Essential classic rock albums
Submitted by kkna8927 on Sun, 01/13/2002 - 05:30
Tags:
- Led Zeppelin - II.
- Pink Floyd - Wish you were here.
- Who - Who's next.
- Bob Dylan - Blonde on blonde.
- Rolling Stones - Sticky fingers.
- Cream - Disraeli gears.
- Beatles - Revolver.
- Small Faces - Odgens nut gone flake.
- Doors - Doors.
- Jimi Hendrix - Electric ladyland
You must live in England; I'm not sure many Americans have even heard of the Small Faces! Good album.
While I'm not a huge Floyd fan, you at least did list my favorite by the band.
I'm a bit envious; the English music / radio scene is so superior to America's right now. Heck, even many of our best recent bands (The Strokes, for example) hit the big time in England before their albums are even released here! I believe The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev sell better there than here as well.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I do live in England. I'm surprised to hear about The Strokes hitting it big in England before America. There a great band and I've really enjoyed their new album. I'm not sure that our radio scene is any good though. All manufactured pop I'm afraid. I've always thought that The Americans are much more appreciative of alot of the older British music, such as Led Zep and The Who than we are. We have no classic radio stations that I know of, and it's rare to hear anything about our great music past which, personally, I'm very proud of.
In the summer, after my exams I am going to post up my all time top 100 albums. As I got this idea from you, I hope you don't mind me doing it. I've always enjoyed reading all your lists. You have given me many ideas about which albums to but and which artists to check out.
Best wishes,
Ed.
It is terrific that you are proud of your country's past in rock music. England's rock history could easily compete with America's; I tend to think that England produces better bands while America tends to produce better individual artists, but believe me, that is an extremely gross over-exaggeration (one that neglects The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Elvis Costello, Nick Drake, and David Bowie, just for starters). Anyway, most Americans underestimate England's music scene; what many of my peers dub "good ol' American rock and roll" is simply updates of The Rolling Stones and The Who, if not the very bands themselves!
The Strokes not only hit it big in England first, they were released in England first, which is a bit sad considering they are a New York band! Imagine if Blur and Radiohead albums were only released in England months after their American releases.
American radio does play Led and The Who (although almost Who's Next exclusively) quite a bit. In fact, American rock radio tends to have only two modes - rap influence post-grunge stations and classic rock. That's it. There really is no place for even Radiohead on most city's airwaves, despite the fact that they sell very well here. I'm not sure I have ever heard Bjork on a commercial station before.
Even our classic rock stations are rather narrowly defined - Usually no Velvet Underground, no Elvis Costello, no Love, etc., etc.
I certainly look forward to your top 100 list! I l hope you include comments; I'd love to read about why you choose the albums you do.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs