"They're pretty good"- Bands that almost everybody LIKES, but nobody really LOVES or HATES.

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I'm wondering about bands that are liked, but never reach their full potential, and don't really have fans that say they are their #1 favorite. There's tons of mediocre bands around, but lots of people hate mediocrity- so I can't think of any, this is a hard question I had to ask!

― Queen Electric Butt Prober BZZT!! BZZZZZT!! (Queen Electric Butt Prober BZZ), Thursday, 16 September 2004 05:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't imagine anyone's 'favorite band' being McLusky, The Shins, or Comets on Fire, fer instance. I wouldn't call any of them close to mediocre, but GREAT? Hmmm...But then again, who knows?

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 16 September 2004 06:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I recently met a guy who doesn't like the Clash. what's up with that?

― autovac (autovac), Thursday, 16 September 2004 06:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Everybody likes Yo La Tengo. Some like them quite a lot.

But who could truthfully claim that there is no band they like better than Yo La Tengo?

― Dr Benway (dr benway), Thursday, 16 September 2004 06:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Supergrass!

No-one actually dislikes them, they don't care!

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 16 September 2004 06:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Ooh, that's a good one! Even I don't hate them.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 16 September 2004 06:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I've got a good friend who'd name YLT as one of his very favourite bands, if not THE favourite. He calls them 'comfort rock'.

I'll nominate Lambchop.

― derrick (derrick), Thursday, 16 September 2004 07:46 (twenty-one years ago)

lots of people hate all these bands! jesus! 'everybody likes yo la tengo' wtf?!

― pete b. (pete b.), Thursday, 16 September 2004 07:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Everybody but pete b and his friends likes Yo La Tengo

― Dr Benway (dr benway), Thursday, 16 September 2004 07:55 (twenty-one years ago)

some of my friends think yo la tengo are pretty good

― pete b. (pete b.), Thursday, 16 September 2004 08:01 (twenty-one years ago)

pinback, the wipers, blonde redhead(?), delgados...

― jeremiah (jeremiah), Thursday, 16 September 2004 08:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm not trying to be argumentative, it just seems to me that Yo La Tengo, like most of the bands listed here...I mean, even if you don't particularly LIKE them, how can you work up enough energy to HATE them?

― Dr Benway (dr benway), Thursday, 16 September 2004 08:06 (twenty-one years ago)

i agree that it's unlikely many people are very passionate one way or the other about yo la tengo.

― pete b. (pete b.), Thursday, 16 September 2004 08:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Beta Band

― supercub, Thursday, 16 September 2004 08:19 (twenty-one years ago)

the beta band are my favourite band! or they were! oh my god!

― pete b. (pete b.), Thursday, 16 September 2004 08:23 (twenty-one years ago)

McLusky and Comets On Fire will both be riding high in my end of year lists, as it goes

― DJ Mencap0))), Thursday, 16 September 2004 09:06 (twenty-one years ago)

ned hates yo la tengo dunnee?

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Thursday, 16 September 2004 09:07 (twenty-one years ago)

the beau brummels

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 16 September 2004 10:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Sentances like "everyone likes Yo La Tengo" makes me wonder what universe some ILMers are living in.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 16 September 2004 10:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I hereby withdraw my rash, apparently totally misguided and obviously incorrect statement about Yo La Tengo.

― Dr Benway (dr benway), Thursday, 16 September 2004 11:19 (twenty-one years ago)

ZZ Top

― briania (briania), Thursday, 16 September 2004 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Julio also hates Yo La Tengo (from one of the first threads I've ever started here).

― alex in montreal, Thursday, 16 September 2004 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)

i absolutely loathe both yo la tengo and pete b

― Jay G (jaybob79), Thursday, 16 September 2004 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Some bands might come close, but the answer of this thread question is a null set. If a band can be liked, then of course they will be loved and hated. Unless of course they are so sad and pathetic that they break your heart.

― alex in montreal, Thursday, 16 September 2004 11:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Boards of Canada

Tindersticks

― flowersdie (flowersdie), Thursday, 16 September 2004 11:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I always think of Stereolab as being this kind of band, but when I say that, all the people who are totally obsessed with them come out of the woodworks.

― Dominique (dleone), Thursday, 16 September 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I stand by ZZ Top because of the nature of the music they play. Boogie is generally serviceable, likeable and adaptable, neither in nor out of fashion.

I don't know anybody who's a fanatical Top-head, but I can think of tons of people who have at least an album or two. Most everybody knows and likes at least a couple of their songs. They seem like okay guys, and every few years or so for the last four decades they've released another okay album. Texans and square-butted haters of teh boogie excepted from argument.

― briania (briania), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:08 (twenty-one years ago)

"Comfort Rock" is a great phrase. I know I listen to a few bands that I would call comfort indie (Hidden Cameras, Sprites).

