The text messages started at 1:30 in the afternoon while I was discussing the draft with Jerome Williams, The Junk Yard Dog, at the National Basketball Hall of Fame. I told him I was convinced, based on Danny Ainge’s comments late Wednesday night that the Celtics would keep the player they picked at the number 5 position. He didn’t see it. “When there is smoke there is fire” he stated. Well, as always, I had forgotten to trust the nine year NBA veteran when a question about insane NBA decision making is on the table.
The text alerts from various media outlets each considered the distinct possibility of the Celtics again being involved in a draft day trade with a team from the Pacific Northwest. I was worried. Danny Ainge is not Scott Pioli or Bill Belichek. The time and effort the Celtics organization spends on scouting the draft far outweighs their ability to scout the other talent already in the league. It shows in their ability to make good trades.This is a known fact around the NBA. Just look at the team on the floor. Ainge drafted Al Jefferson, Rajon Rondo, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Tony Allen, and Kendrick Perkins. He also drafted Delonte West, a player whose smooth game and humble personality endeared him to fans across New England.
Players Ainge traded for? Raef Lafrentz, Jiri Welsh, Ricky Davis, Wally Szczerbiak, Michael Olowokandi, Sebastian Telfair, and Employee #8. Plus, he signed Brian Scalabrine…to play basketball! The only player that made a real impact was Employee # 8, after the organization had originally dealt him away to Dallas.
As I got into my car to begin the trek down to New York City, I got a bad feeling. I mean, I like Ray Allen. I think he is the best player to ever play for the University of Connecticut and is a seven time All Star. I met him a handful of summers ago over at Storrs. All the former UConn players came back to campus in the summer. He is a real good guy. He beat Rip Hamilton one on one that day, then we went to Subway. However, he will be 32 next month. It is like Danny Ainge thinks it is 1999, or believes NBA championships are won with aging shooting guards who don’t play defense.
By the time I was trapped in gridlock on 91, I was convinced the deal had been made. I was irritated. I needed a sign. So I went to Hooters.
I love chicken wings. They are the great equalizer of men. As it was getting late, I stayed to watch the draft at Hooters. It wasn't MSG, but I didn't have to pay 200 dollars to get in either. The place was packed, it was trivia night, the Draft was one the big screen, and Newington's best were on display. By 8:00 my fears had been realized. The Celtics traded the rights to the #5 pick (Jeff Green), Wally, and Delonte to the Sonics for Ray Allen and the rights to pick #35 (Glen Davis).
The only response I could muster? These Pretzels....are Making Me Thirsty………….
Hey, I had been to the Hall of Fame that very same day. They could just rename that place "A shrine to when the Celtics were the model franchise in Professional Sports". Now I was watching the team gamble on a guy who had surgery on both ankles like a month ago.
The irony was unbearable. To quote the Wu Tang Clan, "the combination made my eyes bleed."
During his interview with the ESPN guys, Doc Rivers actually looked like a broken man. He literally looked like he had been vomiting with the rest of us all night long. He spun the deal as a necessary way of getting some experience while making sure Paul Pierce was protected. Great. Grand.Fantastic.
The Boston media did try to make out like this could lead to another attempt at Kevin Garnett. On FSN and Weei, the discussion questioned if KG would reconsider Boston with two great scorers to team up with? We better hope so. If is doesn’t happen, the Celtics will give up more points then any other team in the league next year. It's like saying it is hot in the summer. You do not have to be Nostradamus to make that kind of statement.
If the team doesn’t produce on the floor, no amount of spin will save Ainge and Rivers on this one. They need to get KG, or hope Jefferson becomes KG next season. After months of speculation, this was a bizarre evening for the Boston Celtics and their fans. Kinda like this.
Thank goodness the Red Sox are in town and the Yankees are 11 games back.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Sunday, June 17, 2007
The Greatest Rock Band Ever Part Three
Led Zeppelin
When the working man’s history of Rock and Roll is written, probably by me next year, Led Zeppelin will get its own chapter. This band took everything that existed in music in 1968 and took it to a plateau that has rarely ever been replicated again. Like all great bands from their time, this English band had its roots in the dark desperation of American Blues. The band members themselves were masters of their craft. Robert Plant was the vibrant, wailing lead singer. John Paul Jones was the master arranger and baseman. John Bonham defined what it meant to be the thunder god drummer in a rock band. Jimmy Page was the Occultist guitar master extraordinaire, even when hooked on smack. It was, as David Lee Roth would say, a 10. After beginning as a spin off from the group The Yardbirds, the group’s 1969 début signal a shift in the evolution of Rock and Roll.
