Late Gen X'ers - Who did you listen to?

[Catholicity]

You people forgot to add in the cross over years millenials don't officially start until 1985 and later So technically I'm a middle child or xy cusp, Which means I get to vote in this poll

[Seasanctuary]

Bush, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Enya, and Sting mostly.

Also the Batman Forever soundtrack.

[Adrift]

I grew up listening to my older brother's music. So Queen, Pink Floyd, Gary Moore etc.

A coupla of the older Christian rock bands (Petra, J.A.G., White Cross etc.)
DC Talk got me through the last few years of High School (favourite music for studying).
Then I became a Panhead.

I went through a period in the late 80s and early 90s where I was heavily into 60s rock. Mostly stuff like Hendrix, Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Cream, The Byrds, The Beatles, Donovan, etc. I also collected psychedelic 60s posters at this time and worked in an old vinyl record shop. In the late 80s "Classic Rock" stations started getting big. At first I was pretty excited about this because I was hoping they'd play a lot of the hippy rock I was into. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. Instead they mostly played early 70s to early 80s guitar rock, a lot of progressive stuff, stadium rock, and white-guy blues rock (you know, pretty much the same format they still have). I didn't mind this at first, and actually liked a lot of the early 70s stuff, but after awhile I realized that these stations apparently didn't know there was such a thing as a B-Side. I went from being a fan of bands like Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd and the like, and just getting bored of it in the end.

As far as Christian rock goes, as a headbanger in the late 80s I knew of Stryper, and had heard of White Cross and Petra, but was pretty much oblivious to the scene at large (which I had assumed was mostly Amy Grant type stuff). In about '95 I was working in a commercial record shop, and heard DC Talk's Jesusfreak which I really liked, but I didn't like any of the other Christian rock bands that were popular at this time (Jars of Clay, Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline). I just felt a lot of it lacked punch, and was sort of a Christian post-grunge (lite) reaction to popular secular music. Eh... probably wasn't my bag at any rate, since I disliked most of the 90s post-grunge, alternative, and britpop that was popular then anyways (still do).

You people forgot to add in the cross over years millenials don't officially start until 1985 and later So technically I'm a middle child or xy cusp, Which means I get to vote in this poll

I guess we'll allow it. A lot of the music from the 90s wouldn't have been hugely influential to you till the late 90s though, correct? I mean... you were only 10 in '95, correct?

Bush, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Enya, and Sting mostly.

Also the Batman Forever soundtrack.

Yeah, that soundtrack was huge. Some great bands on it, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, U2, Massive Attack, Michael Hutchence. I hate that Seal song though, and the film itself sucked (in my opinion). I'm a huge Police and Sting fan, and I dig Peter Gabriel and Enya. I really enjoyed a lot of world music in the 90s (still do), and Peter Gabriel's WOMAD stuff seemed pretty prevalent then. I was really into Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Deep Forest, and Bill Laswell's Material, specifically the William Burroughs stuff, and the album Hallucination Engine which was a mix of jazz, funk, and Indian. Man, now I gotta dig that album out. Great stuff.

[Catholicity]

I guess we'll allow it. A lot of the music from the 90s wouldn't have been hugely influential to you till the late 90s though, correct? I mean... you were only 10 in '95, correct?

eleven and if you had an older brother who was a definitative gen exer it was very influential. Also I went to public school that year so it made a difference. What ever was on the radio at the time Pearl Jam, Madonna, Sting, Seal, U2, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, was played at the pep rallies and on the busses. It kinda made a difference.

[Adrift]

eleven and if you had an older brother who was a definitative gen exer it was very influential. Also I went to public school that year so it made a difference. What ever was on the radio at the time Pearl Jam, Madonna, Sting, Seal, U2, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, was played at the pep rallies and on the busses. It kinda made a difference.

That makes sense.

[Andius]

I listened mostly to a lot of trance or electronica during the 90's (it was the first music that I got into), it was the first kind of music I listened to.

Eiffel 65 and Zombie Nation, those were the bomb. XD

[repeater75]

90's I was obsessed with music. Spent thousands and thousands of dollars on it. Stupid amounts of money.

