March Madness Music Style!

The Beatles wit their trainer, some guy named Clay.  Or Ali.

From our friends over at the Next Music Blog comes brackets of musical artists.  Yes, I'm aware that Colin Cowherd is doing the same thing, but here's my basic point - I like the Next guys better.  So that's that.

Let us review things, bracket by bracket!

In the Elvis Presley Bracket, where Journey won a play-in over Judas Priest:

1) Led Zeppelin vs. 16) Journey.  Really?  Is that a question?  Led Zep.
8) Neil Young vs. 9) REM.  Little tougher, but this is my preference.  I'll take REM.
4) Pearl Jam vs. 13) Greatful Dead.  I was surprised that they had the Dead so low.  I went with the Dead in an upset, but Pearl Jam will no doubt (ha ha) win the vote.
5) The Police vs. 12) Dire Straits.  Might be my toughest choice.  I'll take The Police, who put on one of the best shows I've ever been to.
2) U2 vs. 15) Black Crowes.  Easy.  U2.
7) Price vs. 10) Radiohead.  OK, computer.  Radiohead, all day.
3) Aersomith vs. 14) Nine Inch Nails.  Like that's a choice?  "Walk this Way" to the second round.
6) Van Halen vs. 11) Tool.  Van Halen or Van Hagar, thank you very much.

My second round plays like this:
1) Led Zeppelin vs. 9) REM.  Still not a question.  Like REM, but Zep is Zep.
13) Greatful Dead vs. 5) The Police.  Whether it was Pearl Jam or the Dead, The Police move on.
2) U2 vs. 10) Radiohead.  Hmmmm.  This is a little tough for me.  But still, I'll take U2.
3) Aerosmith vs. 6) Van Halen.  I can't forgive Aeromsith for the balads.  Van Halen "Jumps" to the next round.

Regional Semis:
1) Led Zeppelin vs. 5) The Police.  Sorry, Stingo.  Led Zep is rambling on.
2) U2 vs. 6) Van Halen.  Wow - the toughest one yet.  I'll give Bono the edge with his high-powered connections.

Regional Final:
1) Led Zeppelin vs. 2) U2.  No contest.  Sorry.  Led Zeppelin.

That bracket went chalk.  Too easy in the end.  OK, let's try the James Brown Bracket, where Smashing Pumpkins beat Stone Temple Pilots in the play-in:

1) Rolling Stones vs. 16) Smashing Pumpkins.  No chance.  Stones.
8) White Stripes vs. 9) Coldplay.  I can see an upset here, and I'm going with it.  Wanker music wins!  Coldplay.
4) Queen vs. 13) Foo Fighters.  Freddie Mercury.  Nuff said.
5) Eagles vs. 12) Rage Against the Machine.  Riiiiight.  Eagles.
2) Pink Floyd vs. 15) Fleetwood Mac.  Might be the best 2/15 matchup.  Still, I'll take Floyd.
7) David Bowie vs. 10) Johnny Cash.  I know who's going to win.  I know who I'm picking.  I'm walking the line with Johnny Cash.
3) AC/DC vs. 14) The Cure.  Love New Wave and 80's punk, etc.  But come on.  AC/DC.
6) The Doors vs. 11) Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.  The Doors, thanks.

Second Round:
1) Rolling Stones vs. 9) Coldplay.  No question.  Stones.
4) Queen vs. 5) Eagles.  Damn.  Love them both.  But Freddie is Freddie.  Wow.  The Eagles had so many great songs.  Damn.  Freddie is the difference.
2) Pink Floyd vs. 10) Johnny Cash.  I'm trying to find an upset.  Really.  Not here.  Floyd.
3) AC/DC vs. 6) The Doors.  This will work.  Here's my upset.  The Doors.

Semis:
1) Stones vs. 4) Queen.  Freddie versus Mick Jagger.  It's my bracket.  See ya, Stones.  I'll take Queen.  Few others will, and I get that.
2) Pink Floyd vs. 6) The Doors.  I guess I'll take Floyd.

Final:
2) Pink Floyd vs. 4) Queen.  I'm mixing it up, people.  Queen heads to the Final Four.  If I hear "Comfortably Numb" one more time...

