Favorite All-Time Musical Acts

Submitted by myshkin1867 on Tue, 11/23/2004 - 05:25
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  1. The Smiths
  2. Pink Floyd
  3. Tears for Fears
  4. The Smashing Pumpkins
  5. U2
  6. The Beatles
  7. Radiohead
  8. Blur
  9. Pulp
  10. Duran Duran
  11. Eurythmics
  12. Depeche Mode
  13. The Stone Roses
  14. Nine Inch Nails
  15. Kate Bush
Author Comments: 

These are my favorite all-time musical acts. Ranking based on how passionate I was/am for the act and how long I was in to them.

professor11/24/2004

You must be English (me too). If you like The Smiths, you must also like The Buzzcocks and The Only Ones.

myshkin186711/24/2004

Nope. From Portland, OR, USA. Nice rainy weather here too. I actually haven't heard anything from the Buzzcocks or The Only Ones. Any particular songs/albums from these acts you'd recommend?

professor11/25/2004

Wow! &nbsp That is some list for a non-Brit.

The Buzzcocks were the definitive punk-pop band, releasing energetic catchy singles (imagine The Ramones writing catchy pop), highly original, and quirky. Particular songs or albums ? Easy to answer. Check out their Singles Going Steady [UK Bonus Tracks], in particular the songs 'Love You More' and 'Ever Fallen In Love (with someone you shouldn't've fall in love with)'. As a singles band - this covers all of their singles plus 'B' sides, plus some bonus tracks. They started out life in 1977 with frontman Howard Devoto, releasing only the 'Spiral Scratch' EP before Devoto left to form his own band (the quite succcessful 'Magazine' - Magazine's first album Real Life' is a masterpiece - on a par with Television's Marquee Moon). Devoto was himself unique - imagine a cross between Morrisey and Brian Eno. After 'Spiral Scratch' everything from the Buzzcocks was fronted by the charismatic singer/guitarist Pete Shelley. Many here on listology have a Buzzcocks (Shelley) song amongst their all-time favourites.

The Only Ones were a greatly under-rated band, let down a little by their over-produced studio albums. Like The Buzzcocks and The Smiths, I first heard The Only Ones (Lovers of Today) on the John Peel show . When Peel died recently I was checking through his 'Peel Sessions' releases and came across Darkness & Light which I bought - it is maginificent. Although billed as a 'live' album, The Peel Sessions were recorded live in the studio so they were more immediate and vital than studio albums but often considerably better quality than live albums. For The Only Ones, imagine The Smiths fronted not by Morrisey but by the equally unique (?) Syd Barrett (he looks and sounds just like Syd Barrett). Particular songs: 'Another Girl, Another Planet' (a UK top ten single) and my favourite 'Lovers Of Today'.

Check out the sound bites in the album links for samples.

AJDaGreat11/25/2004

I would second the recommendation of Singles Going Steady, a really terrific compilation. It's one of my favorite punk CDs, up there with London Calling.

professor11/26/2004

Which are your favourite tracks ?
Have you heard Magazine's 'Real Life' ?
Have you heard anything from The Only Ones ?

AJDaGreat11/26/2004

Favorite tracks? Ooh, tough. Ever Fallen in Love? is classic, of course, but I also really like Harmony in My Head and Just Lust. And then there's I Don't Mind, and Everybody's Happy Nowadays, and Love You More, and...

No, and no.

myshkin186711/26/2004

Thanks professor for that info. I'll definitely have to check these groups out!

Added a couple groups that I had somehow forgotten. Blur, Pulp, and Nine Inch Nails.

professor11/28/2004

Click on the album links for some sound bites.