NationStates Jolt Archive

... Who do NSG users think was the best British band of the 60s?
Traditionally, people tend to go, "Oh yeah, The Beatles, The Stones, The Who"... that tends to be the classic pantheon, at least on this side of the pond. I'm going to make the case for The Kinks, though. Didn't take off in the US as much as the other three, but man... all those songs. You Really Got Me is just the tip of the iceberg. They were releasing classic songs right on into the 70s, and their albums are hugely underrated. The parochial British outlook of The Village Green Preservation Society might be a little twee for some, but the music is simply astonishing. They also matched, even surpassed The Who with the brilliant Arthur, which had the misfortune to be released just after Tommy.
The Kinks had the edge on the Stones in terms of authenticity - compare Jagger's "blues" posturing with the elegant, nostalgic voice of Ray Davies, who sang in his own accent without affectation. It's a closer run thing with The Who, but in the 60s, which is the time period I'm talking about, The Kinks produced far more moments of brilliance (The Who spanked them in the 70s though).
So my vote goes to The Kinks, and I'll defend them to the death.

If the Smiths had been around in the 60's, they woulda been it.

out of those three i choose the kinks.

You better have a pretty damn good reason why you didn't put Electric Light Orchestra on that list.

out of those three i choose the kinks.

Led Zep should be in the poll actually, I always think of them as a 70s band though so I missed out. Ditto the Floyd.

Dude, the poll should so be multichoice! Do not make me pick among them! And, while I agree with you about the Kinks, there's many more British rockers to include, Cream and Zep being two right off the top my head.

If the Smiths had been around in the 60's, they woulda been it.

Sorry, hon, you may be a fox, but *BUZZER*
Just say "No" to the Smiths :D

Dude, the poll should so be multichoice! Do not make me pick among them! And, while I agree with you about the Kinks, there's many more British rockers to include, Cream and Zep being two right off the top my head.

Maybe Cream should be there too... damn, I suck at polls.
Edit: nah, stuff Cream. But Zep and Floyd, damn that was stupid.

Bowie really does get my vote - true, his best work all came out in the early 70's, but space oddity and david bowie both were released in the sixties.

Sorry, hon, you may be a fox, but *BUZZER*
Just say "No" to the Smiths :D

What's wrong with the Smiths?

What's wrong with the Smiths?

I did a couple shows with them back in the day. You could have just turned on the pink noise generator and the smoke machines, shone some lights around. No way to tell there was a band in there. And a local Denver band said it all, in their song "Morrissey Rides A Cock Horse."

What's wrong with the Smiths?

They're pretentious wankery?

edit: oh yeah, and they're music's shit. Forgot about that for a minute.

Not what I intended the thread to be about, but this is a better argument actually. The Smiths ruled! I don't care if they were a bunch of dicks who couldn't play live, the recorded work is simply magnificent. Morrissey's lyrics, despite his frequent self-pitying tendencies, were always witty, frequently brilliantly so. And some of the songs just send a shiver down my spine. Is there any more magnificently gloomy feeling than going out into the rain and listening to There Is A Light That Never Goes Out on headphones?
And the first album was pretty radical actually, there's nothing like it despite all the musical steals.

Cream, Bowie, Pink Floyd - yeah it's pretty much all been said already. Never was as keen on Zeppelin. Wait - I know - Deep Purple. Richie Blackmore is still great.

Cream, Bowie, Pink Floyd - yeah it's pretty much all been said already. Never was as keen on Zeppelin. Wait - I know - Deep Purple. Richie Blackmore is still great.

Yeah, sadly this is slightly Anglocentric thread, which I foolishly posted at half past one GMT. It was intended to counter a specific British attitude that the Stones, the Beatles and the Who were the "Big Three" of the 1960s. My timing is lousy.

Not what I intended the thread to be about, but this is a better argument actually. The Smiths ruled! I don't care if they were a bunch of dicks who couldn't play live, the recorded work is simply magnificent. Morrissey's lyrics, despite his frequent self-pitying tendencies, were always witty, frequently brilliantly so. And some of the songs just send a shiver down my spine. Is there any more magnificently gloomy feeling than going out into the rain and listening to There Is A Light That Never Goes Out on headphones?
And the first album was pretty radical actually, there's nothing like it despite all the musical steals.

No.

Not what I intended the thread to be about, but this is a better argument actually. The Smiths ruled! I don't care if they were a bunch of dicks who couldn't play live, the recorded work is simply magnificent. Morrissey's lyrics, despite his frequent self-pitying tendencies, were always witty, frequently brilliantly so. And some of the songs just send a shiver down my spine. Is there any more magnificently gloomy feeling than going out into the rain and listening to There Is A Light That Never Goes Out on headphones?
And the first album was pretty radical actually, there's nothing like it despite all the musical steals.

Smiths and Morrissey are both great.

No.

Very concise.
I will gush some more.
Johnny Marr, amazing guitar player and writer of music. No wanking, just pure expression, pure atmosphere.

Not what I intended the thread to be about, but this is a better argument actually. The Smiths ruled! I don't care if they were a bunch of dicks who couldn't play live, the recorded work is simply magnificent. Morrissey's lyrics, despite his frequent self-pitying tendencies, were always witty, frequently brilliantly so. And some of the songs just send a shiver down my spine. Is there any more magnificently gloomy feeling than going out into the rain and listening to There Is A Light That Never Goes Out on headphones?
And the first album was pretty radical actually, there's nothing like it despite all the musical steals.

I could never be arsed to listen, frankly. :eek:

Led Zep should be in the poll actually, I always think of them as a 70s band though so I missed out. Ditto the Floyd.

i'd still vote for the kinks ;P

I could never be arsed to listen, frankly. :eek:

I will concede that you have to be a gloomy bastard to properly get this band.

the smiths are probably the most overrated band there is. much more so than the beatles. their music is just drab and uninspired. if you want magnificently gloomy joy division shit all over the smiths.

edit: and morrisey's voice really grates. makes me just want to smack him in the face.

I will concede that you have to be a gloomy bastard to properly get this band.

Hey, I'm every bit as gloomy as the next bastard! And I also consider listening to music a form of emotional masturbation. But I've never needed no steekeen' Smiths to feel the gloom /shrug :p

Damn, forgot that everyone's a gloomy bastard on the t'internet.
Joy Division do indeed shit all over the Smiths in many ways, with two exceptions:
1: The Smiths are more accessible and listenable.
2: The Smiths are much wittier.
Having said that, Joy Division are better artistically, no question.

... back on topic.

I like Cream the best, especially their live stuff. You haven't lived until you've heard a 16 minute drum solo :D

... back on topic.

I like Cream the best, especially their live stuff. You haven't lived until you've heard a 16 minute drum solo :D

On the other hand, if you do hear one there's a strong chance you'll be dead by the end.

On the other hand, if you do hear one there's a strong chance you'll be dead by the end.

What about a 16 minute rendition of Spoonful? I mean it's pretty sexy... SPOONFUL...!

End this "best" bullshit already. We've had enough of these threads...

...Of course, there are other ways to go about it, such as making a "Most Prolific Band" or "Most Consistent Band" thread.

As is expected, the Beatles would easily be the most prolific (recordings numbering in the thousands, millions upon millions of album sales, hundreds of millions of fans). And Rush would likely be the most consistent (over thirty years of full-force playing and not a single mediocre album in their catalogue).

And Rush would likely be the most consistent (over thirty years of full-force playing and not a single mediocre album in their catalogue).

To be honest Vapor Trails had crap production and I heard Hold Your Fire was the Devil...

... but yah.

You better have a pretty damn good reason why you didn't put Electric Light Orchestra on that list.

I think the fact that they didn't form until 1970 kinda rules them out from being the best band of the sixties, wouldn't you say?

But sadly, once you have heard a 16-minute drum solo, you really have heard them all.

Actually I calculate a 2 hour drum solo would do that.

You haven't lived until you've heard a 16 minute drum solo :D

But sadly, once you have heard a 16-minute drum solo, you really have heard them all.

To be honest Vapor Trails had crap production and I heard Hold Your Fire was the Devil...

... but yah.

