Terrible Groups Named After Locations

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Almost without exception, bands/groups named after places SUCK. Also, the larger the place named, the more the output absolutely blows. Thus Boston is awful, America dire, Europe even worse, Asia diabolical.

Which groups typify this? Which, in your opinion, are exceptions?

― suzy, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I liked the first 2 albums by Chicago!

― tarden, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Portishead

― mark s, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Canada has the highest shit-to-bearable ratio of any country when it comes to bands. There was an awful band called Toronto, and while they would be shunned as mucoidal waste in any other country, actually were midway down the table by Canadian standards.

― tarden, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i like the idea of bands being named after places but the examples given are bad bands i agree.

a short lived electronic project i had was called archway library. at this point i hadn't seen how drab archway library is.

i think there should be a band called 'akron, ohio'

― gareth, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Can I have The Art Ensemble of Chicago and The New York Art Quintet as examples of groups named after locations who DON'T suck, or does it have to be one word? And I've never ever heard anything by Hatfield and the North (AFAIK) - do they suck?

― Andrew L, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Don't forget Kansas. (on second thought, do your best to forget Kansas.)

― fritz, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

East 17

― Madchen, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hatfield and the North = named after a ROADSIGN!!

― mark s, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Does Warsaw count?

― tarden, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What exactly were Hatfield and the North like, Mark? They feature heavily in Jonathan Coe's 'The Rotters' Club', the title even coming from one of their albums I understand. I'd never heard of them before.

― Nick, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They're one of the minor "Canterbury" groups, so SoftMachineCaravanEgg-ish, I assume.

― mark s, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

boards of canada (bit of a stretch), manitoba, of montreal...

― fritz, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

is a body of water a "place"? if so, i give you The Dead C.

― duane, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ohh, God, Kansas...I used to have the 9-year-old's version of an existential crisis whenever Dust In The Wind played on my dad's car radio. Shudder.

How about the prog pand Pangaea or the punk band Gondwanaland? Thanks to the magic of Plate Tectonics, these places are no more.

― suzy, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Chilliwack !!

"gonegonegone she been gone so long, she been gonegonegone so long"

― Patrick, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If there was a band called Akron, OH, I would be honor-bound to buy all of their albums, seeing as that's where I was born.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

St. Etienne (exception), Japan (can't remember enough to comment)

― m jemmeson, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

hatfield and the north were one of a string of "canterbury sound" jazz- prog lite bands formed by dave stewart (NB NOT the "great film director" who used to be in the eurythmics). The sound of all of these bands was defined by shifting/complex time signatures, long instrumental breaks (more organ/woodwind, less guitar), complex vertical and horizontal arrangements, weird/quirky/sometimes irritating "posh brit" vocals, and use of lots of "little" sounds making up a big(ish) sound (eh vox/farfisa organs, not hammond, which most bands of this sort couldn't afford). At its best, it walks the tightrope between creepy reggie-perrin-theme-tune MOR and far out prog in a most intriguing way. At its worst, its just boring tight-assed jazz-rock-lite noodling. Most of what was released during the lifetime of stewart's bands is worth listening to IMO. I can't think of *anything* recent influenced by canterbury music, with the sole exception of Ultramarine's "United Kingdoms", so it retains a kind of exoticism. Also, it makes you think of suburbia & privet hedges (UK equivalent of US white picket fence) which is fine by me! If this hasn't put you off completely, then the first hatfield album (on virgin - I forget the title - cover has suburban houses w/some weird imagery in the sky) is the best "starter". Other bands featuring dave stewart, before he went adult-pop-mor in the '80's are:

Uriel/Arzachel

Khan

Egg

(Hatfield)

National Health

Be aware that some of these albums feature STEVE HILLAGE. He was pretty good back then, tho' (IMO) certainly better than goddamn-awful system7, anyway.

Oh, and Japan were great BTW

x0x0

― Norman Fay, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Country-rock fuckers ALABAMA.

― alex in nyc, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sleater-Kinney! Named after a road in Olympia or something. And they sure suck.

― adam, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bradford.

Texas, god forbid.

Fotheringay (an exception, IMHO).

Do Boards of Canada count? They're an exception too, in my book ...

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hey, when we toured the Pacific Northwest last year, we purposely stopped at a Dennys near Olympia, just so that we could say "Hey, we had breakfast on Sleater-Kinney!" We were so ridiculously impressed.

