The Border Battle Of The Bands 2015

[AlreadyGone95]

So, JCL, what's up with this game? You must be on vacation?

I've been wondering the same thing Brooke. I'm eager to see who's in the final round.

[sodascouts]

It's probably too late for me to vote, but just for the record...

Match 1. THE ROLLING STONES vs LED ZEPPELIN

Match 2. FLEETWOOD MAC vs THE BEATLES

[Freypower]

I have been in contact with JCL & sadly he has informed me that he is leaving The Border for the time being. I have therefore decided to conduct the final round myself.

The results of the semi-finals were:

Led Zeppelin 7 votes
Rolling Stones 8 votes

Beatles 8 votes
Fleetwood Mac 6 votes

The final will therefore be between the Rolling Stones & the Beatles & will be left open until this time next week (Saturday August 22, my time).

May the best band win. I will allow someone else to cast the first vote before I cast mine.

[L101]

Hope JCL is ok. It's sad that he has to leave the game now after all the work he has put into it, but good on you FP, for stepping in and finishing the game for him.

So now, for my vote - think it has to be The Rolling Stones

[WalshFan88]

The Rolling Stones

[AlreadyGone95]

The Rolling Stones

[Lisa]

The Beatles

[sodascouts]

So sorry to hear he has decided to leave for now! I too hope all is well with him.

Looks like another predictable ending where the almighty Beatles win (although it's true they're behind now, I have a feeling that will change). They remain worshiped by most of a generation that will never see them as less than gods. They are trailblazers, yes. They deserve respect. They do not IMHO deserve the uncritical adulation they receive from so many. I'm so freaking sick of them always winning everything largely because they were the first to make it big.

I recognize that people have a right to like who they like, but it is a bit tiresome to see them sweeping all the contests all the time.

I wonder at how so many Beatles fans (I'm generalizing, not targeting anyone here - there are people far more rabid about the Beatles on the Fleetwood Mac boards) seem to find it unfathomable that any band could ever even come close to those guys. Questioning the Beatles' supposed immense superiority to any other band, ever, creates among these fans astonishment and outrage. They even lavish high praise upon an inane song like "Yellow Submarine" that, if it were by any other band, would have long ago been relegated to the trash heap of history. Even the turds are considered gold nuggets if they're by the Beatles, because... well... they're the Beatles and the Beatles are the greatest and we love to hear them sing!

Again, I do recognize they are a great band. Several of their songs are really good, some are terrific. They deserve to be highly regarded.

I just don't understand why they always get dubbed "the greatest EVER". Even songs I enjoy like "She Loves You" are full of simplistic rhymes like "you know that can't be bad / you know you should be glad". Yes, the song is catchy and fun and I like it, but it hardly shouts "BEST BAND EVER" to me. That's hardly isolated. So many of their songs are like that.

People talk about how their late work is so much more sophisticated, but that's not always true. How about "you say it's your birthday / it's my birthday too / happy birthday / happy birthday to you." That's just stupid and yet the album it's on is considered one of the best albums ever! There are great songs on that album, but there's a lot of filler too. "The best album ever" should not have so many less-than-stellar songs on it. "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"? Come on indeed. A good beat but the lyrics are lazy... oh wait, John Lennon wrote the lyrics? It's actually a really deep song, then!

Sorry, no. The Beatles had reached the point of self-indulgence - perhaps believing their own hype that they could do no wrong - and it shows. The White Album does not stand against the best albums of Fleetwood Mac - or the Eagles either, for that matter. (OK, it would beat the worst of the Mac, but Fleetwood Mac's stronger albums surpass it as well as other Beatles albums).

So much of their worshipful following is due to sentimentality, from what I can tell. Then again, who am I to question sentimentality? It's just as valid a reason to vote for a band as any, I suppose. It's just a shame that it seems to always trump everything else, at least in these types of contests.

This rant is more about them beating Fleetwood Mac than the current round, however. Even I find them better than the Rolling Stones (and thus I alienate everyone voting in this round, lol). Off the top of my head, I can only come up with about six songs I know by the Rolling Stones, and of those I mostly know just the choruses. I can come up with far more for the Beatles, and most of the Beatles' hits I know in their entirety. They've stayed in my head when the Rolling Stones songs have not. I have also bought a couple Beatles Greatest Hits albums and Revolver (which I was disappointed by), but I've never felt moved to buy a Rolling Stones album. Completely subjective, I know, but isn't all of this subjective?

However, I abstain from voting for now because I want to see if the Beatles will actually get toppled after all.

[AlreadyGone95]

So sorry to hear he has decided to leave for now! I too hope all is well with him.