Over time Led Zeppelin, along with their peers Black Sabbath, become the godfathers of long, riffed out heavy metal and layered progressive rock. However, over 1/3 of the Zeppelin’s collection are more acoustic folksy ballads. Overall, the sum of the bands parts created a bombastic style of music that could transcend genres and be played in various settings or styles while never losing its artistic grace. From 1969 until the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980, the group created a catalogue of music so profound that it destroys 99% of all the music created since. Most rock bands today will list Zeppelin as a major influence, but few will ever come close to the level of substance and style that this band reached.
Another important element of the band was how it changed the way rock bands were perceived. Picking up the early influences of the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin’s excesses off stage became the stuff of urban lore. Whether it was the bands direct connection to the occult, the much discussed mudfish incident, or the supposed hidden messages in the music, a dark and dangerous aura surrounding the group added to its perception as a band of unrestrained wild men. This sense of passion and excess is clearly represented in each of Led Zeppelin’s albums.
Things you should know:
a.As much as Led Zeppelin led the way in creating fully multilayered albums without the help of defined singles, there are so many “hits” in the catalogue that I tend to listen to the various greatest hits packages more then each individual albums. If questioned during a Three Kings style torture session, I would go with Zeppelin IV (ZOSO) as the finest album in the pantheon.
b. More then any of the other bands on this Beat Ever list, I enjoy the live concert versions of Zeppelin songs more then the studio recordings. Whether it was the Song Remains the Same footage or the Page and Plant Unplugged material (Unledded/No Quarter), I find that the truest nature of the group was captured live. This is where each member extended and improvised in an effort to raise the entire production to new heights. (Unfortunately the best live footage couldn’t be accessed on YouTube as you will see next.)
10. No Quarter
9.Achillies Last Stand
8.All My Love
7.Gallows Pole
6.Rock and Roll
5. Ramble On-ZII
I have never read the Lord of the Rings. However, this jam more then makes up for it. A classic tune built on literary references about a great quest against a source of evil, this song blends the folksier side of the band with a hard edge riffs and fluid base/percussion give and take. Not to mention the full octave range of a young Robert Plant.
4.Whole Lotta Love-ZII
The virtual and literal musical version of a happy ending. I like its message. The masses agree.
3.Dazed and Confused-ZI
A reworking of a Yardbirds tune of the same name, this eclectic blues tale of angst and longing builds from a dark melodic rant to a classic Zeppelin rock out with thunderous guitar riffs and a rolling baseline that allows Bonham to go absolutely crazy. The sense of musical experimentation throughout the song created an aura around the band that truley anything was possible.
2.Kashmir-Physical Graffiti
There were friends and colleagues who wanted me to make this the number one Zeppelin song of all time. It is a sprawling epic that captures Zeppelin’s ability to be explosively intense while still being in total control. The progression of the music is deliberate, while the inclusion of brass and string arrangements allows for the Middle Eastern influence to take the song to a new level. Plant called it the definitive Zeppelin jam. Who are any of us to argue? Recent performances of Kashmir by Page and Plant, like that on the No Quarter disc, have included large orchestras and a slew of Moroccan musicians. At this point I actually prefer these versions for their improvisational feel to that of the studio version. For this reason, I cannot put it at number one. However, I have made it the potential title credits song of my film “Go Beyond”, scheduled to start shooting in July of 2022.
1.Stairway to Heaven-ZIV
There can be only one, and this was a really simple decision. This song is so good that it has come to transcend the band as a whole. It has been analyzed so much that there is little I can add to the discussion. While the songs lyrics have been said to describe everything from an attack on consumerism, to lost love, and even devil worship, I tend to focus on the instrumental arrangements. The music builds from a melodic acoustic ballad to a thunderstorm of classic rock super power. The song shows the band in perfect harmony. This is why I actually prefer the studio version to many of the live performances, as it exemplifies each members ability to work together to craft a masterpiece. I find it insane to try and add anything else.
So there you go...Number three and rising.