― masonic boom, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

denver is actually a pleasant little home-made pop band, but i think he has changed his name since my last encounter.

― keith, Tuesday, 19 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Linkin Park totally sucks. But it's not a good example because Lincoln Park is in New Jersey anyway (making fun of Jersey, c or d?).

― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like that idea about the bigger the place, the dumber the band. Except, Earth were quite good, I thought. And Black Sabbath were first called Earth. Maybe the counter goes back to zero at the planetary level, so if there was a band called 'Galaxy' they'd suck. Oh, there was a band called Galaxy 500, and they set music to a song Jonathan Richman did acapella (sp?). I can't remember whether it was good. No doubt there's been a band called Cirius or Dogstar or something. What about bands called after places that no longer exist? What are they like?

― Maryann, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Wasn't 'Dogstar' Keanu Reeves' band?

― tarden, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'Places that no longer exist' - there's a lot of great names waiting to be taken! Weimar Republic, Tenochtitlan, Greater East Asian Co- Prosperity Sphere, anyone?

― tarden, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

so, Brad Pitt's band should be named after the galaxy Sirius is in (earth's galaxy?) And Luke Perry's band should be called 'Intergalactic' or whatever the thing larger than our galaxy is. Maybe 'Deep Space' though that's a good name. Maybe he should play in Deep Space.

― maryann, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There's supposed to be this late 60's electronic band called The United States Of America that are supposed to be really good. I've never heard them, though.

― Croooooow, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

they're ok, but overrated. bit like broadcast. well, sort of.

― gareth, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"thing larger than our galaxy" = cosmos (ie the whole she-bang). But if there hasn't been a COSMOS already I'd be quite surprised. What abt madey-up places? Lemuria? Gondal? Lothlorien? Cair Paravel? (Last two'd be rubbish, surely...)

My band which is mine will be called SHALLOW SPACE!

― mark s, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oi Gareth, don't dis Archway Library. Okay musically its collection is slack but it has an unparalleled selection of Far Eastern movies (unparallelled in North london anyway - outside the really shambollic but excellent video shop on Archway Road).

― Pete, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bunches of galaxies are called CLUSTERS, surely. Though despite being an Official Expert on Cluster I don't know if that's where they got their name from.

― Tom, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sorry, Galaxie 500 were actually named after a make of car, not an astronomical phenomenon. (Dronerock trainspotting is what I'm here for...)

― masonic boom, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

And, it goes without saying that Galaxie 500 are *NOT* crap. However, Luna (arguably a placename band, named after the Latin name for the moon) are quite regrettable. So there you go.

― masonic boom, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Luna named for Luna Park, no? In — ?? — New York somewhere... In somewhere somewhere: I have a nice postcard.

― mark s, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

D'oh! You are right! Luna Park was an amusement park later turned drug-ridden crime den. I think it might have been in Coney Island, but it was definitely in NYC. Hey, it's early and I haven't had any caffeine yet.

― masonic boom, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

archway library just isn't as grandiose as i imagined it might be. well, obviously its not grandiose at all. but it is a bit crap, everything is always out. north library, off holloway rd is superior.

― gareth, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

London place-names in the service of horrible metal bands: King's X, Arsenal...

― suzy, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

...Chelsea, the Leyton Buzzards...

― tarden, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

hackney hardcore. they were good. "caught me burnin' up"

― gareth, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

How about the band UK? I haven't really heard them, but the members involved in the project (Allan Holdsworth, Bill Bruford, et al) indicate that it may at least be tolerable to fans of prog rock (or completely intolerable to the rest of us).

― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

postcoders here zipcoder to some East 17 or All Saints, maybe Aspic Chimera.

― bill, Wednesday, 20 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What about Clearlake? I know it's a made-up place name but they're actually pretty good. Maybe if bands can be bothered to invent place names, they may make good music, as opposed to some lazy fucker who just sticks a pin in a map. Worth bearing in mind...possibly.

― Add, Thursday, 21 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

fort lauderdale? never heard them though.

asia fields. supposedly named after some playing fields in oldham. think they were an inspirals related baggy group, can't remember what they sounded like.

― gareth, Friday, 22 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Baggy alert: Northside, Paris Angels...

― suzy, Friday, 22 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What about Otis Reading?

Sorry, I do apologise.

