Battle of the Bands (part 2)
Since Battle of the Bands generated by far the most interest of any recent post I've made (with a whopping 7 comments), here's another shot at it.
- The Who vs The Kinks: The Who. I really like the Kinks, but the Who have whole albums that are better than any Kinks tune. The Kinks would win for best Christmas song though ("Father Christmas").
- Johnny Cash vs Bob Dylan: Johnny Cash. All of Bob Dylan's influence and innovation cowers beneath Johnny Cash's sheer honesty.
- Nirvana vs Pearl Jam: Pearl Jam. One great album, a couple good albums and a bunch of average stuff beats one very good album, one okay album and one crappy album. The luck of being in the right place at the right time doesn't add up to much other than record sales.
- Allman Brothers vs Lynyrd Skynyrd: Allman Brothers. They were both masters of the Southern rock game, but the Allmans have soul to boot.
- Ratt vs Twisted Sister: Twisted Sister. Neither band is great, but at least Twisted Sister had two great teen angst anthems. And somehow, I can take them a little seriously. Ratt is pop with guitar solos.
- Eminem vs 50 Cent: Eminem. 50 Cent, as I said before, is just Britney Spears shot nine times. Eminem is one of the few really good current rappers.
- The Supremes vs The Miracles: The Miracles. This one is so close, I just made the decision based on each group's best song. "Tears of a Clown" barely edges "I Hear a Symphony."
- Husker Du vs Sonic Youth: Husker Du. They're melodic chaos was still heavy enough on the melodic part to be listenable. Their influence on alt rock is palpable whereas Sonic Youth is often a token favorite thrown in just to prove that you "get it." Sonic Youth is a great live show though.
- X vs the Germs: X. I still love the Germs, but X is hands-down the best of the first generation of LA punk bands.
- The Cure vs The Smiths: The Smiths. The ego-centric whining of the Cure did produce Disnintegration, but they still took their sad self-loathing too seriously. The Smiths were simultaneously depressing and mocking, making the whole self-loathing thing kinda multi-dimensional.
posted by bob_vinyl at 1:24 PM
7 Comments:
Oh, fun! Another thing to sink my unmusically-inclined teeth into as I procrastinate at work!
1. The Who. I love Roger Daltrey. I don't mean to. I just do.
2. Johnny Cash. I can't stand Bob Dylan because I think he looks like a rodent. I know, I know, I shouldn't say that about one of the most (potentially) influential musicians of all time, but, please. And I can NEVER understand a single thing he says. I saw him live at my college, when he came to play at one of our Spring Festival concerts . . . and all I could understand was "Hello, everybody" and even at that, I wasn't sure what he said. Annoying as hell.
3. Pearl Jam. I just prefer them to Nirvana. Although I think Kurt Cobain was far prettier than Eddie Vedder, and pretty goes a long way.
4. Lynyrd Skynyrd, simply because typing it is hard enough to earn them my vote.
5. Twisted Sister. Dee Snyder endures. Where's Ratt now, unless they have played The Recher recently . . . and that's totally possible!
6. Eminem. I much prefer Eminem. I think he's actually rather talented, and somewhere, my sister is choking to death because she can't believe I finally admitted it.
7. The Supremes --- voting along gender lines. I really prefer neither, but if I had to pick one, I will go with the Supremes.
8. Can I choose neither?
9. " "
10. It's hard, but I think I will go with The Cure. I absolutely love "Just Like Heaven," but mostly because it will always remind me of my best friends from college, no matter how old or grey or far away from ourselves we get.
In my mind, rock as we know it today -- and have known it for the past 40 years -- stemmed entirely from three bands: The Beatles, The Stones (sorry Bob), and The Who. Yes, the stuff that happened before it was important, but rock came into its own with these three bands. The Kinks were pretty awesome, but I don't think we'd have what we have today without The Who.
Were I forced to add a fourth defining figure of rock to my list, Bob Dylan would be a strong contender. Since three is the magic number, though, I'm ignoring Dylan and going with The Man In Black for this one.
My first reaction upon hearing about Kurt Cobain's death was "Oh, no... now I'm going to be stuck hearing this moron and his sucktastic band for the rest of my life." At least Pearl Jam recorded one great album. That's one more than Nirvana ever made.
Personally, I think 38 Special contributed far more than either of them. Molly Hatchet, too.
They're both pretty terrible, but Dee Snider seems to be a pretty charismatic guy with a decent sense of integrity. That's the only reason Twisted Sister gets my vote.
I believe that Eminem is one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. I've grown to like a few 50 Cent songs, but his lyrics are trite and his delivery is awful.
I'd have to pick The Supremes. The Miracles just never grabbed me. Now, if you said The Supremes or The Temptations, that'd be a tough one. Actually, no it wouldn't. I think The Temptations may be my absolute favorite band (note my clever use of the word "band", thus excluding Marvin Gaye from this contest) from Motown. Their diversity was unparalleled, as I've learned recently by listening to Psychedelic Shack.
I always thought Sonic Youth was too brilliant for their own good. I like Bob Mould a lot, so Husker Du gets my vote just because he was in the band, even though I don't know their music well.
The Germs, if only because any band with a guy named Pat Smear is okay in my book.
Bob... WTF? You're making me choose between two self-piteous British bands? Why couldn't you do The Cure and Roy, or The Smiths and Rum Diary? I think I'd have to choose The Cure, because Disintegration is one of the greatest rock records ever. The Smiths never did anything that comes even close. Morrissey, however, just might be my favorite lyricist in all of rock. Like Eminem, he twists words and sentences around in ways that are constantly surprising and exciting. You need look no farther than his recent singles for proof: "Irish blood, English heart, I am made of; There is no one on Earth I'm afraid of." It's clever, articulate, intelligent, and politically aware. Ending sentences with prepositions has never felt so good!
