This is not about whether you like the band or not, it's about whether they were influential or not, and there's no doubt that almost every rock band in the 90s and indeed now wants to sound like either Oasis or Blur.
I am a big fan of Blur actually but I just can't say that they are that influential, I don't think they lasted long enough.
roblikestoskate: David Bowie. Here is an excerpt from Allmusic.com that supports my claim:
Even when he was out of fashion in the '80s and '90s, it was clear that Bowie was one of the most influential musicians in rock, for better and for worse. Each one of his phases in the '70s sparked a number of subgenres, including punk, new wave, goth rock, the new romantics, and electronica. Few rockers ever had such lasting impact.
I agree all the way, I am shocked people think Pink Floyd, Or The Beatles can hold any candle to Bowie. Bowie has easily inspired more modern day musicians either directly or indirectly, Also over his almost 50 years of performing now not one of his songs sounds alike.
David Bowie is a true god for musical talent, How he has progressed over his 50 years song by song and how he experiments with every album is mind blowing, Not to mention not many bands continue to perform for over 50 years more so when you remember not one of his songs sounds alike.
I need to listen to more of his individual works- he is one artist I need more inspiration from. I thought that Under Pressure was genius.
BallPtPenTheif: Now people are just naming bands they like without explanation.. this is going downhill fast.
I just watched everyone (with the exception of James Brown) taking Soul completely out of the picture. Then take some time and check some of these out.
Aretha Franklin- was to women what James Brown was men- Queen of Soul Donna Summer- continued it during the Disco Era. The Temptations- probably the most influential Soul male group Diana Ross and the Supremes- easily the most recognized female soul group
Earth Wind and Fire Kool and the Gang K.C. and the Sunshine Band Tower of Power
All of the above bands combined the standard jazz combo with electronics and a Soul Sound in the late 70's and early 80's. Modern funk and fusion charts are based on these sounds.
In the most basic elements Elvis was the white guy who made money because he had the "black sound"- deep, resonating, smooth soul sound. Sammy Davis Jr. on the other hand, WAS the black singer singing in the predominantly white suburban world of the 50's, and Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford were not only his promoters and protractors, but his friends as well. You can't leave the Rat Pack off of any list like this.
Boston as a rock group had arguably the cleanest sound of any group in the modern era. They were often compared with a classical chamber ensemble in their precision of attack, sustain, and release of notes (unheard of in rock bands in MOST generations) and in intonation from the vocalist all the way down to the bass.
The Cars built along that foundation, and are a classic example of early 80's rock sound.
And Chicago is one of the single best examples of a band reinventing and re-energizing their sound through the decades. Though they often added new players (and older ones quit), their band ranks second to the beach boys in terms of hits.
This is not about whether you like the band or not, it's about whether they were influential or not, and there's no doubt that almost every rock band in the 90s and indeed now wants to sound like either Oasis or Blur.
Bloc Party have inspired a whole new generation (yes I know it's been done before) to ditch the generic rock and pursue new, electronic directions.
I would argue that Bjork and Radiohead did that years before Bloc Party.
This is not about whether you like the band or not, it's about whether they were influential or not, and there's no doubt that almost every rock band in the 90s and indeed now wants to sound like either Oasis or Blur.
Bloc Party have inspired a whole new generation (yes I know it's been done before) to ditch the generic rock and pursue new, electronic directions.
I would argue that Bjork and Radiohead did that years before Bloc Party.
Thank you! I couldn't remember their names for the life of me.
This is not about whether you like the band or not, it's about whether they were influential or not, and there's no doubt that almost every rock band in the 90s and indeed now wants to sound like either Oasis or Blur.
I am a big fan of Blur actually but I just can't say that they are that influential, I don't think they lasted long enough.
Bloc Party have inspired a whole new generation (yes I know it's been done before) to ditch the generic rock and pursue new, electronic directions.
And you don't see that as bad?
No, can't say I do. While I do enjoy some good ol' guitar rock as much as the next man, there's no denying there is a certain energy about electronic music.
This is not about whether you like the band or not, it's about whether they were influential or not, and there's no doubt that almost every rock band in the 90s and indeed now wants to sound like either Oasis or Blur.
Bloc Party have inspired a whole new generation (yes I know it's been done before) to ditch the generic rock and pursue new, electronic directions.
I would argue that Bjork and Radiohead did that years before Bloc Party.
Like I said, a whole new generation, e.g. people for whom Bjork and Radiohead are before their time.
curlycrouton: Johhny Cash Elvis The Clash The Sex Pistols The Beatles The Kinks The Beach Boys Joy Division The Smiths Blondie New York Dolls Siouxse and the Banshees The Cure Blur Oasis Sonic Youth Nirvana Rage Against The Machine The Libertines The Strokes The Cribs Bloc Party
Agree. Also Radiohead, Nick Drake and Led Zep. Plus many others I forget atm.
