what do you say when people ask you "so... what sort of music do you like?"{

This is always the best response, I find.

I've also been known to say Morrissey with a sneer when feeling punchy. it bothers people.

[1] I might not actually do this.

Or, alternately (as I've heard you say in the past) "Music is my life."

-- Andrew (n...), October 18th, 2004.

I also wet my pants regularly in the past.

Now I only wear nappies because I'm lazy.

When people ask me that question I just try to stick to the most basic umbrella words, like "British" for a start. Sometimes I'll mention a band name I know full well they haven't heard of. It justs depends on the situation. I figure if someone totally clueless who owns a whopping 24 CD's and feels no need for more asks me what I'm listening to or "what CD is that?" then they deserve what they get.

Recent 'what music'-conversation w/ American:

Me: 'what kind of music do you like?'
Him: 'You know, alternative. Like Bjork'
Me: 'haha'
Him: 'what?'
Me: 'oh, that 'alternative' label, you know, it's so useless. it gets applied to stuff like Nickelback nowadays'
Him: 'no man, that's raawk'.
Me: 'right'.
Him: 'like Green Day'
Me:
Him: 'they used to be punk. and now they're rock'.
Me: 'uh-huh'.
Him: 'I like Green Day'
Me: 'OK I'm going now bye'.

As for 'strangers'... it's been usually only record shop people who, sometimes, get close to asking anything remotely like that. And after a few bizarre'n'embarrassing incidents in the past few weeks I'd rather not start talking with certain younger reacord-selling folks in my hometown on this subject at all, ha. - The last time I went to pick up a record *I had ordered* - a comp. of Indian filmi tunes - the girl behind the counter virtually tried to talk me out of buying the thing! - "Y'know, you really don't have to buy it if you don't want to." - Me: "Er excuse me, I did actually order it! I dig this stuff..." - Her: "No really, if you don't want it, if you don't like it ..." (Eteffingcetera).

i have bowel problems, so i listen to a lot of droney death metal to help me stay regular.

As someone who hates be asked lots of types of questions, I agree with sundar. This is one that doesn't really bother me. I often answer similarly with salsa, Arabic music, but also classic rock/soul and 70s pop in general, plus a little avant-garde jazz. If they start to lose interest quickly, I don't include all those categories. Maybe if it's someone slightly older than me, I play up the 70s stuff more. Usually if I mention salsa in relation to Latin dancing, the conversation moves on to dancing, and "Did you see that dance competition on Channel 12 this weekend?" which no, I never had. (Now that I have a TV, I should keep a look out for that stuff, although the ballroom dance sensibility kind of makes me cringe most of the time.) I can get discombobulated trying to give as comprehensive an answer as possible, but I don't usually fall into that trap anymore.

indeed, but when i am say this i make sure no one is around while i tear at throat and drink his christianized blood. it is not good idea to do this at work, i have learned.

unless you actually like the musician. then you need to come up with something else.

Too often, the truth is a variation on what the cuz says above: "I like everything except the stuff you like."

CLASSIC!

Most people here are music geeks in some way, right? And all music geeks hate this question from "lamers", right?

At least I do. I mean, I could always list some 40-50 bands that I like, and I could list some genres.

Doing like a lot of indifferent non-geeks do, and just say "I like virtually anything" just wouldn't apply, because obviously I don't, and I don't think that any true music geek does. But what are the options?

As for me, I could always answer "I like a lot of stuff that is melodic and harmonic with sophisticated details and a smooth but sophisticated production", but this wouldn't mean shit to the ordinary man on the street.
I could always just respond with Genesis, but then I'd get responses like "Oh yes, they are the ones who did "I Can't Dance" and "Invisible Touch", no", those songs are kind of cool. I like Phil Collins too!". And nobody of these idiots have ever heard their 70s stuff anyway, so no point explaining.
Or I could just go on for the next 20 minutes listing all the artists and genres I like. :)

So what do you do? What do you guys answer to this hopeless question?

rock and/or roll

I say different things every time

Fluxpop

I usually say that there are artists/bands in almost every genre that I find worthwhile, and then leave it at that. If they press me for specific names, I steer away from anything that most people haven't heard of. I guess I don't want to sound like a dick. So it usually ends up being something like "um...Johnny Cash, Talking Heads, John Coltrane...lots more", which probably sends out the completely wrong signal, but hey.

I have this same problem if I go to a music festival or somesuch and someone asks "So, who did you see?" You always end up trying to either give a sample of the complete answer, or catering the answer to what you think they might know about. Anymore I just list off the first few things that pop into my head.

i say I like technotronic and "have you heard of they might be giants"?

