I have an overly simplified unified rock theory from my college radio days: all rock bands are either trying to be the Beatles, Dylan or the Stones. Under duress, the rule can be expanded to include Led Zeppelin as the fourth archetype but then you’re already backing down from the fights you’re trying to start.

Here’s the rule: no matter how you feel about the Beatles (overrated), Dylan (underrated by me at the time I made the rule but I grew up and learned better) and the Stones (still impossible to overrate), you always want to go for the bands that imitate the Rolling Stones. Failure to match the Stones gives you a garage band but unsuccessful Beatles makes for power pop. And failed Dylan is too horrible to contemplate.

The Turtles are a good test case; they made one of the better runs at being the Beatles but they achieved their most sublime moment here, the one time they decided to be the Stones.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 28th, 2007 at 10:05 pm and is filed under Los Angeles, 60s, Video. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.