Vaya con dios,

38. Ray Charles (29)
37. Pink Floyd (29)
36. Nick Drake (19)

Deer in headlights: Bob Marley and the Wailers (18), Sonic Youth (18), Beck (17), Tom Waits (16), Aretha Franklin (15).

The 35 artists still on the island are:

The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Beck, David Bowie, James Brown, Johnny Cash, The Clash, Elvis Costello, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, PJ Harvey, Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Curtis Mayfield, Nirvana, Pixies, Elvis Presley, Prince, Radiohead, Otis Redding, R.E.M., The Rolling Stones, Sly and the Family Stone, Sonic Youth, Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads, The Velvet Underground, Tom Waits, The Who, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young.

Competition’s beginning to hot up now…Week 17 is now underway.

As voted for last week:

#1 - 5 points: James Brown.
#2 - 4 points: Curtis Mayfield.
#3 - 3 points: Miles Davis.
#4 - 2 points: Jimi Hendrix.

Ray Charles is gone, so one newcomer:

#5 - 1 point: The Kinks.

Nice and influential pop from the 60's, but I prefer the Beatles over Ray Davies and his companions. My guess would be, they're easily gonna make it to the last 25 artists to leave the island. Recommended selection: Their 3 studio albums from the period '67 to '69 (all in my 1000).

Always the same :

1.PJ Harvey : In any site but this one, she wouldn't be among the 30 remaining artists
2.Talking Heads : I've heard their name too much. Not an article now without the word "talking heads" or "joy division". But they are good musicians, abit too intellectual and cold for me.
3.Pixies : great punk/pop band. Somebody's got to leave the island. A bit too noisy for me ?
4.E Costello : I know now : I don't really like his voice. Another great song by him I've discovered is "Clubland"
5. A Franklin : I couldn't say why she's not among my favorites. The ones who picked her last week said it.

I'll try to write about Ray in the obituary section

1. TALKING HEADS
2. SONIC YOUTH
3. ELVIS PRESLEY
4. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
5. SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE

1) Beck
2) Nirvana
3) PJ Harvey
4) Sonic Youth
5) Jimi Hendrix

1) [5pts] Curtis Mayfield.
2) [4pts] Aretha Franklin.
3) [3pts] Tom Waits. A vote borne out of shamed ignorance I'm afraid - hoping to fill some gaps over the course of the 80's polls. But everyone left I love, so I don't have much choice.
4) [2pts] Sly And The Family Stone. I enjoy what I know, but perhaps what I know needs to be expanded.
5) [1pt] Beck. Always found Odelay a tad overrated, but total admiration for the concepts, and his career is scattered with gems, but still my least favourite of the options.

Anybody else surprised by Pink Floyd’s rapid leap to the heap. I would have thought that the formula: Music List Geeks = Pink Floyd Fans would be standard.

Mine are the same as before:

1. Bob Marley and the Wailers
2. Elvis Costello
3. Otis Redding
4. Curtis Mayfield
5. Stevie Wonder

as before

5 points Sonic Youth
4 Springsteen
3 Aretha Franklin
2 Tom Waits

1 point James Brown. Pains me to put him in but I prefer all the other remaining artists to him.

As I've never played this before, I'm going to take a shot at it if I can.

5 Points (The one I want gone the most, right?) - PJ Harvey
4 Points - Aretha Franklin
3 Points - Curtis Mayfield
2 Points - Pixies
1 Point - Beck

Tell me if I did something wrong here.

H61R (any relation to HAL-3000?), your rankings are fine, but, for each artist, you need to briefly explain why you put them on your ballot.

Welcome aboard! Glad you've joined us.

...but you only need to do it the first week you vote for them. Sorry...hope that's clear.

1. TOM WAITS
2. BECK
3. LED ZEPPELIN. Well, nobody has joined me yet in drinking this Kool-Aid, but I guess I’m heartened that nobody here has been inspired to defend Zeppelin much…about the closest was sonofsamiam with a Clash comparison that was fair (although I don’t agree with it).
4. CURTIS MAYFIELD. I’m a newly converted Mayfieldian. The man was funky, and he could lead a band like nobody’s business. But top 30? No way.
5. ARETHA FRANKLIN. I’m sad to have to do this. I’ve loved Aretha’s pipes ever since I first heard her (she was performing “Think” in the Blues Brothers movie). But we have finally gotten to the point that, for me, it makes a difference that she mostly performed other people’s music…if I’m counting right, she and Elvis are the only surviving artists for whom that’s true. Elvis is more of an icon than Aretha (and he sang more good songs), so I’m holding off on him for now…but if you need something sung, you can’t do better than Lady Soul.