― jamesmichaelward, Friday, 22 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I was in a band named CHRISTCHURCH, which was also the name of the city where we lived. It was a very good band but became the matrix of much skinhead attention (-> violence) as Eddie the singer refused to renounce his skin "image" (the skins were his "family", the racist implications of the shaven head & swastikas were of of no concern to him because that was mere mundane politics & his concerns were more on a cosmic level, etc). so maybe place-names-as-band-names are just a CURSE.

― duane zarakov, Friday, 22 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i always liked the idea that sl2 were named after a slough postcode. i have no idea if this is true, and, of course, sl2 were not terrible

― gareth, Monday, 25 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There was a jungle 12-inch in - I think - late '92 credited to "Code 071", the then inner London phone code, which I suppose just about fits.

The very worst band named after a place name, though, must surely be Lindisfarne.

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 26 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

robin, think it was called 'a london sumting'

― gareth, Tuesday, 26 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm sure you're right. Need to check "Energy Flash" ...

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 26 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

And now there's a whole record label: Wichita.

― suzy, Tuesday, 26 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

At least Archway Library gets NME in every week... and they employ a hulking German boy on the desk whose arms entirely fill his sleeves.

― Dickon Edwards, Monday, 20 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Asia. Ill.

― JM, Monday, 20 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Do "Stars" count? Or is that too vague? Obviously, if they count then they're exceptions.

― jamesmichaelward, Monday, 20 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

London. Berlin. Stockholm Monsters.

― Jerry, Monday, 20 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There was a grunge band called Seattle, too.

― Jerry, Monday, 20 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Does anyone remember Bob Welch's awful outfit, Paris? They did have a pretty green neon logo of the Eiffel Tower on their album covers, though. . . .

― Tom Lewis, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Regarding Paris: I bought the thing when it came out and quite liked it. God knows what I'd think today. Should have questioned the involvement of Soupy Sales I suppose.

Chicago (god, I can't stand them- high school marching band) Boston (second album a 'giant step sideways') Asia- yuck

Though the 103rd Street Band (is that the full name?) outta Watts (L.A.) actually had some cool stuff. The Olympics (also a street in L.A.) did 'Hully Gully', among others.

― Nick Bane, Saturday, 25 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two months pass...

i just have to say that BOSTON RULEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― paul, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There is a German band called "Münchner Freiheit" after a square in Munich. I would like to know if Tom has heard of them because I guess he could maybe love them. They are the poppiest German band. Soft voices, kitschy melodies and lyrics. The German Beach Boys period "Pet Sounds" but less profound. They were big in Germany in the mid eighties. Somehow I like some of their hits, e.g. "Ohne Dich" or "Tausend Augen". They trigger some emotions in me. Their best songs are "Ohrwürmer" (earwigs) as we say in German, i.e. catchy tunes.

― alex in mainhattan, Tuesday, 30 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Obviously, the person who created this post is by no means a musician nor has the mental capacity to comprehend true musicianship. Asia, Kansas, Boston, and Europe all contain members who are far better musicians and songwriters than most(if not all) of the newer Empty V puppet bands, who will be forgotten about in a few years anyway once Carson Daly decides they are no longer the "hip" thing anymore.

Now run along and go listen to your Eminem and P.Diddy sampled drum loops!

― Scott, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Sure....let's de-evolve back to monkey talk, call our nu-bands sh*t like Da Pimp Masta Q with songs called "Yo Dat Ho's a Biatch." And we'll make the "music" a couple repetitive beats, with occasional wierd synth sounds.

And what's the deal naming bands after ice cream and beverages?

Ice tea is good to drink, but not to listen to. and I'd rather Vanilla Ice remain in my freezer than on my radio (by the way, most of the sh*t on the radio sucks, anyway).

Take your ignorance elsewhere. Like the above post, those bands are excellent musicians. There is far more talent there than anything you hear in the background of some AIDS-germ-that-fell-off-its-slide Britney Spears video.

The best, most moving music is now no longer appreciated. We've grown cold as a musical generation.