EDIT: H.R.Shovenstuff Oasis are influential if you like them or not, no-one with half a mind can say that people don't aspire to be in their position. And Blondie were far too big to be ignored.
This is not about whether you like the band or not, it's about whether they were influential or not, and there's no doubt that almost every rock band in the 90s and indeed now wants to sound like either Oasis or Blur.
Bloc Party have inspired a whole new generation (yes I know it's been done before) to ditch the generic rock and pursue new, electronic directions.
I would argue that Bjork and Radiohead did that years before Bloc Party.
Like I said, a whole new generation, e.g. people for whom Bjork and Radiohead are before their time.
Who are you talking about specifically? Every interview of every modern electro-rock band I've seen has mentioned Kid A/Homogenic at least in passing. Radiohead and Bjork aren't that old.
curlycrouton: Johhny Cash Elvis The Clash The Sex Pistols The Beatles The Kinks The Beach Boys Joy Division The Smiths Blondie New York Dolls Siouxse and the Banshees The Cure Blur Oasis Sonic Youth Nirvana Rage Against The Machine The Libertines The Strokes The Cribs Bloc Party
Agree. Also Radiohead, Nick Drake and Led Zep. Plus many others I forget atm.
Trace2010: I just watched everyone (with the exception of James Brown) taking Soul completely out of the picture.
The Cars built along that foundation, and are a classic example of early 80's rock sound.
Not so. Bowie didn't ever experiment with Detroit soul, but he did take Philly soul and adapt it to a largely rock audience (Station To Station, Young Americans). Also, the role and influence of soul music today is difficult for me to trace, as it's impact is better felt by pop, hip-hop and R&B than by rock music. Gotta love Earth Wind and Fire, though.
Also, The Cars are significant mostly for their ability to appeal to both the mainstream and the new wave/punks at a time when there was much musical division.
I honestly think if you're going to strictly say that only bands can be mentioned, you're splitting hairs. A person will (usually) in casual conversation ask what your favorite band is, but the question really be asked is, what's your favorite musical act? I really, honestly, greatly dislike whenever people feel the absolute need to distinguish between "bands" and "musicians," because I feel that both can be put under the same category and you're just being picky if you demand one over the other.
Their music lasted through multiple generations... Dude, you need to go further than that... :) In no Particular Order:
1) We Are the Champions 2) We Will Rock You 3) Somebody to Love 4) Show Must Go On 5) Another One Bites the Dust 6) I've Got to Break Free 7) Radio Ga-Ga 8) Who Wants to Live Forever 9) One Vision 10) Bohemian Rhapsody 11) Bicycle
...To name a few more.
I strongly disagree, Queen were an ALBUM band who just happened to make good singles. Check out A Night at the Opera, Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack for evidence of this.
I don't have the time to split hairs. Having listened to and owning their anthology, I do not get where the foundations of your disagreement are. That's like saying Mozart was an instrumental composer who happened to make a few good operas. If what you mean by ALBUM band was the fact that they didn't perform live as often as others- maybe your're right, maybe your're wrong. Considering Freddy Mercury died when I was 11, maybe I just don't care as much about the distinction.
Ah, sorry, I didn't mean that Queen weren't influential; I meant that by listing their 'Greatest Hits' you'd actually missed out on a lot of what made them influential; their brilliant production in the studio (multiple layers, overdubs, use of stereo, etc.) was what made them great. This can only really be heard if you listen to the albums, in all their Prog Rock majesty. (I know that a lot of this is based on opinion, but what the hell).
This is not about whether you like the band or not, it's about whether they were influential or not, and there's no doubt that almost every rock band in the 90s and indeed now wants to sound like either Oasis or Blur.
Bloc Party have inspired a whole new generation (yes I know it's been done before) to ditch the generic rock and pursue new, electronic directions.
I would argue that Bjork and Radiohead did that years before Bloc Party.
Like I said, a whole new generation, e.g. people for whom Bjork and Radiohead are before their time.
Who are you talking about specifically? Every interview of every modern electro-rock band I've seen has mentioned Kid A/Homogenic at least in passing. Radiohead and Bjork aren't that old.
People who have just got into music, and who are interested in making something different than your average generic rock band. Maybe 13-14 year olds. Yes, they will eventually discover Bjork and Radiohead, but Bloc Party are quite the "Buzz Band", even if you don't like their music, wouldn't you agree?
TheGhostOfSin: I'm from England and I'd like to know of a band that was influenced by either of those bands that doesn't make me want to lose my hearing when I hear them.
I was a student radio DJ in the 90s and 99% of our output was britpop and Indie, all directly influenced by Blur, and that continues today. I'm not going to start listing bands, there would be too many. Again though, influence IS NOT a measure of quality. The sound of those bands is much more akin to the Smiths, for instance, who are much better band. Blur just proved you could do it and be commercial; they dragged indie into pop.
Oh and as for the criticism of Song 2: since when is music all about the lyrics? That's a very middle aged criticism. 'You can't hear the words' sounds like something my grandmother would say. Music is an artform, it's about speaking to your emotions through sound, bypassing the intellect. If you just want good words go read poetry. And Parklife wasn't performed by the band often because it was written for someone who wasn't in the band, and Damon Albarn singing the words just sounds crap.
If you asked me to name the top 10 bands from the last two decades Blur probably wouldn't be one of them, but art is subjective, it passes through the mind of the receiver and becomes womething new. Music criticism, like art criticism, doesn't have a very wide audience beyond judging whether someone who likes that kind of stuff will like this kind of stuff. You can't get the sound of the new bands in town from a story in a magazine aimed at your average teen, as someone once said.
Ah, sorry, I didn't mean that Queen weren't influential; I meant that by listing their 'Greatest Hits' you'd actually missed out on a lot of what made them influential; their brilliant production in the studio (multiple layers, overdubs, use of stereo, etc.) was what made them great. This can only really be heard if you listen to the albums, in all their Prog Rock majesty. (I know that a lot of this is based on opinion, but what the hell).[/quote]
I always believe a band sounds its best in studio. Is it just me, or are there very few live recordings of this band available (other than the Elton John/David Bowie works)?
Squidmonk3j: I think Pink Floyd was influential for me , since i grew up with it and spent every living breathing moment listening to it , as i still do . My world would be sad without it. And the reason that i would say Pink Floyd is because it changed my lifestyle.
So very true. Such an influential band, for all the right reasons.
* ABBA recorded both "Pick A Bale Of Cotton" and "Midnight Special" * Ram Jam recorded Black Betty in 1977, * Nirvana covered "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" in 1993 on their MTV Unplugged performance. * The Rolling Stones adapted "The Bourgeois Blues" for "When the Whip Comes Down". * Led Zeppelin adapted 'Gallis Pole' (itself a variation of an old folk song, The Maid Freed from the Gallows) into 'Gallows Pole' * The White Stripes have frequently ended their show with a rock adaptation of Lead Belly's version of "Boll Weevil." * Ludacris covered "Pick a Bale of Cotton" in the song "The Potion"
I would also go ahead and mention the Beatles but let us not forget about Kraftwerk. This is a band that put aside every conventional trait of popular music and threw it out the window, embracing technology instead thus opening up a a completely new window in modern music.
* ABBA recorded both "Pick A Bale Of Cotton" and "Midnight Special" * Ram Jam recorded Black Betty in 1977, * Nirvana covered "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" in 1993 on their MTV Unplugged performance. * The Rolling Stones adapted "The Bourgeois Blues" for "When the Whip Comes Down". * Led Zeppelin adapted 'Gallis Pole' (itself a variation of an old folk song, The Maid Freed from the Gallows) into 'Gallows Pole' * The White Stripes have frequently ended their show with a rock adaptation of Lead Belly's version of "Boll Weevil." * Ludacris covered "Pick a Bale of Cotton" in the song "The Potion"
Led Zeppelin has been seriously neglected on this topic. Anyone who classes them as rock 'n' roll is sooooooooo wrong! They were so much more than just one genre!
* ABBA recorded both "Pick A Bale Of Cotton" and "Midnight Special" * Ram Jam recorded Black Betty in 1977, * Nirvana covered "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" in 1993 on their MTV Unplugged performance. * The Rolling Stones adapted "The Bourgeois Blues" for "When the Whip Comes Down". * Led Zeppelin adapted 'Gallis Pole' (itself a variation of an old folk song, The Maid Freed from the Gallows) into 'Gallows Pole' * The White Stripes have frequently ended their show with a rock adaptation of Lead Belly's version of "Boll Weevil." * Ludacris covered "Pick a Bale of Cotton" in the song "The Potion"
This is not about whether you like the band or not, it's about whether they were influential or not, and there's no doubt that almost every rock band in the 90s and indeed now wants to sound like either Oasis or Blur.
Bloc Party have inspired a whole new generation (yes I know it's been done before) to ditch the generic rock and pursue new, electronic directions.
I would argue that Bjork and Radiohead did that years before Bloc Party.
Like I said, a whole new generation, e.g. people for whom Bjork and Radiohead are before their time.
Who are you talking about specifically? Every interview of every modern electro-rock band I've seen has mentioned Kid A/Homogenic at least in passing. Radiohead and Bjork aren't that old.
People who have just got into music, and who are interested in making something different than your average generic rock band. Maybe 13-14 year olds. Yes, they will eventually discover Bjork and Radiohead, but Bloc Party are quite the "Buzz Band", even if you don't like their music, wouldn't you agree?
they're popular I suppose, but that's not the same as influential. Bloc Party are popular amongst indie-heads and Radio 1 listeners. Radiohead are just as popular (moreso in fact), but they've also influenced a lot of bands.
They made electronic music before keyboard synthesizers even existed. Instead Simeon Coxe would employ a series of vintage audio oscillators wired to telegraph keys amd controls all piled on a table.
They have literally influenced every single electronic and art rock band since then.
Trace2010: Ah, sorry, I didn't mean that Queen weren't influential; I meant that by listing their 'Greatest Hits' you'd actually missed out on a lot of what made them influential; their brilliant production in the studio (multiple layers, overdubs, use of stereo, etc.) was what made them great. This can only really be heard if you listen to the albums, in all their Prog Rock majesty. (I know that a lot of this is based on opinion, but what the hell).
I always believe a band sounds its best in studio. Is it just me, or are there very few live recordings of this band available (other than the Elton John/David Bowie works)?[/quote]
Trace2010: Ah, sorry, I didn't mean that Queen weren't influential; I meant that by listing their 'Greatest Hits' you'd actually missed out on a lot of what made them influential; their brilliant production in the studio (multiple layers, overdubs, use of stereo, etc.) was what made them great. This can only really be heard if you listen to the albums, in all their Prog Rock majesty. (I know that a lot of this is based on opinion, but what the hell).
I always believe a band sounds its best in studio. Is it just me, or are there very few live recordings of this band available (other than the Elton John/David Bowie works)?[/quote]
I think there are quite a few recordings of Queen Live around, they were a group that were famous for being good live. So it's just you, Try putting Queen Live into Amazon.
I don't think Queen are that influential though, to be honest. There are maybe three or four bands I can think of that are influenced, but I think most people kind of leave Queen alone. They were kind of a genre of themselves, and few people dare to try and slot into it, and those that do are generally nothing to boast about. Robbie Williams, The Darkness, Extreme, Van Halen... who else?
They made electronic music before keyboard synthesizers even existed. Instead Simeon Coxe would employ a series of vintage audio oscillators wired to telegraph keys amd controls all piled on a table.
They have literally influenced every single electronic and art rock band since then.
I have to refer you to 'Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band', more particularly to Safe as Milk (1967) which contains the first use of a Moog Theremin on record, ergo Captain Beefheart invented electronic music.
laikenf: I would also go ahead and mention the Beatles but let us not forget about Kraftwerk. This is a band that put aside every conventional trait of popular music and threw it out the window, embracing technology instead thus opening up a a completely new window in modern music.
Yes, but after the beatles, therefore not as influential as them (since they were undoubtedly influenced by the Beatles themselves, you can't not be).
Should we start a new thread saying apart from the Beatles and Elvis? Or maybe pick one from each decade.
They made electronic music before keyboard synthesizers even existed. Instead Simeon Coxe would employ a series of vintage audio oscillators wired to telegraph keys amd controls all piled on a table.
They have literally influenced every single electronic and art rock band since then.
So if that's the case then the REAL father of electronic music would be Raymond Scott. He built a room full of all sorts of electronic equipment back in the late 40's early 50's with which he worked on original compositions (some of them where commercials that actually aired) that he would later put together on a compilation record. This guy was a jazz pianist in his early years (1920's- 1930's) later he discovered his fasination with technology and the music that can be created with it.
I think there are quite a few recordings of Queen Live around, they were a group that were famous for being good live. So it's just you, Try putting Queen Live into Amazon.
I don't think Queen are that influential though, to be honest. There are maybe three or four bands I can think of that are influenced, but I think most people kind of leave Queen alone. They were kind of a genre of themselves, and few people dare to try and slot into it, and those that do are generally nothing to boast about. Robbie Williams, The Darkness, Extreme, Van Halen... who else?[/quote]
There are bands that were influential because they helped inspire other bands, and there are bands that are influential because they stand alone- and whoever tries to copy their sound (unless done REALLY well) ends up looking stupid in the end. It just depends on your opinion on things.
Speaking of Beefheart, Frank Zappa is perhaps one of the most musically genius minds in music history, not to mention that he really was the greatest guitarists ever!
I am a big fan of Blur actually but I just can't say that they are that influential, I don't think they lasted long enough.
And you don't see that as bad?