h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

We've hinted at this as a gap in the Guide for at least two years, yet no-one's taken up the challenge. So come on h2g2, we want an entry on the second-best rock band of all time in the Edited Guide by the end of the year. Who's gonna take up the challenge, eh?

We can't get no...
Satisfaction!

It is sometimes most amazing just to see what is not* in the guide, rather than that which has managed already to enter it I don't really know that much about them... but if I remember, I could put something together if I can get some good resurch on it over the net, I'll try to remember

Who's the first greatest rock band,surely thats open to debate?

Nope, it's actually The Law that the Beatles win that accolade. Natalie says so

The Stones win second place on longevity, if nothing else, although at the Towers we're much more fond of the Kinks' music, to be honest.

I'll second that. Ray Davies is probably one of my top three songwriters of all time, battling it out with Dylan and Bono.

B

Now your talking,i was interested on the 1st

There was a superb documentary on Ray Davies last night on ITV. Made me get out my 'Best of the Kinks' CD, which I'll be listening to in work today.

Right, The Stones. Off the top of my head I can't name them all, I think.

Mick Jagger - singer. Has had solo singles too. In the late 1960s he was arrested for possession of drugs, which became a major scandal.

Keith Richards - guitar and Jagger's songwriting partner. He was arested at the same time as Jagger.

Keith Moon - deceased drummer.

Er...

Nope, blank.

Bill Wyman?

So should I write this or does someone want to badger me over the head with an Aardvark pan for the 'priviledge'? I'e located a couple of biogrophy books that I can get plenty enough information I think* from, and of course I've the web to attack Will have to wait a week or so till I'm back from things and badgers and whatnot what ho, hoyus!

Correctamundo, Gnomon... the other original members were Brian Jones (rhythm guitar, died in the late sixties) and Charlie Watts on drums (not Keith Moon, who was in the Who - shame on you, Jimster!).

Replacements for Brian Jones included Mick Taylor, but not for very long (he was in the 'Only Rock n' Roll But I Like It' incident on Top of the Pops or wherever, when the band nearly drowned in foam) and then Ronnie Wood.

Sorry. I thought that was funny

(I did know who Keith Moon is. He's married to kat in EastEnders, innee?)

Bill Wyman - of course!

And Ronnie Wood!

2Legs, if you can get soemthing together on this, that'd be brill!

I agree with Natile, the Beatles were the greatest rock band ever..


* and hides*

I'm not convinced that 'rock' is the best description...

B

Well by a modern defination no, but at the time didn't they identifiy as Rock and Roll? (as opposed to the modern sort of Rock..)

What, better than the Mighty Lemon Drops? Get out of here!

I'd like to have a crack at this, but perhaps doing the stones as one entry might be a bit much. I'm personally fonder of the early bluesy stuff, so perhaps if I can find a good cut-off point, I can do the early years.

I know that I have a Mojo with an obit of the guy who was dropped from the band as his face "didn't fit" with their image. I have a flatmate with a stupid amout of music trivia in his head, too, which might help. So they're good starting points.

...how does from the beginning up to the death of Brian Jones and the Hyde Park free gig sound? Too little?

Sounds good to me - once it's in PR, it's very much an ongoing process, so we'll really find out then.

I would say there are various approaches to this.

- Birth of the Rolling Stones: An entry that looks solely at the origins of the abnd up to and maybe including their first album or two.

- The Rolling Stones - the Band: a biographical entry that looks at the individuals that make up the band, without too much reference to their music.

Alternatively, this could be split into different entries, so that, a bit like the Beatles entries, there's a separate one for each band member, one for each album and one for the 'history' of the band itself.

It's debatable which approach is better, but any of these would work for me.

This is a quick sketch of how I might like to set it out:

Intro - blues and rock & roll. The music that influenced the early stones, ending with Richards meeting Jagger with a Chuck Berry and a Muddy Waters album.

Biography - Information on early life of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. Too early for Mick Taylor or Ronnie Wood. Also Ian Stewart, the 'sixth member' and road manager.

1963-1966 - Early singles, first two albums, Aftermath, early gigs, rise of the stones, growing of hair, Klein & Loog-Oldham. (may break this into two sections)

1966-1969 - Their Satanic Majesties Request, 1967 drugs bust, Marianne Faithful, Anita Pallenberg, Beggars Banquet, Performance, Rock & Roll Circus, Death of Brian Jones, Hyde Park gig with Mick Taylor.

(btw - I'm the old DoctorGonzo. Long time no see )