[Lou]

Wanna discuss some of our favorite classic rock’n’roll bands? For the sake of argument, maybe we should set some kind of qualifying definition about the timeframe of classic rock, say, the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. That covers a lot of ground I know, but with the inclusion of more time, there can be an inclusion of more music. My three favorite bands:

Rolling Stones. Head and shoulders above the rest to me, this band defines rock and roll. Nothin’ real fancy going on here, but the songs are solid, well-crafted and lyrically interesting. Jagger hits the nail on the head more often than not with his lyrics. They’re sharp, funny and, at times, biting. Richards plays rhythm guitar better than anyone else ever and Watts keeps time at the drum kit like a man half his age.

Those who remember the band in the late 60’s / early 70’s know they were the most decadent, controversial band in the business. Even the mighty G’n’R sited that era of the Stones as the image template for their band. We saw the Stones at their October 2006 Wichita concert (Cessna Stadium) and it was the best rock show I’ve ever attended. It was also the biggest money making tour of all time. The first record I ever bought as a kid was the Stones (a 45-single) and I paid for with my allowance money. It cost me 88 cents and I got it at Woolworth’s in 1965. I still have it. For longevity (1963 to present, forty five years and counting), overall quality and sheer tenacity, the Stones are my number one band.

Eagles. What would the mid-to-late 70’s have been like without this band? The mix of country and rock was (and is) perfect. Henley and Frey wrote the most memorable songs of the era. Their albums were the most meticulously crafted of the day and contained one great song after another. The eventual addition of Walsh only made the whole thing a whole lot better. He’s one of my two favorite guitarists of all time. This is a significant band. They’ve been around since ’71 and recently released another hugely successful album. Solid in every respect.

Doors. The most subversive band of their time, they also had a very distinct sound. The Doors didn’t sound like anybody else and nobody else sounded like the Doors. Morrison remains the ultimate rock rebel, forty years on. The dude could carry a tune like Sinatra. A Sinatra from the inner rings of hell, that is. Morrison has one of the most recognizable voices in rock history. Their songs had depth, mystery and much more. A virtual soundtrack from Vietnam war era America.

Hey boys and girls, let me know about your favorite bands. I’m sure we’ll disagree a bit on some things, but we’ll have a bit of fun doing it.