Grumble, grumble.... same five. Please, let's put Tom Waits out of his misery.

5 points. Tom Waits
4 points. Johnny Cash
3 points. Bruce Springsteen
2 points. Sonic Youth
1 point. Aretha Franklin

Looks like both Beck and Tom Waits are going to depart before I have to add them to my ballot. That's good in a way. I didn't really want to help them off.

1. Sonic Youth
2. Prince
3. PJ Harvey - I sincerely don't understand why people believe she deserves to be here longer than Pink Floyd.
4. Elvis Presley
5. Curtis Mayfield - I have a lot of respect for anyone who can write something as powerful as "People Get Ready" (he did write it, didn't he?) but the stakes are getting high and the water's rising.

1. The Who
2. The Clash
3. Otis Redding
4. The Kinks
5. Led Zeppelin - Both Led Zeppelin and The Who often had an over-dramatic bombastic sound that I don't think is a typical critics' darling sound, but for reasons I can't really understand they are seen as outstanding in what they did. For me, they are not hard in the right way. I want heavy, not pompous. Instead, I often prefer Led Zeppelin's softer, folkier sides.

1. Aretha Franklin

2. PJ Harvey

3. Sly And The Family Stone - I am guilty of not having studied their catalog. I don't have any of their albums. I know these are not good reasons, but I like everything else on the island, so too bad. My favorite song by them is their strange cover of Que Sera Sera. Check it out on You Tube

4. Curtis Mayfield - I like Superfly and Pusherman, but its a tough island.

5. Radiohead

Jonmarck, help Waits off! He has been wading in the water for far too long. I'd like to get him off my list...the only one left from the beginning. However, with one more new entry this might be the week. Is there a crossing fingers emoticon?

Thanks, Henrik. I no longer feel like I'm out on a limb by myself, and (of course) I agree completely about Led Zep.

Paul, excellent call on Que Sera Sera. A loooong time ago, I taught a college course on mass media, and I had students compare Sly's version with the Doris Day original. Priceless.

Tonight I'm in a hurry, and I have to do something I haven't done before. I'm not commenting on the artists I have voted for earlier. It takes too much time to come up with something new every time, especially for Marvin Gaye, who I have voted for forever, it seems. Seriously, folks!

1. (5p) Bob Marley and the Wailers
2. (4p) Marvin Gaye
3. (3p) Sly and the Family Stone
4. (2p) James Brown
5. (1p) Neil Young - He's too whiny. Listening to Neil Young takes me back to my teen years, as he sounds just like my mother nagging.

5 Points - PJ Harvey
Just never really could get used to her style as unique as it is.
4 Points- Aretha Franklin
Other then Respect can't really get into her music.
3 Points - Curtis Mayfield
Similar to Aretha, feels like a one album wonder with Superfly
2 Points - Pixies
I've got Surfer Rosa which I quite like but others are just superior.
1 Point - Beck
Too experimental

As for any relation to HAL-3000, I used to actually go by that name in other forums

I kinda like Tom Waits cause he's so unashamedly unique. It's tough to listen to a full album, and he's definitely put out his share of garbage, but his stuff does have merit.

Wow, my top two got knocked out.


1) Curtis Mayfield - I guess we had to get to the point where I'd actually feel bad about voting artists off the island. Here we are.
2) James Brown - He's got some from-the-gut funk and has been fairly influential, but he really wasn't consistent or diverse enough.
3) Tom Waits - I like ol' Tom, and he's had a pretty consistent career. He's just not as good as everyone else who's left.
4) Miles Davis - It's a genre thing, because I do appreciate Miles, I just don't enjoy actively listening to him very often.
5) The Kinks - It was either them or the Pixies at this point, so I flipped a coin.

H61R,

about Curtis, you said feels like a one album wonder with Superfly

I don't think so. Check out his first one Curtis and grab a good Impressions compilation.
And I'm pretty sure Sonofsamian will add other albums to that list.

I don't think so. Check out his first one Curtis and grab a good Impressions compilation.
And I'm pretty sure Sonofsamian will add other albums to that list.

Yeah, there are many who think Curtis is better than Superfly. Roots is right up there with those 2, as well. Then you've got There's No Place Like America Today, Back To The World (which is uneven but has a couple absolute stone classics), the amazing Curtis/Live, as well as The Impressions 1969 album The Young Mods' Forgotten Story, which has a very common sound and theme to his solo stuff. All of it is great.

