Rock Classics: Best of the Best

[Xanadu]

Classic Rock has always been my favourit genre, none of the new age music can compete with classic bands like The Guess Who, Rush, Queen, Th Rolling Stones, AC/DC, etc. So, which classic band do you like best, and why?

My favourite band is probably The Guess Who, though Rush ranks up high aswell, because they have one of the best singers of all bands, even today. Their lyrics are amazing, and they proform them so well. Their tunes are fresh and enjoyable, and the band is just iresistable.

[Semjaza]

Queen is one of those groups that I feel have a lot of great songs, but then even more that I never, ever want to listen to. For every Stone Cold Crazy or Killer Queen, there's a CD full of stuff that just doesn't interest me in the slightest. I'm sure I'm not in the majority with this opinion, but who knows.

I absolutely love The Who. They have great energy and a lot of just pure classic albums. It's a shame that even the supposedly "remastered" versions of their albums still sound pretty poorly recorded, but I guess that's also part of the appeal.

The Doors are another group I'm really into. I own all of their LPs, although some are better than others. They have some amazingly good radio singles, but I think the band is far more effective if you listen to the entire albums. Why this group is on Blender's worst acts of all time list, I have no idea (I hate that freaking magazine)... Probably because they're mad they're not a British band.

Rush are amazing. I think a lot of people brush them off because of the vocals. I know a lot of people who just find them annoying and that's the end of it... personally I don't mind them. Writing is excellent, as is the music itself. They have a pretty large amount of albums that I think are great and only a handful of average ones, really.

Blue Oyster Cult is another great one. I know a lot of people are familiar with a few of their singles (Don't Fear the Reaper). Secret Treaties is one of the best rock albums ever made, period.

There's also Bowie, who for some reason or another I don't really equate with "classic rock" simply because he somehow remains relevent in every decade thanks to his changing sounds and images.

I also listen to a lot of AC/DC, T. Rex, Judas Priest, Mott the Hoople, Aerosmith, The Alan Parsons Project, Jefferson Airplane, Beach Boys (hey, I think they fit lol), Echo and the Bunnymen, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc etc etc.

[Ozymandius Jones]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Suddenly, I think I detect the reason behind your username, Xanadu...;)

I'd have to say my favorite classic rock band is Genesis...not the Phil Collins controlled Genesis...I like the band when Peter Gabriel had lead vocals...I'm not quite sure why they're my favorite...the song "Supper's Ready" might have something to do with it though...and Steve Hackett is an excellent guitarist.

Pink Floyd is one of those bands that I only like bits and peices of their work; what I like I love, but what I don't I'd rather never hear again. "Dark Side of the Moon" needs to be in EVERYONE's cd collection, but I could care less about The Wall...except "Another Brick in the Wall, part 2"

I, too, like Rush...Getty Lee's voice has never bothered me. My favorite Rush song would have to be "Closer to the Heart", followed by (oddly enough) Xanadu.

Jethro Tull is another one of my favorites, if only because it's so cool to see a rock band employ a flutist...and a pretty good one at that....;)[/COLOR]

[Dragon Warrior]

[b]"She's Got The Look"[/b] is definitely a good song. It was done by [i]The Roxettes[/i] who were just a simple one-hit wonder (and I have yet to listen to anything else by them), but I like this song. It kinda reminds me of castles, I'm not sure why. It's a must listen for any rock fan ;^D

I don't really have a favorite band in classic rock, though. I like too many =/

[James]

[QUOTE=Dragon Warrior][b]"She's Got The Look"[/b] is definitely a good song. It was done by [i]The Roxettes[/i] who were just a simple one-hit wonder (and I have yet to listen to anything else by them), but I like this song. It kinda reminds me of castles, I'm not sure why. It's a must listen for any rock fan ;^D

I don't really have a favorite band in classic rock, though. I like too many =/[/QUOTE]

[color=#B0251E]Ahem, [b]Roxette[/b] had plenty of hits; I can't name them all, but there would have to be at least a dozen. Among them are [i]Almost Unreal[/i] (check the Super Mario Bros. movie soundtrack) and [i]Wish I Could Fly[/i] (late 90's track that did pretty well on the radio).