Next up, the ulimate psychadelic band that along the way helped to create a little thing called progressive rock.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
The Greatest Band Ever Part Two
The Rolling Stones
If the Beatles didn’t influence your favorite band, then the Stones probably did. I have to admit, I am a Stones guy. The music is more straightforward and angst ridden then many of the groups of the 1960’s and 1970’s. They took the music world on a journey of excess and have not stopped. Simply put, they invented what it means to act like the biggest band in the world. Then they backed it up with music that was just as emphatic.
In a career that has spanned four decades; the Rolling Stones have established themselves the solid number two in the quest for the greatest rock band ever. Founded by Brian Jones in 1962, the Stones took the Blues and R&B and mixed it with a substantial level of aggression. Always a band that challenged the status quo, the Stones greatness is the attitude that permeates every song. Whether it was old people destroying the world or the sluts at the local pub, every song is the proverbial F$#% Off to somebody.
While the Beatles sought to craft artistic masterpieces, the Stones sought to push the boundaries of the total package of style and substance. While the Beatles drug use was seen as a means to an artistic end, the Stones excesses created music with a dark angst and sarcastic charm. With the firing and subsequent death of Jones in 1969, the duo of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards officially became the driving forces for the direction of the band. They ensured the band would tap into the trends of the times, and find a way to leave an indelible mark on everything.
The music that has been created by Jagger and Richards blends genres and perspectives. They are a garage rock band that can make a three minute song into an 8 minute opus of hedonism. They are the original no nonsense rock band that allowed for the progression of blues based music that would follow. The immediate response came in the form of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Aerosmith, and Queen just to name a few. This is the band that pushed pop music to its zenith before writers had to start developing genres in which to categorize sounds, attitudes, and lifestyles.
While the band’s ability to produce classic hits continues, so does the larger then life persona’s of Jagger and Richards. They have gone from being young hooligans to grandfatherly hipsters, but the seismic energy of their career continues to be the goal of every band that signs a record contract.
Some things to Know before you see my list:
A.I see the Rolling Stones as a direct link to development of heavy rock music. If there was no “Sympathy for the Devil”, would they have been a “Stairway to Heaven”, “Shout at the Devil”, or “Welcome to the Jungle”? I think not.
B. The Who are often called the Grandfathers of Punk Rock. I personally attribute it to the Rolling Stones, for the simple fact that they took the disdain the Establishment had for them and spit it back in their collective faces. Then they bought the Establishment’s house, screwed his wife, and shot his dog. By the late 1970’s the decadence of the Stones mystique was decidedly un-punk, but the early stuff created the evolution of the genre The Who continued.
C. The Rolling Stones contributed to the notion of Sex, Drugs, and Rock+Roll more then any band ever. Whether real or implied, It is a mystique that adds to what rock and roll is supposed to be….dangerous.
D. I love the dark sarcasm the early Rolling Stones.
10. Under My Thumb
9.You Can’t Always Get What You Want
8.Start Me Up
7.Jumpin Jack Flash
6.Mothers Little Helper
It was seriously difficult to be objective with the top seven. Each one could have gone at the top spot.
5.Street Fighting Man
Brilliant song. This is the Stones response to the government led lawlessness of the late 1960’s. In America we often forget that Europe was exploding as well. In a time before poor could depend on slingin' rock, taking it to the streets was the only option. This is an anthem for all who seek social change, and continues to be a thorn in the sides of the politicians who lost the faith and sold out their brothers and sisters in the streets. The band included. This song paved the way for the aggressive combat rock of groups like The Clash, U2, Anti-Flag, and Rage Against the Machine, who covered the song on the album Renegades.
4.(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
The quintessential Stones jam, it frequently makes the top five of the greatest songs ever written. Filled with lyrics about sex and being pissed off at life, it has become a rock anthem for people of all ages.
3.Gimme Shelter
The power of this song seeming has no bounds. Whether you are listening to it by yourself on your IPod or watching is used perfectly by Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed), this song creates a tour de forces shift in the atmosphere of your perspective on the world when listening. A once sunny day at the beach gets an edge, and desperation to find cover from the inevitable pitfalls of our world becomes paramount.
2.Sympathy for the Devil
Dabbling with the occult added to the group’s dangerous persona. However, the song itself is a masterpiece of storytelling. It has become a response to Dante, in that the sophisticated, manipulative Lucifer in the song doesn’t hide in the shadows but lives decadently in our modern times. This song personifies what rock and roll is all about.
