Your Favourite Band vs The Best Band Ever

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Is there a difference between your favourite band and who you think are the best band ever? Are they the same thing?

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 1 September 2003 10:42 (twenty-one years ago)

did you ask this or did I?

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 1 September 2003 10:49 (twenty-one years ago)

You did, but hush.

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 1 September 2003 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, I thought maybe you had, too. OK.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 1 September 2003 10:52 (twenty-one years ago)

There is a difference in that I could tell you what the former is but I couldn't tell you what the latter is.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 1 September 2003 10:58 (twenty-one years ago)

The latter will prob always be the Beatles, the former changes constantly. Right now it's Kraftwerk, but I'm listening to "Autobahn". It's usually the Fall, though.

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 1 September 2003 11:03 (twenty-one years ago)

OK when I say "couldn't" I probably mean "wouldn't presume to".

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 1 September 2003 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

One is subjective, and therefore answerable, and the other is objective, and therefore impossible.

If you *treat* both questions as subjective, why yes, it is entirely possible that the Best Band Ever might not be your Favourite Band Ever because Favourite implies an emotional loadedness not necessarily affected by musical quality.

― kate (kate), Monday, 1 September 2003 11:19 (twenty-one years ago)

My favourite band is (smog) and i dont think that thay could be called the best band ever - even by me! (and not only cos they are not really a band)

― jed_e_3 (jed_e_3), Monday, 1 September 2003 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Of course the Beatles are often my favourite band, too, it's not like I'm just being slavish

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 1 September 2003 11:57 (twenty-one years ago)

My brother always used to say "The Seers are the best band in thr world but Mega City Four are my favourite band."

Do you see why I have such shite taste, do you?

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 1 September 2003 11:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes. My favourite band is Genesis, while Beatles is objectively the best band ever, and arguing against that fact is just pathetic.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 1 September 2003 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't agree that the Beatles are the best band ever - i just think that they have a better shout at the title than (smog).

― jed_e_3 (jed_e_3), Monday, 1 September 2003 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Geir my darlign, there is no such thing as objectivity, even in science it's pretty wooly as new developments alter what were previosuly thought of as immutable universal truths..

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 1 September 2003 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The Beatles vs. The Beatles

― Freedom Dupont, Monday, 1 September 2003 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i neither want to hear the beatles nor think about them and it annoys me that some people think that this is not acceptable!

― jed_e_3 (jed_e_3), Monday, 1 September 2003 12:20 (twenty-one years ago)

You're not alone there, Jed (though I'm not really so absolute, I just mostly don't want to think about them much anymore).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 1 September 2003 12:38 (twenty-one years ago)

... that makes three of us

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 1 September 2003 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

If you must know:

The Velvet Underground (1969) v. The Velvet Underground (1966-70)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 1 September 2003 13:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I use "My Favorite Band" as "favorite act still going" and "Best Band Ever" as "favorite act ever to go"

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Monday, 1 September 2003 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

My favourite band is no longer the best band ever. But for several years of my life, on two separate occasions, they sure as hell *were*. And that's usually the point isn't it?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 1 September 2003 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Best band EVAH? Rolling Stones, no question... I'd say my fave band is either them or Oasis... but on this board i just can't even begin to try to justify them as the best band ever...

― Bryan Moore (Bryan Moore), Monday, 1 September 2003 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

My favourite band is Led Zeppelin. The best band ever, however, is clearly the Scorpions.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 1 September 2003 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't think of any reason why there should be a best band ever.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 1 September 2003 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Have you heard "No One Like You" or "Big City Nights"?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 1 September 2003 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

(or seen the pictures?)

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 1 September 2003 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't get me wrong Sundar, the Scorpions are as good a candidate as any I'm sure.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 1 September 2003 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Blur vs The Beatles, while I do think Blur are in the same upper echelon as the latter.

― raulm, Monday, 1 September 2003 15:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Poison vs Abba

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 1 September 2003 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Best would seem to imply the group should have a lot of diversity, so I'm tempted to say Prince, but his track record is shit.