Let me guess: you heard Vapor Trails on CD, correct? That would explain the shit production, because the vinyl pressing sounds fine. (Though to be fair, Rush recently released a remastered CD issue of the album that sounds much better than the original CD issue.)

And what's this bullshit about Hold Your Fire? Have you even listened to the album...?

But sadly, once you have heard a 16-minute drum solo, you really have heard them all.

Heh, not really. Neil Peart's drum solos change drastically each time they're played. And, since he has a lot of percussive instruments at his disposal, they really do sound dynamic. I'm talking xylophones, MIDI, tongs, bell trees... You name it.

I'm partial to the Kinks and Cream....and what i'm familiar with of the Yardbirds and the Animals.

I don't care for the Rolling Stones at all (apart from "Paint it Black", which is brilliant), but I can tolerate the Beatles.
And Rush would likely be the most consistent (over thirty years of full-force playing and not a single mediocre album in their catalogue).

Ha.

Hold Your Fire. I'm sure there's more that would qualify.

Ha.

Hold Your Fire. I'm sure there's more that would qualify.

I personally saw nothing wrong with it. "Force Ten" is one of my favorite Rush songs, really. And I like Power Windows (though not as much as Grace Under Pressure)... I want to buy it, but I've got no money!

I guess mediocrity is in the eye (or, in this case, the ear) of the beholder. I for one find excessive palm muting in most Metal to be the epitome of mediocrity. Too often is it used for filler rather than texture, and it gets on my nerves.

Ha.

Hold Your Fire. I'm sure there's more that would qualify.

I was none too fond of Power Windows, myself.

End this "best" bullshit already. We've had enough of these threads...

You'll know at least I've finished with this when I post the "Best Ramones Album" thread.

I guess mediocrity is in the eye (or, in this case, the ear) of the beholder.

Yep. :P

I for one find excessive palm muting in most Metal to be the epitome of mediocrity. Too often is it used for filler rather than texture, and it gets on my nerves.

Yes, well, most metal is crap. But that applies to pretty much all music that gets airtime.

Kinks or Who.

It's a tough choice.

Cream (I've come to appreciate them only lately), sure, and pre-disco BeeGees are pretty good. Always was fond of Moody Blues.

You'll know at least I've finished with this when I post the "Best Ramones Album" thread.

My vote goes for Mondo Bizarro, without a shadow of a doubt.

Yep. :P



Yes, well, most metal is crap. But that applies to pretty much all music that gets airtime.

Exactamundo. And to top it all off, Metallica is possibly the worst of the bunch. Ugh, they just scream "standard".

I hate them.

Exactamundo. And to top it all off, Metallica is possibly the worst of the bunch. Ugh, they just scream "standard".

I hate them.


I don't hate them...just meh...they have been hugely influential and do have talent, their music just doesn't do it for me much. Out of thrash bands, I enjoy Slayer and Testament a lot more, but probably wouldn't put those amongst my most favourite artists either.

You'll know at least I've finished with this when I post the "Best Ramones Album" thread.

I have a Ramones autographed Louisville Slugger :cool:

Rolling Stones have always been my favorite. Although the Who are a close second.

The Who. They're not just the best 60s band (CCR and the Doors are runners-up) or the best British band, they're the best band EVER!

I saw them live in San Diego last week and they still rock! I even got's me a pair of Zak Starkey (son of Ringo) drumsticks... shirts were too expensive, but I already have two ('79 tour and A Quick One)... and quite a few albums... Tommy, Live at Leeds, Who's Next, Odds and Sods (B-sides, demos, live rarities), Live at the Isle of Wight, and the Ultimate Collection 2-disc set. I plan on adding Endless Wire (the new one), Live in Toronto '82, Sell Out and the super-duper deluxe edition of Who's Next (because of a 2nd disc, live at the Young Vic '71)... an how could I forget: Quadrophenia!

I am totally going to see them again next time they are near! And buying more shirts and posters and more DVDs (already have the Isle of Wight DVD)!

LONG LIVE ROCK!

