some older bands/albums everyone should own

[Kneel B4 Zod]

Figured I would put this starter list together together since so many people around here are focused on hipster rock or hip hop or some other type of music, but lots of people forget to look to the past 40 years to listen to some awesome music. Here are some classic bands/albums/songs, I’m sure others have different ones, but these should be staples.

(in alphabetical order)

The Allman Brothers Band



Before they became a bit of a tired road show, these guys were pioneers of southern rock and released a few of the best rock albums ever. The studio album Idlewild South is fantastic, but if you buy 1 album buy At Fillmore East, their seminal live album from 1971. Almost the whole album is an incredible showcase of the slide guitar of Duane Allman – the first 10 minutes of Whipping Post being my favorite example.

Sadly, both Allman and bass player Berry Oakley would die within weeks of each other in 1972, and the band took a different (although still very good) direction afterwards. We can be glad the Fillmore Concerts were recorded, b/c they [censored] rock.

The Beatles


Lots and lots to choose from here, but my favorite era is the mid to late 60’s, including the albums Revolver, Rubber Soul, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, The White Album, Abbey Road, Yellow Submarine, and Let it Be. They go through a ton of styles on these albums, from Dylan inspired (Norwegian Wood – Rubber Soul) to psychedelic (A Day in the Life – Sgt. Peppers) to inventive and bleak (Eleanor Rigby – Yellow Submarine), not to mention the technical, stylistic, and creative innovations evident in all these albums. There’s so much to like you should buy them all.

Bob Dylan



I think it takes a little while to ‘get’ Dylan. Jimi Hendrix says of him before a live cover of Like a Rolling Stone “we’re gonna do another slow song, if you don’t mind, it’s a thing that we dig from a certain cat who writes some heavy songs. Poetry – everyone wants to know what happened to modern day poetry, well just dig the records, you can find it all over the place, and this cat just happens to head that scene”. If Jimi Hendrix says you’re a hip cat, you’re a hip cat.

His 4 classic albums are Blonde on Blonde, Blood on the Tracks, Bringing it All Back Home, and Highway 61 Revisited, but his new Modern Times is excellent as well. Some of my favorite tracks include the downbeat and scary It’s Alright Ma, the swaggering Visions of Johanna, and the carnivally Sad Eyes Lady of the Lowlands.

Derek and the Dominoes



This supergroup released only 1 album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, but it’s one of my top 10 favorites. The interplay between Duanne Allman and Eric Clapton brought out the very best in both guitar masters. Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad my favorite example of the interplay between these two.

Grateful Dead



Years 13 – 20 of mine this was basically all I listened to. Hard to sell the group to some, and it’s harder to give specific favorites of mine. The live performances are unquestionably better than the studio albums – perhaps pick up Closing of Winterland in 1978, Dick's Picks Volume 23 (from 1972, Baltimore), Dick's Picks Volume 3 (1977, Pembroke Pines, Florida), and Dick's Picks Volume 4 (1970, Fillmore East). Those are my favorite eras.

Jimi Hendrix



Not much I can say you don’t already know. Are You Experienced? and Electric Ladyland both show the peak of the guitar

Journey

Greatest Hits. Just kidding.

Led Zeppelin



You probably already have a lot of this. I, II, IV, and Physical Graffiti are my favorites. Despite all the hype, this band was groundbreaking and awesome in lots of ways.

Neil Young



Some say he is the father of ‘alternative’ rock. He is also a great guitarist (check out Cowgirl in the Sand on Decade), and songwriter (After the Gold Rush). As a sidenote, the use of Old Man in Dogtown and Z-Boys to reflect on the life of Jay Adams is one of my favorite moments in film – a really perfect blend of song and story.

The Rolling Stones



Like Led Zeppelin, they have become so overhyped that they might be actually underrated as a band now. Exile on Main Street (recorded while band was in exile), Beggars Banquet, Let it Bleed, and Sticky Fingers all show various forms of the Stones blend of blues, rock, and country. So many great songs here, Sweet Virginia, Torn and Frayed, All Down the Line, Can’t You Hear Me Knocking….

So those are my favorite old albums. I missed a ton of classics from groups like Pink Floyd and The Who and many others, but that's what everyone else is for.

[limon]

ill start...lou reed transformer. are we not men:we are devo and bad brains eye against aye ARE MUST OWN ALBUMS.

