Leo the Listmaker's Pop Culture Palace

2011-07-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #62 T. Rex

Starting out as Tyrannosaurus Rex in 1967 London, Marc Bolan and Steve Peregrin Took played an odd psychedelic folk. It wasn’t very successful. In 1970, Took left the band and the name was shortened to T. Rex. Bolan recruited percussionist Mickey Finn, bassist Steve Currie, and drummer Bill Legend and developed a new sound called Glam Rock. Many date the very beginning of glam rock to Marc Bolan’s March 1971 appearance on Top of the Pops playing Hot Love. The new sound took off and created T. Rextasy across Britain. They considered it the new Beatlemania. In September of ’71, Electric Warrior, one of the great 70s albums, was released and cemented the band’s place in the rock pantheon. Tragically, Marc Bolan was killed in a car crash in 1977 two weeks from his 30th birthday.

His first big hit with the new sound.

The T. Rex performance of this song on Top of the Pops in 1971 is considered by many to be the birth of Glam Rock.

One of my favorites. Girl, I'm just a Jeepster for your love.

Here's his one big hit in the US that everyone knows. Hey look, there's Elton John at the piano.

Is it strange to dance so soon?

Oh yes you are.

Life's a gas, I hope it's gonna last.

You won't fool the children of the revolution.

Metal Guru, is it you? yeah yeah yeah!

Telegram Sam! He's my main man!

and we conclude our look at T. Rex with 20th Century Boy. Great guitar riff here!

2011-07-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #63 Sly & the Family Stone

What would funk have been without Sly Stone? Sly and the Family Stone came together in San Francisco in 1966 and meshed together rock, soul, and psychedelia to create a very original new funk music. Their songs extolling the virtues of peace and love, celebrating everyday people, taking us higher where everybody is a star, telling us to stand and sing a simple song, coming from this integrated band of male and female, white and black musicians making beautiful harmony together was an inspiration for their era. The members of the actual Stone family were Sly Stone on organ, Freddie Stone on guitar, and Rose Stone on keys. The other members were drummer Gregg Errico, sax-man Jerry Martini, trumpeter Cynthia Robinson, and the phenomenal bass player Larry Graham. They had a great string of hits through the late sixties and got even funkier as they traveled through the seventies. Unfortunately, Sly’s drug problems caught up with him and led to the dissolution of the band by 1975. Their influence remains and can still be heard in popular music today.

Whoever put this video together did a great job.

Great guitar and horn work on this one.

Are y'all having hot fun in the summertime yet?

Don't you know that you are free
Well at least in your mind if you want to be

Sly & the Family Stone's legendary performance of I Want to Take You Higher at Woodstock. If I had access to a time machine and I was told that I could visit any time in all of world history, you better believe the first thing I would do would be going to Woodstock.

People talk about Sly and Larry Graham a lot, but this video really shows how awesome Cynthia Robinson and Rose Stone were. Those two make this song. Cynthia can blow the hell out of that trumpet.

Here's the big hit that everyone knows. They even made a little video for it back in those pre-MTV days. I can't figure out why Sly keeps punching that big dude in the stomach though.

All Together Now!

Sly performs his best song Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) on Soul Train! Check out Larry slapping that bass. This band was tight and this song is some of the best funk ever recorded. Oh yeah!

Very pretty song and sentiment.

I love you for who you are, not the one you feel you need to be.

and we conclude our look at Sly & the Family Stone with the pure funk pleasure of Family Affair.

2011-07-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #64 Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

In the days before rock and roll was born, the biggest musical genre in America was swing. The big bands had people dancing all over the country in the 30s and 40s. In the early 30s, Bob Wills and Milton Brown created something a little different with a band called the Light Crust Doughboys. The fusion of jazz with country music became what was called Western Swing. In 1933, Bob left the Doughboys and formed the Texas Playboys in Waco. They became the dominant practitioners of the genre and had multiple hits over the next three decades. Bob Wills played the fiddle and led the band calling out the players by name and interjecting those wonderful falsetto proclamations. Ah-ha! Tommy Duncan was a fantastic singer. Leon McAuliffe was one of the finest steel guitar players of all time. Al Stricklin played hot piano. Bob made sure to keep his band filled with the best players of the day. There is very little that makes me happier than listening to the great sounds that these fellas produced. Like Waylon Jennings said, “Bob Wills is still the king.” Ah-ha Yess!!!

The Steel Guitar Rag from way back in 1936. Leon McAuliffe played the hell out of that steel guitar.

Chicken in the bread pan, peckin' out dough.
Granny, will your dog bite? No, child, no.

Ida Red, Ida Red
I'm a plumb fool 'bout Ida Red.

A lot of folks have recorded this song over the years, but nobody did it better.

Fantastic live performance of one of Bob's biggest hits.

Moon in all your splendor, know only my heart.
Call back my Rose, Rose of San Antone.
Lips so sweet and tender like petals falling apart.
Speak once again of my love, my own.

Bob, Tommy, and the boys were featured in a great many Westerns back in the 30s and 40s. Love this song.

Take Me Back to Tulsa. Is it just me or does that singer look like Corey from Pawn Stars?

This is a good one.

Here's those boys again. Ah-Haa!

This song strikes me as being quite relevant to the youth of today.

My favorite Bob Wills song.

Stay all night, Stay a little longer.
Dance all night, Dance a little longer
Pull off your coat, throw it in the corner
I don't see why you don't stay a little longer.

and we conclude our look at Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys with the beautiful love song Faded Love.

2011-07-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #65 Buddy Holly & the Crickets

Buddy Holly, in less than two years time, wrote and recorded some of rock’s most influential songs, set the standard for what a rock and roll band would become, and left a legacy that would influence important rock artists from Dylan to the Beatles to the Stones to Springsteen. He did all this before his tragic death in a plane crash when he was only 22 years old. Buddy and the Crickets; guitarist Niki Sullivan, bassist Joe B. Mauldin, and drummer Jerry Allison released their first single in 1957 and quickly took the world by storm. One wonders what directions rock would have gone had he lived to continue to influence it. His loss is arguably the greatest in all of musical history.

Buddy's first big hit.

Words of Love. The Beatles did a great cover of this one.

