BS: Can certain music make you aggressive

Subject: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Claire M
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 04:54 PM

Hiya,

I used to listen to some stuff in what I now call the Blue Lipstick Years which I thought was wonderful, but when I look back, really wasn't.   I've noticed that certain songs I used to listen to a lot set me off – for example I can't bear Eminem or Linkin Park now, & I used to luv both so much I'd listen to them constantly. I had a foul temper & was snapping at people about once a day. I've heard certain disabilities (including mine) can make you quite shouty, but I don't want to use that as an excuse.

This still happens, (& I still do have a fiery temper) but it hasn't happened so much since I joined here & got back into what I grew up with. Maddy Prior/Steeleye, Oysterband + June Tabor, etc. don't make me snap at people & I have never tired of them. So do you think certain music can make you aggressive, & if so, what should I do with said rage-causing cds ??

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 05:29 PM

Well Claire, it's well known that certain types of music can soothe and calm you. So the reverse may be true as well. If those old, no-longer-liked CDs put you in a bad mood, could you swap them with someone for some of your current favourites? Personally I find that very loud music (of any sort) makes me cringe. It also seems to exhaust me, so I avoid venues where I'm going to get bombarded like that. I do think that music has the ability to get straight into your subconscious, it's a primitive thing. I can get very emotional and choked-up listening to, say, haunting Irish fiddle music. Don't know why!

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Raptor
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 05:40 PM

If I listen to the stones Whom I love, I drive like an asshole.
If I listen to jazz I drive better and stay way more calm.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Ed T
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 05:59 PM

Yoko Ono music pee's me off.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 06:08 PM

Ed T, I think they are talking about music that makes you mad in general, not just mad with the ghost of John Lennon.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 06:32 PM

I don't know it this is international or not, but I use the same companies book swap and love it. Here's the for swapping CDs: CLICK.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,olddude
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 07:06 PM

absolutely .. Kenny G makes me want to hunt something down and kill it
:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 07:10 PM

Yeah, sure it can. All music affects people's mood and behaviour to some extent. Animals and plants seem to respond best to classical music and be repelled (or depressed) by loud rock music, rap, etc. They've discovered that classical music piped outside variety stores causes troublesome gangs of youth to go somewhere else, while rock music, typical Top 40 radio music, and rap cause them to congregate, loiter, and cause trouble.

Seems pretty obvious to me. The more aggressive the music is, the more aggression it encourages in the listener.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 07:12 PM

Wayne Newton infuriates me.
(:-( 0)=

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: kendall
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 07:30 PM

Music hath charm to sooth the savage breast.
That applies to certain kinds of music; Beethoven, Mozart, KT Fanning, Gordon Bok, Priscilla Herdman, Caroline Paton, Anne Muir. etc

However, there are other kinds that make me want to break things or hurt someone. Rap, Rock and that crap they play in stores that sounds like someone gutting a cat, or torturing a pig.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 07:35 PM

Heh! Heh! ;-) What's his biggest hit? This one? Wayne Newton warbles Danke Schoen

And how do you feel about Barry Manilow? And Red Sovine?

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 08:46 PM

Bad interpretations of GOOD songs make me want to shake something....

There is a huge difference between minor personal variations and wholesale distortion of the feeling and meaning,

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 06:16 AM

A good experiment to test this would be to play various kinds of music to a primitive tribe from,say, the Amazon rainforest, and judge the effects. They would be completely free from any associations with either genres or artists, and their reactions would be totally natural. I do believe that decibels have a lot to do with reaction, and also tempo. It's a very complex subject, because music has associations, either patriotic, tragic, dance-based, stirring to battle etc etc. It's hard to disassociate it objectively from these connotations.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Becca72
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 10:33 AM

I, personally, ENJOY loud rock music - it makes me happy.
Other types of music make me cringe (jazz, rap, elevator music, country)
I have to agree with The Dude. Kenny G should be hunted.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 12:26 PM

"Seems pretty obvious to me. The more aggressive the music is, the more aggression it encourages in the listener."

Not necessarily. Starry, Starry Night, anyone? Fills me with a homicidal rage within a couple of bars (or at laests makes my shoulders seize up a bit).

Also, describing a particularly peice of music as aggressive can be quite a subjective thing. One person's aggressive might be another person's exuberant or cathartic.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Little Hawk
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 12:32 PM

Ah, yes... Excellent point, Spleen Cringe. ;-) I see what you're driving at.

How do you feel when you hear Terry Jacks singing "Seasons in the Sun"? I find that one pretty annoying, I must say.

It's true that lively or exuberant or passionate music can be quite cathartic and inspirational without necessarily encouraging aggression. Some rock music fits the bill for that, and so does some classical music.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,saulgoldie
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 12:37 PM

Newton? Whatcha got against gravity? Or conservation of energy: "It goes in, it must come out" etc...


Saul

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 12:38 PM

An anthropologic answer to the question is no because music is more or less an evolutionary accident.

