BEST BAND EVER

[Phillycat]

Use any criteria you want. Musicianship, entertainment factor, songwriting. Just choose who you would call the best. You have to choose one of these, you don't get an "other". Feel free to elaborate on why you think your band is the best.

EDITED TO ADD: I took off the Doors and added the Who. Deal with it.

[kid a]

1. radiohead

[Phillycat]

2. UNHELPFUL

:D

[Magrittes Pipe]

5. I still don't get why Jane's Addiction isn't on your list.

:shrug:

[Phillycat]

11. Hee!

I, of course, voted for The Police.

[kid a]

12. i vote beach boys out of protest,

:hi:

[Magrittes Pipe]

3. Out of those, gotta pick VU.

Since they only released 4 albums, they didn't have the chance to start sucking like the Stones and Beach Boys did. Paul McCartney was also NOT in the Velvets, so they are therefore better than the Beatles.

[dolo amber]

6. Oy, and furthermore, ugh

:eyes:

[Phillycat]

23. They were sexier than the Beatles

and that should always be a criterion for judging a rock band.

[Magrittes Pipe]

24. To be fair, Sterling Morrison wasn't sexier than a bloodworm.

Cale and Mo, on the other hand, hell yes.

[underpants]

4. Eddie and the Cruisers

they never reached there full potential

[Fenris]

16. I thought they had exhausted their potential by the sequel.

Eddie should have died at the end of the first one. Living is anti-rock.

[Phillycat]

22. *choke*

:thumbsup:

[RetroLounge]

7. Oasis

Duh...

RL

[LynneSin]

8. Led Zeppelin is in the lead

:woohoo:

Robert Plant and myself thank you!!

[Aiptasia]

9. The Pink Floyd

I wish they'd tour as a unified band again. DSOTM is the best album of all time.

[dolo amber]

10. I'll take The Clash as there is no The Who

For SHAME young jedi! :spank:

[Phillycat]

14. OH SHIT

Damn. You think I could still take the Doors off there?

[dolo amber]

15. I think it's your duty as a music fan

:patriot:

[taterguy]

13. The Stones

Not my opinion, scientific fact, from an old Yahoo News Story:

Monday October 6 2:07 PM EDT

Philosophy Professor Rules Stones Best Rock Band Ever

HARRISBURG, Pa. (Reuter) - A philosophy professor known in academic circles as a pioneer in quantitative aesthetic theory has developed his own mathematical forumla for judging rock bands and their music.

And according to the calculations of Crispin Sartwell of Penn State University, the Rolling Stones are a better rock band than the Beatles.

The basic reason, says the 39-year-old professor, is that the Beatles departed from rock 'n' roll's African-American blues traditions in order to become avant-garde artists. The very symbol of their downfall, he says, is the seminal "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," an album Sartwell describes as "truly bad." "It has a very European tonality. It is Umpah-band stuff," the professor says.

By contrast, the Rolling Stones rarely presented themselves as anything but a straight blues band, Sartwell explains.

"Mick Jagger never mistook himself for Pavarotti or T.S. Eliot. Keith Richards never tried to do anything but make great little riffs."

However irksome this may be to aging Beatle fans around the world, Sartwell says his conclusions are no simple matter of opinion. Rather they are distilled from an empirical analysis that turns on a pair of principles appropriately named, Sartwell's Laws.

Sartwell's First Law dictates that the quality of a rock band is inversely proportional to its pretentiousness, with pretentiousness expressed as a ratio of artistic ambition to artistic accomplishment. The higher the rating, the professor says, the worse the band.

In this manner, the Ramones, with a ratio of 1:8, come out better than The Talking Heads, with a 7:7 ratio. Nirvana, at 3:9, is exactly as good as Pearl Jam is bad, at 9:3.

Sartwell also offers a specific warning about the quality of early U2 and early Bruce Springsteen, saying both were in the habit of taking simple ditties and mounting them with "an elaborateness usually reserved for Wagnerian opera".