The classic. Peggy Sue. Easily one of the top five songs of the whole 1950s.

Here he is playing Oh Boy on the Ed Sullivan show. Get a load of that growly way he's singing. Awesome.

Buddy Holly - Oh Boy by jolber

Maybe Baby, I'll have you
Maybe Baby, you'll be true
Maybe Baby, I'll have you for me.

Rave on, it's a crazy feeling
I know you've got me reelin'
When you say I love you-oo
Rave on

A classic example of the Bo Diddley beat. This song was famously covered by The Stones and the Dead among many others. I prefer Buddy's original. I'm gonna tell you how it's gonna be. bop bop bop bop.

This is absolutely one of the prettiest things that has ever been recorded. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside

Well All Right was covered by Blind Faith, but again, I prefer the original.

and we conclude our look at Buddy Holly & the Crickets with this lovely cover of Mickey & Sylvia's classic "Love is Strange".

2011-07-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #66 ZZ Top

Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard are that little ol’ band from Texas called ZZ Top. Coming together in Houston back in 1969, these three guys have been playing together for over 40 years and are still touring and recording today. They are instantly recognizable whether you are talking about their look or their sound. The bearded power trio’s devotion to that Southern blues-boogie sound has led them to eight Top 40 hits and a 2004 induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I know only two of the three wear beards, but the third one is named Beard so I’ll call them a bearded trio. They have sold more than 50 million albums across the globe over the years and they ain’t done yet.

Their first big hit. Love this song.

Fantastic live performance. Just lookin for some tush.

What really knocked me out were her cheap sunglasses.

Boogie Woogie all night long

Now we get to the famous videos from Eliminator. I was 12 years old when this album came out and I loved these videos, I loved that car, and I was quite fond of those girls as well. :-)

This was my favorite song on the album. I don't think they made a video for it though.

I'm so glad I grew up in the 80s. Our music was so much better than the crap today's kids listen to.

This may have been their biggest hit. An iconic video of the 80s. Makes me all nostalgic.

I must admit that I didn't care for the heavily synthesized sound that ZZ Top cultivated in the mid to late 80s. So, I was thrilled when 1990 brought this song that hearkened back to their early 70s sound. We'll conclude our look at the little ol band from Texas with it.

2011-07-18T19:38:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #67 Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble

There have been many great guitarists through the history of rock. The pre-eminence of Jimi Hendrix as the greatest of them all has been the prevalent position since his explosive rise. In the ensuing 40+ years, many others have risen to greatness, but only one man has reached the same stratosphere of excellence. The tragedy is that, like Hendrix, his light was extinguished far too early. That man was Stevie Ray Vaughan, the second greatest guitarist who ever lived. With his band Double Trouble; bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton, he recorded four albums from 1983 to 1989 that redefined what blues was for an entirely new generation. The magic that flowed through his fingers and his obvious passion for those sounds was incredibly inspirational. Losing him when we did, just when his star was rising, remains one of the most devastating tragedies to befall the world of music.

Stevie Ray's first video was so badass.

Fantastic live performance of one of my favorite Stevie Ray tracks. She's my sweet little thing, she's my pride and joy. She's my sweet little baby, I'm her little lover boy.

Well, it's flooding down in Texas. One of the finest blues songs of the last fifty years. I am in awe of Stevie Ray's skills.

Loved this video for Couldn't Stand the Weather. I can't understand why these songs weren't really big 80s hits.

Cold Shot. This is such a great video. Poor Stevie Ray just gets the hell knocked out of him in this one.

get away from the blind side of life
honey I want you to be by my side
me and my back door moves ain't no more
no more

Here is Stevie Ray's popular cover of Stevie Wonder's Superstition.

One of his best guitar tracks. I can watch his fingers fly across that fretboard all day. Stevie Ray was the man.

Walkin' the tightrope. Another virtuosic performance.

Stevie Ray was the only guy who could cover Hendrix and do him justice.

and we conclude our look at Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble with a beautiful song called Life by the Drop.

2011-07-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #68 The Grateful Dead

From a humble beginning playing a pizza parlor in Menlo Park they went on to become one of the most successful touring bands of all time. These guys ultimately set the model for what a jam band is. The band was made up of drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, bassist Phil Lesh, and singer/guitarists Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia. There were several keyboardists over the years including Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, Keith Godchaux, and Brent Mydland. The songs were classic, but they were never played quite the same due to the improvisational nature of the band. Going to a Dead show you were never quite sure what you might hear and neither were the members of the band. It was a fresh experience every time and it inspired some of the most devoted fans that any band has ever had.

Great track from their first album.

Here they are playing St. Stephen on Hugh Hefner's old Playboy After Dark show.

Nice live version of Uncle John's Band.

Don't murder me.

Always loved this one. Drivin' that train.

Time to let Phil sing!

Look out of any window.

One of the all-time great story songs. Lyrical perfection.

Got two reasons why I cry
away each lonely night
First one's named sweet Anne Marie
and she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby
the sheriff's on my trail
If he catches up with me
I'll spend my life in jail

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

She's got everything delightful
She's got everything I need
Takes the wheel when I'm seeing double
Pays my ticket when I speed

What a long, strange trip it's been.

Great live performance of Playing in the Band.

and we conclude our look at the Grateful Dead with their big 80s hit Touch of Grey.

2011-07-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #69 Roky Erickson & the Aliens

Founder of the seminal Austin-based psychedelic band The 13^th Floor Elevators, Roky Erickson had a nice hit and gained some fame with “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, but in 1969 he was arrested for the possession of a single joint and was threatened with a ten year prison sentence. Erickson plead insanity, and he actually was a diagnosed schizophrenic. He spent the next three years in Texas state hospitals enduring electro-shock therapy. In 1974, two years after being released, he formed Bleib Alien, the band that would become Roky Erickson & the Aliens. He then began to write and record some of the most haunting and beautiful music I’ve ever heard. Tales of zombies and ghosts, alligators and two headed dogs; he had tapped into some strange place and it was brilliant.

The Red Temple Prayer. I'd been workin' in the Kremlin with a two headed dog.

I walked with a zombie last night.

Someone made a great video for Roky's Night of the Vampire.

It's a cold night for alligators.
A perfect monster has no end.

