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Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

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View Poll Results: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?
Bob Dylan
41
44.09%
David Bowie
47
50.54%
Arrgh! I can't decide!
3
3.23%
Sorry, neither do it for me
2
2.15%
Voters: 93. You may not vote on this poll

Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Old 08-13-10, 10:11 AM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by CRM114
Deciding based on who was more influential to 80s bands is dismissing the previous two decades of (IMHO) superior music. The book was already mostly written.
Yep...game over.
Old 08-13-10, 10:28 AM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Wow this is close. Sadly I don't have nearly enough experience with either to make a call. I'll rectify that going forward.
Old 08-13-10, 10:41 AM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by Suprmallet
Bowie, along with Bryan Ferry and Marianne Faithfull, are my top three living artists for the quality of their covers.
and who does Bryan Ferry like to cover?
Old 08-13-10, 10:51 AM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by Talkin2Phil
and who does Bryan Ferry like to cover?
Old 08-13-10, 11:48 AM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by AnonomusBob15
Neither did I, but that doesn't stop me from seeking out music. Some of the best music of all time in this case.


Bowie.

Love both, but Bowie is the man. And with Dylan, so many of Dylan's albums are irrelevant, IMO. And, the Berlin trilogy.


sad choice, because the thought of Bob Dylan playing Like a Rolling Stone live puts an ear to ear grin on my face. The Royal Albert Hall show is probably one of my most played discs.
but i enjoyed ABBA, Boney M, and some oldies. Maybe theirs are not just my cup of tea
Old 08-13-10, 04:18 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

You'd think from the Dylan proponents' arguments, that this poll would be a natural runaway for their man.
Old 08-13-10, 05:08 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by CRM114
Love both enormously. Both defined generations.

But I'd have to go with Dylan.

For me, Bowie has two albums in the pantheon of greatness: Hunky Dory and Ziggy. Dylan has his entire 62-69 catalog and then Blood on the Tracks as his crowning achievement.

Not to mention, Bowie wrote a song about Bob Dylan, which kind of ends the discussion.
Try Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Station To Station, Low, "Heroes", Lodger, and Scary Monsters. You could make good arguments for Aladdin Sane and Young Americans as well.

And just because Bowie wrote a song about Dylan doesn't mean that he hasn't risen above his influence.


Originally Posted by CRM114
Deciding based on who was more influential to 80s bands is dismissing the previous two decades of (IMHO) superior music. The book was already mostly written.
I like how you continue to try and downplay Bowie's influence. It's not just 80's music, but 80's, 90's, and 00's music. Nirvana covered a song by who? Bowie. NIN and Moby went on tour with who? Bowie. I think it's safe to say the landscape of music would be wholly different without Dylan, and wholly different without Bowie. I don't care if you prefer Dylan. The man is an amazing artist. But don't try to downplay Bowie's impact to make your point. Dylan is obviously a good enough artist to stand on his own without trying to make Bowie look like some forgotten 70's glam rocker.

Last edited by Supermallet; 08-13-10 at 05:13 PM.
Old 08-13-10, 05:31 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by Suprmallet
Nirvana covered a song by who? Bowie. NIN and Moby went on tour with who? Bowie.
These really don't help your case too much.
Old 08-13-10, 05:33 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by Suprmallet
I think it's safe to say the landscape of music would be wholly different without Dylan, and wholly different without Bowie. I don't care if you prefer Dylan. The man is an amazing artist. But don't try to downplay Bowie's impact to make your point. Dylan is obviously a good enough artist to stand on his own without trying to make Bowie look like some forgotten 70's glam rocker.
This sums it up pretty well. This is the first one that I haven't voted in because I like both, but I need to explore both a bit more.

These contests have all had great match ups. I have an idea for a new one that may be more lop sided but we will see...
Old 08-13-10, 05:44 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by cungar
These really don't help your case too much.
Two of the biggest artists of the past 20 years doesn't help my case?
Old 08-13-10, 06:32 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

NIN and Moby are hardly two of the biggest artists of the past 20 years. Both have gotten a great deal of critical acclaim and some popularity, but neither is what I would call particularly big.

Bowie influenced a ton of artists, some quite big. So did Dylan, though. I don't think you want to stack NIN, Moby, Iggy Pop and Kraftwerk up against Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley, the Beatles, and the Band.

Also too:
Old 08-13-10, 06:50 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by Numanoid
Has no one here listened to Bowie's Heathen or Reality albums?
Yes. Today. Again.

Which is why I laughed at the comment claiming Bowie hasn't done anything great since Scary Monsters.
Old 08-13-10, 07:50 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by JasonF
Bowie influenced a ton of artists, some quite big. So did Dylan, though. I don't think you want to stack NIN, Moby, Iggy Pop and Kraftwerk up against Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley, the Beatles, and the Band.
the byrds based their whole early career on Dylan
Old 08-13-10, 08:37 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by JasonF
NIN and Moby are hardly two of the biggest artists of the past 20 years. Both have gotten a great deal of critical acclaim and some popularity, but neither is what I would call particularly big.