[cow_phunk]

velvet underground and nico
the cure- boys don't cry
beach boys- pet sounds
bob dylan and the band- the basement tapes
the clash- london calling
fela kuti and the africe 70- expensive s*it
frank zappa- hot rats
jimmy smith- root down
mc5- back in the USA
miles davis- sketches of spain
the stooges- funhouse
television- marquee moon
traffic- the low spark of high heeled boys

[cow_phunk]

[ QUOTE ]
ill start...lou reed transformer. are we not men:we are devo and bad brains eye against aye ARE MUST OWN ALBUMS.

[/ QUOTE ]

i'd go w/ hardcore Vol.I for Devo. but yes, devo is awesome suprisingly enough to most people.

[guids]

Ten Years After

TYA Live at Woodstock


My favorite song to smoke a cigar and drink to while watchign the sunset

[matt2500]

The Velvet Underground





What can be said about the Velvet Undergound? You could take them right out of the late 1960s, drop them in the middle of the 90s, and their sound would not be a bit dated. The cliche quote is that, when they were a performing band, almost noone heard their music, but everyone who did started a band of their own.

The early years were an interesting collaboration between Lou Reed, and his driving rock n roll, and John Cale's wild experimental sounds. I can actually do without some of the crazier Cale stuff on 'White Light/White Heat' but if you only own one VU album, it has got to be their debut, 'The Velvet Underground and Nico' (aka, 'The Banana Album.') When the whole world was seemingly living the summer of love, Velvet Underground was writing gritty songs about buying heroin ('I'm Waiting for the Man'), or sado-masochistic sex goddesses ('Venus in Furs'). Cale's stuff really comes through on the last two tracks, 'European Son' and 'The Black Angel's Death Song.'

This album also has got the band's undisputed masterpiece, 'Heroin.' In my view, this is really the most poignant and tragic song about drug use ever written. The way the song starts slowly, builds to crescendos of utter feedback-spiked chaos, and falls back again so only Lou Reed's quavering voice is left. 'Heroin will be the death of me.' This song is brilliant.

The later, post-Cale albums, are Lou Reed's best work, bar none. The self-titled 'Velvet Undergound' has got the classics 'What Goes On' and 'Pale Blue Eyes.' The 'lost album' that eventually came out as 'VU' has three of my all-time favorite songs: 'I Can't Stand It', 'Foggy Notion', and 'Temptation Inside Your Heart' which are all stripped down rock songs with catchy as hell hooks. And 'Loaded', though it was an attempt to come out with radio-friendly hits, does have the classics 'Sweet Jane' and 'Rock and Roll.'

All in all, the thing to own is the complete box set, 'Peel Slowly and See.' Just buy that, and listen. And listen some more.

Sure, this band was part of the pretentious Andy Warhol 'Factory' clique in 1960s New York City, but that is easily gotten passed. This is one of the great rock bands of all time. No punk, no grunge, no 'alt-' anything exists today without them.

[Banks2334]

Just off the top of my head, hitting to all fields.

Clash-London Calling
Elvis-Sun Sessions
Van Morrison-Astral Weeks
Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak
Marvin Gaye-Whats Going On
Steely Dan-Aja
Replacements-Let It Be
Iggy Pop-Lust For LIfe
David Bowie-Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
Ramones-Ramones
James Brown-Live At The Apollo
John Coltrane-Love Supreme
Miles Davis-Bitches Brew
Beastie Boys-Paul's Boutique
Otis Redding-Anthology
Fleetwood Mac-Rumours
Minutemen-Double Nickels on the Dime

Some of these should be obvious but hopefully others may get some interest as well. For example, lots of people know that James Brown is awesome but don't know why. They only know a couple songs and that's it. Take the time to get to know some of the "classics".

[guids]

Dave Brubeck is also great.

[Rick Nebiolo]

Good choices. Here are a few of mine (sorry I don't have time for links):

Van Morrison - "Moondance": You can listen to this from age 18 to 60 and never get sick of it.

The Who - "Who's Next": A no brainer. One of the best rock albums ever.

Richard & Linda Thompson - "Shoot Out the Lights": If this album included "Dimming of the Day" it would be perfect.

Cowboy Junkies - "Trinity Sessions": I like "Caution Horses" a little better but most say this is their best.

Emmylou Harris - "Wrecking Ball": Easily her best. Maybe it isn't old enough though.

~ Rick

[Howard Treesong]

I must mention one of the top five albums of all time: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.

BTW I'm with all of your suggestions except Neil Young. For him, I'd pick a song or two, but after that, they all sound the same to me. Still, you're largely perfect on your opening salvo.