i feel a bit odd saying this- but, i dearly hope you wont take anyones future rude comments to heart- im not sure how experienced you are with the internet- after watching your introductory video of your channel, i get the sense your somehow perhaps new to all of this?- if you are please be ready for all manner of horrendous and off color mean, petty, and spiteful things that jerks can and will say online- please ignore awful people like that and whatever you do- dont bother replying to anything they say- it only encourages them further- and for the love of everything good, dont ever give out or have anything that could give away any personal info you dont want out in the public in your videos hun- just focus on being you and continue your journey- the majority of people on youtube will undoubtably support and love you for it- okay thats enough of me being a worry wort lol- take care
I really appreciate your care! It means a lot! The truth is that I am not experienced at all and I was afraid of these types of comments, but my friend who is helping me out encouraged me pointing my attention to the thousands which will enjoy and since I am myself a teacher, I would go to a long extend only to pass on to others the pearls in my life! More than that, after 7 days with this channel and hundreds of comments, I have to say that I was so surprised: only ONE was kinda rude. But my friend also told me at the beginning of this journey that a lot of Rock Music consumers are high educated, very interesting people, not the kind that would throw trash at people. I guess he was right...
@@VirginRock i see- im happy to hear you at least have someone to sort of help you along the way it seems lol- the only thing i might be able to think of with that regard is be sure that you are the one in control of and the recipient of your youtube channels income revenue. i have heard of many horror stories of friends starting a youtube channel and then they eventually get big with one person taking and keeping all the income away from the person actually doing all the work / talent- i suspect your channel will very likely get big if you keep it up- i just would like to make sure you have such affairs and precautions set up in advance.
It’s sad, but your are right. My advice is for her not to worry too much about the dark and mean comments, and focus on those of us who are grateful that she shares this journey with all of us.
Yes this occurs to me also, you seem a lovely lady, I think and I hope you'll likely be okay all-in-all. The culture of RUclips comments has changed dramatically for the better in the last few years. You may need to look very carefully and the TITLE of your channel. Remember you'll be stuck with this forever, if you continue your journey. There's no changing it.
@@VirginRock there is no shortage of unsavory and close minded rock fans who will show up as your audience reach grows, although I'm sure they exist in the classical fandom too, but the people who really pay attention will just be glad to engage with you about their love for rock and other music
The most unique channel I've encountered. Amy, I hope you're being rewarded well for this. You're providing us novices university level stuff while being a most trusting and gentle soul. Thank you.
The RUclips-algorithm just brought me here. AND I AM FASCINATED! Fascinated by this project and by Amy Shafer. I'm about to discover my own music (I'm a Queen-, Dire Straits-, Doors- and Pink Floyd-afficionado, and I absolutely love Freddie Mercury) through Amy's eyes, who is an absolute music insider and at the same time a rock music novice: a most fascinating journey. I experience "my" music in a new way. I'm captivated by the facial expressions, gesturing and deep musical knowledge of Amy. She is so beautifully enthusiastic and open-minded. I will spend many hours beside the fire, earphones on, listening to music and let Amy explain me what I've missed so far.
There is this great band from Finland called Nightwish. Their music is style called Symphonic Metal. And their keyboardist and main songwriter, Metal Mozart Mozart Tuomas Holopainen has also a great touch what comes to playing piano. He also composes songs that touch you soul. Song "Ghost Love Score, live at Wacken 2013" is a great start but you could also start with songs like "Sleeping Sun", "Shoemaker", "How´s the heart" etc. Their albums features the participation of London's The Metro Voices choir group, London's Young Musicians Children's Choir, and the Orchestre De Grandeur, led by the esteemed orchestral arranger Pip Williams, who teaches music and music technology at the London College of Music. So, the musical style is Symphonic Metal. They will surprise you.
I am an uneducated brute. But I'm so glad that extraordinary persons like you exist. I'm grateful because people like you make me understand art easier. Thank You very much!
How I didn't discover you sooner I'll never know but here we are. So glad I found you, I just love your channel and your insight is profoundly interesting. Please never stop making these videos, thank you Amy!
One thing I wish were on youtube also is similar to this kind of channel but explaining classical music from a perspective of someone really familiar with it, just like you are. In one of your videos you have mentioned how hard to relate to some alien music to yourself, unfamiliar music, when you soul and brain don't know where and how to start to process it. I know it to myself, many years ago I studied classical guitar, then I began to come to philharmonic on the guitar evenings at first, then on organ music evenings (absolutely love organs), then on some other, more general, broader types of concerts. And on every of that levels I really struggled for quite a time, because it was so alien to me, I didn't understand those kind of forms, harmonies, melodies, structures, messages and so on. And being not a really frequent classical music listener to this day, I would love finding some guide so to speak to the world of classical music. I wrote all that because I saw a you can easily understand what I'm saying, because you described somewhat similar confusion regarding your journey into rock. Well, just thinking out loud
You will have an incredibly unique reaction to this music being so unaware of it. It is hard to imagine living on this planet and being so unaware of Rock music. Whether we agree or disagree it will be fun.
Hello and good luck on your musical journey! You seem to be taking a very unique perspective on this channel that has rarely been done so far. Given your musical expertise, I would highly recommend delving into the progressive rock/metal genre sooner than later. Bands like Rush, Yes, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd Genesis, Kansas, and Moody Blues, to name a few. You will feel right at home here, and attract a devout fan base with an unquenchable thirst for music appreciation at the same time. I guarantee there are songs by all of the bands listed above that will end up on your favorite playlist. Thanks again for sharing your journey with us!
Hi Amy, thanks for the interesting personal introduction. Eventually, I suspect your journey into rock music will bring you to "progressive rock". This being the genre of rock music that most directly emulates classical music (effects at least) , using electronic instrumentation. My favorites in this genre are Yes and King Crimson. Pink Floyd is also often characterized as a progressive rock band. My favorite is Yes, though their lyrical extravagance often reaches absurdity, their instrumentation is very interesting. It's interesting that you took up the harp. I'm very interested in the harp as used in traditional Irish music. I am fascinated by the tradition of the blind Irish harpers from the medieval period and their voluminous compositions which were never transcribed and are lost. Good luck! Michael..
I was thinking the same thing. I was listening to "A Firth of Fifth", an early Genesis number the other day, it'd be interesting to hear her take on that, but also "Yours is no Disgrace", or others for sure. Love Steve Howe.
I grew up in the south of the US in South Carolina, and a bit like you was surrounded by music. We were a working class family but loved music. My father sang in church, a beautiful baritone with perfect pitch, rich timbre, and the best natural vibrato. My oldest sister took piano lessons as well as my middle sister, and then me. My oldest received her BA from Winthrop University in music theory and classical piano. My middle sister fizzled out. I became fairly accomplished from just a piano teacher playing “easy listening” type music. My first recital was in 1970 at the college music hall (Winthrop) along with about 20 other students from our area and we were given 10 minutes maximum and my teacher Mrs. Beam had given me the “heads up” that we would be playing on a concert grand piano. I had only played on uprights. (This was before the digital era) I was 15 then with 5 years of lessons and my teacher had suggested a year in advance the piece she wanted me to do. So, I had almost a full year to prepare to do Beethoven’s Sonata #8, the 2nd movement, the Adagio cantabile. I was prepared but for one thing. You know how when you sit down and adjust the bench after assessing the pedals and your happy spot... I freaked out. I didn’t know it then but found out days after (again, no internet, pre didgital). The piano was a Bosendorfer 225. It had too many keys, and they were black. I’m off kilter, need to be further left. No happy spot. But I started and gained confidence but kept glimpsing over away from the music and getting distracted. The first episode is in F minor and obviously 2 keys below A0 would have to be.... Long story getting longer, Not great but close enough for 15. But a moment that still make me feel uneasy. Followed my sisters track and 2 years into my BA, I was offered a job to play organ for a traveling rock and roll band. Traveled for 3 years, had a ball, opened for some really big stars and got to see America. Got married, had kids, and still love the four “Bs” Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and the Beatles, Listen to some music by Yes. Rick Wakeman’s a master of keyboards. They are a 70’s progressive rock group. They always open their live shows with Firebird Suite.
This is fantastic! I am person who has always been obsessed with "classic rock" and some other forms of popular and folk music, but was classically trained in percussion, theory, and audio engineering. I am the friend who is in rock bands but goes "surely though you have heard at least.. Beethoven's 9th, or Handel's Messiah, or parts of Chopin's Nocturn, right? No?! Well let's listen!" So this is a very fun idea for me because it is sort of the opposite in getting to watch you explore contemporary composition, which although it can often be far simpler on the whole, will surely surprise you with it's depth and complexity often. I'm very excited to see what aspects and what songs you come away enjoying more and enjoying less. Great idea!
I find this very interesting, as a 60 year old truck driver from oregon. I just found your channel today and I haven't stopped watching in a couple hours .I particularly like what you have to say , but your facial expressions are great and how you can read your own story into the song before you hear it all. Songs I think mean something alittle different to everyone that hear them and when they hear them Very enjoyable. Thank you
I gotta say, youre really lucky to have had the life experience that has sheltered you from this music and with your education and life's work leading you to be able to really understand the music and create this channel is simply amazing. This is a refreshing and fantastic idea for a RUclips channel. I will certainly be following along from here on out.
Amy tells us in this video she is about to start a journey of learning about rock music. Be prepared to have your musical mind expanded way beyond your expectations. After several videos we find out that while Amy is learning, she is actually teaching us old rockers about our music. An amazing music channel.
I was just referred to you by my 70 y.o. partner, Gary. I am 53. I really enjoyed this video. You are delightful. I hope to be able to understand music architecture better because of you. Some music Gary just loves, really, I cannot stand. But maybe, because of you, I will be able to at least understand why he likes it. You seem like you would be a fabulous teacher. I'm excited about this channel, @Virgin Rock! I cannot believe you scored such an amazing channel name, being so new here. It was your destiny, it seems. Great introduction video. Cheers hon!
I just discovered your channel today. The algorithm placed your "first listen to Neil Peart drum solo" on my page. At first, I was going to watch it and move along. But something struck me and I paused 1 minute in, to explore your channel a little further. I am so glad that I did. I am starting from the beginning and taking this journey with you. And, my first comment is, the moment you said, "Who is Freddie Mercury?" I became so excited for you. I just love when a friend hasn't heard of a song, or a band, or a movie, that most people consider iconic. I envy them. And I get very excited for them, because they get to experience something for the very first time that most of us have come to take for granted. I am very much looking forward to seeing you react to these experiences. Thank you for sharing this with me.
Led Zeppelin has a wide range of styles both hard and soft. I believe you will find some of their compositions interesting. They have some very beautiful acoustic pieces like Thank You, That's The Way, Battle of Evermore, Going to California, and The Rain Song which utilitizes alot of string sounds. Plenty of harder pieces to choose from which are excellent. They literally don't have many mediocre songs. I'm looking forward to your reviews. Good luck with your new channel.
