Kahn's Top 10: Classic Rock

I love music.  One of the ideas I came up with, for a series of blog entries, is a top ten list of artists/bands in different music genres.  Today I will begin with the first genre, classic rock, which seems pretty safe and easy.  These lists are going to be based on my personal musical preference, so I expect to run into a few objections.  I have a few more genres in mind for future entries, but if you have a suggestion for a genre you’d like to see me tackle, please let me know.

Tune your radio to a classic rock station, and chances are you’ll end up hearing something from one of these bands within five minutes.  You know you are dealing with a great band when you can fill more than one CD full of their best songs and never feel the need to skip any tracks.  Here are Kahn’s top 10 classic rock bands of all time:

1. Led Zeppelin – I love Zeppelin because they have some of the most fun riffs to play on the guitar.  “Black Dog, Rock ‘n Roll, Stairway to Heaven, and Over the Hills and Far Away” are my favorites to play.  However, after watching Wayne’s World, I know to never play “Stairway” in a guitar store.  Like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin has a very impressive catalog of songs that was created in a fairly short span of time.  They are true rock legends.
2. Boston – I know most people think I’m crazy for putting Boston this high on the list, but I have a lot of respect for Tom Scholz, who actually has a masters degree in mechanical engineering from MIT.  He also has a lot of patents on the circuitry used to give Boston their distinctive guitar sound.  Their first album, Boston,  is so good, that it could practically be a greatest hits collection by itself.
3. Pink Floyd – So many great albums, but that’s the thing with Pink Floyd, you really need to listen to the full album instead of just a couple songs to get the big picture.  Did the band intentionally make Dark Side of the Moon such that it perfectly synchronizes with The Wizard of Oz?  I’ve tried it, and am convinced that they did.  The Wall is a great album, but I didn’t get the movie at all.  That was some bizarre stuff.  Rock bands should stick to making music, not movies anyway.   
4. AC/DC – I can’t think of many other bands that have actually been better when having to replace the lead singer.  Back in Black is AC/DC’s essential album to have.  I also like them because most of their guitar riffs are pretty easy and fun to play.
5. The Beatles – I’m more of a passive Beatles fan, but I can’t deny how great the Beatles music is and how important they were in shaping rock music.  McCartney and Lennon are probably the greatest song-writing duo of all time.  I’m impressed with how their music evolved over time and became more complex. 
6. The Rolling Stones – They defy time and keep on cranking out great shows.  The Stones were the first band I ever saw live in concert, and while I’m not a huge Stones fan, I can appreciate a good band when I see one.  They must be doing something right to still be going after forty years in the business. 
7. Aerosmith – The American version of the Rolling Stones?  Both bands have lead singers with big mouths and lips, so a lot of comparisons have been made there.  Aerosmith has been able to thrive in the past fifteen years with new music as well as their classics.  The Stones don’t seem to tap into the younger generation with their new stuff like Aerosmith has been able to do.  I’ve also seen Aerosmith live in concert, and they put on a heck of a show as well.
8. Van Halen – Dave or Sam?  Sorry Gary, you really don’t count.  VH enjoyed major success with two different lead singers, and have great songs in both the Sam and the Dave eras.  Eddie is a true guitar hero.  Their first album, Van Halen, is my hands-down favorite VH album.
9. The Eagles – The Eagles are as close to country music as I’ll ever be caught listening to.  “Hotel California” is one of the best classic rock songs ever written. 
10. Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Free Bird!”  Play some Skynyrd!  You can’t go to a concert (any concert, any band) without hearing someone yell these phrases.  “Free Bird” is one of the best songs of all time, and my favorite part is in the fast dual guitar solos toward the end when the snare drum comes in underneath them with a big crescendo.  I love that part.