Worst band of the Seventies?

Cafe Society
21

Almost certainly the worst band of the '70s was one that none of us have ever heard of. As others are ably pointing out, though, there were plenty of famous and successful '70s bands who were way worse, on almost any dimension you could name, than any of those listed, and many of those listed were, IMHO, damn good (and by any objective criterion of musicianship, just about all of them were).

I take the real intended question to be “Which of these bands best represents the worst excesses of Prog Rock?” (Although that does make the inclusion of The Rolling Stones a bit puzzling.) On that basis, I voted for Yes (though I can see a case to be made for ELP or The Moody Blues, and maybe Genesis). I am rather proud of the fact that I detested Yes, and for more-or-less the ‘right,’ punkish reasons (and despite the fact that many of my friends claimed to like them), long before punk arrived, and it became fashionable to detest prog rock. On the other hand, although I certainly saw the point of punk, when it happened, I still think that several of the bands on this list were way better than anything punk ever produced.

Also, is it not rather sad that people are still reenacting the trope of punk rebellion against prog over 30 years after the event? A good part of the punk critique of prog was that prog was old and played out, it was still rooted in the psychedelia of 10 years before, but had lost the youthful energy, anger, experimentalism and iconoclasm that late '60s psychedelia had had. Punk was great because it brought back youthful energy, anger, and freshness, but that was 35 years ago! There is nothing new or youthful or fresh about punk now. We ought to be able to recognize now that most of it was crap at the time, even while acknowledging that even the crap was salutary. Being nostalgically attached to punk, and punkish attitudes, now is way worse (at least 3 times worse!), way more deadening and stuck-in-the-past, than the nostalgic attachment to 1967 that the punks so despised in the prog rockers.

That said, for all their musicianship and cleverness, indeed, in large part because of it, Yes totally sucked.

22

I picked Yes (barely edging out ELP) but not because I truly think they were the worst popular band of the decade (there are at least a dozen others I can think of that deserve to be on this list rather than the ones picked). My selection was made on the basis that taking their entire body of work into consideration, I found them the most consistently boring.

The other remaining bands named in the poll seem to be there for the sake of trolling. Granted, the Rolling Stones did fall off their form during the 70s but they also produced “Sticky Fingers” and “Exile on Main Street” during the decade. Even “Some Girls” is good enough to disqualify them from consideration.

23

If I were forced to pick from the Proggers in this category based on only the most crap I’ve heard from them from the 70s I also would choose Yes. But then again I haven’t heard a lot of 70s stuff from around half of these bands (just a few tracks each.) I just had the misfortune to have a friend in college who liked Yes, and so have heard some of their non-single worthy stuff.

24

You’re right. I should have put them in place of The Rolling Stones, whose prime was really the Sixties.

25

Googling worst band of the seventies brings up a number of interesting results, including

This SDMB thread from 2000 about the best and worst 70s rock bands

The list of top 10 worst songs of the 70s as chosen by Rolling Stone readers (none of which are by bands, however)

The fact that 10cc actually recorded a song called “The Worst Band In the World”

Someone’s list on Amazon.com of “The Worst of the 70s”, which doesn’t include any of the OP’s bands, but does include The Bay City Rollers, KISS, Abba, and The Captain and Tennille

This list of “The Worst Musical Refuse of the 70s”, which includes some of the decade’s definitive crap, even though the majority of the list is by solo artists rather than bands

26

I love the inference that ‘I have never heard any of band blah, so it must be the worst band of the 70’s’

This must be a spoof poll.

27

I beg ignorance of King Crimson and 10CC. But ELP has to be below Genesis, Yes, and Floyd.

Next time, list actually bad bands, thanks.

ETA: Also I agree with post #11. I opened this hoping to indulge my hatred of KISS.

28

Same here. I was never a Rush fan, so they would probably be second, but the execrable single I’m Not in Love ( sorry, fans of that one ) gives 10cc the lead. Still, I love Dreadlock Holiday and can’t in anyway call any of the bands on that list bad. I liked pretentious prog rock in my teens :).

29

While the Stones’ work has always been uneven, during the 70’s they released Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., and Some Girls. Um, that’s pretty good stuff. Certainly good enough, even if combined with lesser work, to eliminate a band from contention for “Worst of the Decade.”

30

I vote for “really stupid poll”.

31

ELO

32

Undoubtedly the OP’er is a member of the voting committee of the Rock and Roll HoF.

It’s funny-Johnny Rotten wears a t-shirt lambasting Pink Floyd, who at the time were releasing an album (Animals) which is just as bitter and nihilistic as anything the punkers of the time put out: there is much common ground between the sentiments expressed in “God Save the Queen” and “Pigs (Three Different Ones)”. Punk per se only had a heyday of c. 2-3 years, by which point the post-punkers were already coming out with tons of stuff which was just as sonically adventurous as anything the proggers ever made (albeit usually much shorter, natch).

At any rate my vote would go to AC/DC, if I could.

33

So, if it’s called progressive rock, to what are they progressing? How is the progress measured? Why does so much of it sound the same from album to album, as if there’s no progress?

34

It was a tough choice between Rush and Pink Floyd. Pink Floyd has a whole bunch of crap I don’t like, but does have one song that I do like (“Money.”) I don’t like any Rush songs, but I only know of two or three. I ended up voting for Rush. King Crimson was disqualified because I don’t think I know any of their songs.

35

The Shaggs were still performing in the seventies.

What’s up next? What’s the worst cut of beef in the world? Choices are a) rib eye b) filet mignon

36

Eventually, every band starts playing the fourth chord.

37

Phil was a great drummer (and I mean Great), but not so distinguished on the vocal side. Still, classic Genesis of the 70s is, for me, Peter Gabriel with lead vocals, so I can’t subtract points for Genesis. I don’t even like Prog Rock, and I would put them along with The Rolling Stones and King Crimson as the three best bands on that list.

I voted ELP, although that may be because I am at all familiar with 10cc’s work. I’ve heard of them, but I couldn’t name a single song by them.

38

Worst. Poll. Ever.

I cannot choose from any band in the poll because I like them all. Even Yes and 10cc.

39

Pink Floyd: two great albums, three very good albums - one of my favourite bands, but a good chunk of their output is fair at best

Rolling Stones: their inclusion here is puzzling

Moody Blues: haven’t heard enough

King Crimson: I don’t particularly care for their stuff, but it’s well done

Jethro Tull: haven’t heard enough

Rush: I’m actively turned off by everything I’ve heard, except maybe “Tom Sawyer”

Genesis: Selling England by the Pound is superb

Yes: everything from The Yes Album to Going for the One is good to great - a run of six albums straight!

ELP: Brain Salad Surgery is embarrassing

10CC: not bad

I vote for Rush.

40

I’m sure if you played them, I might recognize a 10cc song. But I really can’t name or say I’ve heard one of their songs. Phil Collins is a twat but Peter Gabriel was alright but he left. Otherwise I not a fan of progressive and have only heard one song by the rest. Floyd and the Stones are mega-properties so tons of people hate them for that but their popularity is otherwise not completely misplaced. Certain the Rolling Stones had crappy songs, but most of those weren’t in the 70s. A lot of these progressive ones are extremely geeky which is sometimes appreciated.