@@VirginRock fool in the rain is a Led Zeppelin you might have fun with. It isn't traditional Zeppelin, not that there is such thing but this one really really defies classification. There is a lot of afro caribbean influence. Heavy percussion, weird guitars, excellent vocals. Another exotic song of theirs is Kashmir. When I listen to that one I think of camels bobbing along in the desert.
I've always wanted so bad to know what Mozart, Beethoven and all of the great genius of music would think of some classic rock songs I love, and I think this experiment is the closest from it I can have. I'm genuinely loving your reacts and I barely can wait for more of them
Amy, I am so glad you are doing this. At 72, I have had a lot of time to explore the world, including music. I know you already have a lot on your plate, but I hope that you expand into Jazz at some point. Duke Ellington, whose band I heard in 1968, also has classical influence as a composer, might be an entry point, but there could be many. I look forward to you taking us along on your journey.
Instead of saying, "I can't believe you haven't heard..." I'm definitely on board with what actor/comedian Patton Oswalt says in a situation like this: I'm so jealous that you're going to be able to experience this music for the first time!
Hi. I have watched a few of your videos and enjoyed them. i am going back to catch up with ones i have missed and ok ok i will start watching the part 2s.
I’m excited to have found your channel. I love when music lovers step out of their comfort zones to examine new genres. Growing up in a home that really only focused on public radio and classical music - I took the long road to learn about new eras and genres and the variety of skills that different people bring to each. I hope you’ll consider straying to other musical places, like folk or country or various ethnic styles. I enjoy a fresh analysis of something I have heard several times. You only get to experience a thing as new once - but witnessing someone else experience it brings some of that back. Good luck on this journey. I look forward to more!
It's so nice to find a genuine and interesting channel like this. I really like how you're being so thoughtful and constructive over each piece. Although you've already looked at Brothers in Arms, I'd love you to consider 'Tunnel Of Love' by Dire Straits - where I feel there's such imagery and beautiful classical overtones, particularly towards the end. I think I hear Bach but I've never really been sure why.
Can't wait to go on this journey with you! I'd be so happy to hear you get into Progressive Rock one day (also adjacent to "Art Rock", "Symphonic Rock", etc.). Pink Floyd is close to that. Queen is sometimes said to be on the fringes of Progressive Rock. But some of my favorite bands are under the "Progressive Rock" umbrella (Marillion, Yes, Genesis, ELP, Transatlantic). It's always hard to define a genre, but it is often comprised of long-form, intricate songs that have a lot of roots in classical--sometimes symphonic--structure. Often with varying sections with changing time signatures, virtuosic playing, counterpoint, etc.). I studied music composition in college and was always fascinated with the callouts to classical music found in Progressive Rock. As with most styles, there are far too many examples of bands creating complexity just for complexity's sake, but the ones who do it well offer a truly uplifting experience.
Very excited about this channel. I love all kinds of music from Classical to modern metal and have played the guitar and piano for more than 20 years. There are more than enough channels on here that focus on just the vocal aspects of certain artists and bands. I look forward to a channel more focused on the MUSIC.
I will be so fascinated to watch your journey. I am beyond jealous that you get to listen to these pieces genuinely 'for the first time'. I love how you do the reaction bit first, then go research! Someone tell Rick Beato about this channel!!! Now that would be a glorious conversation to have the priviledge of listening to. Wishing you all success :)
Dont worry about pausing. For me I want to hear your thoughts and comments. I'm enjoying your analysis. You obviously put a great deal of effort into your videos! Well done. I'll be following your journey ...
As a heavy metal fan I think your characterization of rock and metal as "factory music" is interesting because in a lot of ways it is. Two of the heavy hitters in metal, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest have directly spoken about hearing factory sounds in their home town (both Birmingham). That doesn't mean there isn't an artistic quality to their music, but it certainly strongly influenced the sort of driving percussive sound they are known for. Enjoy your journey and thanks for sharing it!
Greetings, and HELLO, Amy Shaffer! 🙂 I'm REALLY enjoying your channel, as well as your careful, thoughtful & STUDIOUS analysis/approach to various rock/metal songs. It's really VERY informative, and QUITE refreshing! I've seen a LOT of excellent suggestions for you to explore here. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned anywhere, but DEFINITELY look into the (defunct) Canadian progressive rock/progressive metal band, Rush. They went through various musical changes throughout their 50-year career, spanning from 1968-2018 (with a total of 19 studio albums). Their 2nd drummer (the late Neil Peart, who joined them in 1974) is considered one of rock's best drummers ever, and Peart also wrote MOST of the band's EXCELLENT and QUITE intelligent lyrics (which I think you'd also enjoy, VERY MUCH). Most people consider Rush "musician's music". Keep up the EXCELLENT work on your channel! ALL THE BEST, Ken 🙂
Ah, NICE! I see that you've already done a video on Neil Peart! I'll DEFINITELY check this out soon! Thanks, Amy! 🙂 Neil Peart, Drum Solo, Live 2004 - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction
Just found this channel and it is so rewarding both in helping me understand the music I've always listened to and seeing Amy's facial expressions while she is listening. Wonderful stuff, really.
The RUclips algorithm finally introduced you to me yesterday (5/13/2023), and I am hooked! After watching your Deep Purple Concerto (I never knew about this and have listened to DP for 40 yrs!) and Pink Floyd Young Lust videos, I decided to Subscribe and go back to the beginning of your channel. I look forward to watching your journey and am excited to see how your thoughts on Rock music develop over time. It is amazingly deep and complex music and has filled a large part of my life since I was 9 or 10 years old. I also love just about every other kind of music, including classical music (I have season's tickets to my local orchestra), and I have played drums, violin and guitar at various times in my life. Thanks for sharing your expertise and being open to discovering something new! Cheers!
Stumbled on this … your so sweet, educated , beautiful and gracious.. I can’t stop watching you.. soothing voice and so fun to watch you innocently discover the sound tracks of my life … thank you
This is awesome! I can't wait to make it through all your videos to see what you think. I've got a classical background but also rock. Many classical people are high-brow and look down on rock as dumb. Some of it is dumb. But there is so much that is so worthy of appreciation and enjoyment. It's merely different in texture, rules, form, and, well, volume. At the end of the day no matter the genre, music is a human expression that is worthy of listen and analysis.
Very intriguing to hear of someone just becoming aware of the genre of music that has been at the core of my relatively long life. Enjoy your journey and listen to as much of it as you can. Good hunting !
I very much welcome your approach to an interesting experiment. I hope you find it very rewarding and fulfilling. Suggestions? Hmm, as you have a background in piano, I would suggest Keith Emerson, for his composing and for his playing. His group Emerson Lake and Palmer (ELP) were a progressive rock band from the early 1970's who brought classic jazz and classical music to the instruments of their time, with some interesting compositions. Keith Emerson really was a music man through and through and it would be a pleasure to hear your perspective on one of their songs/compositions, like Tarkus, Take a pebble, Karn evil 9 (1st, 2nd and 3rd impressions together as one) or Trilogy.
I am beyond excited to have found your channel!!! I don't know of any other person in the world that could possibly be in the conditions to do this unique experiment. New subscriber for sure!
I forgot to mention that once you've gotten your feet wet, if you want to take a trip to an alternate reality you need to listen to some Frank Zappa. But don't start with his material. You have to work up to it. 😊
Definitely true of Zappa's unique sound world, not something to dive into unprepared. For a classical musician like Amy, it should sufficiently pique her interest to know that Frank's musical heroes were Stravinsky, Varese & Webern.
I just subscribed to your journey. Some of the greatest living composers are out there writing for genres you wouldn't expect. I can't wait to see where your viewers take you.
I just happened upon your channel yesterday and I must say I'm quite surprised and impressed. I love your style and in-depth analysis of the music I grew up with and still enjoy to this day. I am amazed at the fact that a lot of people have never been exposed to 'classic' rock, especially the younger generations. I more often than not find, once exposed to the genre, how surprised they are that they really enjoy this 'old' music. There was an era (late 60's to early 80's) that was very special and timeless. It's amazing that I can sit with my son and grandson and we all three can enjoy this music together. Keep up the good work. I plan on watching you regularly now that I've discovered your channel. 😃
Hello dear Amy. Interesting channel, found it by accident. I did study classical music and was working as a cellist in a German Opera Orchestra and some years ago I quit Cello to play drums and only Rock music. My whole life is very strange and had a lot of hard changes. As a child I was forced to learn cello, because my grandpa was a violin maker. I learned cello, did study it at 2 different Universities of music and performing arts (Stuttgart and Frankfurt) and even worked in an Opera Orchestra. My dream as a child was always to play drums, but I was never allowed to do that, when I was 14 I wanted to quit cello and learn drums, again I was not allowed to do that. Now I am 51, with age of 45 I started to learn drums, quite late but it is fun. I quit cello because I want to focus on drums and Rock music. I made classical music for decades and I think I need to do something else, to start a new chapter. I did that and I like it. For my opinion life is too boring to do the same thing the whole life through. Sometimes we need to start something new to get excited again, at least for me. I just made the experience that it is not a good idea to force a child to learn/do what you want it to do. The child must decide by itself whether it wants to learn a classical instrument or a Rock instrument. In my case I was successful in classical music but there was something missing. All the best for you.
Kudos to you - I’m a classical musician who has also ‘seen the light’ and I now write and play pop and rock but on my instrument (the flute). I admire what you’ve done and what you say but I really feel you can play and enjoy both classical and rock music - music is music and there is too much made of the distinctions between them. Wishing you well on your new found path!
@@ClaireHoldich hello Claire. Thank you and nice to hear from you. Yes you are right, music is music. I like both, classical and rock music, great to hear that you like both too. I still go to classical concerts. I wish you all the best and have a great time. Best regards from Germany, Joerg.
I am beyond excited for this channel, now that I have found it and it appears I'm getting on at the ground floor. I am currently pushing 50 years, and have almost the inverse musical experience as yourself. I grew up in the rock / punk / metal world, and as I grew older (and became a musician myself) I branched out and followed the breadcrumbs backwards to trace the musical DNA back, and then follow other branches of the musical family tree to see where they would lead. My decades long journey has taught me one thing over and over again; that music is music. From punk to jazz to 60's surf rock to reggae to classical chamber music to bluegrass to industrial to folk to country to prog to hip hop to electronic to pop to metal... and every conceivable combination of them... it's all just artists expressing their thoughts and emotions, and communicating what their life experience has been. Listening to music is the closest any of us will ever come to living someone else's life and seeing our shared reality from a wholly different point of view, I suspect. I have a profound joy from watching other people experience new musical cultures and learning to appreciate them, just as I have done in my own life. I look forward to watching your journey, and wish you extreme success in this endeavor as you add your own knowledge and interpretations to the collective melting pot. We're all surely going to be better for it.