Roky performs the classic Mine Mine Mind with ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons guesting on guitar.

If you have ghosts, then you have everything.

The beautiful and deep love song You Don't Love Me Yet.

This just rocks! Don't Slander Me, Don't Slander Me, My My!

This song is gorgeous and a real heartbreaker.

I call your name in the midnight
but you don't hear me at all
I love you so dearly and nearly
but you don't love me at all

There's nothing in this big round world that worse hurts
than paying out and receiving nothing in return.

Are you going to Bermuda?

Another one of Roky's best, here is Starry Eyes.

and we conclude our look at Roky and the Aliens with my favorite of his tracks. As a devout believer in reincarnation, this song is quite religious in nature to me. I Have Always Been Here Before, indeed.

2011-07-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #70 Steely Dan

Donald Fagen and Walter Becker first met at Bard College in 1967 and right away began playing together with one band or another. After a few years of trying to make it as songwriters, they put together a group of crack studio musicians like Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Denny Dias, Jim Hodder, and David Palmer to record their first album “Can’t Buy a Thrill”. It produced a couple of hit singles and a good deal of interest in the band and their jazz-influenced arrangements. Though there was a good deal of shuffling of the backing players through the 70s, the essence of the band remained the partnership between Fagen and Becker. Walter Becker has been one of rock’s most original guitarists creating some of the more interesting and intricate guitar solos of the 70s. Donald Fagen is a tremendous lyricist telling stories that drip with irony and he’s a hell of a good keyboard player as well. The partnership has lasted for over 40 years. They are still touring and recording to this day having sold more than 30 million albums through their career and getting inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2001.

Here's Do It Again, their first big hit.

Here's Reelin in the Years. Check out who introduces the band.

A fantastic song set to a great piece of video. Won't you show me the shine of your Japan, the sparkle of your China. Bodhisattva. Bodhisattva. Oh yeah. Walter Becker kicks ass.

You might use it if you feel better, when you get home.

Another favorite. When Black Friday comes.

They call Alabama the Crimson Tide. Call me Deacon Blues.

It's your favorite foreign movie.

One of my very favorites. Here come those Santa Ana winds again.

The Cuervo Gold. The fine Colombian. Make tonight a wonderful thing. We conclude our look at Steely Dan with this classic

2011-07-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #71 INXS

The second best Aussie band ever came out of Sydney in the late 70s and found global success in the early 80s as a part of the new wave explosion. The hit 1987 album Kick produced four top ten hits. It was September 14^th, 1988 when they played Birmingham, Alabama. Michael was wearing the famous leather jacket that he wore in the “Need You Tonight” video. He had taken it off and laid it on an amp on the side of the stage. As he continued singing his song, some dude out of the crowd jumped up onstage, grabbed the jacket, and leapt back into the crowd. I don’t know what happened to that dude but I’ll always remember that. They were definitely among my favorite bands of my high school years. Michael Hutchence was one of the all-time great frontmen. Kirk Pengilly’s sax work was also memorable. Garry Gary Beers on bass, Andrew Farriss on keys, Tim Farris on guitar, and Jon Farris on drums made up the rest of the band. Excellent players, all. I particularly enjoyed Jon’s drumming. Michael is greatly missed.

Great video from MTV's early days.

INXS - The One Thing by UniversalMusicUK

This was one of the coolest videos of the 80s. The motorcycles and the tricked-out Japanese big-rigs. Michael Hutchence with Jim Morrison level charisma. Fantastic song. Just awesome.

Tilt my hat at the sun
and the shadows they burn dark
light me and I'll burn for you
and the love song never stops

INXS - Burn For You by UniversalMusicUK

Listening to this song makes me feel fifteen again. I just have to hear that "What What What" and it is 1986 all over again.

My favorite track from the incredible Listen Like Theives album.

Falling down the mountain
end up kissing dirt
look a little closer
sometimes it wouldn't hurt

INXS - Kiss The Dirt by universalmusicdeutschland

This great video was the one that put them over the top and made them into superstars. Loved that leather jacket.

Devil Inside, Devil Inside, every single one of us, the devil inside.

and we conclude our look at INXS with Never Tear Us Apart. This is my favorite INXS song. Just a magnificent love song with a beautiful video filmed in Prague. I've always wanted to visit Prague.

2011-07-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #72 Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac is an odd case. They are a band that found success in two very different incarnations; first as a late 60s British blues band and later as a mid 70s California pop/rock group. Forming in London in 1967, singers and guitarists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer, drummer Mick Fleetwood, and bassist John McVie became one of the top blues bands in Britain, having hits with Black Magic Woman (before Santana) and Albatross. As the 70s went on, the band lost Peter Green to schizophrenia and Jeremy Spencer to a religious cult. Then in 1975, Mick, John and John’s wife Christine found themselves in Southern California looking for a new direction. They found a duo called Buckingham Nicks. The addition of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks turned Fleetwood Mac into one of the top acts of the 70s. Rumours is still one of the biggest selling albums ever released.

The original version of Black Magic Woman. Peter Green was a great guitarist.

Impressive. I particulary like Mick Fleetwood's drumming here as well as the interplay between Green and Spencer on guitar.

Great version of Rhiannon, my favorite Fleetwood Mac song. The addition of Buckingham and Nicks made the bnd hugely successful. The fact that Stevie Nicks is one of the most beautiful women ever born was probably helpful too. and she looks great in this video.

Beautiful track. One of their best.

Thunder only happens when its rainin'

Of course it wasn't all about Stevie Nicks. Here we have the wonderful Christine McVie singing You Make Loving Fun.

Ah, Tusk!

Always loved this video.

The video for Gypsy was released in 1982. I was 11 years old. It was the first time I remember laying eyes on Stevie Nicks and I developed one of my very first big time celebrity crushes.

Fleetwood Mac - Gypsy by jpdc11

and we conclude our look at Fleetwood Mac with their 1987 hit Big Love.

