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I was raised on Echo and the Bunnymen, the best sixties album in the world... ever!, various [English] mediaeval songs, The Muppet Show, and my sister's compilation tapes from (I guess) when she was in high school. I hated classicalmusic and I was ambivalent to all the music that the media was forcing down everyone else's throats because I just wasn't exposed to it (much).
As I approached the age of 11 I began to care about/listen to music less and less (and I became more and more of a compulsive reader). This stopped one winter when I found myself ill, bedbound, and without anything new to read. I had received an FM radio that Christmas, and the only station that was any fun to listen to was Classic FM (they happened to be playing Ludwig van Beethoven's Ode to Joy when I turned it on). I spent most of a year gradually accepting the classical aesthetic as superior before I started to learn the piano (aged 12). As I progressed through the grades (grade 2 after 1 year, then 4, 6, 7, and 8) My teacher allowed me increasing freedom to play what I wanted. Either that, or I just played whatever I wanted to on top of all the exam pieces and ones she suggested. Hard to remember. Also, throughout this period I desperately wanted to play the harpsichord and the clarinet. These days, just the harpsichord.
Anyway, as I grew I became more fascinated by Beethoven's music, which I perceived as beautiful, well-constructed, and emotional without (in general) having to rely on extramusical texts and programmes. Reading about him and looking at his works in chronological order (paying particular attention to opus 90 and onwards) revealed a concern for pushing the (then very strict) boundaries of music and struggling to find a musical idiom that was his own. This seemed a very noble cause, and the chaotic fun of the fugue from his Hammerklavier
Sonata, not to mention the 20th-century avant-garde that continued along similarly abrasive lines, convinced me that this was a direction I would like to take with any music I might compose.
By then, I pretty much held any music that used a drum kit in contempt. :)

At this point the chronology starts to break down. Aged 16, I discovered Dada while perusing the art section of my sixth form library. Dada became a focus for my thoughts on visual art, though not for my thoughts on music until, on a whim, I listened to the dada tag radio on last.fm. Most if not all of it blew my mind, but the most memorable results were Pornoheft and Nakkilan palokunnan tanssiyhtye. NPTY is probably the main cause for my appreciation of the apskaft no-fi aesthetic.
At some point, I snatched someone's goff rock compilation off the internet, mostly out of curiosity because I had a goffick friend and no idea what her music actually sounded like. In the dark, The Hanging Garden and Transmission, among others, were surprisingly listenable, and after a while I ended up just buying the albums that contained them (and a few others). So, my approach to all rock and pop is via Bauhaus, Joy Division, The Cure, and The Sisters of Mercy.
The next thing to mention is black metal. I was unimpressed by metal in general, because it seemed to lack the subtlety of the gothic rock that I had begun to listen to. The heavy timbres and textures didn't interest me as much as the creepyier , more subdued textures (and minor harmonies) of gothic rock. However, the first piece of black metal that I heard was Des médecins malades et des saints séquestrés, which behind all the guitar noise used compound metre, interesting (and mediaeval-inspired) melodies, complex structure, and basically everything else I liked. It was a while before I went looking for other tracks, let alone other bands, but it happened.

Just before going to university, I did a few things:
First, I put my AS-level music composition on last.fm (Maybe).
Second, I recorded various components of my computer (on the suggestion of everything2.com and put them on last.fm.
Third, I visited Erik Satie's grave and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. Only the latter affected my music, but the former was very moving. While I was at the Pompidou Centre (which is the only thing within the bounnds of Paris worth seeing), I bought Andy Hamilton's book Aesthetics & Music; a DVD containing various Dadaist film experiments; and one of Sub Rosa's Anthologies of noise & Electronic Music. You can imagine how this interacted with my desire to be Beethovenish in pushing the limits of music...

From there it's too chaotic to write meaningfully or concisely about (Not that this is concise). Suffice it to say that I should have mentioned minimalism post-rock, spoken word, polish, neofolk, french, neoclassical darkwave, and...
Yeah anyway. Stopping now.

