the first time i heard NWA was in 1990 when 100 Miles and Runnin' came out, I thought it was a great song then and I still do now, the other song I really like by them is Straight Outta Compton, I own that album too, I just am not that into any of the other tracks on it. I've been listening to hiphop for 20 years and I'm fully aware of the importance of NWA, but overall their music just doesn't move that much.

I'm obviously not in any position to say what constitutes the 'heart' of american music but I suspect you're right in suggesting jazz and blues. However, while it's clear that the blues was a massive influence on early RnR. I think jazz is a little more secondary. Rather than having a direct impact on RnR (compared with that of say country or gospel) it was more filtered through its influence on those genres that informed it (in particular blues).

I can't agree with your second point at all though. Besides the fact that I'm not altogether sure what you mean by 'real' jazz, I think that to refer to any kind of jazz as pure would be to ignore the numerous influence that other musical traditions had on it. i think it's hard to consider any music as pure but certainly jazz is one I'd consider as being among the least. Indeed, returning to your original point, jazz may well be the quintessential american music largely because of its very lack of purity.

The first Wu-Tang album (and the associated solo LPs) are all stone killers. Wu Tang's "Forever" album has some great musical backing, but the raps I felt weren't on the same level of greatness as on "...36 Chambers". And ODB's "Dogshit" really is rather embarrassing - it's like listening to your dad/uncle swear in order to appear shocking.

jicks are way better than pavement

I wasn't asserting that you fell into the category in which I described in my post. I was simply stating what I had observed to be a fairly universal truth.

Better at curing insomnia? Definitely.

Come are the best early 90s alt rock band.

stop huffing glue man.
it's rotting yr brain

I have two Come LP's that I do not listen to.

if you want them we canset up a trade. make me a sweet Mix CD and I will ship you the Come LP's.

on vinyl, assuming? i'll take you up on the trade if Derek doesn't want to.

on vinyl like a mofucka

Wow! That sort of surprises me: you not being all that into them I mean. 11:11 is a superb album I think. No absolute reason why you should agree of course, I'd just assume that you liked them quite a lot.

I didn't know there were two Comes

not in the same night there aren't. At least not once you hit the wrong side of thirty.

lol

Go ahead on his offer!

I love codeine, but Come just does not please my ears too much. kind of half-assy to me.

I will get the LP names and post them when I get home.


(EDIT)
half-assy is not the right descriptive, more like too subsumed.

It is the first two LP's


Eleven:Eleven

Don't Ask Don't Tell

I love codeine, too. In fact, right now, I REALLY love it...

I think Hole's first album is one of the best of the 90's. Everything else they put out was absolute shit. And no one ever agrees with me!