List of the Week

Once, years back, I was loitering in a bookstore, perusing the pages of some pop music encyclopedia, and the first words in the entry for each artist gave some florid description of their music, like “psychedelic dream pop” or “proto goth metal.” Then I got to The Replacements, and it said simply rock and roll. Damn right, I thought. And so as I prepare to see another rock and roll band – The Hold Steady – tonight, I give you a non-exclusive list of ten great no-nonsense, four-on-the-floor, guitar-bass-drums (keyboards optional), rock and roll bands, in no particular order.

1. The Rolling Stones
2. The Clash
3. The Replacements
4. The Hold Steady
5. The Faces listen to Pool Hall Richard
6. New York Dolls
7. The Stooges
8. The Ike Reilly Assassination
9. The Ramones
10. Marah listen to Freedom Park