I remember the assessment of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys in complete bewilderment as to why anyone was going nuts over the Beatles as their music was so simple, that it had no artistic quality.
In memorializing the mop tops from Liverpool, who it appears that like Star Trek, the wrong ones died and the wrong ones are still alive, the Lame Cherry lists the 10 bands better than the Beatles. I have limited it to 10, so as not to have bands like the Taxicats who played on trash an lids for drums surpass the low standing of the Fab Four, who in later years crooned to the beauty of Muchelle Obama and made tasteless jokes concerning George W. Bush.
I wonder ......we will start at number 10.
10. Dire Straits
9. The Turtles
8. The Cars
7. Three Dog Night
6. Van Halen
5. Foreigner
4. The Rolling Stones
3. Boston
2. Led Zepplin
1. Aerosmyth
Bands which came very close to making the Top Ten ahead of the Beatles were Steeley Dan, Greg Kihn Band, J. Geils Band, Jefferson Airplane and the Scorpions.
Kiss was excluded because they are Kiss and their music does not hold up.
Some "bands" were excluded as the Beach Boys and the Moody Blues who were "bands" but not in the
classic lead guitar as it was not deemed symphony productions as the ridiculous Paul McCartney and Wings.
Electric Light Orchestra, was far too symphonic even if Jeff Lynn wrote proficiently.
Other "bands" such as Ted Nugent, while productive were the single talent, including the most productive Billy Squier.
In listening to the released list of the best bands, it was evident that the yuppie who released it had no taste in music or awareness of what is a band.
The ranking of the bands is based upon the criteria of recognizability, production, longevity and the noteworthiness of song. The Hollies obtained the 10 spot with Long Cool Woman in the weight of that song, but were edged by Dire Straits on account of production. Led Zepplin appears as number two due to the weight of their massive hits such as Stairway to Heaven.
Boston was the probably the best band, but lacked longevity, while the Cars production should have obtained them a higher place, but the blues rock was not as evident in their parade of hits.
The Turtles made the list for their high octane Walk in the Sun and Let the Cold Winds Blow, not for Happy Together.
The spellings are my own and the ones I prefer.
Once again this settles the debate as I am unanimous in my judgment.
agtG
