Music - the only love allowed to hurt me. You always know what I want and never answer back.
Placebo
I've never really been one to fit the stereotype image of any fanbase. I'm a guy but I'm not bisexual and I don't wear eyeliner. I do have a history of self-harm, drug abuse and depression, though. So perhaps I can relate a bit there. But Placebo to me aren't just about what they're saying, it's how they're saying it. Their lyrics can be very poetic, they are brilliant both live and acoustic, fast or slow. They're one of the only bands still around from the 90's making incredible music.
The Velvet Underground
Often overlooked in lists of amazing 70's bands. Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin blah blah... where's VU? Their distortion was great. They have clearly inspired many bands from later years, and they really clicked for me in my darkest hours. How can such distortion be so hypnotic? This band defines the spirit of alternative 60's/70's to me. So cool. So disconnected. Beautiful.
Neil Young
Laughed the first time I heard him. Didn't like his whiney voice. But very soon I was hooked. Stunningly happy, with much sorrow. Great for singing in the shower, and at rehab reunions.
Bjork
God damn I love Bjork. She is amazing in every possible way. When I listen to Bjork my heart melts and I turn to jelly, wanting to collapse onto the floor in a gooey puddle and wonder how people can fight and kill each other in war when Bjork is in the world. Just... how? I don't understand.
******* marry me.
I appreciate Electronic music (mainly Drum and Bass, some Psytrance and Techno) for giving me something alternative to listen to when those awful, awful Britpop bands like Blur and Oasis took over the arse end of the 90's. This was when band music really took a nosedive imo. We had so many great bands from America (Nirvana, Chili Peppers, Filter, NIN, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Rage Against the Machine etc etc) and what did we follow it up with? Horrid chav music for lager louts and football puking-in-the-streets-and-fighting idiots. I hated that period so ****** off to a field to take drugs and listen to machines.
Radiohead were always good though. SO weird.
I'm going to post now and edit more in after because I suddenly got paranoid about a malfunction and losing all the text.