I'm tempted to make it Bon Scott-era AC/DC vs. Rolling Stones but fuck it, High Voltage through Highway To Hell renders the concept of diversity and best-ness worthless. When what you want you take and what you don't you break, you really don't need to be picky.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 1 September 2003 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Ned and Dadaismus - My Comrades!

― jed_e_3 (jed_e_3), Monday, 1 September 2003 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

...anyway Cozen - what's your take?

― jed_e_3 (jed_e_3), Monday, 1 September 2003 18:07 (twenty-one years ago)

...and you, RJG, since you seem to have been the victim of a thread theft.

― jed_e_3 (jed_e_3), Monday, 1 September 2003 18:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it is a stupid question.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 1 September 2003 18:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes. My favourite band is Genesis, while Beatles is objectively the best band ever, and arguing against that fact is just pathetic.

-- Geir Hongro (geirhon...), September 1st, 2003 9:04 AM. (GeirHong) (link)

Is this the objectively perfect Geir post? The platonic post of which all other Geir posts are mere reflections?

― J (Jay), Monday, 1 September 2003 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it is. let us be silent and contemplate its form

― autovac (autovac), Monday, 1 September 2003 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

This is a weird question, since both are essentially subjective. In my case, my fave will always be Neil Young in his various forms -- his music speaks to me. But ask me for the best, and I'd say either the Who or the Stones -- they're the only two bands who's live work has made me pause and say "How the hell are they doing that?" Especially the Stones, who if the live performances in Gimme Shelter are any indication, were untouchable in their prime.

But as someone else pointed out here, who f'n knows about the best? For pure precision, we could say UFO, because who really can touch Shenker note for note?

― Chris O'Connor (Chris O'Connor), Monday, 1 September 2003 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Schenker/Uli Roth = Diz/Bird

― dave q, Monday, 1 September 2003 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

were Schenker and Roth ever in Scorpions at the same time (just curious)?

― Aaron A., Monday, 1 September 2003 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought it was me who started this, RJG, prompting your flatmate to get exasperated?

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 1 September 2003 20:27 (twenty-one years ago)

don't I often find that you have my lighters in your pockets?

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 1 September 2003 20:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes.

I agree with RJG.

The question's too easy to be not stupid. I only really started the thread because I haven't started one on ILM in ages and want to start thinking about music again. This has failed here.

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 1 September 2003 20:29 (twenty-one years ago)

My favorite band is the best band ever to me, and ultimately that's all that matters.

Who determines "best" anyway? "Best" by what criteria? "Best" in what capacity? Playing ability? Song-writing? Some of the most technically proficient players couldn't be duller to these ears. Some of the most wildly celebrated songwriters leave me cold and clammy (hello, Bob Dylan). It's all relative.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 September 2003 21:31 (twenty-one years ago)

What makes Beatles objectively best is:

- They usually completely dominate critics and audience polls of "best albums ever"
- Almost anybody who made albums during the 70s pre-punk were influenced by them. Even most black 70s acts would list The Beatles among their influences.
- Critics and audiences agree that they are great, a rare case.
- They appeal to a lot of generations that haven't grown up with The Beatles. Everybody knows "Yesterday" and "Hey Jude" regardless of age

The combination of most commercially popular ever, most critically acclaimed ever and most musically influential ever means that critics, fans, ambivalent record buyers and fellow musicians are united over their greatness. Not all of them, but such as large number that you just cannot argue against them being the best and biggest band ever.

Personally, I prefer Genesis (and a few others), but The Beatles remain the objectively biggest and most important band in rock history.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 1 September 2003 21:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it is a clever question.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 1 September 2003 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

eight months pass...

Very funny thread!

― Charles Dexter (Holey), Thursday, 27 May 2004 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

twenty years pass...

krypts. same thing

― +subtle (gaudio), Saturday, 7 September 2024 20:03 (eight months ago)

Motörhead vs Slayer...hmmm...

― Instead of create and send out, it pull back and consume (unperson), Saturday, 7 September 2024 20:07 (eight months ago)

fuck. it's krypts and motörhead. both. same thing

― +subtle (gaudio), Saturday, 7 September 2024 20:11 (eight months ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.