Favorite Rock Bands from The 70's / 80's
To my fellow Gen Xer's, Baby Boomers, the greatest 2 Generations of Mankind, what is your Favorite Bands from the era we came of age in, the 70's and 80's.
Mine:
Pink Floyd
The Scorpions
April Wine
"Right Down The Line" by Gerry Rafferty is probably my favorite song ever.
Also, there has never ever been a voice like Klaus Meine's voice in Rock History. There just hasn't. Besides the God Like Genius coming from David Gilmour, The Scorpions are what Rock was intended to be. The creating, the instrumental sound, the vocals, The Scorpions are just perfection when it comes to "Music".
Yours.......
94 comments
wri-8727
·6 months agoHas Badfinger been mentioned? Probably but they surely deserve another nod
https://youtu.be/-IiWtFY-vGE?si=n-hoPDBFL_ObfmGk
George Harrison and Peter Ham
hotwheelsbum
OP8 months agoOne of the Hidden Gems that came from the 70's / 80's. My bet, there's probably a few Members here born in the late 90's, early 2000's who have never heard of or seen Rindy here. Quarterflash was only around for a few short years. They opened for a lot of the Great Bands and Artists of the 80's like Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Loverboy, Sammy Hagar, The Beach Boys, Three Dog Night, Jefferson Starship, Rick Springfield, and Pat Benatar. But her and her Husband now of 50 Plus Years, Marv Ross, the lead guitarist, BOTH Certified Teachers at that time, chose to leave the "Rock World" and live a normal life running their own music school for over 40 years now instead. Rindy was also the epitome of Make Up and Aquanet Beauty of the 80's. Every time I watch this video I can't help but stare at her.
I miss the 80's. 🤗
hotwheelsbum
OP8 months agoAnd here they both are almost 50 years later still together performing on stage.
Kind of points out that Yes, we do get older, but still have it. At times for some of us. ðŸ˜
shirleys809304
·8 months agoWell, I sure liked 'Harden My Heart'. Loved the sax. I'm impressed with Rindy in this recent performance simply because she sang immediately after having played the saxophone! That would take some 'breath', whereas, in her younger years she was able to take a break because of the guitar riff that followed the sax.
shirleys809304
·8 months agoThought of a couple more....
Robin Trower
Marshal Tucker Band
wri-8727
·8 months agoT.Rex
Pacific Gas & Electric
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoTina Turner
Rod Stewart
shado-x
·8 months ago- Journey
- Duran Duran
- Thompson Twins
- Siouxsie & The Banshees
- Kylie Minogue
Today:
- Perfume (J-Pop)
evry1nositswindy
·8 months agoOldest Gen X'er here: Alternative (now classic alternative) has always been my jam. I love Depeche Mode, the Cure, the Smiths, Morrissey, New Order, Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry (old and new stuff), Erasure, Yaz...mostly British bands. Martin Gore and Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode means so much to me. I love every song, the words really resonate with me, and their voices sing to my soul. RIP Andy Fletcher.
I have seen Depeche Mode and the Cure in concert numerous times from the 80's to today. I saw Depeche Mode 3 times last year!
I also love David Bowie RIP. As you can tell by my ID, I love the Association's song "Everyone Knows It's Windy".
wri-8727
·8 months agoHas Joe Walsh/James Gang been mentioned?
grann-4629
·8 months agoJoe Walsh is awesome! He's come a long way from his chainsaw days. Just started watching 'Lillihammer' with Steven Van Zant - he's a pretty good musican too 🤓
wri-8727
·8 months agoJoe's buddys probably got the chainsaw idea from Paul Newman
https://youtu.be/KvDpiUD3lJs?si=AWO1WfRo5rKj1x8A
--
How about Iron Butterfly
& In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida?
--
PS we actually had a couple of drunk loggers cut the bar in two here in old pre-spotted-owl Oregon. Those guys. If they ran out of beer after hours they'd kick the door down and leave the money on the bar.
grann-4629
·8 months agoHow about Iron Butterfly
& In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida?