AlisterCrow's top albums (overall)
1. Current 93 - Island (315) 2. The Damned - Phantasmagoria (294) 3. Hocico - Memorias Atrás (285) 4. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (279) 5. Enigma - McMxc A.D. (267) 6. Relatives Menschsein - Die Ewigkeit (263) 7. Christian Death - Only Theatre of Pain (262) 8. Funker Vogt - Navigator (234) 9. Current 93 - Thunder Perfect Mind (233) 10. Devil Doll - Dies Irae (232) 11. Amethystium - Aphelion (214) 12. Mad Sin - Survival of the Sickest (211) 13. Fields of the Nephilim - Elyzium (203) 14. Misfits - Famous Monsters (200) 15. Velvet Acid Christ - Twisted Thought Generator (180) 16. Bauhaus - In the Flat Field (176) 17. Amethystium - Odonata (174) 18. The Cure - 4:13 Dream (171) 19. Kommunity FK - Close One Sad Eye (169) 20. Front Line Assembly - Artificial Soldier (168) 21. Skinny Puppy - The Process (167) 22. Electro Synthetic Rebellion - Post-Industrial (166) 23. Astral Projection - Amen (160) 24. Alien Sex Fiend - All Our Yesterdays (158) 25. BALZAC - Paranoid Dream Of The Zodiac (152) 26. Dreadful Shadows - Estrangement (149) 27. Frank the Baptist - Beggars Would Ride (149) 28. The Cure - Disintegration (148) 29. The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette (146) 30. King Diamond - Fatal Portrait (145) 31. Delerium - The Best Of (142) 32. Mylène Farmer - Anamorphosée (142) 33. TENMON & Eiichiro Yanagi / minori - ef - a tale of memories Original Soundtrack ~espressivo~ (141) 34. 45 Grave - Sleep in Safety (139) 35. SE - Epiphora (139) 36. Icon of Coil - Machines Are Us (139) 37. Summoning - Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame (139) 38. Enigma - The Cross Of Changes (138) 39. Stabilizers - Tyranny (138) 40. Skinny Puppy - Too Dark Park (138) 41. Joy Division - Still (137) 42. Empusae - Error 404: Metaphorical Loss Digipak (136) 43. Deathstars - Termination Bliss (136) 44. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Once Upon a Time (135) 45. The Cure - Boys Don't Cry (133) 46. Inkubus Sukkubus - Wytches (131) 47. Front Line Assembly - Implode (130) 48. The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always (128) 49. Atomine Elektrine - Archimetrical Universe (128) 50. Das Ich - Re_Laborat (128)

Sat 7 Nov – Peter Murphy, minor mine

Ήταν μια περίεργη συναυλία για πολλούς λόγους η χθεσινή του Peter Murphy.
Περίεργη γιατί έβλεπα έναν μεγάλο performer με καταπληκτική ακόμα και τώρα φωνή να αποδίδει μόνο από το ειδικό βάρος του ταλέντου του και της ιστορίας του. Να μην φτάνει στο 100% της απόδοσης του και συνάμα να μας χαρίζει μερικές πολύ όμορφες στιγμές.

Περίεργη επειδή ήταν ξεκάθαρο ότι δεν ήθελε να παίξει Bauhaus (τουλάχιστον τους πρώτους δίσκους τους), ενώ κουβαλάει ίσως πλέον δυσβάστακτα, την κληρονομιά του πρώην συγκροτήματος του. Γιατί νομίζω ότι πλέον δεν τον πρεσβεύουν. Διασκέδαζε παραπάνω στα δικά του τραγούδια (ή ακόμα και με το Too Much 21st Century από την τελευταία δουλειά των Bauhaus) παρά στο She’s In Parties και στο Bela Lugosi’s Dead που ούτως ή άλλως μας το έδωσε αποσπασματικά μαζί με το δικό του Strange Kind of Love. Δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι και τα παραπάνω τραγούδια ήταν νομίζω τα μοναδικά που ερμήνευσε από τους Bauhaus. Κατά τη γνώμη μου έπρεπε να δώσει βαρύτητα σ’ αυτό που πραγματικά θέλει να παρουσιάζει παρά σ’ αυτό πρέπει. Το κάνουν οι Tuxedomoon και κανείς δεν τους λέει τίποτα. Θα προτιμούσα να ακούσω 20 δικά του τραγούδια ερμηνευμένα με κέφι, παρά 3 άκεφα από Bauhaus. Το τελευταίο συνδέεται και με την επόμενη διαπίστωση μου.

