How to get a rock fan into electronic music?

[SeparateHold]

All the time I get friends who never listen to electronic music, and I always want to try to get them into it.

Most of the time they're open to trying it, just inexperienced in it.

Any recommendations on artists/albums/genres/songs to share to pique their interest?

 

This has happened multiple times for me but the current friend is especially into the following bands:
Nirvana, Dead Kennedys, Weezer, Black Flag, and Soundgarden.

[J3FF3R00]

The other day I was actually thinking about posting a thread asking people about how they transitioned from rock to electronic music, if that’s the journey they went on.
For me, I’m the late 80s/early 90s, there was just so much good pop music that crossed over from dance music like technotronic or m/a/r/r/s. Even though I liked more hard rock, it made electronic music much more accessible. Then when NIN blew up it seemed like a lot of underground music was channeling through industrial/electronic movements. I was really into metal so that helped me find my way to groups like kmfdm, skinny puppy, pigface, ministry, etc. Also groups like fear factory and godflesh were doing exciting stuff with a mix of metal and electronic. Then when I heard aphex twin and prodigy it was all downhill from there.
I think it is probably less of a stretch to appeal to someone who is already into “extreme” music, rather than straight up punk or alternative rock. My Bloody Valentine may be a good gateway. I know a lot of other people later found out about aphex twin through Radiohead. There’s probably something there. 
Another route may be Kraftwerk. 

[SeparateHold]

I was thinking kraftwerk/throbbing gristle might be good, atari teenage riot aswell... Hopefully more ppl post here and I can make this a whole story about getting my buddy into electronic music. It goes both ways though, I'm woefully under-experienced in rock music. 

[beerwolf]

Songs For The Jilted Generation and Dubnobasswithmyheadman would be the albums I would suggest. They had super massive crossover appeal at the time. And probably still do. I'd also say Autechre Amber would be worth a shot.

Edited November 26, 2021 by beerwolf

[SeparateHold]

ty, i'll look into them

Spoiler

"i'll look into them" im stupid i already know about prodigy

 

Edited November 26, 2021 by SeparateHold

[thefxbip]

Something linked to what they are listening to aesthetically. The soft way.

OR/AND ALSO

Something completely different and shocking, something they never heard before, something so out of their confort zone it challenges them radically. I don't fully buy the safe recommendations method (aka SAW1 only for afx newbies, i say just throw everything at people and let them decide what they like) . A lot of people love to discover stuff or are open to new musical experiences when actually confronted with one. Sometimes when music is so alien to your past experience it catch your interest even more because its so new.

Don't underestimate people. Try some bold and strong choices as well i truly think it can work sometimes. 

Edited November 27, 2021 by thefxbip

[SeparateHold]

They really likd ATR. I'm gonna have them listen to more records from digital hardcore recordings and send them some industrial strength records for good measure..

17 hours ago, thefxbip said:

Either something linked to what they are listening to

BUT ALSO

Something completely different and shocking, something they never heard before, something so out of their confort zone it challenges them radically. I don't fully buy the safe recommendations method. 

Don't underestimate people. Try some bold choices as well i truly think it can work sometimes. 

Any suggestions of what sort of shocking shit I could send them? My immediate impulse is Oneohtrix Point Never since he's my fav, but considering how cheesy r+7 can be at times that may not be a great pick lol..

Edited November 27, 2021 by SeparateHold

[thefxbip]

3 minutes ago, SeparateHold said:

They really liked ATR. I'm gonna have them listen to more records from digital hardcore recordings and send them some industrial strength records for good measure..

Any suggestions of what sort of shocking shit I could send them? My immediate impulse is Oneohtrix Point Never since he's my fav, but considering how cheesy r+7 can be at times that may not be a great pick lol..

I would send things trying to reach as wide a spectrum as i can and go from there, from the reaction. ( do they prefer melodic trx, hardcore trx, weird trx, beat/no beat etc ) and then send more in the same style.

I would send literally everything from super chill ambient trx to AE abstraction  and Venetian Snares breakcore and see to what they react.

Edited November 27, 2021 by thefxbip

[J3FF3R00]

Also, what about aphex twin?