2011-07-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #73 The Eagles

That cool California sound that came out of our radios in the 70s was thanks to the Eagles. Probably the most popular American recording act of that decade, they started out in 1971 as the back-up band for a Linda Rondstadt album. Drummer Don Henley, bassist Randy Meisner, and guitarists Bernie Leadon and Glenn Frey popularized a mellow country-rock sound that defined an era. Guitarist Don Felder joined up after the third album On the Border, the incredible Joe Walsh replaced Bernie Leadon in 1975, and Timothy B. Schmit replaced Randy Meisner in 1977. They recorded six platinum albums before breaking up in 1980 with 10 top ten hits and 5 number ones.

I'm standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.

Already Gone. Great guitar work here.

Many fans of the BBC adaptation (both TV & radio) of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy may be unaware that the theme song "Journey of the Sorcerer" was an Eagles track. Fantastic instrumental. Sounds nothing like what you would expect from an Eagles song. For the record, I am a total Hitchhiker geek. Douglas Adams was a genius.

You can't hide your lyin' eyes.

You knew this one was coming. Fantastic guitar work from Joe Walsh and Don Felder.

Eagles - Hotel California by hushhush112

I think this is my favorite Eagles song.

Another number one hit from the Eagles.

Love those harmonies. We conclude our look at the Eagles with Seven Bridges Road.

2011-07-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #74 Eels

They could be considered a solo act, but I’m treating Eels as a group. It is all essentially the work of E aka Mark Oliver Everett. Back in 1998, I came across a copy of Electro-Shock Blues. The soul-bearing work written in the wake of his sister’s suicide and the death of his mother from cancer was filled with personal songs dealing with childhood, loss, and madness. It is an incredible work of art. Daisies of the Galaxy came out in 2000 and was a fantastic collection of pop gems. I got to see him play live at the Crocodile a few years ago and it was amazing. This guy E should be a huge star. Sometimes the world doesn’t make sense. Just check out these awesome songs.

The first Eels video.

A fine example of E's awesome lyricism and storytelling. Going over to Susan's House. She's gonna make it right.

This is the first track I'm posting from the fantastic album, Electro-Shock Blues. This is Cancer for the Cure.

3 Speed. One of the finest songs ever written from the point of view of a child. Why won't you just tell me what's going on?

This song was my introduction to the Eels and is easily one of the ten best videos of the 90s.

This song is just beautiful and deeply meaningful.

I won't be denied this time
before i go out of my mind over matters
got my foot on the ladder

and I'm climbing up to the Moon.

First one I'm posting from the Daisies of the Galaxy album. I Like Birds.

If you're small and on a search, I've got a feeder for you to perch on.

Another tremendously original song and video from Eels. This is Flyswatter.

It's a beautiful day in Seattle.

This is the jam. Oh yeah.

Words can't be that strong
My heart is reeling
This is that fresh
that fresh feeling

E has got this heavy-guitared blues shouter thing going on here. I totally have beard envy.

Oh Yeah!

In the end, isn't Saturday Morning really all about pancakes and zombies?

We just did zombies, now let's do vampires.

I'm a go all nighter. I'm a Prizefighter. And thus we conclude our look at the Eels. I hope you all enjoyed them.

2011-07-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #75 Santana

Bringing a Latin influence to the psychedelic scene by the San Francisco Bay in the late 60s, Santana was not just a showcase for the virtuosic skills of guitarist Carlos Santana. In the incarnation that recorded their first three albums, he was backed by drummer Michael Shrieve, percussionists Michael Carabello and Jose Areas, bassist David Brown, and keyboardist Gregg Rolie. Guitarist Neal Schon who would go on to fame with Journey joined up for their third album. Carlos Santana is one of the greatest guitarists in rock, capable of producing so distinctive a sound that he is recognizable from the first note. They made it all the way to the hall of fame playing a Latin/Rock hybrid that sounded unlike any band that came before.

Evil Ways at Woodstock.

Jingo

Another one from Woodstock. Soul Sacrifice. Amazing drum solo in this one.

Got a black magic woman.

Oye Como Va. Love this one.

Samba Pa Ti. Such great guitar.

Here's Hope You're Feeling Better. This should have a much bigger hit.

and we conclude our look at Santana with their great song Everything's Coming Our Way. This should have been a big hit.

2011-07-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #76 Buzzcocks

The Buzzcocks were a first wave British punk band out of Manchester that went through various line-ups, but the one constant was singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley. Their songs were a bit more melodic and poppish than most of the bands in that punk scene and they experimented with that sound to great results. From the 1977 explosion of Orgasm Addict to the often-covered classic Ever Fallen in Love to the incredible compilation album Singles Going Steady, the Buzzcocks have cemented their place in the list of punk icons.

Possibly the greatest song ever on the subject of wanking.

Another classic Buzzcocks single. I just want a lover like any other what do I get.

I don't mind.

The most famous of Buzzcocks songs. Covered by multiple artists. Ever Fallen in Love with Someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with?

Life's an illusion, Love is the dream. Everybody's Happy Nowadays. Love this song.

These promises are made for us.

and we conclude our look at the Buzzcocks with their song Why Can't I Touch It. We are now one quarter of the way through the list.

2011-06-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #77 Madness

I just can’t get over the fact that Madness is considered a one hit wonder in the United States. In the UK, they had sixteen top ten singles in the twenty years between 1979 and 1999. London’s masters of ska, they could definitely contend with the B-52s for being the world’s greatest party band. Just look at these great videos they made. They should have had multiple hits on these shores all through the early eighties. The personalities of each of the band members really came through in those videos. If you ask me, there was a wasted opportunity for a great Saturday Morning Cartoon, just like the Beatles had in the sixties and the Jackson Five in the seventies.

Hey you!
Don't watch that watch this
this is the heavy heavy monster sound
the nuttiest sound around
so if you've come in the off the street
and you're beginning to feel the heat
well listen buster you better start to move your feet
to the rockinest rock steady beat of madness
ONE STEP BEYOND!!!

My girl's mad at me.

Ska on a Night Boat to Cairo.

Oh what fun we had...

How can you show your face when you're a disgrace to the human race?

One of the all-time great love songs. This should have been a huge hit on the US charts.

Welcome to the House of Fun.

and we conclude our look at Madness with their one big hit in America, Our House.

