Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's list?

[Outpost4]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

Chicago, up to the mid-70s, had a lot of good stuff (including some really good horn arrangements.) After Chicago VII, things became a lot more hit-and-miss, and after Terry Kath died, forget it, as far as their recorded output went. Still a good live act, though (at least as of a few years ago) and Bobby Lamm apparently does not fucking age -- it's almost eerie.

Top 10 for the 70s? Top 25, maybe, but Blood Sweat & Tears for the same period was really a better band.

ELO had a few tunes I liked, but they've never been that high on any list for me -- certainly nowhere near Top 10.

Spot on. I would also add I've always liked Bill Champlin from his Sons of Champlin days, the perennial 3rd act on a 4 act bill in San Francisco in the early/mid '70s. Chanplin has been in Chicago for years and I'm glad to see him make some money for a change.

And more props for Blood Sweat and Tears. They rocked and swung, especially with David Clayton Thomas as their vocalist, where later Chicago was just good for slow dances. Color your own fucking world.

voggmo, on your list, only Pink Floyd, Led Zepellin and Van Halen could be considered great bands of the '70s. Most of the others were bands of the 60's with some financial and occasional critical success in the '70s. I guess Queen and Kiss would be bands of the '70s although I never understood people's fascination with either. Great bands of the '70s would include the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, Earth, Wind and Fire, Return to Forever and Weather Report. I'd also add the Grateful Dead to that list as their best work, both in the studio and live, was in the '70s.

 

[voggmo]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

Not true on bands on my list being mostly 60's bands with some 70's success. The Who were successful in both 60's & 70's. Deep Purple had 2 semi successful records in the 60's. Hush being a minor hit. They hit bigtime in 70's with Smoke on the water, Made in Japan etc. Sabbath 1st record was recorded in 69, but they found success in 1970 with Paraniod. Aerosmith also 70's phenomenon. Same for Tull, Queen & Rush, Don't see the argument.

 

[gblews]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

No. There were just too many fantastic groups from that era that ELO and Boston aren't even close to the top, IMO. In no particular order...

Led Zeppelin
Black Sabbath
Deep Purple
Pink Floyd
Aerosmith
The Clash
Talking Heads
Sex Pistols
Queen
AC/DC
Van Halen
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
The Rolling Stones
The Ramones
Rush
David Bowie
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Heart
Fleetwood Mac
The Eagles
Journey
Styx
Cheap Trick
Steely Dan
Nazareth
Blue Oyster Cult
The Cars
Foreigner
Genesis
Pat Benetar
the Police
the Pretenders
Scorpions

...all these artists rank above ELO which ranks above Chicago in my book.

I would only eliminate The Cars, Foreigner, and Sex Pistols from your well thought out list. BTW, Pat Benatar was 80's, though I loved her and her underrated band.

I loved early 70's Chicago, that band rocked and swung simultaneously. The later versions of the band sucked. I liked ELO, but then I don't have a problem with melody and harmonies in a rock song.

 

[voggmo]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

Heart only 1 mention, Lynyrd Skynyrd none! Oh my. Skynyrd would be in my top 15 no doubt.

 

[Star Wolf]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

Chicago, up to the mid-70s, had a lot of good stuff (including some really good horn arrangements.) After Chicago VII, things became a lot more hit-and-miss, and after Terry Kath died, forget it, as far as their recorded output went. Still a good live act, though (at least as of a few years ago) and Bobby Lamm apparently does not fucking age -- it's almost eerie.

Top 10 for the 70s? Top 25, maybe, but Blood Sweat & Tears for the same period was really a better band.

ELO had a few tunes I liked, but they've never been that high on any list for me -- certainly nowhere near Top 10.

Spot on. I would also add I've always liked Bill Champlin from his Sons of Champlin days, the perennial 3rd act on a 4 act bill in San Francisco in the early/mid '70s. Chanplin has been in Chicago for years and I'm glad to see him make some money for a change.