Hi Amy Love your analysis and your insights. Your point of Stairway to Heaven slowly building as Bolero does, but with a different purpose, was spot on. The LZ song Kashmir is considered by the band and many musicians to be their greatest work. The “D” section of Kasmir, goes back and forth over Gm and A with an exotic scale being emphasized by the strings/keyboard. The ascending figure uses D harmonic minor but in the 4th mode so the note G serves as the basis. This scale has a big jump between Bb and C# creating an exotic, Eastern sound. Toward the end of the song, the ascending figure morphs into a run that goes from G dorian to G lydian (G-A-Bb-C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C#). You might want to give it a quick listen as they use strings/piano extensively. Please continue and have fun with your journey. Your insights are quite informative and fun. Thank you Amy
Oh my god. I found your channel yesterday, because I'm studying Brothers in arms on the piano. I liked what I saw. So I came to watch this 1st one. And now I'm so shocked that you didn't know who Freddy was that I'll need to binge watch ALL your videos. Regards from Brazil.
I admire and respect what you do. I’m not, by temperament, a classical musician. But I love the fact that you come across as being genuine and I commend you for that. Keep doing it!
Well, this channel should be a lot of fun! Lots of great suggestions here for bands to listen to. Yes, Genesis (pre-1977), King Crimson, ELP, etc. Don't forget about Rush, too. And if you like things with a Southern flavor, The Dixie Dregs are a must listen, along with the Allman Brothers Band. As others have mentioned, there are quite a few artists in the rock genre that are classically trained. Keith Emerson being one, and Rick Wakeman is another. Since you are a harpist, you should check out some of Andreas Vollenweider's material from the late 70s to mid-80s as well. His music is very unique.
It’s wonderful to see a classically trained and highly educated person like yourself try to analyze, understand, and appreciate this kind of music rather than just dismiss and reject it like so many others. I really think you will have to try to develop a new sensibility to the electric and electronic instruments used in this kind of music in order to really appreciate it, so that it no longer sounds like “factory noises” to you. I look forward to following your journey.
I think it is a really unique experience to meet someone who, having huge background in classical music, doesn't know a bit of rock music, but at the same time is willing to learn and discover it. So I'm really glad I found your channel and I will certainly watch it with great interest. Until now I watched two of your videos, about "Hey You" and "She's Leaving Home" and I'm most interested in your reactions at first listening. The follow-through analysis is not so interesting for me (but I'm certain it may be very interesting for many other people, so keep it that way!), so I did not watch the videos in full - as I said, first listening impressions are what interests me the most, especially because you seem to be a very nice and genuine person. Rock is the music I really love, so I can assure you that there is a fascinating adventure before you, of course if you choose the right pieces to listen. I wish you good luck! Myself, I would encourage you to explore the genre called progressive rock (or art rock). Some people understand this genre quite narrowly, taking into account mostly bands from 70's like Genesis, Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Procol Harum etc., but there is also a wider understanding of art rock/prog rock that includes for example Pink Floyd, Queen (you already listened to some pieces of both performers), even some pieces by The Beatles (they are basically pioneers of almost all styles of rock; listening to them I can't find a style that they haven't at least tried) and my favourite artist of all: Kate Bush. If I could recommend only one artist to you, it would be her. She's definitely a genius and most unique artist in the entire rock music. She's so unique that even for "rockheads" her music is often something totally new and not similar to what they are used to. However, I can't recommend one particular piece by Kate Bush as each one is different. You can try for example "The Dreaming" or "Night of the Swallow", or "Houdini", all tracks are from the album "The Dreaming", which in my opinion is her best. I think you should also understand one thing, which you may or may not already know. With the prog rock/art rock genre, you usually have to listen to the whole album. Many of them are so called "concept albums", which tell a story through multiple songs, and have to be listened in full. Often the songs on such albums aren't even clearly separated, but they transition smoothly from one to the other. That is for example the case of "The Wall", from which you took one piece from somewhere around the middle. Yes, one does have to start from something, but I think it's better to start with listening to the whole album and then selecting one piece that you want to make a video about. I definitely recommend doing it that way :). Finally, let me share with you one observation that - from my point of view - makes a big distinction between classical music and rock music. If music is sound, then classical music has one big problem. The final work of the composer isn't actually music, because it does not have the form of actual sound; it has a form of musical score. You need instrumentalists to turn this into actual music, actual sound. And there may be different performances of the same piece, by different musicians, at different occasions - there is no "canonical" version. A great advantage of rock music is - for me - the fact that the final work here has the form of an actual sound recording. As a consequence, every piece has its "canonical", "reference" form. The same artist may perform the piece at concerts and it will sound differently any time, even other artists may perform the same piece, but there always be one and only one "canonical" version, which you can point at and say "this is the original". And that's great for me. Of ourse you may view it differently. :) Wish you all the best on your adventure. Good luck! :)
i came across your channel by the accident of the Google algorithm and at first i thought "here's another classical musician jumping on the reaction video bandwagon", but after watching you listening to Black Sabbath (and one or two others), i realised that here is someone who is genuinely interested in understanding non-classical music. my dad turned me on to Pink Floyd with i was about 10, and i've been an ardent fan of most of their work ever since. one of my great pleasures in life is being with someone who's listening to something i might have heard hundreds, if not thousands, of times (i've probably listened to Wish You Were Here at least a thousand times since it's release date in 1975, and it never gets old). i've listened to it on almost every type of audio device ever designed, and each time i hear something new (about 45 of my 55 years in all) - the genius of PF's sound design is astounding in its depth. sharing it with someone listening for the first time makes me feel like i'm hearing it for the first time, and nothing is sweeter than that. i've played guitar in a few bands over the years, and we always used to laugh at our classically trained friends who would join us from time to time and sort of stomp through the music as though they had a very loud metronome playing in their heads... it was so hard for them to relax into a rhythm that was not as demanding as what they'd been taught. i did a few years of piano at school and absolutely hated it, so rock'n'roll for for a lot of a a sort of rebellion against the staid nature of classical music. i wish it were not so, because i find a lot of it very beautiful - Chopin's Prelude in E minor being a case in point - i would have loved to be have been able to play that, as well. anyway, my point is that it's fascinating to see someone who until recently had never even heard of Freddie Mercury (you did what now?!), on this journey of discovery - it means that there is hope for us all... ;)
What a pleasure to find a channel featuring an intelligent, eloquent person. I would very much like to hear your assessment of the English band 'Yes'; perhaps one of their early pieces like 'Heart Of The Sunrise'. Or their guitarist, Steve Howe, and Annie Haslam's version of their song 'Turn Of The Century'.
So does classical include neoclassical? What about the borders of the traditional like Cage, Zorn, Riley, Glass, Xenakis, Varese etc? Because there’s an entire other side of “popular” music that is much more influenced by that end of things. Bands like Mr. Bungle, Secret Chiefs, Dog Fashion Disco, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Hasidic New Wave, solo artists like Brian Eno, Ikue Mori, JG Thirlwell, Frank Zappa, Bill Laswell etc. I’m very intrigued by the many directions this could be going in future. Good luck and happy listening!
Just found this channel. Thank you Amy for such a beautiful journey. I’m all in. Someday take a listen to the collaboration concert between Metallica and the San Fransisco Symphony titled S&M. I think you’ll find the renditions of their songs, many of which you have or will review, mixed with an orchestra is something special. And yes please keep being awesome.
This is an awesome experiment. While I wasn't as insulated from popular music as you describe, I can relate to that general ignorance of popular music and discovering some of it in later life to be quite enjoyable. I look forward to your videos and wish you the best in the rough-and-tumble world of RUclips self publishing!
This is an amazing experiment! I've often wondered what would happen if we stuffed Mozart or Schubert into a time machine and exposed them to all the music that came after them. At which point would they stop even be able to understand the music? Would they just be appalled? Or is good music universal or at least so much of our modern music still based on classical Western music that not much gets lost in translation? Alas, I don't have a time machine and I'm pretty sure kidnapping composers was already illegal in the 18th century but this here is the next best thing!
I'm always wondering the same thing! I think most of them would get lost pretty quickly, but I have a feeling Mozart would be just fine, innovator that he was 😉
Discovered your channel yesterday. Wonderful. Today hearing your story of Barcelona….was fabulous. That is one of my favourite songs. Have you thought of a video for it. I love the warmth and respect shown between the two,artists.
Amy, while RnR music has colored my life, I also was exposed to Classical music at about the age of 12. Found an old 4 lp set of CM, and was taken by Grieg, Chopin, Brahms and Lizt. While everyone talked about that Amadeus guy, I followed the Romantics. Epiphanal it was too. Then, I also found jazz. Miles, Coltrane, Baker, Peterson, et al. But always came back to the Romantic composers. Used to travel early to work and would listen to Peter Van Der Graff Play deep cuts. At 430 AM, this was a good start to the day. Now I've found your channel. Thank You.
Hello Amy, thank you for your precise and respectful analysis of all those rock masterpieces ! I really enjoy your approach and moreover, it makes me work my English ! Cheers from France😘🙏
I find it refreshing in not only your uniqueness in being alive this long and never having heard these popular artists, but also in your determination to discover what you've been missing rather than dismissing it completely like some people would. And being a huge Queen/Freddie Mercury fan for about 40 years, it's personally appealing to me that he was the trigger for starting this journey. I will be checking in! As this introduction is a few weeks old, I'm sure you've already discovered that there are different genres of rock music. Like jazz -- which can range from orchestras playing arranged dance music in the 1940s to small combos of virtuosos playing complex, improvised pieces in the 1950s -- rock also has its simplistic and complex; its music for dancing and just having fun, and its music for just listening and appreciating its artistry. Enjoy, Amy! P.S.: If you haven't been inundated with a thousand request already for "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, I am doing so now. A combination of ballad/hard rock/mock opera that is unlike anything else out there, which is why it's still immensely popular 47 years later.
I completely enjoyed your in depth analysis of VH's Mean Street. I'm a very long time fan of the group and you've made me look at their music much deeper than I've ever done before. The analysis of the song's mood and the comparisons you made to Bartok have inspired me to look into Bartok's work. I love classical music but know very little about him. PLEASE review more of Van Halen's work. Ice Cream Man will blow your mind!!! It's a simple, happy tune but is a perfect example of their versatility and instrumental virtuosity. TY & keep up the great work!
I just came here from your reaction to Metallica’s …And Justice For All. It’s classic thrash metal. Honestly kind of impressive that you sat through it, being so new to this kind of music. I’m interested to see how you might react to Gojira. They’re a metal band from France, and my personal favorite band. Flying Whales is the song most people know them for if you wanted to check that out. Although my favorite song from them is Esoteric Surgery, so I would make that as my own personal recommendation. Always excited to see a newcomer to rock and heavy metal. And I’m interested in seeing more reactions from you.
