Jim Croce. Get past Leroy Brown and Big Jim Walker, and there's some fantastic stuff in his catalog. I'd embed a video of "Lover's Cross" or "One Less Set of Footsteps" here, but it's too early for me to figure out how.
His son's work is pretty amazing, too.
(Warren Zevon's also up there for me, but I think he did his best work in the 2000s.)
@krobb1290 Yes, yes, yes. And the 80's, 90's, and 00's too. Here's a few favorites I took at the R40 show. Third row, dead center seats. Can't believe that was likely the last time I'll see them tour. Though I'm thankful for the 20+ times I did see them. Just to note, Bowie and Pink Floyd come in a close second.
I'm all over the place. Love the singer songwriters like James Taylor and Carol King, Loggins &Messina. Then there's blues rocker Jerry Riopelle. Linda Rondstadt vocals. (Most songs by Karla Bonoff who could sing very well herself)
Early-- before the mass commercialization-- Buffet. Who can leave out the BeeGees ? say what you will about disco, it was a fun time ( not that I was really old enough. Steve Winwood in his many incarnations. The great experimenter Todd Rundgren.
And I gotta put out some love here for early Springsteen.
Basically I like almost everyone, everyone else listed. I like music. Period.
@katbyter I still listen to them on occasion. Growing up listening to my mother play the Carpenters often, they certainly found a place in my heart. You're absolutely right, KC was gone way too soon.
@katbyter We still play their Christmas album every year. Sadly I don't think I've played their other music in quite a while. Time to correct that. Karen Carpenter is a top five best voice ever anywhere for me.
I voted for Queen. I also really love early Elton John, he was a great song writer and performer, just became a little cliche'd over time. My favorite ever... Genesis with Gabriel. Nothing better!!
@cenots I voted for The Who, but Genesis back in the day was it for me. Between the two you had Quadrophenia and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. I mean, come on!
Queen was absolutely one of the best bands to ever come along. Zeppelin, how could you not love them. But I hate, I mean hate the Eagles more than I can explain.
@thismyusername If I didn't have to watch the video, even Olivia's "style change" with Physical still showcased her voice well, though I preferred her earlier work. But that video is mostly barfworthy.
For me, the 1970's were KISS. Say what you will (I get that many people do not like them) I believe they were hands down the most influential, over the top, rock band ever! It was the music, the image, the girls, the merchandise, everything to excess & yet controlled chaos unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. KISS Alive
Here are some others, more or less in order of importance (the ones in bold aren't from the original options offered):
Pink Floyd Rush The Police Dire Straits The Cars Led Zeppelin Queen Rickie Lee Jones Steely Dan David Bowie the Eagles Aerosmith Boston Supertramp Foreigner the Who Stevie Wonder Jackson Browne Billy Joel AC/DC Journey Earth, Wind and Fire Ohio Players The Commodores ZZ Top Van Halen Fleetwood Mac
I also had a serious crush on Olivia Newton John, but Grease pretty much ruined that for me.
I left off several other important forces of the 70s (some even mentioned above) because they were already in motion.
@joelmw Grease is what gave me the serious crush on ONJ! Dear God, that black spandex outfit at the end? Be still my 8 year old heart. I believe I've admitted this here previously, but she was the first concert I ever went to. The Physical Tour in 1981. Oh, I most definitely wanted to get physical with her.
@cinoclav Well, I was a good church kid and mama's boy, so I grew up with a perhaps inordinate appreciation for simple, wholesome purity. Yeah, and, I've also been a firm believer in having convictions of all sorts and of being an outsider. Sooooooo not only was Sandra Dee (and the pre-Physical Olivia) already perfect for me (as both wholesome and different--and, sweet Jesus, that accent). I was disappointed in both her and Danny when they tried to be something they weren't and of course her especially: compromised, Americanized, greasy and slutty. It wasn't until into my 20s that I started to develop an appreciation for slutty--and I still have a thing for accents and outsiders.
Moody Blues
Black Sabbath
Jim Croce. Get past Leroy Brown and Big Jim Walker, and there's some fantastic stuff in his catalog. I'd embed a video of "Lover's Cross" or "One Less Set of Footsteps" here, but it's too early for me to figure out how.
His son's work is pretty amazing, too.
(Warren Zevon's also up there for me, but I think he did his best work in the 2000s.)
Also Jackson Browne and early Dire Straits.
@dannybeans Here you go.
(To post a youtube/vimeo video, just paste the url and it will automagically appear.)
@Barney Many thanks. Quite exciting, this computer magic.
@Barney I'm surprised, I still remember the words....
Hard choice between Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, the Who. Oh, and Pink Floyd - what a great decade.
Rush!
@krobb1290 Yes, yes, yes. And the 80's, 90's, and 00's too. Here's a few favorites I took at the R40 show. Third row, dead center seats. Can't believe that was likely the last time I'll see them tour. Though I'm thankful for the 20+ times I did see them. Just to note, Bowie and Pink Floyd come in a close second.
I love how this picture of Alex came out.
Dual duals!
The Professor at work.
Kraftwerk.
@kevomatic I second that! Kraftwerk has influenced so much of modern music.
Kraftwerk is a close tie with any of the productions of King Tubby.