Ah, church music. We would play that by the hour, almost as long as the recording!
That is a really great story! I hope they left enough money to pay for the beer and the door repair. You probably have lots of stories about what you saw. Great video with Paul ... I had forgotten that one, and, well now I have to look for it.
wri-8727
·8 months agoI saw many societal changes in my State living across the road from that tavern after the collapse of the timber industry and all the loggers quit logging and went into the catering business:)
After that it went from a working mans bar to a strip club, then to a biker bar, until it was bought by a couple if cops who tried to burn it down for insurance I guess.
Of course by that time it had a steel door and it was rather comical watching the local volunteer fire department trying to get in.
The cops didn't succeed in their arson attempt but the place suffered smoke damage and set vacant for a few years until it was bought by someone who knew how to run a bar and then we'd go get pizza for dinner or a cheeseburgers and a Coors Light for lunch.
I haven't been there in ten years since we moved.
--
Probably not what the OP is looking for but 'Pablo Cruise' had some mellow tunes I recall.
I read that they were from Palo Alto with a guitarist from Ypsilanti, Michigan. A good combination.
grann-4629
·8 months agoI would give you two 'helpful' if I could. Great stuff!
😎
wri-8727
·8 months agoI like history and the tavern was built in the 1930ies by a local dairy farmer to glean some of the five dollar per month CCC pocket money, (the camp was right down the road).
See, the Civilian Conservation Corps paid $30 per month of which $25 was sent home leaving $5 for whatever and the Colonel, (that's what we called him), wanted some of that five bucks.
Not the same camp but you get the picture.
--
Check out The Blue Ridge Rangers
grann-4629
·8 months agoThree Dog Night
😎
mommaknows
·8 months agoI forgot about....
Yes and Steve Miller Band
Definitely part of my life in the 70s.
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoI was given free tickets to Yes a couple of years ago in Atlantic City.
Great back in the day, and still great now.
shirleys809304
·8 months agoAny of you ever heard or listened to 'Aztec Two-Step'? American folk/rock band that began 1971. I have what I think is their first album...has the song, "The Persecution & Restoration of Dean Moriarity' on it. That one is probably my favorite on the whole album. Some of the others are OK and some are just downright depressing as if written by someone in a very deep, dark, hole.
Brings to mind another I forgot...Janis Ian!
wri-8727
·8 months agoThat deep dark hole was probably the beatnik influence; Lawrence Ferlinghetti in particular, (where they got their name). Thank for the introduction.
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoSteve Millers album "Number 5" a classic..............."Going To Mexico" was sort of our theme song on our biannual trips to baja back in the day. "Steve Millers Midnight Tango" is another favorite from that album.......................................
natoman777
·8 months agoTo name just 2 is nearly impossible. I was born in 1971 So I am doing it by genres kinda
Progressive Rock - Yes & Kansas
Hard Rock - Foreigner & Journey
Hair Metal - Stryper & Dokken
Metal - Scorpions & Def Leppard
Thrash Metal - Metallica & Anthrax
Alt Rock - U2 & Tears for Fears
Mainstream - Genesis & Huey Lewis & the News
70s - Chicago & ELO
Other faves: Styx, 38 Special, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, The Police
I still have vinyl of a lot of these 🙂
wri-8727
·8 months agoRemember the LA band Quiet Riot?
Yeah me neither except for once it was my nickname
Not because I was a headbanger but cause I was quiet and an enigma to the headbanger that thought of it.
Pretty cool stories about those Keith Richards picks.
windhaze
·8 months agoI've got a son that likes them, he's into the head banging bands.
Thought of some more that I like: Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Aerosmith, Rival Sons and James Gang.
Oh and Genesis ~Follow You Follow Me~ that was me and my hubby's wedding song 40 years ago:)
Been offered quite a bit of $ for my pick but nope it's not for sale-no way.
wri-8727
·8 months agoCome to think of it I'd always turn up Kansas & Rush
windhaze
·8 months agoWhat a cool thread-glad I spotted it. I love all kinds of music but my favorite band hands down is definitely The Rolling Stones. Esp Keith Richards, LOVE Keith Richards. Caught a pick he tossed at one of their concerts def one of my most prized possessions.
