The Dylan threads prompted the comment that he is verboten in their abode. Mrs Wells is much more accepting of Zimmy but one artist in particular won’t be tolerated.
Frank Zappa.
Even the wearing of my Chunga’s Revenge t shirt immediately gets a curl of the lip.
Who is persona non grata in your household?
I don’t get very far with Stunt Rhythms by Two Fingers. Doesn’t suit my wife’s epilepsy at all.
Too many to mention chez Hewston. But Tom Waits gets the shortest of all shrifts.
Me too. I think it wss my spirited rendition of I Never Talk to Strangers in which I sing both Tom and Bette Midler’s parts of the duet, showering the surroundings with spittle as I do my finest Tom Waits impersonation. I now get as far as “stthhopp me if you’ve heard this one..” when my eldest, aged 9 cuts in with “we have. So stop”.
I can only listen to Tom Waits when the rest of them go to bed nowadays.
Kate Bush Natalie Merchant Nanci Griffith all verboten in Moseley towers also shouty blokes esp The Clash
Sadly Mrs. T basically can’t stand the Tull. She’s not wild about Little Feat either TBH.
Gee @Twang , did you become aware of this before or after the relationships
blossomed ?
After. There’s the odd track she can put up with after much experimentation.
Julian Cope.
These days when I get asked “Who’s this?”, in a disdainful tone, my standard answer is “Julian Cope” though I haven’t bought anything by him for a few years.
Mrs Pajp dislikes the Cocteau Twins. I took her to see them early in our courtship and I don’t think she enjoyed it. She still married me though.
Stereolab at the Astoria – what was I thinking? And what was she thinking?
My wife used to abhor Nick Cave, but somehow in 2015, I somehow persuaded her to go with me to see him (that’s what I call true love). As it happens, it was possibly his gentlest ever setlist – it was billed as a ‘solo’ tour, but Warren Ellis was there as ever – and she came away suitably impressed.
I’ve pulled the same trick with getting her to go to Taylor’s Eras tour next year – twice!
I sold my wife on RT the same way. Wasn’t bothered about the albums, completely sold by the live show.
The Baroness never criticises anything I player, Walker Brothers to Tom Waits, Dylan to Donovan, Big Bill Broonzy to Big Big Train.
Like @carl another tick for Julian Cope. Also the Pogues.
I thought she would like Ron Sexsmith – melodic and gentle but nah.
Her favourites from my collection are Dexys, Knopfler and anything Rock and Roll from the 60’s oh and she loves Bob Dylan.
Baron lives the Life of A God – Wordle Ace and a wife what likes his musical taste (she likes Big Big Train , blimey!)….we walk in his shadow
No wonder you’re useless at Wordle Lodie you can’t bloody read!
Where in my post does it say she ‘likes’ my musical tastes?
I said she never ‘criticises’ anything I play. To not criticise something does not mean you like it.
What a numpty you are 😎
Didn’t realise “never criticise” meant “tolerates with a stoical smile and an air of resignation, I am married to a Wordle God after all”
And give her a medal from me for never “criticising” Big Big Train. A remarkable woman, remarkable
Right let’s get this straight Big Bastardin’ Big Enormous Train are utterly brilliant of that there is no doubt.
She constantly either matches or does better than me at Wordle but she has had a grammar school** and university education.**
**Hmm, going off some with the same education on here she should be thick.
Not sure what your last remark is getting at but bless her beauty, her brains and, above all, her tolerance
She doesn’t prohibit anything as such, but it’s fair to say she’s not a fan of most of the music I like.
I’d hate it if she pretended to like it. Pop music is my thing, really – hers is books.
Albert Ayler
I’m with her.
Most people are!
‘Getting’ Albert Ayler is on my to do list. I’ve listened to Spiritual Unity a couple of times, but am no closer.
My favourite is the “Stockholm, Berlin 1966” live album. I find it a lot more accessible than any of the studio albums.
Thanks for the recommendation. If it’s on Spotify I will give it a go. Have you read the book Holy Ghost: The Life and Death Of Free Jazz Pioneer AA? I was looking at it in a shop in Edinburgh and it looked interesting.
Anything folky is not really welcome – with my beloved once announcing her disdain for Bert Jansch’s sublime Avocet by shouting “What is the Celtic c**p?”
I havent really even tried to introduce her to Steely Dan, Pharoah Sanders or The Fall – or in fact most of my collection, reserving those listening pleasures for rare solitary occasions.
She too is seriously not keen on the Mothers of Invention, but her ire is saved and sharpened for (as mentioned about) Albert Ayler etc. Any Modern Jazz, really.
That said we saw a brilliant film recently – Passages – which ends with a cacophonous blast of Ayler.
