Best 50 Bands from 50 States

[jkpescador]

http://thephoenix.com/Supplements/2008/50States/Hawaii/

Interesting pick ... click on the link and see who they chose.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Best 50 Bands from 50 States

The Dambuilders. Hawaii's "all-time best band?"

Heck, I've never heard of them before.

[Pomai]

Re: Best 50 Bands from 50 States

The Dambuilders. Hawaii's "all-time best band?"

Heck, I've never heard of them before.

Me, neither.

For band category, I'd vote Kalapana. Regardless of tribulations throughout their career, until today, they remain together and jammin'. Most importantly, their music, while respected worldwide, reflects Hawaii all the way.

I'm cool with Don Ho being voted best Solo Artist, although I don't know how many times more I can bear hearing "I'll Remember You" or "Tiny Bubbles".

Best New Act? I'm going with Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls fame. She has native Hawaiian blood, was born here, and is striking both physically and musically.

[scrivener]

Re: Best 50 Bands from 50 States

Interesting. It's tough to argue with Kalapana as a choice for band, 'though I think I'll go with Hawaiian Style Band. I think HSB really boosted the level of local music all around. I was into other stuff at the time, but from this outsider's perspective, it seemed like there was Hawaiian Style Band and there was everybody else...and then suddenly there were LOTS of bands that were writing and recording stuff of that quality. It was just a tight, tight band that knew what it was doing.

For solo artist, there are sooooo many to choose from, but how could you not go either with Don Ho or Gabby Pahinui? My personal preference is for Gabby, of course. Hoku Ho said in an interview once that when she asked her father if he ever got tired of singing "Tiny Bubbles," he said, "That would be like being tired of money." A great quote, I think, and it explains why he sang it twice during every show. It's what the people wanted to hear. We've all seen musicians play their favorite numbers as if they'd be glad never to play them again; I got the feeling Don Ho never did that. Whatever his motivation, he gave the people their show. If we were going with best musician period, I'm standing by Led Kaapana.

I don't really know any up-and-comers. Sorry.

[mel]

Re: Best 50 Bands from 50 States

I heard of the Dambuilders back in the 1990s, though not their music until I looked at the video. Can't say why this band was chosen since they hardly made any impact in Hawaii or elsewhere in the nation. Just tagging them with "indie" = usually a "small audience" away from the maintstream IMO.

I probably would have gone with Kalapana as they were huge locally, but not very big beyond these shores except maybe in Japan (a lot of their music was released there and they were/probably are still popular in that country). Kalapana's music, especially tracks from their first 2 albums were extensively played on pop music radio in Hawaii.

As for Hawaiian Style Band, yes, I agree that their music is very good and one of the few contemporary island bands that did original music with their own sound... it seemed to have crossed into both pop, rock, world, Hawaiian and reggae music. Music from their first album was especially played on many radio stations in Hawaii when it first came out in the early 1990s.

As for male solo artist, I can go for Don Ho. He is more well known throughout the world, had a national recording contract (on Reprise Records) and even scored a couple of Hot 100 hits, the most prominent being "Tiny Bubbles". People from all over the world came to Hawaii to see Don Ho perform from the 1960s up to nearly the time he died a few years ago.

[Ron Whitfield]

Do we even have any dams in here?

It's from Phoenix, so who cares...

But Don is our world-wide icon of cool, while Gabby was/is Hawaii's best musical force.

My choice for a local up-and-comer would be 2 time Grammy winner, Bobby Ingano. www.bobbyingano.com Way past due his accolades.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Best 50 Bands from 50 States

I think I'll go with Hawaiian Style Band. I think HSB really boosted the level of local music all around.

Not to mention all the musicians who were involved in the HSB projects at one time or another; Wade Cambern, Israel Kamakawiwo`ole, Bla, Cyril, and Martin Pahinui, Fiji, Teresa Bright, Ka`au Crater Boys, Del Beazley, Pauline Wilson, Michael Ruff, Robi Kahakalau, Bryan Kessler...

The band exists anew today, and has been working to complete a new album for release this summer. Garin Poliahu and Tani Lynn Fujimoto have teamed up with Cambern.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Best 50 Bands from 50 States

My pick for:

Best band - C & K

Best solo artist - Keali'i Reichel

[localmoco]

Re: Best 50 Bands from 50 States

For band category, I'd vote Kalapana. Regardless of tribulations throughout their career, until today, they remain together and jammin'.

Without Mackey Feary of course.

[jkpescador]

Re: Do we even have any dams in here?

Actually it's from Boston ... the Phoenix is the name of the paper.