The 1970s

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1. Selling England By The Pound – Genesis
2. Foxtrot – Genesis
3. A Trick Of The Tail – Genesis
4. Close To The Edge – Yes
5. Surf’s Up – Beach Boys
6. The Original Soundtrack – 10cc
7. A Night At The Opera – Queen
8. How Dare You? – 10cc
9. Sunflower – Beach Boys
10. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway – Genesis
11. Tales From Topographic Oceans – Yes
12. Sheet Music – 10cc
13. Wind And Wuthering – Genesis
14. Out Of The Blue – Electric Light Orchestra
15. Crime Of The Century – Supertramp
16. Going For The One – Yes
17. Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy – Elton John
18. Fulfillingness First Finale – Stevie Wonder
19. A New World Record – Electric Light Orchestra
20. Low – David Bowie
21. Songs In The Key Of Life – Stevie Wonder
22. Sheer Heart Attack – Queen
23. A Question Of Balance – Moody Blues
24. Heroes – David Bowie
25. Talking Book – Stevie Wonder
26. Elton John – Elton John
27. A Day At The Races – Queen
28. Hope – Klaatu
29. All Mod Cons – The Jam
30. This Year’s Model – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
31. Cool For Cats – Squeeze
32. The Seventh Sojourn – Moody Blues
33. And Then There Were Three – Genesis
34. My Aim Is True – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
35. Bloody Tourists – 10cc
36. Fragile – Yes
37. Jesus Of Cool – Nick Lowe
38. Mirage – Camel
39. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour – Moody Blues
40. Moonmadness – Camel
41. The Yes Album – Yes
42. Queen 2 – Queen
43. 10cc – 10cc
44. Nursery Cryme – Genesis
45. Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus – Spirit
46. Tormato – Yes
47. 20/20 – 20/20
48. Survival – Bob Marley & The Wailers
49. Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield
50. Time And a Word – Yes

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:13 (twenty-three years ago)

If you say so. Ever heard of The Sex Pistols?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Sex Pistols: One of the most overrated acts in the history of music.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:16 (twenty-three years ago)

yes, and Atlantic's R&B stuff always sucked. NEXT!

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:17 (twenty-three years ago)

i agree with geir. but where's five leaves left by nick drake? it's sufficiently melodic to get in, surely?

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:18 (twenty-three years ago)

To be honest, Dr C, I wouldn't even have put "Never Mind The Bs" in the top 200 of the '70s, never mind the top 50 - it's v. patchy, too slow and ploddily produced, too many Brian May guitar solos (allegedly - or was it Chris Spedding?).

Five Leaves Left came out in '68.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:19 (twenty-three years ago)

you're right, silly me. apologies, geir.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:21 (twenty-three years ago)

i agree with geir. but where's five leaves left by nick drake? it's sufficiently melodic to get in, surely?

First of all, it was released in the 60s. Anyway, there is a lot of melodic music out there, and not all of it is good enough to reach a decade Top 50.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Surely 'News of the World' beats 'Tormato'!!!

― dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:28 (twenty-three years ago)

(I'd explain why but "I'm so inar-inar-inar-inar-inar..."!)

― dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:28 (twenty-three years ago)

Not to mention 'Jazz'. No, not the Ry Cooder one.

― dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Surely 'News of the World' beats 'Tormato'!!!

"New Of The World" isn't among my favourite Queen albums at all. Lacks most of their usually classy over-the-top production. They had a rather weak period from 1977 to 1982.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Not to mention 'Jazz'.

Mmmm.... "Mustapha"...

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:31 (twenty-three years ago)

they had a rather weak period from 1972 to 1991

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:33 (twenty-three years ago)

"Jazz" was fucking awful. i haven't listened to any of their albums in a while but "The Lap of the Gods" on Sheer Heart Attack is a classic song.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Repeat the phrase "Don't shun it - FUN IT!" to ppl and see what they do. I'm embarassed just typing the fuckin' thing

― dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:42 (twenty-three years ago)

What? No Fleetwood Mac, Rumours? Are you insane my friend? That surely is number one?

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir's list is fine by me, but I ask: WHERE ARE ALL THE HARD ROCK ACTS? Led Zeppelin? Black Sabbath? Deep Purple? Man, you've GOT to put at least one of those on a 70's best albums list... And what about the Doors? PINK FLOYD??

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:54 (twenty-three years ago)

HUNKY DORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― man, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 12:15 (twenty-three years ago)

**To be honest, Dr C, I wouldn't even have put "Never Mind The Bs" in the top 200 of the '70s, never mind the top 50 - it's v. patchy, too slow and ploddily produced, too many Brian May guitar solos (allegedly - or was it Chris Spedding?)**

Judging it as a *record* by normal criteria, and with 25 yrs hindsight, you're probably right. They should never have made an album anyway. It thrilled the shit out of me in 77 though, and that's why I'd put it no. 1.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 12:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Lamb before Tales?!?! Pfffftttish.

― Joe (Joe), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 12:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Not keen on Genesis. Name me one band that has been influenced by Genesis? They are not even melodic, Geir!!

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 12:40 (twenty-three years ago)

and in the '70s there were Osmonds, there were lots of little Osmonds everywhere.... everywhere.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 12:51 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah. yeah. yeah. lotsa little & not-so-little Osmonds. and they had 'The Plan'!...

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 13:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Name me one band that has been influenced by Genesis?

er...marillion?

("Tormato" is awful, BTW. I'd replace it w/Hawkwind's "Hall of the Mountain Grill")

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 13:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir, I found another flaw in your list. You did not mention Carole King's Tapestry. Why is that? It is melodic!

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 13:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Any list with four albums by the same artist in the top ten is bullshit, no matter who it is.

― paul cox (paul cox), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 14:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Name me one band that has been influenced by Genesis'

"There wos fings goin' on in the music that I'd never fort abaht before. I just really fucking liked them." - Steve Harris, Iron Maiden {phonetics courtesy P Morley)

― dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 14:17 (twenty-three years ago)

1. Various Artists - Wow That Was The Seventies (Disky Records)
2. The rest.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 14:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Also, Jane's Addiction. I bet GH is the only person alive who doesn't think P Farrell sounds EXACTLY like P Gabriel!

― dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 14:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Meet another.

― paul cox (paul cox), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 14:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Also, where is the Van Dyke Parks? If anyone ever was Geirworthy, he's the man!

― dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 14:28 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Geir should revise the list immediately. Forgetting the very Geir worthy inclusion of Van Dyke Parks is Geir mind-crime.

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 14:33 (twenty-three years ago)

What, only seven mentions for Genesis (and only four in the top 10), the most influential and melodic band in the history of music?

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Where's Can, Dylan, the Stooges, the Clash, Black Sabbath, FZ, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, Big Star, Lou Reed, Jonathon Richmond, Santana, Neil Young, Traffic, CCR, Eno, Sly Stone, Todd Rundgren, Floyd, Crimson, etc?

No offense, but this seems like a pretty lop-sided list; and it doesn't credit nearly enough of the diversity that endowed the 70s.

― christoff (christoff), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:11 (twenty-three years ago)

and give us some of dat funk! where's funkadelic & Parliament??
missing of course is the best lp of the 70s: hissing of summer lawns..

― Fabrice (Fabfunk), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Posts You Knew Were Geir Hongro's Before Scrolling Down Past Number Seventeen, Although You Were Surprised By The Inclusion of Stevie Wonder

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:23 (twenty-three years ago)

In all fairness can I just say that by privileging melody and not caring for rap, soul, funk, heavier rock, or anything avant-garde, Geir really isn't all that different from a lot of people I've known?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Posting lists evoke discussion and this is what we are doing - discussing and not dissing Geir's list.

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:28 (twenty-three years ago)

can I diss and poke fun at this?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Julio, my man, it's a free world (at the moment) you can do anything you want to do that involves typing!

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:31 (twenty-three years ago)

I won't poke fun or nothing, but I will say that my 1970s list would include FAR MORE Parliament, Funkadelic, Talking Heads, and Miles Davis. In fact, those few performers would occupy about 30-40 slots on my list. But then, I have an appreciation for the ALL-THAT-IS-UNHOLY-RHYTHM.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:33 (twenty-three years ago)

me no want miles davis maaan!!!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 16:35 (twenty-three years ago)

'Big Fun' is OK. 'Jack Johnson' sounds too much like Genesis for my liking

― dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 17:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Some of my fav Miles 70s albums:

big Fun, Jack Johnson, Live: Evil, Pangaea, Agharta, Rated X

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 18:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir's list is fine by me, but I ask: WHERE ARE ALL THE HARD ROCK ACTS? Led Zeppelin? Black Sabbath? Deep Purple? Man, you've GOT to put at least one of those on a 70's best albums list...

I have favourite genres, and I have less favourite genres. While I don't despise 70s hard rock as much as I despise 80s and 90s metal, I still find no room for it among the cream of 70s music.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Not keen on Genesis. Name me one band that has been influenced by Genesis?

Marillion, Pendragon and Arena. Even Howard Jones :-)

Anyway, influence is not important.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Miles Davis has done his share of decent albums, but I wouldn't exactly say the 70s were his best decade, to say the least.

His late 50s and early 60s output was melodic and nice, though. Same about "You're Under Arrest" and "Tutu" during the 80s.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir you have to consider who influential these bands are before listing them! Especially if you are going to entitle it The 1970s!

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, I could always have entitled it my 70s, but I was kind of hoping for people to post their own lists rather than just comment on mine.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:10 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't consider the 70s Miles' best period either, but I do think the records he put out then were still amazing. However, as they were extremely funk-and-world-music influenced and almost entirely rhythm-centric, I fully understand why you wouldn't like 'em.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir you have to consider who influential these bands are before listing them!

Innovation is by far the most overrated thing in music.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:13 (twenty-three years ago)

I like how you critics always have the same limited view of what a less limited view would be. (We all have our limitations.)