Off hand here are some of my favorite bands/musicians: (I'm a 'boomer' but some are from different eras.)
Eagles
Tom Petty
Cinderella
Tom Keifer
Billy Squier
Goo Goo Dolls
Richie Kotzen
Rod Stewart
Faces
Hinder
Poison
Dirty Honey
Train
Bret Michaels
Nickelback
Coldplay
Firehouse
Foo Fighters
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Def Leppard
And more that I can't think of at the moment.
windhaze
·8 months agoHow could I forget U2 and Bon Jovi, def on my list along with Tesla, Bob Seger and Gary Allan too.
kensgiftshop
·8 months agoSaw Stevie Ray Vaughn in Tulsa, early 80s when they opened for Huey Lewis and The News.
It was a good show.
jbbowers12012
·8 months agoOh Man! My friend, standing right next to me also caught a a Keith Richards' pick - Madison Square Garden! What a great night...................
windhaze
·8 months agoI got mine the 1st time I saw them on 4th of July at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, NY in '78. Got lucky and was stage side and Keith looked right at me when he tossed it. That was the Some GIrls Tour. Got a smile and a pick, best concert ever for me. 😊
jbbowers12012
·8 months agoLate July 1972 - Exile On Main Street Tour! Will never 4-get...........
mommaknows
·8 months agoMoving into the 80s....
The Eurythmics with Annie Lennox
and Guns n Roses
mattva
·8 months agoThe funny thing for me is that I like music from all eras. Pinpointing a certain era as the best seems narrow minded. I can listen to the Delta and Country Blues from the 20's and tap my toes. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong of the 30's are iconic. I could drone on about every decade and all the great songs until my head explodes. Songs from the 90's remind me of the songs from the 60's, rebellious. There are even more modern groups I like such as "Of Monsters and Men, Arcade Fire and even artists like Billie Eilish. Music is music and I love what sounds good to me.
hotwheelsbum
OP8 months agoI'm opposite. I really cannot stand anything basically from the early 90's on. There really truly hasn't been any New Bands that came out since the early 90's up to today that has put out anything worth a crap to listen to. I want to say Metallica, late Guns N Roses are really the last 2 Great, Stadium packing Bands that ended Music as it once was. After the 80's, I did the Country scene for a while. I was there for the Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Clint Black era, and still like some of it today, but Music in General, I really haven't listened to anything EXCEPT 70's / 80's Rock for the last 3 decades.
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoStill like some country. For a change sometimes Billy Joe Shaver-"Unshaven"-1995. Stan Webb (from Chicken Shack) "Get a Little Country on You"-2009 (his only country release...good). Some Robert Earl Keen (any) and more modern...Billy Strings (there's some good Billy Strings live recordings on the archive-d0t -0rg (Way back machine, click on the little microphone). You have to sample a few to get good sounding ones but good stuff.................
powell-collectibles
·8 months agoEasy one for me:
1) the Beach Boys
2) David Bowie
3) Elvis Costello
4) Bruce Springsteen
mattva
·8 months agoThe cover that the Beach Boys did of "Sloop John B" is fantastic!
mattva
·8 months agoTalking Heads
The Clash
Sex Pistols
Elvis Costello
Cyndi Lauper
E.L.O.
Slade
Eurythmics
The Cure
... and about a hundred more.
shirleys809304
·8 months agoYep, forgot about Talking Heads. Some of their stuff is downright funny.
Oh geez, how can I forget the Hollies and Supertramp? I like many of their songs and in fact have several albums of both.
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoHow about Elvis and the late great Freddie Mercury?
Michael Jackson.
shirleys809304
·8 months agoSomeone is going to gig me on this one...I was never too crazy about Elvis 😳 Someone gave me a Michael Jackson album for my birthday...Thriller. And yes, I do still have it and I did play it 😊
mattva
·8 months agoListen to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" compared to what Elvis redid and I understand.
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoI "forgot" about Boston and The Doobie Brothers.
Was never a big fan of Springsteen - walked out of many High School Dances when He played them locally.
Going waaaaaay back, lol.
mommaknows
·8 months agoOh man...
Iron Butterfly and Procol Harum
The memories.... Dang
Okay...I'll stop now. I'm starting to go back into the 60s.
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoIron Butterfly Meatporphosis album.....................
kensgiftshop
·8 months agoIt's to bad they can't make good music today like they did in the 70s and 80s.
The carp they play now days isn't worth listening to.
selsa84
·8 months agoNah, there's some great new southern rock and rock out there now. Just ain't as easy to find.
mommaknows
·8 months ago😎almost forgot them
Ten Years After
I'd Love To Change The World
shirleys809304
·8 months ago...and the beat goes on 😉
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoEvery time I saw Dylan, Ten Years After was opening for Him.
Must of been 6 or more times back in the day.
mommaknows
·8 months ago@tiny_tailor Saw Dylan in the early 70s at the LA Forum with the Band. Great show.
selsa84
·8 months agoSkynyrd, Zeppelin and Janes Addiction.
stainlessenginecovers
·8 months agoA few others I grew up with, learning how to play the drums:
The Who
Black Sabbath
BTO
Bad Company
Jethro Tull
Alice Cooper
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoI forgot to mention the Ten Years After album "Cricklewood Green", classic TYA.
Another band to maybe check out Savoy Brown, old and new (ish) stuff. Kim Simmons blues guitar..................
wri-8727
·8 months agoDon't forget Grand Funk Railroad
mommaknows
·8 months ago@wri-8727 Some Kind of Wonderful. .....Hitchhiking to San Francisco ....what a memory .....
wri-8727
·8 months agoRight on, sister
GFR was an American band of tough whites guys from Flint Michigan with Motown soul and Cherokee spirit. The critics hated them but everyone else loved 'em (I read). Mark Farner is still singing the songs and telling stories of the bad old days - aka - putting food on the table (despite the music industry lawyer types).
More power to your elbow, brother.
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoGrand Funk Railroad had a dedicated following in the desert SW. We didn't care or even had heard about critics.
Al word of mouth as far as the tunes we listened to.
wri-8727
·8 months agoIn 1971 Rolling Stone set the stage by publishing "Grand Funk Railroad: Is This Band Terrible?" stating that every time GFR put out an album, (five in quick succession), it was like a kick in the shin to the critics. Farner said we don't play for our critics we play for our fans. The road less traveled.
BTW I used the excuse that Radar Love was on the radio to try to get out of a speeding ticket. It didn't work but got a smile.
roccotacodad54
·8 months ago"BTW I used the excuse that Radar Love was on the radio to try to get out of a speeding ticket. It didn't work but got a smile."
Yea I got the same reaction from a trooper. He asked why I was speeding and I told him I was listening to Iron Man by Black Sabbath. He smiled, gave me a ticket.
There's a live disc by Golden Earring that has Radar Love on it. Good stuff..........
roccotacodad54
·8 months ago"I'm getting closer to my home"...........Yea.........
jbbowers12012
·8 months agoLuv. - Grand Funk! Were' "An American Band!"
mommaknows
·8 months agoJoe Cocker
Leon Russell
Blind Faith
Jethro Tull
Canned Heat
CC&R
The list is long.......
OH!!!! Buffalo Springfield
Dang.....Jimi Hendrix
Just closing my eyes and can't believe that I left out Santana!
Jeez, I need to go to sleep, but I keep thinking of the music that was the soundtrack of my life.
Meatloaf....Paradise by The Dashboard lights.
@hotwheelsbum Thank you for this post. I am reliving great memories tied to great music.
mommaknows
·8 months agoOkay, I know this is not part of the rock and roll genre, but it was a big part of my 60s and 70s memories..
Gary B.B Coleman The Sky is Crying
I love the blues. Elmore James
Just saying.
