Has it ever happened to you? Please tell your stories. Cause it happened to me a few times (i didn't dig the Ramones when i first heard them, and same goes to Sex Pistols and a few other band which are now among my favourites), and i'm really curious how you guys (and gals) felt about similar experience.
Here's a recent story from my experience, if you don't mind. Sort of a confession to some extent, lol. (I just hope it's not against forum rules to post Judas Priest's songs here.)
Year 1991 or so. The music TV channel recently "came" to Russia, and i'm hooked on it, listening and watching everything they show. Some things i like, some things i don't, i've recently "discovered" Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits (and i've loved them ever since!), a lot of other nice stuff, some decent, some not so pleasant, but anyway i'm happy with most everything, feeling relaxed and all when suddenly this thing pops up from out of i don't know what.
"Oh sh##!", i said to myself. And i almost did it, mean "oh-sh##ed" in my pants. Cause i thought it was the most dreadful thing i've ever bumped into. That terrifying video, that mind-blowing sound, and on top of that, that beast with the mic screaming until my eardrums break, the feeling was a mixture of bodily fear, disgust and... curiosity. The latter had me read articles about them (well, the ones which i could get, and bear in mind i was only 12 at the time & neither my Dad nor my friends from school have never been into that kind of music), learn the name of that infernal guy with the microphone if only just in order to, you know, avoid if i ever get a chance to "bump into". But somehow i've managed to stay away from their music, that song posted above being the only song of theirs i've heard — until recently. I was thinking, like, "i don't know what kind of music i'd be listening to in 20 years from now, but i'm 100% sure it wouldn't be that. Little did i know, lol.
April 2011. Due to some things that were happening to me and around me in last couple of years (no details), i'm feeling pretty much down and almost ready to fall into a deep depression. I'm in a car, listening to the local rock station, when they suddenly play this.
"Wow, what a cool song!", i'm thinking. "Now who's that?" The system screen shows the band/artist name and the title of the song being played (the station's special feature), and when i see what's on it, i'm like, "noooooo, it can't be! Did they also have stuff like this?! Wow. Couldn't have thought". Then back home, i search youtube and — yeah, that's them. I'm surprised. Keep playing this song again and again, then watch some other clips on youtube, then my husband says, "why wouldn't you listen to that whole album?" Following his advice, i find out to my surprise that the "thing" i was scared of has always been a nice bunch of guys playing nice melodic music, with cool guitar riffs and great vocals. I'm still like, "i don't think they'd ever be among my personal favourites, but they're really good", and i decide to give a chance to another album. That was "Killing machine"; i am not going to say, like, "life has never been the same ever since", but something has definitely changed.
First two songs — "yeah, yeah, cool", and then this one's on, and i feel like i've been won over.
Okay, got to face it, it's little more than a cute pop song but there's something about it that sends shivers down my spine.
And then, after a few more killer songs:
"Uh-oh," i say to myself, "looks like i'm in love".
And that was the "turning point" after which i started listening to whatever record by theirs i could lay my hands on, and i liked almost everything (well, with a single exception of "Turbo lover" which in my books is one of the worst rock songs ever written and recorded), and then i realized, "uh-oh, looks like i'm in too deep. But — ahem — where's my depression?! That's like, i want to live to the full again. Now that is funny". And i just couldn't get enough, going into the stuff that Halford recorded with other bands, i know i probably shouldn't cause you know, that guy has somehow knocked me down completely with this.
I was like, "Damn. Thank you, man".
Don't know for how long i'd be hooked, maybe i'll just get tired of them in no time, but i'd always be thankful to them. Cause it's a great experience, from all points. It took me 20 years to get from hatred to love for them, and they were at the right place at the right time to give me a helping hand. That i will never forget, no matter what.
Must also say, Glenn Tipton is a really cool guy. (And soooo handsome as well!
) Liked his solo stuff, "Left for dead" being the song that is now in my personal top 10 of all the songs i've ever heard. Well, maybe top 50. So here it is. Sorry for such a long and boring message, and here's hoping to hear your stories.
Yours truly,
silly little Sheena
). Then, somehow I got hooked a few albums in, and they've become one of my fav bands where I own every song released commercially or on promos, even some demos etc.