1.Paint it Black
This song opened the door to the possibilities of the band. While utilizing the sitar, the song creates a creepy aura that is pushed forward by awesome riffs and the frenetic drumming by Charlie Watts. The lyrics are dark and brooding, and music is full of fury. The perfect combination for a song.
So there it is, the second greatest band of all time,..The Rolling Stones.
Next up the list, a group that took the genre of music on a Stairway to Heaven.
If the Beatles didn’t influence your favorite band, then the Stones probably did. I have to admit, I am a Stones guy. The music is more straightforward and angst ridden then many of the groups of the 1960’s and 1970’s. They took the music world on a journey of excess and have not stopped. Simply put, they invented what it means to act like the biggest band in the world. Then they backed it up with music that was just as emphatic.
In a career that has spanned four decades; the Rolling Stones have established themselves the solid number two in the quest for the greatest rock band ever. Founded by Brian Jones in 1962, the Stones took the Blues and R&B and mixed it with a substantial level of aggression. Always a band that challenged the status quo, the Stones greatness is the attitude that permeates every song. Whether it was old people destroying the world or the sluts at the local pub, every song is the proverbial F$#% Off to somebody.
While the Beatles sought to craft artistic masterpieces, the Stones sought to push the boundaries of the total package of style and substance. While the Beatles drug use was seen as a means to an artistic end, the Stones excesses created music with a dark angst and sarcastic charm. With the firing and subsequent death of Jones in 1969, the duo of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards officially became the driving forces for the direction of the band. They ensured the band would tap into the trends of the times, and find a way to leave an indelible mark on everything.
The music that has been created by Jagger and Richards blends genres and perspectives. They are a garage rock band that can make a three minute song into an 8 minute opus of hedonism. They are the original no nonsense rock band that allowed for the progression of blues based music that would follow. The immediate response came in the form of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Aerosmith, and Queen just to name a few. This is the band that pushed pop music to its zenith before writers had to start developing genres in which to categorize sounds, attitudes, and lifestyles.
While the band’s ability to produce classic hits continues, so does the larger then life persona’s of Jagger and Richards. They have gone from being young hooligans to grandfatherly hipsters, but the seismic energy of their career continues to be the goal of every band that signs a record contract.
Some things to Know before you see my list:
A.I see the Rolling Stones as a direct link to development of heavy rock music. If there was no “Sympathy for the Devil”, would they have been a “Stairway to Heaven”, “Shout at the Devil”, or “Welcome to the Jungle”? I think not.
B. The Who are often called the Grandfathers of Punk Rock. I personally attribute it to the Rolling Stones, for the simple fact that they took the disdain the Establishment had for them and spit it back in their collective faces. Then they bought the Establishment’s house, screwed his wife, and shot his dog. By the late 1970’s the decadence of the Stones mystique was decidedly un-punk, but the early stuff created the evolution of the genre The Who continued.
C. The Rolling Stones contributed to the notion of Sex, Drugs, and Rock+Roll more then any band ever. Whether real or implied, It is a mystique that adds to what rock and roll is supposed to be….dangerous.
D. I love the dark sarcasm the early Rolling Stones.
10. Under My Thumb
9.You Can’t Always Get What You Want
8.Start Me Up
7.Jumpin Jack Flash
6.Mothers Little Helper
It was seriously difficult to be objective with the top seven. Each one could have gone at the top spot.
5.Street Fighting Man
Brilliant song. This is the Stones response to the government led lawlessness of the late 1960’s. In America we often forget that Europe was exploding as well. In a time before poor could depend on slingin' rock, taking it to the streets was the only option. This is an anthem for all who seek social change, and continues to be a thorn in the sides of the politicians who lost the faith and sold out their brothers and sisters in the streets. The band included. This song paved the way for the aggressive combat rock of groups like The Clash, U2, Anti-Flag, and Rage Against the Machine, who covered the song on the album Renegades.
4.(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
The quintessential Stones jam, it frequently makes the top five of the greatest songs ever written. Filled with lyrics about sex and being pissed off at life, it has become a rock anthem for people of all ages.
3.Gimme Shelter
The power of this song seeming has no bounds. Whether you are listening to it by yourself on your IPod or watching is used perfectly by Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed), this song creates a tour de forces shift in the atmosphere of your perspective on the world when listening. A once sunny day at the beach gets an edge, and desperation to find cover from the inevitable pitfalls of our world becomes paramount.
