Led Zeppelin
Obviously one the greatest bands ever on most people's lists. It was Jimmy Page on guitar, Robert Plant singing, John Paul Jones on bass and organ, and John Bonham (Bonzo) on drums. I like them so much because they are a group that had great musicians that could hold their own anywhere, but they were in a band and they worked for the band's good, not their own. Each member had their own thing going and had their own time and space away from the band, but when it was time to play they just got together and made great music. They also genuinely cared about each other, since they took a break when Plant got in a car crash and they broke up for good when Bonzo died. They were the ultimate mix of talent and teamwork in rock and roll history.
The Beatles
Coming in a close second are John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. I wonder why they put Ringo last? Lennon played guitar, McCartney bass and piano, Harrison guitar, and Starr drums. They all sang but mostly it was Lennon or McCartney at the mic. The ledgendary Lennon/McCartney songwriting team has produced some of music's most memorable and innovative songs. They were pioneers in the use of the sitar, making songs under the influence of drugs, using the television for mass exposure, and bringing Britsh rock to the U.S. The range of song styles they use is impressive. They don't have two songs that sound the same, which is rare for a band as prolific as them, or for any of today's bands. You can hear a myriad of untraditional instruments from accordian to jangle piano to sitar to other ones I can't think of. The only thing I dislike is how they stopped doing live shows. That's one of the few new things they did that didnt'really catch on. The Beatles were the most innovative band of all time.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Along with Cream, these guys produced the most sound of any rock trio. They could make a bass, a guitar, and a drummer sound like a five or six member band. The greatest part of this band was obviously Jimi Hendrix on guitar. He's the greatest guitar player ever and what's better is that he could sing and play at the same time. This band changed the music scene more in a shorter time than any other band. Hendrix pioneered guitar stunts like playing with his teeth and behind the back and even setting it on fire. Even though Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding were two British dudes, they could play the funk and the rock right up there with Jimi. They produced a sound that mixed rock and psychadelics in the best way, and is still instantly recognizable.
Dave Matthews Band
The Dave Matthews Band has less mediocre songs than any other band I know. Each song has a unique sound that displays different parts of the band - the drums, violin, saxes, guitar, and bass. Their best asset, though, is their live act. They can jam with the best of them and whenever drummer Carter Beauford has a solo, you can be assured that the crowd will be on their feet afterwards. Another thing is that Dave has a talent for storytelling and he's hilarious. They also have one of the best jam songs ever, Two Step, which has many incarnations including guitar duet, loud, rocking song, and a quieter jam with banjo player Bela Fleck. The band is made up of Dave Matthews on guitar and vocals, Carter Beauford on drums, Boyd Tinsley on violin, Stefan Lessard on bass, and LeRoi Moore on saxes and flute. Tim Reynolds also chips in guitar parts with the band and also toured with just Dave.
Nirvana
This trio made as much noise as Cream or the Experience and like these two legends became popular by making a new sound. Kurt Cobain on guitar and vocals, Kris Novelesic on bass, and Dave Grohl on drums. It's sad to think about what they could've been if Cobain hadn't commited suicide. They were in the Seattle group with Pearl Jam and Soundgarden that brough grunge to the popular music scene. If you watch VH1, you should know they do have other good songs besides Smells Like Teen Spirit, including Come As You Are, Polly, Heart-Shaped Box, About a Girl, Dumb, All Apologies, and more. Though they put out a couple albums I didn't like too much (Bleach and the one with the rubber duck), they have produced songs that captured the rage, angst and tumultuousness of their lives.
Pink Floyd
One of the few popular rock bands for who there really is no comparison. They have one of the most unique sounds and approaches to making music of any band. They have made history with "Dark Side of the Moon" which has been on the charts since the 70's and "The Wall" which has a ton of songs that get lots of radio play. They're one of the bands, like the Doors, who became popular in big-city clubs with their unique sound and then made it to the big time and spread their music to the masses. The Floyd was Dave Gilmour on guitar and vocals, Roger Waters on bass and vocals, Nick Mason on drums, and Rick Wright on keyboards and vocals.
