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The current best band in the world?

There is of course no such thing. There’s not even a best Blues band, or Rock band, or Jazz band, or Country band, or any other kind of band. But a lot of us probably have a "favorite" band, one we like so much it is our favorite irrespective of genre. And so it is for me.

A band is the combined talents of all it’s members, different bands having varying distributions of talent levels amongst it’s members. There is a band that has been playing together now for 16 years, and damn are they good. It’s Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, and they are my current favorite band. All four members are extremely talented, and they work together as only the very best bands do.

Marty Stuart went on the road in a Gospel group at age 12, playing mandolin for the Summer before returning to school. He was caught in class reading a Country music magazine hidden in a history book, and explained to the teacher he would rather make history than read about it. He was expelled, so looked for a job. Lester Flatt hired him, and Marty went on the road with him at age 13. He worked with Lester until Flatt’s failing health took him off the road in ’78, then kicked around a little with Vassar Clements and Doc Watson. In 1980 he was hired by Johnny Cash, with whom he worked for years. Marty got himself a record deal, and put out a bunch of albums on MCA and Columbia. I met him at The Palomino (the legendary Country music bar in North Hollywood, where Dwight Yoakam got his start) in the early 90’s, and a nicer guy you couldn’t find. He owns a bunch of historic guitars, including Pop Staple’s acoustic and Clarence White’s (The Byrds) Telecaster.

Drummer Harry Stinson is a superb musician and singer, long employed in Nashville studios in both capacities. Guitarist Kenny Vaughan is a Telecaster ace whom I first saw live playing guitar in Lucinda Williams’ band, on the Car Wheels tour. He’s also a real good harmony singer, with his own recent solo album. Bassist Chris Scruggs, Grandson of Earl Scruggs, is an incredible multi-instrumentalist (a first-call pedal steel player in Nashville) and, again, good harmony singer. Country musicians grow up singing as well as playing instruments.

All these guys are seasoned pros, talented not only on the instruments they play, but also as ensemble players; those are very different talents. Their latest album, Way Out West, was produced by Petty’s guitarist Mike Campbell, he also a big fan of Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives. Great band name!

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slaw's avatar
slaw
5,785 posts
 
Well, here goes...The Flaming Lips.

I’ve been long in trying to get my mind wrapped around this band. That long time effort has been rewarded. I just finished listening to "The Dark Side of the Moon" from their box.

From the mind of Wayne Coyne and his band of fully developed, like minded bandmates, come the most interesting, fully thought-out, never to be topped, version of one of THE most revered lps of all time!

I’ve been searching this band for years, and, for one reason or another, they never clicked,,...Boy, was I SO wrong!

This revelation was made by having discounted lps made to us all by the following...otherwise, I may not have ever ordered.

https:// www.oldies.com Register with them. Once or twice a year, they offer huge discounts. The most recent was Labor Day. I made a HUGE score!

https:// www.insound.com Register with them and you’ll be rewarded with more, new/up-to-date deals on current releases. ON these, they offer decent discounts w/ free shipping on one lp. NOT BAD! These discounts are at best 55%.

Well, since the demise of Sound Stage Direct (SSD), the other two major on-line record sellers will not likely ever go beyond 20% off again.

slaw's avatar
slaw
5,785 posts
 
one more...

https:// www.popmarket.com  They offer up-to-date/current releases at a very good discount w/free shipping for a single lp...not bad at all.
cisgo
18 posts
 
The current best band is the same best band for the last 49 years.....King Crimson. It,s not even close (just my opinion).  
jdub071
48 posts
 
Amen to hoggster--Rolling Stones are rock 'n roll's gold standard. Over the years have loved a bunch and hard to keep up with who is still together. Loved the Who, Roger Daltrey's voice on Love Reign O'er Me on the Quadrophenia album gives me goosebumps and I don't know how many vinyl copies of Dark Side of the Moon I wore out. Then there is Jethro Tull--probably have more Tull vinyl than any other. Love the Eagles, Tom Petty, Weather Report, a reggae band named Third World and the list gos on. Love Ann and Nancy of Heart, Chrissy Hinde, The Eurythmics, don't make me pick just one. Don't forget Daft Punk or the Danish Symphony who's version of the movie theme of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly is amazing.
whart's avatar
whart
1,930 posts
 
@cisgo- I would encourage anyone here who has never heard Crimson recently to catch them. Probably one of the best produced, highest quality of musicianship, leave you stunned shows I have ever attended. (I caught them here in Austin last year at Bass Hall, and stupidly passed up an invite to catch them at the Beacon in NY a few years before).
Even if you don’t think much of "prog" rock, they deliver such a high level of performance live and sound hounds will revel in it. No overloading of the room, thunderously deep bass on that Chapman Stick played by Tony Levin (who is no slouch), three drummers. When they break into a lyrical song like Starless or Epitaph --and almost no one had the voice of Greg Lake but Jakko covers his parts pretty well-- it is goosebump time.
I’m not much of a believer in "best" anything-- but these guys are astoundingly good.
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