There were bigger hits in the 80's and 90's but I'm too tired to remember their names now. Perhaps someone can fill in the blanks.

:sweat: [/color]

[Dragon Warrior]

Really :^o! Nobody has heard of them around here and anyone who has (even older folks) tell me they were one-hit wonders. I've learned something today :3 And so I said their name wrong... so sue me ;^D

Don't really :(

[Xanadu]

Another of my favs is Five Man Electrical Band. This band was literally a one hit wonder, since I belive they only had one song (Signs) but that one song became an immortal 70s' classic.

Rush is another of those bands you just love. I've never once been annoyed by Geddy Lee, and songs where he speaks alot (Closer To The Heart, Xanadu, or The Trees) are some of the greatest songs I've ever heared. But it's Niel Peart's legendary drumming that really makes Rush great. One of the great drummers of all time, still rocking 30+ years later!! My favourit songs are probably The Trees, Closer to the Heart, Bastille Day, Xanadu, and By-Tor And the Snow Dog (Odd song that, but amazing drumming and guitar.)

Oh, and my name, though an odd coincadence lol, is not based on that song, though it influenced why I choose it. Xanadu is the Mongol equvilant to heaven or somesuch, still a cool song.

BTW, did you mean The Who, or The Guess Who, because people are always confusing those two.

[Blayze]

I'd have to say my favourite classic rock bands are Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Cream, and Queen rock as well. I'm beginning to get into Rush as well, but I haven't heard many of their records.

I also find it quite impressive that bands like Motorhead are still around, even thought they have been ging for 30 odd years. Although I will tell you, the sight of fat aging Motorhead fans taking their shirts off at gigs is not a pleasant one.

[Lord Dante]

Does Motorhead count as classic rock? if so, then they are my favorite classic rock band. if not, then i would have to say that AC/DC takes the cake.

[Heaven's Cloud]

[QUOTE=Generic NPC #3]
Rush are amazing. I think a lot of people brush them off because of the vocals. I know a lot of people who just find them annoying and that's the end of it... personally I don't mind them. Writing is excellent, as is the music itself. They have a pretty large amount of albums that I think are great and only a handful of average ones, really.
[/QUOTE]

[color=indigo]I have written it before, I cannot listen to Rush. Sure, their lyrics were well thought and, as far as musicality goes, they had incredible instrumentals. However, I think I would rather take a power drill to my noggin than listen to Getty Lee?s (didn?t know that was the singers name until I read the above post) voice. My ears just find it far to offensive. I guess it just proves that sometimes a person just doesn?t like a band, regardless of their attributes.

I am a big fan of most of the bands already mentioned (though I am not terribly fond of Judas Priest, Motor Head, or The Alan Parson?s Project, and I can honestly say I have never listened (or at least recall listening) to Echo and the Bunnymen before) so I?ll skip over them and mention a few other bands that I really enjoy.

First, The Band. It is odd that The Band isn?t played more on classic rock stations. From the late sixties to early seventies they were one of the most popular bands in the world, almost achieving similar success to that of the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Like so many people that enjoy The Band, I was introduced to them through the Martin Scorsese?s [I]The Last Waltz[/I]. I grew fond of The Band due to the film, but I fell in love with their music because it is so damn good.

I have always been a fan of The Allman Brother?s Band, and I think that at their prime they were the best mainstream jam band ever. Unfortunately the untimely death of Duane Allman and the on again off again commitments of Dicky Betts and Chuck Leavell hampered the band from writing the best possible songs they could have. Still they are quite awesome and I always wished the Duane had lived long enough to play with Chuck Leavell, if you are familiar with either of these two phenomenal musicians styles you will understand why.[/color]

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]Interesting, most interesting.

