Best Old School Blues Artist

[alive she cried]

They started it all, we would not have rock music today if ti was'nt for these legends, fact.

 

But who was the best? tough decision i know

 

(frankly i'll be happy to get more than two votes in this (i'm not expecting a lot of interest *sigh*))

[Reverend Jax]

It's between the first five on the list....

[JunkerSeed]

Robert Johnson, because he sounds like a a fucking ghost on those recordings.

[Reverend Jax]

That's all fine and good, bu that doesn't make him the best on the list. I'm leaning towards Muddy, but still not sure....

[Jumbie]

I was thinking Muddy or maybe a write-in vote for Little Walter's harmonica, but then I remembered how good it feels everytime I listen to 300 Pounds of Joy and I had to go with Howlin' Wolf. Thing about old school blues is that you're often choosing between different versions of the same song. The roots of the music make it so. Sometimes it's different lyrics with the same music etc. The definition of an original composition is kinda unclear so you mostly judge based on how the voice/guitar sounds and what kinda feeling it brings out. And to me Howlin' Wolf is having fun everytime he sings and makes u feel it too.

 

Point of interest: For a long time Nick/ Irish Namechanger thought the guy's name was Howlin Woof. I'm still trying to imagine what an animal making a howlin' woof sounds like...

 

I also think Sonny Boy Williamson, Charlie Musselwhite and Bo Diddley shoulda made the nominations list.

 

Oh yeah and I don't know if they qualify as old-school since they're kinda chronologically modern, but, MAN, Etta James and Koko Taylor get my motor tickin every time.

[alive she cried]

for me it was between muddy, hooker and howlin' wolf.

 

but when i listen to mannish boy, man o man what a song.

i had it on all the time over in prague when i was over for my 21st, it was quite appropriate.

that swung it in muddy's favour for me.

 

I also think Sonny Boy Williamson, Charlie Musselwhite and Bo Diddley shoulda made the nominations list.

the list was compiled from artists in my music collection

[Reverend Jax]

I also think Sonny Boy Williamson, Charlie Musselwhite and Bo Diddley shoulda made the nominations list.

 

Oh yeah and I don't know if they qualify as old-school since they're kinda chronologically modern, but, MAN, Etta James and Koko Taylor get my motor tickin every time.

Yeah, Bo Diddley's "I'm A Man" alone makes him a legend.

 

And if we're gonna have female blues singers, sorry, it's all about Billie Holiday. But this does get be thinking about how Janis isn't represented in ASC's Rock Blues poll. Freaking sexist Irishmen...

[JunkerSeed]

That's all fine and good, bu that doesn't make him the best on the list. I'm leaning towards Muddy, but still not sure....

 

 

I didn't mean just because they sound like shit. I could put any of the others on the list through a filter to sound like that. His voice is pretty fucking haunting, and I don't get that from anyone else on the list. I also think he's by far the best songwriter on the list, and he has written most if not all of what he recorded. Come on in my Kitchen and Me and the Devil Blues are two of the most well written blues songs I can think of, from the lyrics to the composition.

[The NZA]

When did i think it was Howlin Woof? I did?

 

I also think Sonny Boy Williamson, Charlie Musselwhite and Bo Diddley shoulda made the nominations list.

 

i think you and i shared blue collections at one point, exact names i thought missing.

 

I likes bo didley and hooker both, but i think im going with muddy waters on this one. So much influential shit from him, even up to electric mud. Can agree enough that we wouldnt have rock/hip hop/etc as we know it without these guys.

Jax, i smell a Motown poll next.

[Reverend Jax]

Oh man, Motown...I can't think of anyone that would top Stevie Wonder for me.

 

Oh man, Motown...I can't think of anyone that would top Stevie Wonder for me.

[The NZA]

so nice, you says it twice.

 

Youve got a great list tho, Temptations, Ron Isley, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers (one of my favorites), Al Green, Supremes, 4 Tops, i think some'd argue the Jackson 5, so many greats. Ill do this poll if you wont.

[Reverend Jax]

You'd probably leave of the best artists. Do me a favor and at least inspect Wikipedia's list of Motown Artists before you go doing something like leaving off Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, or Martha & the Vandellas, or the Isley Brothers, or Gladys Knight & the Pips.

[The NZA]

very well.. ill do the poll tonight then, after copying your one-hit wonders there.

[Reverend Jax]

Are you serious?

 

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: You've Really Got a Hold on Me, The Tracks Of My Tears, I Second That Emotion, Tears of a Clown, Love Machine.

Martha & The Vandelles: (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave, Dancing In The Streets, Nowhere to Run.

Isley Brothers: Twist & Shout, This Old Heart of Mine, Fight The Power, It's Your Thing.

Gladys Knight & The Pips: I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Midnight Train To Georgia, If I Were Your Woman, Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)

[The NZA]

Whatever! with names like those, theyll never make it in this town.

you best to learn bout Bill Withers

[Jumbie]

Just to be clear...

 

If someone gave me that old question "You're gonna be on an island for a year and you can only have an ipod with ONE of these artists, who will it be?", I'd say B B King.

 

He's by far my favorite (and the best) on there. I didn't vote for him because I don't think he qualifies as old-school. A lot of the stuff I like from his is more modern and just doesn't seem to 'fit' the old school blues mold. More of a Bluesy Pop...

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that people are avoiding mentioning BB here in the thread cuz they might lose cool points for going with the obvious name.

[alive she cried]

i voted for muddy 'cos he's old school and 'cos he's the best here,

 

for me the three obvious ones are muddy, johnson and hooker