rtaylor Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 That is a tough one to pick out of so many great bands through the years but I'd have to go with Little Feat. They played a variety of styles(in the same songs) and were great live. Still are but without Lowell George whom I admire as a songwriter, guitar player and singer. Their Waiting for Columbus album, which is live is unbelievable. All of the members of the band are great musicians.IMHO Yadda yadda. Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Texas----You like Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, Yes, Kansas, Eagles, and Foreigner? Wow, when my pals and I formed our Punk power-trio back in 77 that was just the kind of stuff we were reacting against. Christ, how I detested those bands. The only 70s bands I liked alot before Punk were Thin Lizzy, UFO, Mountain and AC-DC. I still like those bands. In retrospect I think Thin Lizzy was the greatest band of the 70s by far with The Ramones the only band that comes close. My opinion ya understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 This is an interesting thread with no easy answers. Best rock 'n roll band title would require a narrowing of the question. When did the era start, and when does it end? Elvis sure did it right on the front end, if you accept that he started the gig. The Beatles were #1 in the song-writing department, for sure. Their fame really prevented them from doing a lot of concerts, and they were pretty "buttoned up" at that. Led Z was the first band that I recall took the instrumental riffs to an art form. The Who took the writing and performance energy to a new level. I've always liked EARLY Bruce Springsteen for pure performance and songwriting, although IMHO, post 1978, he lost it. My favorite band of all time is the Dixie Dregs, founded by Steve Morse, five time (limited) winner of "Guitar Player's Best Overall Guitarist" award. The Dixie Dregs became the Dregs, which became the Steve Morse Band. Unfortunately, their mixes weren't that great, but their performances received my prestigious "Five Bong" rating. No one even came close for violin, guitar, bass guitar chops. _______________________________ Music Hall MMF-7 Turntable w/Goldring Eroica H MC Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CDP Wright Sound WPP-100C Phono Stage JF Lessard Pantheon 6SN7 SRPP Preamp w/ RCA 5R4GY & Sylvania 6SN7 JF Lessard Horus Parafeed Cobalt 2A3 Monoblocks w/ Tung Sol 5687 & AVVT 2A3 1976 KCBR Klipschorns with ALK Crossovers Gear Online: Two Channel & Home Theater Systems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOADEDTUNES Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 When i think of " ROCK " bands that excite and move me, bands that come to mind Like AC/DC , thats rock music in my mind . Rolling stones is like "pop " stuff not rock . Soft rock bands that come to mind are bands like styx and the eagles . But if were keeping to the topic heading of " rock " then AC/DC has stood up for a lot of years and still sound good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Like everyone else, it's also a tough choice for me to pick THE best rock band ever. There are many personal favorites I like (in no particular order): The Rolling Stones The Who Led Zeppelin Pink Floyd The Allman Brothers AC/DC Foreigner Boston Kansas Yes Styx Genesis Fleetwood Mac Journey Queen The Doobie Brothers U2 The Cure Jimi Hendrix Triumph Ted Nugent There are a few bands that personally aren't my favorites, but to their fans these bands are still great and just as important to the history of rock: Aerosmith Rush Meatloaf Black Sabbath Kiss Van Halen Metallica Michael Jackson The Greatful Dead But I have to agree...I might not be their biggest fan of all time, nor do I own many of their albums, but it's hard to argue their prominence in the history of rock and roll and what it has become today, very much influenced by this single band... The Beatles. Just my opinion, natch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Ya know, the bands that played on more rock hits than any other bands would have to include Booker T and the MGs (house band at Stax), The Funk Bros. (house band at Motown in it's hayday), Chip Moman's band at American Studios in Memphis and the band at Fame Records in Alabama that split off from Rick Hall and formed the Muscle Shoals Sound; Beckett, Hawkins, Hood and Johnson were the fellas. The band at Hi Records in Memphis that worked with Al Greene was really superb too. Al Jackson and then Howard Grimes on drums and the three Hodges Brothers on guitar, bass and organ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB Slammin Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 This is not fair...Where do you start? The people you heard live? 1) Hendrix 2) Hendrix 3) Hendrix (in Opera House) 4) Who 