A few of my own favourite Classic Rock bands would be [B]Queen[/B] and [B]Thin Lizzy[/B]. I've always enjoyed listening to Queen's songs, my mother was a huge fan of them and she has a bunch of their albums on vinyl. I think it's the energy of the Queen songs that attracted me to their music, it seems to well paced, has great rythem, awesome music and just seems to be the epitome of "Classic Rock". At home here in Ireland the national telecom provider Eircom uses Queen's songs and some comedy to make some very enjoyable ads.

As for [b]Thin Lizzy[/b], well they're Irish so I'd have to have bought one of their albums anyway. Anway their songs are just below Queen's on my liking scale, some of their stuff can be really great where as other stuff you'd just skip over without listening to. Stuff like "[I]The Boys are back in town[/I]" can get played to excess and lose it appeal, but I've always quite licked that song, other stuff like "[I]Dedication[/I]" on their Greatest Hits CD is rarely played but is absolutely brilliant.

"[I]Turning Japanese[/I]" by [B]The Vapors[/B] was another great song, although I remember being rather surprised when I was told what it was about.[/SIZE]

[boxybrown305]

[COLOR=DarkRed]I fully agree, word for word with Generic NPC (except that i've never heard of Blue Oyster Cult).

Other than all those previously mentioned bands, my favorite band of all time, and favorite classic band is Pink Floyd. I agree with Ozy, that everyone should have "Dark Side of the Moon," but i would expand that to "Wish You Were Here," and "Animals." And that's just what i suggest for a casual fan. Anyone more than a casual fan should own them all. Now i thought "The Wall" was good, but it's overrated. There's so much better stuff than that from them, but most people walk around with a Floyd shirt these days, and have only heard "Dark Side of the Moon," or "The Wall." In my opinion, "Wish You Were Here" is thier best album.

Well anyway, after Pink Floyd my favorite classic bands in order are Led Zepplin, Jimi Hendrix (Experience), Queen, Doors, The Who, Rush, Rolling Stones, and AC/DC. AC/DC is last, because they are good, but it gets old. A lot of their music cosists of similar guitar lines, played over and over again (but Angus Young Is a great guitarist).[/COLOR]

[The Drizzle]

[COLOR=DarkGreen]WOO, go gavin!

Thin Lizzy is one of those bands that just rocks. Not a lot of people have heard of them, and personaley i know them mainly because of some magazine articles and the other hawkins brother from the Darkness was wearing a t-shirt with them on it all of the time. Im so glad I found out about them, because i like their music and it is very good. :animesmil

I also heard the pre-phil collins genisis rocked too. The article I read said they were more prog rock and were not the type that parents typically liked. What would be some good albums/songs to get from them?[/COLOR]

[Ozymandius Jones]

[QUOTE=The Drizzle][COLOR=DarkGreen]
I also heard the pre-phil collins genisis rocked too. The article I read said they were more prog rock and were not the type that parents typically liked. What would be some good albums/songs to get from them?[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Foxtrot[/B], [B]The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway[/B], and [B]A Trick of the Tale[/B] are my recommendations, [B]Foxtrot[/B] first, if only because of "Supper's Ready", a 22:17 minute epic that covers half the musical styles Genesis ever preformed, mixing it in with some very strange philosophy.

[B]The Lamb[/B] is rumored to have been Genesis's answer to Tommy, the Who's rock opera. It has a very definate story, as strange and somewhat hard to follow as it may be. For that album, I would recommend looking for "Carpet Crawlers" first.

Phil Collins was the lead singer for [B]A Trick of the Tale[/B], but it's still a good album. All the songs tend to be surreal lyrically, but that's what makes it so good. I would recommend looking for "Squonk" or "Dance on a Volcano" first. [/COLOR]

[Kamuro]

as much as I love new rock/metal, I love the old stuff as well, I like old metal like Slayer, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, etc, but this post seems a bit more conservative, so I'll conform with the rest by saying, AC/DC, Queen, and The Doors, are a few of my favorite oldies

[Billy Shears]

[QUOTE=Generic NPC #3]
I absolutely love The Who. They have great energy and a lot of just pure classic albums. It's a shame that even the supposedly "remastered" versions of their albums still sound pretty poorly recorded, but I guess that's also part of the appeal.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]As evident from my banner and avatar, the Who is one of my favorite bands. I don't really think anyone can surpass the Who in excellence in live shows. For any Who fan, watch [I]The Kids Are Alright[/I], a documentary on the Who. It is a must-see. It's full of live shows and some interviews. Once you see that, you'll note why they are the best live.

