Bands And Songs That You Thought Were Naff

[tyke1962]

Back in the day and now you think are absolute quality .

Flock Of Seagulls tick that box for me and this song .

Truly fantastic .

https://youtu.be/f5mBN9aQHGI?si=xueUzFWAFf2Pips5

[mugnapper]

Saw AFOS at the Outlook just before they broke into the big time. Their 1st LP is a cracker, not a duff tune on it.
I saw the Smiths and wasn't overly impressed.
Didn't judge that one correctly.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Gilbert O'Sullivan was the naffest act imaginable when I was a kid.

Then a couple of years ago, I heard Nothing Rhymed by him for the first time. Absolute work of musical and linguistic genius.

[mugnapper]

As a recent Spotify convert I am unashamed to say one of the first things I downloaded was Gilbert's greatest hits album.
Just after the Sex Pistols and Clash back catalogues.
Maybe I'm softening up in my dotage lol

[tyke1962]

Cloudbusting is a masterpiece , which wasn't my view in the 80's .

Youth is clearly wasted on the young .


https://youtu.be/AJll-eF5zUA?si=c85DtS6P-tp1m2aR

[tyke1962]

Gilbert O'Sullivan was the naffest act imaginable when I was a kid.

Then a couple of years ago, I heard Nothing Rhymed by him for the first time. Absolute work of musical and linguistic genius.

Couldn't agree more Billy , genius song .

[Herbert Anchovy]

I’ve got history in this area. I’ve seen loads of bands who I thought were awful only to make it big time!

I saw Dexys Midnight Runners in 1980 and thought that they were the most up their own arse, god awful band around. A few weeks later they got to Number 1 with ‘Geno’ and I’ve loved them ever since.

Kate Bush was another who I thought was dreadful at the time, now many years later I think her stuff is genius.

The folly of youth!

[Filo]

I’ve got history in this area. I’ve seen loads of bands who I thought were awful only to make it big time!

I saw Dexys Midnight Runners in 1980 and thought that they were the most up their own arse, god awful band around. A few weeks later they got to Number 1 with ‘Geno’ and I’ve loved them ever since.

Kate Bush was another who I thought was dreadful at the time, now many years later I think her stuff is genius.

The folly of youth!

I hated Kate Bush at the time, and I still hate her now

[Nudga]

https://youtu.be/cy46iOwWQiE?si=JwKcytw9unMNgGUS

[scawsby steve]

Gilbert O'Sullivan was the naffest act imaginable when I was a kid.

Then a couple of years ago, I heard Nothing Rhymed by him for the first time. Absolute work of musical and linguistic genius.

When I'm drinking my Bonaparte Shandy

Eating more than enough apple pies

Will I glance at my screen

And see real human beings

Starve to death right in front of my eyes

Bloody hell, it chokes me up just writing it. One of many genius songs he wrote. "We will" was another exceptional one.

[River Don]

I could not stand ABBA songs but now I realise, though it's not to my taste, it is genius songwriting. There is no wonder their music is so enduring.

[scawsby steve]

I’ve got history in this area. I’ve seen loads of bands who I thought were awful only to make it big time!

I saw Dexys Midnight Runners in 1980 and thought that they were the most up their own arse, god awful band around. A few weeks later they got to Number 1 with ‘Geno’ and I’ve loved them ever since.

Kate Bush was another who I thought was dreadful at the time, now many years later I think her stuff is genius.

The folly of youth!

I hated Kate Bush at the time, and I still hate her now

I don't hate the thought of Kate's bush. In fact, I find it quite appealing.

[River Don]

Perhaps the biggest turnaround for me is Chic.

I didn't understand it when I was a kid but now I love it and I think Nile Rodgers is just a top bloke.

[tyke1962]

I could not stand ABBA songs but know I realise, though it's not to my taste, it is genius songwriting. There is no wonder their music is so enduring.

ABBA are a really good example why I started this topic .

They were at their peak when I was around 15 years old and starting to get in to music .

My timing in to this world of music came as the Punk revolution exploded on the scene , looking back I was rather unlucky , a decade earlier and my influences would have included The Beatles .

ABBA were the music my parents bought and that simply wouldn't do , the Sex Pistols pyssed everybody off , my parents , my teachers , the media and the establishment and that was fine by me .

The thing is you'd be lucky to hear much from the Punk era today on the radio even on Absolute Rock  but ABBA songs are played all the time .

Some of us thought we were cool rejecting the mainstream stuff , we weren't .

ABBA have done the test of time examination and come out spectacularly on top whilst Punk is for the few diehards that are still alive .