"I'm woven in a fantasy, I can't believe the things I see The path that I have chosen now has led me to a wall And with each passing day I feel a little more like something dear was lost It rises now before me, a dark and silent barrier between, All I am, and all that I would ever want be It's just a travesty, towering, marking off the boundaries my spirit would erase

To pass beyond is what I seek, I fear that I may be too weak And those are few who've seen it through to glimpse the other side, The promised land is waiting like a maiden that is soon to be a bride The moment is a masterpiece, the weight of indecision's in the air It's standing there, the symbol and the sum of all that's me It's just a travesty, towering, blocking out the light and blinding me I want to see

Gold and diamonds cast a spell, it's not for me I know it well The treasures that I seek are waiting on the other side There's more that I can measure in the treasure of the love that I can find And though it's always been with me, I must tear down the Wall and let it be All I am, and all that I was ever meant to be, in harmony Shining true and smiling back at all who wait to cross THERE IS NO LOSS" --The Wall, KANSAS

― Landon, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, bloody hell. Poodle rock fans who think they're intellectual when all they are is dust in the wind. Now run along back to the arts lab and carry on with your 'airbrushing unicorns' assignment, it's due tomorrow, dudes.

― suzy, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah, but Suzy, Kansas were buttrock, not poodle rock. A distinction without significance to 99% of the human race, perhaps, but a crucial one in the Land of 1000 Trans Ams (inhabitated by the Last of the Mullets, might I add).

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Europe are a great band. I mean that quite sincerely!

― james, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Poodlerock? Buttrock? ...WOW! you must be the hippest music critics on the planet to be able to categorize with such precision. Now hurry and turn on your televisions ASAP...i think Empty V is about to announce what you need to be listening to next!! Don't want to miss the latest trend now do you?

― Scott, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Did you just fall off the truck or what?

― Kim, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

this is so cool, it's like the people who come here and say we only like 'mtv shit' and the people who come here and say we're just a bunch of pretentious critics had a baby or something.

― ethan, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

If this escalates maybe there's a chance this can outdo Jay Z/Nas or Madonna/Janet. Maybe...

― Vic, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm with Scott and Landon on this one! Far too much pop damage in this forum! And how could anyone like Radiohead who doesn't like Kansas?

― dave q, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't mean to say that you all listen to MTV, but please tell me- what do you all consider good music if what I listen to is 'poodle rock' and 'butt rock' ??

I listen to a lot of music, and I just happened to like Kansas and Boston. I'm not too fond of Asia or Europe as much, but that's not the point. I'm sure you'll degrade Rush and Styx as well. How about Dream Theater or Shadow Gallery? Going to tell me that those bands suck, too? Some people like prog rock and some people don't. Those who do are more appreciative of talent and musicianship in the classical sense. I happen to like a lot of folk, alternative, darkwave, indie, chamber, experimental, and metal as well. We all have our opinions and tastes in music. We can criticize each other all day and it won't be very productive.

And last, WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THIS, ANYWAY?? What if your favorite band all of a sudden decided to change it's name to whatever town they live in? Would you automatically hate them for it and assume they must have become terrible musicians?

― Landon, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't understand why Suzy and some of you don't like this good music. The world outside of the U.S.A. seems to get it just fine. I can only assume it's because it takes more than 2.5 min. to actually get it! These bands were recorded before the use of vocal pitch- shifters that make anyone sing good; or computer programs that let you "cut and paste" your best performance of each phrase on an album. With Kansas,Asia,ELP,and all the other bands these awsome musicians have been involved with, what you hear is what you get. It's called talent. And yes there was life before mtv, mtv-2, mtv...... I'm sorry that you can't take "Dust in the Wind", put a drum machine and some scratches behind it and turn it into a dance mix. It was made to actually listen to and not to be background music to do drugs to or b**ch about how bad life is. People still quote those songs because they are worth remembering. ten years from now I doubt if anyone will be quoting beck or the backstreet boys. And Suzy, If you think this music "sucks" what do you cosider good?

― Michael K., Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

if you actually cared about 'talent' surely you should be listening to Jazz and Classical stuff? all the bands you're talking about spent *months* in the studio perfecting their albums with multi-track recordings, rather than cutting an album straight to disc in a couple of hours like some of the most famous jazz albums. i think your argument is stupid

― m jemmeson, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i forgot Bradford. and i'm from Bradford. like, duh

― gareth, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I love that whenever someone is defending their favorite bands, they speculate that anyone who was critical of them "...probably likes Madonna or Backstreet Boys."

I guess if they knew enough to say "you probably like (take your pick...) Joy Division, Husker Du, Nick Cave, My Dad is Dead, etc...." they wouldn't still be listening to the likes of Kansas.