The Rolling Stones had a TV show, called "The Rolling Stone's Rock n' Roll Circus". They got jealous and stopped after the first episode when the Who upstaged all the acts. And they were competeing against the Stones, Jethro Tull, and even The Dirty Mac, a group composed of John Lennon (the Beatles), Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience), Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards. Seeing as I am a die hard Beatles fan, I will admit; the Who was better.

I was disappointed with the Who after replacing Keith Moon. There is no way that man will ever be touched when it comes to pure energy on the drums. It is irrelavant how technical you are, Keith had style.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE]There's also Bowie, who for some reason or another I don't really equate with "classic rock" simply because he somehow remains relevent in every decade thanks to his changing sounds and images. [/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Bowie, along with the Beatles, are too good have any "label". They had too much impact, not just on rock n' roll, but music itself.

-the one and only[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[JT Darkfire]

I don't know why, but everyone seems to be passing up The Scorpions, Lynyrd Skynyrd,ZZ Topp, Guns and Roses... for me the list keeps going.

I guess I just love classic rock, but I'd have to say that my favorite is Styx. I love everything they've done (with exception to their album "Kilroy Was Here;"What were they thinking?) Eric Clapton is another must, and so is Queen.

I guess I'm just a classic rock addict.

[Ozymandius Jones]

[QUOTE=JT Darkfire]I don't know why, but everyone seems to be passing up The Scorpions, Lynyrd Skynyrd,ZZ Topp, Guns and Roses... for me the list keeps going.

I guess I just love classic rock, but I'd have to say that my favorite is Styx. I love everything they've done (with exception to their album "Kilroy Was Here;"What were they thinking?) Eric Clapton is another must, and so is Queen.

I guess I'm just a classic rock addict.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]1. I cannot [i]BELIEVE[/i] I forgot Skynyrd. *Hits self on forehead* I love them, especially Free Bird. I think I have a thing for long songs...plus the lead guitarist is a genius.

On the subject of lead guitarist, I realised I also forgot to included the Allman Brothers in my original post. It the lead guy for Skynyrd is a genius, Greg Allman is their King.

2. I also love Styx...but "Mr. Roboto" (which, I believe is off of "Kilroy") is my favorite song by them...it's addicting. I don't know why, it just is....[/COLOR]

[Juke Box Hero]

[b]Foreigner[/b]- My alltime favorite band. I'm told that it is guy music, but as a hyper biased fan I strongly disagree. Who doesn't get blood pumping over Hot Blooded, Urgent, Long, Long Way From Home; or Woman in Black? These are prog/arena rock classics. Mick Jones is an incredible musician and leader, giving creative energy and cohesion to a somewhat tense band.

Then of course we have Lou Graham. His edge, his style, his pure rock and roll vitality bring Foreigner out of the pack and into the league of Classic Rock. Few capture simultaneously his incredible talent and rock and roll image into one refined package. This guy is just incredibly cool. On that note, he is playing in my area, but mum absolutely will not allow me to sneak into the bar to see him... bloody mothers these days I'll tell ya...

Foreigner pushed disco out of the Top Forty with the help of Styx and others, they led the fight to kill disco off and succeeded! How cool is that.

Foreigner Four is their most complete album in my opinion, bringing classics like Juke Box Hero and Urgent together with totally awesome tracks like Break It Up and Woman in Black (Personal Favorite). Check it out, I got it for like two bucks on eBay.

[b]Led Zeppelin[/b]- WOW. One word that describes the ultimate rockers to me. They are the complete package: incredibly deep lyrics, by far the best instrumentals in rock and roll, the one two combo of Page (sp?) and Plant... What else do you need? There is no same genre answer for Zeppelin. They spawned some of the greatest songs ever created, Stairway to Heaven (yes I am an evangelical Christian... and yes Stairway to Heaven is THAT good..), Kashmir (My fav Zeppelin), Ramble On, etc.

