Musicians and the 'badass' scale

[Maister]

C'mon, there's nothing badass about the guy [Bob Seger]. He's the poor man's Springsteen, is what he is

I guess I disagree. While I don't think he'd rate particularly high on the Musician Badass Scale (MBAS), he likes to belt out tunes to the point he's almost screaming, and as far as some of his lyrical themes go there's a certain muted machismo. Plus he's a favorite among many bikers and that association alone earns him a 10 point bump. I'd place him maybe around 56 on a 1-100 rating

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=691r2DDdWn4

Other Michigan rockers undoubtedly rate higher on the MBAS, such as Ted Nugent (91) or Iggy Pop (80 - would be higher but for a certain androgyny he exhibits)

Several things go in to determining one's rating on the MBAS, but without a great deal of exposition I'll simply provide some examples of where various musicians rate in my book:

Brian Eno - 4
The Carpenters - 5
The Cure - 10
Devo - 27
Jimmy Buffet - 37
Frank Sinatra - 59
Joan Jet - 64
Guns & Roses - 73
Sex Pistols - 77
Black Sabbath - 84
Misfits - 89



Feel free to volunteer your own MBAS submissions or challenge others' ratings (with some sort of justification)

[WSU MUP Student]

I think your Brian Eno assessment might be a bit generous. Although I love his music, if it were possible to earn a negative MBAS score, he surely would. His often-time collaborator David Byrne however would come in significantly higher at around a 40 maybe. He must be higher on the MBAS than Jimmy Buffet, right?

Folks at the very top of the scale:

Henry Rollins - 100 (if anybody can achieve a perfect score, it might be Rollins)
Lemmy - 99

[imaplanner]

I'm just stopping in to say that Bob seger might not be a total badass like Rollins, but he ain't no pansy.

[UrbaneSprawler]

When it comes to being a badass in the world of music, clearly GG Allin clearly wins.

[otterpop]

Jimmy Buffett isn't bad ass? Back in 1996 Jimmy Buffett's Grumman HU-16 Albatross was shot at by Jamaican authorities as he taxied in the waters near Negril. The Jamaicans had mistaken it for a drug-runner's plane. That is pretty badass! Getting shot at practically qualifies him to be an honorary rapper.

[hilldweller]

Something deep down in Maister's rust-belt soul evidently compelled him to rise to the defense of Bob Seger with this thread. The lesson here is very clear that trolling on others' regional icons (even one's that suck) is an effective way to get new threads started.

[Maister]

Something deep down in Maister's rust-belt soul evidently compelled him to rise to the defense of Bob Seger with this thread. The lesson here is very clear that trolling on others' regional icons (even one's that suck) is an effective way to get new threads started.

LOL! For a laugh I actually considered going all ZG on yer ass and come out swinging as if by criticizing Bob Seger you were somehow dissing everyone from the rust-belt and make comments like "Oh, so we got another Michigan hater around here? Is that what this is all about hilldweller?! I suppose YOU think [insert some pansy ass artist from New England] is the greatest thing?!!!

BOT
most artists associated with the hip hop scene score over 60
The Kinks - 49
The Cars - 50
Michael Jackson - 24

[Seabishop]

Johnny Cash has to be 100 on the scale.

[ofos]

Jimmy Buffett isn't bad ass? Back in 1996 Jimmy Buffett's Grumman HU-16 Albatross was shot at by Jamaican authorities as he taxied in the waters near Negril. The Jamaicans had mistaken it for a drug-runner's plane.

Logical mistake.

I'll give "that little ol' band from Texas", ZZ Top a 98-99 on the badass scale.

Giving some props to Ohio native sons, David Allan Coe is a 125 if Johnny Cash is a 100.

[Tide]

I'll give "that little ol' band from Texas", ZZ Top a 98-99 on the badass scale.

I don't know ofos, releasing a video like that has to be more than 1-2 points off.

http://youtu.be/L__LKaAGhIA?t=1m32s

[ofos]

I don't know ofos, releasing a video like that has to be more than 1-2 points off.

http://youtu.be/L__LKaAGhIA?t=1m32s

Given the rest of their body of work, I'd say that they're very secure in their "badassness' and don't need to lose any penalty points.

[Richmond Jake]

.......I actually considered going all ZG on yer ass and come out swinging ......

I think Maister has coined a new Cyburbiaism. "going all ZG" replaces "going postal." RJ runs and hides in the closet.

[Mastiff]

Giving some props to Ohio native sons, David Allan Coe is a 125 if Johnny Cash is a 100.

I concur!

[Rygor]

I agree wholeheartedly about Rollins. He is the biggest badass. Pantera would have to rank very high on the badass scale, as well. Now someone like say, Michael Bolton, not so much...

[Zoning Goddess]

I think Maister has coined a new Cyburbiaism. "going all ZG" replaces "going postal." RJ runs and hides in the closet.

No closet will be far enough.

And you couldn't even spell "Cyburbianism" correctly. Good grief.

[ofos]

I think Maister has coined a new Cyburbiaism. "going all ZG" replaces "going postal." RJ runs and hides in the closet.

No closet will be far enough.

And you couldn't even spell "Cyburbianism" correctly. Good grief.

And when will RJ be "coming out of the closet"?

[Zoning Goddess]

And when will RJ be "coming out of the closet"?

If he gets caught in the ridiculous number of wire hangers tangled in his closet (which I have to fight every time I hang up his shirts), well, it could be awhile.

[Bear Up North]

Some badass ratings from the Bear.....

U2 - 45
Kinks - 78
MC5 - 100
Dean Martin - 80
The Beatles - 45
The Donnas - 90
The Who - 85
Radiohead - 48
Wilco - 35
The Rolling Stones - 90
Jerry Lee Lewis - 77
Pink Floyd - 66

Bear

[Rygor]

If he gets caught in the ridiculous number of wire hangers tangled in his closet (which I have to fight every time I hang up his shirts), well, it could be awhile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOILKHmZBwc

WIRE HANGERS??!!

[Wannaplan?]

We need to set up a bracket system and we need to vote.

Consider these match ups:

Hole v Patti Smith

Pink v PJ Harvey

Madonna v Lady Gaga

[imaplanner]

And when will RJ be "coming out of the closet"?

In the RTNDTOTO thread he said he had some big news next tuesday. so probably tuesday.

[Bear Up North]

Add Insane Clown Posse to my list, scoring a 100+.

Bear

[Dan]

Bring out the babes! How about:

• Joan Jett
• Wendy O. Williams
• Courtney Love (Hole)
• Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart)

[UrbaneSprawler]

Still, no one mentioned in this thread tops GG Allin, as no one has done more bad stuff with his ass on stage than GG. A close second though would be Barry Manilow due to the fact that there's few things more badass than singing "I Write the Songs" without having actually written "I Write the Songs".

My legacy will soon be forever preserved in Google searches as the only time in the written record of our civilization that Barry Manilow and GG Allin were found in the same paragraph.

[michaelskis]

Kid Rock still a bad ass but with a warm heart for troops.

Kid Rock helps wounded Afghan war vet get new house in Macomb Township

and he loves the City of Detroit.

Kid Rock donates $250K to Detroit Historical Museum