Greatest Band Round #5 Finale

[TimothyBFan]

Mike---I thank you very much for this and hope we can do something similar once again. I thoroughly enjoyed it!! I wish to give you a great big ovation for all your hard work!!! I know it took some time. Also thanks to everyone that participated and put in their 2 cents, it was extremely interesting to see what everyone's opinions were. I'm always open to hear people's takes on my greatest pleasure in life, music! It's been fun playing with all of you---- even tho in the long run, you all voted for the wrong act.

[Freypower]

Mike, I agree with TBF. Congratulations to you on the hard work and stimulating discussion you have created here.

Now for my vote. It was always going to be either the Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan. But ultimately when I consider which act I believe to have been the most influential, well.... 'you can call me Bobby or you can call me Zimmy'!

It has to be the great Robert Allen Zimmerman. Too many of his songs are touchstones for my life. Two examples only:

'Ain't it just like the night, playing tricks when you're trying to be so quiet' (Visions of Johanna).

'There was music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air' (Tangled Up In Blue).

[luvthelighthouse]

Sorry! I did not mean to offend anyone. Perhaps I should stay away for a while

I personally don't think that is neccessary. I believe people can say what they want... just remember, others also have the right to comment too. All in all, no biggie.

I'm personally awaiting the results to be in, but that's not gonna be for another day! Mike, thanks for all the work you put into this. I think we all probably learned something we didn't know a week ago.

[MikeA]

Let me make a prediction based on scientific research and analysis conceived and initiated by a self proclaimed Statisstition dealing primarily in Probabilities using the aggregate accumulation of permeations concerning the objective data collected from a statistical universe; somewhere beyond the Twilight Zone.

Bob Dylan is going to win <LOL>

But that's just my guess.

[sodascouts]

My vote:

ELVIS PRESLEY.

He's called "the king of rock'n'roll" for a reason. Before Elvis, music from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby was what dominated popular radio. No offense to those guys, but it sure wasn't rock. At the time, a lot of white folks considered what would become rock music as vulgar and low-class. Elvis brought it to the mainstream.

He also was the one who introduced the sex-ay into mainstream live performances. It may look tame now, but thrusting while you're grunting out "woah, woah, woah" on live television was pretty wild back then. A lot of girls had fantasies that never occurred to them while watching Bing Crosby stand there singing "bubaloo."

As the saying goes - women wanted him. Men wanted to BE him.

When we're talking influence and longevity... Elvis is universally recognized as a pioneer and many people credit him as an influence - in fact, most of the other "contestants" in this very competition have credited him as an influence including the Stones, Hendrix, and Dylan. Mick Jagger called him "an original in an area of imitators." Heck, Dylan even referenced Elvis in a song!

Elvis still has name recognition among all ages. That can't be said of many people who came on the scene more than fifty years ago, including Chuck Berry unfortunately.

Dylan as a lyricist is wonderfully unique, but I can't get over that awful voice (sorry).

GO ELVIS!

P.S. I still think Fleetwood Mac is the greatest band along with the Eagles!

[Maleah]

Mike I think you did a freakin' awesome job! I thoroughlly enjoyed this entire thing! Well....from the part where I came in at least.

This is SOOOO hard! But I'm going to have to agree with Soda on this one. You want to talk about longevity?? The man has been dead for how many years? And his music is still selling like crazy? Graceland is still one of the most popular tourist attractions? There are how many impersonators? lol And plus...there aren't many people who are known by just one name.....whether it's first or last in his case. I think it's quite possible that everyone in the entire world could know who Elvis was! lol

So I vote (obviously) for Elvis Presley!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Mike - I also want to say thanks for all of your hard work and research during this. It has been entertaining and informative.

Well Dreamer--you have truly broken my heart with that statement!

Oh c'mon, TBF - don't be a wimp, now! But, seriously, no matter how objective we try to be about the music we love, when it comes right down to it, you are right - it's all boils down to our subjective personal tastes. OMG - does that mean all this analyzing we've been doing was meaningless?

Dreamer, this is all perfect! Thank you for this.

Hey, Brooke - you are welcome. You should expect nothing less from your twin separated at birth!

Okay - now for the voting. I was going to hold off before casting my vote as I usually do in these types of things. However, I figured I'd go ahead and make this into a contest. So without further ado, here is my final list ...

5) Jimi Hendrix
4) Bob Dylan
3) Chuck Berry
2) The Rolling Stones

and my choice to win it all is, of course ...

Elvis Presley

I had been trying to decide between The Stones and Elvis, and quite honestly was leaning towards the Stones. However, since it doesn't seem like they have any chance of winning, and, especially after reading the persuasive cases that Soda and Maleah made, it sealed the deal for me. So, as it stands right now, both Bob Dylan and Elvis have 4 votes apiece. Will someone come along and break the tie or will it end like this. Ahhh - the suspense!!!

[luvthelighthouse]

Ugh, no! Elvis is so cliche...

It's kinda like what Hotel California is to Eagles. What Stairway to Heaven is to Zeppelin... both great songs from great bands... but so cliche too. We know these bands have better songs (in our opinions)... and I feel music has better musicians than Elvis.

Now, I'm not saying Elvis didn't contribute... but isn't he overrated, just a wee bit? Maybe? Just a tad?

I guess I figured it would be down to Hendrix and Dylan... boy was I wrong!

[TimothyBFan]

Let me make a prediction based on scientific research and analysis conceived and initiated by a self proclaimed Statisstition dealing primarily in Probabilities using the aggregate accumulation of permeations concerning the objective data collected from a statistical universe; somewhere beyond the Twilight Zone.

Could you give that to me just one more time?

[MikeA]

Can't argue with Elvis. I was a young teenager when he made his splash (okay, tital wave) in music. But I never got into him either musically or wishing to be him. Didn't wear my hair slicked back or try to learn to curl my lip. I said earlier, though I was NOT "Country" as were most of my peers, I prefered Ricky Nelson. But I really preferred Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Albert King.

So I guess I just never "got" Elvis though I freely admit I was in the minority, especially where the girls came into the picture!

As for his contributions, I think the one most "underrated" was his acting career. It wasn't Michael Jackson who busted open the Music Video. It was Elvis in the late Fifties and all through the Sixties. His "movies" were sorry excuses dramatically speaking. But they were a FANtastic platform to showcase Elvis as a singer and performer. Face it, in the early days, his stage act was as crucial as his voice. He was a very VISUAL performer and the Theater Screens showcased him better than anything else and the Audio Technology made the Theaters a much better way to listen to him than radio or the cheap record players available at the time.

To my knowledge, Elvis never wrote a single song! And that's okay. Not everyone noted as a Legend in Music had to be a writer or an instrumentalist. Elvis had far greater qualities that guaranteed his popularity and his significance!