Comfort Music = the subdued sibling of the guilty pleasure

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

i absolutely loathe both yo la tengo and pete b

-- Jay G (jaygee7...), September 16th, 2004 12:35 PM.

Hey! I know Pete b. He's a lovely chap.

― Wooden (Wooden), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

FITE

― pete b. (pete b.), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i love you all, mwah! i also love boards of canada.

― pete b. (pete b.), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Some bands start with a great song or album, and then a bunch of OK stuff, maybe even good stuff, but never match that one again. There are very low expectations they will do anything special anymore but they are fondly remembered for what they used to do. There might be half-likeable but not very special attempts at a comeback. Other bands would be great except for being so derivative, they play great, they sound great, but people love the original bands they are copying instead of them. Some stuff is overexposed, it used to be special, but not nowadays. Maybe, the Cult.

― Queen Electric Butt Prober BZZT!! BZZZZZT!! (Queen Electric Butt Prober BZZ), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Urge Overkill

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Living In A Box

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmmm...howbout oldsters like The Cars? Or REAL-oldsters like Fats Domino? Surf music in general?

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Supergrass is the most OTM so far.

― Wooden (Wooden), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Paul Heaton (Beautiful South) once explained the unexpected commercial success of Carry On Up The Charts this way. "We're everyone's third favourite band."

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Erlewine from Allmusic seems to be a huge Supergrass fan. I recall on his reviews saying the world is better place due to them.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Shows how much Heaton knows, I'd rather poke pencils through my eardrums than listen to his records. (says the bloke on an interweb board to the millionaire musician)

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

For some reason, I place Simon & Garfunkel in this category.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:54 (twenty-one years ago)

The Pogues

― tipustiger, Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah, I absolutely love Fairytale of New York.

― Wooden (Wooden), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Ooh, the Cars are a good one! How about the Association?

― Mike Ouderkirk (Mike Ouderkirk), Thursday, 16 September 2004 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

The problem with this question is that if we name ANY indie band, people will be like, "B-b-but this is ILM! We hate indie here!" -- and if we name ANY pop group, people will point to Alex in NYC.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 16 September 2004 13:03 (twenty-one years ago)

In the UK, Slade and Madness might fall into this category.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 16 September 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

If you think no one loves Madness, you obviously don't live in North London.

― Wooden (Wooden), Thursday, 16 September 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

INXS?

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Thursday, 16 September 2004 13:11 (twenty-one years ago)

papas fritas

― marcdrums (marcdrums), Thursday, 16 September 2004 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

An' a booting to anybuddy wot finks nobuddy luvs Slayde.

― briania (briania), Thursday, 16 September 2004 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Quarterflash?

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Thursday, 16 September 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 75 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

"does anyone really love superchunk anymore? "

yes.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Friday, 17 September 2004 06:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Let's try this: Shonen Knife (and/or Cibo Matto). To love them would be outre and pointless, yet to hate them would just be somehow, I dunno, mean?

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Friday, 17 September 2004 06:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know that I really hate Shonen Knife, but they do border on annoyance.

Cibo Matto's alright.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 17 September 2004 06:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I LOATHE Cibo Matto.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 17 September 2004 06:56 (twenty-one years ago)

>>I LOATHE Cibo Matto.

Sigh. How do you feel about puppies?

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Friday, 17 September 2004 06:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Puppies genereally don't make smartassed, irritating records about food.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 17 September 2004 07:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Worth the wait.

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Friday, 17 September 2004 07:23 (twenty-one years ago)

REM? (maybe moreso outside of ILM)

― Symplistic (shmuel), Friday, 17 September 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

God, let me introduce you to my sister sometime.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 17 September 2004 20:02 (twenty-one years ago)

(To be fair, I was a huge REM fan up to and including Monster.)

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 17 September 2004 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Alex OTM about Cibo Matto (who never did a damn thing that Shonen Knife hadn't already done five million times better.)

― chuck, Friday, 17 September 2004 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

And I love Shonen Knife's early stuff, by the way. They were great.

― chuck, Friday, 17 September 2004 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, there was a dude in my popular music studies class two years ago who was fucking obsessed with REM. He'd bring them up as a reference point for absolutely every point (e.g. when talking about the use of noise: "Would you say that the way Michael Stipe's voice was mixed low in the mix on early REM records is an example of obscuring meaning through noise as a way of breaking away from the homogeneity of the AOR acts of the time?") His term paper was a musicological analysis of every record they ever put out.

+ Ever read Douglas Coupland?

(2xpost)

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 17 September 2004 20:09 (twenty-one years ago)

And Stone Roses are horrible.

The Cars and Chi-Lites make a lot of sense, though.

― chuck, Friday, 17 September 2004 20:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Ever read Douglas Coupland?

Sadly, yes. OK, I withdraw my suggestion of REM.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Friday, 17 September 2004 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

How about Creedence Clearwater Revival? They produced a lot of first-rate rock and roll, and it's always going to get a decent response at parties or in the karaoke bar. Nevertheless, it's hard to imagine anyone who wasn't around in their heyday regarding CCR as their favorite band, and I suspect that most people who were around then are more partial to the Beatles, Stones, Who or Zeppelin.

