Sweet, this means I get to make my pick before I have to go MIA for a bit.
With our 5th round selection, BF & the BFFs are proud to select, in the category of US, West of Mississippi, the band that helped define a generation, worthy successors in the long line of Kings of the Alternative nation, bringing the anger and dissatisfaction of their audience to the forefront of a national consciousness... The Leaders of the charge to wipe the last gasp of hair metal and synth-pop off the map, A band whose own tragic story mirrors that of the scene they came to represent, the most important band of the 1990s, and one that changed music forever.... NIRVANA
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Prior to Nirvana, alternative music was consigned to specialty sections of record stores, and major labels considered it to be, at the very most, a tax write-off. After the band's second album, 1991's Nevermind, nothing was ever quite the same, for better and for worse. Nirvana popularized punk, post-punk, and indie rock, unintentionally bringing it into the American mainstream like no other band to date.
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Jane's Addiction and Soundgarden may have proven to the vast American heavy metal audience that alternative could rock, and the Pixies may have merged pop sensibilities with indie rock white noise, but Nirvana pulled at all together, creating a sound that was both fiery and melodic. Since Nirvana was rooted in the indie aesthetic but loved pop music, they fought their stardom while courting it, becoming some of the most notorious anti-rock stars in history... Cobain may not have been able to weather Nirvana's success, but the band's legacy stands as one of the most influential in rock & roll history.
all righty. For my next pick, for UK band, I can't believe they're still available, I will take The Clash.
The Clash were an Englishpunk rock band, active from 1976 to 1986, part of the original wave of UK punk.[1][2] Along with punk rock, they experimented with reggae, funk, rap, dub, rock and roll and rockabilly among other roots musics.[3][4] For most of their recording career, The Clash consisted of Joe Strummer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mick Jones (lead guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass, backing vocals) and Nicky "Topper" Headon (drums, percussion).[5] The group disbanded in early 1986, owing to lack of creative control and the loss of Headon in 1982 and Jones in 1983 due to internal friction.
The Clash were a major success in the UK from the release of their debut album. Their third album, London Calling, released in the UK in December 1979, brought them popularity in the United States when it came out there the following year. It received wide critical acclaim; a decade later Rolling Stone magazine declared it the best album of the 1980s.[6]
The Clash's style and rebellious attitude, along with their music, had a far-reaching influence on rock, alternative rock in particular.[7] Their record label's A&R director dubbed them "The Only British Band That Matters," which fans picked up and transformed into "The Only Band That Matters". In January 2003 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[8] The band wanted to play at the event, but were prevented by Joe Strummer's death in December 2002. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked The Clash #30 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[9]
Love Nirvana, though they are way down my list of the Seattle scene bands.
Not a huge Clash fan, but I can appreciate the impact they had.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
things are moving along nicely. With our next pick we will move to the Instrumental Soloist category selecting Yo-Yo Ma
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Yo-Yo Ma was born in Paris to Chinese parents and had a musical upbringing. His mother, Marina Lu, was a singer, and his father, Hiao-Tsiun Ma, was a conductor and composer. His family moved to New York when he was seven years old.
At a very young age, Ma began studying violin, and later viola, before taking up the cello in 1960 at age four. The child prodigy began performing before audiences at age five, and performed for President John F. Kennedy when he was seven.[2] At eight years old, he appeared on American television in a concert conducted by Leonard Bernstein. By fifteen years of age, Ma had graduated from Trinity School in New York and appeared as a soloist with the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra in a performance of the Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations.
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Ma currently plays with his own Silk Road Ensemble, which has the goal of bringing together musicians from diverse countries all of which are historically linked via the Silk Road, and records on the Sony Classical label.[5]Ma's primary performance instrument is the Domenico Montagnana 1733 cello built in Venice and nicknamed Petunia. This cello, more than 270 years old and valued at US$2.5 million, was lost in the fall of 1999 when Ma accidentally left the instrument in a taxicab in New York City.[6] It was later recovered undamaged. Another of Ma's cellos, the Davidov Stradivarius, was previously owned by Jacqueline du Pré who passed it to him upon her death, and owned by the Vuitton Foundation. Though Du Pré previously voiced her frustration with the "unpredictability" of this cello, Ma attributed the comment to du Pré's impassioned style of playing, adding that the Stradivarius cello must be "coaxed" by the player.[citation needed] It was until recently set up in a Baroque manner, since Ma exclusively played Baroquemusic on it. He also owns a cello made of carbon fiber by the Luis and Clark company of Boston.[7]
In 1997 he was featured on John Williams' soundtrack to the Hollywood film, Seven Years in Tibet. In 2000, he was heard on the soundtrack of the blockbuster film hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. He collaborated with Williams again on the original score for the 2005 filmMemoirs of a Geisha. Yo-Yo Ma has also worked with world renowned Italian composer Ennio Morricone and has recorded Morricone's compositions of the Dollars Trilogy including The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He has also has over 75 albums: 15 of which are Grammy Award Winners. Mr. Ma is a recipient of The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence
The Harry Manbacks are proud to select, in the category of West of the Mississippi, The Eagles.