2011-06-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #78 Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars

Drummer Mick Woodmansey, bassist Trevor Bolder, and guitarist Mick Ronson played with David Bowie from 1971 to 1973 on three classic albums; Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and Aladdin Sane. For those three albums, they were Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars. Woodmansey & Ronson also played on 1970’s The Man Who Sold the World and Ronson & Bolder played on 1973’s Pin Ups. Along with Marc Bolan’s T. Rex, David Bowie as Ziggy set the standard for the glam rock genre of the 70s. For me, this was the greatest period of Bowie’s legendary career. The songs were fantastic, Mick Ronson played fabulous guitar, and everything fell into place perfectly.

Changes

Gotta make way for the homo superior.

My favorite track from the Hunky Dory album. Is there Life on Mars?

Andy Warhol looks a scream.

Queen Bitch. Great guitar on this track. Mick Ronson was so incredible.

She's so swishy in her satin and tat
In her frock coat and bipperty-bopperty hat
Oh God, I could do better than that!

and now we get to the Ziggy album. One of the best ever.

Freak out in a Moonage Daydream, oh yeah!

Let all the children boogie.

Classic song.

Ziggy played guitar!

Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am!

and we conclude our look at Ziggy and the Spiders with Jean Genie from the Aladdin Sane album.

2011-06-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #79 Squeeze

In most lists of great songwriting teams you’ll find Lennon & McCartney, Jagger & Richards, Morrissey & Marr, or Strummer & Jones, but that list wouldn’t be complete without Chris Difford & Glenn Tilbrook. Up the Junction, Pulling Mussels (From the Shell), Tempted, and Black Coffee in Bed are just the start of all the great songs that have come from these guys. Starting in London in 1975, they found great success in England, but only had a few hits here in the States. I also have to mention the fantastic keyboardists that have played with Squeeze; founding member Jools Holland until 1980, followed by Paul Carrack who debuted with the band for their classic 1981 album East Side Story. Difford and Tilbrook are still touring. I hope they come to Seattle.

Fantastic first single. Take Me I'm Yours. Because dreams are made of this. Forever there'll be a heaven in your kiss.

Beautiful song. Great storytelling. Up the Junction.

Cool for Cats

My favorite Squeeze song. In fact, one of my favorite songs of all time by anybody.

Behind the chalet, my holiday's complete.
And I feel like William Tell, Maid Marian on her tiptoed feet.
Pulling Mussels from a shell.

Not a single or a hit, but still one of their best. I love this song.

In the corner with his book and tissue
All he can do is pretend to miss you,
Closes his eyes as he sees her body
Pulls funny faces and that's his hobby.
On the other hand love ain't a happy word
On the other hand love ain't a piece of skirt,
Makes for something special in your football shirt
In quintessence.

Probably their most well known song here in the States.

Tempted by the fruit of another
Tempted but the truth is discovered
What's been going on
Now that you have gone
There's no other

and we conclude our look at Squeeze with the classic Black Coffee in Bed. This has one of my favorite keyboard riffs.

2011-06-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #80 Eurythmics

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart met in a restaurant in London in 1975. The fusion of Stewart, a prodigiously talented producer, songwriter, and musician with Lennox, one of the most spectacular vocalists of her generation led to some of the most haunting and beautiful songs of the 80s. Their first MTV splash came with the Sweet Dreams video and Annie Lennox’s androgynous look. My favorite was always Here Comes the Rain Again. It was a great string of hits throughout the 80s.

Here's the one that made them famous. One of the most iconic videos of the 80s.

Really great video

Tied for my favorite Eurythmics song. Haunting and atmospheric. Both the video and the song are classic.

My other favorite Eurythmics track is one you may not have heard. They did the soundtrack for the film version of Orwell's 1984. This is Sex Crime and it is awesome.

Great rocker from Annie and Dave. They used to play this video constantly back in the day.

This is a beautiful song with some of Annie's most gorgeous vocals. It's all that and a Stevie Wonder harmonica solo.

run run run run

and we conclude our look at Eurythmics with Missionary Man.

2011-06-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #81 Traffic

One of the bright lights of British psychedelia; Steve Winwood, Dave Mason, Chris Wood, and Jim Capaldi were Traffic. Coming out of Birmingham in 1967, Mr. Fantasy was a landmark album for the group. Steve Winwood was a fantastic singer at the time. The band broke up and he went on to do Blind Faith, but when that ended Traffic re-formed and released another landmark with John Barleycorn. Great songs, great players.

It's just a paper sun. Their first hit was a nice bit of sitar-tinged psychedelia.

All that I knew was the hole in my shoe that was taking in water.

Ah, Dear Mr. Fantasy. Simply one of the finest pieces of psychedelia ever recorded.

This wasn't a single. If you don't have the Mr. Fantasy album, you may have never heard it. But I assure you, this is the best thing Steve Winwood ever sang. My favorite Traffic song. This is Coloured Rain.

The pure musicianship on display here is awesome. Traffic was such a great band.

Poor John Barleycorn. Folks always tryin' to kill him.

and we conclude our look at Traffic with the low spark of high-heeled boys.

2011-06-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #82 Jethro Tull

Who would have ever imagined what a great rock instrument the flute could be? Combine Ian Anderson’s mad performance and erudite lyrics with his virtuosic flautistry and throw in the powerful guitar of Martin Barre and you have Jethro Tull, one of the great progressive rock bands of the 70s. Starting in the late 60s with great songs like “New Day Yesterday”, they went on to create the 1971 classic Aqualung, one of the finest collections of songs released in the 1970s. I got to see them play live at Bumbershoot one year and they have definitely still got it.

Tull at the Fillmore in 1970. Love this song! It was a new day yesterday, but it's an old day now.

One of their first big hits.

The classic story of a dirty old man sitting on a park bench. Martin Barre gives one of the all-time great guitar riffs. Aqualung. Fantastic live performance in this video, too.

Cross Eyed Mary goes jumping in again. Man, what a great concert this must have been.

He is the God of nothing
If thats all that you can see
You are the God of everything
He's inside you and me

Magnificent performance from the Isle of Wight 1970. Ian really outdid himself here.

Martin Barre plays the hell out of this classic. Ian's flautistry is also very impressive. Love this song.

Another classic from Aqualung, here is Locomotive Breath.

Because I also love the Songs From the Wood album, we'll conclude our look at Jethro Tull with Ring Out Solstice Bells.