And this prevailing thought that he was just a funk artist (not that this is by definition a bad thing) is baffling to me.

Anyway, I hope all my babbling about Mayfield causes people to check him out. Any Stevie Wonder fans, for example, will find much to love. He's made a lot of music that simultaneously will move your brain, heart, and ass, and that's no small thing.

nicolas I've heard Curtis but it just wasn't anything too great to listen to again. I just like Superfly probably because I've also seen the movie.

As before:

1. Tom Waits
2. Elvis Presley
3. Aretha Franklin

New votes sure to piss people off:

4. Miles Davis - I had John Coltrane placed higher than Miles, but Miles is obviously more beloved. I can see why. He certainly had a more varied career. And to use a phrase that I am wearing out at this stae of voting, Davis is undoubtedly a giant. And more hedging language: I am not that big into jazz, so take this vote for what it's worth.

My hesitation on Davis is that on the work I've heard, I often find his phrasing to run longer than I would like. That may be a function of my unjustified impatience. The mood is always dead on with Davis, he conjres exactly what he wants to. But the beauty eludes more often that I find with Coltrane.

5. The Pixies -- I can say my voting now moves into another level. From here on out, I will be voting for artists I like pretty well, and admire a whole lot.

I originally had this band at a lower placement. However, I have recently experienced a surge of appreciation for this band, spurred by the wonderful live version of Gigantic posted somewhere on these boards. I'm beginning to see things I had missed too often on previous listens. Kim Deal is just such a wonderful element. It has taken me a while to warm to Black Francis' voice. This is a crucial period. They might start slipping again, or my estimation could rise. I'll keep you all posted.

5 Points: Bob Marley
4 Points : Curtis Mayfield
3 Points : Nirvana
2 Points : The Who
1 Point : Sly and the family stone

Hope Tom Waits can make a strong finish. such an amazing talent. His song writting and instrumentation (arrangments and preformance) is among the very best.

If you doubt me, listen to HOUSE WHERE NOBODY LIVES. It'll definately keep him safe for a couple more weeks.

Dang - I missed out on posting here last week, and so I missed taking part in the Pink Floyd discussion -and now my favourite band is off the island. Ho hum.

Anyway, on with my five:

1. Bob Dylan
2. Bruce Springsteen
3. Pixies
4. Elvis Costello

With Nick Drake gone, I have another new nummer five

5. Bob Marley and the Wailers. I'm not a reggae fan, but if I was I think I'd prefer many other acts over the Wailers. King Tubby and Lee Perry, for example. Bob Marley was crucial for bringing reggae music to the wider world, but that's not what this is about, or The Carter Family or the Lomaxes would be the winners.

Bubbling under:
The Clash, Nirvana, R.E.M.

Hey, Kevin. I need explanations for your choices. Thanks.

1. Sly and the Family Stone
2. Curtis Mayfield,
3. Otis Redding
4. Aretha Franklin,
5. James Brown

I own 2 classic Sly albums. I find them merely OK.

Mayfield and Redding I own one album a piece by. I like them a lot, but not so much so that I've ever felt the need to dig any deeper.

Aretha Franklin had some choice singles, but if you've heard one you've heard them all. My favourite artists tend to be those that dip their toes in a variety of styles.

And James Brown I can get on board with (and most of my friends dig him, so I hear him often enough), but truthfully he's just not an artist I would choose to listen to. Whenever I give him a serious, solitary chance I find him underwhelming.

Also: whoever voted out Floyd is a kiddie-fiddler.

At long last, Pink Floyd have left! Good riddance I say!

1. Bob Marley and the Wailers- Someone please put them out of their misery (and mine).
2. The Who
3. Aretha Franklin
4. Elvis Presley
5. The Beatles

the Elvis train is picking up steam!

Yeah, his time has definitely come. (By the time he packs up his jumpsuits and gets the hell out of dodge, it'll be about four or five weeks too late, if you ask me).

I just didn't have the stones to cast the first stone.

I'm not taking a shot at the forum here or anything but it would just sum the attitude up perfectly if Elvis was voted out now(WAAAY too early) and someone like Radiohead went on to win(BTW there was a poll on a TV station last week for people's favourite artist of all time - Elvis was #2 behind Led Zep - he's still loved). Oh,and #3 on Rolling Stone's greatest artists of all time. As Nicolas said: On any other forum,PJ Harvey wouldn't make the top 35 - well to that you can add,on any other forum,Elvis would be a lock for the top ten...

