Come on guys. Let's hear what's the most embarassing thing you have in your collection. You know what I mean: the album that you would only listen to if nobody knew about it.
Here's mine. When you open up iTunes, it's the first thing you see - Jewel's "0304". It's bad enough that I like Jewel, but it's mortifying that the first thing anyone sees in my collection is the often overly preachy folkie trying to be a pop princess.
So, what's your most embarassing album?
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"Mission Accomplished (Because You Gotta Have Faith)" - Todd Snider Peace Queer
I have couple of Mariah Carey's early albums that I'm keeping for sentimental value, as they were the first CD's I ever got, haven't listened to them in years though.
If music be the food of love then SPLIT ENZ be the silverware. - Tim Finn
Location: Inner Eastern Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Is one supposed to be ashamed of Kiss? I still have my old Kiss albums on vinyl, and purchased (the first) Kiss Alive on CD a couple of years ago and still listen to that quite a lot. So, yes, I admit that I like Kiss -- they are my "guilty pleasure" band -- but it's got to be the original line-up with Paul, Gene, Ace & Peter.
Last night, I was just thinking of starting a "guilty pleasures" thread. And lo, I wake up and one has appeared! Tonight, before I go to bed, I'm going to imagine myself in Malibu and see what happens.
I have no problem admitting that when I was a kid, my taste in music was atrocious. Certainly up until the late 80's. I therefore don't want to discuss some of the clangers I have in my vinyl collection from that period (Paula Abdul anyone?)
However, one album I still sometimes find myself singing in the shower, is Billy Joel's Innocent Man.
Now, don't get me wrong... I'm not going to defend liking Billy Joel. Turnstiles, The Stranger, and 52nd Street are still good albums. Probably others I haven't heard too. Innocent Man though, I have to admit hasn't aged particularly well. "Cheesy" would be a fair comment. The last time I put it on at a party, will be the last time I put it on at a party. I took each laugh and barbed comment as a personal attack!
That said, it's good clean fun, and it's heart is in the right place. I'm still quite fond of it.
"I know that human beings and fish can co-exist peacefully"
I can honestly say that in the 40 years I've been buying music I've never purchased an album I was embarrassed about. Of course, I've probably got any number of albums that would embarrass others (Hot August Night, I'm talkin' to you!), but that's their problem.
I'm not so sure there's still such a thing as a "guilty pleasure" in this day and age. From my perspective, now that irony has run its course, threads like this serve more for indie rockers and others to respond with answers that just scream "look at this thing that I like that I shouldn't like, it's so much worse than that thing you claim to like that you shouldn't." It becomes some awful game where fools can trade off their worst tastes to see who'll admit to liking Limp Bizkit in the end because "it's funny."
What I'm trying to say is, if you like something enough to admit it in public or on a forum such as this then it certainly isn't a guilty enough pleasure. I like the music I like, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether it's the most difficult avant-garde, post-classical, or noise records or whether I'm talking about pop radio songs.
Of course, I've probably got any number of albums that would embarrass others (Hot August Night, I'm talkin' to you!), but that's their problem.
Ha ha, I think the most embarrasing thing about this album is the cover. It's totally golden. I remember seeing it in my parents collection when I was like 12 and thinking "what the hell?!?"
Originally posted by less_success: Ha ha, I think the most embarrasing thing about this album is the cover. It's totally golden. I remember seeing it in my parents collection when I was like 12 and thinking "what the hell?!?"
Yeah, it's not his best look. Makes you wonder what the photos they didn't go with were like.
Maybe it's an age thing - I would guess that the guilty bit would increase especially if you were unfortunate enough to go through your teens in the 1980s.
I have had most of my vinyl from that time in storage and they have not felt the love for many years now and are unlikely to feel it anytime soon.
But I do occasionally find myself thrashing my head to Van Halen's 1984 classic 'hot for teacher' and found myself humming along to AHA's 'Take on Me' - both in that collection. I would throw neither away but I would make damn sure they're not on my ipod!
Hahaha - that's funny Sideshow Bob. Well, I see your angle now, after all, Neil D had an embarassment of riches in the hair dept - he had a full body of hair - at least that's what his carpeted chest would indicate. Hirsute is the term isn't it?
Originally posted by TigerG: Hahaha - that's funny Sideshow Bob. Well, I see your angle now, after all, Neil D had an embarassment of riches in the hair dept - he had a full body of hair - at least that's what his carpeted chest would indicate. Hirsute is the term isn't it?
Ah, men's fashion in the '70s. Gold chains optional.
Why be embarassed of Hot for Teacher?! That song kicks ass
I agree. Van Halen's early records with David Lee Roth are all good to greater and lesser degrees. While I usually don't care for their cover songs, barring "You Really Got Me," the first two albums are pretty much spot on and the others have some great stuff too like "D.O.A." and "Unchained."
i have many artists in my collection that i'm ashamed of owning. sad but true. off the top of my head ......bruce springsteen (are we still in that age where it is embarrasing to like him, or have we moved out of it?), kiss (a lingering childhood interest), and U2. i have massive collections of each of these artists though i would never play them at a party or in front of friends.
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