Beer tasting Ann Arbor Brewing Compa- ny. 114 S. Washington 7 p.m. $25. michigandaily.com/arts MxFtdt=sat THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2002 9A DAILY ARTS PRESENTS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE 50 GREATEST BANDS THE REASONS WHY THINGS ARE THE WAY THEY ARE The list is definitive. Wholly and completely. This was called for. It was long overdue. The 50 Greatest Bands of All Time in popular music. Our choices, but our choices are inpenetrable - not able to be penetrated. There is no room for argument. We have not forgotten anything, or anyone. Each band in the annals of his- tory has been considered for this list. We have forgotten no one. Bands were selected for this list based on a few simple criteria. The first criterion was simply that artists would have to be in a band and in a band that plays its own instruments and music. The second criterion is that a band must have released two studio albums. However, there are times when we (those who made the list) have made specific additions or concessions with the selection of the list. These concessions were made in the name of the greater good of the list. It was our decision and we stand by it. Firmly. This list, like other lists, should serve to incite discussion over a coffee table or some other piece of household furni- ture. It is nothing to get upset over. It is to enjoy. 6. Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention - There is no mistaking Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. Avant-garde at its finest, Zappa and his entourage of musical misfits entwined social com- mentary, satirical lyrics, experimenta- tion and jazz-influenced jam sessions into their vast catalogue of material. More than thirty years later, their music is as fresh and inventive as it was when originally released. After landmark albums such as Absolutely Free and We're Only in It for the Money, Zappa went on to do equally gratifying solo work, including a guest appearance on. "Ren & Stimpy" as The Pope. 7 Nirvana - Thankfully, Kurt Cobain died before he blew it. If you consider Bleach to be a demo recorded by a mostly different band, then Nirvana released two great albums and got out while they were ahead. Sure, Butch Vig's plastic production of Nevermind slightly hinders an otherwise stellar "debut" (see above) record, and Steve Albini's trademark treatment of In Utero grates against some people, but the band's energy and anger tear through regardless. William Burroughs, who once worked with Kurt Cobain, said that Kerouac's "On the Road," "sold a trillion Levis and a million espresso machines." Kurt Cobain sold a billion cardigans and ten million slacker kids on the idea of working those espresso machines while living in their parents' basements. At least he apolo- gized. 8. Led Zeppelin - These rowdy boys from Britain didn't invent blues-driven rock or drugs-and-groupie-fueled excess; they just made them big enough to fill arenas and VHL specials for years to come. Unfortunately, even these larger than life rock "gods" couldn't rule over that run- away train and it all came to a close, after albums and a few subsequent shitty ones, with one of rock's greatest drum- mers lying dead in his own vomit. 9. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Contrary to the widespread belief that Legend is the only album with Mar- ley's songs on it, there are actually close to a dozen that were released between 1973 and 1980, all of which are nearly flawless. Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, Marley's original crew from The Wail- ers, left after Catch a Fire and Burnin', but with the Barretts and Al Anderson backing him up, Marley maintained his level of excellence on his other albums. Bob Marley became a political inspira- tion, and he was one of the most charis- matic live performers ever. 10. The Zombies- One of the lesser-known gems from the British Invasion, The Zombies found success in 1965 with top 10 hits "She's Not There" and "Tell Her No." Their rough garage band sound on their debut album Being Here evolved into a harmony-heavy- psychedelic-rock synthesis for what would be their second and final album, 1969's Odyssey & Oracle. "What's your name/Who's your daddy," timeless lyrics from "Time of the Season," are perhaps the most recognizable of The Zombies' work, only to be marred by sexual innuendos. 