Most Versatile Group

[kim]

It occurred to me that over the years there have been many a group that may have been "pigeonholed" into one genre or style of music if you will...only to come up with a surprise or two along the way.

For example, KISS was (is)? a group that pretty much touted themselves as the ultimate and quintessential rock group of the 70's only to put out a song like Beth.

Not sure just how well that went over with the KISS army inductees at the time, but I'm quite sure that many unadulterated, casual KISS fans welcomed the song with open arms as a proof positive claim towards the group as being more than just a painted group of theatrical rockers and could evoke emotions through a softer approach?

Elton John proved that with his compadre Bernie Taupin, could write and perform some great ballads, and yet kick the living shite out of any fan simply by pounding away on the keys and screaming at the top of his lungs with a number such as Saturday Night.

Zep proved it as well with the ability to crank out Rock & Roll and then pull off a great melodic tune such as "Over The Hills And Far Away"

The Beatles proved themselves many an eon ago...and I don't need to go into detail with these guys...the Stones reciprocated and even ventured into the disco scene...not bad for a rock & roll band.

However in your opinion, what is your most versatile group...whether it's a combination of ballads/rock, Jazz/rock, Blues/pop or any of the combined attributes of bands from past and or present.

By all means, list tunes as an example. There's a lot of stuff out there that we tend to take for granted and sometimes info like this simply tends to silently slip by us all.

Thanks
Kim

[jimmccormick3]

I'd have to say LZ & the Beatles, but there are other bands that are tough to label.

Living Colour

King's X

Pat Travers - Always has been labeled as blues rock, but anyone who has listened to his 70's output knows that funk & jazz were huge elements. Then in the 80's you could add reggae & mainstream rock.

Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush

[Equinox]

Queen IMO

Just take "A Night at the Opera and "News of the World" for instance. (My two favorite albums by Queen BTW)

Hard Rockers
Death on Two Legs
I'm in Love With My Car
Sheer Heart Attack
Attack From the Inside
Sweet Lady

Ballads
Love of My Life
Spread Your Wings
All Dead, All Dead


The Kitchen Sink
Bohemian Rhapsody
We Will Rock You
It's Late
Prophets Song
Get Down, Make Love

Radio Friendly
Your My Best Friend
We are the Champions

Gilbert and Sullivan
Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
Keep Good Company
Seaside Rendezvous

Torch Songs
Melancholy Blues
Who Needs You

Folk
'39

[hojam]

I always thought Led Zeppelin was probably the most versatile with hard rockers, melodic rockers, acoustic, blues and also elements of Indian music.

Other bands/artists I think are most versatile include

Neil Young
Queen
Rod Stewart
Styx
Journey
Lenny Kravitz
David Bowie

[Jesse]

This topic has come up a couple times in the past (though maybe not worded exactly as it is here) and I've answered the same every time:

The Charlie Daniels Band

When I was a fan of them in Junior High and High School, folks would laugh at them because they "were a Country group". Truth is, up until the early 90's, I believe CDB had only 2 albums with more than one song featuring Charlie on the Fiddle. Most of his songs on most of his albums feature ol' Chuck wailing away Spanish-influenced riffs and licks on the guitar as if he were Carlos Santana! The guy's first album came out in 1970 and you'd need 2 sets of fingers and toes to count all the albums he's put out since then and he's all over the map of musical styles.

Allman/Dead styled pshychedelic jam rock:
No Place To Go
I've Been Down
Birmingham Blues
Looking For Mary Jane
Saddle Tramp
Revelations

Pure Hard Rock:
Funky Junky
Road Dogs
Trudy
Across The Line
Grapes Of Wrath
Redneck Fiddlin' Man (don't let the title fool you, this song cooks!)
Sweet Louisiana

Polished AOR Rock:
Still In Saigon
Dance With Me
Me And The Boys
Devil Went Down To Georgia
Class Of '63

Borderline Metal:
Billy Joe Young
Midnight Wind
Billy The Kid
Legend Of Woolley Swamp
Lonesome Boy From Dixie
El Toreador

Middle Of the Road Pop:
Makes You Wanna Go Home
Blue Star
Still Hurtin' Me
Blowing Along With The Wind
Lady In Red

Vegas Lounge Act Music:
South Sea Song
Potion For The Pain

Barroom, Shit-kickin' Country:
Texas
Drinkin' My Baby Goodbye
Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues
Feeling Free

Pumped Up Bluegrass:
Orange Blossom Special
South's Gonna Do It Again
Stroker's Theme

Hippy, dippy folk rock:
Long Haired Country Boy
Pope And The Dope
Uneasy Rider

Energetic Folk Rock:
Georgia
Willie Jones
Land Of Opportunity

Country Western:
Ode To Sweet Smokey
Cumberland Mountain Number Nine
Everything Is Kinda Alright
Damn Good Cowboy
Maria Theresa


Moronic Modern Country-Line-Dancing accesable Dog Crap:
Cowby Hat In Dallas
Twang Factor
A Few More Rednecks

Gospel:
Why Can't People
How Great Thou Art
Two Out Of Three

Blues:
Give This Fool Another Try
No Fool Like An Old Fool
If It Would Satisfy You


There's probably more as this is just off the top of my head and there are several of his recent albums that I do not have yet, one of which I know is supposed to be a collection of songs for children and another which is supposed to be pure Bluegrass.

[caljam]

The late great Tommy Bolin is one of the most versatile musicians in my record collection. He may have died aged only 26, but the range of material he left behind is astonishing.

For one so young, he managed blues, funk, rock, psychedelia, jazz fusion, and pop all so effortlessly. There aren't many musicians that young, who could do THAT much. Genius.

[Trexx]

There’s a few ‘groups’ that come to mind...

Led Zeppelin. They did a country song as well as all the blues and rock.

So did the Rolling Stones.

In my collection, country is NOT allowed, so Rainbow squashes them quite effectiviely. Arena rock, blues, pop, hard rock and gothic renaisance stuff.
Too cool. I loved all the different line ups and the way each album is a departure unto itself.
Richie rocks!

[jimmccormick3]

caljam said:

The late great Tommy Bolin is one of the most versatile musicians in my record collection. He may have died aged only 26, but the range of material he left behind is astonishing.

For one so young, he managed blues, funk, rock, psychedelia, jazz fusion, and pop all so effortlessly. There aren't many musicians that young, who could do THAT much. Genius.

Yep, I'll have to agree here!