Scene, Galactic, moe., Umphrey's McGee, Big Star, Guns N' Roses, Feist, Muse...

[Penny Lane]

Trying to be converted by listening to crappy ass crappy YouTube clips where you lose anything resembling stereophonic sound makes me think you don't really care in the first place. You have to give back. You have to commit. This isn't a drive by or a gimmick; it's basically some of the pillars of ALL the music you like.

[e_wind]

I am trying my hardest to get into the Beatles. I think I'm gonna take Tracy's advice and buy an album on wax and listen.
I do have a new favorite song, which is by the Beatles... Don't Let Me Down. Check it out, I guess, cause this one the first songs that clicked with me.

[Tracy 2112]

Try as I might, I'll never like Widespread Panic

What?? 

Ophelia & Shape I'm In - Widespread Panic

[Tracy 2112]

How many times have you listened to something and it immediately clicked? As for me, that rarely happens. Case in point > some of ya'll remember Bowl of Soup? He pushed Twilight Singers on me and I didn't like it after a number of listens; didn't hate it, but I was like meh. Then it clicked and now I love it. Like the first time I heard this I was like whatever. But now, I am like yessssssssssssssss

the twilight singers - underneath the waves

[Jaimoe]

Try as I might, I'll never like Widespread Panic

What?? 

Ophelia & Shape I'm In - Widespread Panic

Their originals are soooo boring. Sure, emotional vocals and good playing, but they bore the hell out of me.

[capt. scotty]

As mentioned by others, I think all 3 are album bands primarily, so thats the best way to get into them. The Stones Big 4 albums in a row (Beggar's, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile) are really on another level for me, but they do have other worthwhile stuff. While I respect early Beatles music for what it is, I dont really like their albums until Rubber Soul but  some earlier songs I still like. I think Dylan actually has the best, certainly most expansive catalog. He's still been putting out great albums in the past 15 years. My personal favorite albums are Blood On The Tracks, Desire, and Blonde On Blonde.

While great vocalists have certainly influenced how much I like certain bands (see MMJ or Ben Harper), I dont think that's ever been a big factor in whether I like or dislike bands. I actually really like unique or distinct voices, including Bob Dylan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SkrLadYCG4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UzZDOBWGro


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l42WdPREkKY

[capt. scotty]

I am trying my hardest to get into the Beatles. I think I'm gonna take Tracy's advice and buy an album on wax and listen.
I do have a new favorite song, which is by the Beatles... Don't Let Me Down. Check it out, I guess, cause this one the first songs that clicked with me.

I thought the album remasters they released a few years ago sounded noticeably better and it honestly surprised me. Id go for a remaster of whatever album you choose if you can.

[Penny Lane]

Try as I might, I'll never like Widespread Panic

What?? 

Ophelia & Shape I'm In - Widespread Panic

Their originals are soooo boring. Sure, emotional vocals and good playing, but they bore the hell out of me.

true for me, too...they are a great live band, i don't think they're good songwriters-- they've mastered putting on a great show and they're great musicians, but i'll never get the following they have..the friends and relatives i know who follow them do a lot of drugs..(which is fine, i'm sure it heightens any show) but i've never met any WSP fan who didn't partake heavily..in all sorts of things...not that there's anything wrong with it..i'm sure there are a lot of big fans out there who don't...i just don't know them..

I love Can't Get High but recently found out it was a Bloodkin song (i'm now a big fan of Bloodkin)