• 1Nov 09

  Top 10 Underrated Bands #8

  Steely Dan

  

  Members: (X = deceased)
  

  Donald Fagen (above right)
  Walter Becker (above left)

  Notable Songs:

  "Do It Again"
  "Reelin' In The Years"
  "Peg"
  "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"

  Steely Dan was a rock duo formed in the early 1970's, and by the end of the decade they had reached critical, albeit underappreciated, success. They're generally considered a "soft rock" or "pop rock" band, using more piano and soft drumming than hard, driving guitar and drumming (a notable exception being Reelin' In the Years, my personal favorite). With Donald Fagen's piano and singing accompanied by Walter Becker's instrumental virtuosity, they made many incredible albums and songs, and continued to perform and work together into the early 1980's. It was then that they took a much needed break to sober up and "find themselves". In the early 1990's they came back in full swing, and to this day they still play some of their hits at live shows.

  One thing about the band was their incredible obsession with details and perfection. They would spend up to a year's worth of time perfecting everything they could, from the lyrics to the music to the overall production (in one instance they even used over 40 session musicians for one album). It may be because of this that the band is well respected among the musical community, particularly among rock and roll critics.

  • Posted Nov 1, 2009 8:30 am PT
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• 26Oct 09

  Top 10 Underrated Bands #9/Purchases

  Uriah Heep

  

  Members: (X=deceased)
  David Byron (X)
  Mick Box
  Ken Hensley
  Lee Kerslake
  Gary Thain (X)

  Notable Songs:
  "Stealin' "
  "Gypsy"
  "Easy Livin' "
  "Look At Yourself"

  Uriah Heep is an English rock band who first came to fame in the early 1970s. They're known for having a driving, fast-paced beat in many songs, as well as for band member changes (most of the members listed above weren't original members, nor are they current ones). The band's name comes from a character in a Charles Dickinson book, "David Copperfield", and their first album (Very 'eavy, Very 'umble) was a nod to one of the character's lines.

  The band focused on faster tempos, heavy synthesizer use, and impressive harmony when making their music, and it really shows just in those 4 songs I mentioned earlier. My personal favorite is Stealin', off their 1973 album 'Sweet Freedom'. This was about the last successful album they put out, and after the death of Gary Thain and frontman David Byron's leaving of the group, they fell in popularity. They still continue to tour and release albums, with only a couple of the original members or major members for that matter.

  

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  In other news, I've been on a bit of a spending spree. I recently purchased FF Origins for the PS (been doing some FFI lately). I've also obtained a couple of Eagles CDs: Eagles, and Hotel California. I've come to appreciate their older, more country/western oriented music, with songs such as Take it Easy and Peaceful Easy Feeling.

  And lastly, I'm going to be getting the MGS Essential Collection for the PS2. I've been checking out the first MGS game and it looks pretty kewl, and with all the talk about how great the series is, I figured I'd give it a shot. We'll see soon...
  

  • Posted Oct 26, 2009 11:01 am PT
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• 21Oct 09

  #10: Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich

  Helluva name huh?

  Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

  

  
  

  Members: (X = deceased)
  

  Dave "Dee" Harman (X)

  Trevor "Dozy" Ward-Davies

  John "Beaky" Diamond

  Michael "Mick" Wilson

  Ian "Tich" Amey

  
  

  Notable Songs:

  "Hold Tight!"

  "Bend It!"

  "The Legend of Xanadu"

  "Don Juan"

  DDDBMT (as I shall refer to them from here on out) were a pop/rock band fresh outta Britain during the 1960's. They were much like the British Invasion bands The Beatles and The Kinks in their musical styIe though they gravitated towards a slightly more rock sound. First discovered in 1964 after the massive international success of The Beatles, most likely an attempt to capitalize on their similar music, they quickly became a success in the UK, with several chart topping hits. They never quite had as much success in the US, making them less known stateside, and therefore (in the Shiggums book) they're underrated.
  The thing I like most about DDDBMT is the guitar (as is the case with most bands I'm fond of). The way they use it in songs like Hold Tight and Bend It really made them stand out among their BI counterparts. While more "unconventional", they made it work. They were softer rock than the others, often incorporating more acoustic guitar into their music than electric (as seen in Don Juan or The Legend of Xanadu).
  Another significant feature of their music is the often unusual or erratic beat, usually led by the drums (as in Bend It).
  As with many bands from the 1960's, upon the end of the hippie era their music faded out, and the band disbanded in 1972. They've made a few attempts to return to their former glory, with different band members, but never fully gained back their fan base or musical praise.

  Overall, while not the best band out there, I definitely feel they don't get much attention among the 60's musical scene, and are too overshadowed by the Beatles. Several great songs make them a much over-looked band.
  

  • Posted Oct 21, 2009 11:41 am PT
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