Bob Dylan
I'm all over the place. Love the singer songwriters like James Taylor and Carol King, Loggins &Messina.
Then there's blues rocker Jerry Riopelle.
Linda Rondstadt vocals. (Most songs by Karla Bonoff who could sing very well herself)
Early-- before the mass commercialization-- Buffet.
Who can leave out the BeeGees ? say what you will about disco, it was a fun time ( not that I was really old enough.
Steve Winwood in his many incarnations.
The great experimenter Todd Rundgren.
And I gotta put out some love here for early Springsteen.
Basically I like almost everyone, everyone else listed. I like music. Period.
This list is sorely missing Frank Zappa.
Carpenters hold a special place for me. Another who left too soon.
@katbyter I still listen to them on occasion. Growing up listening to my mother play the Carpenters often, they certainly found a place in my heart. You're absolutely right, KC was gone way too soon.
@katbyter We still play their Christmas album every year. Sadly I don't think I've played their other music in quite a while. Time to correct that. Karen Carpenter is a top five best voice ever anywhere for me.
OK - that was an impossible choice between Pink Floyd and Queen.
@RedOak agreed!
I voted for Queen. I also really love early Elton John, he was a great song writer and performer, just became a little cliche'd over time. My favorite ever... Genesis with Gabriel. Nothing better!!
Supper's Ready
@cenots + Elton John and Genesis w/Gabriel
@cenots I voted for The Who, but Genesis back in the day was it for me. Between the two you had Quadrophenia and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. I mean, come on!
Harry Chapin, he's the man. Died too young. Like so many great artists.
Queen was absolutely one of the best bands to ever come along. Zeppelin, how could you not love them.
But I hate, I mean hate the Eagles more than I can explain.
The Moody Blues
Its hard to pick a single band from that list because if you grew up in the 1970s.....they ALL influenced you.
No Donna Summers'?
Robin Trower!
@babeam couldn't place the name, but I can place the song!
Chick Corea, Paul Mc Candless, Miles Davis
Annie Haslam and Renaissance
Olivia Newton John was one of the best vocalists of the time.
Abba was fun; they had some great songs (and some meh, but oh well).
attention @oldcatlady
@duodec
Abba... wow I haven't heard them in a long while.
@thismyusername If I didn't have to watch the video, even Olivia's "style change" with Physical still showcased her voice well, though I preferred her earlier work. But that video is mostly barfworthy.
@duodec Renaissance: Ashes Are Burning (note the singing doesn't start until about 2:40 in)
Annie Haslam has an amazing voice. There's a recording of Ave Maria she did that highlights her vocal range...its incredible.
Tangerine Dream was a big one for me. All their best material happened in the 70s - Zeit, Phaedra, Stratosfear, Force Majeure.
I know all these people and love all their music... and I'm suddenly feeling very, very old...
Santana
I grew up on Zeppelin and Queen albums, so that was a hard choice.
But the best mix CD I ever made for a past lover featured Thank You:
So in the end, I had to vote that way. That relationship didn't work out in the end, but that mix CD was legitimate.
I didn't exist then but I grew up on the Eagles and I still love them. Also, Dire Straits.
nobody has vocals like Freddie
For me, the 1970's were KISS. Say what you will (I get that many people do not like them) I believe they were hands down the most influential, over the top, rock band ever! It was the music, the image, the girls, the merchandise, everything to excess & yet controlled chaos unlike anything anyone had ever seen before.
KISS Alive
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense in particular:
Here are some others, more or less in order of importance (the ones in bold aren't from the original options offered):
Pink Floyd
Rush
The Police
Dire Straits
The Cars
Led Zeppelin
Queen
Rickie Lee Jones
Steely Dan
David Bowie
the Eagles
Aerosmith
Boston
Supertramp
Foreigner
the Who
Stevie Wonder
Jackson Browne
Billy Joel
AC/DC
Journey
Earth, Wind and Fire
Ohio Players
The Commodores
ZZ Top
Van Halen
Fleetwood Mac
I also had a serious crush on Olivia Newton John, but Grease pretty much ruined that for me.
I left off several other important forces of the 70s (some even mentioned above) because they were already in motion.
@joelmw Grease is what gave me the serious crush on ONJ! Dear God, that black spandex outfit at the end? Be still my 8 year old heart. I believe I've admitted this here previously, but she was the first concert I ever went to. The Physical Tour in 1981. Oh, I most definitely wanted to get physical with her.
@cinoclav Well, I was a good church kid and mama's boy, so I grew up with a perhaps inordinate appreciation for simple, wholesome purity. Yeah, and, I've also been a firm believer in having convictions of all sorts and of being an outsider. Sooooooo not only was Sandra Dee (and the pre-Physical Olivia) already perfect for me (as both wholesome and different--and, sweet Jesus, that accent). I was disappointed in both her and Danny when they tried to be something they weren't and of course her especially: compromised, Americanized, greasy and slutty. It wasn't until into my 20s that I started to develop an appreciation for slutty--and I still have a thing for accents and outsiders.
Crass
@Ignorant Penis Envy was a masterwork of song writing. The Christ album was another of my favorites.
I know this next guy became "uncool" to listen to the older I got. But I still like him.
Best poll question in a long time. Thanks.