Awesome Songs about Serial Killers!

Because what better way to pay tribute to a favorite mass murderer or two?

"Dirty Frank" by Pearl Jam: The chief inspirations for this infectious, PJ "Lost Dog" are the Red Hot Chili Peppers (with whom Pearl Jam were touring) and famed murderer/cannibal Jeff Dahmer. Dahmer's "murders were particularly gruesome, involving acts of forcible sodomy, necrophilia, dismemberment, and cannibalism", according to Wikipedia. Of course, eating the bodies is quite simply the most infective way to dispose of the bodies, a fact that Vedder clearly comprehends in this possessed vocal performance (cannibalism is the sincerest form of flattery!). Esssentially, Pearl Jam were fantasizing that their bus driver at the time was a murderer of similar methods and turn-ons, and the result is a strangely upbeat moment for a band known for taking themselves too seriously. Key lyric: "Wanted a pass. So she relaxed. Now the little groupie's getting chopped up in the back."


"Son of Sam" by Elliott Smith: It is my humble opinion, and you may feel free to disagree, that David Berkowitz (popularly known as Son of Sam) set an unreachable standard for serial killers of the past and present. Get this: He went around killing folks (generally a given for serial killers) and then blamed it on the motherfucking neighbor's dog! It's a demon dog; possessed by satan! Gave me orders! How can one outdo that? It can't be done. And you know he ain't lying with a story like that. And then he went to jail and found Jesus and all that jazz...Yes, Mr. Berkowitz is without doubt my favorite serial killer.

Anyway, perhaps dear Elliott may seem an unlikely candidate to set this drama to song, what with his Beatle-esque harmonies and poignant piano melodies, though, in the wake of his troubled demise, it's no secret Smith harboured a darker side. The song is both melodic and foreboding, depicting a "king for a day", "acting on orders from above." The climax comes when Elliott casually declares, "I'm a little like you, more like Son of Sam." The most effective serial killer anthems are the ones that manage to somehow sympathize with our blood-thirsty protagonist, portraying monsters as the humans they once were. More about that later.



"John Wayne Gacy, Jr." by Sufjan Stevens This haunting ode to a tragic madman is similar to Smith's "Son of Sam" in that it portrays the killer as an actual person, with actual emotions and jobs and families and 08uq3tqtr398408itqe9i0t90i4ojt49o-grjmo4t235...

Perhaps the most striking about the song is how absolutely lovely it is to a non-English speaking person. Rustling acoustic guitars and various string instruments make this a beautiful offering on a masterpiece filled with them.

"The neighbors, they adored him for his humor and his conversation..."

Gacy was well-loved at the neighborhood block parties he threw, dressing up as Pogo the Clown and entertaining the children. Children who knew not of the 27 boys ("with their cars, summer jobs") he buried, murdered and raped underneath the floor of his house (not necessarily in that order). Sufjan understands this horrifying reality lying underneath a harmless, even charming demeanor. He was reportedly a model prisoner, though. A blood clot in his brain caused by a swing set accident ("When the swingset hit his head..."). Possibly sexually abused by an uncle.

Also a parallel to the aforementioned "Son of Sam" is the frightening ending to the song - a haunting anti-climax in which Stevens admits that...

"...in my best behavior
I am really just like him
Look beneath the floorboards
For the secrets I have hid" Yeah! Rock Lobster!



"Ted, Just Admit It..." by Jane's Addiction: Perhaps the most bizarre inclusion on this list, Perry Farrell and the game kick it about Ted Bundy over a midly creepy, seven-minute funk jam. Bundy sometimes followed murder with rape. Sometimes the other way around. The exact bodycount is unknown, though Bundy ha admitted to over thirty murders, all young women. Like Gacy, "Bundy was frequently described as educated and charming. His personal friends and acquaintances would remember him as a handsome and articulate young man" (Wikipedia).

"Ritual de lo Habitual" remains their peak, their chief accomplishment, yet some could argue they never quite returned to the twisted vibe and dark pleasures of "Ted, Just Admit It..." Some highlights from Farrell's manic ode to a disturbed gentleman:

"Everybody's so full of shit (everybody, everybody, everybody, everybody, everybody...)"

