[Daryn Alexander]

Bong is right. Cure is great.

 

[catachresis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax wow, man, i'm glad you got that off your chest! i can totally see where you're coming from. however, i have yet to find a band that has NEVER released a certain amount of "dreck." sure, Nick Cave thinks he's a strung-out, post-modern Faulkner. Tom Waits became a charicature of himself roundabout Burma Shave. i have to psyche myself up to listen to Loaded without writing Lou Reed off as a sellout. so yeah, Jim at his best is better than Lou at his worst. but i could also say that the only time Thom Yorke truly transcended his reputation as a whiny, self-loathing savant was on Kid A, and i wouldn't be entirely wrong. and the argument could be made that Tool is just GWAR without a sense of humor... but hey, this is music... if it sounds good, it is good.

Well, I think we are on similar wavelengths (consoling to me perhaps). Yes, the great artists get remembered because they were 'great' but rarely because they were also fruitful, prolific, and consequently unafraid to put out for public consumption the commensurate quotient of 'dreck'. The adage is that Those who never risk failing never do anything. Hell, even Faulkner put out a bit of 'dreck' [The Village, The Hamlet, The Town I think the late series is about the rise of Snopsism in the free world]. It's hard as hell for me to reread Raymond Chandler's Playback. Thank God for all the rest of it.

I've never had enough patience to give Thom Yorke even one chance.

Here's where we part though: Loaded is a phenomenal album, pointing beyond advant garde pretentions to the enduring strengths of great popular music. "O Sweet Nuthin'!" is a veritable masterpiece: Jesus wanted one of the ten greatest country songs ever written to be about drag-queens in Manhattan.

Shalom.

 

[pcolbeck]

It was the Stones for all of the 70s and the 80s and now it has to be U2. Personally I can take them or leave them but no one else has the stadium filling power combined with longevity and talent that's recognised world wide.
There are definately more arty bands and you can say that some band that you like that only a small clique of people like is betrr all you like and it may well be true however it don't cut the mustard when we are talking about rocking the world.

 

[applebook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcolbeck It was the Stones for all of the 70s and the 80s and now it has to be U2. Personally I can take them or leave them but no one else has the stadium filling power combined with longevity and talent that's recognised world wide. There are definately more arty bands and you can say that some band that you like that only a small clique of people like is betrr all you like and it may well be true however it don't cut the mustard when we are talking about rocking the world.

I agree 100%.

While I don't like the Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, and other massive bands, I certainly will not castigate those who do because there might just be a reason why these bands are so popular and enduring.

 

[Xakepa]

I consider Radiohead still being the best rock band overall at this time, on this planet.

However, the most anticipated live gig as of Jan 2006 for me is Sigur Ros. There's nothing more exciding to meet a great band on it's way up. An occasion not to be missed...like U2 in '92

Coldplay are worthy contenders, and Tool and Pearl Jam are both great live performers. Still, the best live band I ever exprienced is Iron Maiden. Their live in Mexico City in Jan 2001 is my personal best ever (OK, I was high but still).

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fearless I'm going to go with two bands. Radiohead and Tool. I realize that they aren't eveyones cup of tea, but if you're into them they're quite good and very consistant. I can't wait for Tool's new album.

I agree, and would add The Flaming Lips and Wilco.

And maybe Built to Spill.

-jar

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beach123456 No one has said them yet so i am going to go with.... Iron Maiden.

I'd agree if it was 1987.

 

[A<aA?]

tool

 

[xtr3me]

So many great bands. How can you choose only one?
Dream theater, Tool, Maiden, Radiohead, Muse, etc, etc, etc.
Can you choose just one? I can't

 

[roy_jones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nirvanalvr12 And not to mention the amazing lyrics, which, IMO, resemble that of the late great Jim Morrison. The concert was an overwhelmingly grand expirience, and I now have a great more respect for the entire band. Anyone who has not taken the time to listen to this music should attempt it. I know you will not be dissapointed. What are your favorite bands that are still going strong?

That comment about Dave Matthews having lyrics on the level of Jim Morrison bugs me. I like Dave Matthews, but if we're talking about depth, poetics, and general creative awareness transmitted through lyrics, Jim has got something that Matthews does not. Matthews just doesn't have that darkness or depth. I know that you've got to take that with a grain of salt, cause the Doors have so many commercial songs mixed in with their more experimental stuff.



In terms of best band right now. Hmmm. For me it's between Radiohead and Tool, if we're going with more commercially recognizable bands. I have to go with Tool. I think Radiohead might be more appealing to a wider audience, but Tool just has that existential energy that is more powerful to me, overall.

 

[kwitel]

Know zero about this genre and was hoping everyone would just chime in.

Ive recently gotten very into Opeth and (thanx to ASMOX) Frantic Bleep and Isis. I dont know if any of these are considered classic "prog-metal" but they are all killer non-theless.
I just love complex music in general, with either a dark/ futurisitic/ avante-gard feel to it (Tool, Dredg, TMV). I know im all over the place here-but ill really listen to anything that contains any of the above.
Been hearing quite a bit about Pain of Salvation, Mastadon, Gaurdian Knot and Katatonia.
I have to say this: (all due respect to all the fans) I cant stand Dream Theatre and/or anything that sounds like it. No throwback/cheeseball guitar riffs. Also, I still cant seem to get into the cookie monster vocals...so I either want that out completely or kept to a minimum.
Any and all thoughts/recommendations are needed!

sorry guys-disregard this reply-this is meant to be a new thread

 

[Traumamc]

No hesistation here,

OASIS

Simple as that

 

[TheMarsVolta]

My votes (do I get more than one?

)

For concerts - Radiohead. 2 of the best live shows I've ever seen.
For albums - Tool and Mars Volta
For "mood" music - Sigur Ros and Boards of Canada

 

[Jacobh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong for me it's The Cure. always has been and always will be. i can say with full confidence that no other band has the most consistant quality output, and put on the most amazing live shows... not even U2.

I really like both the Cure and U2, but having seen each band in concert twice, I'd have to disagree and say U2 puts on a better show. Not to say the Cure wasn't great as a live band. However, both times I saw U2, it was a stadium venue, and both times I saw the Cure it was a concert pavillion. If you can put on a kick-ass show in a sold out stadium, it's going to be hard for any show in a concert pavillion to match that energy level.

But to answer the original question - U2s been doing it the longest.

If you just look at the past 15 years, I'd say Radiohead and Flaming Lips.

If you just look at the last 5 years, I'd say Wilco.

There are plenty of other great bands out there who are better in many respects, but when you consider, quality album output, great live shows, and reaching a wide audience, I'd go with those bands.

Also, a band like Phish probably deserves mention. I'm not a huge fan, but they've played in front of a lot of people over the years.

 

[Jahn]

During the SuperBowl, my wife looked at the Rolling Stones doing their thing, and said "Satisfaction is a really good song." This, from a very casual listener, who i know for a fact never owned a Stones album ever. Some bands just got the mojo, folks!