Περίεργη επίσης ήταν η συναυλία λόγω της διάθεσης του. Ή μάλλον της έλλειψης που είχε. Οι λόγοι δεν με ενδιαφέρουν, μπορεί να ήταν κουρασμένος, ξενερωμένος, βαρεμένος, αλλά αυτό φαινόταν στη σκηνή. Οι κινήσεις του βγαίνανε επειδή έπρεπε να βγουν και όχι επειδή τις ένοιωθε. Το «Γέρασες!» που ακούστηκε από την αγενή κοπελιά, κατά τη διάρκεια της παράστασης δεν θέλω να το πιστέψω. Απλά δεν είχε όρεξη κατά τη γνώμη μου και είναι κρίμα.

Το κοινό ήταν περίεργο. Η μεγάλη πλειοψηφία πήγε για να ακούσει Bauhaus. Ζήτημα να ξέρανε 10 τραγούδια από τις προσωπικές δουλειές του. Έβλεπες αρκετά γκοθάκια να περιμένουν και να αγωνιούν μάταια να γίνει η συναυλία πιο σκοτεινή. Μάταια. Έβλεπες αρκετούς μαλάκες να φωνάζουν τραγούδια, ακόμα και όταν ξέρανε το setlist!! Άλλα περιμένανε οι περισσότεροι και άλλα είδαν επί σκηνής.

Περίεργες θα μπορούσαν να θεωρηθούν και οι αντιδράσεις του κοινού στο setlist. Ότι γλέντι έγινε, έγινε σε τραγούδια άλλων. Είτε αυτά ήταν των Bauhaus, είτε ήταν διασκευές. Με το Transmission από Joy Division και το Ziggy Stardust από David Bowie τα πιο χαρακτηριστικά παραδείγματα.

Περίεργος ήταν ο προγραμματισμός με τα support. Από τη μια είχες τους δικούς μας minor mine που για ακόμα μια φορά ήταν απολαυστικοί και από την άλλη είχες τη Lettie, τη μουσικό που έφερε ο Peter Murphy, που ήταν κυριολεκτικά αστεία. Από τη μία μας ζέσταναν οι Minor Mine από την άλλη το κορίτσι ήταν αλλού. Δεν ήταν άσχημη, ίσως σε κάποιο άλλο μέρος, κάποια άλλη στιγμή να γούσταρα, αλλά τώρα ήταν κανονικά άκαιρη.

Με όλα τα περίεργα που είπα πιο πάνω δεν αμφιβάλω ότι επίσης περίεργος είμαι και εγώ!

Αναλογιζόμενος την πορεία του Peter Murphy, από τη στιγμή που αυτός και η παρέα του (Bauhaus) μπουκάρανε στα στούντιο του BBC πριν 30 χρόνια με το demo του Bela Lugosi’s Dead και υποχρεώσανε τον παραγωγό να το παίξει, μέχρι το παρών όπου συνεχίζει να γράφει και να περιοδεύει μόνος του πλέον, αδικείται από τη χθεσινή συναυλία. Μπορούσε να μας δώσει παραπάνω πράματα. Και δεν αναφέρομαι στις δουλειές του με τους Bauhaus, το λέω για τη διάθεση του να προσφέρει. Εν τέλει μου φάνηκε κορεσμένος. Αυτό πάντως δεν είναι κάτι που ακυρώνει της αναμφισβήτητη αξία του και ταλέντο που έχει. Το είδαμε στο Strange Kind of Love, στο Deep Ocean Vast Sea και στο δικό μου χθεσινό αγαπημένο In Every Dream Home A Heartache (όπου κ αυτό δεν είναι δικό του, αλλά του Bryan Ferry και των Roxy Music), που για μένα όμως δεν ήταν αρκετά.