Such a unique journey to be able to watch, there must be so few people who aren't at least casually familiar with rock and pop but to watch someone with technical ability and training must be completely unique. Joy of the journey to you and thanks to your friend
I just found this channel earlier today when your Metallica video popped up on my recommended videos list and subbed before that first video was even done. Great job! Also just finished watching the Queen video and will be off to watch the Beatles shortly. As you seem to be just starting out, I would have only one small piece of advice. I did notice the other comment on this video about not taking people's rude comments to heart and I would agree totally with that. Most of us rock and metal fans are good, welcoming people but there are the few other ones. This is the internet, after all, and the internet can be a cesspool. The one related thing I would add to that is though the vast majority of people will request songs which they think you'll enjoy or ones good to analyze musically, there's the subset who will request songs based on pure shock value just to watch you squirm. I'm not necessarily saying that all of these songs are bad or that they have nothing to offer but I am saying that's not why those people are requesting them. They're requesting them because it's fun to take someone who doesn't know how to swim, toss them into a tank with live sharks in it, and sit back and watch the carnage. Well, it's fun once. It's not so much fun if it happens continually and the person in question burns out watching and listening to things she hates on infinite loop. I've seen things like that happen to other channels. Since you have a friend who seems to know something about this type of music and also knows you, maybe run any song suggestions by less well known bands by them first. Having said that, I don't see anything like that yet in the song suggestions I saw in the comments of the two videos I watched so far. I'd actually agree with almost all of them. The one I'd add to the list who I didn't see yet would be Ayreon. It's not so much a band as it is one guy who plays a few instruments himself and brings in different guest musicians and singers for each album. The Day That The World Breaks Down would be a good place to start. If you use the video on Arjen Anthony Lucassen's channel, there are subtitles added to it by the man himself explaining various bits about the making of the song on there which you can read while you listen to it.
Love what you are going with this “experiment” and think you are on to success with this channel. It is great that you are open minded and putting yourself and your talents out there. Kudos.
If you're going to do a music reaction / review / analysis / appreciation channel where you cover rock music it is MANDATORY for you to do Rush! 😁 I think every music reaction channel has done multiple Rush videos. They are (were) a Canadian trio that did "progressive rock". They had one of the greatest rock drummers who ever played. (RIP Neil Peart). "Tom Sawyer" is one of their classics. I'd recommend it as a first exposure. Glad to have found your channel. Enjoyed what I've watched so far. Looking forward to more. My jaw is still on the floor to know there's someone who never heard The Beatles before. Good luck with your channel.
I enjoy your channel very much Amy. A very fresh look into classical pop- and rocksongs. I am so curious what you would think of singer, songwriter, producer, Steven Wilson's song Drive home. He is the founder, guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Porcupine Tree, as well as being a member of several other bands, including Blackfield, Storm Corrosion and No-Man. He is also a solo artist, having released 6 solo albums since his solo debut Insurgentes in 2008. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Wilson has made music prolifically and earned critical acclaim.[4] His honours include six nominations for Grammy Awards: twice with Porcupine Tree, once with his collaborative band Storm Corrosion and three times as a solo artist. In 2017 The Daily Telegraph described him as "a resolutely independent artist" and "probably the most successful British artist you've never heard of".
Hi Amy, I just found your channel on RUclips today. This is great! I really liked your analysis, comments etc...on the Pink Floyd song "Hey You." I am looking forward to more videos from you. Someone named Keith Carlson in this comment thread mentioned a suggestion about you possibly considering the song "Silent Lucidity" by the band Queensryche. I agree with that suggestion. I would be curious about your thoughts on that song. Also, more songs by Pink Floyd would be great! How about some Elton John songs, such as "Sixty Years On" or "The King Must Die" or "Rocket Man?" (I have some others in mind too.) Anyway, I like your channel! Keep up the good work!
Good for you! It's always good to expand your horizons and try new things. It may seem off-putting at first to listen to things that are so different from.what you're used to, but familiarity breeds appreciation. Just like different forms of art, the more you familiarize yourself with it, the more you understand and appreciate it. Here are my three songs that I think you should listen to, and why: The Beatles - In My Life The most famous rock band of all time also wrote some of the most beautiful melodies and chord progressions. I don't know how much theory they knew, but they were big fans of modal interchange, as am I. Also, the lyrics will make you want to hug a loved one. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody It's long, it's complex, it's expertly-performed, and is one of the most dynamically diverse rock songs of all time. The Ramones - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker It's loud, it's fast, and it's just pure, innocent fun. It is one of the simplest songs you will hear, but it never fails to put a smile on my face. It's not performed well at all, but that's part of the charm of punk rock. It's the musical equivalent of McDonald's fries. I look forward to hearing what you have to say in future videos!
I've just found this channel by chance. And you know what? I have these 248 wonderful videos ahead of me! (Yeah, looked through some of them, this should be such a fun!) Envy me :) Amy, thank you for all this!!!
Hello Amy, I recently stumbled upon your channel and I'm quite glad I have found you. I have been hungry to hear the insights you offer regarding classical music and modern rock/metal music. I grew up on classic rock music and as a musician myself, the electric guitar is my main instrument. The musical greats of this genre, famous, not so famous and some barely known possess talents far too vast and unique to place in a single category. The world of classical rock music, just the same as the world of traditional classical music are a testament to the abilities of the human mind and soul and the intrinsic power of music itself, which I consider to be almost inifinite. Over the past thirty years of critical listening to this wide variety of artist, I recall many times, following a performance thinking to myself such thoughts as "Wow, if Mozart or Beethoven or Rimsky-Korsakov were to rise from the grave and happen upon a large segment of this music I mention, even they would be blown away by its genius, authenticity and most of all, its beauty." The Flight of the Bumble Bee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov is a perfect example by which I would offer to demonstrate my thoughts on this matter. I'm certain you know this piece as a foundation for evaluation. That being said, perhap I can encourage you to produce a video on this piece providing a comparative analysis of the modern day, rock music performance of this work. Please go find and listen to Europe - Kee Marcello Guitar Solo ( Live In London 1987 ) (Live video, yet you may search and find better quality productions.) I found this on RUclips and its the version I first saw on video back in that era. I was blown away by what I saw. I hope you are as well and look forward to you response. As always, much love to you and keep up the good work.
Subbed just off the premise of your channel. Classic rock is a good starting point I feel. But it will be interesting to see you eventually move on to bands like Tool. I'm very interested to see this journey you are about to undertake.
Just subscribed. Your classical nature shows through each time you say "piece" instead of "song." With that think, you MUST investigate progressive rock. Try these two, both by Yes: "Close to the Edge," and "Awaken."
Hi Amy. I join those who warn you about the haters (which unfortunately will not take long to appear). Avoid reading them if possible; because they can be very hurtful. The work and time that you are taking deserves all the support and good wishes that many are already expressing to you; stay with it. Regards, Máximo
Wow, I just discovered your channel, and it’s amazing. I love rock music, and I really believe no matter the genre, it could be art. Thank you for doing this amazing content, that for sure will help many enthusiastic understand that being a rocker can also teach us about music as an art. 😊
This sounds like an interesting idea! I look forward to your content. I'm coming from the opposite end from you. I was exposed to rock music as a child growing up in the 1960s. I didn't become interested in classical music until I was in my 30s. I don't have any musical training or ability to speak of, I just enjoy listening to music. The technical aspects totally escape me. I think it's best to look at rock music and pop music generally as folk music within modernity, and now post modernity. A lot of it is disposable and transitory. Some of it can reach the level of art. Though I don't think any rock music has reached the level that the American Songbook has in popular American music for instance. With the coming of the internet and the fracturing of music audiences, there has been a loss of a unified popular music audience that was very identifiable in the entirety of the 20th century. So, it seems to me the popular music artist of today has a much harder job and it's very difficult to even speak of a truly popular music today. Anyway, I'm looking forward to your future contributions to the channel.
This series is a great concept, and it's a lot of fun following your exposures and impressions. I do wonder about your upbringing. It was a combination of musically inclined friends and FM radio that exposed me to rock music. Movies too I suppose. So I wonder how you managed to reach adulthood with such minimal exposure. Were you homeschooled? Was there no radio or TV in your home? Were none of your friends interested in modern music? I hope none of these questions are overly intrusive. You certainly are a "unique specimen" as you say. I enjoy watching your sophisticated and expressive analysis of rock music in its various forms. I hope your enjoyment continues to blossom.
I look forward to your reaction to Rush songs. Any of them, since there are a lot of them to choose from. Limelight, Working Man, or Tom Sawyer are good ones to start with, and YYZ (studio version) or La Villa Strangiato are great follow ups. Enjoy your channel and the music and the adventure of it all, and ignore anything that gets in the way of having fun with it. =)
You've reviewed a lot of different styles and bands overthe last couple of years, would be curious as to what has made your playlist over tiem, whatdid you find, that really turned your crank? To me, a good tune is a good tune, it'll tickle your fancy and either play on your emotions or get you tapping your toes thru the day, as you replay it in your noggin. What has stuck in your noggin?
After watching Metallica's song analysis, I was asking my self is she living under a rock? Doesn't she listen to the radio? :D Now this video have answered so many questions, but I am still in disbelieve... If this is for real, then thank god you on a journey of exploring different music, good luck and have fun on this journey! :)
i feel a bit odd saying this- but, i dearly hope you wont take anyones future rude comments to heart- im not sure how experienced you are with the internet- after watching your introductory video of your channel, i get the sense your somehow perhaps new to all of this?- if you are please be ready for all manner of horrendous and off color mean, petty, and spiteful things that jerks can and will say online- please ignore awful people like that and whatever you do- dont bother replying to anything they say- it only encourages them further- and for the love of everything good, dont ever give out or have anything that could give away any personal info you dont want out in the public in your videos hun- just focus on being you and continue your journey- the majority of people on youtube will undoubtably support and love you for it- okay thats enough of me being a worry wort lol- take care
I really appreciate your care! It means a lot! The truth is that I am not experienced at all and I was afraid of these types of comments, but my friend who is helping me out encouraged me pointing my attention to the thousands which will enjoy and since I am myself a teacher, I would go to a long extend only to pass on to others the pearls in my life! More than that, after 7 days with this channel and hundreds of comments, I have to say that I was so surprised: only ONE was kinda rude. But my friend also told me at the beginning of this journey that a lot of Rock Music consumers are high educated, very interesting people, not the kind that would throw trash at people. I guess he was right...
@@VirginRock i see- im happy to hear you at least have someone to sort of help you along the way it seems lol- the only thing i might be able to think of with that regard is be sure that you are the one in control of and the recipient of your youtube channels income revenue. i have heard of many horror stories of friends starting a youtube channel and then they eventually get big with one person taking and keeping all the income away from the person actually doing all the work / talent- i suspect your channel will very likely get big if you keep it up- i just would like to make sure you have such affairs and precautions set up in advance.