2.Sympathy for the Devil
Dabbling with the occult added to the group’s dangerous persona. However, the song itself is a masterpiece of storytelling. It has become a response to Dante, in that the sophisticated, manipulative Lucifer in the song doesn’t hide in the shadows but lives decadently in our modern times. This song personifies what rock and roll is all about.
1.Paint it Black
This song opened the door to the possibilities of the band. While utilizing the sitar, the song creates a creepy aura that is pushed forward by awesome riffs and the frenetic drumming by Charlie Watts. The lyrics are dark and brooding, and music is full of fury. The perfect combination for a song.
So there it is, the second greatest band of all time,..The Rolling Stones.
Next up the list, a group that took the genre of music on a Stairway to Heaven.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The Greatest Band Ever Part One
I am going in order because I think my need to defend myself will grow over time, so I started out with a lay up.
The Beatles
The originators of popular Rock and Roll, the lads from Liverpool practically influenced every genre of music that followed. This is of course, with the exception of Country music, which was invented by the Devil when he failed to make it as a folk musician in the 20’s. From arena rock anthems to avant garde studio arrangements, everyone from the nerd, the jock, the goth, the pot head, to even the uptight bitchy slut could find an aspect of the Beatles music they could relate to. Even a regular joe like me, who rarely by choice listened to the Beatles growing up, has to recognize that the impact of this band on music is immeasurable. They are the greatest selling band of all time. This is despite the fact that they sought to push the boundaries of what was considered popular music throughout their career, or that they couldn't read sheet music. In TV interviews, everyone from the most drugged out metal head, to the most prepackaged talent-less pop star, to the modern rock genius points to the Beatles as a major influence. It has become one of the ultimate rock cliché’s, but it is true. They will be recognized as the greatest band ever until the Revolution, and maybe even beyond that.
This list was not as hard to create as I thought it would be. As I stated earlier, beyond a lot of the hits, I had not done the research. I hadn’t made sure to listen to every Beatles song on record until now. I think at 25, I can now only really begin to understand most of it anyways.
Like anything else, it is important to explain my list. Here are some things you should know that played a huge role in my decision making before I begin:
a. I am a George Harrison guy. Sure, the other members of the group got more pub and wrote more songs, but George Harrison’s contributions to the group’s transition musically was immense.
b. As such, two songs penned by Harrison have prominent spots on the list. Another song wrote by Harrison, “Something”, ends up in my top 15. Simply brilliant songwriting.
c. It is not that I discount the groups early years, but feel that knowing they had conquered the world gave them the gravitas to take it to the next level. Thus, the lack of songs written later then 1965.
d. I tend to reward music that has a message, especially if it promotes social change. Often this music is a little bit more sullen, always on the edge of falling into a chasm of pretentiousness. This list is chalk full of them.
10. Let It Be
9. With a Little Help From My Friends
8. Nowhere Man
7. In My Life
6. Hey Jude
The Five Greatest Songs by The Beatles according to The King.
5. Revolution-The White Album
Any song that references Chairman Mao so poetically makes the list. Comedy aside, a great example the social consciousness the group sought to explore.
4. A Day in the Life- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
This song is spectacularly bizarre. I don’t think “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Comfortably Numb”, or “Paranoid Android” are ever made without it. One of the most important pieces of music ever written.
3. Here Comes the Sun-Abby Road
George Harrison’s ode to optimism written in Eric Clapton’s garden. I had a teacher in the third grade that made the class listen to this song every day after the Pledge of Allegiance. I smile every time I hear it.
2. Eleanor Rigby-Revolver
A dark song with a fantastic arrangement. This song invents the now horribly contrived Alternative/EMO genre. Somewhere Rivers Cuomo is trying to crack a smile as he hides in his closet. It is a short song, but it packs a wallop.
1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps, or this version-The White Album
I included the two versions because of the epic quality of this song. It can be a huge arena anthem full of power riffs and a hardcore acoustic ballad full of loneliness and desperation. In that sense I feel it is the quintessential Beatles song. It is so versatile, so quality.
So there it is. As you will see, when it comes to any of these bands, picking a top 5 that everyone would agree on is futile. As much as one can try to stay objective, it is nearly impossible when there is so many great songs to pick from.