But where the Beatles fell short was under Sartwell's Second Law. To wit, the quality of a Rock song varies inversely as the square of its distance from the blues.

White pop music performers from Benny Goodman and Elvis Presley to the Stones and the Beatles have succeeded by taking African-American music and repackaging it for mass audiences, Sartwell says. And the closer they have remained to the real thing, the better their music has been.

"'Twist and Shout' and other early Beatles songs sound like they were recorded yesterday. But 'For the Benefit of Mr. Kite!' sounds like the relic of an extinct, incomprehensible culture," he says.

The Rolling Stones do as well as the Ramones on the Sartwell system with a ratio of 1:8. "That's about as good as it gets," the professor says.

On the other hand, the Beatles of the Sgt. Pepper era wind up with a rating of 8:2.

"In '64 or '65, the Beatles were one of the best R&B bands ever to play. The stuff was wonderful and I'd put it in the same category as the Stones. It was with "Rubber Soul" that they really started to slip," he said.

[Magrittes Pipe]

18. This is the best theory of quantitative aesthetics EVER!

I'm going to rank my entire music collection using it! :bounce:

[taterguy]

84. Are you familiar with the work of Ronald Thomas Clontle?

His book Rock, Rot and Roll is amazing, or it would be if it had ever been published. A CD is of his interview on WFMU can be found here: http://www.stereolaffs.com/rockrot.php

[SteppingRazor]

70. Obviously, Professor Sartwell has never dropped acid...

I'm a huge fan of the Stones and the Ramones. but post-Rubber Soul Beatles isn't about a move away from blues. It's about a move toward psychedelia.

[taterguy]

83. Bluesmen don't do acid

Do I have to do a google search for that "Rules of the Blues" thing that appeared a few years ago. The only exception I know of was on the Festival Train across Canada when they ran out of whiskey

[SteppingRazor]

89. Dude, that's my point exactly

:hi:

[taterguy]

94. I don't make the laws, I just enforce them

The undeniable truth is that the Beatles abandoned blues based music with Rubber Soul. You might think this is a good thing, but you'd be wrong :)

[SteppingRazor]

96. Actually, I enforce them...

I'm a music journalist. I get paid for my opinion about music. And you, sir, are wrong! :P

Kidding aside, we're actually in the same camp. I prefer the Stones to the Beatles. I'm only pointing out that the Beatles later work, while not up to the same level as Stones masterpieces like Exile on Main Street, cannot be simply discounted as "Umpah music." In fact, while Sgt. Pepper certainly tended to wallow in pretentiousness, even later albums in the Beatles catalog -- and, in particular, Abbey Road -- transcended earlier problems and even returned to the R&B roots on some numbers. Of course, that only goes back to the professor's point that such roots are the basis for good rock music.

I'm uncomfortable with that hypothesis, though, as I find it too confining. It seems to suggest that rock is a mere subgenre of blues, a suggestion that I find absurd and insulting.

[NashVegas]

98. I Think It's a Perfect Hypothesis

That is, the part about rock being a mere subgenre of the blues. It is! There's nothing wrong with that, but I think it needs to be recognized.

Rock is pretty much the most limited musical form out there, maybe except for reggae or polka.

Every so often, someone comes along and gives it a good swift kick in the pants and it will incorporate a new idea, but it won't be long before it reverts to its basic formula.

When the British pop artists of the 1980s veered away from a blues base, some great bands came out that you couldn't hear on your AOR radio station; you'd have to go to a John Hughes movie to hear them. There were music wars in the late 1970s/early 1980s. "That's not ROCK!" was the complaint about everything from disco to the Talking Heads. It was the cry from the Jack Daniel's t-shirt-wearing crowd I grew up with.