If the question was if certain sounds, wavelengths, rhythms, volumnes and radiation can make people aggresive, the answer is a definitive yes.

The nazis, Russians and American departments of defense have invested in such weapons in various carrier waves.

I could write a book about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,sturgeon
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 01:08 PM

'A good experiment to test this would be to play various kinds of music to a primitive tribe from,say, the Amazon rainforest, and judge the effects.'

They're only 'primitive' in your terms, Eliza!

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 02:00 PM

Rather than 'primitive' tribes, I would suggest youngsters. Say, 15 or 20 2-year-olds in one hall monitored by note-taking 'experts'. Play designated music for not more than 10 minutes then switch to another genre, etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: olddude
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 02:09 PM

Well my grandson can play some mean pots and pans with a wooden spoon, but that makes me happy

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 02:55 PM

What Eliza said.

And in addition, I have, over the years established very clearly that certain music saves me considerable amounts when travelling.

I listen to favourite folk music, Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto, and I find that I average between 55 and 60 mph, as opposed to getting on for 70 mph with more modern stuff.

So I save fuel and get less irritated with the antics of some other drivers.

Works for me!

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 02:56 PM

Ah, but olddude, set some adults to banging those same pots and pans and you might eventually become aggressive.

Context is everything.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 02:59 PM

Ebbie makes a VERY good point............

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Little Hawk
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 02:59 PM

You haven't really heard noise till you've heard a group of chimpanzees playing on pots and pans. Or...a group of Dachshunds giving the old "Intruder Alert!" It goes on...and on...and on.....

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Claire M
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 03:37 PM

Hiya,

I'd luv to be able to do that, Eliza!

I'll just find somebody who likes it too & swap them.

They were good (for their time), & I do occasionally miss listening, but it's just not worth it for what it does to my mood – it's happened too many times to be a coincidence. If I'm in a foul mood, family/friends are affected too, & I rely on them a lot more than most of you do.

My poor dog went all flat & ran to hide behind the settee when he heard some Linkin Park, because he couldn't cope with their shouting. Their cd got passed on a week later – it wasn't worth having it if it upset my boy.

I got really ill some years back & I never really picked myself up until I started listening to said music I grew up with (although I didn't find Oysterband + JT until later) I've always loved mythical stuff too, & the 2 go hand in hand for me. I just can't think of one without the other. A lot of disabled people seem to have learning difficulties & I thought my luv of fairy tales meant I did too.

When I read about the legend of the violinist enchanting people I immediately thought of Peter Knight & something clicked in my head. I'd previously rejected the violin sound at the disabled persons' music group I was a member of because it wasn't heavy enough. Then I heard this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZPGS4h_QI

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 03:38 PM

Going by the Mudcat it would appear that folk music makes some people exceedingly touchy and quarrelsome. About just about anything...

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 03:53 PM

it would appear that folk music makes some people exceedingly touchy and quarrelsome

Nah, that's an age thing...

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 04:04 PM

Oh no it isn't!

(See what I mean?)

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 04:09 PM

Nothin gets your blood a pumpin like good old military drum marches with piccolo. The Germans loved it.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 04:43 PM

Here's some info from a music therapist who works with angry people and angry music. It's worth reading.

http://www.manageangerdaily.com/2011/02/angry-music/

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 05:03 PM

I was listening to Celtic music from Boston to Portland today, and it always makes me feel lonely and sorta homesick. Any idea why?

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 05:06 PM

Music, somewhat.
But I find mostly these days that talk radio of either persuasion (and I include the TV versions) makes me near homicidal, even when I agree. It just seems that the 'geist' of it is bad for my system regardless of the objective content.
-Glenn

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 05:13 PM

But regarding the original question....
I think there are both culturally determined responses (conditioned) and universal (innate) responses to musical sounds. All the research I have read seems to try to prove one to the exclusion of the other (or that both are false). It seems to me that sensible observation of human nature, as culturally broadly as it is possible for us to be, argues that both types of effects are real.
-G

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Ed T
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 07:08 PM

Agressive music

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Ed T
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 07:20 PM

I know, no music below the line-but my last post may not be muscic?

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: The Sandman
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 08:34 PM

such as this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_PoPY-mDpA

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: gnu
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 08:38 PM

Ed... ahem! Painful, that.

GSS... I liked it. Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 09:11 PM

Oh,Oh,Oh no, Ono. Wheeew

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Amergin
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 09:20 PM

I once tried to start a mosh pit at an Eric Bogle concert....but John Munro jumped off that stage and tried to bash my head in with his guitar...I say tried, because nothing can damage that skull of mine.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 09:25 PM

Any music with a sharp, strong rhythm is dance music. It makes the body want to move to the beat.

Until there was electronic sound reproduction no one would have listened to such music except when dancing, since they'd have had to pay for a dance band to play for them. But now we have to listen to it even in the supermarket.