"Showed me everybody
naked and disfigured
Nothing's shocking...
And then he came, now sister's not a virgin anymore
Her sex is violent! Sex is vy-oh-lent!"

"I am the killer of people
You loook like a meatball
I'll throw away your toothpick
and ask for your forgiveness"





"Charlie Manson Blues" by The Flaming Lips: Okay, so technically he wasn't a serial killer. Not a murderer at all, in fact - merely convicted of Conspiracy to Commit the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders. The "Helter Skelter made me do it!" biz is almost as wild as Son of Sam's shtick, so I figured he deserved a place here. Bite me.

"Charlie Manson Blues" is the Lips numerous 90's opus's in incubus, complete with hilarious "lalalalala" and "Hoo! Ha! Hoo! Ha!" background harmonies. Wayne moans about slipping into Charlie Manson Blues over a riff so simplistic it's almost complicated. Certainly among the highlights on the fun yet underdeveloped reverb-city of full-length debut "Hear It Is". "I'm a stupid-dressed Jesus son!"



"Psycho Killer" by The Talking Heads: Nah, I don't know who it's about either. I am a bit of a freak for Talking Headcheese and couldn't resist. Byrnes switches between English and French, vaguely assuming the role of a paranoid killer, unable to accept the implications of his crimes. The "Stop Making Sense" version is superior to the album version, by the way.

"Midnight Rambler" by The Rolling Stones: The song's about Albert DeSalvo, better known as the Boston Strangler, who molested and strangled thirteen single women throughout the early sixties. He was found murdered in the infirmary of Walpole State Prison in 1973; his killer remains a mystery.

The Stones' tribute is soaked in even more blood, sweat and Jagger-guts than usual. The guitar drips with dirty blues and the chilling harmonica helps to set the mood. Jagger vaguely describes the sneaky pusuits of a "midnight rambler, leaving footprings up and down your hall."

"I'll stick my knife right down your throat, baby, and it hurts!"

(Notice how many of these songs assume that inevitable first person tense? Eek.)


"Nebraska" by Bruce Springsteen: Ah, another first person. I'll be honest witchoo: I can't remember the last time I sat through the "Nebraska" album. It's depressing and dry, none for me, thanks. When I'm in the mood, I opt for Neil's "Tonight's the Night" ten times out of nine.

The title track remains a highlight, and pretty fucking uninviting opener. Bruce takes the character of Charles Starkweather, a disgruntled "spree killer" who murdered 11 victims during a road trip with a girlfriend (thirteen years old, no less!) in the late fifties. Perhaps it's no surprise for Charles to be a wee bit bitter - he was cursed with a birth defect, Genu varum, causing his legs to be slightly deformed, in addition to a speech impediment. In addition to this song, Starkweather inspired "Natural Born Killers", along with numerous Stephen King novels. His life motto? "Dead people are all on the same level."

Back to the song. "Me and her went for a ride sir and ten innocent people died...Through to the badlands of Wyoming, I killed everything in my path." Bruce tells it how it is over a fading harmonica moan, essentially giving an autobiographical account of Starkweather's life, from his first murders to his experiences in jail. It seems many of these serial killer songs have utterly ingenious final lines. "Nebraska"'s closing statement may very well take the cake:

"They wanted to know why I did what I did.
Well, sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world."

Depressing as balls in a coconut patch. Born in the USA!
(Sorry, can't find a mugshot for this one, but this picture's quite groovy:)


"Arcarsenal" by At The Drive-In: Like Pearl Jam's "Dirty Frank", this 2000 At The Drive-In punk assault deals with Jeffrey Dahmer, though his screams seem to indicate that Cedric doesn't find it very funny. "I'd really like to meet him!" he ejaculates over drum spazzes and cutting guitar gasps, leading to an intense reprise of "Have you ever tasted skin?" Delicious homestyle taste!


Obligatory bonus song that isn't about serial killers in the least:

"Shimmy Shimmy Ya" by Ol' Dirty Bastard: I got back from seeing "Knocked Up" and immediately hunted for the name of the song playing over the opening credits and subsequently listened to it over and over and over. Best piano loop ever. Who gives a shit about songs about serial killers? It mentions "psycho killer Norman Bates", so close enough. I like it raawwww!