Until next time,
Strength and Honor
The Beatles
The originators of popular Rock and Roll, the lads from Liverpool practically influenced every genre of music that followed. This is of course, with the exception of Country music, which was invented by the Devil when he failed to make it as a folk musician in the 20’s. From arena rock anthems to avant garde studio arrangements, everyone from the nerd, the jock, the goth, the pot head, to even the uptight bitchy slut could find an aspect of the Beatles music they could relate to. Even a regular joe like me, who rarely by choice listened to the Beatles growing up, has to recognize that the impact of this band on music is immeasurable. They are the greatest selling band of all time. This is despite the fact that they sought to push the boundaries of what was considered popular music throughout their career, or that they couldn't read sheet music. In TV interviews, everyone from the most drugged out metal head, to the most prepackaged talent-less pop star, to the modern rock genius points to the Beatles as a major influence. It has become one of the ultimate rock cliché’s, but it is true. They will be recognized as the greatest band ever until the Revolution, and maybe even beyond that.
This list was not as hard to create as I thought it would be. As I stated earlier, beyond a lot of the hits, I had not done the research. I hadn’t made sure to listen to every Beatles song on record until now. I think at 25, I can now only really begin to understand most of it anyways.
Like anything else, it is important to explain my list. Here are some things you should know that played a huge role in my decision making before I begin:
a. I am a George Harrison guy. Sure, the other members of the group got more pub and wrote more songs, but George Harrison’s contributions to the group’s transition musically was immense.
b. As such, two songs penned by Harrison have prominent spots on the list. Another song wrote by Harrison, “Something”, ends up in my top 15. Simply brilliant songwriting.
c. It is not that I discount the groups early years, but feel that knowing they had conquered the world gave them the gravitas to take it to the next level. Thus, the lack of songs written later then 1965.
d. I tend to reward music that has a message, especially if it promotes social change. Often this music is a little bit more sullen, always on the edge of falling into a chasm of pretentiousness. This list is chalk full of them.
10. Let It Be
9. With a Little Help From My Friends
8. Nowhere Man
7. In My Life
6. Hey Jude
The Five Greatest Songs by The Beatles according to The King.
5. Revolution-The White Album
Any song that references Chairman Mao so poetically makes the list. Comedy aside, a great example the social consciousness the group sought to explore.
4. A Day in the Life- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
This song is spectacularly bizarre. I don’t think “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Comfortably Numb”, or “Paranoid Android” are ever made without it. One of the most important pieces of music ever written.
3. Here Comes the Sun-Abby Road
George Harrison’s ode to optimism written in Eric Clapton’s garden. I had a teacher in the third grade that made the class listen to this song every day after the Pledge of Allegiance. I smile every time I hear it.
2. Eleanor Rigby-Revolver
A dark song with a fantastic arrangement. This song invents the now horribly contrived Alternative/EMO genre. Somewhere Rivers Cuomo is trying to crack a smile as he hides in his closet. It is a short song, but it packs a wallop.
1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps, or this version-The White Album
I included the two versions because of the epic quality of this song. It can be a huge arena anthem full of power riffs and a hardcore acoustic ballad full of loneliness and desperation. In that sense I feel it is the quintessential Beatles song. It is so versatile, so quality.
So there it is. As you will see, when it comes to any of these bands, picking a top 5 that everyone would agree on is futile. As much as one can try to stay objective, it is nearly impossible when there is so many great songs to pick from.
Until next time,
Strength and Honor
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
The Ultimate Top Five Begins
This weeks Podcast by Bill Simmons is freaking awesome. His conversation will the great Marv Albert, and subsequent discussion with his homie about the awful start to the season by the Yanks, certainly made up for that lame discussion last week with Alton from the Real World. YesSSS!!!!
Now on to the reason for this post. I was asked last week by a student who the five greatest rock and roll bands of all time were. I was torn. Normally I explode into my list. Based on my IPOD data, I consider the best rock and roll bands ever to be RATM, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, U2, and Tool by simple rate of airplay. Clearly there is a generational and genre bias at play here.
Now I consider my opinions to be profound, but I no longer consider myself a ego maniac. The situation in class became a moral quandry. Do I promote the groups I promote, or as a teacher, provide an objective view with the addendum that it really all depends on each person to create their own list.
I was objective, kinda.
