Greatest Rock music artists

[Van Huskey]

Had a post party discussion about the greatest Rock music artists of all time this weekend, we "argued" about our top 5, these were mine, what are yours?

No particular order:
Jimi Hendrix
The Who
The Rolling Stones
Led Zeppelin
Bob Dylan


Nope, The Beatles don't rate top 5 for me, I am certainly in the minority but IMNSHO they couldn't carry the Stone's and certainly not The Who's jock strap... :eek:


Some of the "newer" groups that deserve notice on a "newcomer" list would be:

U2
Smashing Pumpkins
Velvet Revolver
Nirvana

Although I don't like to listen to his music Marshall Mathers III AKA Eminem is possibly the greatest lyricict/poet of this generation much like Bob Dylan was for the 60s.

[Shawn Pixley]

I find these things difficult. My personal preference may be vastly different than a list that would be "most influential" or "greatest technical acuity".

my initial gambit would be (no order)

Rolling Stones
The Who
The Clash
The Cure
Smashing Pumpkins

Apparently our definitions of newcomers aren't the same.

I would offer either Elvis Costello or Tom Waits as an alternate for the Lyricist.

[Mike Cutler]

Stones
Hendrix
Clapton
Led Zep'
Van Halen
U2
The Who
Metallica

I don't consider Dylan in the Rock category, but he's absolutely one of the most influential artists of the 60's.

As my friend/supervisor Steve says;

"You're the only white guy I ever met that hates the Beatles". (Sorry folks, I've never liked 'em)

[Jim Tobias]

OK, I tried to resist the temptation to jump in this but, here goes. I like(a lot) everyone that both Van and Shawn mentioned. BUT, The Beatles will be recognized for their music to a greater degree for a longer time than the others (IMHO). They were not just a one dimensional rock and roll band. They created the most diverse, unique music and lyrics and that will put them at the top.
A music fan of many,
Jim

[Bob Rossi]

No particular order:

Rod Argent
Tim Buckley
Paul Kantner
Steve Winwood
REM
Dylan
The Band
Wishbone Ash
Jorma Kaukonen
Roger McGuinn
Johnny Winter

[Joe Pelonio]

I'd put Peter Frampton right up there, also Carlos Santana.

[Alan Trout]

For me it is hard to pair down to just 5. It all really depends for me. Having been a high volume concert attendee over the years I look at the quality of the live shows compared to recorded material. Of course I have not seen all the bands on my list but I have seen most of them. I also look at uniqueness of their music at their particular time. or overcoming disastrous events and still coming out of it. These all play into my list decision. Also if I think they were superior musicians or I just really like them. Here they are no particular order of my top 11

David Bowie
Led Zeppelin
R.E.M.
AC/DC
The Cure
Buddy Holly
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Dire Straits
The Clash
Nirvana
The Rolling Stones

Alan

[Mitchell Andrus]

This is like arguing over whether ice cream or cake is the best desert. The deeper this thread gets, the more diverse the 'correct' answer becomes.

But.... If I had to pick ONE....

Stones for raw talent.
Beatles for broadest appeal.
.

[Dave Lehnert]

1)Judas Priest
2)Judas Priest
3)Judas Priest
4)Judas Priest
5)Judas Priest

What s scam they came in at #78.

Long live the PRIEST!!

http://image.betamonline.com/sdimages/disk18/369854.jpg

[Paul McGaha]

My top 5 would be:

1 The Rolling Stones
2 The Beatles
3 Led Zeppelin
4 Dire Straights
5 Elton John

[David Weaver]

Stones for raw talent.
Beatles for broadest appeal.
.

In the special metal edition that should be mentioned as part of this, I'd say megadeth for the true metal fans, and metallica for the masses.

[Kent A Bathurst]

1. Little Feat [original band, with Lowell George]
2. The Boss
3. Jethro Tull
4. Who/Stones tied.
6. John Mayall, in all his versions, with all those great guitarists
7. Fleetwood Mac - the early stuff [the good stuff], pre-Buckingham/Nicks.

Honorable mention for Lou Reed [THE iconic song -live "Intro/Sweet Jane" on Rock and Roll Animal]

[Mike Henderson]

Barry Manilow:)

Mike

[Jim Rimmer]

Ken Fitzgerald

[Rob Cunningham]

It's hard to pick just five but in no particular order:
The Who
Yes
Genesis- From the early days up to and including "And Then There Were Three"
Fleetwood Mac
Neil Young -solo and with CSNY

Runner up- Springsteen

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ken Fitzgerald


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[Prashun Patel]

The Beatles
Led Zeppelin

These guys are in a league of their own. I can't name a city that doesn't STILL have a radio station that features "Breakfast with the Beatles" or "Getting the Led Out" once a week.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I had been playing for over a year, when the Beatles crossed over to the States.

A childhood friend had spent the summer in England with some cousins and came back talking about the "Silver Beatles".

I was so tired of playing Chuck Berry songs on Friday and Saturday nights. Johnny B. Goode....gets old really quickly. The songs and singers of the late '50s and early '60s were hard to reproduce with a 3 or 4 piece band as most used orchestras.....Mack the Knife style etc....Bobby Vinton, Bobby Vee....that type of music....

The Beatles were a breath of fresh air. Great harmony.....greatly increased spectrum/variety of styles of songs.

Neal Diamond rates highly with me.

Eric Burdon.......

Most of the "British Invasion" groups.....The DC 5......Moody Blues........

The Rolling Stones.......

[Jim Tobias]

Prashun,
Exactly my point about the Beatles. I really like a lot of other grops and really respect their contributions, BUT The Beatles do it all.

Jim

[Prashun Patel]

And while McCartney is great, and Lennon is great, and Harrison is great, and Ringo is - well - Ringo, there was a synergy with the 4 that is unparalleled. And to think, they were only around for less than a decade!

To go from that screaming-girl-I-wanna-hold-your-hand-bubblegum rock to Revolver or Abbey Road? Come on. Brilliant.