Top Ten Albums of (insert decade here)!

(inspired by Mssr. Roxyharper.)

This blog entry is rather self-explanatory, kids. A Top Ten Ever list is always rather impossible for me, so I prefer to break it down by ten yizzears. To promote variety, I will not permit repeat artist entries on these lists, with one exception. Also, I cannot preach with any authority on the fifties, forties or beyond, so your grandma will have to be ignored. Also, no list for the two-thousands, as it's not over. With no further ado, buckle your seatbelts.

Part One: The Swingin` Sixties!

1. The Beatles - "The Beatles" We've been through this before and I supplied you with a plethora of reasons as to what makes this the fabulous, finest fab four f-release - and by "finest", I clearly mean most inventive, wacky and unrestrained. Duh.
Best track: "Wild Honey Pie"



2. Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - "Uncle Meat"
This 1968 recording is one of the Mothers' wildest, yet most consistently brilliant recordings. Zappa lets every side of his uncontainable genius run free - the delicious free jazz (see "Uncle Meat" themes and variations, "King Kong suite"), warped pop songs ("Electric Aunt Jemima", anyone?), off-kilter spoken word tracks ("Our Bizarre Relationship"...bizarre!), and a fair bit more. It hurts my soul to choose this over the more concise, colorful "Hot Rats", yet it must be done.
Best track: "Mr. Green Genes"? "Electric Aunt Jemima"? You decide.

3. Miles Davis - "Bitches Brew" There's a wee bit of debate over whether this is a sixties or seventies release - Wikipedia claims it was recorded in `69 and released in `70. Allmusic lists it as `69 and I see it as a Sixties album that ushered in some of the magically strange vibes of the Seventies. Abstract and revolutionary, it was truly the record that got me into jazz and showed me that there was more than Kenny G. waiting for me. Shut off your perceptions of what jazz should be and let Miles' voodoo jams take hold. Also works as a bridge between the hauntingly moody drones of "In A Silent Way" and the straight-up jazz-rock corners of "A Tribute to Jack Johnson". The title track starts and stops, fumbles, breathes and farts like a psychedelic pancake on mongoose island.
Best track: "Bitches Brew"

4. The Rolling Stones - "Let It Bleed" It really is a pity the past thirty years of Rolling Stones history have stained their name so much. This seminal classic rock recording should be the true representation - filthy, dark and engrossing, "Let It Bleed" rocks harder than any other, yet still encompasses a grimy atmosphere that no other band seems to quite capture. Others may prefer "Exile on Main Street"'s druggy haze, or the more bluesy alleyways of "Sticky Fingers". These folks are merely incorrect. "Love In Vain" is the most heartbreakingly perfect Robert Johnson cover ever recorded, whereas "Monkey Man" is a furious romp of sensuality and passion. The opener "Gimme Shelter" is one of the finest rock songs ever recorded, as the dark side of '69, Altamont, Woodstock, Vietnam all bleeds right onto your very turntable.
Best track: "Gimme Shelter"

5. John Coltrane - "A Love Supreme" It appears on all those cutesy lists for a reason, sonny. Namely because it makes atheists see God. One of the most complete and rewarding touchstones of modern jazz, summing up Coltrane's spirit of redemption. Like Thelonious Monk before him, it's at once free jazz and bright `n listenable. A near perfect recording; fuck you, bass solo! I shall say no more.
Best track: It's all one song, really, isn't it?


6. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - "Trout Mask Replica" My esteemed colleague has already discussed the mighty Beefheart in more than one blog entry, and "Trout Mask Replica" is most likely the height of Mr. Van Vliet's particular brand of avant-garde sensations. It's been said that he refused to wear the headphones while recording vocals, hence the awkwardly rhythm-less tension. The band often seems to be performing three songs at the same time, and yet some strange semblance of a melody somehow shines through.
Best track: "Moonlight On Vermont"

7. Bob Dylan - "John Wesley Harding" Eat my shorts, general public. You can have your "Blonde on Blonde", your "Highway 61 Revisited". The truth is, this dark folk album, clocking in at under forty minutes, moves me a whole lot more. The oft-covered "All Along the Watchtower" saves it from obscurity. These are songs of claustrophobia, poverty and loneliness, and a stark contrast to the full-band explorations of the aforementioned records. "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" is particularly moving.
Best track: "I Pity the Poor Immigrant"