I liked (and mostly still do, even if I don't listen to them as much):

Beastie Boys
Soundgarden
STP
Nirvana
Weezer
Beck
Nine Inch Nails
Prodigy
Radiohead
Smashing Pumpkins
Dinosaur Jr
Helmet
The Cure
White Zombie
Pavement
The Breeders
Pixies

Lesser Known:
Lots of Hardcore bands: Agnostic Front, Sick of it All, Gorilla Biscuits, Biohazzard, NOFX, Bad Religion, 7 Seconds, etc.
Old school punk: Ramones, Misfits, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Subhumans, Exploited, etc.
Skate Punk
Rockabilly
60's surf rock
Post Hardcore: Fugazi, Dag Nasty, Jawbox
Techno: lots of Jungle, Orbital, The Orb
Indie Rock of all kinds.
Reggae and ska

I could write for a long time.

[One Bad Pig]

I discovered Christian rock about 1990-91, and that was about all I listened to then (with a sprinkling of classical and Enya). The 90's (especially the earlier part of the decade) were the heyday of Christian metal - Bride, Mortification, Tourniquet, and Whitecross spent a lot of time in the CD player. I listened to a lot of Petra as well, but their last 90's album I liked was Wake Up Call. Along with Adrift, I listened to Deitiphobia, Blackhouse, Mortal, and Circle of Dust, though it looks like I found them earlier than he did.

[Adrift]

90's I was obsessed with music. Spent thousands and thousands of dollars on it. Stupid amounts of money.

I liked (and mostly still do, even if I don't listen to them as much):

Beastie Boys
Soundgarden
STP
Nirvana
Weezer
Beck
Nine Inch Nails
Prodigy
Radiohead
Smashing Pumpkins
Dinosaur Jr
Helmet
The Cure
White Zombie
Pavement
The Breeders
Pixies

Lesser Known:
Lots of Hardcore bands: Agnostic Front, Sick of it All, Gorilla Biscuits, Biohazzard, NOFX, Bad Religion, 7 Seconds, etc.
Old school punk: Ramones, Misfits, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Subhumans, Exploited, etc.
Skate Punk
Rockabilly
60's surf rock
Post Hardcore: Fugazi, Dag Nasty, Jawbox
Techno: lots of Jungle, Orbital, The Orb
Indie Rock of all kinds.
Reggae and ska

I could write for a long time.

Sounds like we had/have a lot of similar tastes in music, especially your lesser known list. I was always less into some of the more skatepunk bands you listed, and more into crust and anarcho, and definitely the old school stuff. I didn't go to a whole lot of concerts in the 90s outside of small venue punk shows. Saw Fifteen and Fugazi in Dayton. Pretty good show. Saw NIN in 94. Marilyn Manson was opening for him, but it was before anyone knew who he was. I found his music irritating. I also saw Mighty Mighty Bosstones before they blew up. One of the best shows was Morphine. A great band called Medeski, Martin, and Wood opened for them. Biggest underground punk band I saw was DIRT, Final Warning, and I think Ausgang. Really wish I went to more concerts, but I was sort of doing a mini-tour of the US after high-school and never had much money till I got into the military.

[Adrift]

Along with Adrift, I listened to Deitiphobia, Blackhouse, Mortal, and Circle of Dust, though it looks like I found them earlier than he did.

Yep, sounds about right. The only Christian metal band I found interesting during that period was Tourniquet. Pretty great drums if i remember correctly, but as stated, I pretty much dropped my metal head thing by the beginning of the 90s.

[repeater75]

I discovered Christian rock about 1990-91, and that was about all I listened to then (with a sprinkling of classical and Enya). The 90's (especially the earlier part of the decade) were the heyday of Christian metal

I would say that was the heyday of Christian "hair" metal, which is why I was just way too cool for it. (I'm 37 and a dad now, so I'm not too cool for ANYTHING these days!)