.. Although I've got to defend some of these bands - not for being good - but for having a loyal fan base... I think bands like Modern English, the Smiths, Psychedelic Furs, Echo & the Bunnymen .. will meet the same fate one day (hopefully soon), where the erudite new critics say that the music is crap & the lyrics are uninspired. This 'Art/prog' genre started as audiophile, turned into poodlerock, then buttrock, and now I think 'geezer rock'... as all music does when the fans get older and the youth don't care for it.

― Dave225, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The question, since I posed it, was a joke question. Not an attack on genres I don't like. But since I'm here and have just seen a few prime examples of sense-of-humour bypass in showin' love for Kansas et al and was attacked first, I might as well respond with the necessary 'silly little boy' kiss-off that always comes in handy on these occasions.

― suzy, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

And really, any one who gets that hysterically offended by Asia or Kansas putdowns the way these chuckleheads have deserve this sort of kiss off.

― Nicole, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What, people deserve to be condescended to for having a minority taste?

― dave q, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The one band that comes to mind is Japan... and they were a talented bunch. Their album "Tin Drum" still is one of my favorites by far. I think the claim that bands named after regions suck by definition is a bit silly to start with. What's in a name? It's the music that counts.

― Richard, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

That's funny. "geezer rock". Dude, I'm 20. And I'm not offended by any means. I'm just expressing my opinions, just as you all are.

I do listen to jazz, by the way. I'm not completely about prog rock, as I mentioned in my last post. There is actually a band today that incorporates jazz into their music, yet they are a prog band. They are called The Flower Kings. (my god! they didn't name their band after a city!)Check them out...it's some pretty interesting stuff.

"Open your eyes and turn off your mind Step right up folks and you will find A growing trend An epidemic Spread with Zen and hypodermics

Just close your mind you can find all you need with your eyes

The big machines take care of you Until you kill yourself And then the sales go through the roof Calculated, Formulated Feed my head with simple thoughts And let me breathe instead of being taught All bottled up and tearing at the seams I'm bored Just let me breathe...

A daily dose of eMpTyV Will flush your mind right down the drain Shannon Hoon and Kurt Cobain, Make yourself a household name

Just close your mind you can find all you need with your eyes

Strike up your best angst ridden posture Manufactured anger Let's not forget my legacy All my heroes have failed me Now they're dead and buried...

Just close your mind you can find all you need with your eyes

The big machines will take care of you Until the fashion fades and the checks go through My bankroll's red And my face is blue And still they'll turn their backs on you for someone new

Feed my head With some real thoughts And let me think instead of being taught I'll say things You won't believe Just stand back...Just let me breathe..." -Just Let Me Breathe, Dream Theater

― Landon, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Someone has so blatantly not read enough of this thread to know what he's talking about. I mean, it only took 18 posts for a major Canterbury prog discussion to spin off . . . .

― Nitsuh, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Boston was one of the best radio bands of the 70's; they were way more consistent than the likes of Cheap Trick, and the only reason their meticulous productions aren't as celebrated by the hipsters as "Pet Sounds" or whatever is because they weren't inspired by drugs or dementia (it's easier to make VH-1 documentaries about chemically-imbalanced lunatics who can't raise their children properly than it is about engineers, I guess). Weezer fans who don't like Boston are just as deluded as Radiohead fans who don't like Kansas (that, or they prefer bands with short hair, which is as valid reason as any I suppose). America probably is crap, though I've only heard "Horse With No Name". I can't even imagine what Europe's non-"Final Countdown" songs sound like (I'm guessing they're sort of like Survivor's non-"Eye of the Tiger" material), but I'm actually kind of curious to find out. Asia will get no defense from me: the idea of a bunch of clasically-trained tax-exiles dumbing-down their sound to write hits for the "masses" without even hiring a Britney/Steve Perry-like stooge to sing them is too cynical for even me to stomach, and their songs aren't even any good. The prog maxim: When your ego is massive but your aesthetics are questionable, you're much better off indulging yourself than trying to figure out what pop music's all about. (IOW, I would like to hear Asia's studio jams).

Others: Chicago -- I like "25 or 6 to 4", "Saturday in the Park, " and "Free-Form Guitar", but the shlock-ballad period post-1976 was truly unfortunate (without Terry Kath they were useless anyway). Earth -- I don't like _Earth II_ at all but I love all the other albums. How about bands that should be named after where they were from? I think The Doobie Brothers (San Jose), Slipknot (Iowa), Primus (El Sobrante), and Boulder (Aurora, Ohio) should all change their names.

