The 50 Worst Artists in Music History

Blender Magazine ^ | September 2003 | John Aizlewood, Clark Collis, J.D. Considine, John Harris, Howard Johnson, Rob Kemp, Daniel Krauss

[weegee]

[Chi-townChief]

I get the feeling that, as with their 50 worst singles list, they tried to avoid the slam dunks.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

I agree with 90% of the list...finally, someone agrees with me about the Doors! Sky Saxon & The Seeds were better IMHO. "People are strange, when you're a stranger" - whoa, that's poetry man!

Have to disagree about ELP, though. Love Beach is miserable, but the albums through Brain Salad Surgery hold up pretty well today. But I'm a recovering prog-rock geek, so what do I know...just don't get me started about Rare Bird!

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

Saw this mag about a month ago. Anyone who puts the Doors in the top 50 worst is a musical butthead.

[itsamelman]

System of a Down. Worst band. Ever.

"Do you ever look to the sky and think, 'I'm glad I'm alive?'" Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher once mused. "After I heard System of a Down, I thought, 'I'm actually alive to hear the sh*ttiest band of all time.' Which is quite something when you think about it. Of all the bands that have gone before and all the bands that'll be in the future, I was around when the worst was around."

[uvular]

Would love to see the esteemed Blender put out a 50-1,000 worst bad-rap/hip hop list, and wait for the comments Blender would get from the rap/hip hop community for dissin' them!

[Mr. Mojo]

Kenny G.

A little background. First, I agree that his solo albums are virtually unlistenable. .....total LCD garbage. But the the thing is, they're meant to be that way. His real name is Kenny Gorelick, and early in his career (in the 70's) he was the sax player for the Jeff Lorber Fusion Band. .....a very good jazz-fusion outfit, but a very broke one. I saw them live a few times, and they were all expert improvisors. .....Gorelick burning off solos that would've turned his current fan base off in a big way -- way too much talent for them to deal with.

But I suppose he was sick to death of being broke, and decided to go commercial in a big way. .....And succeeded brilliantly.

[Mr. Mojo]

RICK WAKEMAN

Are they insane? Journey to the Center of the Earth (with the London Symphony Orchestra) was great, and his work with Yes in the early 70's was truly groundbreaking. His solo at the end of "Roundabout" (on Fragile) was among the best and funkiest in the history of music.

[Mr. Mojo]

THE DOORS

Oh man, now I know they're nuts.

[Mr. Mojo]

KANSAS

Their album Leftoverture is an exception, and so is (to a slightly lesser degree) The Point of No Return.

[bc2]

"44 MANOWAR None more metal. None more gay An American answer to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, Rochester, New York’s Manowar embody every conceivable heavy-metal cliché: Bodybuilders all, the four wear leather and animal pelts onstage; singer Eric Adams shrieks only of death, warfare and the glory of metal; Joey DeMaio performs solo bass renditions of “The Flight of the Bumblebee.” They’re quite possibly the most ludicrous people in rock & roll history. Appalling fact In 1993, Russian youth voted Manowar above the Beatles and Michael Jackson as the act they would most like to see perform live. Worst CD Sign of the Hammer (EMI, 1985) "

SHUT UP MANOWAR KICKS ASS!!!!

gotta support hometown metal! haha

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Are they insane? Journey to the Center of the Earth (with the London Symphony Orchestra) was great,

I'm with you on this one. Wakeman is a true artist and should not be on this list. His "Six Wives of Henry VIII" is a classic.

[GSWarrior]

Hilariously written, but how can one have a 50 worst list and not include Power Station or Berlin.

I wouldn't include ELP. Seems many folk hold ELP guilty for the entire genre's pomposity, but they had plenty of concise, lucid moments.

[GSWarrior]

Those are priceless!

[djf]

Agreed. And his work on "Close to the Edge" is stunning.

[RepoGirl]

Oh, hey now...

I agree with MOST of this list, but I have serious, SERIOUS, hesitations with their inclusion of Japan, Primus and Skinny Puppy.

Skinny Puppy is serious industrial and isn't for most tastes, but a good listen if you're in the mood (it's an acquired taste I admit.) Mind the Perpetual Intercourse is a good disk.

Japan is one of my all time favorite bands. The first two, ill-advised glam rock albums notwithstanding, Gentlemen Take Polaroids and Tin Drum are masterpieces.

And Primus!?!? C'mon--I'll challenge anyone to a thumb wrestle if they can prove that Less Claypool isn't the coolest guy. He does the South Park theme, for cripe's sake!!!

Regards.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Agreed. And his work on "Close to the Edge" is stunning.

My absolute all time favorite is "Tales From Topographic Oceans". John, Rick, Alan and Steve were all at their peak. All 4 pieces on that album are monuments, the Roger Dean artwork is sublime.

There was a 6 month span years ago when it was the only cassette in my car's tape deck.

[weegee]

"People are strange, when you're a stranger" - whoa, that's poetry man!

This is MUCH worse: "Only time will if we'll stand the test of time" - Van Halen/Sammy Hagar

[Pyro7480]

I thought Milhouse's dad did "Can I Borrow a Feeling..."

[ErnBatavia]

This group has just got to feel a little left out...