The Who
Singer Roger Daltry, guitarist Pete Townshend, and drummer Keith Moon put together some of the most explosive (literally) live shows of their day. They had gutiar smashing, drum set toppling and unexpected explosions. Then there was bassist John Entwistle of to the side too. One of their biggest sells was their stage theatrics. From Pete's arm-windmilling power chords, Roger's mic-spinning, and Moon's super speed drumming, to the stage plays of Tommy and the failed Lifehouse project, they always put on a show.
The Doors
The psychadelic LA band headed by icon Jim Morrison went from the club scene to national fame and back again with ease. Much of their sound was due to keyboardist Ray Manzarek's trippy solos and rhythms that along with Robby Krieger's guitar set the stage for Morrison's singing and poetry. Drummer John Denzmore brought his West Coast beats with a psychadelic aspect to the group. The shocked America in the 60's by playing "Light My Fire" on the Ed Sullivan show and hit a few people over the head with their message of love and freedom.
Sublime
I only have their self-titled CD so I don't know too much about them, but judging by that CD alone Sublime rules. It was Brad Nowell on guitar and vocals, Eric Wilson on bass, and Bud Gaugh on drums. They brought in a few people for turntables and horns but it was mostly the three. They blended ska, punk, raggae, and hip-hop into infectious songs that tell the story of their inner city lives. They broke up since Brad overdosed in 1996.
Black Sabbath
The godfathers of heavy metal. Zeppelin may have provided the heavy, but these guys provided the metal. From the steel town of Birmingham, England, Sabbath was Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, Geezer Butler on bass, Tony Iommi on guitar and Bill Ward on drums. They implemented new techniques to make their sound darker, liked tuning down the guitars a step or more and using three-note fifth chords, which use the bottom three strings of Iommi's guitar. Their songs also dealt with the devil and demons, making them very different from the hippy atmosphere of the late 60's. Heavy metal owes a lot to Black Sabbath.
The Grateful Dead
The ultimate live band. They accumulated a huge following of Deadheads over the years with their never ending tours. They also put out quite a few records including American Beauty and Workingman's Dead. Truckin', Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones, Touch of Grey, and Ship of Fools are some of their more notable songs. Singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia was their leader and after he passed away in 1995 fans had to turn to other jam bands like Phish and also numerous tribute bands like the Dark Star Orchestra. Some tribute bands actually replicate certain shows the Dead did with great accuracy, thereby keeping their spirit alive.
The Allman Brothers Band
A southern rock band with lots of members, but with a more laid-back, jamming style than Lynyrd Skynyrd. The great Duane Allman played slide guitar and his brother Greg was on keyboards. Dickey Betts played lead guitar and Barry Oakley took bass. They had two drummers, Jaimoe and Butch Trucks, for both smooth and powerful beats. They've been through ups and downs including the deaths of Duane and Barry in '71 and '72, respectively. They broken up a few times, but now they're together with some new members including keyboardist Chuck Leavell and a new bassist and they're touring today. Great songs include Ramblin' Man, Whipping Post, Jessica, Little Martha, and lots of others.
Radiohead
Radiohead is a British band that's been around for most of the 90's. They started out with a mainly rock and roll sound, but have since moved on to include electronic melodies and/or ambiance into their songs. I think that the longer they're around, the more they progress and the more I like their music. The Bends, which is an earlier cd, has a generally good songs with one really awesome song (Street Spirit (Fade Out)), but their latest cd's (Kid A and Amnesiac) are both full of great songs. Some of them just blow you out of the water when you first hear them, like You and Whose Army?, Idioteque (which I first heard when they were on Saturday Night Live), and Lucky. The great thing about Radiohead is that their albums are complete works, not just a collection of random songs. When I downloaded the entire Kid A on mp3, I had no idea where one song ended and the next one started. Their use of interludes and putting songs in a pleasing order makes listening to a CD more like of an experience than listening to most other bands cd's. I would reckon them to a modern Pink Floyd and I highly suggest you listen to them.
