5 Greatest Rock Bands Ever

read-alot

" I Wanna Hold Your Hand" killed it for me.

Never was I ever a Beatles fan.

Git down to some Steppenwolf and your'e in the same boat wit me.

You say it was this morning when you last saw your good friend
Lyin' on the pavement with a misery on his brain
Stoned on some new potion he found upon the wall
Of some unholy bathroom in some ungodly hall
He only had a dollar to live on 'til next Monday
But he spent it on some comfort for his mind
Did you say you think he's blind?

Someone should call his parents, a sister or a brother
And they'll come to take him back home on a bus
But he'll always be a problem to his poor and puzzled mother
Yeah he'll always be another one of us
He said he wanted Heaven but prayin' was too slow
So he bought a one way ticket on an airline made of snow
Did you say you saw your good friend flyin' low?
Flyin' low
Dyin' slow

bobman1235

I Wanna Hold Your Hand? They did actually put out real music after their bubble gum era of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"

But as mentioned above, it all depends on what your definition of the "best" is. If it's just the ones you liked the most, obviously LOTS of people DON'T like the Beatles. But you can't deny their influence. I don't like Elvis that much, but I can't deny HIS influence either.

capecodder

bobman1235 wrote:

I don't like Elvis that much, but I can't deny HIS influence either.

Couldn't agree more. I never really liked Elvis that much but am totally in awe of his influence. I'm actually starting to like some more of his stuff now as I, and his music, "age gracefully". Even though I grew up with Dylan, I didn't listen to that much of his work at the time, but you can't deny his talent and impact as well. If this thread were "Who are your top 5 favorite rock groups", well then all bets are off and have at it.

My favorite statement in praise of the Beatles was from Mick Jagger I heard a number of years ago. He was relaying the many months of studio time the Stones were putting into what was to be their next landmark album. Then Sargeant Peppers was released and after hearing it for the first time he went back to the studio and told everyone to throw away everything they had been working on. The Beatles had just re-invented rock music, again, and the Stones' sound was now obsolete.

Danny Tse

My choices, in NPO....

The Beatles
The Who
Van Halen (both eras)
Queen
The Police

Others that I considered....

The Eagles - but Little River Band is better IMHO
Guns 'n Roses - like VH better

Drumingman

Creedence Clearwater Revival.
The Band
Billy Joel
The Who
Elton John

MrBuhl

I actually have to ammend - I very outright neglectedd a band that I think belongs in this crew -

Pearl Jam.

Mike682

A vote here for Guns N' Roses among the others mentioned

MrBuhl

Orr... Maybe I only thought i put in my vote for top five and am in fact a total idiot... you decide... (rhetorical question please)

Led Zeppelin
The Who
Pearl Jam
Rush
Pink Floyd

But as many have said - endlessly debate-able...

Fleetwood Mac
Boston
Doors
Beatles
Genesis
Yes
Kansas
Black Sabbath
Kiss - (yes Kiss)
SRV
Foreigner
CSN&Y
Jethro Tull...

Home Theatre

AFI
Pink Floyd
Heart
led Zepplin
Rage against the machine
Boston
Queen
Styx
Weezer


Sorry I love music.

dealunion

Gun And Rose
Beatles
Stones
Nirvana
U2

reeltrouble1

Errol Garner, OK, he is not Rock, but without him and others from his era, you get no rock/jazz fusion influence.

Heart is a great Rock Band, like Zepplin with Hot Chicks in the day.

Yes, Demi the Beatles law was way before your time, you missed it, they were the punk's of 60's the anti everything, their little three chord tunes paved the way to much greatness for Rock. They pushed the other great bands of that era, Stones, Kinks, Jeff. Airplane and on and on. I would recommend 6-12 months of total immersion in their music and lives.

RT1

ND13

People either completely over rate the Beatles or completely under rate them.

