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Ranking the NFC East Cities by Music Talent
So, Kenny Meringolo and I have been texting a bunch lately and he asked if I wanted to come back and do some semi-regular writing on HH. I do miss this HTTR community, so I happily obliged (if you all don’t mind my horrible grammar and spelling mistakes despite my thirteen proofreads). I’ve been keeping busy doing a lot of concert blogging and photography, so I thought a good, barely still off-season post segue would be talking music about the three awesome, party cities in our division and Dallas.
So, which NFC East city has produced the best music? Before I even did my research, I knew D.C. was going to be stretched to win this. Off the top of my head, the Giants have Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Frank Sinatra. How can you top that? I assumed Dallas would have a ton of country mega stars I’d dig up, but that was not the case. They do represent Vanilla Ice, Nick Jonas, and Ashley Simpson though!! That’s Ken’s dream concert right there. I knew Philly was stacked, but I didn’t realize how stacked they were. Naturally, doing an article like this is trying to make a very subjective topic objective, but it beats another way-too-f’n-early preseason, power rankings post where the Redskins are annually disrespected, right? Eh?
To set some boundaries, the Giants play in N.J. and are N.J...so the five boroughs are out. To anyone that grew up in D.C., the punk scene and go-go music was revolutionary. That was evident when Bad Brains made the final cut for the Hall of Fame two years ago (with MC5) but got denied. What? However, Chuck Brown and Bad Brains are bands most people have never heard of outside of D.C. and that’s an unfortunate reality. So, I’ll just present the list and a poll and let’s have at it in the comments. I imagine I missed a few bands so feel free to let me know.
So, things get a bit foggy when musicians live in a city for a few years then move. Dave Grohl was born in Ohio, but his formative years were going to punk shows at the old 9:30 Club in Chinatown and deciding to leave Bishop Ireton High School to become a rocker. For that reason, and his mom still living in Alexandria, VA, and him recording several Foo albums in D.C, we can claim him. What was news to me was that Bo Diddley bought a house in NE D.C. and recorded music there for ten years. Also of note, The Doors, Jim Morrison, was a brat living in D.C. for over four years doing two years elementary school in Fairfax, VA, and two and half years high school in Alexandria, VA. Mr Mojo Risin gets an asterisk because he’s still 100% California to me.
Philly though is just so damn impressive. The Roots, Joan Jett, Patti Labelle, and Hall & Oates. Eclectic to the max.
D.C. |
Duke Ellington Marvin Gaye Dave Grohl Bad Brains Fugazi Henry Rollins Chuck Brown Johnny Gill (New Edition) Minor Threat Raheem DeVaughn Wale Trouble Funk Junk Yard Band Vertical Horizon Ginuwine (Dallas fan) Toni Braxton Thievery Corporation Jim Morrison* Bo Diddley* |
(* - partial residency but not enough to call them from D.C.) |
Philly |
The Roots Joan Jett Patti LaBelle Frankie Avalon Hall & Oates Chubby Checker Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff Pink Billie Holiday Boyz II Men Jim Croce Lisa Lopes (TLC) Bloodhound Gang Taylor Swift* Jill Scott Diplo Eve Kurt Vile Cinderella Beanie Sigel The War on Drugs G. Love Lil Uzi Vert Disco Biscuits The Hooters Britny Fox The Stylistics Dr. Dog John Corabi Dead Milkmen Cassidy Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes Teddy Pendergrass |
Taylor Swift grew up in Reading, PA, which is an hour drive from Philly. I really didn’t want to count her but she herself called Philly home. |
N.J. |
Bruce Springsteen Frank Sinatra (Hoboken) Frankie Valli (Newark) Whitney Houston (Newark) Paul Simon Jon Bon Jovi The Fugees (South Orange) Gloria Gaynor (Newark) Parliament Funkadelic (Plainfield) Sarah Vaughan Zakk Wylde Faith Evans Ice-T Redman Queen Latifah The Sugar Hill Gang (Englewood) Skid Row (Toms River) The Misfits (Lodi) Blues Traveler (Princeton) My Chemical Romance (Jersey City) Kool and the Gang (Jersey City) Dionne Warwick (East Orange) Lauryn Hill (South Orange) Naughty by Nature (East Orange) The Gaslight Anthem Trixter Max Weinberg Ashley Tisdale |
|
Dallas |
Stevie Ray Vaughan Usher Pantera (Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul) Stephen Stills Demi Lovato Dixie Chicks Meat Loaf The D.O.C Erykah Badu Vanilla Ice Ashlee Simpson Jessica Simpson Ryan Cabrera Damage Plan Drowning Pool Jimmie Vaughan (Stevie’s bro) Nick Jonas |
- Taylor Hawkins was born in Dallas, but he moved to Laguna Beach at four. Sorry, Dallas. He’s a surfer dude. |
Poll
What team wins the title for producing the best musical talent?
This poll is closed
-
17%
Skins
-
41%
Giants
-
38%
Eagles
-
2%
Cowgirls