― Kris, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Those lyrics above are completely abysmal. It's like the Tap have come back, or never went away...

― suzy, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Kris - word on Chicago. But re Boston - Robin Zander DIDN'T sing like he'd been castrated at the age of 7, unlike Brad Delp.

― dave q, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What, people deserve to be condescended to for having a minority taste?

No, anyone getting hysterically offended over a put-down does though. Who really cares if someone puts down a band I like? I'm certainly not going to write a ten paragraph diatribe crying about it.

― Nicole, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

A daily dose of eMpTyV

Do you see what they've done here? It's very, very clever.

― Nick, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think anyone should be put down for taste or "lack of taste" as others may say. I'm still not sure what kind of bands Suzy is into so there is no way to make a comparison. Or does this mean that non- location bands are bad-ass? If so I should go back and listen to Wham, Silverchair and the Don Johnson album (He-He).I happen to like just about every style of music out there with a few exceptions. As far as substance, the question was a joke. However as far as fun goes, nothing says foreplay like a good argument.

― Michael K., Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Don Johnson album...my god...lol

Why do I picture Suzy rolling her eyes at everything posted here?

I'm not offended by anything anyone's said here, or any dislike of bands that I do like. I don't care. The only thing that bothers me is that Suzy hasn't once mentioned what it is she is into. It's been nothing but negative remarks...in a very I-am-the-only-worthwhile- band-critic-on-the-planet attitude.

Tell us, Suzy, what you like to listen to.

― Landon, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Robin Zander DIDN'T sing like he'd been castrated at the age of 7, unlike Brad Delp

Brad Delp's voice has never bothered me; actually the way it is makes Boston sound kind of like an electrified version of the Mormon Tabernacle or something. Add years of whiskey/cocaine abuse to that voice and lower the production about a thousand rungs and "Smokin'" becomes "Angel Dust" by Venom! (by way of "Hot For Teacher", perhaps). I dunno, I've never really listened to all that much Cheap Trick but Zander sounds like an even bigger wuss to me.

Where does "Africa" by Toto fit into this? India Arie?

― Kris, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Shit, those lyrics are a scream. Landon actually has a point about Suzy, though.

One word, repeated from way upthread (five months back): FOTHERINGAY. Now, they were good.

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Okay, I never do this list because I always forget stuff, not because I've been challenged to duel by dorks at dawn ;). First love: Johnny Cash. As kid: Bowie, ELO, Blondie, Simon and Garfunkel, girl groups all the way through to Go-Gos. Adolescent love: Smiths, all Manchester and Liverpool punk and post-punk, New Wave and New Romantics inc. Japan, Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Prince, Aztec Camera and all Postcard, lots of Creation stuff starting with Mary Chain, Stone Roses and most Manchester/Hacienda stuff. '90s: all Riot Grrrl bands, Orbital, Nirvana, Pulp, Suede, Blur exc. first LP, St Etienne, Stereolab, Air, Daft Punk. Now I like Ladytron, Stereo Total, and a bunch of other stuff.

I dislike prog as a genre, have an allergy to brass instruments in most cases but the only band I really cannot stand is Oasis. Bit difficult when Alan McGee is a friend!

― suzy, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

>>>>Sleater-Kinney! Named after a road in Olympia or something. And they sure suck.

grrrrrrr, screw you you BOY!!!! best band EVA!!!

― di, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

nobody said nazareth!

― di, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Siouxie is great. I especially like The Creatures. Saw them live in Austin, Tx at Liberty Lunch a couple years ago. Great show.

Now that I see what you like, I can understand why you don't like prog. That's fine. It's all cool.

Believe it or not, my great grandmother babysitted Johnny Cash.

― Landon, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Johnny Cash is the one person in all of music that I would quake around upon meeting. My mum tells me I used to find all black clothes when I was about four and dress up in them just to go up to people and say 'hello, I'm Johnny Cash.'

― suzy, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I get you as well. I love "The Man in Black", didn't really get the Smiths or Morissey, I enjoyed Punk and New Wave. I even dared to go see a concert with The Judys, the Dishes and the Missiles(?)because I liked "Gyana Punch". As far as Oasis, I think the egos outweigh the talent. I've heared of Aztec Camera but I don't know their music. My cd collection has anything from "The Three Tenors" to "Pebo Bryson" and "Fuel" to the "Goerge Strait" box set. I'm not actuall a big fan of Prog persay; but I really love vocal driven music. And as far as Boston, I'm impressed with anyone who can produce an album like that in their garage studio in the 1970's.

