<p>Kiss is still touring I believe.
I don’t think the bands I listened to were obscure, they were what they played on the radio, albeit it was the station at the end of the dial.</p>
<p>It was so long ago, I think it was before Starbucks.</p>
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<p>Lol. Some here would probably lose their lunch to hear that DH got me tickets to see Michael Buble in October (birthday present). I’m decidedly un-hip.</p>
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<p>While I heard Cindi Lauper and The Police on occasion, they weren’t very popular in my childhood neighborhood. </p>
<p>I didn’t start getting into The Clash, Ramones, Sex Pistols, or even knowing about the other groups you mentioned until I was in college and started hanging out with dormmates/HS classmates in college. </p>
<p>Heard The Cars and other '70s/80’s groups from a close older friend I made during undergrad years who was heavily into disco/'80s and needed my help in recovering scratched CDs and converting mp3 downloads into audio CDs because the computer he had then was so old(low-end 486) it couldn’t play mp3s in realtime. He’s the reason why I dread cheesy disco…like the Beegees. <em>Shudder</em></p>
<p>Incidentally, one Prof I’ve had is such a big fan of the Talking Heads he quotes their lyrics on the syllabi of his courses.</p>
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<p>I prefer this version which came out over the internet not too long after I graduated college:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNLw6XFOwCE[/url]”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNLw6XFOwCE</a></p>
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<p>Ahh. The Microsoft of the musical world and Gene Simmons is the Bill Gates of the franchise. </p>
<p>While they may be panned by many who aren’t into the heavily commercialized and sometimes cheesy songs, they sure know how to market themselves into the stratosphere. :)</p>
<p>I have friends who are fans of theirs…but their music isn’t really my cup of tea.</p>
<p>GNR>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>KISS</p>
<p>And not hair metal. Pure power pop. Way better hooks and songs. Nothing better Friday afternoon. One of top rock vocalists of all time. Same on guitar.</p>
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<p>Robert Earl Keen, in San Fransisco. Wow. </p>
<p>I’ve been a little leery of live music, since that chaperone trip to Warped Tour with my daughter and her friends, but that’s a good lineup. Really good. Good enough I wish I lived there.</p>
<p>Taste, good or bad, is kind of a majority thing but ‘obscure’ often doesn’t carry any connotation other than that you - yourself - weren’t aware of it.</p>
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<p>I don’t see much of a difference. Both are extremely cheesy. </p>
<p>However, I will give KISS and Gene Simmons some props for their outstanding ability to turn themselves into a long-time profitable franchise and innovating new ways to market and extend it.</p>
<p>barrons- open the window and just shout “Get off my lawn” it will make you feel better.</p>
<p>ill take cheese over overly produced mysognisitic racist crap anyday.</p>
<p>" I love Mumford and Sons. So there. "</p>
<p>Me too ! I even broke out of my concert retirement to go see them with my daughters last February…also Really like The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros , Deer Tick , World News and a few others like them…not sure if it is considered " Hipster " but I like the sound</p>
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<p>Amen.</p>
<p>I am one of those people who have the car radio on all the time - meaning I don’t seek out the more hidden music, but do listen to current ‘pop’.</p>
<p>My questions: Does it seem to anyone else that they have gone to a top 40 format on FM radio? And why isn’t everyone talking non-stop about Maroon 5? Because it seems like they play them non-stop. Maroon 5 and whatshisname, Timberlake? They could play 1/10 as much of them and still overplay them.</p>
<p>I cannot STAND Maroon 5. The singer’s voice is like nails on a blackboard to me. Just imagining it makes my skin crawl.</p>
<p>Decided to try GNR to relive the cheesiness. Yep…cheesy and I noticed the lead singer’s voice sounds remarkably like the comedic sounding voice of '80s cartoon characters Cobra Commander from GI Joe and Starscream from the Transformers. </p>
