Ever try to come up with your five favorite bands of all time? I was challenged to do this in 1996, and now I'm doing it again ten years later.
I took a class called Rock, Pop, & Soul during my senior year at Binghamton University, a class cool enough to compel me to wake up earlyish (usually). The professor was the perfect mix of academic cool and geek. I recall rocking out to "Fight the Power," by Public Enemy, and learning about its unique use of rhythm and beat.
As a get to know the class kind of thing, we were asked at the beginning of the term to provide some personal information, including our five favorite bands of all time. I was intrigued by this challenge, and very much struck both by how challenging it was – and is now – and how much the choices seemingly threaten to define my personality. Define me, really.
For example, the person who chooses Adam Ant, Kajagoogoo, Duran Duran, Cyndi Lauper, and Styx is very likely very different than the Iron Maiden, Metallica, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Rush dude, who again is probably worlds different than the Fiona Apple, Indigo Girls, Joan Baez, Patti Smith, Suzanne Vega person.
I believe that my musical tastes have widened and broadened over the last 10 years. It's my opinion that good music is good music, whether it be alt country or reggaeton or ska punk. As with anything, there's lots and lots of junk, but the joy is in diving for the Beastie Boys' pirate treasure and coming up with booty and gold. I enjoy tinkering around on sites like GarageBand these days, finding gems from the music deep, artists plying away at their craft completely separate (though perhaps not by choice) from the traditional commercialism of the music industry.
Therefore, I was a little bit surprised that my "Top Five" had changed so little over a span of 10 years. Perhaps that's because, when it gets down to the core, you form an attachment to music growing up that's just not the same when you're an adult. It's like learning languages, perhaps, the way it's able to fuse to your being and "lock in," never to completely go away, even if you haven't dusted off that ZZ Top LP in 20 years, or whatever. She's still got legs, you know?
That's likely part of it, but perhaps an even stronger connection between music and youth – and particularly adolescence and teenage years – is the powerful emotions, joys, and traumas that interact with music in such a special and unique way. You can only romantically kiss another person for the first time once, you can only feel the soul crush of getting dumped at the age of 14 when you're 14. And music was there, wasn't it? To sooth and amplify and smother and alienate. To take us down to the secret coves of identity, the magical kingdoms of solitude where we construct ourselves and our personas, what makes us strong and unique.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Douglas Mays
OK, a very subjective question, but a good one. Let me try to answer. My criteria will be based on there social influence on me at the time, plus their live performance ability (the influence of attending the church of rock n roll). Let the coffee kick in, my answers could change within an hour...
Not necessarily in this order and subject to change...
Doors (not afraid to challenge authorities)
Beatles (Sgt. Peppers did it to me)
Rolling Stones (Sticky Fingers, excellent and consistant live)
Yes (the human services of bands. Sing about mountains and families. Killer shows and musicians)
10cc (Very advanced technique. Amazing live)
Led Zeppelin (of course)
Grateful Dead (Amazing, consistant live. Nobody else had a deadhead following. That says something...)
Pink Floyd (and to think, they are a far out blues band)
White Stripes (I think there is more than we can see right now going on. They pulled off an amazing presentation live last year. As good as anyone)
X-15 (OK, unknown Seattle band from 1980. As good as anyone. PinkFloyd and Clash mixed. Grunge can thank them for getting the industry to look that way. Mentors for Soundgarden. Hey, I saw Nirvana in the mix, so...)
OK. I'll knock cobwebs out of my head and make changes if needed. How about Burning Spear or Freddie King or...other music catagories? Were are the Yardbirds in my mix....Oh the battle is starting...
2 - Douglas Mays
Oh god, dare I forget Jimi Hendrix...
3 - Michael J. West
One thing I really notice is how much your list says about your age, where you grew up, and who you are. Funny, eh?
4 - Mark Saleski
i'm pretty sure i can't do five...might hurt myself.
5 - Mat Brewster
Very cool, Sir Berlin. I'll have to think awhile on my list. If my brain doesn't explode I'll get back to ya.
6 - Janice
I'm listening to Pavarotti right now. I love the Beatles and the Stones are OK. Am I showing my age or what?
7 - Eric Berlin
Great choices, Douglas. I've challenged you to name five, but I'll try not to harsh you too much about it!
I think The White Stripes have the stuff, the real goods. Their records keep getting better and better, and the best songs on each are really amazing and timeless.
I toyed with having The Clash and Rancid on this list. They're both Top 15 all time in my book.
8 - Matthew T. Sussman
My five favorite bands each have 20 of the top 100 guitarists according to Rolling Stone.