"classical"

Which is true, though misleading.

"Pigfuck."

I think the best is just to go, "oh y'know, katy perry, stockhausen, deacon blue, y'know..."

I'll just have them agree with me that 'groove is in the heart' is an amazing song. Never seen much case in connecting dots past that point.

"i wear really tight jeans, see?"

i have no fucking idea what to say to this, i just say pop music now

"lots of stuff"

then i might say what is currently in my car or what i've been listening to the past week, if i can remember, which i often can't.

"Rock and Roll".

Recently I've just kind of paused and said "Uhmm... well what do YOU like?" because chances are I'll have some sort of opinion on it and I can guide the conversation better knowing their taste. If they demand that I answer first, I'll throw out a few ones that most people know that are from different genres like "Well, Prince and Neil Young and some new stuff too" and if they want to talk further then I'm down.

^ Prince and Neil Young is always a damn good answer.

Everything!! Except country and rap.

srsly tho I usually say "Hip-hop, free jazz, dub, soul...everything, man."

oy!

"

well, lately i've been listening to

[ ]

i'm in a big [ ] phase

but some of my favorite [ ] are [ ]

I think I'm just going to tell anyone who asks that I'm into Anal Cunt and GG Allin. If they dont get it I'll tell them to look on youtube.

yoyohe✧✧✧@hotm✧✧✧.c✧✧
hey, i started to listen to this kinda music for about 2 1/2 3 years and im only 17 and own all the syd barrett cd which i fell in love with instantly. i have just ordered the skip spence cd oar and i am waiting eagerly for it to arrive (and still searching for any of this style of music). what i came here to write is that this music is amazing and individual and there is nothin quite like it. it is pure raw music. every one i know has said it is all shit but they are all short sighted trendy bastards who believe if its not metal its not worth listening to. i missed out on probaly the best times every for music (if you every find a way of time traveliing please let me know). i also thought you may be interested in another artist who introduced me kinda into the prescence of syd barrett and soon to be skip spence. is an artist called john frusciante (you may be thinking he is with the red hot chili peppers and far from insane- that is true) but for a brief time of which he nearly lost his life to herion he produce some truly amazing music namely his first album Niandra LaDes & Usualy Just A T-shirt and his second album nearly impossible to buy (if you manage to get hold of it you are the luckiest person ever as frusciante took it out of print after quitting his addiction to herion) Smile From The Streets You Hold (it is alot rawer in essence than barret or spence but contains alot of magic and something special i cannot quite describe) I cannot wait for the skip spence cd hope this comment may be of use you but most likely not.

it depends on the person asking. If it's a new, cute girl who asks, I just give them a disgusted look and remain silent.
If it's a co-worker or, let's say I'm on a job interview, I say "stoner metal. Sludgy, greasy, stoner doom metal".
If it's homeland security, I say "classic rock, like Nugent, Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Van Halen, y'know".

I guess I could answer... Oh, Jellyfish, Idle Race, Tearaways, Spongetones, Brad Jones, Cotton Mather. Stuff like that....

PROG

I Can't Dance

Truest thing Geir's ever said.

I usually say, "All kinds of stuff." Oddly, the next question is usually "Do you like Coldplay?" (answer: no)

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 18:41 (3 years ago)

I've noticed this as well. It is odd. Easiest answer is 'I don't like music.'

Well, I could answer yes to that, but I do not like "all kinds of stuff" anyway. It is a good thing for music Coldplay have become so popular those who like "all kinds of stuff" are into them though. :)

When I feel like establishing that I'm into disparate shit I give what I call the WOEBOT answer:

"I'm really into Italian prog right now"

I still say "read my blogs you lazy cunt."

In so many words.

Country AND western

Next question: "dae ye like Sydney Devine, son?"

I love country, but I despise Western!

Incorrects. Western musics is the essential building of blocks for the European melodicisms which has decorated our greatest music for the last 200 years, from Debussie to Keane. You cannot be scratching your hip op records forever and call it musics, you know! :)

"Nobody's chiiii-eld, I'm nooooooooobody's chi-ellllllllld"

Where would silver haired grannies be without him?

"Freedom Rock", man!

Is that like Lee Atwater shit?

Fraggle Rock, man!

Wasn't Fulton Mackay in that as well?

Skynyrd!!!

Hey, Man, Is That The Freedom Rock Poll? Well, TURN IT UP!

xp, man!

Extraordinary track listing.

you betcha! one may even go so far as to call it 'bitchin'',man!

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/soulseeking/i-hate-talking-about-music.htm

re. para 23: heheh