The Who: best live band (Live at Leeds is brilliant)
Cream: best jam band (and I mean jam, not pot-smokers-rambling-aimlessly-all-Grateful-Dead-knock-off jam)
Led Zeppelin: best studio band
Deep Purple: hardest rockers (everyone after them just lost it with the excess, turning into Spinal Tap)
The Kinks: most independent (their first singles invented punk rock and the rest was all on their own terms)
The Beatles: best pop instincts
Steely Dan: best production
Rolling Stones: most attitude
The Doors: most intellectual (although I did hear an NSG-er compare Jim Morrison to a crazy homeless guy talking to himself under a bridge)
CCR: pinnacle of old-time rock 'n' roll
Jimi Hendrix: guitar messiah
Pink Floyd: undisputed masters of the concept album
Metallica: ugh...
AC/DC: indication that you can become millionaires by writing the same song over and over again
KISS: not a band so much as a stage show
Rush: kinda pretentious, although they do have their moments...
ELO: haven't heard a lot of their stuff... did they write "Blinded by the Light" or was that someone else? "10538 Overture" is pretty good...
Black Sabbath: not bad when they weren't singing about heroin
CSN&Y: most impressive vocal harmonies
Elton John: he used to rock... what the hell happened?!
The Band: best folk-rock and best creative collaboration
Grateful Dead: see comment above

Anyone I've left off I'm either not terribly familiar with or simply forgot at the moment.

I agree for the most part... BTW, Blinded by the Light is the opening track off of Bruce Springsteen's debut, written and originally performed by him.

Unless it's a different song with the same name...

Exactamundo. And to top it all off, Metallica is possibly the worst of the bunch. Ugh, they just scream "standard".

I hate them.

If I have to sit through another shitty cover of Seek And Destroy I'm gonna swing for someone.

How come I've had to put up with twenty. thirty, forty... however many bands doing that cover in my time, and yet only one single band who did a cover of Search And Destroy? Someone up there hates me, I swear it.

...and yet only one single band who did a cover of Search And Destroy? Someone up there hates me, I swear it.

Coincidentally, i'm actually going to finish off a cover of that song as soon as I can find an interested drummer. It's one of the only songs I can sing. ;)

I agree for the most part... BTW, Blinded by the Light is the opening track off of Bruce Springsteen's debut, written and originally performed by him.

His best LP, that one. Not a duff track on it, and it avoids the self-consciously employed rock cliches of his later more commercially minded releases. He does sing complete and utter doggerel for half the lyrics though, I'll give you that.

Nebraska comes in a second to his debut, by the way.

I agree for the most part... BTW, Blinded by the Light is the opening track off of Bruce Springsteen's debut, written and originally performed by him.

Unless it's a different song with the same name...
Nope. Same song. Made popular by Manfred Mann, whose cover was a hit (the lead singer didn't want to do it, because he couldn't make sense of the lyrics ;) )

Favourite ELO ablum: Out of the Blue :cool:

The Kinks
The Faces
The Yardbirds
Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band
Soft Machine


Blinded by the light was covered by Mannfred Mann's Earth Band in the 70s.

Electric Light Orchestra were an early seventies band (although their first album may have come out in 1969) and were crap.

The Who: best live band (Live at Leeds is brilliant)
Cream: best jam band (and I mean jam, not pot-smokers-rambling-aimlessly-all-Grateful-Dead-knock-off jam)
Led Zeppelin: best studio band
Deep Purple: hardest rockers (everyone after them just lost it with the excess, turning into Spinal Tap)
The Kinks: most independent (their first singles invented punk rock and the rest was all on their own terms)
The Beatles: best pop instincts
Steely Dan: best production
Rolling Stones: most attitude
The Doors: most intellectual (although I did hear an NSG-er compare Jim Morrison to a crazy homeless guy talking to himself under a bridge)
CCR: pinnacle of old-time rock 'n' roll
Jimi Hendrix: guitar messiah
Pink Floyd: undisputed masters of the concept album
Metallica: ugh...
AC/DC: indication that you can become millionaires by writing the same song over and over again
KISS: not a band so much as a stage show
Rush: kinda pretentious, although they do have their moments...
ELO: haven't heard a lot of their stuff... did they write "Blinded by the Light" or was that someone else? "10538 Overture" is pretty good...
Black Sabbath: not bad when they weren't singing about heroin
CSN&Y: most impressive vocal harmonies
Elton John: he used to rock... what the hell happened?!
The Band: best folk-rock and best creative collaboration
Grateful Dead: see comment above

Anyone I've left off I'm either not terribly familiar with or simply forgot at the moment.