I mean, anything he did from classics up through come to daddy is pretty prime crossover material for anyone with ears. 

[Key]

A crash course education playlist would probably be something like

Radiophonic Workshop or some musique concrete

Tangerine Dream/Eno

Kraftwerk

Some detroit techno/electro, May, Atkins  Stinson

Acid house

Bit of jungle/ d'n'b

Maybe some crossover stuff like Prodigy/Leftfield

Basic Channel / minimal techno/ glitch

Aphex/BoC / 90s Warp shit

Bit of dubstep

Some more mad modern stuff like Vsnares/opn/footwork

.

 

If this particular guy is into that type of rock Im gonna assume theyre into like more aggro stuff and would say go heavier on artists like Snares, The Bug, Bogdan Raczynski, Coil.

I've also tended to find Luke Vibert/Wagon Christ goes down well among rockers. I think his tunes are very likable, John Peel famously got heavily into electronic stuff via WC

 

Edited November 27, 2021 by Key

[xy_politics]

Usually it's the lack of a recognisable human presence (i.e. voice) as the centrepiece of the music that makes the music difficult to absorb

If there is an appreciation for classical, jazz, hip-hop, even prog, then it's a million times easier

But rockers/punx are a tough nut to crack.  No surprise that ATR goes down well

Some good suggestions already, I would probably add early Numan/Tubeway Army, 80s synthpop/rock, Depeche might be a good one

Generally, go back in the timeline, easier to cross a stream than an ocean

 

Edited November 27, 2021 by xy_politics

[perunamuusi]

 

[SeparateHold]

6 hours ago, perunamuusi said:

 

Oh my god this is the best thing I have ever fucking seen

[exitonly]

tycho.  n00bs eat that shit up

[Squee]

 

[perunamuusi]

6 hours ago, xy_politics said:

Usually it's the lack of a recognisable human presence (i.e. voice) as the centrepiece of the music that makes the music difficult to absorb.

 

Good point.

Maybe start him with this.

 

[SeparateHold]

42 minutes ago, perunamuusi said:

Good point.

Maybe start him with this.

 

Penis... P-p-penis...

[thefxbip]

 

[chenGOD]

metal translates well into hardcore gabber. 
 

 

[SeparateHold]

7 minutes ago, chenGOD said:

metal translates well into hardcore gabber. 
 

 

Yea I think I'm gonna send them some nasenbluten or delta 9.

[ambermonk]

Saw some ATR mention in this thread, so I might recommend Alec Empire, specifically his album The Destroyer (headphones warning). Nic Endo is another ATR member, although I haven't heard as much of her solo work.

Maybe Skinny Puppy too. And Seefeel.

Edited November 27, 2021 by ambermonke

[Soloman Tump]

My rock friend took me to see Velvet Revolver years back, and it was ok. Slash did an encore solo on a bar stool under a spotlight, cool as fuck. 

So in return I took him to see Red Snapper and Venetian Snares and it blew his mind haha.... 

[cloud capture]

port rhombus is a gateway drug

[TubularCorporation]

Classic rock -> space rock -> krautrock -> space music -> early Tangerine Dream -> later Tangerine Dream -> post-Autobahn Kraftwerk -> early synthpop -> Detroit and Chicago -> UK rave music -> AFX

 

Or use the cheat code and get them started with the more radio-friendly side of 80s industrial music (stuff like Ministry) and then wean them off of the guitars and vocals until nothing's left but electronic music.

Edited November 27, 2021 by TubularCorporation

[ghsotword]

I was a fan of Nirvana and punk rock before I started listening to electronic music (20 years ago). The often recommended transition of [rock music -> rock music with electronic elements -> industrial -> electronic music] absolutely didn't work for me. I had heard bands such as NIN, Skinny Puppy and Prodigy and didn't like them. The tracks of Aphex that are usually recommended as the first things to listen to also didn't work: I was unimpressed with Windowlicker, Come to Daddy and SAW1.
The things that caught my interest were the things that sounded the most unfamiliar to me: Confield and post-Confield Autechre, the weirdest BoC album interlude tracks, and glitchy minimalist music from netlabels such as Autoplate.