[kid a]

17. Now you're vote tampering!!!

BAD BOY! :spank:

[Phillycat]

20. Bad GIRL!

Hey, it's my poll, dammit. :evilgrin:

[Bossy Monkey]

19. The name of that band was Talking Heads n/t

[HughBeaumont]

21. It's gotta be The Who.

Because of the epics, the players, the personalities, the charisma, the songs, the words, the notes and frankly I'm just SICK to death of the Beatles/Stones worship.

[LuCifer]

25. QUEEN!

I'LL SAY IT!

[Phillycat]

26. Dude, they were #11

I really wanted to include them, but couldn't decide who to remove. I love, love Freddy Mercury!

[RandomKoolzip]

27. Guided by Voices isn't on the list, so I say "The Beatles."

[Phillycat]

28. I like the way you put The Beatles in quotes,

like ALLEGEDLY that was their name. :D

[RandomKoolzip]

29. To some they're still a rumor, "janesez."

BTW, FIVE different sources told Jason Leopold that "The Beatles" existed for six business years during "the sixties," which means they actually existed for eight normal years.

So, needless to say, my blog is runnin' with it!

[Phillycat]

31. HAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

*deep breath*

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RandomKoolzip]

37. Jason Leopold's spokesman, Pete Best, issued a statement today...

...claiming that "The Beatles" consisted of seven business members, equalling five normal members.

John Lennon responded to this statement with a terse reply: "Nice try."

[Phillycat]

41. You are "killing me".

I had to lay my head down on my "desk" for a "minute" there. ALLEGEDLY.

[RandomKoolzip]

43. I'm "sorry."

According to Jason Leopold, I'm going to go over to "General" Discussion and get "angry" now.

[genie_weenie]

30. You gotta do this by era

Because you are stuck in the 60s and 70s. So I'll use 4 eras

Era 1: The Beatles (60s huge influence, allowed the first of many brit invasions)
Era 2: Pink Floyd (70s Favorite band vote did musicial style no one else had or has ever touched)
Era 3: U2 (owned the 80s)
Era 4: Pearl Jam (90sthe best of the Big 4 grunge scene (Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden the other 3)
Era 5: Coldplay? (Aughts, I'm undecied)

Other dishonorable Mentions:
Metallica (inherited the Heavy Metal baton from Black Sabbath)
Rage Against the Machine (Morello is far and away the best)
The Cure
Glenn Danzig and the Misfits
Van Morrison
Kraftwerk
Radiohead

[Phillycat]

33. Coldplay?

I mean...Coldplay?

[genie_weenie]

The Aughts confuse me!

I don't know, I can't think of a band of the now 2006 who is good... I mean do I go with Franz Ferndinand, or The White Stripes (now that both have had a little commerical success) and it was half tongue in cheek/half head up ass comment... Or The Vines. Help me out, that was an obvious cry for help!

Edit: And I fought to unmention the Chili Peppers, NIN, Smashing Pumpkins, Dylan (not Jakob),Dolly (.|.) Parton.

[Phillycat]

42. Well, certainly Radiohead is better than freakin' COLDPLAY

And I don't even LIKE Radiohead! Hee. I would argue that the 00's are PWNED by hip hop artists, anyway. Most of the 90's, too.

[genie_weenie]

45. Like I said, oos confoose me...

I'm stuck in the Temple of the Pearl Dog Jam, Husker Du, Rage Against the Soundgarden Machine, Motherlovebone, Mudhoney Era...

Fine I'll go with Radiohead. Man, what a dressing down! You know what! I think you're Jack Black in High Fidelity! Admit it!



Jack Black responding to Cusacks placing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on a top five list: Oh, that's not obvious enough Rob. How about the Beatles? Or fucking... fucking Beethoven? Side one, Track one of the Fifth Symphony... How can someone with no interest in music own a record store?

Admit it!

[Phillycat]

47. HAHAHA!

All right, I admit it.

"I just called to say I love you? There's no WAY your daughter likes that song! Wait...is she in a coma?"

I love all the bands you mentioned...Mother Love Bone! I really thought I was the only person left in America who still has her copy of Apple...