2011-06-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #83 Bauhaus

The godfathers of goth, Bauhaus formed in 1978 in Northampton, England. The brothers David J and Kevin Haskins formed a strong rhythm section with David J especially being one of the best bass players of his era. They had been playing since childhood with guitarist Daniel Ash. Ash is an incredibly inventive guitarist. These three later became Love and Rockets and had several hits on their own. The band was much stronger though with the addition of singer Peter Murphy. His image influenced generations of Goths. I was lucky enough to see them play live at the Paramount here in Seattle during their 1998 reunion tour.

Classic! This is the song that put Bauhaus and the whole goth genre on the map. Really excellent video here as well.

Really good performance here. Daniel Ash's guitar bursts and David J's wicked bass really come together in the flat field.

Still one of the scariest sounding songs I've ever heard.

Daniel Ash is a vastly underrated guitarist.

Here Bauhaus does a terrific cover of the T. Rex hit Telegram Sam.

Kick in the Eye. Great bass from David J on this one.

The Passion of Lovers from 1981's Mask album. This was a highlight of the live show I attended.

Cut down the puppet strings.

and we conclude our look at Bauhaus with their cover of David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust.

2011-06-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #84 Blind Faith

I know they only recorded one album, but that was a hell of a good album. They were one of the great super-groups that formed in the late 60s. Ric Grech was previously the bass player for the prog-rock group Family. Ginger Baker was the drummer for Cream and is rightly considered one of the greatest drummers in all of rock. Eric Clapton had played guitar with the Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and Cream and until the emergence of Hendrix was widely touted as the greatest guitarist in the world. Steve Winwood played keyboards and sang incredibly well, fronting the Spencer Davis Group at the tender age of fourteen and then going on to form Traffic. Their self-titled album contained fantastic songs, impressive musicianship (including what I consider some of the finest guitar work of Clapton’s career) and left you wondering what might have been had they continued to record together.

Since they only recorded the one album, I'm posting the whole thing. Except for the last song, but that was just a fifteen minute drum solo, so you won't be missing much. Winwood sings beautifully here.

But I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time
And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home.

Beautiful track. Winwood in fine voice and Clapton at his peak.

Blind Faith had a bit of a hit with this Buddy Holly cover.

Presence of the Lord. Magnificent track. My favorite song on the album. Also my favorite Eric Clapton guitar solo ever.

and we conclude our look at Blind Faith with Sea of Joy, another great vocal from Winwood.

2011-06-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #85 Abba

In the early 70s, a quartet came out of Sweden and became one of the most successful acts in the history of popular music. Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad have sold over 375 million records. They produced some of the catchiest pop tunes of the decade. Songs with such lasting appeal that they comprised the soundtrack of an incredibly popular movie musical released almost thirty years after their break up. I used to consider my love of Abba a guilty pleasure, but I don’t feel guilty anymore. Unquestionably, Abba was one of the great bands of our time. Good enough that one of their songs replaced the wedding march when my own wife walked down the aisle at our nuptials fourteen years ago.

Their first big hit.

at Waterloo, Napoleon did surrender. I like this one quite a bit.

This is the song we played at my wedding instead of the Wedding March. Just like in Muriel's Wedding. It was very cool.

The title song of the big musical. It was a very enjoyable movie. Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried were both great in it.

Can you hear the drums, Fernando? A beautiful story of romance and revolution.

One of the classics of the disco era. This is Dancing Queen.

This one was written as the marriages within the band were beginning to crumble. It was a very interesting period for them, lyrically speaking.

and we conclude our look at Abba with my favorite Abba song, Take a Chance on Me.

2011-06-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #86 The Sugarcubes

I still remember that night clearly. A Sunday night in 1988, I was sitting up late watching 120 Minutes on MTV when they showed the video for a song called Birthday by a new band that came from Iceland. This beautiful elf-like woman opened her mouth and produced a sound unlike any I had ever heard and I was hooked. To this day, I consider Birthday to be one of the greatest songs ever recorded. I went out and bought their album “Life’s Too Good” and fell in love with the Sugarcubes. Björk, the gorgeous elf, has proven to be one of the greatest female voices of all time. She has been immensely successful as a solo artist, but I still prefer the music she recorded with this band. Einar, the other singer, does take a little getting used to, but he adds just the right element of quirkiness to the combo. Here’s to the only band from Iceland on the list.

Still one of the greatest things I've ever heard.

Just because it is such a magnificently beautiful song, here is Birthday again. The original recording in Icelandic. Really pretty language.

I will not finish, til I'm fully satisfied.

I love this one. That growl in Bjork's voice just melts me away every time.

From the vastly underrated second album, Here Today Tomorrow Next Week, this is Planet.

This song makes me hungry. I would like strawberry juice.

Wait for me underneath the water.

We conclude our look at the Sugarcubes with Hit.

2011-06-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #87 The Jam

The Jam was formed during the 1^st wave of British punk, but they were a little different from their contemporaries. Unlike the Pistols and Clash who declared year zero and attempted to discard the 60s bands that had come before, The Jam emulated the Mod style of the Who and the very British themes of the Kinks. Paul Weller wrote songs that were so very British that they had a hard time breaking through in America, which is a shame as they were some of the best songs of the era. Bruce Foxton was also an integral part of the sound of The Jam due to his heavily featured bass lines. Songs like “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight”, “That’s Entertainment”, and “Town Called Malice” should have been huge hits on these shores, especially when British New Wave began to dominate the American charts. Alas, it was not to be, but they definitely deserve their spot on this list.

The Jam hit big in the UK with their first single, In the City.

This song should have been a hit here. Paul Weller tells a frightening story of being attacked in the subway and Bruce Foxton proves himself one of rock's great bass players.

Eton Rifles.

This is Going Underground.

One of the best things Paul Weller ever wrote. This is a thing of beauty.

Absolute Beginners.

and we finish our look at The Jam with Town Called Malice, another song that should have been a massive, huge hit.