[Horton Brasses]

Not a fan but doesn't Elvis deserve to be on any list? I mean it was Rock and Roll and it influenced everything that came after it to a certain extent.

What kind of criteria do you use? Most influential/significant would be a different list than "best". Best meaning technically best? Best selling?

Most influential:

Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, The Ramones/Sex Pistols-pick one, U2, Metallica, Nirvana/Pearl Jam-pick one, N.W.A./Public Enemy.

Whomever said it-M&M is really a remarkable lyricist. You don't have to like his content to appreciate the talent. Tupac Shakur goes in the same category.

[Zach England]

I grew up with rock music and dislike it as an adult. What did my parents do wrong?

[Ben Franz]

Voice from left field - Steely Dan.

[Doug Shepard]

Gotta throw Stephen Stills into the mix here. Whether with Buffalo Springfield, CSN (with/without Y), or Manassas, he definitely had a big influence on a lot of groups that came out in the 70's-80's and later.

Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton (Cream, Derek & the Dominoes, & solo), Beatles (George Martin deserves a huge plug here), Elvis Costello, Elton John would make my list of greats.

[Bob Rossi]

Don't know how I forgot Stephen Stills and Elvis Costello!

[Ernie Miller]

Bach
Beethoven
Brahms
Barry Manilow
Michele Le Grand


Good things never die!

Ernie

[Belinda Barfield]

Another person who is not a Beatles fan.

Ben beat me to Steely Dan

One personal fave . . . Queen

[Frank Kobilsek]

Belinda

Steely Dan make my list too, but I'll sneak in a couple other new ones

Sealevel - Chuck Lovell wrote most of Alman Brothers stuff, he was better by himself

J. Geils Band - Peter Wolf is still putting out good Albums

Bob Seger

Alice Cooper - a guy needs some strange form time to time

and another vote for Little Feat.

This thread is kinda fun but it appears the Beatles are winning follwed closely buy the Stones.

[Jim Rimmer]

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I had to at least give you honorable mention, even if I never heard you play.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I had to at least give you honorable mention, even if I never heard you play.


Be glad to have missed some things in life Jim! I wasn't that good, I'm sure!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

An artist that I liked in every band he played in would be Eric Clapton.....


A group that had many, many well known, skilled muscians play in it over the years is The Yardbirds......

[David Weaver]

A group that had many, many well known, skilled muscians play in it over the years is The Yardbirds......

Absolutely, but for some reason, when I was younger I bought a whole bunch of yardbirds session stuff and could never get into it. I think I just expected something that sounded like the guys did later in life, and it didn't work out.

Anyone else ever get that feeling?

[Chris Padilla]

Springsteen

[Van Huskey]

"You're the only white guy I ever met that hates the Beatles". (Sorry folks, I've never liked 'em)


Guess he and I never met... :D

There will never be a united opinion but it is interesting to me to see different opinions.


Someone mentioned Beethoven, I am also a classical fan and his 9th symphony may be the greatest work ever, for me at least it is the most moving piece of music, especially with a full chorus. Bach for me makes a 32ft pipe important!

Someone mentioned SRV, I saw him in a small venue about 6 months before his death and while waiting for autographs (the rest of the band came out and signed willingly for the 4-5 people that were there) we were ushered away by the police, it became clear why because in about 10 minutes he was litterally carried out to the bus, by reputation one would assume he was loaded. Gave a great set though and still the only person I have ever heard I felt was worthy of covering Hendrix.

As for Elvis he would get more credit for me if he had not been a "marketable" vessel for an already established musical sound that unfortunately at the time was not "acceptable" the the majority of the record buying public.

Tull was mentioned and Ian Anderson was a mega-talent!

One that I will go out on a limb with (for the rock category) is Johnny Cash in the Rick Rueben American Recordings years. If you don't think Johnny could rock listen to "Rusty Cage". The music may have been more "country" but the old Man in Black's attitude was all rock and roll, with a full page ad in Billboard with him giving the finger and a caption that read "American Recordings and Johnny Cash would like to acknowledge the Nashville music establishment and country radio for your support.".


Clapton in all his iterations along with Queen are great as well.

Surprised nobody has mentioned Pink Floyd.

AC/DC in the Bon Scott days made three chord rock special beyond its box for me. If you like rock and haven't heard it listen to "Its a long way to the top" with Bon playing bag pipes and watch the video of them performing it on a flatbed in the streets.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Absolutely, but for some reason, when I was younger I bought a whole bunch of yardbirds session stuff and could never get into it. I think I just expected something that sounded like the guys did later in life, and it didn't work out.

Anyone else ever get that feeling?


There's a lot of their stuff I like but...

Music is like a lot of things ...a matter of personal taste....and taste changes. For the most part, a lot of the music I liked 40 years ago, I still like and yet a small percentage of it I listened to it until a few weeks ago and wondered why I ever liked it.

The popularity of music can also be a matter of timing....


take the Beatles as I stated earlier. Their music was such a departure from what had been playing for the last 7-8 years. So refreshing...and the timing was perfect. Television was just becoming a household appliance. Ed Sullivan was a Saturday night staple of variety entertainment.... As much as I love.....literally love the Beatles music, I can't help but wonder where they would have ended up if they'd been 4 years earlier....or 4 years later in their invasion of the US music market?


.....take Dylan......as a teen of the early '60s his music and messages....will remain with me forever and yet I don't particularly like the music but like the timeliness of his social messages.

Some songs are timeless....

take Buffalo Springfields "Somethings Happening Here".....the message is timeless....as true today as 40 years ago and will hold as much meaning 100 years from now, I'm sure.....

take Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction"....timeless lyrics....they will be true until the end of recorded time IMHO.....

and the personal irony.....I sit less than 12 feet from conservatively 130-150 cds of 60's rock music....and now I'm stone deaf.....

GRRRRRRRR!

