DemonD

Personally, I think that it's a tie between Who's Next and The Who Sell Out. Who's Next is basically one long "rock and roll is great bombast" recording, Sell Out was one of the very first "concept albums." Sell Out features some really great songs, like Armenia, City In the Sky (featuring Townshend's backwards recorded guitar solo.) Other greats are I Can See For Miles, Rael and Mary-Anne With the Shaky Hands, plus the hilarious entries of Odorono and Tattoo. The CD re-release features extras not found on the original recording as well as a handy pamphlet explaining the 1960s days of swinging London and pirate radio.

"Well, I smoked a lot of grass... Oh Lord, I popped a lot of pills... Now if I were the President of this land You know I'd declare total war on the pusher man I'd cut him where he'd stand, And I'd shoot him if he'd run, And I'd kill him with my Bible and my razor and my gun! GODDAMN! GODDAMN the PUSHER!" That's Steppenwolf's version of Hoyt Axton's song. My mother HATED it.

"Long, Long, Long"

Deep Purple did Woman From Tokyo.

"Helplessly Hoping" by Crosby Still & Nash "Desolation Row" by Bob Dylan "Vaseline Machine Gun" by Leo Kottke "Time" by Tom Waits

The 'OO! Zep had the better guitar player and they were the band that basically INVENTED heavy metal. Black Sabbath did their Led Zeppelin imitation and all the other shriekers and shredders followed. But it was Roger Daltrey who could always shriek ON KEY better than any other lead singer, including Plant and Ozzy. But the Who had (has?) one of the greatest songwriters of all time in Pete Townshend. No one can deny that his songs are classics, but have you ever noticed that almost no one ever covers Townshend's songs? I think it's because no one could play them as well as the Who. And that would mean their rhythm section especially. Entwistle and Moon were the greatest rock and roll electric bassman and drummer of all times. The Who wins--no contest!

Saying who is the "worst" or "best" vocalist is a very subjective thing. I've always LOVED the rasp of Tom Waits. I CANNOT STAND the vocals of Elton John!

"...No one speaks English... and everything's broken, and my Stacys are soaking wet. To go Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, You'll go Waltzing Matilda with me." "Tom Traubert's Blues" by Tom Waits

Yep, Bonnie Raitt is just right. My sweet Mama Bon-Bon!

"I Am the Walrus" Original by the Beatles, of course, but Spooky tooth did a fascinating cover. I won't say that it's better, just great in its own way. Here's my fave "improved" cover:"Back Door Man" by Willie Dixon, covered by The Doors.

"Smellin' like a brewery, lookin' like a tramp I aint got a quarter, got a postage stamp..." Tom Waits: "Pasties and a G-String"

Leo Kottke, world's fastest fingerpicker.