It’s sad, but your are right.
My advice is for her not to worry too much about the dark and mean comments, and focus on those of us who are grateful that she shares this journey with all of us.
Yes this occurs to me also, you seem a lovely lady, I think and I hope you'll likely be okay all-in-all. The culture of RUclips comments has changed dramatically for the better in the last few years. You may need to look very carefully and the TITLE of your channel. Remember you'll be stuck with this forever, if you continue your journey. There's no changing it.
@@VirginRock there is no shortage of unsavory and close minded rock fans who will show up as your audience reach grows, although I'm sure they exist in the classical fandom too, but the people who really pay attention will just be glad to engage with you about their love for rock and other music
The most unique channel I've encountered. Amy, I hope you're being rewarded well for this. You're providing us novices university level stuff while being a most trusting and gentle soul. Thank you.
The RUclips-algorithm just brought me here. AND I AM FASCINATED! Fascinated by this project and by Amy Shafer. I'm about to discover my own music (I'm a Queen-, Dire Straits-, Doors- and Pink Floyd-afficionado, and I absolutely love Freddie Mercury) through Amy's eyes, who is an absolute music insider and at the same time a rock music novice: a most fascinating journey. I experience "my" music in a new way. I'm captivated by the facial expressions, gesturing and deep musical knowledge of Amy. She is so beautifully enthusiastic and open-minded. I will spend many hours beside the fire, earphones on, listening to music and let Amy explain me what I've missed so far.
There is this great band from Finland called Nightwish. Their music is style called Symphonic Metal. And their keyboardist and main songwriter, Metal Mozart Mozart Tuomas Holopainen has also a great touch what comes to playing piano. He also composes songs that touch you soul. Song "Ghost Love Score, live at Wacken 2013" is a great start but you could also start with songs like "Sleeping Sun", "Shoemaker", "How´s the heart" etc. Their albums features the participation of London's The Metro Voices choir group, London's Young Musicians Children's Choir, and the Orchestre De Grandeur, led by the esteemed orchestral arranger Pip Williams, who teaches music and music technology at the London College of Music. So, the musical style is Symphonic Metal. They will surprise you.
I concur, Nightwish may fill a metal/symphony niche. Ghost Love Score Waken 2013 is a great live version.
I am an uneducated brute. But I'm so glad that extraordinary persons like you exist. I'm grateful because people like you make me understand art easier. Thank You very much!
How I didn't discover you sooner I'll never know but here we are. So glad I found you, I just love your channel and your insight is profoundly interesting. Please never stop making these videos, thank you Amy!
One thing I wish were on youtube also is similar to this kind of channel but explaining classical music from a perspective of someone really familiar with it, just like you are. In one of your videos you have mentioned how hard to relate to some alien music to yourself, unfamiliar music, when you soul and brain don't know where and how to start to process it. I know it to myself, many years ago I studied classical guitar, then I began to come to philharmonic on the guitar evenings at first, then on organ music evenings (absolutely love organs), then on some other, more general, broader types of concerts. And on every of that levels I really struggled for quite a time, because it was so alien to me, I didn't understand those kind of forms, harmonies, melodies, structures, messages and so on. And being not a really frequent classical music listener to this day, I would love finding some guide so to speak to the world of classical music. I wrote all that because I saw a you can easily understand what I'm saying, because you described somewhat similar confusion regarding your journey into rock. Well, just thinking out loud
This a fantastic concept, to share your new experiences in music. Thank you.
You will have an incredibly unique reaction to this music being so unaware of it. It is hard to imagine living on this planet and being so unaware of Rock music. Whether we agree or disagree it will be fun.
I don't think it's a matter of agreement; it's more like getting new perspectives and horizons.
Hello and good luck on your musical journey! You seem to be taking a very unique perspective on this channel that has rarely been done so far.
Given your musical expertise, I would highly recommend delving into the progressive rock/metal genre sooner than later. Bands like Rush, Yes, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd Genesis, Kansas, and Moody Blues, to name a few. You will feel right at home here, and attract a devout fan base with an unquenchable thirst for music appreciation at the same time. I guarantee there are songs by all of the bands listed above that will end up on your favorite playlist.
Thanks again for sharing your journey with us!
You might not believe it but reading all the comments so far I came up with a long list of names and yours are there already!
Looking forward to it! Love the way you talk about your life experiences.❤️❤️❤️
Thank you!
Hello Amy, I hope you feel embraced and appreciated here online. Please ignore anything else. We're all glad you're doing this.
Hi Amy, thanks for the interesting personal introduction. Eventually, I suspect your journey into rock music will bring you to "progressive rock". This being the genre of rock music that most directly emulates classical music (effects at least) , using electronic instrumentation. My favorites in this genre are Yes and King Crimson. Pink Floyd is also often characterized as a progressive rock band. My favorite is Yes, though their lyrical extravagance often reaches absurdity, their instrumentation is very interesting.
It's interesting that you took up the harp. I'm very interested in the harp as used in traditional Irish music. I am fascinated by the tradition of the blind Irish harpers from the medieval period and their voluminous compositions which were never transcribed and are lost. Good luck! Michael..
I was thinking the same thing. I was listening to "A Firth of Fifth", an early Genesis number the other day, it'd be interesting to hear her take on that, but also "Yours is no Disgrace", or others for sure. Love Steve Howe.
I grew up in the south of the US in South Carolina, and a bit like you was surrounded by music. We were a working class family but loved music. My father sang in church, a beautiful baritone with perfect pitch, rich timbre, and the best natural vibrato. My oldest sister took piano lessons as well as my middle sister, and then me. My oldest received her BA from Winthrop University in music theory and classical piano. My middle sister fizzled out. I became fairly accomplished from just a piano teacher playing “easy listening” type music. My first recital was in 1970 at the college music hall (Winthrop) along with about 20 other students from our area and we were given 10 minutes maximum and my teacher Mrs. Beam had given me the “heads up” that we would be playing on a concert grand piano. I had only played on uprights. (This was before the digital era) I was 15 then with 5 years of lessons and my teacher had suggested a year in advance the piece she wanted me to do. So, I had almost a full year to prepare to do Beethoven’s Sonata #8, the 2nd movement, the Adagio cantabile. I was prepared but for one thing. You know how when you sit down and adjust the bench after assessing the pedals and your happy spot... I freaked out. I didn’t know it then but found out days after (again, no internet, pre didgital). The piano was a Bosendorfer 225. It had too many keys, and they were black. I’m off kilter, need to be further left. No happy spot. But I started and gained confidence but kept glimpsing over away from the music and getting distracted. The first episode is in F minor and obviously 2 keys below A0 would have to be.... Long story getting longer, Not great but close enough for 15. But a moment that still make me feel uneasy. Followed my sisters track and 2 years into my BA, I was offered a job to play organ for a traveling rock and roll band. Traveled for 3 years, had a ball, opened for some really big stars and got to see America. Got married, had kids, and still love the four “Bs” Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and the Beatles, Listen to some music by Yes. Rick Wakeman’s a master of keyboards. They are a 70’s progressive rock group. They always open their live shows with Firebird Suite.
This is fantastic! I am person who has always been obsessed with "classic rock" and some other forms of popular and folk music, but was classically trained in percussion, theory, and audio engineering. I am the friend who is in rock bands but goes "surely though you have heard at least.. Beethoven's 9th, or Handel's Messiah, or parts of Chopin's Nocturn, right? No?! Well let's listen!" So this is a very fun idea for me because it is sort of the opposite in getting to watch you explore contemporary composition, which although it can often be far simpler on the whole, will surely surprise you with it's depth and complexity often. I'm very excited to see what aspects and what songs you come away enjoying more and enjoying less. Great idea!
I find this very interesting, as a 60 year old truck driver from oregon. I just found your channel today and I haven't stopped watching in a couple hours .I particularly like what you have to say , but your facial expressions are great and how you can read your own story into the song before you hear it all. Songs I think mean something alittle different to everyone that hear them and when they hear them
Very enjoyable. Thank you
I gotta say, youre really lucky to have had the life experience that has sheltered you from this music and with your education and life's work leading you to be able to really understand the music and create this channel is simply amazing. This is a refreshing and fantastic idea for a RUclips channel. I will certainly be following along from here on out.
Amy tells us in this video she is about to start a journey of learning about rock music. Be prepared to have your musical mind expanded way beyond your expectations. After several videos we find out that while Amy is learning, she is actually teaching us old rockers about our music.
An amazing music channel.
I was just referred to you by my 70 y.o. partner, Gary. I am 53. I really enjoyed this video. You are delightful. I hope to be able to understand music architecture better because of you. Some music Gary just loves, really, I cannot stand. But maybe, because of you, I will be able to at least understand why he likes it. You seem like you would be a fabulous teacher. I'm excited about this channel, @Virgin Rock! I cannot believe you scored such an amazing channel name, being so new here. It was your destiny, it seems. Great introduction video. Cheers hon!
I just discovered your channel today. The algorithm placed your "first listen to Neil Peart drum solo" on my page. At first, I was going to watch it and move along. But something struck me and I paused 1 minute in, to explore your channel a little further. I am so glad that I did. I am starting from the beginning and taking this journey with you. And, my first comment is, the moment you said, "Who is Freddie Mercury?" I became so excited for you. I just love when a friend hasn't heard of a song, or a band, or a movie, that most people consider iconic. I envy them. And I get very excited for them, because they get to experience something for the very first time that most of us have come to take for granted. I am very much looking forward to seeing you react to these experiences. Thank you for sharing this with me.
Led Zeppelin has a wide range of styles both hard and soft. I believe you will find some of their compositions interesting. They have some very beautiful acoustic pieces like Thank You, That's The Way, Battle of Evermore, Going to California, and The Rain Song which utilitizes alot of string sounds. Plenty of harder pieces to choose from which are excellent. They literally don't have many mediocre songs. I'm looking forward to your reviews. Good luck with your new channel.
Thank you for the suggestions - I’ll put those on my list!
@@VirginRock fool in the rain is a Led Zeppelin you might have fun with. It isn't traditional Zeppelin, not that there is such thing but this one really really defies classification. There is a lot of afro caribbean influence. Heavy percussion, weird guitars, excellent vocals. Another exotic song of theirs is Kashmir. When I listen to that one I think of camels bobbing along in the desert.
Your approach is so refreshingly different. I love your enthusiasm, analysis and insight. Thank you
I've always wanted so bad to know what Mozart, Beethoven and all of the great genius of music would think of some classic rock songs I love, and I think this experiment is the closest from it I can have. I'm genuinely loving your reacts and I barely can wait for more of them
Amy, I am so glad you are doing this. At 72, I have had a lot of time to explore the world, including music.