BTW...I still don't trust anyone over 30....:eek::confused::rolleyes:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Van,

I am sitting 12 feet from a CD of a group from Chicago...that in 1968 at a live concert releasing their new album.....I stood with a date at the back of a dance hall.....and I listened....it couldn't.........it is ....and it was...

The band had taken stage in that converted truck terminal and they were minus one member.

They started out a quiet melodious song.......and vaguely I heard .....here came the missing band member....marching out from behind the stage......playing bagpipes......and it was .......and it fitted the song perfectly.

[Michael O'Sullivan]

Van,

I am sitting 12 feet from a CD of a group from Chicago...that in 1968 at a live concert releasing their new album.....I stood with a date at the back of a dance hall.....and I listened....it couldn't.........it is ....and it was...

The band had taken stage in that converted truck terminal and they were minus one member.

They started out a quiet melodious song.......and vaguely I heard .....here came the missing band member....marching out from behind the stage......playing bagpipes......and it was .......and it fitted the song perfectly.

1968? Assuming we are talking about AC/DC, I don't think they formed until the early to mid-70s. Had you seen them in '68, Angus' shorts would not have been worn for ironic effect!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

1968? Assuming we are talking about AC/DC, I don't think they formed until the early to mid-70s. Had you seen them in '68, Angus' shorts would not have been worn for ironic effect!



Wrong.......we are talking The Cryan' Shames and the song was "The Sailing Ship" and the event I was talking about was in a place in Forrest, Illinois about 110 miles south of Chicago on US-47....the name of the place.....a converted truck terminal to teen dance club.....The Terragon.....

[Jim O'Dell]

I also did like the Beatles, but not so much when they were popular, but years later.
I wasn't into the heavy rock scene. Never went to concerts.
One group that hasn't been mentioned that is a huge favorite of mine, and one that my wife and I can both listen to. Well, at least the Works Volume 1 album: (To paraphrase Donnie and Marie She's a little bit Classical, I'm a little bit Rock N Roll.) Emerson, Lake and Palmer. I still think their fusion of classical and rock are unequaled. Jim.

[Prashun Patel]

A band I didn't mention bkz they have a cult following...but for those in the know, Rush rules.

[Greg Peterson]

The Beatles were to popular music what Shakespeare was to literature.

The breadth and scope of the music the Beatles created would be virtually unparalleled where it not for one little band named Queen.

Were it not for the Beatles, Queen would have been the biggest band out of England.

Stones were good, but they stopped being relevant 35 years ago.

Van Halen
AC/DC
Angel City
Judas Priest

[Van Huskey]

A band I didn't mention bkz they have a cult following...but for those in the know, Rush rules.

Possibly the biggest wall of sound to come from three guys ever. The Toronto Trio.

[Belinda Barfield]

Warning! Some names may be offensive to some readers.

Another vote for AC/DC, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Following in Stevie Ray's footsteps, Kenny Wayne Shepherd but he hasn't been around long enough to be ranking in the top.

I'd also throw the Allman Brothers in, but I'm partial to Southern Rock.

[Joe Chritz]

A band I didn't mention bkz they have a cult following...but for those in the know, Rush rules.


Saw them a couple times back in the day.

There are a few different categories but the older stuff has been completely covered.

For new harder stuff

Tool
Five finger death punch (cover of bad company is the best rock song of 2010)
Nine inch nails (I hear he only uses a band live and plays all parts on the albums)
Metallica (for breaking metal into mainstream)
Disturbed (for raw energy. Any CD can make a full workout playlist)

My musical tastes run a wide berth. Heck, Itunes is playing Zac Brown currently.

Joe

[Zach England]

you kids...

[Prashun Patel]

.

"Don't Take Me Alive", "My Old School" Amazing. Those guys are ironic and irreverant and amazing musicians. (They're no Rush, though...;))

[Belinda Barfield]

I knew that, and thought it funny - albeit entirely inappropriate! - that a woman should mention them.

Thanks for the chastisement, and putting me in my place. I suppose if the worst thing I do today is be "inappropriate" I've had a good run.

[Pat Germain]

Rush
Steely Dan
Bruce Springsteen
Pink Floyd
The Clash
Buddy Holly
Hendrix
The Who

The thing about The Beatles is they're more famous for being famous than anything else. Sure, they were very influential to pop music. And they cranked out some great stuff. But they also trowelled out some real crap. I think the music writers of their generation loved them so much, it perpetuated much of the mystique.

At the opposite end of that situation is Rush. Music critics hated them. Rolling Stone always took pot-shots at them when they even bothered to mention the ultimate power trio. Now, here we are in 2010 and Rush is still drawing a huge audience; whith the original lineup! And where are the other bands of their generation?

For anyone even mildly interested in Rush, check out the film, "Beyond the Lighted Stage". I was blown away by how good this film really is.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks for the chastisement, and putting me in my place. I suppose if the worst thing I do today is be "inappropriate" I've had a good run.

Totally joking! It was more inappropriate that *I* pointed that out... Hope no offense conveyed!!! :)

[Belinda Barfield]

Totally joking! It was more inappropriate that *I* pointed that out... Hope no offense conveyed!!! :)

No problem Prashun . . . I'll just go hang out on the Crocheted Doily and Watermelon Pickle Forum . . .:rolleyes::)

[John Shuk]

I'd have to add The Beatles and The Band to any short list.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Nope, The Beatles don't rate top 5 for me, I am certainly in the minority but IMNSHO they couldn't carry the Stone's and certainly not The Who's jock strap...


That's what I thought when the wife dragged me to see McCartney at the Bowl.
He kicked ass!
You gotta remember, this was the guy who sang Long Tall Sally.

[Van Huskey]

That's what I thought when the wife dragged me to see McCartney at the Bowl.
He kicked ass!
You gotta remember, this was the guy who sang Long Tall Sally.