Βαθμολογία: 7/10

Just like last year (and the year before that), it's time to compare the artist stats of this year to the previous one. The first number in parantheses is the position in the last year's top 50 and the second number in parantheses is the play count for past 12 months.

01 (01) Swans 3,086 (+297)
02 (02) Depeche Mode 2,374 (+471)
03 (03) Current 93 2,002 (+159)
04 (04) Nine Inch Nails 1,889 (+155)
05 (07) The Legendary Pink Dots 1,722 (+295)
06 (06) Coil 1,668 (+207)
07 (05) Covenant 1,531 (+40)
08 (08) Death in June 1,301 (+69)
09 (10) CMX 1,046 (+114)
10 (11) KMFDM 1,034 (+200)
11 (09) Icon of Coil 1,033 (+21)
12 (18) Sleep Chamber 849 (+272)
13 (15) Einstürzende Neubauten 848 (+203)
14 (12) Front Line Assembly 823 (+96)
15 (14) Combichrist 739 (+46)
16 (16) Project Pitchfork 723 (+119)
17 (13) Deine Lakaien 717 (+22)
18 (19) :wumpscut: 669 (+94)
19 (17) The Angels of Light 635 (+45)
20 (26) The Tiger Lillies 630 (+184)
21 (22) Coph Nia 597 (+129)
22 (21) Assemblage 23 (+41)
23 (20) VNV Nation 581 (+22)
24 (27) Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio 540 (+97)
25 (23) Paradise Lost 519 (+53)
26 (29) Black Sun Productions 505 (+73)
27 (25) Diary of Dreams 492 (+38)
28 (24) Rammstein 487 (+31)
29 (28) Mesh 481 (+41)
30 (32) Rotersand 448 (+52)
31 (30) Diorama 444 (+14)
32 (31) Pet Shop Boys 435 (+34)
33 (33) Dead Can Dance 429 (+37)
34 (36) Bauhaus 423 (+75)
35 (34) Siouxsie and the Banshees 412 (+24)
35 (35) Gary Numan 412 (+31)
37 (58) Foetus 408 (+140)
38 (38) This Morn' Omina 403 (+66)
39 (37) Velvet Acid Christ 378 (+33)
39 (50) The Doors 378 (+73)
41 (41) Lustmord 373 (+42)
42 (54) Ulver 366 (+78)
43 (40) Skinny Puppy 363 (+31)
44 (39) Joy Division 361 (+26)
45 (43) Sara 360 (+36)
46 (106) Dernière Volonté 358 (+182)
47 (53) Cabaret Voltaire 355 (+67)
48 (46) Woven Hand 352 (+40)
49 (47) Ladytron 348 (+37)
50 (59) Der Blutharsch 345 (+83)

Well, that was a boring year... at least looking at the changes in top 50. Everything was very static. The hottest climber of the year was Dernière Volonté by 60 positions straight to #46 outside of the 4th anniversary Top 100. Also Foetus and Ulver entered Top 50 for the first time. Cabaret Voltaire and Der Blutharsch returned after being absent from Top 50 for a while. The biggest mover that was in Top 50 last year was The Doors, up by 11 positions.

The static nature of my Top 50 is easy to explain because my listening habits have changed if the chart hasn't. I listen to a bigger amount of artists but a smaller amount of songs per artist. My overall listening amounts have stayed pretty much the same but now they are more divided between more bands. The same has happened to tracks a lot earlier: I rarely listen to a single track for a lot of times. This means that both my tracks and artist Top 50 charts aren't changing that much these days.

