The "know what really grinds my gears?" thread

[Rÿcher]

Know what really grinds my gears?

When bands sound so alike, you think it's the other band. Sister Hazel, Blues Traveler and Counting Crows to me sound so much alike that it's often hard to tell them apart. Or even when one song by a band sounds so much like the work of another band that you could swear it is the other band. The song "Hair of the Dog" by Nazareth sounds so much like AC/DC that it's hard to convince some of my friends that it's not AC/DC.

that and when people insist on driving the actual speed limit.

 

[Good Will Riker]

Do you know what really chaps my hide?

Racial generalizations based purely on casual observations and preconceived notions.

 

[MIB]

Uber-generic indie music. Gods, I don't even know where to start with it. I suppose, first would be the fact that they all sound alike. Every week, I'm having to listen to a dozen different groups who fancy themselves as "indie" and I'll be damned if I can tell one group from another. It's called 'nuance!' I suggest you look it up!

Then there are the singers. Truely gifted vocalists are hard to come by, I understand that. But most people can carry a tune to some degree. So why is it that most of the lead "singers" in this genre are these hacks who can't go beyond a range of half an octave and insist on performing in this bullshit not-quite-singing-not-quite-spoken-word style? All it does is prove that they should march back into obscurity and back into their day-jobs where they belong. Now that I think about it, the same goes for the guitarists, bassists, and drummers. They too can't seem to pull more than a few basic chords even after nearly a dozen tracks.

Which brings me to the thing that grinds my gears most of all; the people that listen to them. Not only that, but listen to them and are convinced that their musical tastes are refined because of it. Just because most of these groups are (rightly) unsigned doesn't mean the rest of the class should be subjected to your skewed preferences during working hours! Keep that shit on your f**king Ipod and let the rest of us work in peace.

P.S. My apologies for my overly-hostile tone....but when something grinds my gears, it tends to REALLY grind my gears.

 

[What's his face]

Do you know what really chaps my hide?

Racial generalizations based purely on casual observations and preconceived notions.

I know a guy from Sweden who does that all the time. Swedish people are so prejudiced.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

When someone has the front gears on the small chainring, and rear on the small cog, and the chain is torquing sideways and it's making noise, and they come to me ask me what's wrong with their gears.

 

[CaptainStoner]

Uber-generic indie music. Gods, I don't even know where to start with it. I suppose, first would be the fact that they all sound alike. Every week, I'm having to listen to a dozen different groups who fancy themselves as "indie" and I'll be damned if I can tell one group from another. It's called 'nuance!' I suggest you look it up!

Then there are the singers. Truely gifted vocalists are hard to come by, I understand that. But most people can carry a tune to some degree. So why is it that most of the lead "singers" in this genre are these hacks who can't go beyond a range of half an octave and insist on performing in this bullshit not-quite-singing-not-quite-spoken-word style? All it does is prove that they should march back into obscurity and back into their day-jobs where they belong. Now that I think about it, the same goes for the guitarists, bassists, and drummers. They too can't seem to pull more than a few basic chords even after nearly a dozen tracks.

Which brings me to the thing that grinds my gears most of all; the people that listen to them. Not only that, but listen to them and are convinced that their musical tastes are refined because of it. Just because most of these groups are (rightly) unsigned doesn't mean the rest of the class should be subjected to your skewed preferences during working hours! Keep that shit on your f**king Ipod and let the rest of us work in peace.

I remember that summer Stone Temple Pilots came out, in pure blatant imitation of Pearl Jam - right down to the vocal inflections and intervals. But nowhere near the intensity. I was downright pissed, and annoyed at people who dug them. But, that was also the summer that Beck had "Loser". The music biz is always looking for sound-alikes that are a step or two above Generic Indie, but I think the real deal always has a shot. Especially today. Back then, there was very little high speed internet, CD burners were still pricey, and music labels were (and still are) gigantic Ivory Towers where very few ever had a prayer of being heard.

 

[Hermiod]

People who interfere with the doors on Tube trains because the warning sound isn't enough to tell them that the doors are closing.

Some idiot broke the doors on my train this morning doing that.

 

[Captain X]

That people are either speeding or doing under the speed limit instead of just doing the actual speed limit.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

People that change lanes in the middle of an intersection. I've been nearly killed 12 times. I'm counting, and I remember your faces, assholes.

 

[Tiberius Jim]

When people write "would of" when they mean "would have"

People who merge onto the freeway at half the speed of the limit...and I'm stuck behind them.

 

[Captain X]

When people insist on cutting right in front of me when it's a divided highway and the road is empty for miles.

 

[Pingfah]

I remember that summer Stone Temple Pilots came out, in pure blatant imitation of Pearl Jam - right down to the vocal inflections and intervals. But nowhere near the intensity. I was downright pissed, and annoyed at people who dug them.

STP sound nothing like Pearl Jam, Plush had a slight resemblance in his voice, compositionally and sonically Pearl Jam sound nothing like that and it amazes me that anybody could have such a poor ear as to think they do. In overly general terms Pearl Jam are primarily a rootsy blues rock band, STP are an arthouse rock/metal act with heavy jazz influence. They are my two favourite modern bands, each quite unique and distinct from one another

Anybody who had ever tried to learn the astonishingly original and complex jazz infused guitar and bass work done by the Deleo brothers would know that. People who think they sound the same really just aren't listening and spend far too much time listening to braindead music critics.

Same goes for Counting Crows and the other bands mentioned in the OP.

 

[Philo]

You know what really grinds my gears? Cliched phrases, and whining.

Hey, if the shoe fits...

 

[Hermiod]

^Better to get things off your chest than to bottle them up.

 

[Philo]

Silly boy, I wasn't being serious in even the slightest. Hence, "If the shoe fits..."

 

[Hermiod]

Silly boy, I wasn't being serious in even the slightest. Hence, "If the shoe fits.."

What, are you Chekov now ? Go find some nuclear wessels.

 

[Philo]

You know, it's true. I honestly can't think of that phrase without hearing Chekov say it. Similarly, McCoy's "This is fun!" from the same movie. That one I use a lot in day to day life.

 

[TheBrew]

People who are intolerant of other people and their cultures.

And the Dutch.

 

[Blip]

You know, it's true. I honestly can't think of that phrase without hearing Chekov say it. Similarly, McCoy's "This is fun!" from the same movie. That one I use a lot in day to day life.

I tend to use "Oh, joy.." quite a bit.


On the subject of grinding my gears though; lately there's a woman at work who has an infuriating habit of doing silly little "deedeedeedididididitditditditdeedadadeedidididididyy" noises while on the computer. IT'S NOT EVEN A FARKING TUNE, DAMMIT!

Yes, I'd like to backhand her into next tuesday.

 

[blablover5]

Canker Sores. Specifically ones hidden so deep in my mouth I can't do a damn thing about them but suffer and OD on tylenol.