The evolution of your musical tastes

One of the things that I personally like to reflect on is the way I've come to enjoy the music that I enjoy now. I'd love to hear how others see the way their musical tastes evolved as well. Since this could be a rather involved exercise the way I'm going to approach it is to start by writing about certain periods of time or phases in my musical history in separate posts. I invite others to follow suit or post their history in a single post if they wish.

Re: The evolution of your musical tastes

I think my tastes have changed little since the 70s-Folk music,the rock bands of those years and Gregorian chant.

Re: The evolution of your musical tastes

My early years and early influences

The first song I actually remember and noticing was "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena". I hard it on the radio that was in my room and enjoyed it because it seemed like a fun song and we lived one city over from Pasadena at the time. I remember turning on the radio the next day at the same time expecting the same song to be on (just like television) bit it was something different and I was disappointed.

My family isn't one that I would consider as very interested in music. My mother played the clarinet in high school and was a member of the marching band, but didn't really do much musically at home. I'm sure she used to sing children's songs to me and my sister, but I don't specifically remember her doing so. What I do remember is her singing sections of a relatively small set of songs sporadically when the mood hit her. I didn't realize it at the time but most of the things she sang were show tunes. It was interesting for me when I was a teenager and young adult to see or hear a musical or movie of a musical and recognize a song she used to sing.

My father really didn't listen to music as far as I remember. When he was in the car he listened to news radio and didn't really listen to the radio at home very often.

When I was 9 or 10 I remember going over to the house of one of my father's friends. He had a son around my age and when we were in his room he played a 45 of "Hello Goodbye" by the Beatles and I remember enjoying that. I'm pretty sure that was a fairly big influence on me because the first record I ever remember purchasing was Rubber Soul by The Beatles.

I still didn't really listen to the radio during this time but did listen to The Beatles from time to time. In junior high school (7th and 8th grade in the United States) our typing teacher would play music during class. The only albums I remember hearing during this time were several from Credence Clearwater Revival and I started liking their music as well. I must have also started listening to the radio because I remember liking the song Classical Gas and Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head during this time period as well. I also seem to recall being exposed to some of Cat Steven's music too.

Re: The evolution of your musical tastes

I still like the folk music of the 60s but graduated to Jazz and went post-Grad to Brecht. Shostakovich, Mahler and Stravinsky. These days the louder the music the better I hear it - so Wagner completes the Ring.

Re: The evolution of your musical tastes

I've always had very catholic taste in music. My only blind spot is dance music, which I cannot stand - whether it is disco, rap, house, techno.... to me it is all horrible!
I grew up in a musical household where my parents loved swing, so Glenn Miller was part of the soundtrack to my early life, as were Paul Robeson, The Ink Spots, David Whitfield (my mum's heartthrob) and Nat King Cole. My individual taste began to develop in the early 60's when I loved Adam Faith, Brenda Lee and Little Richard. I soon moved on to the upcoming Rythym and Blues Bands - The Stones, Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, Pretty Things etc at the same time as developing an interest in the Blues originals - Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Joe Williams, Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker. Parallel with that was a developing love for traditional folk music and some of its adherents such as "Young Tradition" Bert Jansch, John Renbourne. Individual "folk" singers like John Martyn and Nick Drake were also firm favourites. At the same time I was learning about classical music and gradually firmed up on some favourites - Mahler, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner. I also got into (some) jazz - in particular Miles Davis.
That's where I was at the end of the 60's and that is pretty much exactly where I am now fifty years later.

Re: The evolution of your musical tastes

Crikey that saved me writing exactly the same thing. I'd also throw in Captain Beefheart, John McLaughlin and Frank Zappa among others.

These days still listen to all that and some quieter new ones like Missy Higgins. I must admit I don't mind Eminem either so our tastes do diverge a little there.

Re: The evolution of your musical tastes

Not too much! Eminem is one of the few Rap artists I can listen to (other honourable exceptions are the originals - Grandmaster Flash and Melly Mel, as well as The wonderful Disposable Heroes of Hiphopracy). I should have included Beefheart and Zappa as well; as Dylan, The Band, Cream and Neil Young.

Re: The evolution of your musical tastes

Something that really took me by surprise recently was finding that I now like Jules Holland! Just bought Jules and Ruby cd, also he's performing locally soon!

Re: The evolution of your musical tastes

Joan Baez The Beatles The chieftains ( and most celtic music ) Bob Marley