Looks like another predictable ending where the almighty Beatles win (although it's true they're behind now, I have a feeling that will change). They remain worshiped by most of a generation that will never see them as less than gods. They are trailblazers, yes. They deserve respect. They do not IMHO deserve the uncritical adulation they receive from so many. I'm so freaking sick of them always winning everything largely because they were the first to make it big.

I recognize that people have a right to like who they like, but it is a bit tiresome to see them sweeping all the contests all the time.

I wonder at how so many Beatles fans (I'm generalizing, not targeting anyone here - there are people far more rabid about the Beatles on the Fleetwood Mac boards) seem to find it unfathomable that any band could ever even come close to those guys. Questioning the Beatles' supposed immense superiority to any other band, ever, creates among these fans astonishment and outrage. They even lavish high praise upon an inane song like "Yellow Submarine" that, if it were by any other band, would have long ago been relegated to the trash heap of history. Even the turds are considered gold nuggets if they're by the Beatles, because... well... they're the Beatles and the Beatles are the greatest and we love to hear them sing!

Again, I do recognize they are a great band. Several of their songs are really good, some are terrific. They deserve to be highly regarded.

I just don't understand why they always get dubbed "the greatest EVER". Even songs I enjoy like "She Loves You" are full of simplistic rhymes like "you know that can't be bad / you know you should be glad". Yes, the song is catchy and fun and I like it, but it hardly shouts "BEST BAND EVER" to me. That's hardly isolated. So many of their songs are like that.

People talk about how their late work is so much more sophisticated, but that's not always true. How about "you say it's your birthday / it's my birthday too / happy birthday / happy birthday to you." That's just stupid and yet the album it's on is considered one of the best albums ever! There are great songs on that album, but there's a lot of filler too. "The best album ever" should not have so many less-than-stellar songs on it. "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"? Come on indeed. A good beat but the lyrics are lazy... oh wait, John Lennon wrote the lyrics? It's actually a really deep song, then!

Sorry, no. The Beatles had reached the point of self-indulgence - perhaps believing their own hype that they could do no wrong - and it shows. The White Album does not stand against the best albums of Fleetwood Mac - or the Eagles either, for that matter. (OK, it would beat the worst of the Mac, but Fleetwood Mac's stronger albums surpass it as well as other Beatles albums).

So much of their worshipful following is due to sentimentality, from what I can tell. Then again, who am I to question sentimentality? It's just as valid a reason to vote for a band as any, I suppose. It's just a shame that it seems to always trump everything else, at least in these types of contests.

This rant is more about them beating Fleetwood Mac than the current round, however. Even I find them better than the Rolling Stones (and thus I alienate everyone voting in this round, lol). Off the top of my head, I can only come up with about six songs I know by the Rolling Stones, and of those I mostly know just the choruses. I can come up with far more for the Beatles, and most of the Beatles' hits I know in their entirety. They've stayed in my head when the Rolling Stones songs have not. I have also bought a couple Beatles Greatest Hits albums and Revolver (which I was disappointed by), but I've never felt moved to buy a Rolling Stones album. Completely subjective, I know, but isn't all of this subjective?

However, I abstain from voting for now because I want to see if the Beatles will actually get toppled after all.

. There needs to be a "like" button or something. Soda, you said what I couldn't put into words.


I'm a "classic rock" enthusiast. I love the classic bands. (Although I dislike the term classic rock. I prefer to categorize a band by their genre(s) of music). However, as I said before in this game, I don't "get" The Beatles. They have some good/great songs, but few that I'd say that I truly love. (Revolution, Come Together and Let It Be). There are a handful of others that I like. I realize that they created many firsts, and without them, a certain band might not exist (or a certain male might not have become a musician). I respect their influence and legacy. I wouldn't label them the best band ever, especially based upon the content of their songs. Coming from this generation, I can't see or maybe understand the impact they had as well as parents' generation. (baby boomers).


As for the Stones, I enjoy them. They'd make my top 50 band list. I own some of their stuff on cd and vinyl. I can remember being 10 or so and singing along with Satisfaction, Start Me Up or It's Only Rock n Roll. Their more bluesy and country sound (at times) appeal to me more than The Beatles' "pop" sound. I love Sympathy for the Devil and Shattered, among others. (Those are my top 2 songs of theirs).


So if I may, Go Stones!

[Keith]

The Rolling Stones

Soda, I agree with your assessment of The Beatles, but I'm also a Stones fan. The Eagles are MY favorite band, but if I had to make an argument for THE greatest rock band of all time, The Stones would be my choice. Some of their work, such as "You Can't Always Get What You Want", was like philosophy wrapped in a drum beat and guitar riff. Treat yourself to Forty Licks, a forty track greatest hits album. I bet you know more than six.