8. The Beach Boys - "Pet Sounds" Wall of noise. Wall of emotion. Can you believe he put "God" in the song title???
Best track: "God Only Knows"

9. The Band - "The Band"
I generally disapprove of non-debut self-titled releases, but I'll make an exception for an album of such rich personality and melody, a vaguely haunting southern masterpieces. From the funky singalongs of "Up On Cripple Creek" to the simply brilliant songwriting of "Jawbone", Levon Helm, Richard Manuel and otherbandmemberswhosenamesidontremember deserve massive amounts of recognition. Too bad about the stupid, un-Google-able band name.
Best track: "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"

10. Johnny Cash - "At Folsom Prison" "There's a lot of strange men in cell block 10, but the strangest of them all was a friend of mine who spent his time staring at the wall..." The listener is suddenly transported to Folsom Prison, as Cash sings songs of crime, punishment and redemption...sometimes. The rowdy audience interactions only add to this effect. "Folsom Prison Blues" is an obvious classic, "Cocaine Blues" is dangerously fun and "25 Minutes Left to Go" is a fantastic account of a certain condemned prisoner's final hours, to name a few.
Best track: (Ah just don't know!)

Part Two: The Scrumptious Seventies!

1. Pink Floyd - "The Wall" I realize that my choice of favorite Pink Floyd album is unpopular and frowned upon by the indie types. Yet I don't care. The themes of alienation appealed to me as a child, as did the irresistibly theatrical format. Never does the double album seem anything but gripping and dark, from the classic rock staples to the dark little interludes. Roger Waters may be a jerk, but he sure knows how to turn it into an artsy concept album about being a jerk!
Best track: "Is There Anybody Out There?"



2. The Clash - "London Calling"
The Clash blew away their mediocre sophmore effort, "Give `Em Enough Rope", with a musical tour-de-force. Not just fans of punk apply; this is the time of record I imagine appeals to fans of..well, just music. Because it's musical, ya know? Tales of Spanish wars, revolutions, card games and Montgomery Clift set atop a rich musical tapestry of punk, pop, reggae and a whole lot more. The best song is "Lost in the Supermarket", a disco-tinged ode to anyone who just don't belong. "I wasn't born so much as I fell out.." Morrissey's got nothing on Strummer! A well-deserved classic.
Bestr track: "Lost in the Supermarket"

3. Neil Young - "Tonight's the Night"/"After the Gold Rush" (I seriously can't decide between these two. It depends on my mood.) "After the Gold Rush" gets the sentimental value, a singer-songwriter masterpiece. "Tonight's the Night" destroys me everytime, a horrifying taste of depression at the bottom of the barrel. The notes are cracked, the melodies are stolen and the performers are drunk as a skunk. It's a brutal recording.
Best track(s) respectively:
"After the Gold Rush" and "Mellow my Mind"

4. The Who - "Quadrophenia" Clearly, I've got a hard-on for the over-the-top seventies rock operas. This is quite obviously Townshend's musical height and Daltry's emotional peak, and it soars.
Best track: "Love, Reign O'er Me"

5. CAN - "Future Days" Hypnotic. Desperate. Flowing. Nipple. Foreign.
Best track: "Future Days"

6. Brian Eno - "Another Green World" Eno's best album successfully treads water between his pop persona and ambient compositions, encompassing the best aspects of both. The arrangements are far ahead of his time, though the melodies are timeless and golden. "Everything Merges with the Night" is like the sun seeping through the window at dawn, while "Golden Hours" is a delightful groover, reminiscent of a fluffy Eno dreamland filled with flying swordfish.
Best track: "The Big Ship"

7. Television - "Marquee Moon" Some of the greatest guitar performances ever laid on tape, married to some addictive, staccato riffs and melodic songwriting ability. The album is merely punk by association, considering the band's historic stint at CBGB's; musically, the album leans towards garage-rock rhythm and post-punk arrangements. The title track is the climax of one-note guitar solos and heavenly sexual intercou...interplay. Yes, that's the word.
Best track: "Marquee Moon"