9 - Eric Berlin
Michael, you're absolutely right, all those factors are important. But I think the individual personality and experiences are great factors as well. A guy the same age who lived next door to me growing up could have easily picked Dave Matthews, U2, Phish, the Dead, and Frank Zappa or whatever, you know?
10 - Eric Berlin
Come on Suss, I know you can do better than that!
11 - Mark Saleski
Poison, Ratt, Warrant, Motley Crue, Starland Vocal Band
12 - Eric Berlin
fibber
And where's Winger?
13 - Guppusmaximus
Great Article...
The 5 most crucial bands for me are based upon Musicianship,Originality & Emotional Connection. They are also the ones that I seem to gravitate to more than any others. Those five would be:
Michael Manring
Dream Theater
Mike Patton
Death
Toad the Wet Sprocket
14 - gonzo marx
well now...gonna hafta play this one out...
TOOL
Rush
Motorhead
Jethro Tull
Steppenwolf
honorable mentions: Hendrix, Ani DiFranco, Doors, Primus, Pantera
there ya go
Excelsior?
15 - zingzing
guppus! toad? wha?
anyway.
new order
the fall
beatles
public image ltd
disco inferno
(maybe)
16 - zingzing
oh yeah,
prince
17 - Sean
top 5
The Clash
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
The Rolling Stones
Bob Dylan
Marah
18 - Guppusmaximus
Zing... You've never heard of Toad the Wet Sprocket? They were under the umbrella of NWOBHM but they weren't really metal more like heavy blues and yet, still way more mellower with some dark edges. "Bread & Circus" was a brilliant album but I still like all their releases:
Pale
Dulcinea
Coil
Fear
I'm sure I have missed one...but you should check 'em out.
19 - duane
I will give myself away, but here goes:
Led Zeppelin -- genius, the fourth and fifth albums are immortal, still underrated, so much more than Whole Lotta Love
Yes -- they take themselves seriously, they can play their instruments, they're self-indulgent (I like that), they have written pieces of great beauty and power (from Fragile to Relayer), they can still deliver live
Genesis -- Steve Hackett era, they made a graceful transition when Gabriel left, then jumped the track when Collins took over, Supper's Ready live off the Seconds Out album I consider to be a monument to Western civilization, Tony Banks is brilliant
Rush -- Whenever I hear anything from Grace Under Pressure or Signals, I'm right back in college (I'm not crazy about Geddy's singing, either), Peart is brilliant, and Lifeson knows what an electric guitar should sound like
Tool -- revitalized my interest in complex ass-kicking rock music, Carey is one of the best rock drummers ever, thank god the 80s ended
Honorable mention: Queen, Cream, The Allman Brothers, CSNY, Magma, Deep Purple, Todd Rungren, Pink Floyd
"Great" acts I'm indifferent to: Metallica, Dylan, The Who, The Doors, The Grateful Dead, The Eagles, AC/DC (yuk, actually), Springsteen, any punk or New Wave
Yeah, yeah, what an old fogey.
20 - Guppusmaximus
*BTW* they got their name from a Monty Python Skit...
21 - Mark Saleski
e.b.: Winger was definitely second tier.
22 - zingzing
guppus--yeah... i know who they are. they had some hit song years ago. kind of m.o.r. as far as i remember. wouldn't even think of calling them metal or heavy or blues or any of that. i never really listened to them... but i never expected you would listen to them. doesn't sound like your cup of tea. what's "NWOBHM?"
duane--led zepplin, underrated? ha. oh. ha. mymy. you kid. as in jest.
23 - Eric Berlin
Yeah, I don't think you can ever say that Led Zep is underrated, though they have seemed to have dropped a bit in the overall and general musical conversation.
24 - duane
Zing, I've had this discussion with other people, and I usually enounter opposition, so I'm not surpised. LZ is, of course, the mother of all rock bands, but in my elitist fashion, I still believe that to the general public they are viewed as a heavy metal band --- they are identified primarily as a cock rock band that cranks out heavy versions of old blues songs. The cognoscenti know better, but when I say they're underrated, I mean in the eyes of the world, in general. They are unaware of the versatility and subtlety that LZ pulled off in the studio.
On the other hand, as a live act, they're overrated. Yeah.
Gotta go. Baby needs a new pair of shoes.
25 - BillSaysThis
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
U2
Allman Brothers
Beatles
Tie: Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul/Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
What can I say, I was a teen in NJ in the '70s. I still remember going to the Garden State Arts Center every summer from mid '80s to early '90s to see the Jukes play. Dancing and singing along, what great nights!