2011-06-09T22:29:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #88 Booker T. & the M.G.s

They were the architects of Southern Soul music; Drummer Al Jackson, Jr., bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, guitarist Steve Cropper, and organist Booker T. Jones. As the house band for Stax records in Memphis, these four guys played on hits by luminaries like Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, and many others. Besides their own instrumental hits, they played on dozens of hit records for other artists. “Soul Man”, “Try a Little Tenderness”, “Who’s Making Love”, and “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” are only a few examples of their work for Stax artists. The Stax/Volt sound was hugely influential on popular music to come and it would not have been the same without the magic that these guys made.

The classic Green Onions. One of the great instrumentals of rock history.

Behave Yourself was the b-side to Green Onions, but was supposed to be the A-side. The DJs preferred playing Green Onions, so it was switched.

Booker T can really play that organ.

Nice cover of the Rascals' hit Groovin'.

Good one! They've been using this as the theme song for cricket over in the UK for years.

and we conclude our look at Booker T. & the M.G.s with Time is Tight. You might know the name, but you definitely know the tune.

2011-06-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #89 Big Brother & the Holding Company

Keep in mind that this is a band list and this placement is based purely on two albums, their self-titled 1967 album and 1968’s Cheap Thrills. The rest of Janis Joplin’s recording career was not considered for the purposes of this list. In 1966 in San Francisco, Guitarists Sam Andrew and James Gurley, bassist Peter Albin, and drummer Dave Getz formed Big Brother. A few months later, they had the incredible good fortune of hiring an unknown singer named Janis Joplin who turned out to be the greatest female vocalist in the history of recorded music. They were well established in the Bay area scene, but in June of 1967 they played the Monterey Pop Festival and everything exploded from there. Cheap Thrills was one of the most important records of the era, but 1968 came and Janis went solo. Still, those two amazing albums and a series of incredible live performances earns their place on this list.

I love Bye Bye Baby. It's one of the prettiest things Janis ever sang.

Looks like everybody in this whole round world is down on me.

Janis really tears this one up. She puts more feeling into a song than just about any other singer I've ever heard.

Over the years, many people have sung George Gershwin's classic song Summertime. Nobody has ever done it as well as Janis Joplin. This is the definitive recording of the song.

You know you got it, if it makes you feel good.

Love this song. Love sweet Mary. Love breathin' in the air.

and we conclude our look at Big Brother with their classic performance of Ball and Chain at the Monterey Pop Festival. I love watching Cass Elliot in the audience, herself a tremendous singer, watching Janis in total amazement.

2011-06-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #90 The Dead Kennedys

Pioneers of hardcore punk, San Francisco’s Dead Kennedys began in 1978. Featuring the piercing guitars of East Bay Ray, the pounding bass of Klaus Flouride and drums from Ted and later D.H. Peligro, what truly made them transcendent were the powerful words and intense performance of the legendary Jello Biafra. Their fearlessness and willingness to totally offend an audience to get their point across made them, in my opinion, the closest thing to The Sex Pistols that America has ever produced. He may have been harsh and upsetting but Jello spoke the truth and when I was a teenager, I could not get enough of it.

Jello sang this one from the point of view of our corporate overlords. There was talk of making this the theme song of the next Republican convention but the new chair said no. It would only appeal to the base and they really need to bring in some more moderates.

Lynchin' the Landlord live from San Francisco. Ah, I miss the mosh pit. Of course, they called it slam dancing in those days.

Probably the most well known song in the DK catalog, this is Holiday in Cambodia.

Jello sings about police brutality in this one. He wrote this 30 years ago. Not much has changed.

What he sees escapes our sight. Sight!

Apologies to the tender-eared amongst you, but I had to include this one. When I was sixteen years old, I thought it was the greatest thing I'd ever heard.

This one has much deeper meaning now that I'm 40.

Buzzbomb! One of the great driving songs.

There will always be a Moon over Marin. This one is very sad.

There's a good story behind this song.

We finish our look at the Dead Kennedys with Night of the Living Rednecks. Ray's guitar broke, so Jello told a story about an incident in Portland, Oregon.

2011-06-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #91 The Band

Four Canadians and a fellow from Arkansas went from being one of the great back-up bands of all time to creating some legendary hits and albums of their own. Spending the late 50s and early 60s backing rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins as The Hawks, they became the backing band for Bob Dylan by 1965. By the time they released their first album, Music from Big Pink, they were simply The Band. Bassist and singer Rick Danko, organist and multi-instrumentalist Garth Hudson, pianist and singer Richard Manuel, guitarist Robbie Robertson, and drummer and singer Levon Helm fused country, rock, and soul into a classic American roots music. Songs like “The Weight” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” are now essential parts of the American songbook. The Band was so well respected that their final concert was turned into a movie by none other than Martin Scorsese and everyone who was anyone came to the party. Today, The Last Waltz is arguably the best concert film ever made.

Take a load off, Annie. The Band performs The Weight with a little help from the Staple Singers. Damn, that Mavis Staples can sing.

Here's Chest Fever. Garth Hudson could do incredible things with an organ.

Notify the next of kin, this wheel shall explode.

One of the best songs ever written. This one really brings out the Southern boy in me.

A drunkard's dream, if I ever did see one. I love it when Levon sings.

The smell of the leaves,
From the magnolia trees in the meadow.
King Harvest has surely come.

Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in.

and we finish our look at the Band with Ophelia.

2011-06-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #92 The B-52s

As fun party bands go, it doesn’t get much better than this little band from Athens, GA. The release of “Rock Lobster” in 1978 brought them a national audience and the party was on. Keith Strickland’s insistent drums, Ricky Wilson’s highly original guitar style, Fred Schneider’s rap that sounded like nobody else ever did, and the phenomenal harmonies of Cindy Wilson and (love, love, love) Kate Pierson came together and made magic. For the record, I would happily listen to Kate Pierson singing the phone book. The band took a long hiatus after the premature death of Ricky Wilson, but came back stronger than ever with some of their biggest hits yet. Though not often mentioned, I love just how truly Southern this band is. So much fun!

Total classic.

Ricky Wilson was a very underrated guitar player. He never got the credit he deserved.

There's a lot of ruins in Mesopotamia.

La la la la la la.

This song is so much fun. What's that on your head?

Here's the big comeback hit. Tin Roof! Rusted.

and we finish our look at the B-52s with Roam. As I said, I love Kate Pierson. She is one of my favorite female voices.

