The way I see it the Stones are the greatest rock band. When I think rock, I think Rolling Stones, its that simple. That said, I don't own any Stones cds. I've always considered the Beatles to be the best pop band, anyone playing pop music is just trying to do what the Beatles already did better. I also don't own any Beatles cds. I was born the summer of the invasion so they just are not interesting to me, they've "always" been around so there is nothing life changing about them.

It's funny because I feel exactly the same way about Led Zep. Going through high school in Central PA in the late 70s early 80s meant that Led Zep 4 was the quintessential rock album and all the hard-ass kids with their long jeans jackets were Zep-heads and wrote "ZOSO" on their notebooks and stuff.

Whearas I present as evidence "Miss You", which was the Stones' attempt to broaden themselves to include the DISCO era. Disco! They even released it as an extended 12" single.

(McCartney also tried that schtick with "Goodnight Tonight", which is in competition for the least-interesting song he ever wrote.)

(See Syc I used to have that music-indexing brain, until real life stood in the way)

Ah..yes..excellent point. I was driving home from college on a Friday when I first heard the Beatles "I want to hold your hand". Not much of a song, really, but it was so different from what I'd heard, it was an epiphany of what music could do/be. In the context of vinyl 45s, 33 1/3s and AM radio all in mono, the Beatles led the way to the enlightenment you young 40something whipper snappers take for granted. :D

Bowie is on tour now, behind his new CD, Reality. I'd love to go see him, but I'm not paying $75+ for cheap seats.

As I was growing up, Zep had just broken up, U2 was in its infancy, Paul McCartney's solo career was producing Top 40 gems, Thriller became a mega-smash, pop was probably in its heyday and Bowie decided to go that route with Let's Dance.

As I went from junior high age through college, Seattle bands brought the alternative to the mainstream; Radiohead led a Britpop invasion then abandoned it with record #2; the country went Beatles crazy again; industrial bands like Ministry, NIN, Skinny Puppy and Front 242 scared the shit out of people; Smashing Pumpkins brought back the big rock record and Bowie went through two more genre changes with 1995's Outside (industrial) and 1997's Earthling (techno).

It seems like most people stick closest to what they were listening to as teenagers...so for me, the music of 1991-1997 is probably most prominent. (And if you look at my CD collection, you'll probably see that a good number of my CDs are from that period.) For Rho, it's the late '80s (and her tape and CD collection reflect that).

I try very hard not to be a musical snob. I listen to all sorts of stuff, though admittedly, I don't listen to a lot of new bands anymore. I haven't bought a new band's CD in...damn, it has to be years now. With Rhapsody, I've been mainly listening to stuff I've always wanted to listen to, but haven't bought (Keb' Mo', The Roots, Megadeth, etc.). And while I try not to be a snob, I admittedly haven't listened to much Top 40 music over the past 12 years...though that MIGHT be a good thing. ;)

Speaking of Van Halen, I tried listening to the Gary Cherone-sung Van Halen III last night...NOT recommended. Loved Gary Cherone in Extreme, loved VH with Diamond Dave, tolerated VH with Sammy, but I think VH3 was a BAD idea.

Feh.

You guys are just all wrong.

All this arguing back and forth, and the truth is SOOOO apparent.

The Doors.

'Nuff Said.

Sorry Wolf, Morrison was too smart to define rock n roll.