The list I told the kids was the following,
1.The Beatles
2.The Rolling Stones
3.Led Zeppelin
4.Pink Floyd
5.U2
I told them any objective person would need to have the top two, but after that it would ultimately boil down to personal taste. I chose to look at what is the overall perception amongst music folks who write for Rolling Stone, Blender, Spin, and ughhh..MTV.com.Over the coming weeks I will expand on my decision and explore these five bands, trying to decipher the five greatest songs from each band.
However, first a few thoughts on the list.
A. Yes, the list has a European Bias. For whatever the reason, the British Isles have taken a musical form born in America (Rock and Roll) and created the most imaginative possibilities for its progression as an art form.
B. Yes, there is a Gender Bias. Beyond a few bands here or there, men have dominated rock and roll. As a male, and despite being raised my a single mother, I have been far more prone to being influenced by men then women when it has come to music. I currently have 680 songs on my IPod. Only 1 song is a song that is sung by a women. It is just impossible for me to put Heart or The Go-Go's over any of these bands.
C. No, the two greatest American band of all time, Rage Against The Machine and The Doors did not make the list. I had to be objective, and that meant putting my own tastes to the side as much as possible.
D. Yes, the inclusion of U2 is controversial. There were many worthy bands. The students were down right pissed off about it, like I had slaughtered their pets before their eyes. (The only area of life my students have shown any consistent sophistication is in their concepts on the world of music. It is a great uniter of populations.) However, if you can name a band that has dominated the music world more then U2 over the past 27 years, please tell me. It was also essential to include a band whose career has spanned the 80's and 90's. While watered down by more lame music acts and the horrors of the commercialization that made Britney Spears a Superstar, these decades were still filled with profound music by rock and roll bands that transcended the music world and came to symbolize the lives and issues that affected people during that generation. No band of the past 27 years has done this better then U2.
Until next time, this is that freaky beatnik the Culture King saying, catch you on the flipside you cool cats.....
Now on to the reason for this post. I was asked last week by a student who the five greatest rock and roll bands of all time were. I was torn. Normally I explode into my list. Based on my IPOD data, I consider the best rock and roll bands ever to be RATM, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, U2, and Tool by simple rate of airplay. Clearly there is a generational and genre bias at play here.
Now I consider my opinions to be profound, but I no longer consider myself a ego maniac. The situation in class became a moral quandry. Do I promote the groups I promote, or as a teacher, provide an objective view with the addendum that it really all depends on each person to create their own list.
I was objective, kinda.
The list I told the kids was the following,
1.The Beatles
2.The Rolling Stones
3.Led Zeppelin
4.Pink Floyd
5.U2
I told them any objective person would need to have the top two, but after that it would ultimately boil down to personal taste. I chose to look at what is the overall perception amongst music folks who write for Rolling Stone, Blender, Spin, and ughhh..MTV.com.Over the coming weeks I will expand on my decision and explore these five bands, trying to decipher the five greatest songs from each band.
However, first a few thoughts on the list.
A. Yes, the list has a European Bias. For whatever the reason, the British Isles have taken a musical form born in America (Rock and Roll) and created the most imaginative possibilities for its progression as an art form.
B. Yes, there is a Gender Bias. Beyond a few bands here or there, men have dominated rock and roll. As a male, and despite being raised my a single mother, I have been far more prone to being influenced by men then women when it has come to music. I currently have 680 songs on my IPod. Only 1 song is a song that is sung by a women. It is just impossible for me to put Heart or The Go-Go's over any of these bands.
C. No, the two greatest American band of all time, Rage Against The Machine and The Doors did not make the list. I had to be objective, and that meant putting my own tastes to the side as much as possible.
D. Yes, the inclusion of U2 is controversial. There were many worthy bands. The students were down right pissed off about it, like I had slaughtered their pets before their eyes. (The only area of life my students have shown any consistent sophistication is in their concepts on the world of music. It is a great uniter of populations.) However, if you can name a band that has dominated the music world more then U2 over the past 27 years, please tell me. It was also essential to include a band whose career has spanned the 80's and 90's. While watered down by more lame music acts and the horrors of the commercialization that made Britney Spears a Superstar, these decades were still filled with profound music by rock and roll bands that transcended the music world and came to symbolize the lives and issues that affected people during that generation. No band of the past 27 years has done this better then U2.
Until next time, this is that freaky beatnik the Culture King saying, catch you on the flipside you cool cats.....
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