I know you already have a lot on your plate, but I hope that you expand into Jazz at some point. Duke Ellington, whose band I heard in 1968, also has classical influence as a composer, might be an entry point, but there could be many. I look forward to you taking us along on your journey.
Interesting: just a few hours ago I was talking with my friend about going into Jazz as well. Thank you for your suggestion!
@@VirginRock Steely Dan would be one good bridge between them both.
Instead of saying, "I can't believe you haven't heard..." I'm definitely on board with what actor/comedian Patton Oswalt says in a situation like this: I'm so jealous that you're going to be able to experience this music for the first time!
I agree :)
Hi. I have watched a few of your videos and enjoyed them. i am going back to catch up with ones i have missed and ok ok i will start watching the part 2s.
I’m excited to have found your channel. I love when music lovers step out of their comfort zones to examine new genres. Growing up in a home that really only focused on public radio and classical music - I took the long road to learn about new eras and genres and the variety of skills that different people bring to each. I hope you’ll consider straying to other musical places, like folk or country or various ethnic styles. I enjoy a fresh analysis of something I have heard several times. You only get to experience a thing as new once - but witnessing someone else experience it brings some of that back. Good luck on this journey. I look forward to more!
It's so nice to find a genuine and interesting channel like this. I really like how you're being so thoughtful and constructive over each piece. Although you've already looked at Brothers in Arms, I'd love you to consider 'Tunnel Of Love' by Dire Straits - where I feel there's such imagery and beautiful classical overtones, particularly towards the end. I think I hear Bach but I've never really been sure why.
Can't wait to go on this journey with you! I'd be so happy to hear you get into Progressive Rock one day (also adjacent to "Art Rock", "Symphonic Rock", etc.). Pink Floyd is close to that. Queen is sometimes said to be on the fringes of Progressive Rock. But some of my favorite bands are under the "Progressive Rock" umbrella (Marillion, Yes, Genesis, ELP, Transatlantic). It's always hard to define a genre, but it is often comprised of long-form, intricate songs that have a lot of roots in classical--sometimes symphonic--structure. Often with varying sections with changing time signatures, virtuosic playing, counterpoint, etc.). I studied music composition in college and was always fascinated with the callouts to classical music found in Progressive Rock. As with most styles, there are far too many examples of bands creating complexity just for complexity's sake, but the ones who do it well offer a truly uplifting experience.
Very excited about this channel. I love all kinds of music from Classical to modern metal and have played the guitar and piano for more than 20 years. There are more than enough channels on here that focus on just the vocal aspects of certain artists and bands. I look forward to a channel more focused on the MUSIC.
I will be so fascinated to watch your journey. I am beyond jealous that you get to listen to these pieces genuinely 'for the first time'. I love how you do the reaction bit first, then go research! Someone tell Rick Beato about this channel!!! Now that would be a glorious conversation to have the priviledge of listening to. Wishing you all success :)
Dont worry about pausing. For me I want to hear your thoughts and comments. I'm enjoying your analysis. You obviously put a great deal of effort into your videos! Well done. I'll be following your journey ...
As a heavy metal fan I think your characterization of rock and metal as "factory music" is interesting because in a lot of ways it is. Two of the heavy hitters in metal, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest have directly spoken about hearing factory sounds in their home town (both Birmingham). That doesn't mean there isn't an artistic quality to their music, but it certainly strongly influenced the sort of driving percussive sound they are known for. Enjoy your journey and thanks for sharing it!
Good surprise. What a lovely channel! Congratulations. Best regards from Brazil 🙂
Greetings, and HELLO, Amy Shaffer! 🙂
I'm REALLY enjoying your channel, as well as your careful, thoughtful & STUDIOUS analysis/approach to various rock/metal songs. It's really VERY informative, and QUITE refreshing!
I've seen a LOT of excellent suggestions for you to explore here. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned anywhere, but DEFINITELY look into the (defunct) Canadian progressive rock/progressive metal band, Rush. They went through various musical changes throughout their 50-year career, spanning from 1968-2018 (with a total of 19 studio albums). Their 2nd drummer (the late Neil Peart, who joined them in 1974) is considered one of rock's best drummers ever, and Peart also wrote MOST of the band's EXCELLENT and QUITE intelligent lyrics (which I think you'd also enjoy, VERY MUCH). Most people consider Rush "musician's music".
Keep up the EXCELLENT work on your channel! ALL THE BEST, Ken 🙂
Ah, NICE! I see that you've already done a video on Neil Peart! I'll DEFINITELY check this out soon! Thanks, Amy! 🙂
Neil Peart, Drum Solo, Live 2004 - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction
I love this woman ❤❤ bless your heart
Just found this channel and it is so rewarding both in helping me understand the music I've always listened to and seeing Amy's facial expressions while she is listening. Wonderful stuff, really.
The RUclips algorithm finally introduced you to me yesterday (5/13/2023), and I am hooked! After watching your Deep Purple Concerto (I never knew about this and have listened to DP for 40 yrs!) and Pink Floyd Young Lust videos, I decided to Subscribe and go back to the beginning of your channel. I look forward to watching your journey and am excited to see how your thoughts on Rock music develop over time. It is amazingly deep and complex music and has filled a large part of my life since I was 9 or 10 years old. I also love just about every other kind of music, including classical music (I have season's tickets to my local orchestra), and I have played drums, violin and guitar at various times in my life. Thanks for sharing your expertise and being open to discovering something new! Cheers!
found her while watching @RickBeato on the best Van Halen tune.
Stumbled on this … your so sweet, educated , beautiful and gracious.. I can’t stop watching you.. soothing voice and so fun to watch you innocently discover the sound tracks of my life … thank you
I second your thought's. Additionally, I may be in love.
Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here LP.
This is awesome! I can't wait to make it through all your videos to see what you think. I've got a classical background but also rock. Many classical people are high-brow and look down on rock as dumb. Some of it is dumb. But there is so much that is so worthy of appreciation and enjoyment. It's merely different in texture, rules, form, and, well, volume. At the end of the day no matter the genre, music is a human expression that is worthy of listen and analysis.
Very intriguing to hear of someone just becoming aware of the genre of music that has been at the core of my relatively long life. Enjoy your journey and listen to as much of it as you can. Good hunting !
Amy, I am greatly enjoying watching this journey you're on. If I may suggest: "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", by Crosby, Stills and Nash.
I love your videos and and watch some everyday…. Especially Beatles, Billy Joel, Eagles
I very much welcome your approach to an interesting experiment. I hope you find it very rewarding and fulfilling.
Suggestions? Hmm, as you have a background in piano, I would suggest Keith Emerson, for his composing and for his playing. His group Emerson Lake and Palmer (ELP) were a progressive rock band from the early 1970's who brought classic jazz and classical music to the instruments of their time, with some interesting compositions. Keith Emerson really was a music man through and through and it would be a pleasure to hear your perspective on one of their songs/compositions, like Tarkus, Take a pebble, Karn evil 9 (1st, 2nd and 3rd impressions together as one) or Trilogy.
ELP is already on my list!
I am beyond excited to have found your channel!!! I don't know of any other person in the world that could possibly be in the conditions to do this unique experiment. New subscriber for sure!
Amy, thank you very much for your channel! It's a inspiring job! Cheers from Brazil! Obrigado!
I forgot to mention that once you've gotten your feet wet, if you want to take a trip to an alternate reality you need to listen to some Frank Zappa. But don't start with his material. You have to work up to it.
😊
Definitely true of Zappa's unique sound world, not something to dive into unprepared. For a classical musician like Amy, it should sufficiently pique her interest to know that Frank's musical heroes were Stravinsky, Varese & Webern.
I just subscribed to your journey. Some of the greatest living composers are out there writing for genres you wouldn't expect. I can't wait to see where your viewers take you.
I already have such a long list handed to me by the viewers!
I am delighted to have found your channel - I will be following avidly.
I just happened upon your channel yesterday and I must say I'm quite surprised and impressed. I love your style and in-depth analysis of the music I grew up with and still enjoy to this day. I am amazed at the fact that a lot of people have never been exposed to 'classic' rock, especially the younger generations. I more often than not find, once exposed to the genre, how surprised they are that they really enjoy this 'old' music. There was an era (late 60's to early 80's) that was very special and timeless. It's amazing that I can sit with my son and grandson and we all three can enjoy this music together. Keep up the good work. I plan on watching you regularly now that I've discovered your channel. 😃
Hello dear Amy. Interesting channel, found it by accident. I did study classical music and was working as a cellist in a German Opera Orchestra and some years ago I quit Cello to play drums and only Rock music. My whole life is very strange and had a lot of hard changes. As a child I was forced to learn cello, because my grandpa was a violin maker. I learned cello, did study it at 2 different Universities of music and performing arts (Stuttgart and Frankfurt) and even worked in an Opera Orchestra. My dream as a child was always to play drums, but I was never allowed to do that, when I was 14 I wanted to quit cello and learn drums, again I was not allowed to do that. Now I am 51, with age of 45 I started to learn drums, quite late but it is fun. I quit cello because I want to focus on drums and Rock music. I made classical music for decades and I think I need to do something else, to start a new chapter. I did that and I like it. For my opinion life is too boring to do the same thing the whole life through. Sometimes we need to start something new to get excited again, at least for me. I just made the experience that it is not a good idea to force a child to learn/do what you want it to do. The child must decide by itself whether it wants to learn a classical instrument or a Rock instrument. In my case I was successful in classical music but there was something missing. All the best for you.
👍for maintaining your adventurous spirit
@@janetf23 yes thanks a lot.
Kudos to you - I’m a classical musician who has also ‘seen the light’ and I now write and play pop and rock but on my instrument (the flute). I admire what you’ve done and what you say but I really feel you can play and enjoy both classical and rock music - music is music and there is too much made of the distinctions between them. Wishing you well on your new found path!
@@ClaireHoldich hello Claire. Thank you and nice to hear from you. Yes you are right, music is music. I like both, classical and rock music, great to hear that you like both too. I still go to classical concerts. I wish you all the best and have a great time. Best regards from Germany, Joerg.
I am beyond excited for this channel, now that I have found it and it appears I'm getting on at the ground floor. I am currently pushing 50 years, and have almost the inverse musical experience as yourself. I grew up in the rock / punk / metal world, and as I grew older (and became a musician myself) I branched out and followed the breadcrumbs backwards to trace the musical DNA back, and then follow other branches of the musical family tree to see where they would lead. My decades long journey has taught me one thing over and over again; that music is music. From punk to jazz to 60's surf rock to reggae to classical chamber music to bluegrass to industrial to folk to country to prog to hip hop to electronic to pop to metal... and every conceivable combination of them... it's all just artists expressing their thoughts and emotions, and communicating what their life experience has been. Listening to music is the closest any of us will ever come to living someone else's life and seeing our shared reality from a wholly different point of view, I suspect. I have a profound joy from watching other people experience new musical cultures and learning to appreciate them, just as I have done in my own life. I look forward to watching your journey, and wish you extreme success in this endeavor as you add your own knowledge and interpretations to the collective melting pot. We're all surely going to be better for it.
