I Know What I Like
My radio station has recently been playing the new Robert Plant single. I really like it. When they played it today, they were talking about Plant going to see John Paul Jones’ new band and his comments about the directions they’ve both taken. Which started me thinking about the artists I like and have followed through their careers. It takes a lot to get me to decide I really like something. Oh I can say, yeah that’s okay or I like that, but to really make me latch on and decide this makes the list takes time and something pretty special.
Once I do make that decision though, I’m devoted. Take Plant. Oh sure, everyone has to like at least some Zepplin. But it took some personal stuff to really latch on to their electrified blues. and then as I explored their later work, and then Page and Plant did the unplugged album No Quarter I was suddenly completely hooked. I will now follow whatever Plant does next. I like that he’s continued, and I like that he’s evolving. If I look at the other musicians that fall into that category, McCartney, RUSH, David Bowie, (he’s a real one for trying all sorts of new things, and I’m in for whatever he comes up with) and of course my beloved Genesis, they are all marked by long careers that show them reaching and exploring and experimenting. These are the artists that fill my shelves with every thing they touch.
Same for other art forms. In film I’m a Woody Allen fan. Now there’s a guy who’s not stuck in a rut. Absurdism, farce, drama, expressionism, and even a musical. Terry Gilliam is another favourite.
Now sometimes, I can give up on someone. They start out great, but somewhere along the way, they stagnate, or take a path that just doesn’t work for me. I really liked Tim Burton. I still really like some of his early work. But I haven’t seen anything he’s done in years. It’s all become so samey. And I’ll just leave George Lucas to your imagination.
In comics, I like John Romita Jr. A career Marvel man, he’s worked on lots of different projects and his work has changed an evolved over the years. He’s even recently dabbled with work that’s not for Marvel. Dave Sim I’ll buy his napkin scrawlings.
It’s not always that I’ll buy anything and everything, but I’ll always keep tabs, flip through, listen to a clip what have you. Some of it is likely the comfortable familiarity, but that would only hold if they were to keep doing what they’ve always done. It’s more that they’ve struck a nerve, made a connection. And now i’ll follow wherever they lead.
What do you like?
) Your 2 Cents...