After considerable sniping and arguing amongst the commentariat over who is more deserving, ELO or NIN, Devo devotees put on a late push to render the whole debate moot. The numbers: Devo 36%; Electric Light Orchestra/Jeff Lynne 33%; Nine Inch Nails 19%; John Hiatt 7%; Chicago 5%; Mountain 0%. Devo now devolves into the Great 48.
Up next, our contest to name the greatest band of all time presents yet another diverse pod of talented artists, this one headed by a man who cranked out his first 5-star record in 1976 and his most recent one in 2007.
- #5 Graham Parker: Listen
- Roxy Music/Brian Ferry: Listen
- Emerson Lake & Palmer: Listen
- Annie Lennox: Listen
- The Damned: Listen
<br /> <a href=”http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1911454/” mce_href=”http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1911454/”>Which band/artist deserves to advance in the Tournament of Rock: Legends?</a><span style=”font-size:9px;” mce_style=”font-size:9px;”>(<a href=”http://www.polldaddy.com” mce_href=”http://www.polldaddy.com”>survey</a>)</span><br />
Polls close Tuesday at midnight.
Categories: Music/Popular Culture, Tournament of Rock
Progressive Culture | Scholars & Rogues 
NIN wuz robbed. 😦 I’ll have to think about this one, though. None of these guys are way up there on my best list. I LIKE em all, but nothing screams out at me. GP might have an edge, but that’s based solely on his last CD. His older stuff seems a bit dated to me.
Dated? Jeez, go back and listen to HOWLIN’ WIND, would you?
I did. It’s dated.
Well, it’s dated in the same sense that everything 30 years old is dated. But it’s also powerful and essential in a way that never loses its edge.
With his lyrics, I think I’d agree with you. With the rest, I’m not so sure.
This is my least favorite pod so far, went with Lennox.
I have to say that this time I have no flippin’ clue.
Man, talk about separating the men from the boys. Next time you’re over I’ll introduce you to some of these fine artists, esp. GP.
I recognize 4 of them, have listened to 3 of them, but have only listened to 2 of them enough to form an opinion about them. Which is why I have no clue. I’m probably going to sit this one out for that reason.
I think Slammy is an elitist. 🙂 I bet he eats goat cheese with is arugula.
BTW, I voted. Came down to Annie Lennox and the one I actually voted for.
That’s a great song. Love Annie, too, but few artists have been kicking idiots in the balls as long as Parker.
I actually really like most of Don’t Tell Columbus. England’s Latest clown, Reservoir, Stick to the Plan…It’s hard to pick a favorite cause they’re all so good.
I’m with Mr. Angliss, only worse. I voted for the one artist I was actually familiar with.
Don’t worry though Sam. I don’t think you eat arugula.
Yep, I’m sitting this one out too. I don’t see any legends here. I like Graham Parker, but he isn’t/wasn’t influential enough. That isn’t my only criterion, but it’s a biggie. Perhaps I just haven’t listened to him enough to appreciate his legend. I don’t really consider Roxy Music rock. Avalon is a pop masterpiece, but it isn’t rock. ELP represents all that is both good and evil about prog rock, so I’m not sure which finger to salute them with. Annie Lennox is great, but as with Parker, I’m not sure I’d say ‘legend’.
The Damned tried their damnedest (had to) to be so many things that I still find myself wondering what exactly they were They appeared to be punk only because that was fashionable at the time. While the other punk bands ripped on the arena rock establishment, I heard a little too much arena rock in the Damned’s sound to take them seriously. At other times, they seemed to meander through an odd mix of ’50s teen idol meets Rocky Horror meets the Who meets new wave meets country and western. They did none of those things with the grandieur or focus of other chameleons like, say, Neil Young. I think they’ve claimed at various times to be the first goth band, but I don’t think I can even give them that. At the end of the day, I think Dave Vanian and Co. just wanted to be adored.
fikshun wrote: “…I think Dave Vanian and Co. just wanted to be adored.”
You say that as if it’s a bad thing, Mike. You young ‘uns with your egalitarian views…I swear, ya’ll just don’t appreciate rock stardom sufficiently…. As Lennon noted, (in classic rock, at least) the only reason any guy ever joined a band was “for the birds.” 😉
As Sam loves pointing out, we love playing those shows where the middle aged housewives tell us they still love us….
Graham Parker got my vote.
I love the IDEA of Ferry and Roxy, but I haven’t always loved the REALITY of Roxy and Ferry.
ELP – I feel exactly as fikshun does – love/hate ’em – for mostly the same reasons….
Annie Lennox – wonderful singer, but hard to know who she’d be without Dave Stewart….
I like The Damned, but not enough to give them a vote….
ELP I just hate. No love there.
Jim Booth wrote: “You say that as if it’s a bad thing, Mike.”
I started playing my dad’s guitar the night after going to a Cars concert and watching girls dance in the aisles there. Those two events may be connected in some way.
There’s nothing wrong about getting into music because you want to be noticed or adored, but hopefully at some point, you can get around to using the medium for something a little more lofty and communicative. Otherwise, you’re not a legend (at least not of the “rock” variety).
Fond as I am of Graham Parker, Roxy is probably in my top seven of all time, if not five.