The fact is, they started a revolution in R&R that can still be felt today. I can understand why some people don't like them, but to dismiss them is idioitic and naive(and NO, I'm not pointing fingers at anyone in particular). Don't listen to their early bubble-gum crap. Start with "REVOLVER" and get your listen on and really LISTEN. Listen to the tracks that weren't smattered all over the radio.

Other than Ringo, they were VERY VERY talented song writers and musicians. They should have let Harrison have more than one track per side also.

Demiurge

For the record, everyone who said they didn't like them gave them their due as being influential and pioneering. I don't like the Beatles. Oh no! If it wasn't them it would have been someone else. Perhaps something I would have liked. I think looking past them and ignoring their talent is a bad thing. They just don't make some of our lists.

shack

Demiurge wrote:

If it wasn't them it would have been someone else. Perhaps something I would have liked.

Probably not.....

Demiurge

Yes, there were 4 guys from the UK that were the only people in the world with musical drive and ability...Music didn't start with the Beatles, and it won't end with them either.

zombie boy 2000

You know, it's funny....
I've listened to all the Beatles stuff, and given it a proper go (esp in college),
and would have to say that I've always enjoyed Magical Mystery Tour and little else. I'm sure this opens me up to hazing beyond measure, but it's just my take. I've never elevated the Beatles beyond anything but cultural icon status, but I do enjoy some of their music -- just not necessarily what I'm "supposed to like" i.e. the White Album, Revolver, and Rubber Soul.
Not that I don't appreciate these albums, I've just never enjoyed them...

But for whatever reason, I've always thoroughly enjoyed the Magical Mystery Tour...

just my 2 cents










open fire

reeltrouble1

Billy Preston wrote Get Back, think about it.

RT1

Drumingman

I gotta add Frank Zappa.

Demiurge

1) Winger
2) Poison
3) Night Ranger
4) Surviver
5) Strawberry Alarm Clock

heiney9

Demiurge wrote:

I can't stand the Beatles. Overplayed tripe. They're a really damn good pioneering band, but their sound is utterly nauseating. They just seem like everyones choice by default, not because they have a reason.

Have you ever really listened to Revolver, Sgt Peppers, Magical Mystery Tour, The White Album, Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, Let It Be? These, IMO are the best the Beatles put out. There is no denying they started the whole R-N-R movement.

There were other influential players, but the Beatles were huge. They came along at the right time with the right kind of music and the rest was history. There are lots of forms of music I don't particuliarly like, but looking at the whole picture of music, Elvis and The Beatles started it all, and in that context (musical history and relevence) the Beatles have to be mentioned.

Early Beatles isn't my particular favorite but I understand it's imense impact on music. A friend of mine and I always argue who was a better band musically Led Zep or the Beatles. I say Led Zep by a pretty good margin. But that doesn't mean I don't understand the impact and relevence of the Beatles. There are many many Beatles songs in the later period that I think are phenominal.

There someone just explained it to you

H9

heiney9

For a long time I couldn't get into Elvis. He had so many periods of music and some of it was utter crap. After seeing the Great Masters TV special about Sun Records I took a whole different approach to Elvis. The Sun recordings right up to his '68 comeback special were something special. He has a lot of crap to wade through if you want to get serious about his music, but he was the real deal in the beginning and talk about loads of RAW talent.

I highly recommend buying the '68 Comeback Special DVD.

H9

P.S. Scotty Moore (Elvis's guitarist) was one of Jimmy Pages idol's growing up

Demiurge

heiney9 wrote:

Have you ever really listened to Revolver, Sgt Peppers, Magical Mystery Tour, The White Album, Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, Let It Be? These, IMO are the best the Beatles put out. There is no denying they started the whole R-N-R movement.

There were other influential players, but the Beatles were huge. They came along at the right time with the right kind of music and the rest was history. There are lots of forms of music I don't particuliarly like, but looking at the whole picture of music, Elvis and The Beatles started it all, and in that context (musical history and relevence) the Beatles have to be mentioned.

Early Beatles isn't my particular favorite but I understand it's imense impact on music. A friend of mine and I always argue who was a better band musically Led Zep or the Beatles. I say Led Zep by a pretty good margin. But that doesn't mean I don't understand the impact and relevence of the Beatles. There are many many Beatles songs in the later period that I think are phenominal.

There someone just explained it to you

H9

I've listened to all of it, and I just don't like it. I like musicians who really take risks. The Beatles have always sounded safe to me. The White Album (Got it on LP) and all. When people say "Man, I never heard anything like that before." No ****, it was new. Congrats to the Beatles for that. Like I said, it would have been someone else, and maybe nowhere near their capacity, but the were not the only ones doing 'it' at the time. Did the start a trend that people rode and subsequently branched off from? No doubt.

You need to consider that nearly everything you've heard from the Beatle's took place in essentially 6 years. Beach Boys? The Drifters? Roy Orbison? They all had hit albums before the Beatles landed on U.S soil.

Influential? Yes. Help shape an era of music? Yes. Talented? Yes.

Does everyone automatically like them for that? No.

I'm just not so sure that little Randy Rhoads wouldn't have picked up an axe if it weren't for the Beatles. Might have influenced him, but they certainly don't define musicians like him.

heiney9

I do get where you are coming from. I just look at it for it's time and place in history. I don't like all the Beatles stuff, but most of it is excellent. Believe me they took plenty of risks. It seems rather mundane by today's standards, but most of the later stuff is timeless, IMO. George Martin was great as a producer even better in some regards than Jimmy Page as producer.

It still comes down to what you like and dislike. It's good to see you can still understand their importance w/o actually liking their music.

H9

capecodder

Demiurge wrote:

I like musicians who really take risks. The Beatles have always sounded safe to me.

Once again, Wow. The Beatles probably experimented, and implemented with more sounds, instruments, and techniques than any other rock band. They were literally on top of the musical world but would continually throw the safe way aside and come out with a new "sound" that would in-turn redefine rock music of that period. They just didn't do it once, they did it with almost every album after their early sixties period. Thats taking HUGE risks and playing it anything but safe.

There is nothing wrong with not liking their music. Thats fine. I actually only had one of their albums back then (Abbey Road) but have grown to truly love their music now. Its timeless. Personally, I don't like Van Halen or Bruce Springsteen (and many other "big" names) but recognize their talent and significance. Whats important is to separate personal taste from objective understanding of their impact to the industry.

Demiurge

Whats important is to separate personal taste from objective understanding of their impact to the industry.

Where has anyone here not been able to do that? Who has said that they didn't have talent or didn't impact the music industry? Sperate yourself from the Beatles and realize there was, is, and will be more out there than them. What are you trying to convince those who don't like them of?

Do you really believe the following? :

The Beatles probably experimented, and implemented with more sounds, instruments, and techniques than any other rock band.

If you think this is true you really need to get your listen on to something new.

WilliamM2

No particular order...

1. Frank Zappa
2. Jimmy Hendrix
3. Deep Purple
4. Beatles
5. Alice Cooper

Skynut

My problem with the Beatles is that I didn't really like their style before john died and after he died the radio stations in my area went nuts with playing the Beatles. It seemed to go on forever. They played them all the time.
I just got so sick of hearing their songs that I started spending more on cassettes so I could listen to music without hearing the Beatles.

Maybe now that I am older I will try them again, I think I have some on vinyl so when I get a TT I will break it out.

zombie boy 2000

I think it says a lot about the Beatles' scope and influence that a thread discussing the "top 5 rock bands" morphed into a full-fledged dialogue concerning the merits of the four lads from Liverpool. Aside from the occasional Winger and Survivor reference:D , this has turned into a "Beatles thread" -- for all intensive purposes

Drumingman

Yeah Yeah Yeah

Drumingman

The Cowsils
The Partridge Family
The Electric Prunes
Strawberry Alarm Clock