5) Who 6) Zappa x2 7) ELP / with orchestra 8) Tull x 3 (last time 2003) 1,500 person Opera House 9) SRV (small club) 10) Black Sab I just noticed that many of these band members are dead.... TC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB Slammin Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 ---------------- On 6/3/2004 7:21:54 PM IB Slammin wrote: This is not fair...Where do you start? The people you heard live? 1) Hendrix 2) Hendrix 3) Hendrix (in Opera House) 4) Who 5) Who 6) Zappa x2 7) ELP / with orchestra 8) Tull x 3 (last time 2003) 1,500 person Opera House 9) SRV (small club) 10) Black Sab I just noticed that many of these band members are dead.... TC ---------------- This could go on for days, but just noticed .. Booker T I am Irish, but U Who? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 I seen Black Sabbath and Van Halen in '77 or '78. Van Halen was on their first tour, David Lee Roth spilling Jack Daniels all over himself, Eddie doing "Eruption" in front of a wall of fake amplifiers. Alex was thundering, they did a good show. Black Sabbath however, was as exciting as watching grass grow. About 35, 40 minutes and they were outta there! I could swear Tony Iommi was staring at his watch after every song. Ozzy all fat, doing the dual Nixon peace sign thing, screaming: "Im goin'solo!!" Boo! Boo! You Suck! Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Good thing he did, they were hurtin' around that time. I'd say Sabbath is what everybody said Sabbath was, Acid Rock! Or the first forms of Dark type Heavy Metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjohnsonhp Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Elvis Buddy Holly Beach Boys Beatles Stones Dylan Who Led Zep Hendrix Pink Floyd The Band Yes Elton John Allman Bros ac/dc Rush Bruce Springsteen Ramones Talking Heads Sex Pistols Clash Big Star B52's The Jam Cure XTC Police Replacements Husker Du U2 REM Billy Bragg Nirvana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo33 Posted June 3, 2004 Author Share Posted June 3, 2004 "Michael Jackson" You mean the white dude with curly black hair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grateful11 Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 >My vote goes to......The Moody Blues. They were the originators of 'art rock' or album oriented rock with all their songs flowing together on a central theme. Hey Dave, Have you picked up the 20th Century Masters DVD of The Moody Blues? It's not bad and it's pretty cheap. Legend of a Mind & Tuesday Afternoon, both classics in my mind, hard too beat stuff. Grateful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grateful11 Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Sad thing is after all the great classic rock bands (Stones, Pink Floyd, etc) are retired/disbanded/dead, etc...there are not a whole lot of GREAT groups that are replacing them... OT: This is one of the biggest reasons I believe that CD sales are off and not the lame reasons the RIAA gives us, but let's not get too deep into that. Just something I had to touch on. I don't know of any new bands that I really like that much right now. I end up buying must of my CD's & LP's at yard sales, lot's of old great stuff out there. These new DVD's of old stuff are starting to get me to buy stuff in stores again though. Grateful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 If this is a test, some of us are going to get busted for copying. Terry, You just figured out that a lot of these guys are gone? If you saw Hendrix, count the years on fingers and toes, then do it again. I saw him in 1969. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjohnsonhp Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 In an effort to make this more than just a rehash of praises for the most popular "classic rock" bands I wanted to make a few comments. #1. Foreigner - how does this band make the same list as all those other bands? I have all their lps and they had many hits--certainly a popular arena rock band--but I don't understand what criteria would ever put them on this list....and they were mentioned more than once. Add Heart, Styx and REO while we're at it. #2. Moody Blues - I can see how they make the list for many and this thread started with a justification so I think they are valid--even one of the more popular bands listed on this thread. I just want to point out they have never been universally popular w/critics. From ROLLING STONE Record Guide "No major band has so relentlessly parlayed nonsense as have the Moodies; were it not for their titanic success, in fact, they might easily be dismissed as an odd and overlong joke." #3. As much as I like classic rock and grew up on many of the bands listed in this thread, I would like to highlight that I also have enjoyed many great bands from the late 70's and 