Soliciting lists: Top 20 GREBE (Greatest Rock-Era Bands Ever)

Submitted by babbitt on Thu, 08/31/2006 - 7:13pm.

I've been soliciting lists of people's Top 20 Greatest Rock-Era Bands Ever (GREBE) (not the avian "grebe") (not necessarily "rock" bands, because then i'd have to define "rock") over at my sisyphus and the cuckoo clock speech and throwing everything into a spreadsheet to come up with an amalgamated list of the Top Whatever Number Greatest Rock-Era Bands Ever list.

My OCD would be vastly gratified if a few people from the Leppotone … "community"? … would submit a list, especially since The Sinatras almost made it onto my personal Top 20. There are very few rules:

* Each entry must be a band. That is, it must have two or more members, or at least be one person playing multiple instruments under the assumed name and identity of a band. No solo acts, unless it is a solo act with a particular backing band from a group of albums or range of years.

* The bulk of the band's music must have been recorded and/or performed after the end of 1954. It can be any genre. Techno, hip-hop, experimental, pop, jazz, blues, country, folk, whatever. It can even be a string quartet, as long as it recorded during the rock era. I'm assuming the "rock era" continues through the present, even though some would say we've been "post-rock" at least since the late 1990s.

* It makes some sense to me to consider the band's body of work (for example, I considered including Def Lepard; but although Pyromania rocks, everything after that sucks) and to maybe give more weight to bands that have been or were around longer, but that's up to you.

* Fictional bands are allowed. If you really loved that Billy and the Boingers single, feel free to include the band.
* Criteria are flexible and entirely subjective. You may consider musicality, technical playing ability, effect/affect, songwriting, entertainment value, influence, general ass-kickingness, or anything else that moves you. You may consider bands as ensembles working together, as soloists working off or against or in front of each other, or as the executors of the vision of a single leader.

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	#1Submitted by Criswell on Thu, 08/31/2006 - 7:38pm. I don't follow by no man's I don’t follow by no man’s rules. Bo Diddley Ramones Stooges/early Iggy Monks Muddy Waters …and here I draw a blank, remembering that I’m sick of lists. Culture ain’t a list, especially if it’s supposed to ROCK! reply quote


	#2Submitted by Kapn on Thu, 08/31/2006 - 11:31pm. Sock It To Me JB This week on "the OCD": Beatles Who James Brown and his Band Beach Boys Elvis Costello and the Attractions Minutemen Link Wray and his Wray Men Kinks Bill Haley's Comets Booker T. and the MG's Sonics Clash XTC Buzzcocks Rolling Stones Upsetters (U.S.) Jam Posies Cheap Trick Sleestacks reply quote


	#3Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 10:17am. just 20!!!!!! I could do just 20!!!!!! I could do 200 easily let me get back to yall on this one reply quote


	#4Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 10:29am. in no order but here goesThe in no order but here goes The Beach Boys The Yardbirds The Dave Clark Five The Rascals Booker T. & The MG's The Ramones The Funk Brothers Sly & The Family Stone The Monks Paul Revere & The Raiders The Lyres The Oblivians The Gorries The Kinks The Animals Funkadelic(not Parliment) Question Mark & The Mysterians Big Star The Lyres The Clash reply quote


	#5Submitted by QuantumNoise on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 11:17am. My 20 No order: Royal Trux Faust Velvet Underground Jefferson Airplane Albery Ayler Monoshock Linval Thompson Waylon Jennings Fairport Convention John Coltrane Gene Clark Twister Greatful Dead Fred Neil Julius Hemphill Miles Davis James Brown Dead C Temple of Bon Matin Bob Dylan reply quote


	#6Submitted by babbitt on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 11:30am. Lyre Lyre How come The Lyres are in your list 2ce, Mickey? You like them that much? reply quote


	#7Submitted by Criswell on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 12:01pm. My ADHD Wars With My OCD There’s always that feeling with these lists that the acts must be IMPORTANT to the WHOLE WORLD, or mainly to Western popular culture. Well screw that. It’s all about me, and the music I think the whole world should listen to. Bands that I’ve been obsessed with as part of the development of my musical tastes, starting with the early years: Spike Jones, The American Grafitti soundtrack, The Police, DEVO, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Ramones, Clash, Violent Femms, Dick Dale, Bo Diddley, Meat Puppets, Camper Van Beethoven, Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper, Talking Heads, Minutemen, Pogues, (things are getting jumbled up, boundaries breaking down, heavy WIDR listening), Negaitvland, John Zorn’s Naked City, Sun Ra, (confused jumble of sounds catching my ears), Esquivel, Man… Or Astro Man?, Kildozer, Jon Spencer, Oblivians, Quintron, (meet soul-mate, her music mingles with mine), Flossie and the Unicorns, Guitar Wolf, The Fall… And of course I have that list that I completely forgot about, or don’t mention, but I listened to it, don’t listen to it anymore: Rush, Pink Floyd, Oingo Boingo, B52’s… reply quote