― Michael k., Wednesday, 14 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three weeks pass...

Nobody mentioned...

Geneva -- totally bearable

Oslo -- never heard

Tøyen (the part of Oslo where I live, actually) -- OK from what I've heard

And Barcelona! What I've read seems promising. Are they any good?

― OleM, Saturday, 8 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Geneva were crap. I like Fotheringay.

― Robin Carmody, Saturday, 8 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

That's three times now, Robin :)

I lived a couple of miles away from Fotheringay for a while.

It was a great song before it was a band, as is Banks of the Nile.

There. Will that do?

― David, Saturday, 8 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, what if they're named after two locations?

Buffalo Springfield?

― David, Saturday, 8 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I know. I mention them every time this thread is revived. One of ILM's great running jokes.

It was a great song before it was a band, yes, as is "Banks of the Nile". "Nothing More" is also great. But "The Sea" is the greatest.

Where were you? Oundle? Cotterstock?

RPC

― Robin Carmody, Saturday, 8 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Barcelona are okay.

― james, Sunday, 9 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Worked in Oundle for ?? 4 years. Beautiful part of the country.

― David, Sunday, 9 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It is, despite being home to a certain A. Sanderson. Still, it's Labour now.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 10 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Heaven 17

(Do they count?)

― jamesmichaelward, Monday, 10 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

Mission of Burma. Are they the exception to the rule?

― alex in mainhattan, Thursday, 7 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Fotheringay!

(giggles hysterically at the inevitably of his saying this whenever this thread is revived)

― Robin Carmody, Thursday, 7 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Do Montrose Avenue count? They had a cool tune "Where Do I Stand".

― Craig, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

And I like Madison Avenue.

― adam, Saturday, 9 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Which makes them good.

― adam, Saturday, 9 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

Buffalo Springfield have got to be an exception surely...and while we're on the subject of Amnerica, they were good technically and wrote some 'nice tunes' and they contributed the guitar riff to the last Janet Jackson single too (I mean, of course, her producer ripped it off)

― Paul, Monday, 1 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Afrika Bambaataa not a band but still refuting the rule. Especially as he named himself after a continent.

― alex in mainhattan, Tuesday, 2 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Buffalo Springfield wasn't really named after a location though. So the exception may be that a band named after an object that was named after a location is alright.

― Dave225, Tuesday, 2 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

America was great in that "I only want to hear them one day out of the year and then pretend they don't exist" way.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 2 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

another one for the canadians: chilliwack.

― fields of salmon, Tuesday, 2 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Dude, Chilliwack was mentioned like a year ago. There really should be a band called Hamilton though. Maybe there is?

― Kim, Tuesday, 2 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

I find that when I pronounce the name of the neighborhood on the Northside of Chicago as "Linn-kinn Park," all of my companions nearly die of laughter and most strangers within earshot get a giggle, too. And if I repeat it, the funny doesn't end.

― E. (ebb), Thursday, 20 November 2003 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

The Poconos.

OK, so I'm being self-effacing there.

― mike a (mike a), Friday, 21 November 2003 00:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I have a theory that the closer you are to the place that a band names itself after, the less of a chance that you'll like the band. For instance, I live in California, and when I heard there was a band in England called Santa Cruz, I automatically thought to myself, "Damn, they must suck". Same goes for the band from Texas called Vallejo (although I later learned that Vallejo was actually the last name of one of the band members, so maybe it doesn't count).

Not mentioned yet: Flin Flon. Especially because all of their songs are also titled after towns in Canada.

― Nick Mirov (nick), Friday, 21 November 2003 02:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Münchener Freiheit were actually really great. Sure, the production sounds kinda naff today, but the tunes and vocal harmonies were really great.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 21 November 2003 02:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Reading the posts by Scott and Landon upthread makes me realise there were a couple of sensible posters here back in 2001.
I mean, sure, I disagree with the mention of Europe in the same league as those other, talented, musicians. But generally, they have a lot of points.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 21 November 2003 02:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Vallejo is indeed garbage. Confirmed.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 21 November 2003 02:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Let us not forget the Bay City Rollers - a band of Scots who named themselves after a city in Michigan that they'd never actually visited.

― mike a (mike a), Friday, 21 November 2003 03:16 (twenty-one years ago)

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