Hi Amy
Love your analysis and your insights.
Your point of Stairway to Heaven slowly building as Bolero does, but with a different purpose, was spot on.
The LZ song Kashmir is considered by the band and many musicians to be their greatest work.
The “D” section of Kasmir, goes back and forth over Gm and A with an exotic scale being emphasized by the strings/keyboard. The ascending figure uses D harmonic minor but in the 4th mode so the note G serves as the basis. This scale has a big jump between Bb and C# creating an exotic, Eastern sound. Toward the end of the song, the ascending figure morphs into a run that goes from G dorian to G lydian (G-A-Bb-C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C#).
You might want to give it a quick listen as they use strings/piano extensively.
Please continue and have fun with your journey.
Your insights are quite informative and fun.
Thank you Amy
Oh my god. I found your channel yesterday, because I'm studying Brothers in arms on the piano. I liked what I saw. So I came to watch this 1st one. And now I'm so shocked that you didn't know who Freddy was that I'll need to binge watch ALL your videos.
Regards from Brazil.
Good luck with your piano practice!
I admire and respect what you do. I’m not, by temperament, a classical musician. But I love the fact that you come across as being genuine and I commend you for that. Keep doing it!
Well, this channel should be a lot of fun! Lots of great suggestions here for bands to listen to. Yes, Genesis (pre-1977), King Crimson, ELP, etc. Don't forget about Rush, too. And if you like things with a Southern flavor, The Dixie Dregs are a must listen, along with the Allman Brothers Band.
As others have mentioned, there are quite a few artists in the rock genre that are classically trained. Keith Emerson being one, and Rick Wakeman is another.
Since you are a harpist, you should check out some of Andreas Vollenweider's material from the late 70s to mid-80s as well. His music is very unique.
It’s wonderful to see a classically trained and highly educated person like yourself try to analyze, understand, and appreciate this kind of music rather than just dismiss and reject it like so many others. I really think you will have to try to develop a new sensibility to the electric and electronic instruments used in this kind of music in order to really appreciate it, so that it no longer sounds like “factory noises” to you. I look forward to following your journey.
I always wanted to play the harp. The sounds are magical / angelic.
I think it is a really unique experience to meet someone who, having huge background in classical music, doesn't know a bit of rock music, but at the same time is willing to learn and discover it. So I'm really glad I found your channel and I will certainly watch it with great interest.
Until now I watched two of your videos, about "Hey You" and "She's Leaving Home" and I'm most interested in your reactions at first listening. The follow-through analysis is not so interesting for me (but I'm certain it may be very interesting for many other people, so keep it that way!), so I did not watch the videos in full - as I said, first listening impressions are what interests me the most, especially because you seem to be a very nice and genuine person.
Rock is the music I really love, so I can assure you that there is a fascinating adventure before you, of course if you choose the right pieces to listen. I wish you good luck! Myself, I would encourage you to explore the genre called progressive rock (or art rock). Some people understand this genre quite narrowly, taking into account mostly bands from 70's like Genesis, Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Procol Harum etc., but there is also a wider understanding of art rock/prog rock that includes for example Pink Floyd, Queen (you already listened to some pieces of both performers), even some pieces by The Beatles (they are basically pioneers of almost all styles of rock; listening to them I can't find a style that they haven't at least tried) and my favourite artist of all: Kate Bush. If I could recommend only one artist to you, it would be her. She's definitely a genius and most unique artist in the entire rock music. She's so unique that even for "rockheads" her music is often something totally new and not similar to what they are used to. However, I can't recommend one particular piece by Kate Bush as each one is different. You can try for example "The Dreaming" or "Night of the Swallow", or "Houdini", all tracks are from the album "The Dreaming", which in my opinion is her best.
I think you should also understand one thing, which you may or may not already know. With the prog rock/art rock genre, you usually have to listen to the whole album. Many of them are so called "concept albums", which tell a story through multiple songs, and have to be listened in full. Often the songs on such albums aren't even clearly separated, but they transition smoothly from one to the other. That is for example the case of "The Wall", from which you took one piece from somewhere around the middle. Yes, one does have to start from something, but I think it's better to start with listening to the whole album and then selecting one piece that you want to make a video about. I definitely recommend doing it that way :).
Finally, let me share with you one observation that - from my point of view - makes a big distinction between classical music and rock music. If music is sound, then classical music has one big problem. The final work of the composer isn't actually music, because it does not have the form of actual sound; it has a form of musical score. You need instrumentalists to turn this into actual music, actual sound. And there may be different performances of the same piece, by different musicians, at different occasions - there is no "canonical" version.
A great advantage of rock music is - for me - the fact that the final work here has the form of an actual sound recording. As a consequence, every piece has its "canonical", "reference" form. The same artist may perform the piece at concerts and it will sound differently any time, even other artists may perform the same piece, but there always be one and only one "canonical" version, which you can point at and say "this is the original". And that's great for me. Of ourse you may view it differently. :)
Wish you all the best on your adventure. Good luck! :)
i came across your channel by the accident of the Google algorithm and at first i thought "here's another classical musician jumping on the reaction video bandwagon", but after watching you listening to Black Sabbath (and one or two others), i realised that here is someone who is genuinely interested in understanding non-classical music. my dad turned me on to Pink Floyd with i was about 10, and i've been an ardent fan of most of their work ever since. one of my great pleasures in life is being with someone who's listening to something i might have heard hundreds, if not thousands, of times (i've probably listened to Wish You Were Here at least a thousand times since it's release date in 1975, and it never gets old). i've listened to it on almost every type of audio device ever designed, and each time i hear something new (about 45 of my 55 years in all) - the genius of PF's sound design is astounding in its depth. sharing it with someone listening for the first time makes me feel like i'm hearing it for the first time, and nothing is sweeter than that.
i've played guitar in a few bands over the years, and we always used to laugh at our classically trained friends who would join us from time to time and sort of stomp through the music as though they had a very loud metronome playing in their heads... it was so hard for them to relax into a rhythm that was not as demanding as what they'd been taught. i did a few years of piano at school and absolutely hated it, so rock'n'roll for for a lot of a a sort of rebellion against the staid nature of classical music. i wish it were not so, because i find a lot of it very beautiful - Chopin's Prelude in E minor being a case in point - i would have loved to be have been able to play that, as well.
anyway, my point is that it's fascinating to see someone who until recently had never even heard of Freddie Mercury (you did what now?!), on this journey of discovery - it means that there is hope for us all... ;)
What a pleasure to find a channel featuring an intelligent, eloquent person.
I would very much like to hear your assessment of the English band 'Yes'; perhaps one of their early pieces like 'Heart Of The Sunrise'.
Or their guitarist, Steve Howe, and Annie Haslam's version of their song 'Turn Of The Century'.
So does classical include neoclassical? What about the borders of the traditional like Cage, Zorn, Riley, Glass, Xenakis, Varese etc? Because there’s an entire other side of “popular” music that is much more influenced by that end of things. Bands like Mr. Bungle, Secret Chiefs, Dog Fashion Disco, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Hasidic New Wave, solo artists like Brian Eno, Ikue Mori, JG Thirlwell, Frank Zappa, Bill Laswell etc.
I’m very intrigued by the many directions this could be going in future. Good luck and happy listening!
Just found this channel. Thank you Amy for such a beautiful journey. I’m all in. Someday take a listen to the collaboration concert between Metallica and the San Fransisco Symphony titled S&M. I think you’ll find the renditions of their songs, many of which you have or will review, mixed with an orchestra is something special. And yes please keep being awesome.
I was thinking that, too!
RUclips is such a treasure trove of interesting people.
This is an awesome experiment. While I wasn't as insulated from popular music as you describe, I can relate to that general ignorance of popular music and discovering some of it in later life to be quite enjoyable. I look forward to your videos and wish you the best in the rough-and-tumble world of RUclips self publishing!
This is an amazing experiment! I've often wondered what would happen if we stuffed Mozart or Schubert into a time machine and exposed them to all the music that came after them. At which point would they stop even be able to understand the music? Would they just be appalled? Or is good music universal or at least so much of our modern music still based on classical Western music that not much gets lost in translation?
Alas, I don't have a time machine and I'm pretty sure kidnapping composers was already illegal in the 18th century but this here is the next best thing!
I'm always wondering the same thing! I think most of them would get lost pretty quickly, but I have a feeling Mozart would be just fine, innovator that he was 😉
Discovered your channel yesterday. Wonderful. Today hearing your story of Barcelona….was fabulous. That is one of my favourite songs. Have you thought of a video for it. I love the warmth and respect shown between the two,artists.
Amy, while RnR music has colored my life, I also was exposed to Classical music at about the age of 12. Found an old 4 lp set of CM, and was taken by Grieg, Chopin, Brahms and Lizt. While everyone talked about that Amadeus guy, I followed the Romantics. Epiphanal it was too.
Then, I also found jazz. Miles, Coltrane, Baker, Peterson, et al.
But always came back to the Romantic composers.
Used to travel early to work and would listen to Peter Van Der Graff
Play deep cuts. At 430 AM, this was a good start to the day.
Now I've found your channel.
Thank You.
Me and the missus love your channel, thanks! Your fresh perspective is contagious 🙏
Thanks 👍 I’ve only just found your channel today and I look forward to watching a lot of your videos and your new content when it drops.
Love your honesty and style, trust me , you will soon be touching the Million viewers. I have just subbed.👌
Hello Amy, thank you for your precise and respectful analysis of all those rock masterpieces ! I really enjoy your approach and moreover, it makes me work my English ! Cheers from France😘🙏
I find it refreshing in not only your uniqueness in being alive this long and never having heard these popular artists, but also in your determination to discover what you've been missing rather than dismissing it completely like some people would. And being a huge Queen/Freddie Mercury fan for about 40 years, it's personally appealing to me that he was the trigger for starting this journey. I will be checking in! As this introduction is a few weeks old, I'm sure you've already discovered that there are different genres of rock music. Like jazz -- which can range from orchestras playing arranged dance music in the 1940s to small combos of virtuosos playing complex, improvised pieces in the 1950s -- rock also has its simplistic and complex; its music for dancing and just having fun, and its music for just listening and appreciating its artistry. Enjoy, Amy!
P.S.: If you haven't been inundated with a thousand request already for "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, I am doing so now. A combination of ballad/hard rock/mock opera that is unlike anything else out there, which is why it's still immensely popular 47 years later.
The ultimate stadium rock anthem. Not to be confused with Enesco's Roumanian Rhapsody, which she may already know.