The late Mme. Stoke had a severe aversion to soprano sax. I would see her jaw starting to tense up and have the tune switched off before you could say Lol Coxhill…
(Oh, and VdGG)
I try not to inflict too much musical pain on my wife, although we did actually see the Mothers Of Invention at the Albert Hall and she survived even when Zappa strangled a fake chicken! Luckily, she likes Miles Davis although I haven’t exposed her to Agharta and its ilk. Strangely, the one band she’s not keen on is Steely Dan and thinks they’re trying to be too clever. I’m working on it.
New Order can’t be played in the house or car when Kat’s in attendance. It’s just a noise apparently. Although she doesn’t mind Joy Division.
First couple of PiL albums as well, “it’s not even music, it’s just horrible”. She’s not keen on John Martyn either but loves Nick Drake.
Now that’s quirky.
Just about everything. The last artists to get the glare were Rhiannon Giddons and Public Service Broadcasting, so there’s not much chance of Crazy Horse getting the thumbs up. She likes a small tincture of Villagers though and once professed to enjoying JJ’s Look Sharp one day long ago. I think Jackson Browne’s aucoustic live album was reasonably well-received because “it wasn’t as bad as the usual shite you listen to”
Me & my lovely wife are both well into our music & the overlap is pretty huge. The main exception is The Fall. She doesn’t mind some of the more poppier stuff (Victoria, Ghost In My House, Feeling Numb), but for the most part it really grates. I try to steer clear of playing Shake Off or Eat Y’self Fitter whilst we have our tea. The children are on her side with this too….
Other bands that get me a withering stare when put on, are Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Blink 182 & a few others along this line, it is not for her at all. She also derides my enthusiasm for the Zayn Malik (he of One Direction fame) debut album, but I maintain this is a cracker.
The Beatles are a funny one in our house. We both adore them (obviously) but I was brought up listening to the early stuff so err towards that, whilst she was raised listening to Abbey Road. It has led to some heated discussions re what ‘putting the Beatles on’ entails.
For the most part, these partners seem to be eminently sensible.
I was just thinking that, pretty much.
I am un-partnered. I play what I like. When I like.
Me too, yet I listen to most of my music with headphones on.
Maybe that’s where I’m going wrong? Perhaps if I were to blast Spoonie Gee and The Treacherous Three out an open window in the manner of a wild forest bird to-wit-weet-witting its availability to a mate, I too would have someone to grumble whenever I attempted to drop the new Bad Boy Chiller Crew banger..?
Most of the stuff I listen to gets the response “what is this sh*t?”..
The only one that is not tolerated (ignored?) was – unsurprisingly- Trout Mask Replica
That’s my house, that is
What has she NOT prohibited? That would be the more relevant question. Our music tastes don’t really overlap much, but they do say opposites attract.
Stuff she doesn’t mind me playing (occasionally) and which we both like:
Beatles
Air
Stevie Wonder
Cat Stevens
Stuff she puts up with but I can tell she gets impatient with it and thinks I play it “all the time”:
Pink Floyd
Mike Oldfield
Led Zeppelin
Rolling Stones
Anything classical
Anything jazz
Particularly controversial stuff I don’t dare put on unless she’s out of the house:
Incredible String Band
Kate Bush
Bob Dylan
Yes
Tom Waits
Captain Beefheart
Mrs Jim is similarly minded it seems – the list of ‘verboten’ is unlimited, with particular emphasis on Steely Dan (& Fagen), Zappa, Beefheart, Coltrane & almost all old punk.
She will permit Norah Jones, Beach Boys, Stan Getz, James Brown, some Jonathan Richman & old classic Rocksteady/early Reggae but definitely NOT dub.
Mrs T likes tuneful Tom but junkyard Tom is a no-no.
Prohibited: (Nothing prohibited as such but her facial expression changes to mild disgust or even outright hostility and she is likely to leave the room)
The Fall
Sex Pistols
Joy Division (except Love Will Tear Us Apart)
Syd’s Pink Floyd
Stuff we both get on with:
The Beatles
The Smiths
REM
New Order
The Mutton Birds (went to many of their gigs together when we first met and she owned an album of theirs)
Paul Heaton
Crowded House
Stuff only she likes:
Waters Pink Floyd
Neil Young
House music
I can’t complain really…
My wife is not a massive music enthusiast. She enjoys the pop music of her youth but apart from that quickly tires of hearing even things that I regard as inoffensive. But there is a special category of music that I know she won’t like under any circumstances.
Captain Beefheart should go without saying. Part of the family folklore is the time that my then very young son looked at the cover of Trout Mask Replica on a cassette tape box – so quite a small image – and burst into tears. Beefheart may not be played while my wife is in the same postal district without repercussions.
The other main “banned” artists would be:
Bob
Richard Thompson
Fairport Convention
King Crimson
Rush
Genesis (except the late poppy hits) and solo band members (possibly except Phil)
Yes
Emerson Lake & Palmer
Marillion
Half Man Half Biscuit
John Otway
Mrs D can tolerate John Otway (just).