2011-06-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #93 Sublime

On May 25, 1996, a heroin overdose took the life of Bradley Nowell at the age of 28. There have been many rock performers through the years who have lost their lives at an early age and the lost potential breaks your heart when you wonder what they could have done had they survived. Brad, the singer and guitarist for Sublime, looms very large in that list. As far as the ska genre goes, America has never produced a greater band. I am always amazed at the dark stories of teen prostitutes, date rape, and strong bad-assery delivered by Nowell in the sweetest voice. I would be remiss if I did not also mention the drums of Bud Gaugh and the fantastic bass skills of Eric Wilson. I wonder how high on this list they would have been if Brad had survived to record for these last fifteen years.

Hey y'all! Ska beach party!

Can't say enough good about this one. Great song. Great video. Great story. Kick-ass bass work from Eric Wilson. Wonderful cameo from the Hedgehog. Brad Nowell is very cool. All around awesomeness! You gotta watch it.

This made them huge. The first single off their breakthrough album. Unfortunately, Brad died before it was released, so he never got to enjoy the massive acclaim the band began to receive. Beautiful song.

Classic. One of the best vids of the 90s.

My favorite Sublime song. I love how Brad can sing such badass lyrics with such a sweet voice. "Believe me when I say that I've got something for his punk ass."

This one is very pretty.

and we finish our look at Sublime with their excellent cover of the Hong Kong Phooey theme song.

2011-06-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #94 Devo

In the distant past of the early 70s, deep in the wilds of Kent, Ohio, began a concept called de-evolution. The proponents of this theory were a band called Devo. From 1976 to 1985, the classic line up of Gerald and Bob Casale, Bob and Mark Mothersbaugh, and Alan Myers created some of the most original and groundbreaking sounds of the period. They were pioneers of the music video form and mad scientist godfathers of synth-based new wave. Are they not Men? They are Devo.

Fantastic deconstruction of the Stones hit.

Devo - Satisfaction by LeBalayeur

Are we not men? We are Devo.

Great song, great video. She's just the Girl U Want. This is actually my favorite Devo track. Used to great effect in the movie Tank Girl.

Devo - Girl U Want (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Devo

I know you know this one.

Devo - Whip It by jpdc11

Use your Freedom of Choice!

Devo - Freedom of Choice by bbclipper

One of their best. Working in a Coalmine. I watched Fridays in the early 80s and I remember seeing this when it was first broadcast.

But not for me.

Devo-Beautiful World by adiis

and we finish our look at Devo with Through Being Cool. Love this song.

2011-06-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #95 The Four Tops

A lot of great groups came out of Motown, but for me none were better than Duke Fakir, Obie Benson, Lawrence Payton, and the incomparable Levi Stubbs. Those four guys stayed together from 1953 until 1997 when Payton passed away. They recorded twenty-four Top 40 hits in that time with seven hitting the Top 10 and two going all the way to number one. Nobody could deny the power of Levi Stubbs’ voice. As a low-voiced singer myself, I have always been bothered by the predominance of tenor voices in popular music. Stubbs, however, was a baritone and he could stand up with any other singer in the business. As vocal groups go, it doesn’t get much better than the Four Tops.

The sound of Motown

and the hits keep on comin'. Love that choreography.

more good stuff from the Tops.

This may be their most well known song.

Here's a really classic one that isn't as well known as the others. James Jamerson of the Funk Brothers provides a truly awesome bass track.

My absolute favorite Four Tops song. This track kicks tremendous amounts of ass. I say again, Levi Stubbs was the man.

Now this is very cool. MTV didn't exist in 1967, but Motown made a promotional film for the great Tops song, 7 Rooms of Gloom. very very cool.

and we conclude our look at the Four Tops with their funky 70s hit "Are You Man Enough", the theme song to Shaft in Africa.

2011-06-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #96 Violent Femmes

Few songs are more evocative of the 80s than “Blister in the Sun”, “Kiss Off”, or “Add It Up”. That first Violent Femmes album was an indelible part of the soundtrack of my youth. Gordon Gano, Brian Ritchie, and Victor DeLorenzo had a sound that defied definition and didn’t sound quite like anyone else. As a guy trying to learn the bass guitar, I greatly appreciated the focus on Ritchie’s bass playing and his fantastic solos. They were discovered busking on a street corner in Milwaukee by The Pretenders in 1981 and they took off from there. I will always fondly remember my first night in Jacksonville, Alabama at the orientation party as I began my college days when the DJ played “Blister” and the whole party danced and sang along to it. I don’t remember anything else he played that night, but that moment will stay with me.

One of the best. This brings back floods of memories.

8, 8, I forgot what 8 was for.

Simply one of the finest love songs ever recorded. The desperation of Gordon Gano's vocals represent the feelings of every teenage guy who ever loved a girl who didn't love him back. Not to mention one of the greatest bass guitar solos in rock history. I feel this song way down in my soul as I think of unrequited love.

Why can't I get just one....

Forget the cowbell, we need more xylophone.

Just a song with no video, but it's a great song.

and we conclude our look at Violent Femmes with their cover of T. Rex's Children of the Revolution.

You’re watching 'Children Of The Revolution'. See the Web's top videos on AOL Video

2011-05-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #97 The White Stripes

Of all the bands on my list, The White Stripes, having formed in 1997 in Detroit, are the newest. Jack White, a true musical genius, created a mélange of his various influences (blues, punk, folk, country) and made some of the finest music of the past decade. Meg White’s minimalistic drumming style provided the perfect backing for Jack’s explorations. Besides all that, Jack has proved to be one of the best guitarists of the era. Great songs, heavy crunchy guitars, pounding percussion, and truly original visual style ensure their spot on this list.

Seeing this video years ago was my intro to this band. It blew me away. So awesome and yet so simple.

I don't think I've ever heard a song that describes childhood quite so well. It is a beautiful track that inspires strong nostalgia and a longing for simpler days.

Legos! These guys are great. I said it once before but it bears repeating. :-)

Arguably, this is the finest guitar riff of the 21st century so far.

I wonder how many drum sets they wound up using for this video.

Wow. Just, wow.

and we conclude our look at the White Stripes with Icky Thump.