8. George Harrison - "All Things Must Pass" The quiet Beatles comes straight of left field, delivering the great Beatles solo work to date. Spiritual, honest and yearning, this record employs Phil Spector's wall of sound techniques to produce an album of sublime richness. From the goofiness of "Apple Scruffs" to the loving ode of "I Live for You", the album is utterly flawless when we conveniently ignore those jams at the end. Hallelujah! Hari-krishna!
Best track: "My Sweet Lord"

9. The Stooges - "Fun House" This record is probably not safe for the car. If merely listening to a record can leave one breathless and exhausted, this is it. From the immediate roar of "Down on the Street", Iggy and the gang grabs the listener by the balls and takes him/her to hell and back. "Loose" is the sexual rocker, "Dirt" is a groove so sleazy it hurts and "1970" is like getting lost inside a hooker's livery at three in the morning, smothered in spiked orangeade. I love the pronunciation of "seventy". The trip is complete on the satanic saxophone vibes of the title track and the disgusting chaos of "L.A. Blues". Stay clear of the sliding doors and tip your hat to Satan upon entry.
Bestr track: "1970"


10. Leonard Cohen - "Songs of Love and Hate" Leonard Cohen is a master and "Songs of Love and Hate" is his masterpiece. He knows how to make a harp sound menacing and he knows how to make a "Lalalalalala" chorus sound at once rejoiceful and desperate. Desperate indeed. "You must learn, learn to serve me well..." Prepare for this dark universe; Cohen is at his most emotionally naked whether he's fascinated by Joan of Arc burning at the stake or moaning about cunnilingus "where the lions and Christians fight".
Best song:

Part Three: The Elegant Eighties!

1. The Pixies - "Doolittle" The album that kickstarted a revolution and frightened my Seventh Grade ears in the process. I wish more fat, balding men from Massachusetts were this cathartic. I also wish they could all produce albums with such rich diversity - from the bubblegum pop of "Here Comes Your Man" to the spaghetti Western theme of "Silver"...from the environmentalist spoken word anthem of "Monkey Gone To Heaven" to the gorgeous "Wave of Mutilation", which fantasizes about driving into the ocean. Believe the hype, as this is, indeed, the greatest album of its decade. Fun fact: "Hey" is my favorite vocal performance evah.
Best track: "Hey"



2. Talking Heads - "Remain in Light"
This isn't Brian Eno's first appearance on this (group of) list(s) and it won't be his last. The man is a world class superhuman, this time lending his magic touch to David Byrne's psychotic tendencies with mindblowing result. There's an old cliche about this type of album; namely, that the observant listener will notice something new each time. It may very well be true. Not quite "same as it ever was"! The very definition of a headphone album, do ya hear those bongos in "The Great Curve"? Or the Pacman solo in "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)"? This music comes from up there. *points*
Best track: "Once in a Lifetime"

3. Sonic Youth - "Daydream Nation" A dissonant whir of sprawling guitar textures and awkward vocal spasms. It may very well be closer to noise soundscapes than "alternative rock", whatever the fuck that may be. It's an exhausting and rewarding listen, and a pity I didn't realize it right away.
Best track: "Cross the Breeze"

4. Tom Waits - "Rain Dogs"/"Franks Wild Years" (it's a tie)
"A few reasons why both of these records deserve a position on this list:
All the doughnuts have names that sound like prostitutes
And the moon's teeth marks are on the sky
Like a tarp thrown all over this
And the broken umbrellas like dead birds
And the steam comes out of the grill
Like the whole goddamn town's ready to blow..."

"They take apart their nightmares and they leave them by the door
Let me fall out of the window with confetti in my hair
Deal out jacks or better on a blanket by the stairs
I’ll tell you all my secrets, but I lie about my past"

"...in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king."

"Time is made from honey slow and sweet
Only the fools know what it means..."

"Never trust a man in a blue trench coat
Never drive a car when you're dead"
Best track: "Clap Hands" and "Temptation", respectively.


