In my zealous mission to find out what kinds of music our Greenwood teachers enjoy, I came to the conclusion that it would only be fair to include another round of participants! After multiple conversations with staff members in which they jokingly asked, “but where’s my review?” I knew that my November article would encompass a fresh take on new music spotlights. Will these additional responses surprise you?
Once again, I asked a handful of participating teachers, “What is your favorite band (or bands), and why do you enjoy that type of music?” In no particular order, here are their responses, as well as my feedback and personal rating!
Mr. Gantt:
“I enjoy country in general, but I have been listening to Florida Georgia Line lately.”
It took me a while to get a solid answer out of Mr. Gantt, which was honestly just a part of the fun I have with interviewing teachers. What can I say, it was a Friday afternoon and there I was, cornering a history teacher to answer the momentous question of, “well, what have you listened to in the past week?” - but I eventually got this quote. When you think of Florida Georgia Line, you probably think of their famed American anthem “Cruise”, or their popular collaboration with Bebe Rexha in “Meant to Be”. There have been recent rumors that the duo is breaking up, but after some background research, I found that this was only a small rift during the 2020 presidential election…a topic that would be right up a history teacher’s alley!
My rating: 3/10 - not my favorite, but I’ll give them points for catchiness.
Mrs. Shaffer:
“Journey, or Elton John; I go to these artists when I need to decompress!”
A known fact about Mrs. Shaffer is that she loves music, and has even worked at Hershey Giant Center, surrounded by the enchantment of concertgoers! I would have to agree with Mrs. Shaffer on this statement; Elton John especially is a very bright and eccentric artist with a whimsical discography. As someone who pays attention to the music played during Wildcat Wednesdays, I’ve heard both of these artists in the halls multiple times, which only justifies Mrs. Shaffer’s logic behind how the music makes you feel.
My rating: 9/10 - you can never deny some upbeat and funky tunes.
Mr. Johnson:
“Journey and similar bands…plus all types of music, even classical!”
Mr. Johnson was perhaps the keenest participant in a music interview that I’ve conducted so far and we talked for a good bit at the beginning of gym class about the music he enjoys! We concluded that he particularly prefers progressive rock bands such as Journey, but also likes all sorts of classical music, which surprised me. In our past conversations about music, classical music hadn’t been brought up, which makes me happy to have uncovered another side of Mr. Johnson - similar to how many of us have learned that he is a very good fine artist as well!
My rating: 8.5/10 - a varied and expansive music taste is probably the best way to go!
Mr. Nastasi:
“Jimmy Eat World has always been one of my favorite bands, and their masterpiece "Bleed American" from 2001 is probably my favorite album of all time. Every track is a masterpiece!”
With such a dedicated decision to a favorite album from someone I know loves music, I had to listen to this album from beginning to end in order to give Mr. Nastasi a proper review.
My rating:
Bleed American: this is an extremely catchy album opener that totally got me eager for the rest of the album… a solid 8/10.
A Praise Chorus: I was NOT expecting this one to be so interesting, especially the bridge with the “crimson and clover” reference to earlier music. 10/10.
The Middle: I don’t care if you say this is their most overrated song, it presents a much-needed positive and hopeful message. 9.5/10.
Your House: this one was a bit slow and repetitive for me. 6/10.
Sweetness: even before listening from the beginning to the end of the album, I always had a soft spot for this one in particular. There’s a certain type of nostalgic feeling in Sweetness. 10/10.
Hear You Me: hmm, this one was a bit too one-hit-wonder-alternative-2004-band for me. Not that Matchbox Twenty or Daughtery are boring, though. 1/10.
If You Don’t, Don’t: the instrumental bridge was the best section of this one. 5/10.
Get It Faster: now this one was impressive - the suspense, the sinister vocals, the lyrics…this is my favorite on the album so far. I had to refrain from hitting the replay button when it was over. 10/10!
Cautioners: a curious follow-up to the previous song; I felt the vibe feeding into a slower pace but the harmonies were very well produced. 6/10.
The Authority Song: very Weezer-esque; a jam, 9/10!
