The Big 4
1. Frank Zappa
I've written a lot more about Frank. Suffice it to say the Zappa Plays Zappa is among my top 10 for the 21C so far.
2. The Beatles
The Shins ain't got nothin' on these guys. They changed my life. I still remember the night I first saw them on Ed Sullivan. I joined my 1st rock and roll band a couple months later.
3. Bob Dylan
4. Bruce Springsteen
A tough pick between these 2 guys but I guess I'll go with Dylan's extra decade of longevity. There's an obvious gap between the Big 4 and the rest of the Inner Circle.
The 5th Beatle
5. Pink Floyd
"Echoes" is the single greatest rock and roll song or "track" of all time.
The Inner Circle (goes thru #33)
6. Leonard Cohen
"The Future" is the greatest "LP" of the '90s.
7. The Beach Boys
Probably the earliest pop/rock artists of whom I said, "Wow. I have never heard anything like that in my whole life."
8. Ry Cooder
Everything from mainstream rock and R & B and folk-rock to Cuban and Tex-Mex. An incredibly prolific and versatile fellow.
9. Mark Knopfler
Best artist of the 1980s by far.
10. Bela Fleck
Makes the point that a lot of "country" music is rock music at the same time. Not Nashville country, however. Too sweet. But the revival of earlier country styles in and around Austin, Texas, and the revival of bluegrass and new grass music have that old rock and roll spirit oozing out of its amplifiers.
11. Ray Charles
The greatest singer of my lifetime.
12. Paul Simon
Another remarkably durable and versatile and creative force.
13. Jethro Tull
From the most beautiful, melodic music to some of the hardest driving music all from one band.
14. Steely Dan
Pure fun. Plus, my wife's and my 1st date was to a Steely Dan concert. Say no more, say no more.
15. Pat Metheny
Defined fusion guitar.
16. Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
The most morose and depressive blues you've ever heard, and isn't that what the blues is about? But also incredibly original, ala "Albatross," "Oh Well" and lots more.
17. Talking Heads
One of the most exciting bands ever at their peak, and we mean Stop Making Sense and Remain in Light up through "Nothing but Flowers."
18. Aimee Mann
We used to say that "chicks" couldn't sing rock and roll. More than anybody, it was Aimee Mann who disproved that.
19. Gordon Lightfoot
Has the reputation today as something of a lightweight. But if Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins and others from the folkie side are deserving of respect, then ditto Gordo. "Sit Down Young Stranger" and "The Minstrel of the Dawn" capture that era as much as "Woodstock" and "Ohio."
One of the most exciting bands ever at their peak, and we mean Stop Making Sense and Remain in Light up through "Nothing but Flowers."
18. Aimee Mann
We used to say that "chicks" couldn't sing rock and roll. More than anybody, it was Aimee Mann who disproved that.
19. Gordon Lightfoot
Has the reputation today as something of a lightweight. But if Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins and others from the folkie side are deserving of respect, then ditto Gordo. "Sit Down Young Stranger" and "The Minstrel of the Dawn" capture that era as much as "Woodstock" and "Ohio."
20. Eric Clapton
21. Jimi Hendrix
#1 and #2 as guitarists, inseparable on the big list, too.
22. Van Morrison
From classics to great '90s and 21C music.
23. Allman Brothers Band
What might have been. But, hey, what was. Just an incredible band.
24. Sufjan Stevens
A true original.
From classics to great '90s and 21C music.
23. Allman Brothers Band
What might have been. But, hey, what was. Just an incredible band.
24. Sufjan Stevens
A true original.
25. Bonnie Raitt
Multi-talented. One of the great women guitarists and bandleaders. But mainly just an impeccable interpreter of a wide range of songs.
Multi-talented. One of the great women guitarists and bandleaders. But mainly just an impeccable interpreter of a wide range of songs.
26. Arcade Fire--Just 3 LPs but that's only 2 less than the Doors, and their concerts have been a lot more frequent and a lot more satisfying than the Doors for reasons we won't get into.
27. The Doors--Nobody has ever sounded at all like the Doors. What an original and creative group of guys.
28. Jerry Douglas--Incredibly prolific. He always sounds like Jerry Douglas and he never fails to embellish a song with just the right emotion.
30. Phil Ochs--Forgotten genius of protest music.
31. Rufus Wainwright--Great performer, have seen him live twice now. And he's got a lot of great material now 15 years since his 1st LP.
32. Led Zeppelin--Again, in their prime, they didn't sound like anybody and nobody sounded like them. I mean, Page and Plant, what a pair. I saw them outplay Eric Clapton and Blind Faith at the Milwaukee Pop Festival in 1969.
33. Neil Young--Hard or soft, Neil could and did get you either way.And that concludes the Inner Circle.
The Second Tier would include:
35. Indigo Girls
36. Wilco
38. Rolling Stones--Not the greatest rock 'n roll band in the world, really, but there's a lot of great music in that immense catalog.
39. Bill Frisell--Certainly 1 of the great solo instrumental guitarists.
40. Yes--Sure, they represent a sound and a genre that is pretty much passé but in their prime they had a hell of a sound and could and did reproduce it in concert, flawlessly. I guess you had to be there.
41. Alison Krauss
42. Donovan
43. Judy Collins--Possibly the greatest female voice of the rock era.
44. Marvin Gaye
45. Chuck Berry
46. Elvis Presley
47. Prince
48. Orleans
49. Steve Goodman
50. Patsy Cline
Second 50
51. Louis Jordan
52. King Crimson
53. Joni Mitchell
54. Jeff Beck
55. Roy Orbison
56. Tift Merritt
57. Tim Hardin
58. The Byrds
59. Linda Ronstadt
60. Shawn Colvin
61. Marshall Crenshaw
62. Hem
63. Everly Brothers
64. The Animals
65. Mark-Almond
66. David Grisman
67. k.d. lang
68. Radiohead
69. Bruce Cockburn
70. Eagles
71. Zappa Plays Zappa
72. Bob Wills
73. John Phillips
74. Buddy Holly
75. The Who
76. John Fahey
77. The Band
78. Black Keys
79. Al Stewart
80. Auto Body Experience
And that concludes the Second Tier.
The Third Tier would begin with the following and continue on up through about #125 or so though I haven't tried to list them.
81. Steve Forbert
82. Little Feat
83. Natalie MacMaster
84. The Band
85. Procol Harum
86. Lynyrd Skynyrd
87. Hold Steady
88. Jackson Browne
89. John Prine
90. U2
91. Murray McLauchlan
92. Sam Cooke
93. The Doobie Brothers
94. Billy Joel
95. Peter Paul and Mary
96. Bob Marley
97. Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel
98. James McMurtry
99. Sarah Borges
100. Ricky Nelson
Bubbling Under
Joe Walsh
Supertramp
Peter Gabriel
Willie Nelson
Hank Williams
Ray LaMontagne
Zero7
Bobby Darin
The Platters
Willie Murphy
Sheryl Crow
Travis
World Party
Tracy Chapman
Bruce Hornsby
Marty Robbins
The Four Tops
Dave Clark Five
The Grateful Dead
Willie Murphy
Sheryl Crow
Travis
World Party
Tracy Chapman
Bruce Hornsby
Marty Robbins
The Four Tops
Dave Clark Five
The Grateful Dead