Sorry..I'll politely step away from the keyboard.
shirleys809304
·8 months ago@mommaknows
momma, you have played some blues on the music thread....I liked it.
kensgiftshop
·8 months agoNot all rock, but:
KC and the Sunshine Band
Bee Gees
DR Hook
Journey
Styx
ELO
KISS
Queen
Eagles
jbbowers12012
·8 months agoI have two One-Hit-Wonder Bands for everyone. How about Golden Ear-Ring & Looking Glass............
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoGolden Earring was great live.
grann-4629
·8 months agoI have a medley of their one hit wonder ...
stainlessenginecovers
·8 months agoFor the 1970s:
Led Zeppelin
Aerosmith
for ROCK (anyone else were just 'wannabes' with nowhere near the talent that the songwriting and guitar playing alone....
Pink Floyd for just 'listening'...especially when using some 'enhancements'
For the 1980's (end of 70s)
Pretenders
The Clash
hotwheelsbum
OP8 months agoPink Floyd and Led Zeppelin were probably the 2 best Bands to put an Album on to just meditate to during those 'enhancement' times of our lives.
Boston and Foreigner also had a couple of good albums that 'flowed' from song to song during the album too. They were OK for the short term enhancements. But on the Black Cat nights, you always had to have at least 3-4 Pink Floyd albums minimum for that 6-8-9 hour road trip you were about to go on. First hour of the road trip you were traveling on, a good AC/DC or Def Leppard album to get the road trip started, but when the Cruise Control came on, you popped on Pink Floyd and enjoyed the ride, the scenery. ðŸ˜
grann-4629
·8 months agoPink Floyd for just 'listening'...especially when using some 'enhancements
That's the way we used to play Pink Floyd music 'back in the day' when we were local entertainers.
jbbowers12012
·8 months agoA Rolling Stones fan since the 1960's & still a Rolling Stones fan today. Saw eleven live shows over the years!!!
c_miracles_vintage
·8 months agoAll of those above plus Boston, the first band I ever saw live in concert, Peter Frampton, The first artist I actually spent money buying the inconic Comes Alive album, so many I could go on all day but will stop with Van Halen, the second band I ever saw live (with David Lee.)
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoA generation before. First live concert Buffalo Springfield at the Las Vegas Ice Palace (saw the Doors there too).
Last live concert Dead & Company at the Gorge Ampitheater, George Washington.
I found out at that last one that I've become less tolerant of large crowds and the sometimes overbearing security at large events.
Walked out on Van Halen at the US festival in Glen Helen State Park Ca. when David Lee Roth started getting too rowdy and abusive towards the audience. We could hear it good enough at our campsite anyway.......................
shirleys809304
·8 months agoGreat Idea for a participating thread! Oh gosh, so much music I like! The 60's were a lot of 'one hit wonders' that i like to this day so won't go in to them. I'll try to stick with 'band' favorites....I do like a variety as different moods require different listening.
The Association
Beach Boys
Eric Burdon and the Animals
Three Dog Night
Rolling Stones
Carly Simon
Santana
ZZ Top
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.....(then it became Neil Young)
Chicago (early)
Moody Blues
Nazareth
Montrose
Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Blue Oyster Cult
Foghat
Jethro Tull
Fleetwood Mac
Led Zeppelin (definitely!!)
Allman Brothers (then Gregg Allman)
Pink Floyd
Steely Dan
Dan Fogelburg
Jackson Browne
Elton John
Toto
Some David Bowie
I'm sure I'm missing somebody...
Later in the 80's picked up a few more favorites:
Red Rider
Jean Michael Jarre
Rush
Alan Parson's Project
Bon Jovi
AC/DC
The Fixx
Jacyl
Everlast
Winery Dogs
Dino Jelusek
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoYou mentioned quite a few I forgot. I also like alot of different sounds depending.
I remember one time there was a Triple A local team (The Las Vegas Stars) playing their "Parent" team the Padres. After the game Three Dog Night and America were going to play. It being Vegas there was no beer cutoff at the 7th inning. 13th inning tied score and everyone is restless and ready for the bands. The Padres finally scored the game winning run and the place erupted with cheers.
