[MarkL]

I was just discussing the genre of "blue-collar" bands with the Mr. (BTO, Bad Company, Bob Seger) and I said part of the definition of a blue-collar band is "no makeup, whatsoever, and blue jeans" combined with an utter lack of pretentiousness in their work.

It's funny that you mention this... In highschool, I was in a rock band (back in 1977) and we played at a "Battle of the Bands" at Center High School, in KCMO. There were a number of bands playing that night, and about half of them had at least one person wearing some sort of costume. We just came out wearing what we wore that day... I was going to school 1/2 a day at the VoTech center, learning to become a diesel mechanic, and of course, I was wearing a "CAT" (Caterpiller) hat, a long sleve shirt, jeans, and of course, my Schrade Uncle Henry on my belt... One of the audience members commented on my cool outfit... Huh? It was what I wore to school or work every day! lol

The best part of that battle of the bands was that we blew the circuits during our second song... IIRC, we played Working Man (Rush), Slow Ride (Foghat), Dream On (Aerosmith), Stairway to Heaven (If I have to tell you, you shouldn't be reading this post!)

Mark

[stands2reason]

I squeezed Rush's first album in the "Blue collar" category for "Working Man" and because that one was pre-Peart. (Don't get me wrong, Neil's a genius, but that last thing you can call him is unpretentious.)

[the invisib1e hand]

why doesn't anyone play "Fool for the City," instead of slow ride?

As for drummers, there are tons of drummers at least as good as Neal Pert. A drummer isn't measured by how many notes he can hit per second. If he were, Carl Parmer would still have Pert beat. (hey, a pun!) At least, imho.

There was a 16 y/o who played for a band called Style Council who played like a tornado, as well.

But Stuart Copland, who I think recorded one snare roll, was a groundbreaking drummer. Of course the list goes on and on.

[archy]

The best part of that battle of the bands was that we blew the circuits during our second song... IIRC, we played ... Stairway to Heaven ....

Y'all slip a drum solo in there, sparky?