Listening to the Grateful Dead the other day it occurred to me that they don’t really fit into any genre. The same happened today with Dr John. So, I’m curious to know who you would add to this list?
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Genre defying artists
- Thread starter Yonni
- Start date
Frank Zappa, his work ranges from rock and jazz to avant-garde, classical, and comedy, with frequent genre shifts.
"Jam band" isn't a genre? They created it. Or the term was created for them retroactively. Phish is also a jam band but they've proved for a while now that they can pretty much play anything they feel like playing, as straight as possible or noodle on it for half an hour.
Opeth wanders freely between death metal, prog, folk, and jazz fusion. One of those bands I can't really get into although at the same time I'm in awe of their range.
I’ve never really thought of “Jam band” as a genre. I see it as a catch all phrase as it can apply to any genre. You can have a funk jam band, for example.
Sure, but there are also punk folk bands, punk metal bands, rap metal bands, punk funk, goth blues, electronic folk... crossovers abound and genres come out of hybridization.
The opposite, if anything. Strict adherence to genre labels is an exercise in frustration. Every creative individual is going to roam beyond the confines of a recognized style at least a little.
At the same time, trying to describe a piece of music verbally is much easier if you have these labels to help you. Saying "they're punk" saves time over "they're producing short, fast-paced songs with shouted vocals, aggressively distorted amplified stringed instruments, simple 4/4 tempos and an anti-establishment theme using a DIY ethic."
For me, the Strawbs split the difference between Folk and Prog.
I agree with that sentiment but, for me at least, when it gets stretched too far or doesn’t really capture the spirit of the band, it can be misleading. Folk rock, jazz rock fusion sure! Those terms cover it pretty well. Some bands go beyond and defy nomenclature. Zappa above being a good example.
I don’t think of certain artists as genre defying, but idiosyncratic, although the first term does come into play. Kate Bush, Peter Hammill(with VDGG and solo), David Sylvian, David Byrne, Aldous Harding, and bands like Stereolab, Black MIDI, Dry Cleaning, and Man/Woman/Chainsaw get labels stuck on them, but could be anything and everything.
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
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Labels... everybody's gotta' fit into some bin so their music can be sold to some target audience.
I'd like to find the twit who invented the term "Americana", and let the air outta' all four of their tires. And steal the valve stems. So they have to hitch. With an Uber with an EDM playlist.
I'd like to find the twit who invented the term "Americana", and let the air outta' all four of their tires. And steal the valve stems. So they have to hitch. With an Uber with an EDM playlist.
Mr. Bungle, Bjork, and Jacob Collier come to mind. The Beatles of coarse.
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I think a lot of artists who were once "genre defying" become subsumed in later labeling
Bing Crosby was revolutionary for his microphone technique
Taking advantage of no longer having to belt it out for the cheap seats
Then someone dubbed it 'crooning'
Now no one thinks of Bing as a revolutionary and genre defying at all.
Bing Crosby was revolutionary for his microphone technique
Taking advantage of no longer having to belt it out for the cheap seats
Then someone dubbed it 'crooning'
Now no one thinks of Bing as a revolutionary and genre defying at all.
While the Dead may well have been the first jam band I think the Allman Brothers defined the genre. I consider it well established that jam band is a genre.
As for bands that are genres unto themselves?
Lots of unique artists begat imitators so that's tough to say.
I'll toss out the Minutemen as an example from my past.
As for now?
I've never heard anyone quite like Noga Erez.
As for bands that are genres unto themselves?
Lots of unique artists begat imitators so that's tough to say.
I'll toss out the Minutemen as an example from my past.
As for now?
I've never heard anyone quite like Noga Erez.
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