Music tribalism is a terrible thing , you are only hurting yourself and I was deluded thinking I was the cool one because I bought the NME and listened to John Peel in 1977 .

I grew out of it of course , The Jam , Clash and The Stranglers came to the rescue whilst enjoying ELO , two tone and a disturbing habit of liking Chic , disco for God's sake !! .

I've still got Never Mind The ..... by the Pistols , it probably sits at the side of Eva Cassidy in the spare bedroom .

[Nudga]

Perhaps the biggest turnaround for me is Chic.

I didn't understand it when I was a kid but now I love it and I think Nile Rodgers is just a top bloke.

Dave Grohl ripped off a lot of Chics disco stuff for Nirvana

[normal rules]

I could not stand ABBA songs but now I realise, though it's not to my taste, it is genius songwriting. There is no wonder their music is so enduring.

You have to go to see the ABBA Voyage spectacle.
We’ve been twice. Utterly amazing.
And make sure you stand up. At the back.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Scott Walker is the ultimate revelation for me.

When I was a kid, the Walker Brothers were clearly naff, Radio2 easy listening.

I got into Scott Walker in my late 20s. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the 20th century. The road he went on from manufactured boy-band easy listening in 1965 to some of the stuff he was making by 1969/70 is breathtaking. 

[BillyStubbsTears]

Perhaps the biggest turnaround for me is Chic.

I didn't understand it when I was a kid but now I love it and I think Nile Rodgers is just a top bloke.

Dave Grohl ripped off a lot of Chics disco stuff for Nirvana

Simon Le Bon said Duran Duran's epiphany was hearing Anarchy in the UK, followed by Le Freak at a disco in Birmingham. He said they decided to fuse the two.

I'm not sure that really worked....

[River Don]

Scott Walker is the ultimate revelation for me.

When I was a kid, the Walker Brothers were clearly naff, Radio2 easy listening.

I got into Scott Walker in my late 20s. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the 20th century. The road he went on from manufactured boy-band easy listening in 1965 to some of the stuff he was making by 1969/70 is breathtaking. 

I had a similar thing with the Righteous Brothers. To me it was naff, naff, naff but now I just marvel at how these two white guys had such soulful voices.

[Dutch Uncle]

When I was at Uni I was very folky in my tastes - Pentangle, Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, and some music was just too heavy for me - like Queen, Santana and The Doors. Boy have I changed my mind 

[scawsby steve]

When I was at Uni I was very folky in my tastes - Pentangle, Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, and some music was just too heavy for me - like Queen, Santana and The Doors. Boy have I changed my mind 

You didn't like the Doors, DU, but then you decided to break on through to the other side.

[Donnywolf]

I could not stand ABBA songs but now I realise, though it's not to my taste, it is genius songwriting. There is no wonder their music is so enduring.

I have to agree totally

If you searched on here you will find that in 1974 ABBA won Eurovision with Waterloo

There were 20 ish of us around 23 24 years old and we were Pub crawling round Thorne. Eurovision had started and the conversation was " are we leaving Canal Tavern or watching this"

Nobody gives a toss who wins , let's go White Hart said somebody. I said as Swedish Group ABBA were singing , yeah let's go. I've not interest in who will win but it sure won't be THEM

For years I didn't care for them but when you listen those 2 now old gits really knew what they were doing and I have to take my (non existent) hat off to them

I also described Leo Sayer as a one Hit wonder when seeing him on TOTP singing " I won't let the show go one"

2 wrong predictions for the price of 1 eh ?

[turnbull for england]

Prince . I had no idea

[River Don]

Conversely I thought Madonna was a culturally significant pop artist who would have real longevity..

But actually now I think most of her songs are pretty forgettable and have dated pretty badly.

[Bentley Bullet]

Also conversely, The Beatles used to be great back in the day but when they became Oasis in the 80's they were shite!

[River Don]

Also conversely, The Beatles used to be great back in the day but when they became Oasis in the 80's they were shite!

That new AI thing is shite.

[Nudga]

For me, The Clash are timeless. Their lyrics could well describe what's going on now.

[Dutch Uncle]

For me the most timeless artist is Leonard Cohen

Whether you like him or not is a completely different matter. I do, partly because of memories it evokes, but mainly for the lyrics which will always be there

 

[tyke1962]

Looking back on that historic day that was Live Aid it struck me a few years ago that this performance from Sade went under the radar that day .

The sax and her live voice is simply incredible .

https://youtu.be/zwDjJP_l5AY?si=wny_s2KjAmmFQ9vk

[i_ateallthepies]

I hated Kate Bush at the time, and I still hate her now

Completely agree, Filo.  There is absolutely nothing about her music that I find appealing.