A body that resists that urge to move with the beat is under stress and eventually becomes tense. And tension often leads to irritation, anger and aggression.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Claire M
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 11:19 AM

Hiya,

Folk, & it seems Steeleye & Maddy Prior in particular -- has always had the exact opposite effect. As soon as I hear her giving it some, with/without Steeleye, whatever was wrong is completely blocked out.

I do still get cross. Anyone remember Katy Ka-Boom ?? I swear whoever came up with that idea must've known me.
I usually those who have become disabled later in life get that way, & having spent time in various care homes I can see why. Awful places.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 12:24 PM

How do you feel when you hear Terry Jacks singing "Seasons in the Sun"?

(Shuffles feet)... that song is one of my guilty pleasures. Along with 'Honey' by Bobby Goldsboro. I'll get me coat.

I think a lot of it depends on your state of mind when listening. Sometimes a bit of punk or garage rock is just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes it's a bloody racket. Right now I'm going through a finger-picking guitar phase (which is better than nose-picking guitar). Next week it might sound like dreary old wallpaper music and get my goat right up. The week after it might sound mindblowing again... One thing I know for sure is that inconsistency makes for an interesting musical life.

If music makes you feel aggressive, maybe it's because at the time of listening that agression was lurking under the surface anyway, and the music was simply the trigger...

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 01:29 PM

Many people can tune out sounds, and can even sleep next to an elevated subway track or with dogs barking all night in the yard. The stress that I spoke of is felt only by those of us who aren't blessed with that talent. I apologize for not making that clear earlier.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 01:59 PM

Can certain music make you aggressive?

The answer is YES!..The ears are the most direct path to the central nervous system. music activates more neurons, than any other activity known to man(including sex)... It definitely affects one's behavior.

THE ENERGY YOU PUT INTO A SYSTEM, TENDS TO CHANGE THAT SYSTEM!!
(Fact!)

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 04:15 PM

Sorry, Guest Sturgeon, I didn't mean to denigrate peoples by calling them 'primitive'; it was a badly chosen word. I meant it in the sense of 'isolated from the developed and musically-united western world'. Some of the so-called 'primitive' peoples have the most intricate music with rhythms almost impossible for us westerners to play, in very unusual time-signatures for example. I tend to agree with Guest Highlandman, when he states that there are probably two levels of reaction to music, one cultural and one innate. The whole question originally posted by Claire is fascinating and complex.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Stringsinger
Date: 14 Sep 12 - 01:13 PM

I find myself getting agitated listening to New Age music.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Raedwulf
Date: 14 Sep 12 - 06:37 PM

I have to say, no. The problem is that the question is entirely flawed. "Certain music" appears to imply that it is objectively possibly to define particular genres as causing aggresion.

Cobblers!

In a word... ;-) Whilst I hang around here from time to time, and whilst I have a certain amount of folk, classical, pop, and eclectic stuff in my collection, I'm basically a headbanger. The Ruskin Arms, where Iron Maiden "began" their career, was my local for about 20 years (from the age of 14...). I only ever saw one fight in there, and the aftermath of one other (a skinhead with blood running down his head; presumably he'd been hit over the head with a bottle or glass). But we're all listening to, not just rock, heavy metal - the devil's music! Loud; thumpy; aggressive; full of dark stories, fantasies, satanism, yadda yadda, blah, etc. Yet I got razored outside The Cock one Xmas Eve. That was the mods pub. All those nice, clean-cut boys, well dressed in their Pringle jumpers & etc...

I always maintained that, if we had any aggression, we took it out IN our music. Whilst others looked at us, said "they think they're 'ard", and were looking to prove something. The number of times I saw assorted casuals trying to strut into The Ruskin... and no-one ever took any notice, they didn't matter, and we didn't care. Only they thought they were proving something.

As for Don, as you may imagine, 80% of what's on my iPod in the car is heavy metal. I drive at 56-58 mph, tucked up the arse of a juggernaut for the sake of music. The music I play has no affect on my behaviour at all.

My answer would be, yes, music can affect your mood. Having said that, no-one can say that this type, or that type of music will have a particular effect. Each of us is a product of our conditioning, and we react accordingly yo our environment. One man's meat is another man's gravy, as the saying goes. What one person reacts to will evoke nothing from another. As a general statement, "music can alter your mood" is undoubtedly true. As a specific statement, "this music will affect your mood", especially this music will affect your mood in a certain way, is bullshit. Any studies are inherently flawed, because their subjects are already conditioned by the society in which they live.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 10:38 AM

Chongo goes berserk when he hears "On The Good Ship Lollipop" being played...specially when it's accompanied by ukelele.

Subject: RE: BS: Can certain music make you aggressive
From: Ed T
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 11:29 AM

Every time I hear dueling stringed instruments, especially banjos, I get the urge to gather a couple of friends and agressively paddle a canoe down a remote mountain river. But, then the thoughts of "squeeeeeling like a pig" take over my reality and I fight this tribal urge.