Been revisiting 'You'd Prefer an Astronaut' from Hum for a couple of days. For me one of the best 90's records. It achieved limited success with a sorta 'hit' with the song Stars. I loved that song from the intro...it had me at hello. From Champaign, Illinois...they were on The Smashing Pumpkins' coattails to some degree (being from Illinois and employing a wall of noise as a primary strategy) and another band called The Poster Children were in that same mix.
Anyway, they never achieved much beyond that song 'Stars'. For me the lead track, Little Dipper, as I listened to it the last couple of days made me realize why a 'nu metal' band made their way into my life.
The Deftones go off the scale musically and vocally all the time...but something always pulled me in with the sound. That beautiful wall of nuanced noise. Two or three chords living in a wall and being beautifully nuanced here and there.
Anyway, hearing Hum again and connecting the dots that a song like 'Minerva' that I also love. Then reading that Chino Moreno, Deftones lead singer, was totally into Hum and 'You'd Prefer an Astronaut' was a major influence on their sound, confirmed why I like both bands.
), of Toots and the Maytalls fame.