	#8Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 12:13pm. that was probably a typo that was probably a typo Babbit reply quote


	#9Submitted by Herb Tarlick on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 12:32pm. David Bowie (w/Carlos Alomar David Bowie (w/Carlos Alomar et.al.) Brian Eno (w/Phil Collins, Robert Fripp et. al.) Neil Young (w/Crazy Horse) Fela Kuti The Who Roxy Music Sonic Youth Velvet Underground Mission of Burma Can Frank Zappa and/or Captain Beefheart The Fall Meat Beat Manifesto Public Enemy PJ Harvey Yo La Tengo Joy Division Wire Talking Heads The Jam reply quote


	#10Submitted by Tree on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 12:54pm. Today's top 20, no order, Today's top 20, no order, yadda yadda… The Who The Beatles Stevie Wonder (1971-1982, played enough of the instruments to count as a band) U2 The Velvet Undergound Bruce Spingsteen and the E Street Band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Talking Heads The Kinks The Rolling Stones Creedence Clearwater Revival Cheap Trick Husker Du REM Neil Young and Crazy Horse The Replacements Elvis Costello and the Attractions Simon and Garfunkle Led Zeppelin Television reply quote


	#11Submitted by Criswell on Fri, 09/01/2006 - 1:20pm. Oh, yeah: Much of Frank Oh, yeah: Much of Frank Zappa, Capt. Beefheart, early Brian Eno, lately early Roxy Music with Eno… And of course, Dick Hyman. reply quote


	#12Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Sat, 09/02/2006 - 9:07am. I did my list but I have to I did my list but I have to add two other bands Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels War reply quote


	#13Submitted by Ulysses S. Eater on Sun, 09/03/2006 - 12:41pm. I try, but my OCD demands I try, but my OCD demands that my list be in alphanumerical order like my comix: The AC/DC The Black Sabbath The Boys The Creedence The De La Soul The Dead Boys The DEVO The Dictators The Heartbreakers (LAMF not LAMFTomPetty) The Hubble Bubble The Husker Du The Kraftwerk The Monks The Oblivians The Pixies The Queen The Ramones The Stooges The Who The Wire reply quote


	#14Submitted by Ulysses S. Eater on Sun, 09/03/2006 - 1:02pm. Most honourable mention Most honourable mention should include these peoples because they not so much bands but make me happier than anything else, ever: The Bo Diddley The Chuck Berry The Little Richard (Esquerita jr?) and somehow I forgot these: The Animals The Blue Cheer The Consumers The Guns n Roses (just for Appetite) The Kids The Kinks The Kiss The MC5 The Motorhead The Music Machine The Rose Tattoo The Seeds The Sex Pistols The Sonics oooh, hadda put on Pyromania and it's over prodouching my mind, jesus, thank you cousin todd for copying your tape for me when I was 10. Drums should ALWAYS go backwards in the studio. reply quote


	#15Submitted by cinnamon girl on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 10:44am. can girls play too? Beatles Sly & The Family Stone Talking Heads Replacements Clash REM Neil Young (and Crazy Horse) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Crowded House Sinatras Sugar AC/DC Queen Smiths Pretenders Parliament/Funkadelic Pearl Jam (yeah, I don't care, I said it) XTC Byrds Foo Fighters Honorable mention Fat Albert and The Junkyard Band They Might Be Giants reply quote


	#16Submitted by redstarwraith on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 1:01am. Oh yeah! Rock ON people! Pablo Cruise The Hudson Brothers The Bay City Rollers Kenny G Loggins and Messina England Dan & John Ford Coley The Osmonds The Partridge Family Pat Boone Starland Vocal Band The Captain & Tenille Toto America Bread Air Supply Helen Reddy Olivia Newton John Firefall Gerry Rafferty Al Stewart Okay, jokes like this are dangerous. All my (male) plumbing just fell off reply quote


	#17Submitted by paddle on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 8:42am. in no particular in no particular odor raincoats pussy gallore big black clizzash bill bragggggg stizooges mmmseefiveanddime pauliament fuckadelics…..mickey weird kizz tinderstix velvet underwearground roxy roxy roxy music sylvester….perhaps booowie(said in george clinton voice) slayer depeche mode smifs television stretchheads capn beeffart rolling stones jeff mills sinatras big bootay and the holy roller skaters be e a s t i e boys de la soul boogie down productions eric b and rakim buddy holly rick dees….seriously…. kraftwerk husker dooky the dicks minority threat misfits can snorkel reply quote


