50 Best L.A. Bands
PHOTO CREDITS
Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, Doors, Seeds, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Bangles, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, Love, Surfaris: courtesy Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Byrds: courtesy Sony BMG Music Entertainment/Getty Images; Los Lobos: courtesy Paul Roa; Monkees: courtesy Henry Diltz/Rhino; War, Poco, Sparks: courtesy Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns; Germs: courtesy Melanie Nissen; Metal-lica: courtesy Fin Costello/Redferns; X: courtesy George Rose/Getty Images; Van Halen: courtesy Richard E. Aaron/Redferns; Go-Go’s: courtesy Janette Beckman/Redferns; Eagles: courtesy Platt Collection; Red Hot Chili Peppers: courtesy Julian Schnabel/Warner Bros.; Chambers Brothers: courtesy Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty Images; Tool: courtesy Tim Cadiente; Slayer, Mötley Crüe: courtesy Ebet Roberts/Redferns; Rage Against the Machine: courtesy Sony Music Archive/Getty Images/Mark Baker; Jane’s Addiction: courtesy ©Neal Preston/Corbis; Toto: courtesy Jim Shea/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Mothers of Invention: courtesy Gunter Zint/K&K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns; Berlin: courtesy Tom Sheehan; Linkin Park: courtesy James Minchin; Turtles, Associa-tion: courtesy ©Henry Diltz/Corbis; Oingo Boingo: courtesy Lisa Haun/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Blasters: courtesy Janette Beckman/Getty Images; Flying Burrito Bros.: courtesy Jim McCrary/Redferns; Ozomatli: courtesy Christian Lantry; Canned Heat: courtesy Bob Baker/Redferns/Getty Images; Weezer: courtesy Marina Chavez/Interscope; Megadeth: courtesy Chapman Baehler/Capitol; Sublime: courtesy John Dunne.
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Who are these people? I never heard of these bands before. Then again, I am of the FaceBook generation. The Doors? Why would you name yourself such a thing? Why not "Like Button" or something more familiar?
Posted by: t | 07/28/2011 at 03:08 PM
some Dweezil is stuffing the ballot box!
Posted by: ex.consumer | 07/28/2011 at 08:31 PM
Any list of this nature that doesnt list Spirit in the top five is bogus.
Posted by: les | 08/12/2011 at 02:09 AM
LOVE!!!!
Posted by: Rev Ruckus | 08/12/2011 at 02:30 AM
Frank Zappa's Mothers Of Invention
Posted by: Zed Aquarian | 08/12/2011 at 10:14 PM
STEELY DAN ?
Posted by: ALDO | 08/15/2011 at 05:48 AM
Interesting list. For those not familiar with the concept, Joni Mitchell is not a band. Richie Valens is not a band, neither is DJ Quik. Worst inclusion: Toto. Worst exclusion: The Minutemen.
Posted by: KP | 09/08/2011 at 09:05 PM
INCUBUS
Posted by: Brett | 09/09/2011 at 10:01 AM
Linkin Park!!!!!
Posted by: Lily | 09/12/2011 at 01:04 PM
Worst list ever. I don't think a native Los Angeleno came up with the nominations. Either that, or the person who did the nominations is in his mid-50's...
Posted by: Seederman | 09/12/2011 at 01:19 PM
Hi,
Having survived a 30 year stint in SoCal and LA from 1966 to 1995
and experiencing the beginnings of the HEAT on Melrose way back when..there is no other than the CANNED HEAT as numero uno LA band!!!
Miss ya Bear and Richard..and hi to roadie Phil.
Jukka Kauppinen
Posted by: Jukka Kauppinen | 10/24/2011 at 05:38 PM
Where the hell are The Mamas and The Papas on this list???? The whole list is a sham if they are not included as one of the Best Bands of L.A.
Posted by: Rog in LA | 06/05/2011 at 11:07 AM
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I gotta agree with you on that. The sound of mid-60s Laurel Canyon. On the other hand, only one of them was from Southern California.
Posted by: Grillades | 12/02/2011 at 10:56 AM
Also.......
Code Blue
Circle Jerks
The Dickies
Dream Syndicate
Fear
Fishbone
Frank Zappa (post MOI)
The Mama's & Papa's
Minutemen
The Motels
NOFX
Spirit
The Offspring
The Runaways
Tonio K
Wall of Voodoo
South Bay/OC/LA whatever we shared the same smog
Posted by: Kparky | 12/26/2011 at 11:31 PM
Jackson Browne, Venice,
Spirit, Mamas and Papas, Little Feat, Tom Petty, Richie Valens
Posted by: Greg | 12/31/2011 at 01:05 PM
I known they're a duo, not really a band - but how can you not include The Carpenters !
- and The Merry-Go-Round (1967)
(a bit more obscure (but they had a top 10 hit in L.A., "Live")
Posted by: Gregg | 01/09/2012 at 06:08 PM
I love the Beach Boys and Sparks, that's my kind of music!
Posted by: 1 month car insurance | 01/11/2012 at 12:42 AM
Sat at upstage was great to see kim and larry from the fabulous t birds port townsend wa great showp
Posted by: pat boyle | 02/06/2012 at 01:07 PM
Thee Midniters,
Tierra (The Salas Brothers)
El Chicano
Cannibal & the Headhunters
You must have been born after the sixties.
The Seeds _ Pushin to Hard?
Posted by: rudy | 02/24/2012 at 10:17 AM
The 44's 2011 is Cool Band
Posted by: 泰三 | 03/06/2012 at 01:06 PM
Mentioned twice already, but being the drummer for The Electric Prunes, I have to nominate them. We were from the San Fernando Valley. Two top 30 hits, introduced wah-wah pedal to world and influenced Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, Todd Rundgren, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, among others. "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) considered a classic now.
Posted by: Preston Ritter | 03/06/2012 at 04:00 PM
Iron Butterfly - The original Heavy Rock pioneers? Aren't they from LA ?
Posted by: Sujit | 03/07/2012 at 12:16 AM
Canned Heat, people. Half the bands on that list are ridiculous. GnR in top10 but not the Heat? Fortunately voting readers recognize: 1. Zappa 2. Heat.
Posted by: Trond | 03/10/2012 at 06:14 PM
I have to agree with the previous comment about GnR as one of the best if not the best.
Posted by: Cheap Van Insurance | 03/15/2012 at 10:37 PM
This is one of the most messed up, out of whack lists I have ever seen.
Whoa.
Posted by: Bill | 03/20/2012 at 04:59 PM
You left out the Minutemen. Shame on you.
Posted by: Jenks | 03/26/2012 at 10:01 AM
20/20 ! You can look them up in the RollingStone RnR Encyclopedia as the band that started New Wave on the west coast. The Ramones are cited for the east coast, and the Pretenders for the UK. The Go Go's and Bangles and U2 and many more, opened for 20/20
Posted by: birdie | 04/03/2012 at 11:12 AM