What bands transcend genres?

Question

What are some bands that criss cross and fuse genres so often that there is no way to give them with a genre?

The first band that comes to mind for me is The Kinks. Their sound has changed so often, it's hard to really give them a subgenre of rock.

Your examples?

conie: I can't seem to answer questions at the moment, so here was the rest of my answer for the Floyd question... I hope you get this:
It might be:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNgCKED1bAI
For some odd reason i think it's Mudmen, even though that's much longer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnSXfG9cipY

Answer 1

David Bowie of course is one example of a person who has played too many different genre's to count.

Answer 2

You'd be surprised. Many bands do. It's just that the released songs fit into a certain genre. Many bands have songs on their albums that are not in the same genre as their "popular" songs. If the bands actually play instruments, the chances are even higher of genre-crossing. Playing only one type of music can be very boring for a musician.

Answer 3

The Kinks are a pretty good example, although I'd say they mainly stay between pop and rock, albeit some of the best pop and rock.

I'd submit the Velvet Underground. You can't call them simply proto-punk or garage rock because a few songs on the debut and many on the third album and after are too clean. You can't call them pop beccause the songs "Heroin" "Eauropean Son" and the entire album White Light/White Heat is the antithesis of pop.
You can't call them simply art rock because their later stuff after Cale left had plenty of more conventional fare.
And for the period when Cale was there you definitely can't classify them as general or "classic" rock, especially with raucous noise fests like the divine "Heroin" the trippy folksy "Run Run Run" or the abrasive guitar murder "I Heard Her Call My Name" or the 17 minute long organ fuled improvisation of "Sister Ray". I'm not sure what you'd classify them as honestly.

You can call them great though, that wouldn't be a problem.

Others I'd say are close:
Devo
The Fall
Wire
Modern Lovers
Lou Reed
Iggy Pop
Elvis Costello

Etc. Etc.

Answer 4

Pink Floyd
The Rolling Stones
Queen
The Beatles
All four bands leap to mind.
Floyd has jumped from style to style over a long career
Astronomy Domine-Space Rock
DSOTM-Prog Rock
Not Now John-Quasi Metal
Dirty Woman-Straight Ahead Classic Hard Rock
The Stones have done almost every genre of song
Country Disco Jazz Funk Reggae Blues Metal-ish (Highwire)
Prog (2,000 Light Years) You about name it they've done it
The same thing can be said for Queen and The Beatles

Answer 5

*Maudlin of The Well*- is a very versatile
(Avant-Garde), ethereal, and constantly diverse band, who's sound is always changing/transcending. They do everything from a mainstream sounding light rock song, to growling death metal spewing shredding, to folk, to psychedelic pink floyd inspired songs, jazz fusion, . There like an Enigma.. completely eclectic, you cannot label them as any specific genre!! www.myspace.com/maudlinofthewell

Answer 6

My, what a coincidence, i was reading an article just on the fusion genre in a magazine while i was in the crapper...

Look up the band "Living Colour"

They are mostly based on hard rock, but have integrated jazz, blues, hip-hop, and many other genres into their musical palate.

Answer 7

King Crimson is the one band that comes to mind which is difficult to place in any single genre. Their sound has changed during their nearly 40 years of existence. KC simply defies labels.

Answer 8

Dream Theater

Answer 9

Not that they criss cross a lot, but Sugar Ray criss crossed once from heavy metal/punk to pop. Their first album "Lemonade & Brownies" is AMAZING! Really miss their hard rock stuff.

Answer 10

Dispatch..

Radiohead.

Blur.

Pink Floyd.