Close to the edge ...oops!

Was written by May.

Freddie sang it ;)

But I get it. With the passing of Tom Petty, I have great respect for the Heartbreakers for retiring.
There are just some bands that should NOT go on without the focal point of the band. Queen is one of them.
 
They're not even close to my favorite band, not even in the top 50. But, they are IMO the #1 greatest band. Hits, longevity, no personnel changes, product... Simply amazing what these 4 have done.

well maybe for staying together ...but no frickin way on quantity of hits, longevity and as a draw to sell out stadiums...McCartney on his own, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, BB King, Bowie, Santana, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Stones, Elton, Alice Cooper, Frank Zappa..holy shit! so many great acts have persevered and still are playing and selling out huge venues...( I know I mentioned a few that are no longer among the living but their legacies are indisputable) U2 is a great act but at least in my myopic opinion not even close to deserving the title of "#1 greatest band" that said...I do prescribe to the thought process that good , bad , awesome, "greatest" are all subjective terms and truth be told music shouldn't be a competition or beauty pageant...
 
I can say without hesitancy the best show I’ve ever seen is Queen.

I was a lucky mofo to see all the amazing acts I saw...sadly somehow I never got to see them live...my greatest show was Pink Floyd in 1972 at the Hollywood Bowl performing DSOTM pre release and several other songs from Uma Guma and Meddle...#1 for me and also my very first real signed act Rock concert...
 
Well, I haven't seen as many as a lot of people, but the absolutely, hands-down most amazing show I ever saw was Todd Rundgren/Utopia back in '75 or '76 I think.

It was sort of a combination of a RA/Adventures In Utopia tour, with some Oops Wrong Planet thrown in.
 
I think most hit bands has produced something that is 'good' to 'great' when it comes to songs. That is until you get to the past 20 years or so where the band is a piece of software with 4 spotty faces.

Bands started in the 1950's born out of listening to the old mans Glen Miller ear splitting sound. There had to be something different and rock and roll started. From those days onwards we still today hear versions of the songs produced. So much since then has been forgotten because you can't hear it because most main radio stations play the terrible cat squalling in pain trash of today.

Some bands had little musical talent but just got lucky. Good luck to them for that. None of us would turn that down. U2 I put in that category. A band of little musical talent but were in the right place at the right time.

What makes a really 'great' band. Well you have to produce 'great hit songs' consistently. Be able to play. Know how to put on great shows. Have a career of at least 5 good years. Some stars never made the 5 years because they pegged it one way or another. But they could still be included.

Perhaps another thread of musical stars who qualify for whatever requirements?
 
I think that unless you want to quantify it in some way, X number of years together, Y number of hit songs, etc., it's all subjective.

My parents were of the Glenn Miller era, (great songwriter and arranger) and the things I listened to (late '60s and '70s rock) THEY considered 'just screaming', like I do most post-'80s metal bands.

I remember that my mom was mad that Joe Cocker 'ruined' Cry Me A River, one of her favorite songs.
 
I think that unless you want to quantify it in some way, X number of years together, Y number of hit songs, etc., it's all subjective.

My parents were of the Glenn Miller era, (great songwriter and arranger) and the things I listened to (late '60s and '70s rock) THEY considered 'just screaming', like I do most post-'80s metal bands.

I remember that my mom was mad that Joe Cocker 'ruined' Cry Me A River, one of her favorite songs.

No I didnt mean they had to meet all requirements. As I said some expired early and every hit band has produced something. Somebody mentioned Mott The Hoople earlier and Ian Hunter is still performing at 81. The perfect image of a 1970's rock and roll star back the. But an all time great band? I don't think so.


My old man was a Glen Miller fanatic and I know them all by heart.
 
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I feel like I've led a sheltered life. I've never seen... Beatles, Stones, Queen, U2, The Who, Santana, Pink Floyd, Elton John, Frank Zappa, GnR, Madonna, Police, Springsteen, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Led Zepplin. Most have played here, but I really detest the big bombastic "shows" with 25,000+ people.

I did get to see Fleetwood Mac when a friend of mine said she had an extra ticket. When I was young, I saw Grand Funk, Chicago, Moody Blues, Frampton, ZZ Top, Uriah Heep, Boston. At the time they were all big hit making bands and in large arena. The best was the Moody Blues. At the start, they said "Hi, we're the Moody Blues and we're here to play music for you. Sit back, listen and enjoy." 8000 people did just that! No screaming, no standing on the seats. Just applause at the end of songs.

Nowadays, I tend to go for smaller venues with bands that aren't "hit makers", Gov't Mule, Tedeschi Trucks, Bonamassa, Tommy Emmanuel, Diana Krall, BB King, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. The last concert I attend, just before the shutdown was Dweezil Zappa. There was some outstanding musicianship that night. I go to hear music, not to attend an event.

Worst concert ever was taking my daughter to see NKOTB. There were about 15,000 girls between 10 and 17, and one of the singers yells "everybody SCREEAAMM". I think I lost 20% of my hearing in my left ear! :eek:
 
I feel like I've led a sheltered life. I've never seen... Beatles, ...

... Worst concert ever was taking my daughter to see NKOTB. There were about 15,000 girls between 10 and 17, and one of the singers yells "everybody SCREEAAMM". I think I lost 20% of my hearing in my left ear! :eek:

You got a mere taste of a Beatles concert. With the Beatles, the girls maintained that sound level from start to finish.
 
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