[taterguy]

44. For the Aughts

Drive-By Truckers or N.E.R.D.

[bedpanartist]

32. definately NONE OF THE ABOVE

Shoulda' been an option. Poll is moot.

[Phillycat]

34. It's moo!

It's like what cows say! It doesn't matter!

If it's moo, why did you post? :D

[bedpanartist]

39. because I want people to know the genius of Reagan's Polyp

Arkansas something something: http://www.trashfish.com

the only band named after Ronald Reagan's Anal Cancer.

[grace0418]

58. it's like a cow's opinion.

It's MOO!

[Orrin_73]

35. What, no QUEEN. This poll

sucks!

[Phillycat]

36. YOU SUCK!

No, seriously, I'm sure you're lovely. :) Who would you take off to add Queen?

[Orrin_73]

38. Thanks sweetie, I knew you didn't mean

:hug:

Now back to business, I would take 'The Who' and the 'The Velvet Underground'of. Im not familiar with their songs.

[Phillycat]

40. Well, now, see, you need to FIX THAT!

They are both DO NOT MISS bands. Really, seriously. They utterly changed the musical landscapes around them and took huge chances and broke barriers. Plus, both had superior songwriting and incredibly huge sounds, with charismatic band members.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

46. Queen sucks!

[Phillycat]

48. YOU SUCK!

Wait, no. That's not right. You're fantastic. I'm thinking about being you for Halloween. Who did you vote for?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

54. I voted for Zeppelin.

Actually, I would have voted for Tool had there been an option, but I won't complain too much. :D

[Orrin_73]

50. Ohhhhh, why?

please explain????


QUEEN Rules

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

55. I give them a lot of credit for being original

But original doesn't always equal good. And since I never saw anything technically exceptional from them, that just doesn't make them a very good band in my book. Just a bit different.

[LoZoccolo]

49. Oasis. n/t

[Bombtrack]

80. they're definately top 5

despite DUs retardo bizarro contingent.

[asthmaticeog]

51. Of the choices presented, I must go with the Beatles.

When I consider that they were only releasing albums for like 6 years, and then when I consider the VAST amount of aesthetic and stylistic territory they covered in those six years, and when I further consider how very little of it sucked, my head starts to fucking swim.

[bmbmd]

52. Buddy Holly

and the Crickets.

[XNASA]

53. Roxy Music

Specifically, the first 2 albums.

[Magrittes Pipe]

57. You must consider the entire ouvre, however.

Remember Manifesto? :cry:

[XNASA]

60. Still...........

It's tough to make a comeback album when you're first 5 were nearly flawless, Angel Eyes.

:loveya:

[6000eliot]

90. I love Manifesto

It's not my favorite by them, but it has a bunch of great songs on it.

[Oeditpus Rex]

56. Sigh...

Yet another poll where people think "best" means "favorite." :eyes:

[Phillycat]

59. Well, no.

I meant "best" as in, who do you think is the best? And who DO you think is the best, if you don't mind me asking? :D

[Oeditpus Rex]

62. I know you meant 'best'

The OP usually does.

It's the replies that say "Hole" or "The Flaming Lips" or whatever. I hope they're not serious, but I get the feeling many are.

And, me? As a devoteé of Pink Floyd, I voted for the Beatles. :D

[Phillycat]

63. Hee!

I do know what you mean about the replies. I kinda want to ask, "I see that you are passionate about it, but do you actually, really think this band is the BEST?" Heh.

[Oeditpus Rex]

64. 'xactly

Objectivity, dammit! x(

[Phillycat]

65. Well, you know, I hate Pink Floyd

HATE THEM. But they're on there, and they deserve to be. Blech. :)

[Oeditpus Rex]

66. I'm cool with that

Some folks hate the Dodgers, old Chevies and even Monty Python. But I appreciate your objectivity. :D




I realize I'm being a bit judgemental in this sub-thread. Well... deal with it. :P

[bmbmd]

67. Best means best.

You don't have to agree with me, but I can't think of anyone who changed rock the way Buddy Holly did. Lead guitar, upright base, and drums. Where do you think the Beatles got their name???

