Which are the most serious bands in Rock History?

[upsidedownwalrus]

The God Machine
This Mortal coil

 

[liquidlunch]

the rolling stones
uriah heep
ac/dc

 

[cathal marcs]

U2 Jesus the sad gits watch video's of their performances reguarly as if its football team tactics.

 

[ouchmonkey]

Radiohead surely?

 

[cyberfairy]

The Wurzels savage yet nostalgic lyrics steeped in rural traditition, looking forward towards the age of technology but still yearning at the ending of a way of life (I've got a brand new combine harvester) They post modernly distillate the ways in how the innocent pastimes of a bygone era result in 21st century debauchery and pain, 'drink zee zider up', being akin to Johnny Cashes version of 'Hurt' in the freeflowing pain and anguish instilled in each trembling verse.

 

[Hollis]

The Wurzels savage yet nostalgic lyrics steeped in rural traditition, looking forward towards the age of technology but still yearning at the ending of a way of life (I've got a brand new combine harvester) They post modernly distillate the ways in how the innocent pastimes of a bygone era result in 21st century debauchery and pain, 'drink zee zider up', being akin to Johnny Cashes version of 'Hurt' in the freeflowing pain and anguish instilled in each trembling verse.

Lovely. You been hanging around with bristle-krs?

 

[audiotech]

MC5

 

[cyberfairy]

Lovely. You been hanging around with bristle-krs?

He's my dad!

 

[hiccup]

I always found James a bit too serious to be enjoyable.

Afghan Wigs: too serious p at dbvrsn)

And any band associated with Bob Mould: just a bit too earnest and serious.

 

[nick1181]

The Afghan Whiggs were possibly one of the greatest bands ever. And very very very serious indeed.

The God Machine... yep serious. Good band though.


For me the ultimate in seriousness is metallica though. A serious band for serious people... with serious serious problems.

New blood joins this earth and quickly he's sub-dued.
Through constant pain disgrace, the young boy learns their rules.
With time the child draws in this whipping boy done wrong.
Deprived of all his thoughts, the young man struggles on and on.
He knows, oo, a vow unto his own that never from this day
His will they'll take a - way.

Chorus:
What I've felt, what I've known never shined through in what I've shown.
Never be. Never see. Won't see what might have been.
What I've felt, what I've known, never shined through in what I've shown.
Never free. Never me. So I dub the unforgiven.

They dedicate their lives to running all of his
He tries to please them all, this bitter man he is
Throughout the life the same, he's battled constantly
This fight he cannot win. A tired man they see no longer cares.
The old man then prepares to die regretfully
That old man here is me.


Yayeah.

 

[Pilgrim]

Led Zeppelin surely deserve a mention.

Some classic albums.

Some great tunes therein (Stairway To Heaven, Rock 'N' Roll, Whole Lotta Love, Dazed And Confused, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, No Quarter etc).

And quite the most lurid, debauched, maniacal feats of misbehaviour ever documented. (I'm thinking in particular of the Shark Episode and the Dog Act here).

The Shark Episode is well documented.

Suffice to say that the Dog Act involved a groupie, some fried bacon and a Great Dane.

I'll say no more...

 

[herman]

Captain Sensible. Though he was probably more sensible than serious.

 

[Louis MacNeice]

MC5

I think 'Human Being Lawnmower' rules them out...although that doesn't stop 'American Ruse' being one of my all time top tunes, smile every time 'rock it back sonny!'

Cheers - Louis Mac

p.s. although not rock Scritti Politi took them selves seriously enough to name themselves after a Gramsci text,have track titles such as 'Hegemony' and make lyrical references to Marx, Bakunin, Derrida, Deleuze and Lacan.

 

[fanta]

Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Surely to fuck...

 

[nino_savatte]

Emerson Lake & Palmer







*Gets coat*

 

[Bomber]

OK, I know it says 'Rock' history & 'bands' but really most if not all pale into insignificance when you start to mention :-

Curtis Mayfield
Gil Scott Heron
Isaac Hayes
Marvin Gaye
The Temptations etc.

now don't they ?

I mean we are talking SERIOUS!

 

[Hollis]

very very serious

 

[Hollis]

But not as serious as this MoFo

 

[Ovejanegra]

Serious......

For serious try:
King Crimson (all incarnations + ProjeKcts)
All the musicians who have played with/still play in Crimson
Zappa
Led Zeppelin
Soft Machine.... And all the musicians solo work.
Beefheart (Seriously silly, but what rythem!)
Tom Waits
A Perfect Circle
Peter Gabriel
Genesis.... Not that I liked them!
Peter Hammill (Now I'm are being extremely serious)
Radiohead
The Clash
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Tool
Psychedelic Furs
PIL
Cocteau Twins

Just to mention a few that come to mind, the list could go on and on while trying to stay within the heading "Rock", but hey, this conversation needs defining, are we looking for serious music as in complex timeing, strange rythem and imposible to follow solos, or serious attitude, lyrics etc. Who can manage both? That is a rare band. Zappa probably came close, he could actually play like hell while having a laugh and talking sence. A Perfect Circle might get there If they focus..... Good thread this.

 

[Bernie Gunther]

So, I'd just got married. Me and the Mrs were in the lock tavern in camden one summer evening. Ran into John, told him I'd just got married. He was with this other guy. Said "Here's your wedding present, it's a really shit record. It's by his dad you know" the cd version of Dexy's transvestite record. Pointed to the other guy, Kevin Rowlands son, who appeared extremely embarassed by the whole business. I felt for him, I did.