I'm usually not an overly emotional type but I as well as many others in the stands had tears in my eyes, my ears filled with nostalgic music from years before. A night I'll fondly remember. Three Dog Night opened with "One" and I think that opened the floodgates for many there......................
shirleys809304
·8 months agoYou and others have made me think of more....especially, America & Grand Funk. Thing of it is, the list could just grow longer and longer....yes, even Savoy Brown....Now I confess, some of these groups I didn't like every single song they put out and if I go by just a fave song or two from a particular group, hardly makes them a favorite. Yet, many of my favorites just might be a song or two of theirs. Tiny made me think of Janis Joplin! jb made me think of Golden Earring. Shoot, I even liked a few Black Sabbath songs. But, I think, Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones probably would be my all around back in the day, faves. Too many memories to go along with that!
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoHow did I forget Janis Joplin?
mountolimpus
·8 months agoSteppenwolf
jbbowers12012
·8 months ago"Born To Be Wild!"
biggymoe
·8 months agoI go back a little further to the Silent Generation.
Greatest voice of all has to be Michael Bolton.
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoNot necessarily in this order--->
Zero (Steve Kimmock-Greg Anton)
Litttle Feat
Pink Floyd
Jethro Tull
Ten Years After
The Allmann Brothers Band
The Grateful Dead
The Who
The Doors
Led Zeppelin
The Rolling Stones
Fleetwood Mac (back when they were a blues type rock band)
Deep Purple
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Creedence Clearwater Revival
I could go on and on...New Riders of the Purple Sage (Then the David Nelson Band with Barry Sless & Mookie Siegel) ..and on and on..............
I have an extensive music collection so it depends on what mood I'm in at any given time...............
LIVE I'd sayy it's a tossup for me between The Doors, Jethro Tull, Ten Years After and The Grateful Dead...hard to decide.............
Edit:---I forgot Steely Dan (Especially Live), Santana. Traffic, any band with Eric Clapton and of course Frank Zappa..........................(Ok I'm done..................................
mountolimpus
·8 months agoLed Zeppelin
U2
Guns n Roses
hotwheelsbum
OP8 months agoTen Years After
Never heard of them. Went and looked them up. Old School, early 70's. Late Vietnam Rock. I like it.
BUT.....
One of their Top Hits, Good Morning Little School Girl, you ever read the Lyrics?
Holy Hell. That song could not get made today. 😄
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoYes that song is a cover of an old blues piece by Sonny Boy Williamson circa 1937.
They had another borderline song that wouldn't go over well today "Baby won't you let me rock "n" roll you".
I saw Ten Years After probably around 10 times and Alvin Lee was terrific live. Slow blues in C...Wow.
"A Space in Time" is probably my favorite album by Ten Years After...Good listen..................
grann-4629
·8 months agoI'll have some of what you're having please. Great list!
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoThanks. Years back I converted all my discs, casettes and downloads into digital that I could put on a couple of external hard drives. MP'3's as my old ears can no longer tell the difference.
I plug my phone into my desktop and drag n drop music (copy) files into the music folder on my phone. Wireless headphones at home and bluetooth to my truck and RV stereo when on the road.
It's like Christmas sometimes going into those hard drives. Rare earth live in switzerland etc. etc..............
roccotacodad54
·8 months agoI miss Westwood One Radio Network. I gleaned so many live performances from there. The Doobie Brothers, Eric Clapton and so many others. King Biscuit Flour Hour was another source of live performances.
I recorded many on chrome casettes and they now reside digitized in my collection...................
grann-4629
·8 months agoWe still have an FM radio station here that plays non-stop rock from the 40's thru the 60's. Very nostalgic and fun to listen to.
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoLet us not forget Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoNeil Young
Bob Seger
John Lennon
George Harrison
Favorite Band is probably The Allman Brothers Band
tiny_tailor
·8 months agoAdding to the list
The Eagles
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Bob Dylan
BEACH BOYS
Eric Clapton
Linda Ronstadt
Carol king
Carly Simon
James Taylor
Alice Cooper