[FullRangeMan]

I take back everything I said before, Fullrangeman. Mere mortals they be, in front of Tiny Tim!
Thanks for introducing me to a truly unique musician!

There is nothing similar to Tiny Tim, a great minstrel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpxx-jSS3JQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT8t0VxZXEM
I will miss him.
RIP

[SteveFord]

I'll throw three more in the ring:

Johnny Winter
Mose Allison
Leon Russell

In their prime they seemed to be a bit above the common riff raff such as, well, Donny and Marie Osmond although that Going Coconuts era was something to behold...

[bixby]

Let's see, as I was growing up, there were a number of bands that epitomized COOL for me.

Early Years=Beatles
Later = Jimi Hendrix, Savoy Brown
Later= Jeff Beck, Led Zepplin, Joe Walsh
Much Later= Genesis, John McLaughlin, Bowie, Rolling Stones
Even Later - Miles Davis

Favorite & most cool now- Peter Gabriel

[dflee]

Gotta throw in Doctor John, Credence, Camel, ooh, ooh and________________!

[apollophono]

Pink Floyd
Alice Cooper for their lyrics and great music when Bob Ezrin produced them
Frank Zappa
The Tubes

[JoshK]

I guess this is a very subjective answer, and most people will probably relate to what they considered to be cool when they were growing up.

For me, some of the coolest musicians have been Les Claypool (of Primus and The Les Claypool Flying Frog Brigade), and Mike Patton (of Faith No More). These guys were not necessarily the most famous or even the most talented, but were completely fearless and experimental. And I guess that works for me. Oh, I guess Beck also falls under this category.

Some examples of what I'm talking about:

(Mike Patton)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwWQYg7aS5o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-DB5-jG3CQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=968OgZCWICY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EN5P_wTLKc

(Les Claypool)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOdo7dhvSwg
(this was the first Primus song I heard and I was just taken aback at how different it sounded from everything else)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWRn80UOsqw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubv6ZpRP-KM

(Beck)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIuB56pbYMs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNyFrKC9RYo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n_EfE2JmIQ&list=PL29794B881D3F01AD

Ok, this is something I can get down with.   All three I can get behind.

I first heard of Primus from a bassist, acquaintance of mine, in high/jr.high school who was a huge fan (later to become the bassist for Death Cab for Cutie....Nick Harmer).  I graduated high school in '93 (same as Nick) in a smallish town just south of Seattle, where many of the "grunge era" bands came from, such as Nirvanna and Alice and Chains.  I was more into the later, but liked them all.   So you can see where my tastes were influenced.

Was always a huge fan of Faith No More ad still am.   Some of Mike Patton's stuff is a bit out there for me but I still think he is the absolute man and dig his enthusiasm for pushing the bounds.

Beck I didn't like the first take, but have since grown to really respect him.   I saw him maybe 4 years back in Jersey City (great venue) and the show was absolutely astounding.  I think they were "touring" for the one after Guero.   

[JoshK]

My personal preference at the moment and looking back.    I'll miss a ton, but I'll get some.


Opeth
Porcupine Tree
Tool
Queens of the Stone Age (pretty much anything Josh Homme)
LCD Soundsystem
Radiohead
Nine Inch Nails
Faith No More
Alice in Chains
Pink Floyd
Alexisonfire/City&Colour
Death From Above 1979
Metric
Fugazi
Muse
Rishloo
Tokyo Police Club
The White Stripes
Lamb of God

[drumzncarz]

Besides the Beatles,

Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, ELP, Mountain !

[Chuckdog2005]

Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Etta James were cool!

I've not heard many of the artist mentioned in earlier post, but Sinatra set the standard for "cool."

[Zero]

When I was a kid, the answer would be :   Linkin Park.

[geowak]

Since the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is about to induct a few more bands, like to add two I hope get in.
Yes and Nirvana. ZZTop are in, they are just too cool as well.

[Charles Xavier]

Come on,  Lonewolf is still the coolest 

[Devil Doc]

The Anti-Cool, Popa Chubby


Doc

[santacore]

Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis are the coolest in my book......both took it way out there and back.

[Mike Nomad]

Cool?

In chronological order:

Duke Ellington

Miles Davis

Brian Eno

[Emsquare]

I guess this is a very subjective answer, and most people will probably relate to what they considered to be cool when they were growing up.

For me, some of the coolest musicians have been Les Claypool (of Primus and The Les Claypool Flying Frog Brigade), and Mike Patton (of Faith No More). These guys were not necessarily the most famous or even the most talented, but were completely fearless and experimental. And I guess that works for me. Oh, I guess Beck also falls under this category.

Some examples of what I'm talking about:

(Mike Patton)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwWQYg7aS5o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-DB5-jG3CQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=968OgZCWICY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EN5P_wTLKc

(Les Claypool)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOdo7dhvSwg
(this was the first Primus song I heard and I was just taken aback at how different it sounded from everything else)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWRn80UOsqw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubv6ZpRP-KM

(Beck)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIuB56pbYMs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNyFrKC9RYo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n_EfE2JmIQ&list=PL29794B881D3F01AD

Thanks for pointing out Les Claypool. Holy cow is that fun. Just starting to collect some of his stuff because of your tip off.

Will have to look at Mike Patton now...

Beck is one I already like a lot and could not agree more with you. Not to be overlooked.

The most impressive YouTube video I have seen this year... Hell broke luce by Tom Waits

Warning - NSFW because of a few choice profanities

http://youtu.be/0Fju9o8BVJ8