The Musical Tastes of Jeremy D. Frens

Classical Music

My parents listened exclusively to classical music when I was young. So, classical music forms a basis for my musical tastes. My tastes in classical music starts with very early music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. This also includes music before these periods. I love listening and playing this type of music.

My classical tastes extend into the Classical period. While not as enjoyable as Renaissance and Baroque music, music from the Classical Period is still listenable and playable for me. I have little interest in the Romantic period. My Modern and Post-modern classical tastes are few, like Aaron Copeland and minimalist music, like John Adam's Nixon in China.

Rock 'n' Roll

I started listening to rock'n'roll my junior year of high school. I started with some semi-hard rock, moved over to Pink Floyd, discovered "grunge metal", and now succumb to just about everything. My biggest love, though, is for the blues. Yummy.

Sonic Youth: Wow. Dissonant, noisy punk rock. I love it. Sonic Youth is definitely my favorite band. My favorite album from Sonic Youth is EVOL, but each album has a special place in my heart.
Pink Floyd: I got hooked on Pink Floyd during my junior year in high school by The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon and Momentary Lapse of Reason. I quickly snagged their other albums, and now my favorite Floyd albums are Wish You Were Here and Animals. (Personally, I think that Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, while quite good, are overrated.) I fall into the David Gilmore fan club. I have little appreciation for Roger Waters.
David Bowie: Bowie just simply amazes me. I enjoy Outside a lot, and I'm looking forward to getting the other albums he's doing with Brian Eno.
Peter Gabriel: Gabriel is also a great song writer and singer. I love each of his albums, especially Passion. I have not heard much of his work with Genesis, though.
Eric Clapton: Clapton is simply great. I love the blues, and Clapton sure can play them. I tend to dislike his more recent, pop albums. In fact, I'm not sure I've listened to Pilgrim more than once.
Derek and the Dominoes: This goes along with Eric Clapton. You cannot beat "Layla": it is the best rock'n'roll song ever written.
Cream: Again, with the Clapton connection, I gotta love 'em!
Nirvana: Nirvana was my introduction to the grunge metal scene. They still have a special place in my heart.
Mudhoney: This band is what grunge metal is all about. Mmmmmmm...
Soundgarden: Soundgarden is another good grunge metal band. Perhaps not as grungy as Mudhoney or early Nirvana, but I like them for what they are.
Stone Temple Pilots: STP is another good "grunge metal" band. These guys know how to write good songs, and I like listening to them.
The Cult: Before October 1994, The Cult would not have made it onto any list of my favorite bands. While I really liked their earlier albums like Love and Electric, their subsequent albums Sonic Temple and especially Ceremony were overproduced glam-rock albums. Yuck. Double yuck. However, their self-titled album released in 1994 made me change my mind: they're making music like they used to.
Jane's Addiction: I don't know why I like this group. I didn't the first couple of times I heard them, but then I guess I figured out what they were doing.
REM: I've always had a passing interest in REM until Monster. I know that it's not a particularly inovative album, but I really like it. (It may be the fact that Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth plays and sings on one of the tracks.) Falling in love with this album, I decided to try their earlier stuff which I had ignored. I'm happy to say that I like the early music as well, even though it is significantly different.
Ned's Atomic Dustbin: Ned's Atomic Dustbin isn't anything spectacular. On their first two albums, most of their songs tend to sound the same. Their latest album brainbloodvolume has a little variety. (Is it just me but do some of the songs sound like Nine Inch Nail songs and others sound like INXS songs?) Besides, you gotta like a band who sings a song called "Kill Your Television"! Or maybe you don't. I do.
Lucious Jackson: The 70s are back and these four ladies are bringing it. I love it!
The Breeders: Just another good alternative band.
Alice in Chains: Another grunge metal band...
U2: I hopped on the U2 bandwagon with The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum. I kept pace with their newer releases until recently when I got their earlier releases. I like it all.
Black Sabbath: Hmmmm... a band which is dark and oppresive with a strong blues influence. No wonder I like them.
Led Zeppelin: Another blues influenced band... And they aren't half bad.
Robert Plant: While not as big a fan as I once was, I still like Plant's solo music.
Yes: I tend to prefer the music from early incarnations of Yes; the most recently stuff I have a hard time listening to.
Pearl Jam: Some might classify Pearl Jam as a grunge metal band. Perhaps, perhaps not. I think of them as a hard rock band. Either way, I like their first album. The others haven't been anything to talk about, so I won't.

The Best Rock'N'Roll Songs Ever

"Layla" by Derek and the Dominos.
"Roundabout" by Yes (especially live).
"Dreams" by The Cranberries

Electronic/Rave/Techno/Blah/Blah/Blah

Whatever you call it. I like it!

Chemical Brothers
Obital
Utah Saints
The Prodigy
Moby

Jazz

Angelo Badalementi: Badalementi wrote the soundtrack to Twin Peaks which is how I became acquainted with the man. I really like his jazz style.
Vince Guaraldi: I love his Peanuts soundtracks. I think his music for the Christmas special makes that special one of the best half hours of television.
Duke Ellington