The Who vs The Kinks: The Who. I too really like the Kinks, but Bob is accurate in that The Kinks are more of a singles band versus rock album band like The Who; The Kinks are fun, free-spirited, ballsy music, whereas The Who is thunder personified and extensified...I doubt that's a word, but who cares?
Johnny Cash vs Bob Dylan: Tough one. Bob Dylan because he's the greatest poet and lyricist of all-time, in my opinion, the genuine voice of his generation. I saw some movie he was in where John Goodman and other stars created a movie using nothing but Dylan's lyrics as the dialogue. With Dylan himself playing a part, it was really impressive.
Nirvana vs Pearl Jam: Interesting argument, Bob. Nirvana only did one great album in my opinion, but it was devastating when it was released; I was driving home from a mountain climb with a college friend when Nirvana first hit the radio and our jaws hit the floor; it was the first time punk actually made it to the radio. Pearl Jam has good moments and flighty moments, but nothing as earth-shattering as "Nevermind."
Allman Brothers vs Lynyrd Skynyrd: I'll take Allman Brothers with only one comment: fuck Skynard! The next time I hear "because I'm a man, I've got my pride, don't need no woman to..." etc. I'll break my finger jamming the off button....suffice it to say, Skynard songs programmed automatically on the Pizza Hut jukebox made for a very hostile crew.
Ratt vs Twisted Sister: Twisted Sister. I love them both as pop metal bands. They both were soundtracks to my teenage years, so it's difficult to separate them. On the other hand, I've interviewed Dee Snider twice and Ratt none, so Twisted gets my vote!
Eminem vs 50 Cent: Eminem. And as I said before, 50 Cent ain't worth a dime!
The Supremes vs The Miracles: Fuck, that's rude. Since the majority of all Motown hits were written primarily by Smokey Robinson, I suppose The Miracles would win by default. Yet, I'm so very fond of Diana Ross' voice in The Supremes era. I briefly fell in love with her as a kid. Too bad Gene Simmons beat me to her! I'm going with The Supremes.
Husker Du vs Sonic Youth: Husker Du. Sonic Youth is all about abstract tonal bludgeoning, but I was there with Bob at Lollapalooza with my mouth hanging agape during Sonic Youth's set, one of the best I've ever seen. I know, Thurston Moore gets more limelight than Bob Mould, but I'd got with Husker Du, even if S.Y.'s "Goo," "Dirty" and "Daydream Nation" are really a damn good albums. The early shit is exactly that...shit.
X vs the Germs: X. For exactly the reasons Bob stated. X is still considered pioneers, where only those who lived the scene and a few curious youngsters doing their homework know about The Germs.
The Cure vs The Smiths: The Cure. This one's unfair as I love both bands, but The Cure has a more far-reaching influence on modern rock than The Smiths. Morrissey's a far better singer than Robert Smith, and The Smiths' lyrics were far more brilliant and sarcastic, but The Cure was all about "feel," whether that meant it was mostly depressing or not. Disintegration was revolutionary, but so was Boys Don't Cry, Seventeen Seconds, Head On the Door, Pornography, Japanese Whispers and, to a lesser degree Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me...too bad Wild Mood Swings is so grossly underrated...it embodies the title, songs of varying emotions; it was brilliant.
The Who- The Kinks were more a fun band, but the Who were a truly great rock band for the most part.
Johnny Cash- Better voice, easier to listen to.
Pearl Jam- Only because my annoying college roommate once woke me up by singing a Nirvana song at the top of his lungs at 6:00 in the morning.
Allman Brothers- I like some Skynard songs, but I always felt they were like a commercial southern rock band and the Allman brothers were much more the real deal.
Twisted Sister- They wrote most of their own material for whatever that's worth. Ratt had a lot of outside help on all of their albums. Plus you have to like Dee Snider.
I guess the Miracles over the Supremes.
As for the rest- Either I don't know or don't care. I can't believe the only metal related match-up here is Ratt vs. Twisted Sister.
Since I missed your last round, I will answer this one.
1. The Who
2. Johnny Cash - How could you go wrong with the man in black? His stories are great fun to listen to.
3. Pearl Jam - They make me think of a time when all things were changing (in my personal life) and I still love to sing along with "Ten."
4. Lynard Skynard - Up until a few years ago, I really did not like either band, but I have grown to like Skynard a bit.
5. Battle of the cheesey 80's bands. I guess I have to go with Twisted Sister.
6. Eminem - without him there would be no 50 Cent.
7. Oooooh, hard one. I am going to say the Supremes. They are fun to sing with (not that I do it well).
8. Sonic Youth - only because I have seen them and know them a bit more.
9. Don't know enough to comment. Sorry!!!
10. Dislike them both.
Who VS Kinks: Kinks are great but the Who are fantastic.
Cash VS Dylan: Both great, but i listen to Dylan more so him.
Supremes VS Miracles: Miracles, but i like them both.
Eminem VS 50 Cent: 50 cent is the worst rapper ever (alright, after Vannila Ice)while Eminem is top 10.
Smiths VS Cure: Beat bands of the 80's. I vote Smiths beacose i listen to them more.
I love Allman Brothers but comon! SKYNYRD (NOT "skynard") did Freebird
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