I wish you could have been with me on Nov 12, 1982 The Centrum Worcester Mass, The Who in their "final" concert tour. The opened with My Generation and closed the encore with Twist and Shout, it was epic, historically maybe not the greatest set they ever played but for a 15 year old who was 1,000 miles from home making a pilgrimage for the "last chance" to see them it was nirvana. Fast forward to Nov 30, 2009 Clearwater FL, Eckerd Hall and although it was only Roger (Pete's younger brother Simon on guitar) the magic was still there from Who are you to Without your love. I never saw Kieth play, but my bigger regret was I never got to party with him, but I certainly wouldn't let him drive my car!

[Van Huskey]

When I posed the question I must admit I thought it would be hilarious if a woman was the one that answered it correctly. :o

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The thing to keep in mind is that this is all subjective, personal opinion based on personal tastes.

There are so many great artists out there.

Life would be damned boring if we were all the same and all agreed and all had the same tastes.

Sometimes it's as much about the recording engineers and producers as it is about the musicians when it comes to the sounds captured on a certain record or album.

I have heard more than one band that the album was great and live they weren't worth the money or time to attend their concert.

And....in concert it is often as much being able to entertain the crowd as it is playing the music. The really great ones can do both.......

Often live....it's as much about attitude......

A few years ago at a local "Hot August Nights" B.J. Thomas opened for Johnny Rivers.... B. J. Thomas' voice and sound was as good or better than he was in the 60's and he worked the crowd heavily. It was obvious he was enjoying himself and the crowd. I thought at this local in the park informal event, that security would have to get involved because all of the women young and old were drooling over Thomas. Johnny Rivers on the other hand....he may have been the headliner but he didn't hold a candle to the opening performance. In the 20 some years of these "Hot August Nights" concerts/show and shines, this is the only one I left shortly after the headlining act started. I have everything Johnny Rivers put on LP or cd and I left shortly after he got on stage. His "get it done and get on down the road" attitude coupled with a lack luster performance didn't interest me. The wrong person was the headliner and the wrong person was the opening act, IMHO.

And.....that's all it is....opinion based on personal taste......and all should be respected for what it is.......personal taste and variety makes life interesting. JMHO.....YMMV....

And there is so much music out there to enjoy.........

[Jim Tobias]

The thing about The Beatles is they're more famous for being famous than anything else. Sure, they were very influential to pop music. And they cranked out some great stuff. But they also trowelled out some real crap. I think the music writers of their generation loved them so much, it perpetuated much of the mystique. Pat Germain
Revolver, Sgt. Peppers, Abbey Road, White Album,etc. ..... Are you sure the were "just famous for being famous"?

Jim

[Joe Leigh]

1. Rush (best musicianship and lyrics)

2. Steely Dan (best technical production and sarcasm)

3. Beatles (best songwriting)

As for the stones? Well, I never got the attraction. Never saw 4 uglier guys on one stage, and as far as talent, I was in garage bands with far more skill. In junior high school.

[Jerome Hanby]

Funny that this topic comes up, I was home sick for a few days and one of the programs on VH1 was this exact subject. Watching through 3 or four of the 5 hours of the program, I am still unable to figure out exactly what they were listing. I mean when the topic is greatest rock ARTISTS of all time and Yes doesn't make it into the top 100 but Def Lepard does, then I think the topic is mislabeled, it should have been the favorite groups of these 200 dunderheads. I think it should have been about the music. Who did something so new, innovative, and well that everything that followed was different. I would also stick to what you can hear, for example, Michael Jackson might top my list of greatest performers of all time but wouldn't penetrate very far into my list of greatest artists other than as a footnote to Quincy Jones.

Picking on your list, I agree with you on four picks, and totally disagree on two of them. I think the Stones are talented and god knows they have had staying power, but I can't name a single Stones album that I considered a major accomplishment. I liked Some Girls, but otherwise any Stones I play will be off of some best of album or collection. Maybe I'm just blind when it comes to the Who, but I don't see their significance. They have arguably the greatest rhythm guitarist of all time, but to quote Dire Straits, he doesn't make it cry or sing. Missing from your list (and almost everyone elses) is the White Stripes. I can only think of one other artist that you listen to an album and go, oh my god what was that, play it again (other being Frank Zappa).

You left the Beatles out of your list and I can see where it's tempting to do that. I mean everyone else is always gong to have them very high on their list. But, being fair, they pretty much owned a whole decade of music. I think most would aggree it was "THE" decade as far as Rock music is concerned. The only popular music area that they weren't directly or indirectly responsible for was Dylan's "finger pointing" music


Had a post party discussion about the greatest Rock music artists of all time this weekend, we "argued" about our top 5, these were mine, what are yours?

No particular order:
Jimi Hendrix
The Who
The Rolling Stones
Led Zeppelin
Bob Dylan


Nope, The Beatles don't rate top 5 for me, I am certainly in the minority but IMNSHO they couldn't carry the Stone's and certainly not The Who's jock strap... :eek:


Some of the "newer" groups that deserve notice on a "newcomer" list would be:

U2
Smashing Pumpkins
Velvet Revolver
Nirvana

Although I don't like to listen to his music Marshall Mathers III AKA Eminem is possibly the greatest lyricict/poet of this generation much like Bob Dylan was for the 60s.

[Jerome Hanby]

The Ramones/Sex Pistols-pick one,

Don't you have to throw Iggy Pop and the stooges and maybe Velvet Underground into that pick list too?

I saw the Ramones a couple of years before they gave it all up in Birmingham, AL in a little music hall where you were close enough to throw beer bottles at the band (not that anyone did) and that was the "darnd'est" show I ever saw. Every song was performed at warp speed, then count 1,2,3,4 and fire into the next. If you put performers in their "best" environments, I'd say the Ramones own that type of venue the same way the Stones own Stadiums.

[Jerome Hanby]

Voice from left field - Steely Dan.
AMEN. I'd say one of the best album bands of all time. And you can forget trying to figure out what they are talking about :D

[Jerome Hanby]

Eric Clapton (Cream, Derek & the Dominoes, & solo).