We did see him live at Butlins and admits it was entertaining.
When I buy tickets for him I mention I have also got her a ticket (and the I duck as she is likely to throw something at me)
To be fair, my wife saw Otway and Barrett around the time of their hit – a long time before I did – and has been with me to see him perform a few times. But now I think she feels she’s done her bit, probably deserves a medal and shouldn’t be subjected to him any more. Whereas I am a huge fan, have a ridiculous amount of his music, sang on his b-side, helped fund his film and still go to see him live. Who can say whose point of view is more reasonable?
I can vouch for the above Beefheart cassette folklore, not least as I was reprimanded by Mrs Walsh for having been the one who sent it in the first place.
Can I tweak the question for a moment?
Who are the artists that other members of the family might play on the family gramophone which you simply cannot tolerate?
To be honest there’s not much that Mrs KFD listens to which really gets my goat. Although she does tend to binge on a specific artist if choosing the music for a long drive, whereas I’m a restless flibbertigibbet and thrive on variety.
Has no one got a partner who is a serious Albert Ayler fan? Or very enthusiastic about Sun O))).
There is just the one in our house. I really dislike Van Morrison & have to leave the room if he is put on. It does not happen frequently but has on occasion
We all have days like this.
When you leave can you feel the silence?
My ex and I generally shared very similar musical tastes, I introduced her to some stuff she didn’t know and that was reciprocated. But it didn’t help 🙁
There are a few former couples around on the folk scene, who still perform together and find the magic on stage, but not elsewhere. It’s an unusual dynamic.
Yes, we still talk a lot about music and even have been to gigs together since (with our daughter)
Me and the 3rd Mrs Path bonded over her music: broadly Faithless, Damian Rice, Steve Harley etc. All good stuff. Sadly she abhors folk, country, jazz, rock (“or anything else boys-ie”), but we muddle along 😉
This post came to mind last night, as the dulcet tones of la belle Lucinda rang out over the end credits of FreeState of Jones, a great new fillum on that Netflix. Herself had watched it before, and baited me me: “what’s this utter shit?” I listened for a while and swiftly discerned it was the Ponchartrain kookaburra right enough, taking umbrage at the demolition. I insisted on playing her Side of the Road, to demonstrate peak Williams and she told me, Ms Williams and all the country slurring swamptards like her to eff off. (Oh!)
Memo to self, mind, re swamptards. Could use that one and claim rights, given some of the inexorable guff I sometimes get sent to review.
To be fair, Mrs. T is pretty damn tolerant, but if you asked her what she hates she would spontaneously say the Mothers of Invention and Captain Beefheart – both of whom seem to have cropped up frequently on this thread! Oddly, I never played them that much, but there you go.
Other problem areas…
The Bonzos
Norah Jones
The White Album
Beatles bootlegs
Jazz
I have found that music is not an interest I can share with my wife. She is Indian by birth, and her childhood and teenage years were spent in Mumbai, but despite being in the UK for over twenty years, her tastes remain firmly rooted in Indian popular music, much of which is Bollywood movie sound tracks. I’ve tried really hard, but other than a few catchy tunes, this is a genre that’s a closed door to me , probably because my Hindi is minimal. Pretty much everything I enjoy, she just doesn’t get. The Western pop she likes , I’m not keen on. She likes Queen, I’m very ambivalent. I like The Clash, she finds them unbearably shouty. She likes modern r&b, I like proper old r&b. Bizarrely, she has a fondness for Cliff Richard. She finds the wonderful Steely Dan “boring”. We can at least agree that George Michael was good, and to be fair she got excited when she discovered Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Mustt Mustt in my collection, but other than that , ne’er the twain meet musically.
We had a big India Day here in Stockholm a few weeks. A one day celebration of Indian music, dance, food etc. It was heaving.
There were a lot of dance performances and when they got to Bollywood’s Greatest Hits, the (90% Indian) crowd’s delight was a joy to see. I just wish I knew some of the songs.
I felt l like someone from Mumbai, who had had very little contact with Western pop culture, watching a medley of songs from Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Dirty Dancing etc.
So I can relate to what you describe @Slug.
I know if I put Radiohead on Mrs GP will be complaining and saying something about whiny nonsense in minutes
Lady G is completely immune to the charms of Caravan. In fact she is quite hostile whenever they are brought up in conversation. Even the live, sixteen minute version of For Richard has failed to break down her impregnable walls. I seek solace in drink.
She likes the Stones, though (see Dai’s post). 😉
My ex-wife had a bit of a problem with the electric guitar in general. “Teenage music.” So, apart from in the car on my own, things were a little limited. The Pixies were the biggest sore point. My current other half is even more extreme. But the joy of mid-life non co-habitation is that during the week anything goes while at the weekend Bach dominates – luckily I also like Bach very much.