No. The Byrds probably did invent alt country but the electric folk sound they are most associated with was more of a next step on Dylan's sound imo.
What did Tim do now?I so totally thought you were gone when Tim doubled down on posting.
I'd probably agree with you. But what did the Velvets do other than rock n' roll? It's a pretty tight race, all things considered, IMO. The Velvets did tons with the genre, but did they invent a sub-genre? In Eight Miles High, you hear the immediate alt-country strain and then onto the next. They're a pretty impressive band, maybe up on par.No. The Byrds probably did invent alt country but the electric folk sound they are most associated with was more of a next step on Dylan's sound imo.
rockation and tim are my only blocked posters. no matter the subject, all about them. I just noticed zero rockation activity and double Tim crap.What did Tim do now?
I'm glad to be blocked by you, Lutherman2112. Happy, actually. Until you start taking shots at me and then don't read the responses.rockation and tim are my only blocked posters. no matter the subject, all about them. I just noticed zero rockation activity and double Tim crap.
Combined modern art and art rock with real old fashioned rock. Introduced an attitude into rock and rock as story telling: hookers, hard drugs, gender bending, etc. They took rock into the modern age.I'd probably agree with you. But what did the Velvets do other than rock n' roll? It's a pretty tight race, all things considered, IMO. The Velvets did tons with the genre, but did they invent a sub-genre? In Eight Miles High, you hear the immediate alt-country strain and then onto the next. They're a pretty impressive band, maybe up on par.
Pythagoras might have been the true music revolutionary and everything after that is just dust, but I'm speaking colloquially.There are very few true revolutionaries in music. Even the early jazz cats like Armstrong and King Oliver, electronica pioneers like Stockhausen and Kraftwerk, and the original hip hop DJs like Kool Herc combined some elements from their musical forebearers.
Let's not stretch the truth too much here - they both had attitude - musical talent is a reachVelvet Underground is akin to NWA. They melded the grimy, tense realities of life in a decaying city with serious high level talent. Both probably blew the faces of suburban kids and angered parents like nothing ever before.
Say what? Lou Reed is a great guitarist and one of the best songwriters in rock. John Cale was a talented multi instrumentalist. As rap goes, Eazy and Cube are all timers. Dre is arguably the best producer in rap history.Let's not stretch the truth too much here - they both had attitude - musical talent is a reach
Red Sovine comes to mind.There are very few true revolutionaries in music. Even the early jazz cats like Armstrong and King Oliver, electronica pioneers like Stockhausen and Kraftwerk, and the original hip hop DJs like Kool Herc combined some elements from their musical forebearers.
Reed is really underrated as a guitarist. He doesn't play a lot of complex solos but his rhythm work is exceptional and influential. He holds his own (in your right speaker) with the great Robert Quine (on the left) on The Blue Mask.Say what? Lou Reed is a great guitarist and one of the best songwriters in rock. John Cale was a talented multi instrumentalist. As rap goes, Eazy and Cube are all timers. Dre is arguably the best producer in rap history.
Robert Quine
I'd agree the "revolutionary" tag doesn't fit either of these bands, mostly just because it's a vague, ill-defined term that seems to set a pretty high bar, but have to disagree with the notion that the Byrds "invented" alt-country. The term "alt-country" itself is pretty nebulous, but if we can agree it generally refers to country music acts who don't fit comfortably into the mainstream country music scene of their time, I think there are good arguments for many musicians that came well before the Byrds.No. The Byrds probably did invent alt country but the electric folk sound they are most associated with was more of a next step on Dylan's sound imo.
^^^^^^^^Don't know enough about music to be able to answer the question but for me Byrds >>> Velvet Underground
And now you've made this all about you. Congratulations.rockation and tim are my only blocked posters. no matter the subject, all about them. I just noticed zero rockation activity and double Tim crap.
I think VU were very revolutionary. You helped me prove my point about the Byrds at least.I'd agree the "revolutionary" tag doesn't fit either of these bands, mostly just because it's a vague, ill-defined term that seems to set a pretty high bar, but have to disagree with the notion that the Byrds "invented" alt-country. The term "alt-country" itself is pretty nebulous, but if we can agree it generally refers to country music acts who don't fit comfortably into the mainstream country music scene of their time, I think there are good arguments for many musicians that came well before the Byrds.
"Big Joe's the name", I told him mineRed Sovine comes to mind.
I have been highly impressed with his work on triangles....Pythagoras might have been the true music revolutionary and everything after that is just dust, but I'm speaking colloquially.