I thought a great deal about Eric Clapton. I mean the man can play, doesn't have a bad voice, and has been in the mix forever. But, I can't put my finger on any one thing he's responsible for. He dipped back into and revitalized some old blues, but so did Led Zeppelin (and even Dylan on his first couple of albums).

[Prashun Patel]

I don't think the White Stripes or Eminem should make it...yet.

You do have to give it up for Nirvana; they certainly influenced a decade of music in the Nineties.

I would also give props to Jane's Addiction. Perry Farrel created Lollapalooza, which kind of brought back the whole 'Woodstock' type of concert in the early nineties. They only made 3 albums, but their stuff was even more cutting edge than anything Cobain was doing at the time (IMHO).

[Jerome Hanby]

Someone mentioned SRV, I saw him in a small venue about 6 months before his death and while waiting for autographs (the rest of the band came out and signed willingly for the 4-5 people that were there) we were ushered away by the police, it became clear why because in about 10 minutes he was litterally carried out to the bus, by reputation one would assume he was loaded. Gave a great set though and still the only person I have ever heard I felt was worthy of covering Hendrix.

If he hadn't given up the drugs he would have still been wasted backstage and never been on that helicopter:eek:.

In one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts, I saw Neil Young tearing up Purple Haze. I heard later that they wanted to do the Hendrix salute and no one else would step up. Young may be the most overlooked musician ever.

[Jerome Hanby]

Possibly the biggest wall of sound to come from three guys ever. The Toronto Trio.

They are amazing. Ever see the White stripes? That massive music out of a duo and Meg is just a so-so drummer...

[Belinda Barfield]

When I posed the question I must admit I thought it would be hilarious if a woman was the one that answered it correctly. :o

Glad (?) I could give you your daily chuckle! :D Would I be as glad if I had read the post before Ken edited it?

Sure I'll catch flack but I'm adding the Eagles to my list.

[Larry Browning]

No one has even mention my all time favorite artist, Jackson Browne. The absolutely best album ever produced is Running on Empty. Every single song on that album is GREAT (well maybe not Cocaine, but even that one grows on you).
What I like about his music is that the more times I listen to a song, the more I like it.

I also have to agree with Belinda, The Eagles is a great band as well. Ol' 55 is one of my all time favorites.

[Jerome Hanby]

The thing about The Beatles is they're more famous for being famous than anything else. Sure, they were very influential to pop music. And they cranked out some great stuff. But they also trowelled out some real crap.

What are some examples of the "real crap"? I'm flipping through their albums in my mind, and I can't imagine what tracks you are talking about. I can see where folks would like certain phases better than others, first couple of albums, Rubber Soul years, Pepper/Abbey Road/Mystery Tour, and the weird stuff circa the White Album. But I can't come up with more than a song or two from any album that I would drop from my Beatles play list.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I will remind everyone that this website is open for people of all ages and cultures.

Some subjects are obviously not appropriate for all ages or cultures.

I am respectfully asking that everyone mind their manners with this regard.

Thank you.

[Jim Koepke]

I never think of Dylan as rock n roll.

Of course, most people do not think of Bob Dylan as a painter either, but Google > bob dylan paintings < and you will see he has done quite a bit in that arena.

I also have a set of the complete Scott Joplin as played by Robert Zimmerman, that leaves me wondering.

I have not been an follower of the modern music scene since the 1970s.

I liked then and still now things by:

Janis Joplin
Chuck Berry
Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen
Jefferson Airplane
Big Brother and the Holding Company
Buffalo Springfield
Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks
Grateful Dead

and many others.

I also like a lot of non-rock like:

Glenn Miller
Benny Goodman
Jim Kweskin
Celtic Music of many artists
Robert Johnson
Blind Blake
Jelly Roll Morton
Fats Waller
Clyde McCoy
Ella Morse

And so many other great artists.

jtk

[Pat Germain]

What are some examples of the "real crap"? I'm flipping through their albums in my mind, and I can't imagine what tracks you are talking about. I can see where folks would like certain phases better than others, first couple of albums, Rubber Soul years, Pepper/Abbey Road/Mystery Tour, and the weird stuff circa the White Album. But I can't come up with more than a song or two from any album that I would drop from my Beatles play list.

It's circa 1970 and we're all sitting around the house listening to "Fire Sign Theater" while passing around bottles of Boone's Farm and Annie Greensprings. Due to some tear in the fabric of the time space continuum, nobody has heard of The Beatles.

Just as "Nick Danger - Third Eye" ends, I pull out a stack of 12" vinyl discs and say, "Hey everybody, check out this band my buddy Stu turned me onto. They're called The Beatles". I put the first record on the Hi-Fi and crank up "Rocky Raccoon".

Soon, everyone is spitting out their cheap wine and chuckling. "What kind of crap is that?".

"Let's try another track," says I. The needle drops on "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da". More chuckles. By now, I'm not looking so good.

I try another. Out blares "Yellow Submarine". It seems one of the gang was doing more than wine and, being completely baked, he likes it. But everyone else wants to hurl the lava lamps at me.

After trying "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", I'm a dead man. And there's no way I'm even going to consider playing "The Ballad of John and Yoko". (Dude, I know that was a number one hit, but if ANYONE else had done it, it would never have made the radio playlist.)

My point is that the Beatles had so much hysteria behind them from being the pointy tip of the British Invasion spear, people lapped up whatever they dished out; the good, the bad and the mediocre.

But hey, if you dig everything The Beatles ever did, you dig what they did and that's cool. The above is just my perspective.

Personally, I have a bizarre appreciation for Paul McCartney's post-Beatles work. ("Rock show, at the Hollywood Bowl!") And, personally, I think many of the same people who loved anything from The Beatles hated anything from Paul McCartney because he was no longer in The Beatles.

[Jerome Hanby]

No one has even mention my all time favorite artist, Jackson Browne. The absolutely best album ever produced is Running on Empty. Every single song on that album is GREAT (well maybe not Cocaine, but even that one grows on you).
.

