Why do all the best, most influential bands come from britain?

[vincentvangogo]

Two words- Art school

[PhilR]

Originally Posted by musikwerks

Oh yeah, and what about that chick that rips off Aretha Franklin, what's her name??? Amy Wino???

The British nations favourite Smackhead. :D

[guid0]

Originally Posted by charlesaustin

Take Dazed and Confused for instance, it is the passacaglia of the Dido and Aneas opera

Dazed and confused was originally written by Jake Holmes and "stolen" by Led Zeppelin. The fact that both the Purcell piece and this song are based on a descending chromatic/minor scale doesn't mean that they are one and the same.

[CREAMY WILLIAMS]

The Jimi Hendrix Experience was a British band.

I would not claim that most of the best bands and artists come from Britain, but per-capita, we are (or were) the best.

There is a certain type of aggression (The Who, punk, two-tone) which we excel at. Maybe it is because we tend to be less opitmistic and far more cynical than Americans. We are also generally more drunk.

We are also world leaders in depressing music (The Smiths, The Cure, Joy Division)

Things are not so good in the uk nowadays. France has the best pop music (and hip-hop) in the world at the moment imo.

[bigdoghat]

I heard Nic Harcourt talking on KCRW the other day about this very question - this man definitely knows his music - his opinion is that there's this back and forth thing that goes on - someone inspirational comes out of the U.S. and then bands in Britain will take a bit of that and add their own flavour - then the reverse happens. Seems to be cyclical - if you've ever watched the PBS special 'The History of Rock and Roll' then this theory is clearly shown.

[3rd&4thT]

As an American of British family, with considerable much-loved family still in the U.K., I must say the opening premise of this thread is the kind of weakly-argued chauvinism the Brits parade in all kinds of music.

Every British band you can name grew up on American bands, certainly the Beatles and the Stones and every one since then. It's how they got the fire in the belly in the first place and it's how they measure their achievement in the end.

This assertion of British superiority is usually accompanied by feeble snide remarks about American commercialism and philistinism, based on envy of the much larger market and scale of success. Sillier still is the implication that 200 years of political independence is insufficient for writing good dance tunes, which kind of kills off the entire World Music scene on a technicality.

Until 1965 (there was rock before then, remember?), a British rock recording session consisted of gathering the band and engineers in the studio and playing a newly-imported American single for them, then having them improvise a cover version on the spot with no charts.

American rock is often based on grievances of age and occasionally race. Where British rock thrives is in anger based on class, the absolute desperation that comes from the hopelessness of a rigidly structured society, still after all these years twitchy-nose sensitive to minute levels of social distinction. Americans never understand this on a gut level, but if Brits can't nail your class and ethnicity in the first 30 seconds they go bonkers. (I really shouldn't say all Brits, just every single one I've met over several decades of experience.)

I will say that the Brits often write excellent lyrics, for as a wise man once said, "Americans use the English language for communication, and the British use the English language to avoid communication." In this context, many prime British rock lyrics offer elaborate punning and wordplay that Americans find exotic and alien. OTOH, if an American songwriter wants to say "I love you," he or she will.

On the subject of centuries of culture, the famous conductor Hans Richter called England a "Land Ohne Musik," a Land Without Music. More recently the conductor Erich Leinsdorf said something to the effect that the London Symphony picked up music faster in one rehearsal than any other orchestra, but in a second rehearsal they never got any better. Comments like these lead to over-reaching in the opposite direction from defenders of the U.K. side.

If you tell me that you like British bands better, that's fine. If you tell me British bands are more glib than their American counterparts, I'll agree with you. Some are more polished, certainly. A taste of Celt added to the recipe can be bracing.

But better? Never, we're talking about American music first, last and always. Everybody else is just visiting.

The English are moral, the English are good
And clever and modest and misunderstood....

The English, the English, the English are best
So up with the English and down with the rest.

It’s not that they’re wicked or naturally bad
It’s knowing they’re foreign that makes them so mad!
------Michael Flanders

Yours for transatlantic harmony,
3rd&4thT

[Space Station]

As a Brit I'd like to say this is bollocks..the best and most influential bands come from all over the world. In fairly recent times: Sex Pistols, Joy Division etc..UK. Sonic Youth, Pixies..etc. USA. Kraftwerk, Can...etc. Germany

Of course there are many, many others in all different genres.

Every country produces reams of shit too..obviously. Does it need any more analysis?

[3rd&4thT]

Originally Posted by Space Station

As a Brit I'd like to say this is bollocks

I have no problem with that. Cheers.

3rd&4thT

[Sourceq]

Why there are more "good" and innovative bands in Britain than in e.g. US? Maybe because British got better attitude? Yeah and it's always raining in Britain so they have more time to spend inside and write great songs.

[Tone Laborer]

The answer is Stonehenge.

But historically, it all goes back to American Blacks. They have been at the forefront of nearly every major music trend for decades and decades.

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by guid0

Dazed and confused was originally written by Jake Holmes and "stolen" by Led Zeppelin. The fact that both the Purcell piece and this song are based on a descending chromatic/minor scale doesn't mean that they are one and the same.

Whole Lotta Love was ripped off from Willie Dixon.
I guess that's what happens when you try to write songs on acid.

[paddy64]

I believe that any modern pop or rock that doesn't have a direct umbilical link to "a wop bop a looma a lop bam boom" isn't worth a ****. No Englishman would have come up with that line. For me, Music should make you feel like you're living the moment, not describing it. The nearest we got to it, on the whole was punk, the Stones and a couple of Beatles tracks.We got a bit hung up on irony and French philosophical constructs and lost the plot.

[De chromium cob]

Originally Posted by NowWhat

if only there was some way to find out.... BLAST!!! maybe one day.

LOL!