[Oeditpus Rex]

76. Agreed, but

that doesn't make the Crickets the best band. Contributions are only part of it.

It wasn't Holly's fault that he died so young, of course, but longevity and continued contributions must be considered. If he'd lived, he might've continued to re-invent the genre — but he didn't, and the Beatles picked up the slack.

One could argue that the Beatles wouldn't be the Beatles without the Crickets (names notwithstanding), but that would be conjecture.

[bmbmd]

82. The Beatles are certainly a mighty force

in the annals of music, and John Lennon is/was a genius. Outside of the hair, though-what was original?

[Oeditpus Rex]

88. The harmonies

Before the Beatles, a 7th chord, a la doo-wop, was "edgy." They introduced augmented and diminished chords to rock 'n' roll, instrumentally and vocally. Listen to the last chord of "She Loves You." That, and the many others like it they did, were among the more subtle "hooks" in rock 'n' roll history.

Later, they sometimes used a bass lead. "Old Brown Shoe," for one.

The Beatles were always a little bit ahead of everybody else.

[KittyWampus]

61. Grateful Dead- for an all around good time!

[Benfea]

68. You list is nothing but hippy music.

Therefore, there is nothing worth voting for.

[Phillycat]

72. The Clash is hippy music? The Who is hippy music?

Silly!

[Benfea]

77. Well, maybe not the Clash.

But the Who definitely is. :P

[Phillycat]

79. No, no, no!

The Who established a heavy wall of sound that nobody had really experimented with before. That mantle was picked up by Black Sabbath and moved forward as heavy metal. You may not like metal, but it's definitely not hippy music!

So there. :D

[Benfea]

85. I've heard the Who.

It sounds like hippy music to me. It gets played on all the same hippy music radio stations (excuse me "classic rock" stations).

It's hippy music.

[REDKING]

69. I am sorry..but U2?.......no way

[Phillycat]

73. Well, they wouldn't be my choice, either

But people think so!

[havocmom]

71. Kenny Ball & the Jazzmen

:evilgrin:

[Phillycat]

74. I...who?

[havocmom]

86. Dixieland Jazz from a (ahem) few years ago

They made these things called LPs...;)

During the DEM Convention in 04, as Kerry and his crew were taking the boat to the center, I muted the TV and put Kenny Ball's arrangement of American Patrol on. Opened the windows and cranked up the sound.

If you've never heard the piece, do yourself a favor and try to hear it some time.

[WeRQ4U]

75. NOTA

But I do have to agree with the The Who / Doors switcharoo. The Doors suck.

[Bombtrack]

78. Mighty Mighty Bosstones eom

[Phillycat]

81. Seriously?

I mean, I'm a Bosstones fan. I've seen them several times live, most notably many years ago at the old 9:30 Club in DC. But do you really think they're the best band ever? Sure, your favorite, but the best? Do you want to elaborate?

[jpgray]

87. They're not, but I'm hopelessly obsessed with Sparks right now

Even their cheesy Moroder period is getting a lot of play in my car. Best band to contain both a Hitler mustache and a guy who thinks he's a female opera singer ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X_8OnDpayI&search=sparks%20song%20in%20heaven

[Oeditpus Rex]

91. Russ and Ron Mael

Cool group to be obsessed with. I went nuts over 'em around '76 — my introduction to glam. :bounce:

[jpgray]

92. Their first five albums or so are all great

From Big Beat on it gets pretty patchy. :(

[realisticphish]

93. None of mine

Phish, Primus, Metallica, Ministry, Dead Kennedys

[LSK]

95. milli vanilli

:D

[WritingIsMyReligion]

97. I love many of those groups....But HOW could anyone ever choose

anything but The Beatles?

:shrug:

:evilgrin:

[Arger68]

99. Starland Vocal Band

:hide: