Jul 192008
Thanks to Townsman Al, the MC5 has been back in heavy rotation for me lately. They were groundbreaking in a lot of ways, but let’s putting aside all of their musical contributions for the moment and just discuss their Look. They are the coolest looking band of all time.
Here’s a short list why:
- Dueling guitarists who look like their both having a great time and saving the world.
- Perfect mix of cheesy showbiz razzle-dazzle and Big Rock Poses.
- Rob Tyner’s ‘fro. No disrespect to folks like Sib Hashien and Magic Dick but Tyner was there first.
Sure, there is no lack of cool looking bands, but are there any other serious contenders the Coolest Looking Band Of All Time (tm)? Please show your work.
Having not been even born at that point MC5 was originally making music, I can’t concede that the pinnacle of rock n roll cool looks is MC5…unless maybe I belong to a post cool generation.
I can see where Lenny Kravitz gets his look now, and I do concede that MC5 exudes cool (the hair especially), but in a way its the same kind of cool my post hippie uncles exuded when they taught me how to “give them 5” when I was little.
I have a feeling that cool is a very generational thing, and I don’t think MC5 transcends their generation enough to be the coolest looking band ever.
The look of coolness with Elvis, Dylan, The Beatles, and The Clash transcend their generation more I think. You still see a lot of bands trying to emulate their look (young Elvis, not fat Elvis).
If there were a cross generational pole for coolest looking band ever, my guess is the U2 would be a strong contender.
If I were to speak for my generation, my guess is that Nirvana would get the most votes.
A light hearted short list of cool looks for my generation would be:
– Lead singers with the Thom Yorke “bob and weave”*: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4XMgyibjqgc&feature=relatedmy
*my favorite variation (although a bit more subtle) of this would be Matt Berninger in The National: http://youtube.com/watch?v=v7bWjGAq09s&feature=related
– apparently dueling drummers (or is that not cool, but pretentious?): http://youtube.com/watch?v=s9Iu-af5QMU&feature=related
&
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mmm_SjUAK7I
– beards: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fpa9Q7MdTc0&feature=related
– and of course, at the time, flannel: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Cr_XGnbsLZw&feature=related
I will also concede that thinking flannel is/was cool, may disqualify me from any looking cool discussions
MC5 had a cool look, gar-un-teed.
Though I gotta agree with mac regarding it being a generational thing.
Also, are there different kinds of cool? MC5 seem to be of that “my sister’s boyfriend is so cool” cool.
But what about The Residents. That was a cool look in my book.
But back to the MC5, I think this is cooler though the rug may in fact be what ties the cool together here.
Did Jimi and the Experience have rock-fros before Tyner?
The MC5’s Look only become truly impressive when it was set in motion. They were the kings of mark schau in the era when people still danced at concerts. Frontmen danced, but those two guitarists worked it like no one else. I did see the MC5 play when they were a little past their prime, and at the time I had a hard time dealing with it, because the reserved hippie/freak statuary approach had already taken hold.
Carnaby Street era Kinks were pretty damn cool.
Isn’t this the third time this topic has been recycled?
Doesn’t matter, it’s a great topic.
Longtimers to RTH know of my rabid love for the MC5.
But even I think that the Who, in their mod period (Union Jacks, target shirts, etc.) were way cooler looking.
sat says “Isn’t this the third time this topic has been recycled?”
I say: Most likely. I’ve never been accused of original thought.
I agree with Big Steve that video of the MC5 better demonstrates the full might of their look.
I like how Mac kicked this RTH Classic of a thread into some new areas. I’m old school. I grew up staring at Beatles album covers and photos. I think they maintained a cool Look throughout their career as Beatles. Plus, they not only looked cool, but each guy was good looking in his own way. It’s rare to have a band without a dog to hide somewhere out of the spotlights. Along with the benefit of the Beatles breaking up before they ever released a turd of an album, they also broke up before releasing a turd of a Collective Look. No Dirty Work skeletons in their closet.
In high school the coolest looking band was The Clash, but they were an untouchable Fonzie-level of cool. What eventually struck me as an Untapped Cool was the Look of The Undertones on their first album. Their floods were especially cool. Here’s an early press shot of them that highlights their floods. If only we’d known floods could have been cool when we were outgrowing our jeans as fast as our parents could buy them in 5th and 6th grades.
http://www.cultfound.org/interviewfeargalsharkeyunde.jpg
Now I’m much older, but I still admire elements of the newer generation’s cool. The Soundtrack of Our Lives has a pretty cool collective Look that pulls on tradition. I especially like the singer’s turning a bad Brian Wilson Look into a positive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ypGMqogMq0
But it rarely feels right for me to fully embrace the cool of some musician 20 years older than me. Rather, I’m more often thrilled by seeing a musician even 15 years older than me still project cool by the strength of his own confidence and calm. I think that’s what it’s going to take as we get older.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX0lvw78NCQ
“they also broke up before releasing a turd of a Collective Look. No Dirty Workskeletons in their closet.”
I think the SGT PEPPER look is pretty horrific.
the coats are ridiculous, John’s moustache is an atrocity. It reminds me of that creepy hippy in ez rider who gives our heroes the acid. Paul (or his double) with a moustache is equally lousy.
I don’t even think the album itself is as good as the two that flank it, but it’s still an incredible
groundbreaking record, which is why i think we all look past that look.
coolest rock band look ever?
Velvet Underground
I also say the greasy-haired, unwashed-McCartney, millionaire street-bum Look from 1969 or thereabouts was an error.
Even taking personality issues out of the mix and focusing solely on Look, U2 has had a number of incredibly uncool periods. They shouldn’t even be in the mix.
For The Who, I don’t know, I’m not convinced Daltrey ever really had a cool look, but maybe I’m just having trouble putting aside his long hair and fringe era. I notice lately that he’s turned into Eric Idle, which is a little disconcerting.
MC5 is pretty hard to beat. Maybe if The Music Machine had sold their Evil Beatles Look to another band, there would be a stronger contender.
I’m afraid bell bottoms should immediately disqualify any band from looking cool. And by bell bottoms, I also include ridiculously wide “boot cuts.” The kind that tourists would wear, but no seasoned cow-poke would because they’d be afraid of their pant leg getting caught.
Otherwise Mariachi bands would be the coolest bands in town.
Its like spandex in the 80’s, for some reason it was cool at the time, but come on.
Mac, bellbottoms were cooler than you would think. They made the wearer larger than life.
It’s time to bring up my gay love for Pete Townshend, again…
I don’t know about cool-looking per se, however, when I was first confronted with this image, I just knew that that bloke down front was going to kick my ass. And he did.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/PhotozOnline/Album%20Two/The_Who_Union_Jack.jpg
Maybe, I’m just jazzed about the rock honors show. Now I can hear “Baba O’Riley for the umpteenth time. Man, I love The Who.
TB
I think you have to give some props to the soul groups of the ’60s & ’70s such as the Temptations & Booker T. & the M.G.’s, who were wearing green mohair suits @ the Monterey Pop Festival while everybody else was doing the hippie thing. I think the Who was the coolest looking during Roger’s “Dippty-Do” period & let’s not forget the Small Faces, who were all pretty dapper. As for the Jam, I think that Paul was several steps ahead of the other two, especially Bruce Foxton, who had that mullet.
Also, in that Byrds v. Hollies thread you had going there, I found it surprising that nobody commented on the many attempts by Bobby Elliot to disguise his balding head with hats ‘n wigs on their TV appeaarances & photos.
Good call, re: Bobby Elliot, diskojoe! We’ve never focused on rock’s handling of baldness through the years, have we? Could be a good topic for future discussion if anyone’s interested in taking it up!
It doesn’t get much cooler than this:
https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/htsrv/viewfile.php?root=collection_2&path=barkays_fix.jpg&viewtype=image
p.s.: man, but I wish I coulda just inserted this image into my post. Couldn’t figure out how. Is this do-able for folks like me with mere mortal posting privileges?