I like it better than Clapton's Cocaine... and you are right that is one great album. I'd even fly in the face of the general consensus that "Frampton Comes Alive" is the best ever live album and pick Jackson Brown.

[Joe Leigh]

It's circa 1970 and....... nobody has heard of The Beatles.


I'm afraid that statement alone removes all credibility from anything that follows.
Kinda like:"I was hanging out with some friends in the fall of 1969 and no one knew that we had landed on the moon"

[Jerome Hanby]

Just goes to show different strokes for different folks. I like everyone of those songs that you mentioned.

I think Rocky Racoon is supposed to be a little "stupid". I think it's making fun of The whole national Geographic, Mutual of Omaha, Jaques Cousteau, "great white hunter" type of thing.

Maxwell's Silver Hammer is loony and maniacal, sort of in the same vein as Happiness is a Warm Gun or Mean Mr Mustard.

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da does have that silly refrain, but same could be said of one of the Police's songs and countless others. The rest of the song, in my mind, is sort of like the sequel to Norwegian Wood, say 10 or 15 years later.

I used to sing Yellow Submarine to my Daughter and she still sings it to her friends. She didn't care for the animated movie though.

The Ballad of John and Yoko is an "inside story" for Beatles fans. At the time, that was the whole world and all that stuff was fresh in the news, so it got them a number one. And you are right, anyone else dong that song would have had a flop...because it would have been meaningless. It's sort of like Neil Young or Bob Dylan songs. Even if someone gets away with doing a remake, it isn't the same song. It just doesn't mean anything.

The Beatles changed through out their whole time on the scene. Not like say, Def Leppard. If you liked Pyromania, you were pretty much going to like every other one of their albums. Nothing good or bad about that. I think that's part of the second album jinx on many groups. They either try to remake their first album so that people will like it or they change their style and people hate it because it doesn't sound like the first album.

But enough of that, don't crush that dwarf, hand me the pliers...

P.S. One of the best album covers of all time on a FST album would have been impossible without the Beatles, How can you be two places at once when you aren't anywhere at all.



It's circa 1970 and we're all sitting around the house listening to "Fire Sign Theater" while passing around bottles of Boone's Farm and Annie Greensprings. Due to some tear in the fabric of the time space continuum, nobody has heard of The Beatles.

Just as "Nick Danger - Third Eye" ends, I pull out a stack of 12" vinyl discs and say, "Hey everybody, check out this band my buddy Stu turned me onto. They're called The Beatles". I put the first record on the Hi-Fi and crank up "Rocky Raccoon".

Soon, everyone is spitting out their cheap wine and chuckling. "What kind of crap is that?".

"Let's try another track," says I. The needle drops on "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da". More chuckles. By now, I'm not looking so good.

I try another. Out blares "Yellow Submarine". It seems one of the gang was doing more than wine and, being completely baked, he likes it. But everyone else wants to hurl the lava lamps at me.

After trying "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", I'm a dead man. And there's no way I'm even going to consider playing "The Ballad of John and Yoko". (Dude, I know that was a number one hit, but if ANYONE else had done it, it would never have made the radio playlist.)

My point is that the Beatles had so much hysteria behind them from being the pointy tip of the British Invasion spear, people lapped up whatever they dished out; the good, the bad and the mediocre.

But hey, if you dig everything The Beatles ever did, you dig what they did and that's cool. The above is just my perspective.

Personally, I have a bizarre appreciation for Paul McCartney's post-Beatles work. ("Rock show, at the Hollywood Bowl!") And, personally, I think many of the same people who loved anything from The Beatles hated anything from Paul McCartney because he was no longer in The Beatles.

[Bryan Morgan]

Just give me a loud cranked up overdriven Marshall and I'm good. :) My top 5's follow my moods.

[Prashun Patel]

I too love Rocky Raccoon and Ob-La-Di.

They are on the same album as Black Bird, Happiness is a Warm Gun, While My Guitar Gently Weeps (3 different singers!). Their songs just followed no pattern except originality. And the Abbey Road montage? Don't get me started...

A lot of their stuff can't be taken literally. I heard an interview about "Hey Jude" where McCartney says he wrote the line "the movement you need is on your shoulder" as a rhythmic place holder. But Lennon thought is was the best part of the song and wouldn't let him change it.

Moving in and out of literal interpretation to stream of consciousness is the thing I love about the Beatles.

[Van Huskey]

Glad (?) I could give you your daily chuckle! :D Would I be as glad if I had read the post before Ken edited it?

Sure I'll catch flack but I'm adding the Eagles to my list.

I honestly don't remember what I posted that Ken took out. In any event rest assured your perceived (and I am sure deserved) Southern Belle virtue was still completely undisturbed.

I apologize to anyone who was offended by the comment I can't remember and though I am perfectly capable of "working blue" I can't imagine how I went past prime time TV commercial sensibilities.

[Pat Germain]

I'm afraid that statement alone removes all credibility from anything that follows.
Kinda like:"I was hanging out with some friends in the fall of 1969 and no one knew that we had landed on the moon"

Um, yeah. It was hypothetical. My point being that if people had not already heard of The Beatles, they would not have so readily embraced some of their hits.

[Pat Germain]

A lot of their stuff can't be taken literally. I heard an interview about "Hey Jude" where McCartney says he wrote the line "the movement you need is on your shoulder" as a rhythmic place holder. But Lennon thought is was the best part of the song and wouldn't let him change it.

I agree completely. I don't understand why people insist on believing in erronneous, literal interpretations of songs.

I think Hey Jude and Let it Be are among not only the best Beatles tunes, but among the best tunes of all time. Let it Be is among my favorite songs. I just think McCartney and Company also laid a few eggs.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Pat, I haven't seen anyone say they loved every song the Beatles wrote or recorded. They are/were human and thus they had eggs too.

They also had more hits over a wider variety of styles than most.