Bowie influenced a ton of artists, some quite big. So did Dylan, though. I don't think you want to stack NIN, Moby, Iggy Pop and Kraftwerk up against Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley, the Beatles, and the Band.
I guess everyone is ignoring Nirvana, then. Moby isn't as big as them or NIN, but still an interesting musician.

I'd place The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Iggy Pop, Kraftwerk, Joy Division, Iggy Pop, Madonna, Suede, Blur, Pulp, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Morrissey, Bauhaus, Japan, The Pixies, NIN, Lou Reed, etc. against any of those bands you listed except The Beatles. Heck, I'd actually stack Lou Reed up against Dylan himself.

Interesting to see the poll is at a dead heat right now.
Old 08-13-10, 08:45 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by Suprmallet
I guess everyone is ignoring Nirvana, then. Moby isn't as big as them or NIN, but still an interesting musician.

I'd place The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Iggy Pop, Kraftwerk, Joy Division, Iggy Pop, Madonna, Suede, Blur, Pulp, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Morrissey, Bauhaus, Japan, The Pixies, NIN, Lou Reed, etc. against any of those bands you listed except The Beatles. Heck, I'd actually stack Lou Reed up against Dylan himself.

Interesting to see the poll is at a dead heat right now.
I get most of those but the clash and sex pistols? What in particular there? Wouldn't the cure, Gary Numan or somebody else be more fitting? To some of those bands it's a bit of a stretch. I know Nirvana covered him but do I hear the influence otherwise? Not really
Old 08-13-10, 08:48 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

How anyone can say that NIN isn't one of the biggest bands of the last 20 years is beyond me. They owned the '90s, especially after Cobain offed himself. If you don't realize that, you probably were listening to Hootie and the Blowfish at the time.
Old 08-13-10, 08:49 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by statcat
Wouldn't the cure, Gary Numan or somebody else be more fitting?
NUMAN ALERT! NUMAN ALERT!


Sorry, I just get so excited.
Old 08-13-10, 09:00 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

I always thought of him like Bowie's creepy son or something
Old 08-13-10, 09:09 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by statcat
I get most of those but the clash and sex pistols? What in particular there? Wouldn't the cure, Gary Numan or somebody else be more fitting? To some of those bands it's a bit of a stretch. I know Nirvana covered him but do I hear the influence otherwise? Not really
Punk owes a huge debt to glam and Ziggy Stardust specifically and Bowie also mixed Raw Power, one of the seminal proto-punk albums. And sure, The Cure and Gary Numan also were hugely influenced by Bowie.
Old 08-13-10, 09:19 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by statcat
I always thought of him like Bowie's creepy son or something
Yeah, he was generally considered to be a Bowie clone by his detractors when he first appeared. There's a famous tale about Bowie refusing to record his appearance on a TV show until Numan was removed from the building (Numan was part of the same show). Years later, however, Bowie acknowledged that Numan had made some of the best music of the era, so I guess he got over it.
Old 08-13-10, 09:22 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

I always thought the clash came out of more pub rock music, like Dr Feelgood since Strummer was in the 101ers. I think the Ramones is what changed their sound a bit. The Sex Pistols I don't know I never really cared about them enough to figure it out.

I'm pretty sure it was Marc Bolan and T-Rex who Bowie took the idea of glam from.
Old 08-13-10, 09:28 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by Numanoid
Yeah, he was generally considered to be a Bowie clone by his detractors when he first appeared. There's a famous tale about Bowie refusing to record his appearance on a TV show until Numan was removed from the building (Numan was part of the same show). Years later, however, Bowie acknowledged that Numan had made some of the best music of the era, so I guess he got over it.
yes I remember this interview, check out the beginning. Never knew Bowie actually didn't like him though at that time.

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Old 08-13-10, 09:36 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by statcat
I always thought the clash came out of more pub rock music, like Dr Feelgood since Strummer was in the 101ers.
The Clash's big influence (well, Mick Jones' big influence, as Strummer was obviously a Dylan acolyte) was Mott the Hoople. This is why they got Guy Stevens to produce London Calling, only to find out he was a washed up old drunk.
Old 08-13-10, 10:37 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Is Klaus Nomi considered a point in favor Bowie or a point against Bowie?
Old 08-13-10, 11:39 PM
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Re: Battle of the Bands #4: Bob Dylan vs. David Bowie - who wins?

Originally Posted by wendersfan
The Clash's big influence (well, Mick Jones' big influence, as Strummer was obviously a Dylan acolyte) was Mott the Hoople. This is why they got Guy Stevens to produce London Calling, only to find out he was a washed up old drunk.
You mean the same Mott the Hoople whose biggest hit was "All The Young Dudes," written for them by David Bowie?

Originally Posted by JasonF
Is Klaus Nomi considered a point in favor Bowie or a point against Bowie?
For. Definitely for.

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