Sorry to all of you Iron Butterfly Fans, Zeppelin was the bridge to and the founders of heavy metal. Sure Sonata Arctica and Metallica have come a long way from Kashmir, but the roots are clearly there. Who else can be honored with creating an entire Genre? Elvis, and the Beatles for rock and pop rock respectively.

[b]The Who[/b]- I absolutely love Tommy. Someone said that Genesis tried to answer Tommy with something or other, so sorry Collins/Gabriel, you can't answer Tommy in that arena.

Tommy aside, the Who's incredibly diverse range of songs (fun, serious, love, social commentary, etc.) coupled with incredible playing and singing from Daltry and Townsend (WOOOOOHOOOOOO GO PETE!) are unmatched. Who hasn't felt the anguish of Behind Blue Eyes? Pictured a sea of love in Reign O'er Me? Danced to Baba O'Reilly? I pity you if you haven't.

Townsend certainly stands with Lou Graham, Steven Tyler, Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, Roger Waters, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, and John Lennon as the Gods of Rock (There are others I guess...).


[b]Fleetwood Mac[/b]- My first favorite band (I took one look at a pic of Nicks from '77 and was like... WOW move over Liu!), FM's incredible diversity over one theme of songwriting is better than any I have ever heard elsewhere. You have to go very far genre wise to get from Tusk to Big Love, from Storms to Go Your Own Way, from Rhiannon to Paper Doll. When I want a love song and I don't have any EWF or Chicago on hand, FM's Greatest Hits goes in.

I am about to open myself to a lot of criticism here, but I don't care. Linsay Buckingham is history's greatest guitar player. Santana, Hendrix, and Keaggy are fantastic, but if you've ever hear Big Love you know what I am talking about, its incredible. It sounds like three highly skilled guitarists are playing all at once, and its just him... He may not be the best singer, but there is no one who beats him in technical guitarship.

Nicks beats out Ann Wilson and Olivia Newton John as my alltime fav. western female perfomers. Not only was she incredibly hot in the '70s, she can both sing and write songs. Her voice has an edge on it that no one I have ever heard possesses, she delivers her notes clearly and with style that is unmistakeably hers.

[b]Dire Straits[/b]- The thinking man's answer to Genesis, Knopfler's both skillful and sarcastic lyrical delivery is above Collins and Gabriel. I won't detract from the awesome "Supper's Ready", or Genesis as a whole, but Dire Straits simply outclasses them. Their songs are like a Hemingway novel, uncluttered, but very, very deep.

Money For Nothing, Telegraph Road, Private Investigations, Brothers in Arms, etc. are all incredible pieces of both music and commentary. MFN's unforgettable opening "I want my M T V..." haunts me every time someone speaks of that network.

Knopfler, although not as cool as Graham, is definetly my overall favorite singer. You simply must check out his solo CD Shangrila. Our Shangrila, Trawler Man's Song, Road to Tupelo, hell, the whole CD is just awesomely deep, stimulating, and musically impressive.

I love many other bands that I don't have time to write about, but I will make a non comprehensive list to honor them: Chicago, Rush, Boston, the Beatles, ACDC, Bowie, the Cure (pseudo classic maybe... whatever they are I like them anyway), Tom Petty, Mellancamp, Van Halen, Twisted Sister (guys check out Girls, Girls, Girls :P), Styx (Come Sail Away, alltime favorite song overall), Cream, Clapton Solo, Synynrd, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, CCR (Greatest Band of All Time Over All Hands Down), Beach Boys, Aerosmith, the Stones, Police, Jim Croce, Jethro Tull, DEEP PURPLE (wooohooo), Guns'N'Roses, Journey, WhiteSnake, Super Tramp, Cheap Trick, YES, Santana, ZZ Top, the Eagles (competes with CCR, just not a personal top 5), etc.

Classic Rock is definitely the best music of ALL TIME. Mozart doens't hold a candle to Steven Still or Fogerty (sp?)