Great observations! As a side note, many touring sound engineers use Steely Dan to ring out their systems. I couldn't wait to do a show with Steely Dan, to hear what their engineer used. It was . . . Steely Dan :p
Another side note, Steely Dan took their name from a chromed dildo featured in a Henry Miller novel :eek:

Great observations! As a side note, many touring sound engineers use Steely Dan to ring out their systems. I couldn't wait to do a show with Steely Dan, to hear what their engineer used. It was . . . Steely Dan :p

This has become such a cliche, along with use of Crowded House or Donald Fagen's The Nightfly, that band engineers do seem to be moving away from it slightly. Last two I've dealt with that I can remember have used Millenium by Killing Joke and a techno-influenced track by David Bowie.

Another side note, Steely Dan took their name from a chromed dildo featured in a Henry Miller novel :eek:

William S Burroughs, I think you'll find.

Out of the choices in the poll, it has to be The Kinks, the Beatles were vastly overrated and just happened to be in the right place at the right time

This has become such a cliche, along with use of Crowded House or Donald Fagen's The Nightfly, that band engineers do seem to be moving away from it slightly. Last two I've dealt with that I can remember have used Millenium by Killing Joke and a techno-influenced track by David Bowie.



William S Burroughs, I think you'll find.
No doubt you're correct, I always get Miller and Burroughs confused :rolleyes:
And at least no one uses ABBA :eek: Great production values, but . . . :eek:

The Troggs

Good old Steely Dan... I saw them live, front and center, last July. It was 120 degrees fahrenheit at midnight.

Does the band have to be 100% British? Just that techincally the Jimi Hendrix Experience was 2/3 rd's British, just that Jimi himself was American....

Let me guess: you heard Vapor Trails on CD, correct? That would explain the shit production, because the vinyl pressing sounds fine. (Though to be fair, Rush recently released a remastered CD issue of the album that sounds much better than the original CD issue.)

Really? Awesomeness, Imma go buy it then.

And what's this bullshit about Hold Your Fire? Have you even listened to the album...?

No. No I haven't. That's what I said I heard it was the Devil, i.e. via word of mouth. But I personally have no opinion of it. No need to get hostile. Unless it's the Internet playing tricks on me again.

Does the band have to be 100% British? Just that techincally the Jimi Hendrix Experience was 2/3 rd's British, just that Jimi himself was American....

I think Jimi accounts for more than 2/3 of the sound.

... Who do NSG users think was the best British band of the 60s?
Traditionally, people tend to go, "Oh yeah, The Beatles, The Stones, The Who"... that tends to be the classic pantheon, at least on this side of the pond. I'm going to make the case for The Kinks, though. Didn't take off in the US as much as the other three, but man... all those songs. You Really Got Me is just the tip of the iceberg. They were releasing classic songs right on into the 70s, and their albums are hugely underrated. The parochial British outlook of The Village Green Preservation Society might be a little twee for some, but the music is simply astonishing. They also matched, even surpassed The Who with the brilliant Arthur, which had the misfortune to be released just after Tommy.
The Kinks had the edge on the Stones in terms of authenticity - compare Jagger's "blues" posturing with the elegant, nostalgic voice of Ray Davies, who sang in his own accent without affectation. It's a closer run thing with The Who, but in the 60s, which is the time period I'm talking about, The Kinks produced far more moments of brilliance (The Who spanked them in the 70s though).
So my vote goes to The Kinks, and I'll defend them to the death.

I like the Who. And the Stones.

BLACK SABBATH. Although Deep Purple, Cream, Led Zep, etc. were all real good bands.


Yeah, I know Black Sabbath didn't release "Black Sabbath" until 1970, but they were around in the late 60's.

I think Jimi accounts for more than 2/3 of the sound.

Yeah I know he's responsible for most of the sound. What I was asking is whether the Experience counts as a British band seeing as 2/3 rds of the members were British and the UK is where the band was launched.

BLACK SABBATH. Although Deep Purple, Cream, Led Zep, etc. were all real good bands.


