Worst band decline ever?

[CanuckAmok]

Poll question: Worst band decline ever?

Bands that started out as innovative and fresh, and got crap.

Who wins (loses)?

[peekaloo]

1. Terry Kath's death ended CTA.

[LostInAnomie]

2. Metallica

They used to be gods. Now I wouldn't throw feces at them because it would befoul my feces.

[CanuckAmok]

4. Yup.

A part of me still thinks they can recover, but I think the hard reality s that when you're no longer angry, you can't legitimately create angry music.

And being angry about the lack of San Pelegrino in the Green Room doesn't count.

[radwriter0555]

36. Yep, they REALLY think their shit doesn't stink... They take themselves

far, far too seriously. They never have any FUN!

Screw em.

[LostInAnomie]

50. The breaking point for me with Metallica was...

... when I was watching a Rockumentary on them on VH1. They asked Jason what he has to say about the charges that they had sold-out, and he said "Yeah, I guess you could say we sold out. We sold out and still sell out every ampi-theater and stadium we play in."

I thought "You arrogant ass. The man just asked you about selling your soul to sell more records, and you respond with some smart ass statement which only further confirms what everyone has been saying.". Since then I haven't bought one album.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. Jefferso Airplane - Starship

From "White Rabbit" to "We Built This City".

No, there is no other band, not even those on your list, that come anywhere near the degredation and downslide of that once magnificent and incredible band.

[Gildor Inglorion]

10. You're right..."Somebody to Love" was totally awesome

Their decline was pathetic and inexplicable. :-(

[jonnyblitz]

40. i love that song. nt

[jbane]

82. I can explain it in two words, Paul Kantner.

The best songs were his, he was the most political and he had great creative energy. The Starship album "Freedom at Point Zero" has a lot of Paul on it.

[jonnyblitz]

39. yup! starship was (((((horrible))))) and airplane was awesome!!

i coudn't agree with you more...

[jpgray]

5. The Kinks.

Compare Arthur to Phobia. :o

[CanuckAmok]

9. I don't think I've even heard a Kinks album since State of Confusion.

Are they still recording?!

[jpgray]

11. Count yourself lucky

The bros. Davies are done for now. Dave just put out a solo album that one of my buddies likes. Their last official album was To The Bone, which was a mix of live in the studio and live in concert recordings--I want to say that was '94 or somewhere thereabouts.

[ghostsofgiants]

6. Not that they were exactly brilliant when they started out...

But based on how awful the Black Eyed Peas new single is, they get my vote. They made pretty decent hip-hop back in the late 90s. They've been on a VERY steep decline ever since they did "Where's The Love?" Their new single is quite possibly the worst song I have EVER heard.

[tuvor]

21. "Hey Mama" is just about the best song ever.

[ghostsofgiants]

23. "Hey Mama" was bad (in my opinion)...

But "My Humps" is so incomprehensibly awful.

[tuvor]

32. Ha!

That's one of my favorites from the new album.

So cheeky, no pun intended.

[ghostsofgiants]

34. Haha, I think it's best we agree to disagree...

I'll take "Fallin' Up" or "B.E.P. Empire" over that stuff any day.

[tuvor]

37. I may have to check that album out.

Thanks!

[ghostsofgiants]

44. Well those are both singles...

From "Behind The Front" and "Bridging the Gap", respectively.

[tuvor]

45. I think I have easy access to the latter

Thanks again!

[ghostsofgiants]

47. Always glad to help.

:hi:

[MrSlayer]

7. Metallica without question.

And what's worse is that it was intentional. 4 great albums and then nothing but commercial slop. 14 years later and their betrayal still makes me sick.

[CanuckAmok]

8. I actually don't mind "Re-Load"

I like it more now than when it came out. It's loaded on my winamp playlist so it pops up from time to time.

But, yeah, I hear you. They suck infected donkey nuts now.

[DelawareValleyDem]

12. Genesis

[CanuckAmok]

13. Oooh, good call.

I forgot all about them.

[minkyboodle]

14. Rod Stewart

I know he isn't a band but he went from being the one of the most respected voiced in British folk rock to a fucking joke in like 2 years.

[Greyhound]

33. Somewhat redeemed with his standards CD (forgot the name) n/t

[minkyboodle]

46. eek

sorry can't go with you on that one... I think Rod singing standards is about as bad as it gets..... and I love the mercury years stewart... I didn't think his standards could be bested/worsted then Carly Simon followed his lead...... ever lasting pain :)

[Left Is Write]

79. I agree with you. Rod is not a crooner.

His voice is not suited to those wonderful old standards, and I wished he'd left them alone.

[asthmaticeog]

15. Devo.

Compare their unspeakably brilliant first two albums with the unlistenable "Shout" and "Total Devo." There were plenty of great moments on the albums inbetween, but when "Oh No It's Devo" came out, you could totally see the curtain coming down on them. Shark-jump moment: "Theme From Dr. Detroit."

