Sunday, March 28, 2010

Lists - Bands

Kinda struggling with the concepts lately. So I am going to go VH1 on you guys and start doing lists. I need some help though. If you read this, either A. post your corresponding list and/or B. suggest a new list. Easy enough right? Ok, so lets get started.
My 5 favorite rock bands. NO, I didn't say the best, I said my favorite. In no real order.

Blue October http://blueoctoberfan.com/splash/index.php Started my journey with these guys at age 19, when they were playing to packed houses of 50 or so at Cafe on the Square in San Marcos. Their latest video? Clips from their worldwide tour and their last two albums have gone platinum. Amazingly heartfelt lyrics. Smart, witty, somber, disturbing; their albums run the full gamut. Musically amazing, rock with a fiddle--enough said. Didn't quite get in on the ground floor, but lets call it the 1st floor.Drawback? Can't listen to them with kids in the car, Justin speaks with colorful meatphors. Favorite track - Wow. Ummmm. Be easier to list the 5 or so I don't like. Try anything you can get your hands on if you can.

Counting Crows http://www.countingcrows.com/ Been a fan of these guys since Mr. Jones. Again, great lyrics. Very poetic. Solid musically as well. Drawback? Adam's voice can tend to the whiny side at times and I find it tough to do too many songs back to back. Favorite track - Round Here, Mrs. Potter's Lullaby, Omaha, Rain King, Anna Begins

Matchbox 20 http://www.matchboxtwenty.com/ Heard these guys in Austin, Freshman year of college at La Zona Rosa, right before the hits started coming. Super catchy, great rock voice on Rob, lyrics that makes sense and tell a story. Drawback? Rob Thomas was always better than the band ,and you knew at some point he was going to move on. Favorite track(s) - Entire first song from first note to last, Rest Stop, Bright Lights, Bed of Lies

Aerosmith http://www.aerosmith.com/ One of the top rock bands in history, I have a more personal reason for liking them; they are one of the first bands my Dad and I agreed on. One of the first presents I gave my him once I was on my own money-wise, were concert tickets for he and I. Was the first of 5 times. Drawback? Sort of one-dimensional. Can be good or bad, but you definitely know what you're gonna get. favorite track(s) - Janie's Got a Gun, Dream On, Amazing, Don't Wanna Miss a Thing

Journey http://www.journeymusic.com/ Okay, give me crap, I don't care. They are all about the rock balland, but I'll be danged if I have a problem with that. Been listening to them as long as I can remember and defending them to most of my generation for just as long. Steve Perry had some of the best pipes, period. They struggled with Augeri, but this new guy is amazing. Drawback? Again, kind of one-dimensional. Favorite track(s) - Lovin, Touchin', Squeezin', Don't Stop Believing, Open Arms, Anyway You Want It

Honorable mention:

DMB http://www.davematthewsband.com/ Some of the best music around. Drawback? Dave's voice at times, live show songs last 15 min each so each band member can have a solo. Favortie tracks - Warehouse (Live), Two Step, All Along the Watchtower (live)

Metallica http://www.metallica.com/ About as hard and fast and good as hard rock can be in my opinion. Drawback? Headaches from headbanging Favorite tracks - One, Sad but True, Enter Sandman, Seek and Destroy, Wherever I May Roam

Okay. So there is my first one. No idea at all how many I will do, I guess some of that depends on you. Enjoy!

1 comment:

mbutler said...

Great post, Son. I don't know about mine actual top 5, but, I'll give a few that are definately in the running!

Led Zepplin - An icon of hard rock and possibly the beingings of heavy metal.

Aerosmith - One dimensional at times, but man..what a show, and you get what you paid for...and them some.

Jimmy Hendrix - Enough said

Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble - Who cares what the French thought of him initially at Montreux...he showed them!

ZZ Top - I know, not a great band, but you just can't help but love their tunes...and they've been around long enough to grow those beards!

Journey & Air Supply - OK, I know, Journey is a band and Air Supply was just a singing duo, but if it weren't for them, there'd be a lot less baby making back in the day! Power ballads to the extreme.

Queen - Regardless of what anyone thought of Freddie, this band could rock you!

Now, just for fun...Kiss! OK, again, not a great band but they put on one heck of a show in their day.

I don't know enough rock bands of today to really judge them, but I will say that the list above could easily have indluded: Chicago, Jefferson Airplane (before they became the Starship), the Who back in the day, but not at the Superbowl, and the Beatles. They pretty much did start a lot of it, didn't they?