Yeah, I know Black Sabbath didn't release "Black Sabbath" until 1970, but they were around in the late 60's.

Black Sabbath is a very good band but can you say they were the best group of the 1960's because they were around then but with no real albums to their name? Their best records are from the 70's so they should be discounted from a 60's poll. If it were a 70's poll though Black Sabbath would definately be near the top.

Led Zeppelin should be in the poll though, their first two albums from the 60's are among the best of that period and arguably ever.

Cream are a brilliant band with three brilliant musicians and deserve more praise and acclaim then they recieve.

Deep Purple are a good band but are overshadowed by Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix etc...

The Kinks.

Perhaps a more interesting poll would be "Best American Band of the '60s?"
Get to it, OP.

Nah, you’re all wrong.

Best British band of the 60s? Soft Machine.

Robert Wyatt kicks ass.

Please tell me I'm not the only person who thinks the Beatles sucked.

The Doors :p

Please tell me I'm not the only person who thinks the Beatles sucked.

The Doors :p

I did know one other person, in college, who didn't like the Beatles. She had other redeeming qualities, however ;)

I did know one other person, in college, who didn't like the Beatles. She had other redeeming qualities, however ;)

Only people of 'our' qualities hate the Beatles ;)

Perhaps a more interesting poll would be "Best American Band of the '60s?"
Get to it, OP.

That one's between the Velvet Underground or the Doors, for me.

That one’s between the Velvet Underground or the Doors, for me.
Velvet Underground, hands down.

Only people of 'our' qualities hate the Beatles ;)

Really? You have "huge tracts of land"?

No offence, but other then the beatles i haven't heard of any of those band playing. The only reason i know OF the stones is because they're still around. I know them as the "band with the old guys". Never heard of their music, as well as the other options.

No offence, but other then the beatles i haven't heard of any of those band playing. The only reason i know OF the stones is because they're still around. I know them as the "band with the old guys". Never heard of their music, as well as the other options.
Where the hell were you? Hiding out with Saddam? We're talking some of the #1-selling, most critically-acclaimed bands in history.

Where the hell were you? Hiding out with Saddam? We're talking some of the #1-selling, most critically-acclaimed bands in history.

Where the hell was i? I was born in 1982, i'm 24 years old...i was born more then a decade after the 60's ended. I know Elvis Presley, and he started in the 50's so i'm not completely ignorant of musical history. I know the Beatles, i know ABBA...i know OF the stones, as for the rest....

Where the hell was i? I was born in 1982, i'm 24 years old...i was born more then a decade after the 60's ended. I know Elvis Presley, and he started in the 50's so i'm not completely ignorant of musical history. I know the Beatles, i know ABBA...i know OF the stones, as for the rest....
Yeah, but still. I was born in 1991 and I have nearly every '60s artist/band/musical group worth listening to. And '70s for that matter.

Yeah, but still. I was born in 1991 and I have nearly every ‘60s artist/band/musical group worth listening to. And ‘70s for that matter.
That’s some claim!

Perhaps a more interesting poll would be "Best American Band of the '60s?"
Get to it, OP.

Wouldn't that be less interesting...your only picking between The Doors, The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, The Beach Boys and Jimi Hendrix.....there's more to choose from in a British poll e.g. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Cream, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Kinks, The Yardbirds etc...

Anyway the best American group of the 60's would have to be The Velvet Underground with The Doors a close second.

Best British Group (apart from the Beatles) would be The Rolling Stones followed by The Who and The Jimi Hendrix Experience (if you count the fact that 2 of the three members were British making it a partly British band).

Wouldn't that be less interesting...your only picking between The Doors, The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, The Beach Boys and Jimi Hendrix...
Orly?

What about Jefferson Airplane, Steppenwolf, the Sonics, Canned Heat, the Byrds, the Band, Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, the Mamas and the Papas, and so on? Plenty to choose from.

Orly?

What about Jefferson Airplane, Steppenwolf, the Sonics, Canned Heat, the Byrds, the Band, Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, the Mamas and the Papas, and so on? Plenty to choose from.

And you can't forget Flo and Eddie! Turtles 4tehwin!!1@1