Does being a musician reduce your listening pleasure?

This might have been said already, but I don't feel like reading through all the replies first...

Being a musician hasn't diminished my listening pleasure, although it does affect the kinds of music/bands I listen to - but only in the sense that I prefer to listen to real muscians, not machines making sounds. Within that, I enjoy hearing the variety of ways instruments are approached. Some ways leave me inspired to try and replicate (like Steve Jordan's simple but highly effective and rhythmical style) and others leave me in awe (like Dave Weckl).

What affects my listening more has been sound studies. I find myself very analytical of mixes, productions and recording methods used for albums, and when the sound is not a sound I like, I find it very difficult to look past that and just enjoy the music. Anyone remember when Metallica released the St Anger album? They had that radical approach to the snare - it was like a tin can with ten mics, all set on full gain. Although I thought the songs were fine, I found it VERY hard to listen to the album, because of that pang in the background.
 
Anyone remember when Metallica released the St Anger album? They had that radical approach to the snare - it was like a tin can with ten mics, all set on full gain. Although I thought the songs were fine, I found it VERY hard to listen to the album, because of that pang in the background.

Yes. Absolutely horrible album in terms of production. On all fronts. There are some albums/artists that don't necessarily interest me because of the music, but due to production values.

As for Metallica, they should have quit after AJFA. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if Lombardo played in Metallica instead of Lars.
 
Yes. Absolutely horrible album in terms of production. On all fronts. There are some albums/artists that don't necessarily interest me because of the music, but due to production values.

As for Metallica, they should have quit after AJFA. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if Lombardo played in Metallica instead of Lars.

Haha, poor Lars. He gets lots of flak doesn't he?

The first Metallica music I ever heard was the S&M concert they did with the orchestra. And I remember thinking: 'this drummer is so good because he has a great groove, especially with the mid-tempo and slower stuff'. But he never possessed anything that made him stand out, other than playing for one of the biggest acts ever.
 
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