Does music need lyrics?

[Arthur Dent]

Just thinking about the fact that all modern popular music has lyrics. There is very little popular music without a singer. And then it's just one or two pieces by a group that normally has lyrics (like Metallica's Orion).

Compared that to the times of Bach and Beethoven when orchestral was the most popular. Even movie scores (the last home of orchestral music) are no where near as popular as the "inspired by the movie" soundtracks.

Are there any "underground" bands you listen to that DON'T have a singer? No lyrics?

[Spitfire]

I don't know a lot of bands who just play without a singer, but a lot are in love with just kick ass instrumental tracks, even when there is lyrics they are secondary to the almighty riff:

Karma to Burn doesn't have a lead singer anymore

Dragon Green (but they just added a singer, I think)

Halfway to Gone plays a lot of bluesy instrumentals

Desert Sessions I & II has mainly instrumental songs (Monkey in the Middle, Coward's Way Out)

ahem, Kyuss has many kick ass instrumentals: Asteroid, Mighty Scoop, Apothecaries' Weight, Molten Universe, 800, Capsized - half of the songs from Blues to the Red Sun, Thee Ol' Boozeroony

The Dixie Dregs are also one of my favorite bands, no singer..southern rock fusion, they even have a electric violin/fiddle player

Orchestra del Desierto is supposed to have som killer instrumentals on it, that's coming out this month

Man or Astroman? is pretty wacky, neo-surf music, like the Ventures



(try em out, even dl em :thumbs-up: )



Edited By Spitfire on May 08 2002 at 10:32

[Ken'sPen]

The cut and paste threads in this forum will be very boring without them....

I guess Slash could still forgo commentary and just post the score.

[Sluggo]

The Dixie Dregs are also one of my favorite bands, no singer..southern rock fusion, they even have a electric violin/fiddle player

Steve Morse is a Guitar GOD.

[Hey Ladi]

I've always been more of a lyric person. I like to know what they are saying.

[Kid Afrika]

Music doesn't need lyrics, but songs do.

[fbd]

i dont listen to much modern bands without lyrics, but sometimes, i like a nice classical track, or something like orion, or even the occaisional video game music from final fantasy type games

[Hybrid]

i hate crappy techno, but some hardhouse music with no words and crazy bass is good.

[Sir O]

Kong, a very good metal band out of The Netherlands, is all instrumental. I would recommend downloading some of their stuff.

[The Sleeper]

Instrumentals are alright, but I'm a vocals person. Good vocals = good band.

[crx girl]

Good vocals = good band

the words are usually the last thing i pay attention to. when they mean something to me then it's a great added bonus, but i have to enjoy listening to the music to get into what the vocals are saying.

woodpecker from mars is a great instrumental off of the real thing and i still once in a while turn off the lights and listen to tubular bells. unfortunately it's a tape i made off my parents record so the quality is pretty awful, i guess i should dl that sometime :thumbs-up:

[Spitfire]

:disappointed: so as long as the lyrics or the singer is good, the band is good? I'm all about the music. The lyrics, singer come secondary for the most part...

I forgot to add other guitar greats: Joe Satriani , Steve Vai, Eric Johnson

[Arthur Dent]

Steve Vai

I've listened to some of his stuff. Always seemed like he was more interested in seeing how complicated and difficult he could make a peace rather than how good a melody it was.

[crx girl]

Joe Satriani , Steve Vai, Eric Johnson

ooh yeah, i forgot about those. i saw satch in concert a few years ago, his bass player (i forget who it was) played the peanuts theme. bassline with the left hand, melody tapped with the right hand, awesome :bow:

[Spitfire]

Satriani is completely amazing live, totally virtuosity..
Steve Vai has gotten a little unaccessible lately, sort of like Yngwie Malmsteen, but Fire Garden and Passion and Warfare are good albums...
AD, you should try to dl some of the songs I suggested...

[Arthur Dent]

AD, you should try to dl some of the songs I suggested...

It's been added to a LONG list of things to download when I get home...in June.

[Skitchr4u]

no, music does not need lyrics to be good, i enjoy techno

[criticslovesnatch]

eric johnson is RIDICULOUS - the things he can do with a guitar are fucking amazing. :bow:

[crx girl]

i appear to have stumbled accross something called space music, if anyone could tell me how i happened to have this in my files but it's called telomere? and when i looked it up i ended up in like, some buddhist type atmosphere. i'm not really sure where this came from but it's somewhat soothing. i'm definitely gonna be giving a listen...