Bob Marley and the Wailers
Bob Marley and the Wailers is one of the few raggae groups to have success in the US, both in sales and popularity. Many of the kids in my dorm have Marley posters on their walls, showing his appeal even today. The Wailers influence on other musicians shows, as many have crossed from blues, rock, and other genres to cover some of their songs. Mostly they were about getting their message of equality and rastafarian beliefs out in the world, which they did by making great songs.
The Rolling Stones
I know most of you think I should have them at 2 or 3, but I don't like them as much as you. They made great songs and everything, but I just think that they weren't that innovative or unique like the bands above them. I also don't get why Satisfaction was the best rock song ever on VH1. They've put out great albums, like Sticky Fingers, but I think they're just a great band who excelled at rock and roll.
Pearl Jam
I like Pearl Jam because their early songs are like anthems with huge guitars and lead singer Eddie Vedder's wailing. The also have punky songs that are catchy (Rats) and songs with cool beats (WMA). Their first CD, Ten, has all good songs on it and their second one, Vs., has mostly good songs. I also have a few mp3's of other songs and they're quality as well. I would recommend trying them out.
Metallica
These guys have taken over the heavy metal torch from Black Sabbath since the 80's. They've raised a dispute over Napster which I don't like, but I can't question their good music. The Black album rules and you need to buy it or, even better, download it. I also recommend Master of Puppets. Their two guitar sound makes them extra heavy and powerful, but they also have good ballads like Nothing Else Matters and The Unforgiven (kind of a ballad).
The Eagles
California rockers who have nice laid-back songs and awesome guitar players. They've had a lot of hits and their Greatest Hits is the best-selling record ever. A couple of the members, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and Glenn Frey, have had success after the band too. Their songs make you want to quit what you're doing and move the beach in California.
U2
A politically active band who makes statements and songs in unison. Their style is one with prolonged and echoing guitar (The Edge), wailing vocals (Bono), rolling bass (Adam Clayton), and a solid beat (Larry Mullen). I like their quieter songs (With or Without You and Running to Stand Still) the most. I think one of the bets 80's albums is their "The Joshua Tree". Edge's style of guitar playing is unique I think because instead of doing fast and furious solos he does lots of repeating rhythms and riffs that add a lot more to overall feel of the songs. One critique I have of them is that Adam's bass parts don't sound all that challenging for him. It's seems they're mostly a few notes repeated over and over. This gives me the impression that he doesn't write many songs, but if the songs sound good that's fine.
Limp Bizkit
Wes Boreland on guitar, Fred Durst on vocals and crotch grabbing, DJ Lethal on turntables, John Otto on drums, and Sam Rivers on bass. I have Chocolate Starfish and Three Dollar Bill on mp3 and got Significant Other on CD for Xmas. At first it was the Wal-Mart media hysteria version where they blank out bad words like rape, sniper, shot and *gasp* rip. They even blanked out the liner notes with little stars. Needless to say, the pages were starry. Songs like "Break Stuff" and "N 2 Gether Now" were (even more) indecipherable. The present was returned and I got the Bizkit in all their cussing and violent glory. I must admit, getting their songs stuck in my head for days on end has made me want to break something.
Queen
Freddie Mercury on vocals, Brian May on guitar (one he actually made himself), Roger Taylor on bass, and John Deacon on drums. A band with a sound all their own which pushed the boundaries of 70's rock and pop. I have six mp3's, all of which are classic songs. One of the measures of their influence is how much there songs have been covered. Tie Your Mother Down, Another One Bites the Dust, and We Will Rock You are a few of their more famous songs.