I think the quality of Christian music right now is astounding if you know where to look. I will cite a few acts I really enjoy and that I think are very God-honoring in their lyrics:

Metal:
For Today
Sleeping Giant
Gideon
August Burns Red
Altars
Call to Preserve

Rap:
Beautiful Eulogy
Odd Thomas
Timothy Brindle
Shai Linne
Propaganda (his first solo album is this fall but he has done collabs with Odd Thomas)

[repeater75]

Sounds like we had/have a lot of similar tastes in music, especially your lesser known list. I was always less into some of the more skatepunk bands you listed, and more into crust and anarcho, and definitely the old school stuff. I didn't go to a whole lot of concerts in the 90s outside of small venue punk shows. Saw Fifteen and Fugazi in Dayton. Pretty good show. Saw NIN in 94. Marilyn Manson was opening for him, but it was before anyone knew who he was. I found his music irritating. I also saw Mighty Mighty Bosstones before they blew up. One of the best shows was Morphine. A great band called Medeski, Martin, and Wood opened for them. Biggest underground punk band I saw was DIRT, Final Warning, and I think Ausgang. Really wish I went to more concerts, but I was sort of doing a mini-tour of the US after high-school and never had much money till I got into the military.

That's awesome! I was spending every dollar I earned in the Marines on music. :-)

I saw the Bosstones MANY times, was a huge fan back then. I also saw Fugazi 3 times.

Social Distortion was my first show: only $5!

I was very lucky that in Dallas we had an all-ages punk club that I could catch all kinds of great acts at and then as I got old enough I would go to Trees and places like that in Deep Ellum to see bigger acts like the Bosstones, Hum, Rollins Band (saw them a bunch of times too).

I didn't really do the crust thing but I listen to much more metal now than I used to. I liked thrash bands like Metallica and Slayer in the 90's and now I listen to mostly Christian bands so I have really taken a liking to stuff like the metalcore acts - I even take my 11 year old to shows (For Today, Gideon and Sleeping Giant so far).

I also listen to roots music now like The Welcome Wagon (Christian) and the Lumineers (Secular) so my tastes remain eclectic.

[Adrift]

That's awesome! I was spending every dollar I earned in the Marines on music. :-)

I saw the Bosstones MANY times, was a huge fan back then. I also saw Fugazi 3 times.

Social Distortion was my first show: only $5!

I was very lucky that in Dallas we had an all-ages punk club that I could catch all kinds of great acts at and then as I got old enough I would go to Trees and places like that in Deep Ellum to see bigger acts like the Bosstones, Hum, Rollins Band (saw them a bunch of times too).

Very cool. I always heard Dallas had a decent punk scene. So is that how you picked up your handle? Repeater your favorite album, and 1975 your birth year (same as mine if so)?

I didn't really do the crust thing but I listen to much more metal now than I used to. I liked thrash bands like Metallica and Slayer in the 90's and now I listen to mostly Christian bands so I have really taken a liking to stuff like the metalcore acts - I even take my 11 year old to shows (For Today, Gideon and Sleeping Giant so far).

I also listen to roots music now like The Welcome Wagon (Christian) and the Lumineers (Secular) so my tastes remain eclectic.

Not familiar with those bands. Will have to look em up. Roots music... is that a bit like Americana or something?

[One Bad Pig]

I didn't really do the crust thing but I listen to much more metal now than I used to. I liked thrash bands like Metallica and Slayer in the 90's and now I listen to mostly Christian bands so I have really taken a liking to stuff like the metalcore acts - I even take my 11 year old to shows (For Today, Gideon and Sleeping Giant so far).

Eh, metalcore's okay in small doses. I tend to prefer more melodic vocals, and guitars should be used for more than just rhythm. Screaming and playing rhythm guitar doesn't take much talent. The only band that's really grabbed my interest in the last 10 years or so is Eluveitie.

Edit: This is a cool piano cover of an Antestor song.

[repeater75]

Very cool. I always heard Dallas had a decent punk scene. So is that how you picked up your handle? Repeater your favorite album, and 1975 your birth year (same as mine if so)?

You nailed it! Been using that handle since 1987! (I was on message boards and Usenet before the Internet existed.)

Not familiar with those bands. Will have to look em up. Roots music... is that a bit like Americana or something?

Exactly.