[Mike McCann]

I am suprised no one mentioned Springsteen and the E street band

[Gary Hodgin]

Elvis
Beatles
Temptations
Rolling Stones
Eagles
Bruce Springstein

[Joe Mioux]

The Who,
Pete Townsend
Roger Daltry
John Entwistle
Keith Moon.

well, ok, i guess that doesn't really count....:rolleyes:

the who
the stones
Chuck Berry
the grateful dead
Springsteen
Stevie Ray Vaughn
George Thoroughgood.

ooops!!! forgot the BAnd. sorry Bruce Springsteen and Geo Thoroughgood get taken off my list

and add me to the No Beatles list. Don't get me wrong, i like their solo stuff, but not the beatles.

Also, coming in with a growing appreciation... johnny Cash. I couldn't stand the his music while he was alive, but now that i am older, johnny cash had a tremendously strong voice.

[Caspar Hauser]

Currently on my mp3 thingy are;

Jethro Tull
Bebop Deluxe - Sunburst Finish
Hawkwind
Genesis
Nic Jones (not rock by any means, but he could play and sing a bit - Penguin Eggs), oh and Black Sabbath's eponymous first and to my mind best album.

[Ed Kilburn]

Mine would be:
Pat Benatar
Stevie Nicks
The Who
Chicago
Reo Speedwagon

I always likes Pat Benatar, but have even more respect for her after reading her book "Between a heart and a rock place". She didn't do the drugs and partying like the others, but had her music up there with the best of them. Her heart was in the music and not the fame that came with it. She was the first female to have her music on MTV.

[Rory Talkington]

Well, I'll dredge some up from high school:

Robin Trower
Yes
Eagles
Lynyrd Skynyrd
.38 Special/Outlaws

Later:

Cure
Oingo Boingo
ABC
Pure Prairie League
Matchbox 20

:D

[Lance Norris]

Pink Floyd
Queen
Led Zepplin
Van Halen
Deep Purple

[Pat Germain]

I am suprised no one mentioned Springsteen and the E street band

I did. And I think at least one other person mentioned "The Boss". :)

[Neal Clayton]

this thread got me thinking. while there were a lot of great artists in the past few decades, there are a lot of obscure but great songs with hints of genius in them as well.

my personal list after searching around and remembering the last 30 or so years (and all are on youtube), disregarding the 60s and 70s which were clearly superior decades for musical talent...

1) talking heads - once in a lifetime

this song is rightly listed as one of the 100 great musical accomplishments of the 20th century by NPR...

and you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
and you may find yourself in another part of the world
and you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
and you may find yourself in a beautiful house with a beautiful wife
and you may ask yourself, "well, how did i get here?"
letting the days go by
let the water hold me down
letting the days go by
water flowing underground
into the blue again
after the money's gone
once in a lifetime

same as it ever was
same as it ever was

2) living colour - cult of personality

one of the great few lines of lyrics in all of the 80s metal/rock era...

you gave me fortune
you gave me fame
you gave me power in your god's name

3) nofx - perfect government

the title is ironic of course, i've always thought this a great description of government frustration in punk rock terms ;).

how did the cat get so fat?

4) everlast - what it's like

who would figure the stereotypical MTV white rapper to have blues talent? the bridge in the middle is especially great, but the entire song is very good...

I've seen a rich man beg
I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry
I've seen a loser win
And a sad man grin
I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad
And the down side of up
And everything between

5) black crowes - thorn in my pride

for a band with half/half influence of southern blues and gospel, this song is a perfect mix of those two, both lyrically and musically. the bridge in the middle with the piano is especially powerful.

6) great white - house of broken love

as far as 80s hair bands go, trying to make something musically significant, this is about as close as it gets. a masterpiece of blues guitar from mark kendall.

7) stevie ray vaughan - tightrope

look up the austin city limits performance of this, it's self explanatory. i've seen a lot of talented guitarists live, none hold a candle to this one song.

8) godsmack - voodoo

i typically hate new metal, radio rock, whatever you wanna call it these days, it's rehashed, auto tuned, and generally worthless, but i must admit this song is very good. if only the rest of their stuff was even close to this level of creativity. songs that capture the subject matter of the lyrics appeal to me, and this one does it very well.

[John Lohmann]

Currently on my mp3 thingy are;

Jethro Tull
Bebop Deluxe - Sunburst Finish
Hawkwind
Genesis
Nic Jones (not rock by any means, but he could play and sing a bit - Penguin Eggs), oh and Black Sabbath's eponymous first and to my mind best album.
Bebop Deluxe, Outstanding!
I think I know what you did during High School

[Chris Kennedy]

In terms of great music in general, I have to echo the earlier sentiment that Beethoven's Ninth is one of the best in Western music. Every time I listen to it, I hear parts that I haven't heard before. Handel's Messiah is another.

For those of you who haven't heard Kenny Wayne Shepherd, you should do so. I saw him live and it was incredible. He played Voodoo Child, and I thought he was amazing. To cover such a iconic piece and just nail it was a sight and sound to behold.

As for rock bands, if I had to limit it to five, in no particular order:

Demons & Wizards
Queen
Black Sabbath
Disturbed
Sirenia

A couple of those are pretty obscure.

My list of honorable mentions would be extensive. I may have missed in my reading, but I don't think anyone has mentioned Creedence or Skynyrd and they are pretty close to the top for me. Ozzy Osbourne, early Metallica and Megadeth, Alice in Chains, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Dream Theater, Nightwish -- the list goes on.


Cheers,

Chris

[Ken Fitzgerald]

And the greatest unsung rock musicians....let's don't forget



The Funk Brothers!

[Karl Card]

See this is a tough question, who is a great artist or whose music do you like.

In my very humble opinion Yngie Malmsteen is probably the worlds greatest guitar player. The dude is just phenominal. Do I like all his music, no way. But when he picks up a guitar he literally "owns" the fretboard.