Oasis
Another band from Dublin, Oasis also created controversy, though not through their political views. They have been a rude, crude, and at times bratty bunch, mouthing off and pulling stunts like playing 40-minute shows. Marred by the infighting of brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, they also have a reputation as Beatles wannabes, which may explain why they have some really good songs. Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory are two records I'm not ashamed to say I like. If they had focused on just making music I'm sure they would've been much bigger in the US, but not Beatles big.
Counting Crows
Headed by singer, songwriter, and pianist Adam Duritz, this band had success in the early 90's with August and Everything After. After that they put out Recovering the Satellites and, recently, This Desert Life. I have the first two albums, both of which a good. Their songs are mostly about life in middle America with a bit of a melancholy twist. Some hits include Mr. Jones, Omaha, and Long December.
Dire Straits
Mark Knopfler's band, best known for Money for Nothing, which was one of the first videos to use computer graphics. It also had Sting and people with glow in the dark head bands. I think Mark Knopfler is one of the most underrated guitarists outside the guitar playing community. He hasn't achieved great fame and so some people would like his music have missed out. Dire Straits plays rock, blues, swing, and latin well and they have a mellow sound that's a combination of synthesizer and guitar which really appeals to me.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
A band that's been together for a while and has had its fair share of ups and downs, especially drug-use-induced downs. Singer Anthony Keatis and guitarist John Frusciante have both had trouble with drugs, John very near death at one point, but now they're both cleaned up and have learned their lesson. Californication has been a big hit for them, but they've consistently put out good songs throughout the years. I have one RHCP cd and two full cds in mp3. Very heavy into funk, which is cool.
The Beach Boys
I only have Pet Sounds but I've heard lots of their other songs and I like what I hear. They're the original surf band from the 60's and that's their trademark, along with Brian Wilson's falsetto singing. They were masters of the surf song, but what really made me respect them was their musical diversity in Pet Sounds. They branched out into new areas and successfully made a great record that is still wowing people today.
Steely Dan
Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the two man core of Steely Dan, are the musicians behind the name. They write the music and have others play the music, making them mostly a studio band. My mom doesn't like their music, but I have on idea why because it's so smooth and groovy. They have lots of radio staples and hits songs like Kid Charlemagne and all the songs on Aja. Their sound is highly funky but there's some rock in there too. In the picture, the guy with the keyboard and the guy with long hair and a beard are Donald and Walter.
Cake
A band I really like, and who has put out three good records (Motorcade of Generosity, Fashion Nugget, Prolonging the Magic) is Cake. I have Fashion Nugget on CD and the other two on mp3, and they all show off the Cake style. They have a biting guitar, a vocalist who talks/sings and a trumpet for cool harmonies. Apparently their sound is in part due to the fact that they buy really cheap instruments. Whatever it is it sounds good.
Green Day
A punk trio from SoCal (I think) who's made it big and is now on the comeback trail with the song "Minority", which I personally think is really annoying. I have Dookie from about 1994. It's straight ahead punk, if maybe a bit softer and with a singer who can actually carry a tune. The songs have lots of rapidly played chords with fast drums and rolling bass, which is really good to headbang to.
The Doobie Brothers
Here's an accurate description from doobiebros.com - Doobie Brothers n. ['Hind. dub; Sans. durva, a kind of pasture grass; L. frater; G. bruder, Sans. bhratar; AS. brothor, male sibling']. Music group known for blues based songs with a rock edge, often with lush vocal harmonies (see also rock 'n' soul). Assemblage of musicians specializing in country based rock featuring instrumentation such as violin and finger-picked acoustic guitar combined with electrical instruments and drums. Musical entity recognized for incorporating sophisticated jazz stylings into "popular hit" songs. "Rock" band, origins circa 1970, with reputation for exciting live performances and skillful musicianship. Now my description - the lead singer can go really high and Blackwater and It Keeps You Runnin' are cool songs. One has an accapella breakdown and the other sounds like Super Mario at the start. China Grove and Minute by Minute are on the radio a lot and I like them too.