From The Rolling Stones top 100 artists about The Byrds (#45)Nice little touch in the NYT obit from Tom Petty: Mr. Petty grew up a student of the Beatles and the Byrds, and was also conversant in Southern rock, new wave and punk. That flexibility allowed Mr. Petty, who had first joined bands in his hometown, Gainesville, Fla., before moving to Los Angeles, to calmly float between eras, never owing too much to any one idea.
By Tom Petty
The Byrds are immortal because they flew so high. For me, they're still way, way up there. They left a huge mark. First off, the Byrds were the first credible American answer to the British Invasion. All of folk rock — for lack of a better term — descends directly from the music the Byrds made. They were certainly the first to introduce any sort of country element into rock music. As if all that wasn't enough, the Byrds spurred on a good degree of Bob Dylan's popularity, too. And not to be too shallow, but they also were just the best-dressed band around. They had those great clothes and hairdos. That counted for something even then.
I'll never forget hearing "Mr. Tambourine Man" for the first time on the radio -- the feeling of that Rickenbacker twelve-string guitar and those incredible harmonies. Roger McGuinn told me he took that guitar sound from A Hard Day's Night, but McGuinn was a banjo player, and he played the Rickenbacker in this rolling, fingerpicking style — no one had really tried it before. George Harrison admitted that "If I Needed Someone" was his take on the Byrds' "The Bells of Rhymney." The Byrds were the only American group that the Beatles were friendly with and had a dialogue with. Those original Byrds really changed the world in that short time they were together.
In some ways, they were an unlikely group to become rock & roll stars. Chris Hillman was from the bluegrass world. McGuinn had been in folk groups like the Limelighters and the Chad Mitchell Trio, as well as playing with Bobby Darin. David Crosby came out of the coffeehouse scene, too. Gene Clark played with the New Christy Minstrels. McGuinn once told me that the Byrds had to get together and really learn how to play rock & roll as a group. That was their first quest. Imagine a bunch of recovering folkies trying to learn how to make people dance.
The Byrds represented Los Angeles as much as the Beach Boys, except that the Byrds were the other side of the coin — they were L.A.'s whacked-out beatnik rock group. They're part of what drew me to Los Angeles and made me want to be in a band. I got to see the Byrds once at the West Palm Beach pop festival on the same bill with the Rolling Stones. In the beginning, that was the original blueprint for the Heartbreakers — we wanted to be a mix of the Byrds and the Stones. We figured, "What could be cooler than that?"
Tom Petty also wrote part of the foreword to The Zombies's "Zombie Heaven" box set. The Zombies are up for the R N' R Hall Of Fame This Year. If they don't get in, it's a shame.From The Rolling Stones top 100 artists about The Byrds (#45)
I think the Byrds made better records, sang better, and had better players (regardless of whether their faces were shown on album covers or not). They also changed, something VU never did.Yeah, I'm more Velvets, too, but the Byrds sound so far ahead in their guitar playing. I'm a dilettante; what do I know? I just know I love 'em.
Uruk, what's up?I think the Byrds made better records, sang better, and had better players (regardless of whether their faces were shown on album covers or not). They also changed, something VU never did.
I'm not discounting VU's influence - it was huge - but there's no doubt about whose records I'd rather listen to.
To answer the original question as it's worded (and it's loaded to slant one way), though, it would be the VU.
I'll defer. I honestly couldn't tell you which album a particular VU song came from. Everything I've heard from them sounds kinda similar.But I will raise one contentious point: I think VU changed dramatically from the banana album to their other self-titled, almost Grateful Dead-sounding album. That was only in the span of two or three years.
Regarding the bolded, yes they do. I'm actually talking about the psych-rock Byrds; unlike Eephus's contention, I'm thinking they actually were revolutionary.I'll defer. I honestly couldn't tell you which album a particular VU song came from. Everything I've heard from them sounds kinda similar.
Whereas, the Gram Parsons era of the Byrds sounds like a completely different band than the "Mr Tambourine" Byrds.
Maybe it's just because I've heard them more
You've obviously never heard of Florida-Georgia Line.There are very few true revolutionaries in music. Even the early jazz cats like Armstrong and King Oliver, electronica pioneers like Stockhausen and Kraftwerk, and the original hip hop DJs like Kool Herc combined some elements from their musical forebearers.
Eight miles...How high were you when you wanted to start debating this?
Nice little touch in the NYT obit from Tom Petty: Mr. Petty grew up a student of the Beatles and the Byrds, and was also conversant in Southern rock, new wave and punk. That flexibility allowed Mr. Petty, who had first joined bands in his hometown, Gainesville, Fla., before moving to Los Angeles, to calmly float between eras, never owing too much to any one idea.