(And I really like the Cars.)

― John Fredland (jfredland), Saturday, 18 September 2004 08:37 (twenty-one years ago)

CCR are quite close to being my favorite band, and I wasn't alive when they existed.

Let me end this thread right now: Shoes.

― Jesse Fuchs (Jesse Fuchs), Saturday, 18 September 2004 12:00 (twenty-one years ago)

For some reason, I place Simon & Garfunkel in this category.

Though I identify with you, you've clearly never met my ex-boyfriend.

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Doves, maybe. Too solid to hate, but just derivative enough to be inelligible for love.

― Sansai, Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

A piece of shit dangling from from a hair on my arsecrack>Doves

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

John, I think you'd better search ILM for CCR.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

A piece of shit dangling from from a hair on my arsecrack>Doves

-- Wooden (josephgoode...), September 19th, 2004.

Oh come on, at least they're better than Snow Patrol and Elbow.

― Sansai, Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:25 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, revised edition:

A piece of shit dangling from from a hair on my arsecrack>Elbow>Doves>Snow Patrol

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:26 (twenty-one years ago)

But with only one 'from', obviously.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Just this week I replaced a scratched CD for the first time. Yo La Tengo's Electr-O-Pura. That's love.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Summer Sun bored me enough that I initially balked at the claim, but making a 2 CD-R comp for some friends in advance of their Swing State show in town has reaffirmed that I love 'em.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:39 (twenty-one years ago)

The whole Native Tongues crew would seem to fit in here -- De La, Tribe, Jungle Brothers. Lots of people have an album or two, maybe a compilation, but I don't know anyone who either LOVES any of them or hates them.

I expect someone will prove me wrong quickly, though. (and I do kind of love Q-Tip -- the best Tribe singles are ace, it's just hard for me to think of them as anyone's favorite band)

― spittle (spittle), Sunday, 19 September 2004 03:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Midnight Oil maybe. And whatabout for indifference - Cake.

― piers (piers), Sunday, 19 September 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

And Grandaddy perhaps? These 3 bands I like but could not genuinely afford them love or hate. Grandaddy I could have loved except they were so unremarkable live they generated a sort of "hmmm, this is just OK" reaction. If there's a thread about extremely ordinary live experiences I would put Grandaddy on there.

― piers (piers), Sunday, 19 September 2004 16:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I couldn't stand that Grandaddy song, whatever it was. See, I don't even bother to remember their one hit.

― Aja (aja), Sunday, 19 September 2004 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

The Shamen! With or without Terence McKenna they're still... ok.

― prismatic7, Tuesday, 21 September 2004 05:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Breeders

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 05:44 (twenty-one years ago)

i loathe

ummm

oh who the fuck cares

― [email protected], Tuesday, 21 September 2004 07:45 (twenty-one years ago)

LL Cool J
Queensryche
Altern8
The Scorpions
Way Out West
Alcazar
Ritchie Hawtin
Missy Elliot
The Fugees
Tom Waits

― Siegbran (eofor), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 08:59 (twenty-one years ago)

And I love Shonen Knife's early stuff, by the way. They were great.
-- chuck (...), September 17th, 2004.

OTM.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 09:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Mötley Crue.

― Eurogirl, Tuesday, 21 September 2004 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

LL Cool J
Missy Elliot
Tom Waits

You gotta be kiddin'.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I know. I hate Missy.

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I fucking hate the Scorpions

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 00:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Peter Tosh

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom Waits? wait a mo...

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 00:19 (twenty-one years ago)

The Fugees is a good one.

Tom Waits and Missy, however, are both brilliant.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Whatever local band your friend(s) is in.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Hawtin's a good choice, Siegbran -- I own and really enjoy some Plastikman, and some of his mixes, but it feels really awkward and wrong to say I *love* him.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh god I hate Midnight Oil, we had to sing that shit in 3rd grade. I don't hate Yo La Tengo, just they're boring as fuck. Um, this question is hard! Every band I think of I know at least one person in obsessive with them.

― Rachel Hella Myles, Wednesday, 22 September 2004 20:36 (twenty-one years ago)

The Donnas

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 20:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Whatever local band your friend(s) is in.
-- Clarke B. (clarkeb...), September 22nd, 2004 1:20 PM. (Clarke B.) (later)

I think we have a winner. Seriously.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

How about Bikini Kill?

― Nowell, Wednesday, 22 September 2004 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

people love/hate Bikini Kill all over the place
I say
The Fixx

― Loose Translation: Sexy Dancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Whatever local band your friend(s) is in.
-- Clarke B. (clarkeb...), September 22nd, 2004.

"Showcasing local unsigned talent"

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 22 September 2004 21:20 (twenty-one years ago)

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