I love that I have found you and your channel, I will definitely be following your journey 😀
I completely enjoyed your in depth analysis of VH's Mean Street. I'm a very long time fan of the group and you've made me look at their music much deeper than I've ever done before. The analysis of the song's mood and the comparisons you made to Bartok have inspired me to look into Bartok's work. I love classical music but know very little about him. PLEASE review more of Van Halen's work. Ice Cream Man will blow your mind!!! It's a simple, happy tune but is a perfect example of their versatility and instrumental virtuosity. TY & keep up the great work!
I just came here from your reaction to Metallica’s …And Justice For All. It’s classic thrash metal. Honestly kind of impressive that you sat through it, being so new to this kind of music.
I’m interested to see how you might react to Gojira. They’re a metal band from France, and my personal favorite band. Flying Whales is the song most people know them for if you wanted to check that out. Although my favorite song from them is Esoteric Surgery, so I would make that as my own personal recommendation.
Always excited to see a newcomer to rock and heavy metal. And I’m interested in seeing more reactions from you.
I don't know how i found your channel but I love it!
Such a unique journey to be able to watch, there must be so few people who aren't at least casually familiar with rock and pop but to watch someone with technical ability and training must be completely unique. Joy of the journey to you and thanks to your friend
I just found this channel earlier today when your Metallica video popped up on my recommended videos list and subbed before that first video was even done. Great job! Also just finished watching the Queen video and will be off to watch the Beatles shortly.
As you seem to be just starting out, I would have only one small piece of advice. I did notice the other comment on this video about not taking people's rude comments to heart and I would agree totally with that. Most of us rock and metal fans are good, welcoming people but there are the few other ones. This is the internet, after all, and the internet can be a cesspool. The one related thing I would add to that is though the vast majority of people will request songs which they think you'll enjoy or ones good to analyze musically, there's the subset who will request songs based on pure shock value just to watch you squirm. I'm not necessarily saying that all of these songs are bad or that they have nothing to offer but I am saying that's not why those people are requesting them. They're requesting them because it's fun to take someone who doesn't know how to swim, toss them into a tank with live sharks in it, and sit back and watch the carnage. Well, it's fun once. It's not so much fun if it happens continually and the person in question burns out watching and listening to things she hates on infinite loop. I've seen things like that happen to other channels. Since you have a friend who seems to know something about this type of music and also knows you, maybe run any song suggestions by less well known bands by them first.
Having said that, I don't see anything like that yet in the song suggestions I saw in the comments of the two videos I watched so far. I'd actually agree with almost all of them. The one I'd add to the list who I didn't see yet would be Ayreon. It's not so much a band as it is one guy who plays a few instruments himself and brings in different guest musicians and singers for each album. The Day That The World Breaks Down would be a good place to start. If you use the video on Arjen Anthony Lucassen's channel, there are subtitles added to it by the man himself explaining various bits about the making of the song on there which you can read while you listen to it.
Love what you are going with this “experiment” and think you are on to success with this channel. It is great that you are open minded and putting yourself and your talents out there. Kudos.
If you're going to do a music reaction / review / analysis / appreciation channel where you cover rock music it is MANDATORY for you to do Rush! 😁 I think every music reaction channel has done multiple Rush videos.
They are (were) a Canadian trio that did "progressive rock". They had one of the greatest rock drummers who ever played. (RIP Neil Peart). "Tom Sawyer" is one of their classics. I'd recommend it as a first exposure.
Glad to have found your channel. Enjoyed what I've watched so far. Looking forward to more.
My jaw is still on the floor to know there's someone who never heard The Beatles before.
Good luck with your channel.
I’m sub 206, happy to be on this journey with you. Love your airport story. You’re so funny and enjoyable to listen to. Thank you for this.
Thank you fro your feedback!
I enjoy your channel very much Amy. A very fresh look into classical pop- and rocksongs. I am so curious what you would think of singer, songwriter, producer, Steven Wilson's song Drive home. He is the founder, guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Porcupine Tree, as well as being a member of several other bands, including Blackfield, Storm Corrosion and No-Man. He is also a solo artist, having released 6 solo albums since his solo debut Insurgentes in 2008. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Wilson has made music prolifically and earned critical acclaim.[4] His honours include six nominations for Grammy Awards: twice with Porcupine Tree, once with his collaborative band Storm Corrosion and three times as a solo artist. In 2017 The Daily Telegraph described him as "a resolutely independent artist" and "probably the most successful British artist you've never heard of".
Hi Amy, I just found your channel on RUclips today. This is great! I really liked your analysis, comments etc...on the Pink Floyd song "Hey You." I am looking forward to more videos from you. Someone named Keith Carlson in this comment thread mentioned a suggestion about you possibly considering the song "Silent Lucidity" by the band Queensryche. I agree with that suggestion. I would be curious about your thoughts on that song. Also, more songs by Pink Floyd would be great! How about some Elton John songs, such as "Sixty Years On" or "The King Must Die" or "Rocket Man?" (I have some others in mind too.) Anyway, I like your channel! Keep up the good work!
Good for you! It's always good to expand your horizons and try new things.
It may seem off-putting at first to listen to things that are so different from.what you're used to, but familiarity breeds appreciation. Just like different forms of art, the more you familiarize yourself with it, the more you understand and appreciate it.
Here are my three songs that I think you should listen to, and why:
The Beatles - In My Life
The most famous rock band of all time also wrote some of the most beautiful melodies and chord progressions. I don't know how much theory they knew, but they were big fans of modal interchange, as am I. Also, the lyrics will make you want to hug a loved one.
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
It's long, it's complex, it's expertly-performed, and is one of the most dynamically diverse rock songs of all time.
The Ramones - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
It's loud, it's fast, and it's just pure, innocent fun. It is one of the simplest songs you will hear, but it never fails to put a smile on my face. It's not performed well at all, but that's part of the charm of punk rock. It's the musical equivalent of McDonald's fries.
I look forward to hearing what you have to say in future videos!
Enjoying your channel, many thanks for the videos. 😊
I've just found this channel by chance. And you know what? I have these 248 wonderful videos ahead of me! (Yeah, looked through some of them, this should be such a fun!) Envy me :) Amy, thank you for all this!!!
Hello Amy, I recently stumbled upon your channel and I'm quite glad I have found you. I have been hungry to hear the insights you offer regarding classical music and modern rock/metal music. I grew up on classic rock music and as a musician myself, the electric guitar is my main instrument. The musical greats of this genre, famous, not so famous and some barely known possess talents far too vast and unique to place in a single category. The world of classical rock music, just the same as the world of traditional classical music are a testament to the abilities of the human mind and soul and the intrinsic power of music itself, which I consider to be almost inifinite. Over the past thirty years of critical listening to this wide variety of artist, I recall many times, following a performance thinking to myself such thoughts as "Wow, if Mozart or Beethoven or Rimsky-Korsakov were to rise from the grave and happen upon a large segment of this music I mention, even they would be blown away by its genius, authenticity and most of all, its beauty." The Flight of the Bumble Bee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov is a perfect example by which I would offer to demonstrate my thoughts on this matter. I'm certain you know this piece as a foundation for evaluation. That being said, perhap I can encourage you to produce a video on this piece providing a comparative analysis of the modern day, rock music performance of this work. Please go find and listen to Europe - Kee Marcello Guitar Solo ( Live In London 1987 ) (Live video, yet you may search and find better quality productions.) I found this on RUclips and its the version I first saw on video back in that era. I was blown away by what I saw. I hope you are as well and look forward to you response. As always, much love to you and keep up the good work.
Subbed just off the premise of your channel. Classic rock is a good starting point I feel. But it will be interesting to see you eventually move on to bands like Tool. I'm very interested to see this journey you are about to undertake.
Just subscribed. Your classical nature shows through each time you say "piece" instead of "song." With that think, you MUST investigate progressive rock. Try these two, both by Yes: "Close to the Edge," and "Awaken."
Thank you for sharing your journey into the unknown, it will be very interesting to follow:)♡
Hi Amy.
I join those who warn you about the haters (which unfortunately will not take long to appear). Avoid reading them if possible; because they can be very hurtful. The work and time that you are taking deserves all the support and good wishes that many are already expressing to you; stay with it.
Regards, Máximo
Wow, I just discovered your channel, and it’s amazing. I love rock music, and I really believe no matter the genre, it could be art. Thank you for doing this amazing content, that for sure will help many enthusiastic understand that being a rocker can also teach us about music as an art. 😊
This sounds like an interesting idea! I look forward to your content. I'm coming from the opposite end from you. I was exposed to rock music as a child growing up in the 1960s. I didn't become interested in classical music until I was in my 30s. I don't have any musical training or ability to speak of, I just enjoy listening to music. The technical aspects totally escape me.
I think it's best to look at rock music and pop music generally as folk music within modernity, and now post modernity. A lot of it is disposable and transitory. Some of it can reach the level of art. Though I don't think any rock music has reached the level that the American Songbook has in popular American music for instance. With the coming of the internet and the fracturing of music audiences, there has been a loss of a unified popular music audience that was very identifiable in the entirety of the 20th century. So, it seems to me the popular music artist of today has a much harder job and it's very difficult to even speak of a truly popular music today. Anyway, I'm looking forward to your future contributions to the channel.
Thank you for your feedback!
This series is a great concept, and it's a lot of fun following your exposures and impressions. I do wonder about your upbringing. It was a combination of musically inclined friends and FM radio that exposed me to rock music. Movies too I suppose. So I wonder how you managed to reach adulthood with such minimal exposure. Were you homeschooled? Was there no radio or TV in your home? Were none of your friends interested in modern music?
I hope none of these questions are overly intrusive. You certainly are a "unique specimen" as you say. I enjoy watching your sophisticated and expressive analysis of rock music in its various forms. I hope your enjoyment continues to blossom.
I look forward to your reaction to Rush songs. Any of them, since there are a lot of them to choose from. Limelight, Working Man, or Tom Sawyer are good ones to start with, and YYZ (studio version) or La Villa Strangiato are great follow ups. Enjoy your channel and the music and the adventure of it all, and ignore anything that gets in the way of having fun with it. =)
You've reviewed a lot of different styles and bands overthe last couple of years, would be curious as to what has made your playlist over tiem, whatdid you find, that really turned your crank? To me, a good tune is a good tune, it'll tickle your fancy and either play on your emotions or get you tapping your toes thru the day, as you replay it in your noggin. What has stuck in your noggin?
After watching Metallica's song analysis, I was asking my self is she living under a rock? Doesn't she listen to the radio? :D Now this video have answered so many questions, but I am still in disbelieve... If this is for real, then thank god you on a journey of exploring different music, good luck and have fun on this journey! :)
You must react to “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. I think it will be a great reaction video
I agree. Bohemian Rhapsody would be great.