5. U2 - "The Joshua Tree" Say what you want about Bono now; before he tried to save the world, he sounded like he really could. The ringing guitars, the anthemic choruses, the restless lyrics...everything seems to be in place. "The Joshua Tree" is the type of album where everything just fits, especially if you find it at the right time. It won't go anywhere.
Best track: "Bullet the Blue Sky"

6. R.E.M. - "Document"/"Murmur" (tie again) It's true that "Document" rocks harder. It's true that "Murmur" embodies that Southern, folky college rock vibe like no other. You decide.
Best track: "The One I Love" and "Pilgrimage" respectively.

7. Leonard Cohen - "I'm Your Man" Adding drum machines, synthesizers and an increasingly hoarse ("golden"?) voice to his sonic palette could have been awkward and plodding for Mr. Cohen. Instead, it turned out to be a creative rebirth of sorts, and a damn wonderful album to boot. Cohen desperately offers his services over a vaguely Eastern keyboard riff in the popular title track, freaks out about "Jazz Police talking to my niece" in one furious song, converses with Hank Williams in another and exposes some social injustices that "Everbody Knows" in the track of the same name. Or, let's examine this couplet from "Tower of Song":
"Now you can say that I've grown bitter but of this you may be sure:
The rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor
And there's a mighty judgement coming, but I may be wrong"
Bitter? Certainly. Old? Cranky? That's my Lenny, but he hasn't produced in album this rewarding in years.
Best track: "Everybody Knows" or "Jazz Police" or "Tower of Song" or "I'm Your Man"...Jesus, they're all brilliant.


8. Minutemen - "Double Nickels on the Dime" Forty-three tracks in all.
Me:Describe them?
Myself: Short. Funky as sin. Mostly political.
Me: In fact, they do all sound the same, don't they?
Myself: Yes.
Me: Doesn't matter. So short, well-written, well-performed and goddamn entertaining all around.
Myself: Too bad that guy died. What's his name?
Me: Brad Delp?
Myself: Sure.
Best track: Maybe it's "Corona". Yay, Jackass!

9. The Clash - "Combat Rock" The Clash recover surprisingly well from the train wreck of "Sandinista!" and record the Talking Heads tribute that it sounds like they always wanted to. Well, that's just the first half (err, two-thirds), featuring the classic "Should I Stay or Should I Go?", disco meltdown "Rock the Casbah" and accurately-titled "Overpowered by Funk". The end of the record takes some sharp left turns, from ambient instrumentals to awkward spoken word experiments. It's very surprising how well the whole thing holds up.
Best track: "Rock the Casbah"

10. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Mother's Milk" Yeah, yeah, I know. Anthony Kiedis is a goon, Flea smells of mustard, I've heard it all before. So flog me.

*bends over*

"Mother's Milk" was a creative rebirth for some, as Frusciante gracefully took over the late and great Hillel Slovak's guitar duties. The band covers Hendrix, cheers for Magic Johnson and screams about a "stone cold bush" in under forty-five minutes, with some excellent musicianship to boot. Then there's the psychedelic mini-masterpiece "Taste the Pain", the oddly sincere "Knock Me Down" (dealing with Anthony's experiences with drug addiction) and a pretty damn great closer. Oh, and "Sexy Mexican Maid"! Appreciate this couplet:

"The puts me in a bubble bath
She tickles me and I laugh"

Best track: "Johnny, Kick A Hole in the Sky"

Part Four: The Nefarious Nineties! (Each album described in nine words this time.)

1. The Flaming Lips - "The Soft Bulletin" Error: Overload. It's my favorite album of all time.
Best track: "The Gash"



2. Radiohead - "OK Computer" "Weird creatures who lock up their spirits... just uptight."
Best track: "Karma Police"

3. The Flaming Lips - "Zaireeka" Most difficult and rewarding musical experience of the century, perhaps.
Best track: "March of the Rotten Vegetables"

4. U2 - "Achtung, Baby!" Bono becomes bored with perfection. Futuristic, stunning and elegant!
Best track: "One"

5. The Olivia Tremor Control - "Black Foliage: Animation Music"
Disgustingly complex pop music, reaching directly through your sub-conscious.
Best track: "The Sylvan Screen"

6. Talk Talk - "Laughing Stock" This album moves me like few others. So primal.
Best track: "After the Flood"

7. Weezer - "Pinkerton" Depression produces the finest music sometimes. Great drum sound!
Best track: "Across the Sea"

8. Nine Inch Nails - "The Downward Spiral" Reminds me of eigth grade. Dark and dangerously compelling.
Best track: "Piggy"

9. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" Filthy. Vulgar, too. The way the Peppers should sound.
Best track: "Funky Monks"

10. Spiritualized - "Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space"
Checklist:
-Get heart broken.
-Write masterpiece.
-Acquire 486,952,958 instruments.
Best track: "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space"

Thanks for reading. Close the door on your way out.