[tuvor]

19. Alas, yup.

[BlueIris]

16. R.E.M.

Went from making some of the best art ever to some of the most mediocre pop ever.

[sundog]

17. u2 & bananarama

:P

[tuvor]

18. Simple Minds

New Gold Dream was the glorious apex of a fine string of three albums (bookended by Sister Feelings Call and Sparkle in the Rain). It's still fucking brilliant.

Then came Don't You Forget About Me, the nice bit of Billy Idol-reject fluff. What the hell, they deserved a little commercial success.

And then, for some inexplicable reason, they decided they were U2.

Downhill from there.

[CanuckAmok]

20. Indeed. Oh, and sorry for listing Devo.

It's a painful truth, though.

Mark Mothersbaugh said that the didn't want to exist beyond "New Traditionalists", but they were contractually obligated to three more albums with WEA.

[tuvor]

22. Didn't know that.

It kinda shows, don't it?

Sometimes you just run out of things to say.

[CanuckAmok]

24. I was going to include "Ultravox", but then...

I kind of reconsidered.

See, I like the early, John Foxx-era stuff (and Foxx' solo albums are amazing), but it's a little campy and theatrical.

The first couple of albums with Midge Ure, however: Rage in Eden, Vienna, and Quartet, are masterful. Lament is okay, and the last couple (U-Vox and the other one I can't even remember) were just dreck.

[tuvor]

28. I like a good chunk of Ure-era Ultravox, too.

Despite the frequent melodrama.

Never heard much John Foxx....

[CanuckAmok]

38. Check out "Systems of Romance" and the eponymous first Ultravox album.

Great, great New Wave. Foxx' voice rivals Gary Numan for sterility and disconnection. The use of viola and violin against heavy but muted guitar distortion are super.

PM me an email addy and I'll send you a couple of AAC files...

[no name no slogan]

64. If not for "Systems", there'd be no "new romantics"

That album is absolutely amazing-- especially when you consider that it was made in 1978.

I'm a huge fan of Foxx-era Ultravox. "Vienna" was also quite good, but after that they became largely forgetable. Just a tad too melodramatic and taking themselves too seriously, IMHO.

I've got the first three Foxx-era albums on CD if you're interested. :D

[CanuckAmok]

69. Oh, cool.

I have "Slow Motion" on CD. It's a compilation of the Foxx-era albums. The entire albums are long out-of-print on CD, IIRC.

I burned my vinyl onto MP3.

Do you have his solo works? Metamatic is pretty great.

I kind of feel bad for John Foxx; he left Ultravox because he thought he'd be the next Gary Numan, and he wasn't.

I understand he's a bit of a pompous ass, though, so I don't feel too bad about it.

[devilgrrl]

26. Excellent choice!

NGD is still a brilliant record. In fact I think I'll toss it on the turntable. :-)

Add Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark. Their first two records were good but they when to pot after Dazzle Ships.

[tuvor]

29. There's another good one!

"Turntable"...hmm..."turntable"...

[devilgrrl]

I haven't replaced all my vinyl yet.

:blush:

Bought the record in '82! :wow:

[CanuckAmok]

43. Hrm... Orch. Man. in the Dark, Architecture & Morality, Dazzle Ships...and

Junk Culture.

Junk Culture was a pretty good album, actually. Don't be fooled by the more 'accessible' sound... it's still a strong record.

[devilgrrl]

53. By the time Junk Culture came out I had moved on to all the 4AD stuff...

Cocteau Twins, Colourbox, Clan of Xymox, etc... so I missed it. :-(

[last_texas_dem]

25. Jefferson Airplane/ Starship

I'd vote for these guys, though I don't really consider them to be the same band. I guess in the strictest sense of the word JA did "evolve" into Starship, but by the time Starship was recording "We Built This City", etc., Grace Slick was the only original (well, technically not original since she wasn't on JA's debut, but she pretty much defines their sound beyond that album) member left. Factoring in such major lineup changes, it's tough to judge them the same as a band that kept the same essential lineup intact but started sucking.

[recoveringdittohed]

27. Heart

Three of their first four albums were awesome, Dreamboat Annie, Little Queen and Dog & Butterfly. Ever since since then, they've stunk.

[tuvor]

31. Welcome to DU, RDH!

:hi:

[last_texas_dem]

54. I tend to agree, although

the stink didn't really set in until their 1985 "comeback" album when it started to seem like they recorded exclusively power ballads. Ironically, the mid- to late-eighties were their most commercially successful and creatively unsuccessful years.

I agree with you about the early albums, though, especially Dreamboat Annie. It's one of my all-time favorites. On that note, they have improved quite substantially on their most recent album. It's a return to their older sound w/o being sounding too forcedly retro, and it's quite good.

[flvegan]

30. Oh, c'mon...Van Halen? Hello?

[lildreamer316]

66. Let's not go there.

B-)

[Left Is Write]

80. Agreed.

I have the first six albums, and never acquired another one. Even that was pushing it, but I figured I'd better have the whole David Lee Roth collection.

