Hmmmm, I think you're being a bit harsh on The Stooges there but I definitely agree with you re: the MC5. In fact, I would say that The Who, The MC5 and The Stooges are the only three rock bands from the 60's that really matter for me (definitely "no Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones"). That's being a little unfair on a few other bands (like Love, "7 and 7 is" is a classic) but those three bands really broke down the walls and set a course away from the mainstream for so many other great bands to follow.
I like a lot of sixties music, but almost all of it is fairly obscure, at least to "classic hits" listeners.
Like any era, the majority of sixties chart music was terrible, but looking just below it you'll find the real gold. Bands like Ohio Express, the Beau Brummels, 13 Floor Elevators, The Seeds, The 1910 Fruitgum Company etc had bits of chart success but the majority of their music is not known to most. This is the real good stuff, along with others like Electric Prunes, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Elastik Band etc etc. The Nuggets box set is a great starting point.
The Rolling Stones I never really liked, and that's mainly because what most consider their best work I think to be their worst. Jumpin Jack Flash, Satisfaction etc are just crap. whereas a track like Under My Thumb is just plain brilliant. One thing that puts me off is that they just haven't had the guts to call it a day, which should have happened twenty-five years ago. (See my signature at the bottom of this post.)
The Who were a great band when they were still mods. When they grew their hair and released Who's Next they became another boring rock band.
In my opinion the exception to the "chart" rule is the Beatles. They thoroughly deserve their position and status as the greatest band ever. Their ability to write with variety is unsurpassed. Take these examples; Do You Want To Know A Secret?, Ob La Di Ob La Da, Got To Get You Into My Life and Yellow Submarine. Four tracks that were so different, so diverse, they just had to be by different acts, but weren't. They were able to transcend genre and still sound like The Beatles. Effing geniuses.
Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.