	#18Submitted by redstarwraith on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 9:07am. My bad. Dang, sorry. Just reread the rules. Gotta come up with 5 bands to replace the 5 solo artists I put down: Gerry Rafferty, Al Stewart, Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton John, and Kenny G. Okay then, how about: The Bellamy Brothers The New Seekers The Sandpipers Poco Peaches and Herb reply quote


	#19Submitted by timh on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 10:18am. Jimi HendrixStonesBlack Jimi Hendrix Stones Black Sabbath MC5 Stooges Velvet Undeground Stereolab Gamelans from Bali Lost Sounds Birthday Party Konono No 1 Sonic Youth Lungfish The Jesus Lizard Sun Ra Alice Coltrane Melvins Public Image Ltd Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Boards of Canada reply quote


	#20Submitted by Criswell on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 11:48am. I forgot. I was really into I forgot. I was really into XTC around the age of 18 - 20. I then got sick of them. Then I just saw this, and had to post it here. Sorry for forcing my YouTube down everyone’s eye-holes. reply quote


	#21Submitted by Mr. Jass on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 5:09pm. StonesBeatlesWho Stones Beatles Who Kinks Mothers Richard and Linda Thompson Pavement GBV Sloan Byrds Zopplin Neil et Crazy Horse Elvis con Attractions Mott los Hoople Rod Torfelsonn's Armada featuring Herman Andrechuk David Murray Octet Gourds reply quote


	#22Submitted by dingey on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 7:32pm. huge! Armada roolz! How I wish i had an umlaut! reply quote


	#23Submitted by dingey on Mon, 09/04/2006 - 7:49pm. stpid conduuter I’ at home on the elderly iMac and hence can’t muuster enouugh formatting power to create a “list”. I’ll think about it, though. Magical iMac fax pas fox pause, today’s version: can’t format. freezes mid-sentence every 15 mminutes or so. Suddenly two letter keys (“M” and “U”) are extremely temperamental and frequently either don’t register when I hit them or else freak out and respond multiple times to a single finger blow. I still like XTC, even though they can be precious. blahlbahblah. for soe reason i can’;t think of a list of bands so mmuch as i am thinking of groups/performers whose overall careeer I;m not sure about but who have an album or two that makes me totally totally crazy, such as James Blood Ulmers “Are You Glad To Be In America?” (featuring David Murray—hi again, Huge!) Or Fred :Lane and Bolophonic’s “From The One Who Cut You”. reply quote


	#24Submitted by redstarwraith on Tue, 09/05/2006 - 12:08am. Thanks a million! Wow! I'd never seen that video before, despite being a huge XTC fan. Actually got to see them open for the Police on their Zenyatta Mondatta tour in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom back in, like, 1980 or so. Had to chuckle at the sanitized lyrics. The record version says, "…and which sex position pleases best her old man" (not "proposition"); and ,"Saturday night saw him wretching over our fence" not "stretching over our fence." reply quote


	#25Submitted by Mr. Jass on Tue, 09/05/2006 - 7:43am. also I should add Wilco to my list. To echo Cande… yeah, I said it. F all yu'all. World Saxamaphone Quartet, tambien. reply quote


	#26Submitted by QuantumNoise on Tue, 09/05/2006 - 1:31pm. New list because I fucked up by adding solo artists Royal Trux Faust Velvet Underground Jefferson Airplane New York Eye and Ear Control (ensemble featuring Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell, etc.) Monoshock The Byrds Sun-Ra and all his myriad Arkestras Fairport Convention John Coltrane's last ensemble (featuring Rashid Ali, Alice, etc.) Twister Greatful Dead Neil Young & Crazy Horse On the Corner-era Miles Davis group James Brown and the JBs Dead C Trad Gras Och Steinar Temple of Bon Matin Bob Dylan and the Hawks (aka the Band) The Allman Brothers Band reply quote


	#27Submitted by babbitt on Tue, 09/05/2006 - 2:05pm. a note on solos Yeah, actually, I figured out an alternative accounting of things to accomodate the solos. For some folks—like Sun-Ra—I just added in the band I knew they were associated with. Other solos get no points on the main list, but are then counted for a second list, on which a couple of other things are counted differently also to accomodate misunderstandings and confusions of the rules. So, it's all good. reply quote

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