80's every bit as much then and now. I have been just as excited about seeing Husker Du open for REM at Harvard as Hendrix at Winterland. Seeing the Ramones at a small club was more fun than going to see an arena rock band of the period. Just as the 60's had many creative and exciting bands the early 80's with simultaneous release on SST of ZEN ARCADE and DOUBLE NICKLES ON THE DIME were just as exciting and seemingly legendary moments in rock history. Watching Bob Mould lumber across the stage at the Filmore with duct tape around his flying V guitar strap is as memorable as Mick's swagger. I would assume many youngsters of today are equally excited about what ever is going on the cutting edge of music today...something I know nothing about and freely admit my days of appreciating ground breaking "new sounds" are over...especially if it has anything to do with hip-hop/rap, trance, techno, etc. #4. I think popular culture and your interests as a teen and twenty-something play a big role in your favorite pop music (ie rock) bands. After 28 I think it's hard to generate the same level of excite about pop music. I've found major shifts to jazz and classical to be more fruitful than trying to be a fan of the "cutting edge". #5. I don't see how any list could exclude breakthrough bands like NIRVANA who single handedly changed the face of Rock. Any discussion of the college rock/alt. rock/popular rock of the 90's/etc. has to mention Nirvana as they turned rock on it's head--in terms of what is popular and what could sell--not to mention putting out one hell of an lp. The Ramones and the NY CBGB's scene is another example....I walked down Joey Ramone Place in NYC a few weeks ago. #6. I could probably add Dick Dale and some others related to surf music, too....ie Ventures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornPenguin Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Black Sabbath. No question. Iommi is no doubt one of the best guitarists ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 My vote for Best Rock Band - Led Zeppelin. But if we're talking "Rock and Roll", how can we leave out this guy? Photo taken in June 1985, Billy Bob's Texas, Fort Worth. ---- EDIT 6/4/04------ The gentleman in the photo is Chuck Berry. He put on a great performance that night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 Seadog---I get the impression that many here have absolutely no idea who that fella in the picture is. Carl Perkins, Bo Diddley, Bill Haley, Gene Vincent, Frankie Lyman, Eddie Cochran and Tommy Roe would probably bring forth many blank stares. Not to mention The Penguins, The Flamingos, The 5 Satins....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 That guy looks like Marvin's cousin! I've never heard a great recording of their music but live in a dance club, Spencer Davis Group was Aces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgb Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 Foreigner's first 4 LPs were pretty good I thought, and they were good enough musicians. Post "4" they blew huge chunks thanks to Lou Grahm. Certainly wouldn't be in my top 20 though. #1. Foreigner - how does this band make the same list as all those other bands? I have all their lps and they had many hits--certainly a popular arena rock band--but I don't understand what criteria would ever put them on this list....and they were mentioned more than once. Add Heart, Styx and REO while we're at it. #2. Moody Blues - I can see how they make the list for many and this thread started with a justification so I think they are valid--even one of the more popular bands listed on this thread. I just want to point out they have never been universally popular w/critics. Rolling Stone also hated every Led Zepplin LP. Rolling Stone is a joke when it comes to actual music critique. From ROLLING STONE Record Guide "No major band has so relentlessly parlayed nonsense as have the Moodies; were it not for their titanic success, in fact, they might easily be dismissed as an odd and overlong joke." Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots spearheaded to resurgance of ***-kicking rock. There was a good bit of post-punk hardcore around before them (Black Flag, Dead Kenndys, etc) but they never got anywhere near the mainstream. #5. I don't see how any list could exclude breakthrough bands like NIRVANA who single handedly changed the face of Rock. Any discussion of the college rock/alt. rock/popular rock of the 90's/etc. has to mention Nirvana as they turned rock on it's head--in terms of what is popular and what could sell--not to mention putting out one hell of an lp. The Ramones and the NY CBGB's scene is another example....I walked down Joey Ramone Place in NYC a few weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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