Beck
I have Odelay which has a wide range of songs on it. There's rap, rock, country-ish, turntable beats, and strains of R&B in it. Beck can play all the instruments on it which is pretty amazing and after seeing him on SNL, I'd say he can dance well too. He seems like an eccentric guy but so does the rest of his band, which is pretty large because of all the different instruments.
The Police
A popular group in America with a British lead singer who played raggae. Kind of different but definitely a good band. The had lots of fighting between the three of them, but their songs are both unique and good. The guitar parts sometimes seem so unique as to be off key, but I cant really tell. I only have some mp3's but they're on classic rock stations a lot and I really like their stuff.
The Cars
Another of the few 80's bands who were popular then and I like. I'm actually glad I wasn't aware of pop music during my early childhood. They're characterized as new wave I guess, but it's not really new anymore. They have a kind of punky sound but it's upbeat too so I have no idea how to categorize them. I just know that I used to dance to "Shake It Up" when I was a baby.
John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band
After he quit the Beatles, John started making music with Ono as his largest influence. Some of his songs were mediocre, but many were classics and extremely insightful. The Imagine record is like a portal to parts of his soul. I'm not sure how the Plastic Ono Band worked since they only had their name on one album, but I can hear back-ups in some of his other songs, so that's why he's in here instead of the solo artists part.
REM (Rapid Eye Movement)
Peter Buck, Bill Perry, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe. Their drummer (Perry I think) quit quite recently, but he still likes them and they're still touring so it's all good. The lead singer, Stipe, is one of the most recognizable stars in the world, since he shaved his head. This band has some really good songs and some really bad songs (mostly their earlier stuff). Some of their songs sound a lot like each other, but thankfully those are the good ones. Out of Time is a really good record they put out about '91 and I recommend it if you want to hear some of their best stuff. The picture doesn't have their drummer in it.
George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers
A straight up rock and blues band that known best for their live act, covers, and a few good, original songs. The raspy-voiced singer (Thorogood) has an equally biting guitar that gives them their sound along with the sax player. I have a greatest hits and a live album and you can tell they're not a studio-centered band. "Bad to the Bone" and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, one Beer" are their best known songs.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Not many people know who the Heartbreakers are, but lots of people know Tom Petty. As a person he's like a mix of Bob Dylan and Keith Richards, what with the reefer and the slurred speech, but as a musician he's not quite as good as they are. Still the band is great and they have an awesome greatest hits record. I figure most of their albums could have been bigger if Petty had a better voice, but that's the only thing I can critique about them.
AC/DC
Aussie rockers who are still livin large and rocking the world, if with less hair than before. The singer (Brian Johnson?) has a more strained voice than before and their guitar sounds the same as before, so I guess their comeback is mostly being fueled by new fans and some hardcore fans from the 80's. I saw them on SNL and the guitarist (Angus Young) still does the duck walk and wears his dorky schoolboy outfit. I wouldn't mind if they'd at least changed their image a little, but it seems like they're just trying to recapture their former glory.
Blue Rodeo
A country-western group with a really laid back sound that I found on a free CD I got at the career fair from the local classic rock station. Apparently the station liked Little Feat, but not Blue Rodeo, which is a shame. I think they got Sarah McLachlan to contribute to the CD I have "Nowhere to Here", which means they aren't too obscure. Good music for falling asleep at night to.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
A southern rock band with three guitars and a piano, which makes for lots of jamming. The only thing I don't like about them is that in "Sweet Home Alabama" they got back at Neil Young for writing "Southern Man", which criticized slavery. They said a southern man doesn't need slaves anyway, and I hope they were defending modern southerners and not slavery. Besides that I really like their music.
Bruce Hornsby and The Range
I don't have any of their records but my dad has a tape and I hear them on the radio some and I like them. They're center around Bruce and his piano and quite a lot of synthesizers, which is expected since their from the 80's. That's all I have to say about that.
