50 Bands in 50 States

[Gilly]

Do you guys consider a band from an area if that's where they made it big? For example, there are a bunch of Athens bands that aren't from Athens but went there to get their break like the Drive-By Truckers. Or the Hold Steady... are they a Minneapolis band or a NYC band? They didn't make it big until NYC but most people consider them a MN band because they sing about Minneapolis. But, the Drive-By Truckers aren't singing about Athens yet they are considered an Athens band. I think the same goes for some of the Elephant Six bands that could be from Athens or Colorado.

[AllisonLeGnome]

It seems like a lot of the time bands kind of self-define where they're from in those cases. Otherwise, I think the place where they made it big counts- that's probably where most would associate them with.

[<<<<<]

For the purposes of how they figured all of this out, it is a matter of where they're from originally.  Several of the states (like Alaska, etc) have "best band"s that are based elsewhere.  They'd probably cast The Hold Steady as a MN band.

Vaz, as I mentioned earlier, formed their previous band in Fargo, relocated to Minneapolis, broke up, formed the new band (Vaz) in Minneapolis and then relocated to Brooklyn a few years later.  They have never been based out of ND as a band.

The important thing is that people in their hometowns still maintain strong ties/levels of interest in the band.  Folks in Fargo DO follow Vaz (probably more than folks in Brooklyn do).  Just like how people in MN never let go of Dylan and people in Arkansas are still proud of the fact Cash came from their state.

I didn't know Biafra was from Colorado.  I think it's cool, I learned something new today.  But I bet EVERYONE in Colorado (who'd be inclined to care) knows he's one of theirs and maybe takes some pride in that, even if they don't always want to admit it.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

after a band moves, breaks up, forms a new band, then moves...its irrelevant where theyre from at that point.

[Emerson]

Petty's lyrics refer to metro LA almost as much as they refer to chicks committing suicide. But California did well enough without him.

Apples never lived in Athens, but they had plenty of places to crash there.

Ah, Big Black... people still get fired up about 'em!

[cutout]

Tom Petty is definitely not cutting edge, and in some ways might be a Dylan/McGuinn clone, but at the same time he seems really genuine and unpretentious. The longer he's around, the more he seems really underrated to me. Looking back, he's made plenty of memorable straightforward rock songs.



Just felt like standing up for Tom Petty for no particular reason.

[<<<<<]

after a band moves, breaks up, forms a new band, then moves...its irrelevant where theyre from at that point.

Seriously, I'm on board with you on that one.

Also, Petty has some good tunes!

[Gilly]

Tom Petty has more than good tunes he has an album full of classic ones. He just came after that sound was huge but he perfected it in my opinion. Kind of like the Zombies.

[Emerson]

Aside from Wildflowers, Petty albums have lousy filler ratios. But he's got several hours of hits I love, and he gets away with some of the most morbid lyrics in rock. Maybe not as morbid as Dr. Dre, California's reigning solo artist, but pretty dark for a Floridian.

[<<<<<]

Death metal came from Florida.  I don't think they're entirely a stranger to morbid down there. 

[iAmBaronVonTito]

thank god, we're finally transitioning the discussion from tom petty to metal.


(wait...)

[masterofsparks]

Yeah, so why don't I see the name "Deicide" on the Florida list?

[<<<<<]

I believe Limp Bizkit and Creed were from there too.

Florida is responsible for quite a bit of dubious stuff.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

all this florida bashing- i didnt think you guys would throw the south under the bus like that.

wheres michael k?

[Vambo]

Then again, picking Cheap Trick as the best band from IL is a little like saying Heart was the best band from WA.

This is definitely a punk-friendly list.  Which I'm totally okay with.  I'll never own a Cheap Trick album, gonna be honest.

From this statement, one can only conclude you have never heard their debut.  There's a reason Big Black (not Flag) covered them.