NaBloPoMo - Day 3
On the list for Na-Blah-Blah today was supposed to a reschedule of my post about communication and self expression, which you may recall was previously scratched because of my
lazyness affinity for
sleeping in on a Saturday.
But when Mike from Port 16 posted about his
10 Bands he couldn't do without and all but tagged me to respond, I thought I could make this work for my monthly theme of "things for which I am thankful."
So much for planning....
This will actually work very well though. I have a couple of musical themes to explore this month so with a bit more modification to the schedule I can make this fit right in.
So here are (in no particular order)
10 Musical Artists For Which I Am Thankful:
The Beatles - Certainly not a surprise to anyone who knows me. The first album I remember buying on my own is Rubber Soul and the term 'fanatic' is certainly appropriate. I've got CDs, LPs, 8tracks, Books, Videos, Posters, Collectibles, Plates, Ornaments, etc... I was too young to remember them while they were still together but their influence on me and on contemporary music is undeniable.
The Allman Brothers Band - I'll be writing a lot more about them later this month but for now suffice it to say that I just love these guys - truly among the most enjoyable live bands I have ever seen. A band with a long history that isn't a tribute act to themselves, or a greatest hits act. In the words of Gregg Allman they are not a jam band, but rather a band that jams!!
Gov't Mule - Again, a lot more coming about these guys later, but also a band that is best seen in a live environment. Lead singer / guitarist Warren Haynes is a master of improvisational music, and Gov't Mule is a band that mixes their own songs masterfully with well chosen covers. I have hundreds and hundreds of their live shows, and I can choose any of them at random and be assured of a top notch performance.
Bob Dylan - The sheer volume of brilliant songs he has written assures him a spot on this list. Whether it is Blonde on Blonde or Blood on the Tracks or any of the other truly great albums he has released, my world is a better place because of his music.
The Who - Not sure how or why The Rolling Stones falsely claimed the title of "The World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band" right out from under The Who - it's rightful owner.
Roger Waters / Pink Floyd - I originally just had Pink Floyd here but decided that since "Amused to Death" ranks among the greatest albums ever made while anything Floyd did without him should be dumped to the cut-out bins, he gets to share the spot. I'm not going to diminish the contributions of Wright, Mason and Gilmour to the great Floyd albums, but this way I get to have it all. I wouldn't have made it through the 80's without them.
Marillion - If they had only ever done the incredible
Misplaced Childhood and
Clutching at Straws they would have earned a spot on my list. Probably among the two most listened albums in my collection.
Paul Weller / The Jam - Again, this might be a cheat but it's my list so I'm going with it. One of my favorite songwriters, and as much as I love the work with The Jam, his solo outings are just brilliant. Check out Wildwood or his self titled debut for the proof.
Lyle Lovett - Great songs with great lyrics. His shows are some of the most memorable that I have seen, always a class act.
Everyone Else - I hate numbered lists. You always start thinking more about who you are leaving off, and how there are just not enough numbers. So in this case, let's not leave anyone off - let's just enjoy the music.
SB
I've got to check out some of your favorites, and I ams o glad that we aren't limited to just 10.
Thanks Scott!
The thing about The Who is that they do everything so well. The put out great singles, epic albums, and are a phenomenal live band. I'd take another listen if I were you.
SB
Thanks.