And more props for Blood Sweat and Tears. They rocked and swung, especially with David Clayton Thomas as their vocalist, where later Chicago was just good for slow dances. Color your own fucking world.

voggmo, on your list, only Pink Floyd, Led Zepellin and Van Halen could be considered great bands of the '70s. Most of the others were bands of the 60's with some financial and occasional critical success in the '70s. I guess Queen and Kiss would be bands of the '70s although I never understood people's fascination with either. Great bands of the '70s would include the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, Earth, Wind and Fire, Return to Forever and Weather Report. I'd also add the Grateful Dead to that list as their best work, both in the studio and live, was in the '70s.

When did Earth, Wind and Fire's R&B/funk become rock? Return to Forever and Weather Report were Jazz Fusion groups who may have gotten limited rock attention when Lenny White or Al DiMeola were playing guitar solos for Return to Forever in the middle years of the band. Just saying they may have been great bands but did a rock audience hear them?,

As to Chicago for what its worth while Blood Sweat and Tears played the same genre and crossed over to the Black community something Chicago could not do.

 

[Bad Bishop]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

As to Chicago for what its worth while Blood Sweat and Tears played the same genre and crossed over to the Black community something Chicago could not do.

So what? It hasn't prevented Chicago from touring with Earth, Wind & Fire.

 

[Outpost4]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

voggmo, I'll give you The Who. Who's Next was 1971 and The Who's last great record, Quadrophenia, was 1973. As a guy who saw The Who live during this period, I should have considered them. My mistake.

Tull? No way. I like Jethro Tull. My senior year in high school, '70-71, Jethro Tull and Aqualung were my favorite band and album. But a great band? Hardly. They had three great records - Stand Up, Benefit and Aqualung. Everything else is second rate, and some like Passion Play, should be totally forgotten. Only 1975's Minstrel In The Gallery approached their earlier work. Now, if you want to talk about one of the great live acts of the 1970s, then I might agree. But Jethro Tull was, in the end, to me a one trick pony, or is that a one legged flute player?

As for your other bands, I think you miss the essence of 1970s rock. It is also my answer to Star Wolf. Hard rock was not the dominant music of the 1970s. The '70s was an era of innovation and experimentation in rock. I will give Jethro Tull props for trying to go prog rock, although they couldn't pull it off (another great band of the '70s: Yes). Bands like The Eagles were adding country music to rock. Fleetwood Mac was featuring weird guitar and percussion licks. Steely Dan was playing freaky jazz. And that's why I said the jazz fusion pioneers Return to Forever and Weather Report were such great '70s rock bands. While obviously primarily jazz groups - that's where you'll find their records in a record store - they were heavily influenced by rock. The 1970s was one great missed opportunity. It looked like rock was going to get funky. The Grateful Dead were writing jazz pieces like Bird Song and Weather Report Suite. Loggins and Messina had jazz sidemen. Joni Mitchell released Hejira. If the Allman Bros. song, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, isn't jazz, then I don't know what is. Earl Klugh, Chuck Mangione and Wes Montgomery all had hit songs on the radio. Miles Davis in 1970 had broken down the wall between rock and jazz with Bitches Brew and the amalgam, jazz fusion, was set to take rock to the next level.

Obviously this never happened. I've discussed this with musicians many times and I think there are two reasons. One, most rock musicians didn't have the chops to keep up with folks like Stanley Clarke and Lenny White (Return to Forever's drummer). Two, jazz musicians got bored playing in 4/4 time. There was too big of a gap to bridge, and only a few rock bands could do it. I go back to the Grateful Dead. It's remarkable to hear the 20 minute long Eyes of the World on their 1990 live album, Without A Net. While it was recorded that year, not in the 1970s, it makes my point. Branford Marsalis sits in on sax and this recording was their first musical moments together. It is like honey meeting toast. You can feel the electricity between the musicians. It's too bad they didn't play together more than a few times.

Star Wolf, which rock fans were listening to Return to Forever and Weather Report in the 1970s? Just the musicians.

 

[voggmo]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

That wasn't your point Outpost. & wasn't what I responded to. You said my picks were 60's bands with some less relevant success in the 70's. It was & is not correct. Tull built on it's success, 12 platinum in a row.

As to your other point, 70's was about experimentation. I'll admit Yes hasn't got much print here. ELP either. But hard rock still filled the arenas arguably more than any other style of music. Alice Cooper had biggest tour of 73 beating Stones previous records. Kiss, Nuge, Aerosmith were the biggies 77-78. Zeppelin was according to Gene Simmons the unquestioned kings of the 70's. Grand Funk also set concert attendance records early 70's.

70's had glam, leftover Hippie stuff, prog rock, & heavy rock. Then it had punk & disco. It was about a lot of things. Your comment is perhaps more relevant to early 70's.












As to this..

"And that's why I said the jazz fusion pioneers Return to Forever and Weather Report were such great '70s rock bands. While obviously primarily jazz groups -"
Well, ok. I think we'll have to agree to disagree here. They did influence other musicians, but they & Mahavishnu Orchestra are interesting developments, but not your average teenagers cup of tea. More musicians music. Depends on how you define great I suppose, perhaps I could've said relevant, influential, or some other term. They were technically better musicians, but personality & swank go a long way in rock. Kids wanna ROCK, & Zeppelin were better at that.

 

[Outpost4]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

I'm sure we'd agree about a lot of late '70s bands. Mentioned so far has been The Police. You better also add the Ramones and The Clash, and I could be convinced to include the Talking Heads and Elvis Costello.

 

[voggmo]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

I mentioned Ramones, well someone else mentioned em 1st, I just echoed the sentiment. I hate the Clash, & they were bigger early 80's than 70's. No Ramones, no Clash as far as I'm concerned. Sting's a prick. Makes fun of Ozzy, Jagger, & the US audience. Police drummer was great. Guitar player got some cool tones.

 

[ToddPence]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

ELO might make my top 25, probably not the top ten. I have to admit I'm not that familiar with the works of Chicago beyond a few songs.

I'll have to come up with my own top 25 list. Since "Let it Be" was technically released in 1970, does that include the Beatles as a seventies band?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

It was released then, but the Beatles were basically broken up by 1969 (I forget when Lennon's departure was and I forget when Paul McCartney sued his bandmates, but I'm pretty sure at least the former was in 1969).

 

[J.T.B.]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

I mentioned Ramones, well someone else mentioned em 1st, I just echoed the sentiment. I hate the Clash, & they were bigger early 80's than 70's. No Ramones, no Clash as far as I'm concerned.

The Clash was pretty big in the late '70s, but more to the point they came from a very '70s scene, the London punk explosion. Just as Talking Heads, though they really got big in the '80s, were a product of the '70s New York club scene along with the Ramones, Blondie, Patti Smith, Television, Richard Hell &c.

No Ramones, no Clash? Maybe, but you might as well say no Shadows no Beatles, no Chuck Berry no Stones, no Cream no Zeppelin, and on and on. The Clash had quite a dose of reggae in their playing early on, and that didn't come from the Ramones. At any rate, London Calling has got to be one of the top achievements in the history of rock & roll albums.

Sting's a prick. Makes fun of Ozzy, Jagger, & the US audience. Police drummer was great. Guitar player got some cool tones.

Sting's always been pompous. But so what, I liked the Police a lot. I couldn't care less about what kind of person the artist is or what his/her opinions are.

I'll have to come up with my own top 25 list. Since "Let it Be" was technically released in 1970, does that include the Beatles as a seventies band?

I would say no. I listed the Stones, even though they started in the '60s, because Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street, Black and Blue and Some Girls, all good-to-great albums, were in the '70s.

--Justin

 

[M'Sharak]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

It was released then, but the Beatles were basically broken up by 1969 (I forget when Lennon's departure was and I forget when Paul McCartney sued his bandmates, but I'm pretty sure at least the former was in 1969).

