Top 10 Favorite Bands

09.30.05

People without opinions on music are boring people. That said, here are

SEAMUS RYAN'S TOP TEN FAVORITE BANDS OF ALL TIME.
(...according to how I feel right now. Opinions are subject to change with the passage of time.)

In no particular order:

1) Queen
Queen cannot be rivalled.

2) Pink Floyd
Tortured brilliance.

3) Metallica (prior to 1997)
Metallica make intricate music with surprisingly cultured lyrics.

4) Led Zeppelin
You really can't argue with Zep.

5) Primus
Nothing sounds quite like Primus. Bay Area natives, to boot.

6) George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic
Ain't no party like a P-Funk party cuz a P-Funk party don't stop. The foundation of the west coast rap sound (Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, etc.) is heavily based on P-Funk.

7) the Red Hot Chili Peppers
The heirs to the sounds of both George Clinton (Count Funkula) and Iggy Pop (the Godfather of Punk), yet truly unique in their own right.

8) the Doors
Legendary California rock at its psychedelic finest.

9) Sublime
Punk rock and reggae blended nicely, then served with a twist of hip hop in a jerry bear tumbler.

10) the Wailers (original lineup)
The Wailers are dope. Bob solo is cool, but is best stuff is from his early career with the original Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer lineup.

It should be noted that five of the above bands hail from California. Throw up your W gang signs here and shout "Westside!"

TOP FIVE FAVORITE SOLO ARTISTS:
(once again, in no particular order)

1) Bob Marley.
2) David Bowie.
3) Frank Sinatra.
4) Prince.
5) Johnny Cash.

For hip hop artists, please refer to my earlier blog.

TOP FIVE FAVORITE SONGS:

1) Thin Lizzy: Black Rose (Roisin Dubh)
The Irish balladeers at their finest. Zeppelin wish they had written this.

2) Metallica: Orion
Metallica's best instrumental song. Truly epic.

3) George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic: Not Just Knee Deep
Cultivate your interstellar funskmanship. Dr. Dre sampled this track for four different songs, including Snoop's "What's My Name." De La Soul sampled a different part for their biggest hit, "Me Myself and I." Know the roots.

4) U2: With or Without You
I fucking love this song.

5) Bob Marley: Stir it Up
For that mellow mood.

Honorable mention goes to David Bowie's "Dance Magic Dance." Seriously. Another honorable mention for Danzig's "Sistinas." Download all of the aforementioned songs immediately or you will remain an uncultured rube.