The overall charts are so static that sometimes I even think about resetting the statistics. But that would be a waste because I can set my default layout to show the stats for last 12 months which I think also represents my current taste in music a lot better. It's becoming more and more diverse each year, concentrating less and less on repetition of individual tracks or artists. It's also becoming less focused on ebm, futurepop and related genres, as you may even notice from the slight changes in positions of my top 50 artists.

I did the very difficult process of narrowing down my musical tastes down to just 50 artists, to represent the bands/musicians I simply could not live without. Of course, this list is is expected to change in some degree over time.

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Tori Amos
3. Tom Waits
4. Björk
5. Bauhaus
6. Metallica
7. Nirvana
8. Black Sabbath
9. The Beatles
10. Led Zeppelin
11. The Doors
12. Jefferson Airplane
13. The Sword
14. Pink Floyd
15. Devendra Banhart
16. The Incredible String Band
17. Witchcraft
18. Siouxsie and the Banshees
19. The Rolling Stones
20. Big Brother & The Holding Company
21. Bob Dylan
22. Larkin Grimm
23. Soft Machine
24. Portishead
25. 13th Floor Elevators
26. Nick Drake
27. Dethklok
28. Josephine Foster
29. The Velvet Underground
30. Neil Young
31. Utimate Spinach
32. Rasputina
33. Cocteau Twins
34. Ravi Shankar
35. Donovan
36. Babes in Toyland
37. Mariee Sioux
38. Rob Zombie
39. The Seeds
40. Joanna Newsom
41. Cream
42. Simon & Garfunkel
43. Joni Mitchell
44. Alela Diane
45. Hole
46. CocoRosie
47. PJ Harvey
48. Mazzy Star
49. Marissa Nadler
50. Johann Sebastian Bach

Bands that I actually watched the performances of...

American Head Charge,
Crossbreed,
Otep,
Mushroomhead,
Dope,
Nocturne,
Nonpoint,
SOiL,
Static-X,
TRUSTcompany,
Papa Roach,
Linkin Park,
Disturbed,
Slipknot,
Stone Sour,
Deftones,
Taproot,
Drowning Pool,
Adema,
P.O.D.,
Chevelle,
Nothingface,
3rd Strike,
Flaw,
Andrew W.K.,
Magna-Fi,
ANew Revolution,
DragPipe,
Adharma,
Beautiful Creatures,
The Union Underground,
Ill Nino,
Apex Theory,
Neurotica,
Chimaira,
Korn,
Grade 8,
Darkest Hour,
Threat Signal,
Mnemic,
Twisted Method,
Fear Factory,
Marilyn Manson,
Nine Inch Nails,
Bauhaus,
Monster Magnet,
Strapping Young Lad,
Lamb of God,
Killswitch Engage,
Shadows Fall,
Cradle of Filth,
Satyricon,
Septic Flesh,
Down,
Dimmu Borgir,
Cold,
Behemoth,
Skinless,
ChthoniC,
Walls of Jericho,
Dir en grey,
Five Finger Death Punch,
Machine Head,
Lacuna Coil,
Atreyu,
Ozzy Osbourne,
Black Label Society,
Hatebreed,
Nullset,
Reveille,
Type O Negative,
Seventh Void,
Cryptopsy,
CKY,
Avenged Sevenfold,
Bullets and Octane,
Goo Goo Dolls,
Finger Eleven,
Butthole Surfers,
Janes Addiction,
Street Sweeper Social Club,
3 Inches of Blood,
DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND,
Dark Tranquility,
Katatonia,
Daylight Dies,
Brand New Sin,
mc chris,
The Hidden Hand,
YOB,
Children of Bodom,
Unearth,
DevilDriver,
Memento

Halloween: Instead of handing out candy to the non-existent children I DJ'd at The Masqueradio Halloween Party. The times were downright awesome and the candy was unmissed. All in all, good times. There were some really freaky Egyptians yelling at guests but I think everyone escaped completely unharmed. Although, I did see a lot of blood but I think it was intentional. Righteous.

Playlist:
Neuroticfish - Prostitute (NYC Club Mix)
Ministry - Everyday Is Halloween
Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
The Cure - Close To Me
Animotion - Obsession
Annie - Chewing Gum (Mylo remix)
The Black Ghosts - Something New
The Faint - Posed to Death
The Knife - Pass This On (M.A.N.D.Y. Knifer Mix)
Ellen Allien - Trash Scapes (Anthony Rother remix)

The Presets - Are You The One? (Van She Remix)
Rotersand - Exterminate Annihilate Destroy
The Timelords - Doctorin' the Tardis
Falco - Der Kommisar
Peter Schilling - Major Tom
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Salt 'n' Pepa - Push It (1988)
Devo - Girl U Want
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Hong Kong garden
Bauhaus - She's in Parties

The Normal - Warm Leatherette
Alien Sex Fiend - Now I'm Feeling Zombified
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll
Vitalic - Flashmob
Midnight Juggernauts - Tombstone
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (Tommie Sunshine Remix)
Evil Nine - They Live!
Freeland - We Want Your Soul
Mindless Self Indulgence - Straight To Video (TSMV Extended Electro Remix by Tommie Sunshine)
Kings of Leon - Charmer

John Williams - Cantina Band
Oingo Boingo - Weird Science
Kraftwerk - Radioactivity '91
Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters
Love & Rockets - So Alive
Ladyhawke - Magic
Modest Mouse - Tiny Cities Made of Ashes

1. The Cure
2. Evanescence
3. Muse
4. Nine Inch Nails
5. Marilyn Manson
6. The Damned
7. She Wants Revenge
8. One Republic
9. Siouxsie and the Banshees
10. Avril Lavigne

What was the first song you ever heard by #6?
- hmmm Shadow of Love

What is your favorite album by #2?
- Fallen

What is your favorite lyric sung by #5?
- "I'm not a slave to a world that doesn't give a shit"- The Fight Song. Manson has deep intricate lyrics :P

How many times have you seen #4 live?
- None :( I remember wanting to go sooo badly to see them with Bauhaus in Houston

What is your favorite song by #7?
- Checking Out. Everything on This Is Forever is brilliant

Is there a song by #3 that makes you sad?
- Muse? I guess Thoughts of a Dying Athiest

What is your favorite lyric sung by #2?
- Oh god. I love everything by them. "Should it hurt to love you?Should I feel like I do? Should I lock the last open door? My ghosts are gaining on me"- All That Im Living For

What is your favorite song by #9?
- Scarecrow

How did you get into #3?
- 'm not sure. I remember hating them in Junior High and then somehow just decided to download all their albums and loved them.

What was the first song you heard by #1?
- I can't remember but I think it was A Forest or Why Can't I Be You

What is your favorite song by #4?
- Head Down oooor Something I Can Never Have

How many times have you seen #9 live?
- If only :( they broke up

What is a good memory you have concerning #2?
- Fallen brings back sooo many memories. It was my brothers CD and I just fell in love with it. The Open Door is connected to a bad time but I still love the music. Its always good to remember stuff.

Is there a song by #8 that makes you sad?
- Apologize lol

What is your favorite album by #5?
- Antichrist Superstar or Golden Age of Grotesque

What is your favorite lyric sung by #3?
- "The starlight. I will be chasing your starlight. Till the end of my life. I dont know if its worth it anymore. Hold you in my arms. I just want to hold you in my arms."- Starlight

What is your favorite song by #1?
- OH GOD. Ummmm. Disintegration, Strange Attraction, Just Like heaven, Love Song, In Between Days, A Night Like This. Disintegration would probably get the title.

What is your favorite song by #10?
- Tomorrow

How many times have you seen #8 live?
- OMG fml. I had a chance last week :( with freaking Rob Thomas but I had no ride!

What is your favorite album by #1?
- The Head on the Door. No competition.

What is a great memory you have considering #9?
- I remember feeling super cool listening to them :)