Lrsky, there is one composer in "classical form"(outdated term, as each composer is very different) that strikes me as one that many of you R&R/blues, maybe even jazz fans may find interesting. Alfred Schnittke. I'm not saying you will like his music, nut it surely is quite unique among all the composers of the 20th century. I have almost everything he wrote and would be difficult to put any of his works in a order of favs.
I guess if I could recommend one, it would be his Concerto Grosso4/Sym5. The work goes by that title, as it is at the same time, a concerto grossso and a sym. Jarvi/Gothenburg/BIS. It was my intro to Schnittke one night at Tulane's ML, 1 month before Katrina hit, After settling in Baton Rouge I made an all out effort to collect all Schnittke. Have not been dissapointed.
Maybe when some of you are ready to make atransition into classical, that might be a good place to start.
I also love Allan Pettersson quite alot. Syms 2-11,13-15.
Both late 20th century.
If you don't care for Schinntke's CG 4 and Pettersson's sym 7, there is no need to go further into either composer.
But don;t toss the cds , wait another 5 or so yrs and try em again. Maybe something will click.
I left R&R late 70's.
The classical music forum is going through some ever needed changes, however some are violently resisting these changes, in hopes of maintaining The Institution.