11. Love - The best band you've never heard of. The Los Angeles group fronted by Arthur Lee was the first band on Elektra, only to be shoved aside for future label-mates The Doors. Guitarist Bryan MacLean and lead singer Lee composed most of the band's work, but their first hit was a rendition of Burt Bacharach's "My Little Red Book." Never attaining the popularity of fellow West Coast band The Doors, Love was more of a cult phenomenon than a main- stream success. With its soothing melodies and witty lyrics, their 1967 album Forever Changes remains one of the best rock albums 12. Sly and the Family Stone - In addition to helping to bring funk to the mainstream and being the first racially and sexually integrated groups in popular music, Sly and the Family Stone attacked politics and social issues in their horn and bass filled songs. Sly Stone's drug problem and the end of the idealistic '60s took theirw music away from "Dance to the Music" and down a darker Frank Zappa, mother o path, but 1973's Fresh remains a funk classic, with incredible tracks like "If you want me to stay." 13. Ramones - Bands before them outlined what could be punk, but the Ramones were the first true punk band. Their songs were minimally com- plex, but incredibly catchy. Four chords would be mixed together behind catchy melodies and lyrics that at times, truly meant nothing. But the Ramones' con- tribution to music as a whole meant more than anything. The Ramones self- titled debut set the standard, and created the genre. The Ramones' vitality is felt to this day with the ridiculous amounts of all-too-prevalent pop-punk artists who shamelessly rip them at every chord change. 14. The Pixies - A respectable career in rock and roll comes down to knowing when to get out. The Pixies released five albums in four years and were just reaching their biggest audi- ences when frontman Black Francis (now Frank Black) ended the band. Nir- vana acknowl- edged them as the inspiration for the quiet verse/loud chorus dynamic that made Never- mind a hit and spread grunge across the country. Bassist Kim Deal went on "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and on the list. All of the Night," sounded nearly iden- 19. Buddy dolly and the tical. It wasn't until 1966 with the Crickets - Only 22 years old at the album Face to Face when The Kinks time of his death, Buddy Holly wrote went from concentrating on hit singles the best rock songs of the late '50s, into making strong, cohesive albums. which are still heavily influencing Post "Lola;' Ray Davies and company bands today (e.g. The Strokes). While fell apart musically and never reached many of his songs were released as solo the plateau they attained in the late 60s. projects ("Peggy Sue" and "Rave On" 17. The Yardbirds - The term for starters), Holly released classics like "Super-group" is thrown around lightly "That'll be the Day" and "Maybe Baby" these days, but this ever-morphing Lon- with the one-time garage band. Less don group featured, over its six year well known is the fact that Holly pio- run, three of the greatest guitarists of all neered studio sound techniques that, time: Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and the although standard today, were revolu- under-appreciated Jeff Beck. Depend- tionary in 1957. ing on the line-up, their music ranged 20. Guns N' Roses - In 1987 from the poppy melody of "For Your Guns N' Roses slit the wrist of every- Love" to traditional blues. thing that the lighthearted '80s pop 18. The Who - Hypocrites. scene with their now legendary debut In 1965 Roger Daltrey in "My Appetite for Destruction. Guns cap- Generation" declared, "I tured all the greed, grit and excess hope I die before I get old.' that was L.A. in the 1980s. The Save for drummer Keith band brought an element of dan- Moon, the band failed to ger and controversy to the rock commit to their own world not felt since Led Zep- decree. Smashing pelin ruled the roost. Axl in s trumentswith his inimitable and trampled yowl and rattlesnake- fans made shake coupled with The Who rock toxic twin Slash's top- legends, if only hat, dangling cigarette someone had told and low slung Les Paul them to stop making made a duo that matched music after Quadrophe- every ounce of talent with a nia the band may have courtesy of island Records pound of style. landed a better position Bob Marley sits high. See BEST BANDS, Page 10A Courtesy of Rykodisc of invention. to moderate- success with the Breeders and Frank Black released a string of initially stellar and later unre- markable solo records. Though the band themselves were never cool, knowing about the Pixies will make you think that you are. 15. Parliament Funkadelic - With a sound from outer space and a name history too confusing to even get into, Parliament ruled '70s funk. Lead singer and founder George Clinton and bass player Bootsy Collins took a cue from James Brown and Sly Stone, adding outrageous costumes and freaky science fiction to their infectious brand of funk. Despite a lull in popularity in the '80s, P-Funk, sometimes going by The P-Funk All-Stars, have stayed on the scene. 16. The Kinks - Early hits from this popular British import, such as "ABSliOLUTElLY HYS19RlIiCALOOm mATIONAL LAPO0N CLASSIC" Golden Gate Xpress, Son Fronisco State University LOVE EVERY PN OF ITA" THING SINCE -Col State Hayward Pioneer UMBC Retriever Towson University Towerlight "RYANRS K FA C" Boston College He ghs KLSUFM, Louisiana State University a. ~ i_: