alright... with the seasonal madness in full swing, it's time for me to get this puppy to bed. i can't be sure whether i'm more interested in the silences from fans of the pixies, police, r.e.m. or radiohead. really? i've got the POGUES on my list & not yer boys & yer ok with that? huh.
well... with that in mind, here's the last of 'em.
26. u2
formed, 1976 in dublin (as the feedback, then the hype)
debut: boy, 1980
frontman: bono vox
debate: most pretentious band ever? should a rock star appoint himself president of the world? is he bugging you?
classic lineup: bono vox, vocals; the edge, guitar; adam clayton, bass; larry mullen jr, drums
breakthrough album: war
definitive album: the joshua tree
my fave: war
last GREAT album: achtung, baby (despite the title)
best known song: not going NEAR that one!!
best song: god, pt ii
little known connections: formed back in high school, as a beatles/stones cover band called the feedback, there was a fifth member, dick evans, who split soon after to form the virgin prunes.
27. the velvet underground
formed, 1964 in nyc
debut: the velvet underground & nico, 1967
frontman: lou reed
debate: greatest band ever?
classic lineup: nico, vocals; lou reed & sterling morrison, guitars; john cale, keys; maureen tucker, drums
dead young: nico, brain hemorrhage, age 49 (she fell off a bicycle... it's true!)
breakthrough album: the velvet underground & nico
definitive album: the velvet underground & nico
my fave album: the velvet underground & nico
AVOID: squeeze (1973, none of the original members)
last GREAT album: loaded
last GOOD album: live at max's kansas city (lou reed's final show with the group, aug 23, 1970. recorded on a hand-held tape recorder)
best known song: sweet jane
best song: waiting for the man
little known connections: lou reed was a studio musician for industry-joke pickwick records, playing in a group called the primitives that released a rare single, "the ostrich", back in 1964. john cale & tony conrad, from lamonte young's theater of eternal music, were in the band with him, as was sculptor walter de maria. cale & reed formed the nucleus of the velvet underground after a chance meeting with morrison (who had played in a high school band w/ reed) on the subway. there is a record by a supergroup called acne (kevin 'A'yers, john 'C'ale, 'N'ico & brian 'E'no) from 1977.
28. the wailers
formed, 1963 in kingston, jamaica (as the teenagers, then as the wailing wailers)
debut: the wailing wailers, 1966
frontman: bob marley
classic lineup: bob marley, bunny livingstone, peter tosh, guitars; aston barrett, bass; carlton barrett, drums
dead young: bob marley, cancer, age 36. peter tosh, murdered, age 42.
breakthrough album: catch a fire
definitive album: burning
my fave album: burning
best known song: i shot the sheriff
best song: concrete jungle
little known connections: marley, livingstone & tosh met as teenagers in the tenement music school of jamaican reggae legend joe higgs.
29. the who
formed, 1964 in london
debut: the who sings my generation, 1965
frontman: roger daltrey
classic lineup: roger daltrey, vocals; pete townshend, guitar; john entwistle, bass; keith moon, drums
drunk & dead young: keith moon, age 31
debate: which farewell tour will be the LAST farewell tour?
breakthrough album: the who sings my generation
definitive album: tommy
my fave album: who's next
best known song: who are you (the theme song of csi, as it's known today...)
best song: won't get fooled again (the theme song of csi: miami, as it's known today...)
little known connections: for four months in 1964, the who changed their name to "the high numbers" when their manager advised them to tap into the "mod" scene in london (a precursor to the "punk" scene a decade later). there is a single released under that name, before the band reverted back to their original name... moon was replaced (??) by small faces / faces drummer kenny jones.
30. zz top
formed, 1970 in houston
debut: zz top's first album, 1970
classic lineup: billy gibbons, guitar; dusty hill, bass; frank beard, drums.
breakthrough album: eliminator
definitive album: tres hombres
my fave album: deguello
last GREAT album: deguello
last GOOD album: eliminator
best known song: gimme all your lovin'
best song: jesus just left chicago
little known connections: the boys had played in two rival houston bands in the late 1960s. hill & beard provided the rhythm in american blues; while gibbons garnered some national recognition in the under-appreciated moving sidewalks.