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The Eagles are an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California, in the early 1970s. With five Number 1 singles and six Number 1 albums, the Eagles were one of the most successful recording artists of the decade. At the end of the 20th century, two of their albums, Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 and Hotel California, ranked among the ten best-selling albums according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The best-selling studio album Hotel California is rated as the thirty-seventh album in the Rolling Stone list "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", and the band was ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[1] They are also the best-selling American group ever, with Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 being the best-selling album in the U.S. to date.[2][3]
I was going to quote Walter in the "My Dad gpt beat up by an Indian" thread but I think it was a little too serious for that.
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__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
With the next selection, I select Naoyuki Hisanaga for the Guitar Player category.
Naoyuki Hisanaga was a part of the now defunct band WINO. I can't really find that much information on him, but he's really been the one that impressed me the most on his guitar skills. The guy is awesome. I wish I can find a video of him playing guitar, but I guess the WINO video circulating youtube will do.
Listen closely to his riffs, and you'll agree that this guy has mad talent.
Last edited by TheyCallMeBruce; 06-17-2008 at 10:09 PM.
Bruce! Naoyuki Hisanaga is by far the best Asian guitarist ever.
You should have found an Asian male lead singer too... to make your whole team Asian music
Agreed. I do honestly think he is probably one of the best ever. When I first heard taiyou ha yoru mo kagayaku, I couldn't believe how deeply I was drawn into his riffs. The guy's ability to capture you is unreal. It's been over 5 years since I heard this song, and I still listen to it regularly. It is by far my most favorite song of all time.
With our 6th pick, we are super-ecstatic to be able to select... from Hollywood, CA...
GUNS 'N ######IN ROSES !!
Rather than try to tell these guys which position to fill, I have merely made the suggestion that they would fit best in West of the Mississippi... luckily for my health, they have agreed.
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Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band, led by frontman and co-founder Axl Rose, has gone through numerous line-up changes and controversy since its formation. Guns N' Roses have released five studio albums, two EPs, one live album, and three music video DVDs within its career. The band is currently working on the infamous album Chinese Democracy, which has been in production for over a decade. Once released, the album will be the first original recording from Guns N' Roses since the 1991 releases of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II.
Guns N' Roses have sold an estimated 90 million albums worldwide, including 39 million in the United States. The band's 1987 major label debut album, entitled Appetite for Destruction, has sold 27 million copies worldwide and reached number one on the United States Billboard 200. In addition, the album charted three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Sweet Child o' Mine" which reached number one. 1991's Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II debuted on the two highest spots on the Billboard 200 and have sold a combined 14 million copies in the United States alone.
While glam metal was the leading genre in record sales, video charts and radio airplay, Guns N' Roses offered a grittier, more traditional take on rock music, and they are known for their authenticity.
Agreed. I do honestly think he is probably one of the best ever. When I first heard taiyou ha yoru mo kagayaku, I couldn't believe how deeply I was drawn into his riffs. The guy's ability to capture you is unreal. It's been over 5 years since I heard this song, and I still listen to it regularly. It is by far my most favorite song of all time.
Yes definitely the best. Although my favorite will always be the late Wong Ka Kui of Beyond
__________________
Watching the Oilers defend is like watching fire engines frantically rushing to the wrong fire
Few rock groups of the '80s broke down as many musical barriers and were as original as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Creating an intoxicating new musical style by combining funk and punk rock together (with an explosive stage show, to boot), the Chili Peppers spawned a slew of imitators in their wake, but still managed to be the leaders of the pack by the dawn of the 21st century.