Queesnryche, pink floyd to me are some of the greatest. I, like others on here, am partial to southern rock also. I believe kenny wayne shepherd was mentioned but to me he almost fits into the one hit wonder class. Blue on Black was nothing but great but not any real good follow up to that. Lynyrd Skynyrd along with Molly Hatchet, blackfoot, black oak arkansas also kinda of filled the bill for my southern rock taste.

[Belinda Barfield]

I, like others on here, am partial to southern rock also. I believe kenny wayne shepherd was mentioned but to me he almost fits into the one hit wonder class. Blue on Black was nothing but great but not any real good follow up to that. Lynyrd Skynyrd along with Molly Hatchet, blackfoot, black oak arkansas also kinda of filled the bill for my southern rock taste.

I won't argue the point on Kenny Wayne Shepherd. If you want to talk Southern Rock we have to include The Outlaws and The Marshall Tucker Band. Green Grass and High Tides.

Years ago when I owned a bar Molly Hatchet played there a couple of times. Now that was some fun! Another band that played was named the Southern Rock Allstars (I think, I could be wrong), Stet Blancett of Iron Butterfly played with them. We booked them pretty regularly and those were some fun nights as well.

[Jerome Hanby]

I am suprised no one mentioned Springsteen and the E street band
Some of the most fun music up to and including the River, after that it's too commercial and "hit" oriented for me. Kind of in the same bag as Clapton for me. Great at what he does, but I can't put my finger on any great/original thing...

[Prashun Patel]

Some of the most fun music up to and including the River, after that it's too commercial and "hit" oriented for me. Kind of in the same bag as Clapton for me. Great at what he does, but I can't put my finger on any great/original thing...

I'm with you on the most stuff after-and-including Born in the USA, but:

Thunder Road?
Rosalita?
The whole Greetings from Asbury Park album?

They're amazing.

Springsteen's best early songs were all about being young! The irony is that as he aged, the songs with more lyrical and subject depth just don't have the passion and energy of his early 'life-is-all-about-driving-down-the-road-with-Wendy' stuff.

I think that's what makes great Rock N Roll - that youthful, naive passion.

[Rick Prosser]

My three all time favorites:
KISS
Johnny Cash
Black Sabbath

After that, I like most of what has been posted by others. Not sure I could rank them further.

[Bryan Morgan]

See this is a tough question, who is a great artist or whose music do you like.

In my very humble opinion Yngie Malmsteen is probably the worlds greatest guitar player. The dude is just phenominal. Do I like all his music, no way. But when he picks up a guitar he literally "owns" the fretboard.

Queesnryche, pink floyd to me are some of the greatest. I, like others on here, am partial to southern rock also. I believe kenny wayne shepherd was mentioned but to me he almost fits into the one hit wonder class. Blue on Black was nothing but great but not any real good follow up to that. Lynyrd Skynyrd along with Molly Hatchet, blackfoot, black oak arkansas also kinda of filled the bill for my southern rock taste.


Brand New Sin is kind of a new breed of heavier southern rock. Good stuff. They have a double barrel shotgun on their album cover, come on, how could you not buy it? :)

[Karl Card]

Brand New Sin is kind of a new breed of heavier southern rock. Good stuff. They have a double barrel shotgun on their album cover, come on, how could you not buy it? :)



havent seen it or heard it but I am always open for something new.

[Karl Card]

Music is good for the soul, however. I played alto sax, soprano sax, baritone sax. Played a little guitar but more for relaxation than anything, not ever good enough to play in a band of any sort. I played concert band, stage band and also a jazz band outside of school. The jazz band I was in, well, we won 1st place in most every competition we played in. Out of all the saxes I loved playing baritone sax the best. I used to go to Murray State University to hear Stan Kenton and his orchestra play and were they good. I pretty much have a song for everything, good or bad, that has happened in my life. Good dates, bad dates and everything in between.

My range of music stretches a pretty good ways too. I like old country, some new country, new wave, rock, hard rock, metal, and anything between percy sledge to yanni to acdc to metallica and grover washington jr and the list goes on. I encouraged my daughters to slide into some type of music program in school and one went orchestra playing the viola and the other just prefers to listen to weird s**t. However in all this NO RAP...ugh...

[rick carpenter]

Clapton
Lynyrd Skynyrd
The Cure
Echo and the Bunnymen
Doors
Hendrix
Stones
U-2
Kinks
Joy Division/New Order

[Ben West]

A couple I haven't seen mentioned much...

Bob Seger
The Allman Brothers Band

[Pat Germain]

In my very humble opinion Yngie Malmsteen is probably the worlds greatest guitar player. The dude is just phenominal. Do I like all his music, no way. But when he picks up a guitar he literally "owns" the fretboard.

Malmsteen is immortal when it comes to speed. I think some of his best work was with "Rising Force". But once you get past the speed, I don't hear whole lot behind it. He definitely is a good Rock Star. I hear he's quite the jerk in person. :D

[Jerome Hanby]

I'm with you on the most stuff after-and-including Born in the USA, but:

Thunder Road?
Rosalita?
The whole Greetings from Asbury Park album?

They're amazing.

Springsteen's best early songs were all about being young! The irony is that as he aged, the songs with more lyrical and subject depth just don't have the passion and energy of his early 'life-is-all-about-driving-down-the-road-with-Wendy' stuff.

I think that's what makes great Rock N Roll - that youthful, naive passion.

Major fun. I dare anyone to listen to Rosalita and not end up with a big smile!

[Bryan Morgan]

Malmsteen is immortal when it comes to speed. I think some of his best work was with "Rising Force". But once you get past the speed, I don't hear whole lot behind it. He definitely is a good Rock Star. I hear he's quite the jerk in person. :D

Being a guitar player, Malmsteen was one of my heroes growing up. Throughout the years though I've discovered a bunch of guys just as good if not better though. He's got the classical thing down but is lacking in soul. And don't mess with him or he will "unleash a fury" on you. :p:D