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir you bamboozle me, my man. You are a Beatles maniac? What about the innovation of Sgt Peppers? What do you say about that? Or even progressive rock? Where is the link to your contemporary albums, Geir?

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Innovation is by far the most overrated thing in music.

Yeah, I was thinking this was a funny thing to hear from a guy who loves The Beatles and Genesis so much, two excruciatingly innovative groups.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:35 (twenty-three years ago)

It is clear you have not been studying the koans of Master Geir long, grasshopper. The Beatles and Genesis were not innovative, they returned to a tradition of melodic music that began with classical music.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:36 (twenty-three years ago)

What an unique proposition! : - D I never really thought of Genesis or the Beatles in that context before.

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:56 (twenty-three years ago)

b-b-b-but..."Strawberry Fields Forever"!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Why the hell doesn't anybody like Led Zeppelin? Or Big Star? Or Pink Floyd? They are the greatest bands of the decade!!

― Evan (Evan), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:36 (twenty-three years ago)

no, P-Funk, Chic and the Ramones are

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:37 (twenty-three years ago)

(but I'm just having fun being a pedant here, don't mind me)

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir is cool because his views are controversial, perhaps the most controversial person the board???

― S Samson, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Ok, so here goes my list of favourite albums from the 70's. Note that this is a reflection of my musical taste in music (I grew up with some of these) and not a statement about the greatest albums of the 70's (I haven't heard them all, ya know?)

1. Genesis - Selling England by the Pound (yeah, I know, but I love it too)
2. Led Zeppelin IV (or Four Symbols)
3. Genesis - Foxtrot
4. Yes - Close to the Edge
5. Jethro Tull - Songs from the wood
6. Queen - A night at the opera
7. Yes - Tormato
8. Mike Oldfield - Incantations
9. Pink Floyd - Wish you were here
10. Cat Stevens - Tea for the tillerman
11. Camel - Mirage
12. Genesis - The lamb lies down on Broadway
13. Yes - Fragile
14. Deep Purple - Made in Japan
15. Jethro Tull - Aqualung
16. Pink Floyd - The wall
17. Yes - Tales of the Topographic Oceans
18. Jethro Tull - Thick as a brick
19. XTC - Drums and Wires
20. Yes - The Yes album
21. Supertramp - Crime of the century
22. Camel - The Snow Goose
23. The Doors - Morrison Hotel
24. Pink Floyd - Meddle
25. Jethro Tull - A Passion Play
26. Yes - Relayer
27. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
28. Emerson Lake & Palmer - Trilogy
29. Yes - Going for the one
30. Pink Floyd - Dark side of the moon
31. Cat Stevens - Teaser and firecat
32. Mike Oldfield - Tubular bells
33. Minstrel in the gallery
34. Mike Oldfield - Platinum
35. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
36. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
37. Cat Stevens - Mona Bone Jakon
38. The Who - Who's Next
39. Gerry Rafferty - City to City
40. Jethro Tull - Benefit
41. Queen - Sheer heart attack
42. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
43. Black Sabbath - Sabbath bloody sabbath
44. Led Zeppelin III
45. Jon Anderson - Olias of sunhillow
46. The Jam - All mod cons
47. Wire - Chairs missing
48. Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
49. Led Zeppelin - Presence
50. Cat Stevens - Buddha and the Chocolate Box

It's a bit unidimensional, I know, there's lots of albums from the same bands, but that's me. Like a blueprint for my taste in music.

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:05 (twenty-three years ago)

That list is so ... British.
I'll admit it, I'm beginning to enjoy Geir's posts. He's like that loser friend everyone makes fun of.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir = the Brian Eno of ILM

― Joe (Joe), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Geir you bamboozle me, my man. You are a Beatles maniac? What about the innovation of Sgt Peppers? What do you say about that? Or even progressive rock?

They are good because they sound good, not because they are innovative. Innovation for innovation's own sake is a bad thing. Besides, the merging of styles is always a more constructive kind of innovation than purist construction of completely new styles.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 23:31 (twenty-three years ago)

It is clear you have not been studying the koans of Master Geir long, grasshopper. The Beatles and Genesis were not innovative, they returned to a tradition of melodic music that began with classical music.

First and foremost, they merged already existing styles, and they did it in a great way. Which was of course innovative, but they still never lost the sight of melody - in fact Beatles, in particular, kind of merged Tin Pan Alley and rock'n'roll, making rock'n'roll considerably more melodic and harmonic than before.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 23:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Besides, the merging of styles is always a more constructive kind of innovation than purist construction of completely new styles.

Does this apply to Haydn's innovations, too?

― man, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 23:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Does this apply to Haydn's innovations, too?

What Haydn did was take already existing styles and add more sophisticated harmonic and melodic elements to them.

Remember, Baroque music was highly unfashionable when Haydn started. It wasn't as if he invented the Classical style himself. It was a result of music developing over time.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 23:50 (twenty-three years ago)

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