Most of Let It Be was recorded at the beginning of 1969, but was shelved for some time, to be later "re-produced" by Spector and released in 1970. Abbey Road (their last to be recorded as a group) was recorded and released in the interim.

 

[ToddPence]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

The final Beatles session was in early 1970, when the band was called into the studio by Spector to record a take of "I Me Mine" which was in the film but which they did not have a recording of for the album. John was not present. The other three only produced about a minute and ten seconds of usable audio for the song. Spector simply relooped the tape to create a two and a half minute song. So what you're hearing on "Let it Be" is the song repeated over again.

 

[TGTheodore]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

70's Chicago (Chicago Transit Authority), yes. 80's Chicago, probably not.

ELO I liked, but not a top 10 for me. So many great bands in the 70's.

--Ted

 

[General Kang]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

ELO's one of my favorites.

So yes.

Me too.

 

[voggmo]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

QUOTE..
but you might as well say no Shadows no Beatles, no Chuck Berry no Stones, no Cream no Zeppelin, and on and on.

Fairish sort of comment. Sabbath also were big Shadows fans, well Tony anyways. Yah Clash moved on & sold out & became pop stars. & like the police added some Reggae.

As for Sting, the thing is, for some that is, when a star is an ass, it tends to take some of the shine off. I understand your point, what does it have to do with their music. Well, on the flipside, many people REALLY like Bono BECAUSE he is a nice guy & cares about things that he could just as easily left alone & enjoyed his fame. Instead, he spends much of his time & energy on serious political-cultural issues.

Ritchie Blackmore is another cat that had his share of admirers, Eddie Van Halen said he was his biggest inspiration when he was a beginner. They met couple time & Ritchie refused to speak to him. It took some of the shine off is all I'm saying.

 

[J.T.B.]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

Yah Clash moved on & sold out & became pop stars. & like the police added some Reggae.

I don't know about "sold out," that's pretty subjective, but the reggae was there from the beginning, not added later. Their first LP had a cover of Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves" and Bob Marley name-checked the Clash in "Punky Reggae Party" in 1977.

As for Sting, the thing is, for some that is, when a star is an ass, it tends to take some of the shine off. I understand your point, what does it have to do with their music. Well, on the flipside, many people REALLY like Bono BECAUSE he is a nice guy & cares about things that he could just as easily left alone & enjoyed his fame. Instead, he spends much of his time & energy on serious political-cultural issues.

Ritchie Blackmore is another cat that had his share of admirers, Eddie Van Halen said he was his biggest inspiration when he was a beginner. They met couple time & Ritchie refused to speak to him. It took some of the shine off is all I'm saying.

I know what you are saying. That's probably why I don't care to personally meet any musicians (artists, entertainers, sports figures...) that I like. A story: A friend of mine was playing drums with a house band in Vegas in the 1960s. Buddy Rich was his idol, his god. He had a Rogers kit set up just like Buddy's. Well, Buddy was playing in town and dropped in this particular hotel one night and sat in with the band. My friend gave up his seat at the kit (of course) and Buddy tore the roof off for a couple of numbers. My friend is in heaven, here's Buddy Rich, playing his drum kit! So when Buddy comes off stage my friend goes up to him, babbling: "Was everything OK Mr. Rich? You sounded great Mr. Rich. Those drums set up all right, Mr. Rich?..." Buddy just kept walking and this is all he said: "Kid, I could play a fucking rope."

FWIW, the rock writer Lester Bangs said that Mick Jones (of the Clash) was the kindest rock star he ever met.

--Justin

 

[voggmo]

Re: Would Chicago or ELO fit in your top 10 rock bands of the 70's lis

Well songs like Should I Stay or Should I go is about as pop as one can get. Rock the Casbah is clever with the riff followed by the cool bass line, but still fairly pop-ish comapred to their 1st LP, or to what one would term "real Punk" Black Flag, GBH etc.


Ramones & Sex Pistols had no piano or bongos. I think you can hear some of both on Rock the Casbah.