<p>A mix of raspy, whiny, and Beegees high pitch.</p>
<p>Otherwise known as the perfect rock voice. </p>
<p>[The</a> 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time: ‘Appetite for Destruction’ | Rolling Stone](<a href=“http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-debut-albums-of-all-time-20130322/appetite-for-destruction-19691231]The”>100 Best Debut Albums of All Time – Rolling Stone)</p>
<p>[500</a> Greatest Albums of All Time: Guns N’ Roses, ‘Appetite for Destruction’ | Rolling Stone](<a href=“http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/guns-n-roses-appetite-for-destruction-20120524]500”>Greatest Albums List (Published 2003) – Rolling Stone)</p>
<p>EK, yes KISS still tours. I’ve been to two of their concerts (3 but my mom didn’t realize I was there yet… 
lol) and fully expect to go to a third.</p>
<p>I dislike GNR. The last musician I really, really want to see live is Elton John. I recently saw Bon Jovi and was unimpressed which disappointed me. I loved, loved, loved Rolling Stones. </p>
<p>My musical tastes are a generation and a half too late :(</p>
<p>I recently got my mom hooked on Fun. She says they remind her of the anti war music of the 60s.</p>
<p>Kiss even does cruises, an acquiantance went on a KISS tour last year or the year before- he was thrilled to death. </p>
<p>I was really out of the loop as to how big gNR apparently was, my husband is apparently more cognizant. I like Duff McKagan though and enjoy his current bands, Loaded & The Walking Papers & look forward to when he plays the neighborhood honky tonk.
My favorite side project though for the moment is definitely RNDM.
[Song</a> Premiere: RNDM, ‘Modern Times’ | Music News | Rolling Stone](<a href=“http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/song-premiere-rndm-modern-times-20120828]Song”>Song Premiere: RNDM, ‘Modern Times’ – Rolling Stone)</p>
<p>But I agree that rock vocalists often sound more like Robert Plant or Angus Young than Glen Hansard, although if I only had Eddie Vedder & Glen to listen to, I would be happy.</p>
<p>I liked a few of the Stones tunes, but I only had room in my collection for one group of assoles, & that was Led Zeppelin.
;)</p>
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<p>Only if your standards for a perfect rock voice is the following:</p>
<p>[Minnie</a> Riperton ?? 1975 loving you - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auYCXBzep9o]Minnie”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auYCXBzep9o)</p>
<p>[Bee</a> Gees - Stayin’ Alive (Saturday Night Fever) - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa9n7GirhsI]Bee”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa9n7GirhsI)</p>
<p>Now the following are exemplars of good rock voices in my book: :D</p>
<p>[Green</a> Day - Basket Case [Official Music Video] - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTGr5t3MoY]Green”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTGr5t3MoY)</p>
<p>[The</a> Offspring - One Fine Day (Lyrics) - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swhqzXUqjaI]The”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swhqzXUqjaI)</p>
<p>[The</a> Clash - I Fought The Law - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16u0wwCfoJ4]The”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16u0wwCfoJ4)</p>
<p>[Ramones</a> - Rockaway Beach - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79S5k1pgWZU]Ramones”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79S5k1pgWZU)</p>
<p>[The</a> Real Ritchie Valens - La Bamba - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp6j5HJ-Cok]The”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp6j5HJ-Cok)</p>
<p>[Chuck</a> Berry - Johnny B. Goode [HQ] - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8JULmUlGDA]Chuck”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8JULmUlGDA)</p>
<p>[TINA</a> TURNER - PROUD MARY(LIVE 1982) - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqIpkMDRjYw]TINA”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqIpkMDRjYw)</p>
<p>[Joan</a> Jett & the Blackhearts - I Love Rock N Roll - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3T_xeoGES8]Joan”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3T_xeoGES8)</p>
<p>[Pat</a> Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot (Live) - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JRgHol94Xc]Pat”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JRgHol94Xc)</p>