Top 10 Bands/Artists Of The 60s

To follow up my list of my favorite 10 Bands/Artists of the 90s I'm moving back in time to the 60s. Again this list will not be in any specific order and only represents my favorites not an argument that these are the 10 most important or the 10 most influential.

The Beatles - My favorite band of all time by quite some margin. I'm one of those Beatles freaks. I don't really feel I need to explain their inclusion on this list. It'd be a ridiculous list without them.

The Who - I think The Who are sometimes overlooked or under appreciated although many of their songs are staples of the classic rock radio stations. Possibly these songs are overplayed and it becomes harder to appreciate them? The Who had some great albums and songs but I think it's live where they really set themselves apart.

The Rolling Stones - I think the fact that they've been constantly in the media for 40+ years has actually hurt the appreciation of their really great music in the 60s (and 70s.) Not to say I'm one of those people who thinks they should have retired 30 years ago. I think it's fantastic that they are doing what they love at age 60+. I think we all should be. But I do think that the younger generations have a harder time getting into them than say the aforementioned Beatles because of the fact that they see The Stones still around looking like their grandfather. Sure you see the same thing with Paul McCartney but somehow that doesn't effect the Beatles legacy because of him being solo and not using the name. Anyway The Stones had many classic songs in the 60s that one cannot imagine rock n roll without.

The Pink Floyd - I love Syd Barrett's Floyd and Pipers at the Gates of Dawn is one of my favorite albums. A totally different Pink Floyd from the one that became huge in the 70s (and I'm a big fan of that Pink Floyd too.)

The Beach Boys - A ton of excellent pop songs and the masterpiece Pet Sounds. Good enough to get on this list. Hell just Pet Sounds alone would probably get them on the list!

Bob Dylan - Essential. You can't have a list of the best of the 60s without Bob Dylan obviously. I was just making you sweat a bit by having him lower in the list. See it's in no specific order. The order of a mad man, perhaps. Anyway Dylan was on fire in the 60s as I'm sure you know. He was releasing album after album of great material. If I had to choose just one it'd probably be Highway 61 Revisited or Blonde On Blonde.

Van Morrison - Unlike most music critic types I prefer Moondance to Astral Weeks. Perhaps thats partly nostalgia as Moondance was constantly being played by my parents when I was growing up but I think Moondance is a pretty perfect album. So many amazing songs. Astral Weeks is very cool but in comparison I have to be in the mood to listen to it. Although I just checked to make sure and Moondance was actually released in 1970. Well you know what, to hell with you. He's going on this list anyway. Astral Weeks came out in '68.

Jimi Hendrix - I think it's a bit hard to truly appreciate Hendrix because he's become so deified. That being said I've got a lot of joy out of listening to his music. I must admit I haven't been able to listen to him for quite some time having been thoroughly burnt out on most of his well known stuff. I do think I may be able to open my ears up to him again soon though.

Frank Zappa - The 60s are definitely my favorite Zappa period. While I enjoy some of his later stuff in smaller doses, it's the really freaky stuff with the Mothers that I really get into.

The Band - Music From The Big Pink and the self titled The Band are both really great albums.

I know I've left off some really great bands and artists but I can't find it in my heart to bump any of these to make way for The Velvet Underground. But I'm considering it. Where are The Kinks? As good as The Kinks are I've never been as into them as any of these bands/artists. Led Zeppelin? I and II were released in 1969 but I think of them as a 70s band. They're also a band I have a hard time listening to lately due to over exposure.

Well hopefully this list will start off some good debate with plenty of people calling me an ignorant knob head. Who's going to start it off?