Rolling Stone Names Mars Volta 'Best Prog Band'

Rolling Stone has put together a list of what they're calling The 125-Plus People, Places and Things Ruling the Rock & Roll Universe. Among their selections are Los Angeles'-based Amoeba Music for best record store, The Mars Volta as "Best Prog Rock Band" earning the following:

"But they pulled back from the brink with this year's The Bedlam in Goliath, focusing on punk riffage and wowing fans with their ability to make complex music accessible."

Also noted are the recent Replacements reissues, this lustworthy turntable and Against Me! who are named "Best Punk Band:"

"In the past decade, they've transformed from solo acoustic project to underground punk faves to major-label rock contenders whose fans include Bruce Springsteen: They recorded their latest and best album, New Wave, with Nevermind producer Butch Vig. With its plus-size guitars and beyond-punk sounds (including a dance beat on one tune), it's their London Calling, or at least their Tim."

Thanks for the report to PunkNews.org, check out the full list here.

Comments

[KingGohma]

But...but....what about the lads from Dream Theater?

If I start a flamewar with this comment, I will die a happy man.

[ValoRhoads]

Did anyone else start reading this thinking it was the Rolling Stones and when realized it was the magazine stopped reading?

[tim311mahoney]

Rolling Stone is the worst music mag i've ever seen. Zero credibility. They give great reviews for awful albums because it happens to be trendy at the time. Its the MTV of the magazine world.

[hghwaychile]

hey man the mars volta are one of the few bands that make modern music not-a-peice of shit

[travislausch]

KingGohma wrote:
But...but....what about the lads from Dream Theater?

They're overrated. Go listen to some Pain Of Salvation or something :P

[MAYNARD]

KingGohma wrote:

But...but....what about the lads from Dream Theater?

If I start a flamewar with this comment, I will die a happy man.

What about em? They're not a punk band so they aren't a better punk band than against me.

The Mars Volta would slay them in a rock off. Thomas Pridgen has been a drumming legend for 15 years, and he is only 24. Omar and Petrucci have different styles, Petrucci having the edge on the technical side, Omar evoking more emotion.

The vocals are both subjective. Dream Theater sounds like 80's vox, and I could definitely understand people not likin TMV vocals.

The sense of chaos and conformity that The Mars Volta display put them ahead of any prog band, remotely close to the mainstream.

[rygun091]

hghwaychile wrote:

hey man the mars volta are one of the few bands that make modern music not-a-peice of shit

Too True.

[Deliriumbassist]

MAYNARD wrote:
Omar and Petrucci have different styles, Petrucci having the edge on the technical side, Omar evoking more emotion.

The entire emotion in music thing is crap. There's no such thing as more or less emotion. It's completely subjective.

And since when have TMV been accessible? Hell, they even alienate their own audience at gigs sometimes.

[MAYNARD]

Deliriumbassist wrote:
The entire emotion in music thing is crap. There's no such thing as more or less emotion. It's completely subjective.

I don't see how it's crap. Some bands concentrate more on playing things the exact same way, night after night. There is less of an emotional connection to it. They don't play what they are feeling, they play the song the way it was written or however they have rearranged it. Not to say it's necessarily a bad/good thing, or that there is not emotional connection to the music, just that certain bands and certain styles of music convey it more.

[llama_guitarist]

MAYNARD wrote:

Deliriumbassist wrote:
The entire emotion in music thing is crap. There's no such thing as more or less emotion. It's completely subjective.


I don't see how it's crap. Some bands concentrate more on playing things the exact same way, night after night. There is less of an emotional connection to it. They don't play what they are feeling, they play the song the way it was written or however they have rearranged it. Not to say it's necessarily a bad/good thing, or that there is not emotional connection to the music, just that certain bands and certain styles of music convey it more.

Exactly. When you go to a Mars Volta show, you will see what they are feeling that night, because of how they play the music. TMV is one of the greatest modern bands. heck yes. oh and yeah, Rolling Stone IS the MTV of music magazines.

[roarinflames]

MAYNARD wrote:

KingGohma wrote:

But...but....what about the lads from Dream Theater?

If I start a flamewar with this comment, I will die a happy man.


What about em? They're not a punk band so they aren't a better punk band than against me.

The Mars Volta would slay them in a rock off. Thomas Pridgen has been a drumming legend for 15 years, and he is only 24. Omar and Petrucci have different styles, Petrucci having the edge on the technical side, Omar evoking more emotion.

The vocals are both subjective. Dream Theater sounds like 80's vox, and I could definitely understand people not likin TMV vocals.

