Rock Newbie

I am one of those rare creatures, a Rock Newbie. Actually, I'm not even much of a newbie, because I really haven't started listening to rock. See, I've been listening to classical music since I was 6 (I'm 35 now), and I never could stand much else. In fact, perhaps it's better to call me the 'rock moron.' Until a few years ago, I don't think I could name all four of the Beatles. I was also influenced by my parents, somewhat prudish music professors, who denounced rock as mindless, etc. Later in life I began reading Adorno, whose critique of the culture industry I found rather persuasive (if a bit dated and Germano-centric).

But I'd really like to give rock music a chance. (Perhaps this is because therapy has brought me to the point that I no longer trust my parents' judgment.) My sense is that the stuff I can hear on the radio is not the best rock music out there (especially since Clear Channel has been gobbling up every station in the U.S. and imposing a dull uniformity on the programming).

As far as classical music is concerned, I have a definite preference for the nineteenth-century Austro-Germanic repertory and for much 'advanced' twentieth-century music (I'm not fond of more 'watered down' forms of modernism such as one finds in, say, Britten or even a lot of neo-classical Stravinsky). I'm crazy about Boulez, Carter, and the Second Viennese School, and have been for years.

Peter M. Tichenor

Some of my favorite rock records:

Pet Sounds - the Beach Boys

Smile - the Beach Boys (available on disc 2 of Good Vibrations box set, or as one of numerous bootlegs)

Forever Changes - Love

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band - The Beatles

Abbey Road - The Beatles

Let It Bleed - The Rolling Stones

Warren Zevon

The Beach Boys Today

Back to Mono: a 4-CD box set of close to everything producer Phil Spector ever did, including The Ronettes' 'Be My Baby' and the Crystals' 'Then He Kissed Me,' two girl group classics.

More currently, I like everything Beck has done.

Why not try Jazz and Broadway shows first. I don't think there's much need to explore 'rock' as most of it is aimed at kids/20-somethings, and life is short.

Dave Cook

Led Zeppelin Old U2 (Boy, October) Old Elton John (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) Old Bowie ELO UFO/Pete Way/Mogg-Way (Support my brother-in-law!) Scorpions Michael Schenker

This is such patronizing bullshit.

This is really going to make me nervous of your classical recommendations