Pop/rock music legends

[x-pack]

The other day I heard an interesting debate on the radio (Planet Rock) about Axl Rose possibly being the last rock icon. I'm not sure about that but I get where they were coming from. When you look back over the last 50 or so years at musical icons there have been many of what I would consider to be true rock/pop personality. People with larger than life personalities, true artists/genius, or just those who lived the rock and roll lifestyle to unbelievable excess.

Some that come to mind for me would be Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Bowie, Dave Lee Roth, Axl Rose, all of Motley Crue (only since i'm reading their book at the minute :shock: ), John Lennon, Freddie Mercury and many more.

People were phoning in saying 'well I think Dave Grohl is a legend' or 'what about Kurt Cobain?'. the argument against Dave Grohl was that he's a nice enough bloke who has a load of decent tunes but he's not really larger than life. For me Kurt Cobaine was like Amy Winehouse - talented but not really a legend as such.

What do you think? And who do you think would fit the category of 'rock legend'?

 

[yoda]

Mine would be James Hetfield but maybe I'm biased because they wer my favourite band
what about Ozzy?

 

[mumbo]

Eddie Vedder 8)

 

[x-pack]

Ozzy is definitely up there. Right nut case! Can't say I know who Eddy Vedder is :?

 

[x-pack]

Mine would be James Hetfield but maybe I'm biased because they wer my favourite band
what about Ozzy?

Not sure about James Hetfield. I would say he's around the Joe Elliot level of noteriety.

 

[Cazza]

Ozzy is definitely up there. Right nut case! Can't say I know who Eddy Vedder is :?

Pearl Jam

 

[Richard_H]

Axl Rose is the last Rock Star for me, although I've heard some argue Slash too which I can see.

Obviously Ozzy, Alice Coooper, Jagger, Iommi, Eddie Van Halen, Tyler, Perry...... but they were before GN'R.

Skid Row came close, Bach in particular, but didn't quite make it.

There has been no great rock band since. Nirvana were massively over hyped by the media and more so by those who weren't around at the time after Cobain died. Foo fighters is just generic, safe rock. All of the 'rock' bands today are little more than wank bands.

 

[x-pack]

Never knew any of the members' names. Everyday's a school day :wink:

 

[x-pack]

Axl Rose is the last Rock Star for me, although I've heard some argue Slash too which I can see.

Obviously Ozzy, Alice Coooper, Jagger, Iommi, Eddie Van Halen, Tyler, Perry...... but they were before GN'R.

Skid Row came close, Bach in particular, but didn't quite make it.

There has been no great rock band since. Nirvana were massively over hyped by the media and more so by those who weren't around at the time after Cobain died. Foo fighters is just generic, safe rock. All of the 'rock' bands today are little more than wank bands.

Cooper and the Tyler/Perry combo are definitely rock legends 8) Some also might say Jagger and Richards, Keith Moon, Johnny Rotten, maybe even Madonna!

What about Bruce Dickinson? I think he's too much of a nice bloke inspite of all the songs about death, evil and pillage. And anyway, Harris wrote the cool songs. If there was a prize for all round top geezer in rock it would probably be Dickinson 8)

 

[Richard_H]

But they were all before Axl. I agree they're all legends though.

 

[Clarkspie&chips]

The beastie boys were pretty big rock stars back in the day but I think they were a little before GnR. The hardest part of this is thinking of great rock bands that have started up in the last 30 years.
Bruce dickenson should be knighted though.

 

[_Lee_]

Gotta agree with Rich here. Axl is probably the only one,but i would count Slash aswell. If you ask anyone about Guns n Roses, they would probably mention Slash first, probably because of that Sweet Child intro

My favorite band has always been Europe. Ive followed them since 86 since The Final Countdown was released, and John Norum made me want to play guitar (although he ****ed off and left the band for a good while ) .Im not saying they are Icons but that song is probably one of the most famous ever, and they are still rocking now-even surpassing Bon Jovi who were their competition at the time of TFC. They aint hair/glam rock anymore, and seriously can still raise the roof and play a great show. To me they are one of the most underestimated bands ever, and their work even before TFC is amazing.

There was only ever one rock icon though-LEMMY -RIP

 

[Mr-shifter]

Gene Simmons anyone?

If we are talking about extremes, then surely G G Allin? Maybe not a musical genius but for someone who lived the ****ed up rock star lifestyle to his death then there are few that would come close.

 

[stormcab]

Nuno Bettencourt from the band Extreme gets very little press, but he will blow pretty much any other guitarist out of the water. Just listen to the opening to this live version of Get The Funk out and try and tell me otherwise . Then look at his versatility in other videos. He isn't just a shredder like Van Halen or Steve Vai.

[youtube]c1AxoPTAgxA[/youtube]

 

[_Lee_]

Agreed on Nuno-he is a phenomenal player. Everything is so natural to him and his sound is raw.

 

[BlueDog]

[youtube]yfB7vF7nCdA[/youtube]

What about Steel Panther :lol: :lol:

Nuno is a guitar freak my all time favourite guitarists are Hendrix, Knopfler, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Have to agree that Axl is probably the last of the true iconic rock stars as what those who lived through the 60', 70's & 80's came to expect. To a degree artists like Zack de la Rocha from Rage, Eddy Vedder from Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell from Soundgarden and love him or hate him Anthony Kiedis from the Chilli Peppers are all decent front men for good/great bands but they don't have the aura of a Bon Scott, Axl Rose, Frank Zappa, Mick Jagger, Ozzy or Steve Tyler.

To be fair in the 90's we were coming out of a decade that gave us Cock Rock and Glam Rock stadium bands, over the top flamboyant frontmen were the flavour of the day and with a new era of music came a desire to move away from that scene. Enter grunge and the more toned down almost moody/angry lead singer.

The way music companies control popular music these days I can't see us ever having the likes of these bands again, that doesn't mean there isn't brilliant music out there to discover, just means you have to look in places other than commercial radio to hear it.

 

[Richard_H]

Yeah Nuno is an extremely talented guy but I don't think he hit legend status.

 

[stormcab]

Yeah Nuno is an extremely talented guy but I don't think he hit legend status.

Definitely not a "legend" in the sense of this thread as he is probably the most humble person with this kind of talent. In interviews he almost looks embarrassed people are making a fuss over him.

 

[x-pack]

Simply being an amazing musician, such as Nuno, doesn't make legend status from what I can see. Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney were great song writers/musicians but Paul was eclipsed by Lennon, who had that magic ingredient. Clapton is less notorious these days than Ginger Baker.

It seems obnoxiousness helps ;-)

 

[timbo72]

Anthony Kiedis from the chili peppers ??

Probably not a legend but definitely notorious