Just had a thought for a topic that I thought might be interesting. (read the topic :) ) It may be contoversial, and that's just what this place needs. Admittedly, I'm curious as to what everyone else listens to, but I tend to pick specific music to listen to when I work, so I thought everyone else might have some particular music, too. who knows? We might start a trend, typing what we are listening to currently at the end of the post. Anyway, just a thought. Hoborg [REM - Automatic for the People :) ]

Well...I Like to listen to what I call "Old Rock" Fleetwood Mac, Little River Band, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce. They people or bands that I consider knew what music is. Just my 2 cents worth.

Varies according to project and mood. From ambient stuff I've downloaded from mp3.com to B5 soundtrack to Green Day/Veruca Salt/Hole. (Hey, Hoborg, what did you think of "Up"?)

I don't have it, actually. I listen to their mid-stuff. You know, from Out of time through New Adventures in Hi-Fi. I listen to Pink Floyd a LOT when I work. It's like the ambient music and the awesome rock rolled into one. Especially Atom Heart Mother, Meddle, and Wish You Were Here. I don't know if I could listen to metal/thrash. Too distracting. (PS. I love Jim Croce.)

Cool subject! I listen to Natalie Merchant a lot...her stuff really inspires me. Pink Floyd ;) Slipknot Marilyn Manson (AntiChrist Superstar) I fluctuate between real heavy and mellow. Depends on what I am doing and my mood. Clint

Hoborg: Up is generally okay, grows after a few listenings. I prefer early R.E.M. myself (Chronic Town to Life's Rich Pageant- man, am i that old?) but alas, I have these only on vinyl. Oh yeah, toss in Quadrophenia and Jesus Christ Superstar (the stage version, not the film).

National Public Radio Geek, here! But with the W as our pres elect, now, and all those soundbites from him, I can't stand it any more. So, when I'm listening to music it's usually computer based -- Underground Technology Boy, Kraftwerk, Enigma, that range of stuff. Love JCS (stage) and Floyd, too. Particularly fond of Alan Parsons Project, as well -- very cinematic rock. Also, check out Alek Vila's Love in Color -- (racingheart.com). Manson is just too distracting for me to work to -- like listening to him when I'm in one of "those" moods, though.... Lensman -- you have them only on vinyl? You ARE that old! :o)

I'll generally listen to Gaelic (modern/traditional), or classical. I'm pretty good at tuning things out when I'm working (just ask my wife), so I'm not overly picky about who/what it is, just like something in the background. Tony (No, I wasn't listening to Tchaikovsky when I was working on the cannon.) ;-)

92.3 K-ROCK in New York - ALL DAY LONG!

Hey, Chip! "I Robot" kicks positronic ass! Also loved the pyramid album (title escapes me). Manson I can't stand: the spooky "I'll eat Jesus and your parents" stuff strikes me as rather juvenile (don't mean to flame anyone; just doesn't work for me). When I'm in one of "those" moods, I'll maybe put on a Joy Division record (there's that vinyl again!). Or if I wanna hurt someone else, Husker Du. (Sorry. The umlats didn't work.)

what I listen to varies with my mood. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Enya, Fleetwood Mac and Old Radio Shows. Keith

I listen to my hard drive !!! Crr crr crr ...

In college I listened to music all the time when I worked on creative things. Problem was someone presented a paper on musical influences and art and ever since then I have quit listening to music when I am creating personal things. It may sound weird but I noticed a trend with my own work and how different music affects me. I am FAR from being an artsy farsty type of guy but I believe that a lot of true creativity comes from inside you. And when I listen to music it can change my mood and my thinking process. On the other side, when I do work for clients (more so with video type stuff) I always ask for musical influences and try to listen to that type of music when I do the projects. When I do listen to music I like groups like prodigy, fluke, fatboy slim etc....I find electronic music rather fascinating.

I can't listen to Antichrist Superstar while I work. I find Mechanical Animals to be more... mathematic. Same with Floyd. Can't listen to Dark Side while I work. I like Natalie Merchant, too, Clint, but I don't have any records of her. Chip, I find techno a little distracting, unless it's the uber-music of Kraftwerk (esp Pocket Calculator). I don't like Jesus Christ Superstar that much, but I have a soft spot for Godspell. I guess that wraps up my opinions. Hoborg Ps Vinyl rocks. I can totally tell the difference with CDs. (and ESPECIALLY MP3s)

The thing about vinyl that CDs/MP3s lack is that they grow old with you. I've got Quadrophenia on vinyl and MP3, and the pops and hisses on the vinyl are like being with an old friend. Yup, pure sound quality is much better IMHO digitally, but the nostalgia factor is big... "I'm so young, so goddamn young..."

I have an eclectic list of things to listen to when I am working. For example, I am currently listening to zeppelin, but it varies between that and things like industrial (Nitzer Ebb etc.), synth pop (VNV Nation etc), movie soundtracks (Matrix etc.), rockabilly (Horton Heat etc.) and a bunch of other stuff.

I've usually got on film scores - John Williams (Jaws, Raiders, ET, etc) down to early 30's and 40's films by Max Steiner (King Kong), Franz Waxman (Rebecca), Korngold (Adventures of Robin Hood). ...with forays into Kate Bush - altogether pretty nerdy huh? : ) My father's a fairly well known jazz musician though named Howard Johnson so I guess sometimes I have him on too. : )