The sense of chaos and conformity that The Mars Volta display put them ahead of any prog band, remotely close to the mainstream.

mars volta arent punk either
and they sure arent prog rock
rolling stone is on crack

[Nick-182]

the mars volta are amazing. but you cant just say omar plays with more emotion, more emotion than Petrucci. how would you know?

though i am quite biased as ive only ever seen the mars volta live and not dream theater. and when i went the energy and feeling was incredible

[acshadow25]

Amen, greatest band ever. going to see them at latitude XD

[WarwickFunk]

volta=blown mind
thats all i gots to say

[Black Hole Sun]

Volta stopped making albums after Deloused, and started trying to be abstract with weird sounds.

MAYNARD wrote:

What about em? They're not a punk band so they aren't a better punk band than against me.

Stop being stupid.

[kryzay311]

KingGohma wrote:

But...but....what about the lads from Dream Theater?

If I start a flamewar with this comment, I will die a happy man.

Dude, you have an unhealthy obsession with that band. this is coming from a fan who's got all their albums and has seen them in concert before. You don't need to comment on every story and kiss their asses all over it.

Anyways I think the Mars Volta have gotten better with every album, Bedlam is definately the best. good for them

[shwilly]

The Mars Volta is the best jam band of the moment in my opinion. From Kirk Hammett to John Frusciante, people love Omar Rodriguez's improvising skills but still Rolling Stone chose not to include him in their "greatest guitarists" list, which if I remember well was filled with the usual 70's strat players. Pretty incoherent, but at least they mention bands like TMV

[whitestrat279]

i was gonna see them on 420 but i decided not too for some reason. but im listening to the song goliath and its epic, especially frusciante's solo (at least i think its him, considering he works with them sometimes and the style of the solo sounds just like him, listen to the second solo) and i think its well deserved to be named best prog band

[Bocob]

Dream Theater? Opeth? Rush? Not the best prog band? HORSESHIT!! Rush are like the gods of prog!

[WeezyToaster]

lol @ Rush

[KingGohma]

I will die a happy man. I started a minor flamewar. Unfortunately, the brunt of it seems to be directed at me. How sad.

I enjoy Pain of Salvation, whoever said that.

AND I WILL CONTINUE TO KISS PETRUCCIS ASS EVERYWHERE. Its just so goddamned tasty. But seriously Iron Maiden or Queensryche or something would be serious contenders for favourite band over DT.

[j-e-f-f-e-r-s]

I'm sorry, but Opeth and Porcupine Tree are both bands that both outclass The Mars Volta in terms of emotion and progability.

Yes, it's my opinion, but on an important matter like this, I'm damned if anyone else is having one.

[kirbyrocknroll]

Checked.

[Bunyip]

can i just say that the mars volta are a ****ing amazing band. enough said.

[KingGohma]

j-e-f-f-e-r-s wrote:

I'm sorry, but Opeth and Porcupine Tree are both bands that both outclass The Mars Volta in terms of emotion and progability.

Yes, it's my opinion, but on an important matter like this, I'm damned if anyone else is having one.

Actually PT would be a very likely contender for best prog band.

[Paul Lambeth]

KingGohma wrote:

j-e-f-f-e-r-s wrote:

I'm sorry, but Opeth and Porcupine Tree are both bands that both outclass The Mars Volta in terms of emotion and progability.

Yes, it's my opinion, but on an important matter like this, I'm damned if anyone else is having one.

Actually PT would be a very likely contender for best prog band.

I would agree completely.

Also if you're going by latest albums, Dream Theater fail as a prog band.

[Quutamo]

I had listened to the Mars Volta before... I'd rather listen to Tool tough (I know they are not alike..)

[Quutamo]

But I can not deny they have a unique sound anyway...

[j-e-f-f-e-r-s]

KingGohma wrote:

j-e-f-f-e-r-s wrote:

I'm sorry, but Opeth and Porcupine Tree are both bands that both outclass The Mars Volta in terms of emotion and progability.

Yes, it's my opinion, but on an important matter like this, I'm damned if anyone else is having one.

Actually PT would be a very likely contender for best prog band.

Damn straight. FOABP was in my opinion the best album of last year.

[otizeta]

it is so sad for me to read this while listening to "Scenes from a Memory" by DT...
i just don't care what the magazine says. DT is always my favourite though i think TMV is very cool too...

[party_on_wayne]

Dream Theater isn't even prog anymore. They're more reg, as in regressive. THe whole point of being prog is to, well, progress music, and DT have stayed at the same place for awhile now

[Kaedil]

The Mars Volta is like nothing you've ever heard before, which is why they're the greatest prog rock band in my eyes. They contain many of the essential elements - careful tension and release, no obvious choruses, odd time signatures, face-melting solos (the one that rings in the second part of the Cassandra Gemini / Miranda suite always blows me away), but they combine it with the kind of hyperactivity and balls-to-the-wall dynamics that really set them apart. I definitely prefer it to Dream Theater's calculated "let's see how many music theorists we can confuse" approach.

[oz1215]

please...you want best prog band go listen to marillion or king crimson...dream theaters amazing, but theyre no marillion or king crimson.

and no, theres no such thing as an overrated prog band. >.>