Top 10 Best Bristol Rock Bands

Bristol has always had a good reputation for producing top-rate, if not best-selling, rock outfits. So, who are the cream of the crop?
The Top Ten
1 Stackridge

No competition in my opinion - the band that should have gained more recognition than they did, perhaps through having more of a comfy slippers approach compared to the leather jackboot attitudes of other bands. Their music can raise smiles and tears, with sweeping dramatic, almost symphonic majesty, to the quirky immediacy of a 3-minute Beatles classic.

I loved them from the first time I was loaned (and scratched) their debut album. In fact, I still can't play my CD copy without the clicks and pops that accompanied Percy the Penguin on vinyl. Thank you for lending that album to me, Clive Morgan of Keynsham, my first school friend (RIP). Without you, I'd probably never have heard of Stackridge.

2 Herb Garden

The Herb Garden were a total blast... a blast of good vibes and (tongue-in-cheek) consciousness, but most importantly a blast of high-energy melodic punk rock that always got everybody going. I still get a rush when I hear the Bulldozer Jones. Long live the Herb Garden!

Redland acid punks who for years had a reputation as the best live band in the city and gave us such classic albums as HMS Disaster and Organic Jihad.

Fabulous... Don't forget their act at the Ashton Court Festival.

3 Cars On Fire

Post-metalcore noise rockers who have a string of great albums to their name.

4 Onslaught Onslaught are an English thrash metal band from Bristol, England. Initially active from 1983 to 1991, they reformed in 2004. The band initially drew influence from second wave hardcore punk bands such as Discharge and The Exploited, and then adopted a straight forward thrash metal sound.

One of the UK's, if not the world's, finest thrash metal acts. Their 1987 album The Force is still arguably the finest thrash album of all time.

5 Cauda Pavonis

Su and Dave Wainwright's epoch-making dark wave death rockers, still delivering the goods after 15 remarkable years and a string of mind-blowing albums.

6 Jaguar

Indeed, working with Mike Exeter at the moment from Black Sabbath/Judas Priest on a new album for 2014, "Metal X". Still bringing metal to the masses around the world, especially Europe! Keep it true!

P.S. Lars Ulrich really rates Jaguar. Maybe we will see them supporting Metallica!

Doesn't get any better. Their latest album "Metal X" is both fresh and a blast from the past.

7 The Pigs
8 Jebo

Tours with Asia, Focus, and The Musical Box, two great albums, and a worldwide following, making them one of Bristol's best-kept musical secrets.

Great musicians playing great music!

9 Claytown Troupe

Straight out of Redland with a sub-goth, dark indie vibe. Another one for the should have been huge file.

10 Mesh

Originally, I started listening to Mesh because they sounded a lot like Depeche Mode. Over the years, their songwriting and musical talents have evolved in such a way that they've outdone themselves with every single new album they've released. I can't really say that Depeche Mode has lived up to their standards, especially after their fourth member left the band.

Mind you, the same thing happened to Mesh, but they didn't let this affect their music. They still deliver strong lyrics and catchy tunes. They're simply brilliant! Thanks. Fredrik. Age 38.

The Contenders
11 Alien Stash Tin

Cider-swilling, spacey classic blues rockers with a punk edge. They've been around for years with a couple of impressive albums out.

Excellent band and a great bunch of guys!

12 The Wurzels
13 Lot 39

Great band, all Bristol boys - Singer Micky John Bull... Good times at The Dugout Club.

14 The Seers

Wiping the floor with mediocrity since 1987.

Yes, I was in them, but we were good.

15 Shakane

The best band that never made it! Remarkable harmonies and wallpaper-stripping guitar work.

16 Fire At William
17 The Moonflowers
18 The Legendary Moonflowers
19 Head
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