Anyway - this is pretty easy now:
1)PJ Harvey:Clearly out of her depth
2)Beck:Ignored him too long - a flawed artist
3)Pixies:Inconsistent - flawed albums
4)Talking Heads:Their time has come - Remain In Light is great,but the others don't come close
5)Nirvana:If Kurt Cobain hadn't of died,they would be much,much less acclaimed

Yeah, that poll was quite funny Midaso. John Lennon finished third if I recall correctly, and The Beatles weren't in the top 15.

twister has returned!

Good to have you back (even if you did insult me for voting Floyd out).

So, a "kiddie-fiddler" isn't a young violinist? Well, let's just look that up here on the ol' urban dictionary.....

typing......

typing.....


oh dear! That's not nice at all.

Could you elaborate on Beck's "flaws"? Could he be a better Beck without the flaws, or would he be a different kind of artist (i.e., one that more closely matches your tastes)? I suspect that his "flaws" are what draw other people to Beck.

I'm not trying to be ornery here, but is it a sufficient explanation to say an artist is "flawed," without giving any specifics?

Yeah, in fact I tend to like the artists that show their flaws openly much more than the ones who try to hide them. I listen to humans, not androids.

5 Points: Bob Marley - Not a fan of reggae, and not big on his song writting
4 Points : Curtis Mayfield -Just simply have never been big on mayfield
3 Points : Nirvana - Dont get me wrong I like Nirvana, But I simply dont think they have enough great material to stand another week
2 Points : The Who- Couple great albums, but far too many crappers
1 Point : Sly and the family stone - I like em, but I'd rather them leave then any of the others

Hope Tom Waits can make a strong finish. such an amazing talent. His song writting and instrumentation (arrangments and preformance) is among the very best.

If you doubt me, listen to HOUSE WHERE NOBODY LIVES. It'll definately keep him safe for a couple more weeks.

Stephan - I'm just trying to figure out how on earth you would know about that poll?

twister has returned!

Shucks, nice to be noticed.

5 pts Nirvana - (repeat)

4 pts Beck - (repeat)

3 pts Sonic Youth: They went on a heck of a run in the mid-80s, but I rarely seek out and play their stuff, and tend to admire them more for what they represent and their general approach than enjoy their music.

2 pts The Clash - (repeat)

1 pt PJ Harvey: Odd that I'm voting for the person who I think made the best album of 2007, but at this point Peej just doesn't quite match the rest of the titans left. Plus, I'm not the biggest fan of her first couple albums, which seemed potent at the time but aren't dating so well now.

1 Bruce Springsteen
2 The Clash
3 Bob Marley & The Wailers
4 Radiohead
5 Led Zeppelin: I like them a lot more than I used to but the macho posturing is still a bit risible. Funnily enough, Robert Plant is a really affable bloke, considering that he single-handedly invented cock rock.

Yeah, Ed, I've heard a few interviews with Plant in the last few months, and you're right--he does seem like a very pleasant, self-effacing, interesting guy. I'd love to meet him, if I ever got the chance.

But, then, this is Survivor, not Miss Congeniality.

1. Marvin Gaye
2. Beck
3. Prince
4. Led Zeppelin - I really liked these guys in high school, but that was then. I definitely don't have the same feelings for them now. Not even on my radar.
5. PJ Harvey - A good run for her but out of her league now I believe.

I mentioned sometime before that Chuck Klosterman wrote in Killing Yourself To Live that every male likes Zeppelin for at least one week in their life and he couldn't be more right. My Zeppelin phase was freshman year of college for about a month, although I have gotten over that they were one of "those" bands I liked freshman year of college and started pulling out their records again!

1. Beatles
2. Pixies
3. Nirvana
4. Radiohead

New

5. Sonic Youth - for every beautiful web of feedback, there's someone (usually Kim or Thurston, but sometimes Lee, too) mumbling some pseudo-Beat poetry - bottom line, despite their sonic innovation, the band has always taken itself a little too seriously as "art" (not an uncommon phenomenon for bands experimenting w/ "noise")

It's a shame Aretha might depart this weekend. I finally got Lady Soul, which was enough to bump her a few spots up my hierarchy.

5 points: James Brown - Repeat.

4 points: Bob Marley and the Wailers - Repeat.

3 points: Nirvana - Repeat.

2 points: PJ Harvey: Returning after Ray and Pink Floyd got bumped

1 points: Sonic Youth: An incredibly interesting band and I really enjoy some songs, but I have never been able to stomach listening to an entire Sonic Youth album in one sitting. "Teenage Riot," "Kool Thing," and "Incinerate" are great songs, but they too often drift into either straight-up bland songs or cacophony.