To the Buddy Holly Bracket, where Arcade Fire knocked off Kings of Leon in the play-in:
1) Jimi Hendrix vs. 16) Arcade Fire.  Hendrix.
8) Bob Marley vs. 9) Credence Clearwater Revival.  Nice 8/9 matchup.  Marley will win the vote.  I'm taking CCR.
4) The Ramones vs. 13) The Sex Pistols.  Nicely placed by the committee!  Well thought out.  Still The Ramones invented Punk.  Done.
5) Metallica vs. 12) Iron Maiden.  "Enter Sandman."
2) The Clash vs. 15) The Pretenders.  Wow...The Pretenders as a 15?  That's tough.  But it's The Clash, and the win.
7) Elton John vs. 10) The Beach Boys.  Could be an upset, but not here.  Elton John.
3) Black Sabbath vs. 14) Dave Matthews Band.  OK, I get it.  I know Sabbath will win the vote.  This, however, isn't about your vote.  It's about mine.  I like DMB.  They win.
6) Allman Brothers vs. 11) Talking Heads.  My brother will likely disown me...again.  I'll take the Heads.

Second round:
1) Hendrix vs. 9) CCR.  Primed for an upset?  No.  Hendrix.  I don't think he's a strong one seed though.
4) The Ramones vs. 5) Metallica.  Punk vs. Metal.  Tough.  I'll take Metallica.
7) Elton John vs. 2) The Clash.  See, here's the thing.  If I could only take Elton John up until 1980, then I would choose him.  I can't...so The Clash wins.
14) Dave Matthews Band vs. 11) Talking Heads.  The upsets continue!  DMB to the semis!

Semis:
1) Hendrix vs. 5) Metallica.  I still think Hendrix is a weak one, but he breezes on.
2) The Clash vs. 14) DMB.  The upsets end.  It's The Clash.

Final:
1) Jimi Hendrix vs. 2) The Clash.  Those who think I'm such a true Classic Rock guy will be shocked.  I'll take The Clash.  "London Calling" is an insanely great album.

Finally, the Check Berry bracket.  Van Morrison destroyed ZZ Top in the Play-in.  Ummm...when you see the number one seed, yeah...
1) THE BEATLES vs. 16) Van Morrison.  I love Van Morrison.  Really.  But...really?  Beatles.
8) Bob Dylan vs. 9) Tom Petty.  My preference?  TP.  But I want my brother to not disown me, and he thinks I hate Dylan (God, I hate when people assume I hate things).  I like Dylan!  Really!  And he's better than Tom Petty, despite my preference.  So Bob moves on.
4) Eric Clapton vs. 13) The Pixies.  The Pixies?  Really?  I mean, I respect the committee for a unique selection, and God knows they wouldn't put Huey Lewis and the News in (there's a small dose of humor in that), but come on.  I've soured on Clapton a tad, but Clapton still wins.
5) Nirvana vs. 12) Bon Jovi.  Anyone who votes against Nirvana is either a) female or b) I'm not going to insult anyone.  I'll just say "Nirvana" and move on.
2) The Who vs. 15) The Replacements.  I've got nothing.  Wow.  The Who.
7) Bruce Springsteen vs. 10) Guns and Roses.  I can see an upset here.  I can also see my regional final shaping up already.  Voters will pick GnR.  Smart people will pick Bruce.  I'm smart.
3) The Kinks vs. 14) Elvis Costello.  You know, early on, I didn't see any upsets brewing.  The Kinks as a THREE?  No.  Way.  Elvis Costello moves on.
6) Red Hot Chili Peppers vs. 11) Simon and Garfunkel.  Once again, I know the audience.  But once again...what was that I was saying about upsets?  S&G.

Second Round:
1) The Beatles vs. 8) Bob Dylan.  Even my brother should agree here.  The Beatles.
4) Eric Clapton vs. 5) Nirvana.  Tempted to pull an upset, but that's what early death does.  Yes, Nirvana ushered in a genre, but Clapton is God.
2) The Who vs. 7) Bruce Springsteen.  You didn't really think I'd pick The Who, did you?  Bruce should be way higher than a seven, but that's not my problem (and let's not even get into those who didn't get selected...I mean, Red Hot Chili Peppers are here but Billy Joel isn't?  Bon Jovi but not Genesis?).  Bruce...all day.
11) Simon and Garfunkel vs. 14) Elvis Costello.  Probably Simon and Garfunkel, I guess.

Semis:
1) The Beatles vs. 4) Eric Clapton.  While he appeared on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", it was a Beatles song.  They're The Beatles.  Duh.  Winning (sorry, couldn't resist).
7) Bruce Springsteen vs. 11) Simon and Garfunkel.  Didn't I already say I could see my regional final?  Yeah, Springsteen.

Final:
1) The Beatles vs. 7) Bruce Springsteen.  This should really be a Final Four matchup.  I might have taken Bruce in almost any other bracket.  Except this one.  Again.  They're the Beatles.

FINAL FOUR:
The brackets aren't lined up to show who would play whom...oh, it doesn't matter.  You know the winner.  I know the winner.  You know who I'm picking.  You would know no matter who they are matched up against.  One...more...time...

THEY'RE THE BEATLES.  National champs.