Paul McCartney and Wings
Paul McCartney's band after the Beatles, with whom he's actually been together longer than the Beatles. They have some good songs that sound like Beatles songs, for obvious reasons, but also because the guitar solos sound and are phrased like George Harrison's playing. I also don't have their records but they're on the radio sometimes.
Genesis
Phil Collins's and Peter Gabriel's band, and Kenny Loggins's too I think. They make heavy use of drums and synthesizers and have some cool beats and songs. Home By the Sea and In the Air Tonight are two of my favorites by them. I don't feel that the whole was as much as the sum of the parts, but oh well.
Jethro Tull
One of the few rock bands with a flute player, but one which has a stellar intergration of the instrument. Ian Anderson sings and plays guitar and flute to help give Jethro Tull there own sound. They're still around and had a tour last year I believe. Originally Ian had a pied-piper sort of persona but now he's got short hair and less of a beard. Some of the pictures from the 60's make me think he really could have started a cult psychotic flautists. Anyway their music kind of sounds like Black Sabbath, but with more breaks for softer parts.
Bush
Dubbed a Nirvana clone when they first came over from Britain, Bush has proven their critics wrong. Razorblade Suitcase and Sixteen Stone (neither of which I have) are apparently good, and I believe whoever said that. Anyway, Comedown and Glycerine are good songs and Bush has been one of the few acts from across the Atlantic to make it here so give it up, or not.
Korn
The kilt wearing, dreadlocked Jonathan Davis on vocals, the braided James "Munky" Shaffer and Brian "Head" Welch on seven string Ibanez's, Fieldy on bass and David Silveria on drums. Angst rockers from southern California who have had huge success. They had an awsome performance at Woodstock where the whole crowd was jumping up and down in unison and you could see how the sound traveled out from the stage. I have "Issues" and a couple mp3's. The coolest part is the vocal harmonies halfway through "Falling Away From Me". That part rocks. If you want to mosh a little or break stuff, put this in your stereo.
Kansas
I play "Dust in the Wind" all the time because it never loses its appeal as an awesome fingerpicking song, but as for the band I again know very little besides the fact that they were a big stadium band. They also have another song I like but I forgot the name.
Aerosmith
Dream On and Walk This Way are a couple songs I like from them. I think some of their other songs, like Dude Looks Like a Lady, are pretty annoying though. First of all the subject matter is not pleasing (especially since every other song has cross dresser and transvestite references in it) and secondly Steven Tyler's voice can be too screechy.
Crash Test Dummies
I have "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" on mp3 and also on tab. It's a great song to listen to and even better to play. I love the Wierd Al parody "Headline News", which I had before the actual song. I only know that they have four albums and are on hiatus right now.
Soundgarden
I just have Black Hole Sun on mp3 and as you can tell I don't much about these here bands This band has Kim Thayil on guitar and he looks more like a Shiite terrorist than a guitar player. They were bigger in the earlier 90's than know with the grunge revolution.
Rage Against the Machine
The lead "singer", Zach de la Rocha, just quit but this political activist band is still going to get their word out with music. The guitarist, Tom Morello has a unique sound that's percussive and he also does thing like scrape his amp cord along the strings to make cool sounds. I saw them on the MTV music video awards and they where the high point of the show since they smashed their instruments at the end of their song.
Charlie Daniels Band
All I have is "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" on mp3 so I really know nothing about them. I know they've had a few personnel changes over the years and the Charlie plays a mean fiddle but that's all. See if you can guess which one's Charlie.
Brian Setzer Orchestra
One of the problems with swing is that after you've done it as long as Brian has, you tend to exhuast it's range of creativity. In other words his songs sound similar to each other. Some of them are good as long as you listen to them twice a month at most.
Guns N Roses
An extremely popular group from the eighties and early ninties who could have become even bigger legends if they hadn't broken up. Axl Rose was like a god in their prime when they were the king of the hair bands. I have Appetite for Destruction on CD and November Rain on mp3 and I can say that Slash is really a great guitarist. What's better is that he likes MAD magazine.
