i’d go with Van Halen, Rush, Def Leppard, etc on this one. i would never consider the pop/indie band U2 rock. that would insult good rock bands.
I’ve seen Slayer, Priest, Maiden, Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, Chili Peppers, Thorogood, and many others live and U2 in 05 stands as one of if not the best live show I’ve seen. For me U2 wins this comparison.
D
[quote]livinthedream wrote:
Obv. you dont no music if it wasnt for U2 there wouldnt be a lot of bands out there. [/quote]
If it wasn’t for U2 there wouldn’t be a lot of shit bands out there.
Whoa Edge! way to learn how to use a phaser and a chorus pedal. The only thing good about listening to U2 is that it makes good music sound comparatively better when listened to immediately following a U2 record.
Not that I’ve ever tried this method before, I heard about it from some guys who’ve been mainlining The Residents and Slint for years and needed a stronger fix.
Bono’s an asshat - he moved his publishing business out of Ireland so he could pay less taxes. If you’re going to run around acting like you’re Jesus in a pair of shades, maybe you shouldn’t be a complete f* hypocrite.
And the Bad Brains are the best rock group of the 80s. “I Against I” is the second best album of that decade, right behind Paul’s Boutique.
REM are dreary bedsit land misery
can’t really call them a rock band either, mind U2 have gone downhill since the original Live aid performance
If you want a rock band…
Best 80’s Rock Band
Easy question. Easier answer. Two words. VAN HALEN!
[quote]studgorilla wrote:
Best 80’s Rock Band
Easy question. Easier answer. Two words. VAN HALEN![/quote]
Might as well jump!
I don’t think so.
[quote]Digital Chainsaw wrote:
OK, someone give me an explaination of “jumped the shark”, as I’ve never heard of it before this thread.
I know “jumped the couch” refers to Tom Cruise going nuts and jumping over the couch on Oprah, and marks a point where someone went crazy, but “shark” I am drawing a blank on.
Someone please enlighten me.[/quote]
“Jumped the Shark” refers to an episode of “Happy Days”. Fonzie jumped over a shark on water skis (while wearing his leather jacket). Years later, people said that this was the beginning of the end for the show, and it was two different shows before and after he “Jumped the Shark”. Some guy made the saying kind of famous and made a website with opinions on many other shows and when they “Jumped the Shark”.
Rolling Stone magazine named “London Calling” best album of the 80’s. AND they get my vote also . . . best band of the 80’s: The Clash.
Deal with it.
Bono and Stipe? Maybe if you dig Queer Eye…
S L A Y E R
U2 had two good albums: Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree. They waned after that. REM is shit. Then and now. REM makes me want to slit my throat.
[quote]sasquatch wrote:
studgorilla wrote:
Best 80’s Rock Band
Easy question. Easier answer. Two words. VAN HALEN!
Might as well jump!
I don’t think so.[/quote]
This pisses me off. The two songs that made the radio/video from 1984 aren’t the best. Jump and Panama are mediocre to Top Jimmy, Hot for Teacher, And Girl Gone Bad.
Another clarification, metal bands weren’t categorized as rock. They were in their own. So though Metallica and Slayer definitely were harder, they don’t fit into the “rock” of the 80’s.
As for the biggest rock bands of the 80’s: AC/DC, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Journey, GNR, and even Aerosmith(though they formed in the 70’s)
However, I think the biggest breakthrough rock band in the 80’s was Living Colour. Their stage presence and sound was so refreshing because they made it in a time where “glam” bands were hot, and they weren’t following the formula.
rem vs u2 best 80s band this abad joke right?
[quote]theirondoc wrote:
Rolling Stone magazine named “London Calling” best album of the 80’s. AND they get my vote also . . . best band of the 80’s: The Clash.
Deal with it.[/quote]
The voice of reason has spoken. All others should shut up. . .now.
[quote]rbnlaw wrote:
theirondoc wrote:
Rolling Stone magazine named “London Calling” best album of the 80’s. AND they get my vote also . . . best band of the 80’s: The Clash.
Deal with it.
The voice of reason has spoken. All others should shut up. . .now.[/quote]
Rolling Stone magazine doesn’t know shit anymore. That publication is more commercial than it is music. The past decade for that mag is not worth quoting.
[quote]BigRagoo wrote:
However, I think the biggest breakthrough rock band in the 80’s was Living Colour. Their stage presence and sound was so refreshing because they made it in a time where “glam” bands were hot, and they weren’t following the formula. [/quote]
Absolutely. “Cult of Personality” was/is one of the best songs I have ever heard. The lead guitar part was way ahead of the times. Great Band.
[quote]rainjack wrote:
BigRagoo wrote:
However, I think the biggest breakthrough rock band in the 80’s was Living Colour. Their stage presence and sound was so refreshing because they made it in a time where “glam” bands were hot, and they weren’t following the formula.
Absolutely. “Cult of Personality” was/is one of the best songs I have ever heard. The lead guitar part was way ahead of the times. Great Band. [/quote]
They won a grammy for that album “Vivid”. They are some rocking-ass brothers.
[quote]rbnlaw wrote:
theirondoc wrote:
Rolling Stone magazine named “London Calling” best album of the 80’s. AND they get my vote also . . . best band of the 80’s: The Clash.
Deal with it.
The voice of reason has spoken. All others should shut up. . .now.[/quote]
The problem with that statement, of course, is that Sandinista and Combat Rock were generally shit; (and I love The Clash - everyone should be made to go out and buy the Anniversery Edition of London Calling)
Now, the question states:
[1]Eighties - which I take to mean the entirety thereof and not just one-ff albums: so we’re looking a constant quality produciton.
[2]Rock: Which last time I looked ruled out metal, new romantic, new wave, electronic etc (whoever teh fuck called Duran Duran, rock, is certifiable).
Now [1]. (Off the top of my head a non exhaustive list). Both REM and U2 consisently produced for this period. Who else did?
New Order: Ruled out per[2] as not rock
The Cure: Not Rock - Not goth either.
Metallica: Is metal Rock?
Fields of the Nephilim: Goth Rock, but definitely rock
Prince: Not Rock.
Duran Duran: Not rock and group split with only LeBon and John Taylor and Nick Rhodes left.
The Clash: Split - became B.A.D.
[2] Who was producing ‘Rock’ in this period.
Not REM, that’s for damn sure. Now REM were (and are, to a lesser extent) a really good band, but Rock???
So who was the better Rock act between U2 and REM? U2 by exclusion. Were they the best ‘Rock’ act of the period?
Largely possible to determine.
Best band of any genre in the 80’s? Not even close, but that, is a subjective assessment
I really liked R.E.M. during their I.R.S. years. After that, I thought they got progressively worse.
As for U2, I think their best is Acthung Baby. There is something on every album from them that is worthwhile. I can’t say the same for R.E.M.
So between the both of them - U2 wins hands down!