[eyepaddle]

35. There's been a lotta good choices, and for a lotta good reasons

but the Jeferson Airplane/Starship and so on catastrophe takes the cake.

Both Metallica and Van Halen have had breathaking collapses, but they are still pretty much in the same WORLD as when they started.. For Metallica to rival the Jefersonian implosion they'd have to become, like, a boy band or something.

For some reason the thought of Metallica doing N'Sync synchronized dance moves in crackin' me up!

:rofl:

[Cocoa]

41. Aerosmith should get a nod

:puke:

[Robeson]

58. They never were good. Just overrated.

[MrScorpio]

42. Van Halen

Sunkaroony

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

62. Yeah, but Van Halen always sucked.

One great guitarist that surrounded himself with absolutely atrocious talent. Then again, he wanted it that way to soothe his own ego, so I don't feel too badly for him.

[lildreamer316]

67. Ohhhhh.

Now we are going to go at it, boyfriend. Sheesh!
Not like I took my screenname from 2 of their SONGS or anything.
You think you know someone..........
NO more lap dances for you!!!
(Just kidding!! Love you and Happy late birthday!)

[Merrick]

48. Diehard Fans Protest Planned Removal of Metallica's Feeding Tube

http://www.newsmutiny.com/pages/Entertainment/Metallica.html

[rocktivity]

49. Metallica declined artistically because they also declined morally

They betrayed everything they stood for, and all because they could make more money.

:headbang:
rocknation

[henslee]

51. The Who have been farewell touring for 20 years. And they have not

produced a new album in about as long. Rock nerds please verify.

[LeftyMom]

52. Metallica

Jesus fucking christ, they could write the book on selling out, but they'd sue you if you tried to fucking read it. Assholes.

Also, I'm still bitter that the one time I got to see them, back when they didn't suck, they did not play One. :wtf:

[LostInAnomie]

57. You're kidding! They didn't play "One"!

I could understand maybe not playing the whole thing but they have to at least play the best part.

If they wouldn't have played it at the concert I went to I would have thrown my whiskey bottle at them.

[LeftyMom]

60. Well I couldn't do that

on account of being in junior high at the time, but I was pissed. Hell, 13 (I think? about that) years later, I'm still fucking pissed.

[Scoots]

55. At least the Airplane/Starship thing brought us Jorma's solo stuff

and Hot Tuna. Otherwise it was pretty morbid.

[underpants]

63. Never thought you'd hear Yormo on a telephone company ad did ya?

I hear it all the time and it cracks me up.

[Scoots]

70. I haven't heard it.

I'm probably in a different market. What song are they using?

[slybacon9]

56. It's Metallica without a doubt... and im not even sad anymore

i just can't believe how hard far they fell. There was no metal band with their depth. Until the Black Album.

Blame MTV.

[Mike Niendorff]

59. it isn't quite the *worst*, but ...

... I think a list like that has to include Van Halen, too.


Van Halen -> Van Hagar -> Van Extreme -> ...



MDN

[lildreamer316]

68. Sigh.

See above posts........

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

61. Metallica and U2

Metallica has just flat out sucked since their Black album, while U2 degenerated from making political statements like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to songs where the main lyric is "WOOO!" and using incorrect and extraneous Spanish.

My vote went to U2, merely because Metallica didn't need help.

[leftofthedial]

65. most of those are not declines at all

How about The Crash Test Dummies?

[Crazy Guggenheim]

71. Jerfferson Airplane to Starship. The bad thing about them IS the "ratio"

of what they were to what they are now. Though I don't think that "Built this City" was really that bad of a song, it's just that they can do so much better than that.

[Pacifist Patriot]

72. That just seemed so obvious to me. Jefferson Airplane/Starship

was playing Epcot in front of the American pavilion when I was there for the Food and Wine Festival on Saturday night. *shudder* "Sarah" has got to be among the worst songs ever.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

74. Just what I was alluding to in my post above that it's *them*. If some

other band did their music that's fine.

[no name no slogan]

73. I would say Metallica but I always thought they sucked

I never did see what anybody saw in them. All my HS buds went apeshit for them when "Kill 'Em All" came out. Motorhead did it better, and still does, IMHO. Plus, Lemmy knew it was all a piss-take. Fucking Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett are too damn full of themselves to be taken remotely seriously.

[gollygee]

75. My husband says The Moody Blues but I say Jefferson Starship

or whatever they are called this week.

A second place to Chicago.

[RedstDem]

76. ZZ Top

And Yes Starhip Fell Off A Cliff

On Edit: Put McCartney Down Over The Same Cliff

[Crazy Guggenheim]

77. ZZ Top?? I haven't heard them in a while.

[RedstDem]

78. Now You Know Why !

Well They Been Inactive Foe Quite Awhile, But Before They Retired, They Sucked Pretty Bad.

[aePrime]

81. Beatles

I mean, let's look at the numbers.

21 Number 1 hits in the U.S. between '64 and '70. After that -- none! Now that's a decline.