Your Favourite Musical City and Why

SilverScreen · 18-04-2012 9:39pm #1

Quite a lot of cities around the world have spawned ground-breaking musical scenes over the decades and some with their own distinct sound. So what is your favourite musical city and why? Which eras and bands swing your vote?

For me it's probably going to be Glasgow. If you're an indie nerd like me it's pretty obvious. The city and it's satellite towns have spawned an astonishing indie legacy with bands like Orange Juice, Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, The Wake, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Pastels, Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub, The Blue Nile among many others, right up to Belle and Sebastian and Camera Obscura. When I think Glasgow I think jangly guitars and infectious melodies and music that puts a smile on my face.

Rothko · 18-04-2012 10:16pm

I think mine would be New York since it's spawned so many great and interesting artists.

The Velvet Underground
Sonic Youth
Television
Richard Hell & The Voidoids
The Ramones
Nas
The Notorious B.I.G.
The Wu-Tang Clan
Blondie
Talking Heads
Patti Smith
The Strokes
Beastie Boys
Silver Apples
New York Dolls

My second favourite would be Manchester with acts like the Stone Roses, Joy Division, New Order, Oasis, Inspiral Carpets, The Smiths, The Fall, The Charlatans, The Buzzcocks, Doves, The Chemical Brothers and the Happy Mondays.

lordgoat · 18-04-2012 10:55pm

chicago -

n'orleans.... where music comes alive,

i'll expand tomorrow

kunst nugget · 19-04-2012 9:24am

Oh, it has to London, for giving us the wonderful Menswear, Razorlight, Sleeper, Towers of London, Scouting for Girls and Blazin' Squad.

delbertgrady · 19-04-2012 11:39am

kunst nugget wrote: »

Oh, it has to London, for giving us the wonderful Menswear, Razorlight, Sleeper, Towers of London, Scouting for Girls and Blazin' Squad.

I could be wrong, but I detect some sarcasm here.

Technocentral · 19-04-2012 2:15pm

Come on now, only one possible answer: Manchester and thats thanks to Factory Records, its influence on indie and dance/rock crossover is immeasurable. A close second is the Big Apple.

seachto7 · 19-04-2012 4:53pm

Seattle for me.

JerryHandbag · 19-04-2012 9:13pm

Another vote for Manchester here, so many great bands.

smokedeels · 19-04-2012 9:38pm

Chicago...

Touch and Go records, Thrill Jockey and Drag City Records all based out of there...

And of course Electrical Audio, where some of my all time favorite records have been made. Steve Albini's output in general.

Manchester is number too, the quality of bands that city has produced is astounding: The Fall, Joy Division, The Chameleons, to name but a few.

Also, I dig Manchester for several non-music related reasons.

kunst nugget · 20-04-2012 8:22am

smokedeels wrote: »

Manchester is number too, the quality of bands that city has produced is astounding: The Fall, Joy Division, The Chameleons, to name but a few.

And don't forget Starsailor, M People, Northern Uproar, Northside and Elkie Brooks.

I'd give Sheffield a vote too. Any town that is home to Cabaret Voltaire, Warp Records and Def Leppard is alright in my books.

New York really blazed a trail in the late 60s through to the 80s though with the emergence of hip hop and dance music, punk rock, punk jazz, new wave, no wave and on and on. Even if the music doesn't really float your boat, it is a fascinating history.

lordgoat · 20-04-2012 10:49am

kunst nugget wrote: »

And don't forget Starsailor, M People, Northern Uproar, Northside and Elkie Brooks.

I'd give Sheffield a vote too. Any town that is home to Cabaret Voltaire, Warp Records and Def Leppard is alright in my books.

New York really blazed a trail in the late 60s through to the 80s though with the emergence of hip hop and dance music, punk rock, punk jazz, new wave, no wave and on and on. Even if the music doesn't really float your boat, it is a fascinating history.

M People? wtf?

kunst nugget · 20-04-2012 11:09am

lordgoat wrote: »

M People? wtf?

Surely, they deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Northside and Northern Uproar?

lordgoat · 20-04-2012 11:34am

kunst nugget wrote: »

Surely, they deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Northside and Northern Uproar?

I was horrified at starsailor, i limped to M People and stopped reading after that.

you've got a sick sense of humour. well played.

SilverScreen · 20-04-2012 8:27pm

New York would definitely be up there. The late 70's/early 80's was a brilliant period for New York with bands like Talking Heads, Blondie, Television, Sonic Youth, Swans, Bush Tetras and the whole no-wave scene with bands like Teenage Jesus & The Jerks, DNA and Glenn Branca. And even in more recent times you have good bands like The Strokes, The Antlers, A Place To Bury Strangers and LCD Soundsystem.

kunst nugget wrote: »

I'd give Sheffield a vote too. Any town that is home to Cabaret Voltaire, Warp Records and Def Leppard is alright in my books.

*Ahem* AND Pulp

kunst nugget · 23-04-2012 9:14am

Zero1986 wrote: »

*Ahem* AND Pulp

I was going to mention them but the awesomeness of Def Leppard eclipsed them. Along with the Human League, Heaven 17, ABC, Arctic Monkeys, Richard Hawley, etc...