My Sundown: a classic, thoughtful, and refreshing closer. 7/10. (after this I went back and listened to Get It Faster on repeat)
Overall, Jimmy Eat World is a cherished alternative band, and I was very amazed by Bleed American. At the Hella Mega Tour, Mr. Nastasi explained to me how he and Mrs. Nastasi prepare for concerts by gathering up a multitude of the said band’s songs into a playlist, whether in accompaniment to the setlist or not, and working through them all. I found it fascinating that both Mr. and Mrs. Nastasi are this passionate about music! Thanks to Mr. Nastasi for this recommendation.
Mr. Weller:
“Def Leppard, Kiss, Motley Crue…I’ve seen Def Leppard in concert multiple times, even outdoor concerts.”
Whether or not Mr. Weller strikes you as the type of man to avidly listen to music, I was certainly content with this answer. Def Leppard was the primary subject in our conversation, a band that I personally like to describe as “music that plays in the background of chaotic carnivals and bingo sessions”. I’m a little basic with these bands, with my favorite songs being “Hysteria”, “Live Wire”, etc., but Mr. Weller seems to know his stuff!
My rating: 8/10 - glam metal seems to be enjoyed by many teachers in Greenwood!
Mr. Tomko:
“I have varied music tastes, and what I listen to depends on what I'm doing and the mood I'm in. I have a playlist of songs in Russian that I've used to help learn that language. I seem to keep coming back to 90's groups like DeeLite, Stone Temple Pilots, Garbage, Soundgarden, Pantera with Metallica and Megadeth thrown in for good measure. I also enjoy listening to folk/bluegrass as well with groups like Gaelic Storm, Enter the Haggis, Beats Antique and Earl Scruggs. And sometimes you just need a little EDM with Glitch Mob, Laidback Luke, Marc Rebillet or the Chemical Brothers and my favorite Twitch streamer - Whistleface.”
I have a very specific memory of being in chemistry class a few years ago, and Mr. Tomko asked me to name five Metallica songs in 10 seconds - I’m pretty sure I rattled through multiple albums worth of songs. Point is, everyone knows Mr. Tomko to be an aficionado of interesting stories and music. After touching briefly on these artists mentioned that I hadn’t already heard of, I especially enjoyed Beats Antique and Glitch Mob’s remix of “Seven Nation Army”. I love how these musicians span across the board of subgenres; it’s always good to have songs for every occasion!
My rating: 10/10 - with a wide range of artists here, you can’t really go wrong.
If you like these bands: There’s this album called Ziltoid the Omniscient by Devin Townsend…it’s one of those metal albums that’s kind of ironically cheesy but really good simultaneously. One of my favorite bands is the Pet Shop Boys, and a lot of their remastered content is very techno-synth so I cannot recommend them enough! I can also see you liking a band called They Might Be Giants, who, fun fact, write WAY more content than just alphabet and science songs for children. I’m also going to throw an artist called Lemon Demon in here for good measure. Is that enough variety?
Mrs. Woodard:
“Linkin Park. I was so sad that the lead singer passed away. My favorite songs are Numb, What I’ve Done, and Castle of Glass!”
Through my interview with Mrs. Woodard, I was able to confirm that she is a music lover; I suspected this because she often plays music for her students on Fridays. After discussing multiple alternative artists, she settled on Linkin Park, a band made famous in pop culture for their hit single “In The End”. Linkin Park is known for their intense sound and lyrics, and have only become more cherished and appreciated after lead singer Chester Bennington’s passing. They have a multitude of noteworthy songs beyond their hits, especially in early years.
My rating: 7.5/10 - Linkin Park, though sometimes ridiculed as cliche, is a very accomplished group.
If you like Linkin Park: From Ashes to New is a rock band from Lancaster, PA with a very similar discography! They’ve also collaborated with a Mongolian folk band called the HU, which would match well with Mr. Tomko’s international tastes.
Adding onto last month’s results, I find it even more exciting to share this music knowledge about our teachers with everyone. Whether predictable or not, it gives you something to think about in regards to what the Greenwood staff enjoys outside of teaching. Make sure to give the teachers mentioned here some feedback on their favorite music if you are also interested! I may have to hunt down another round of teachers for a third installment…
***any music facts were derived from musician interviews or my brain.
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