Showing posts with label The Greatest Rock and Roll Band Ever. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Greatest Rock and Roll Band Ever. Show all posts
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.
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