Best AMERICAN Rock Band?

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Minstrel said:
Maybe I'm overlooking something, but wasn't the Jimi Hendrix Experience really just a vehicle for Jimi Hendrix, rather than a proper band? Hendrix was amazing, no question, but the OP seemed to want to avoid single artists.
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Fair enough. I guess that rules out Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as well.
 
Minstrel said:
The Beach Boys made about 100 albums, though (of which the first 10 or so were actually great...after Brian Wilson stopped writing for them, they devolved quickly). It's just a shame that SMiLE wasn't produced at the time it was supposed to. I've heard the 2004 version, with Brian's voice a shambles, and it's still spectacular. Had it come out in 1968-69, it would have been viewed as a contender for greatest album ever.
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Coincidentally, I pulled out the Brian Wilson Smile a week or two ago, having not heard it in years, and I've fallen in love with it all over again--despite his Bill Murray crooning-like deteriorated voice. IMO, if the group had cooperated and supported Wilson, and ultimately released Smile at it's inception, there'd be no question who the best American rock band is. Smile may not have become a commercial success, but the Beatles would have recognized it every bit as visionary and groundbreaking as Sargent Pepper was for them, and I think that back/forth competitive one-ups-manship would have continued. It would have been fascinating to see where Wilson would have evolved from Smile instead of closing shop like he did.

I think the Doors deserve mention too. They have a pretty decent sized catalogue. They were terrific musicians with heavy American jazz influence. They had an original sound. They have quite a few popular and cultish songs. They were iconic. They were highly imitated.
 
Motown getting some seriously short shrift here (by me, as well). While a lot of their great performances were from solo artists, I'd say that, at least, the Temptations, the Supremes and the Jackson 5 merit inclusion.
 
Minstrel said:
Motown getting some seriously short shrift here (by me, as well). While a lot of their great performances were from solo artists, I'd say that, at least, the Temptations, the Supremes and the Jackson 5 merit inclusion.
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I think it's because it's difficult to refer to them as "rock-n-roll" maybe?
 
Minstrel said:
Motown getting some seriously short shrift here (by me, as well). While a lot of their great performances were from solo artists, I'd say that, at least, the Temptations, the Supremes and the Jackson 5 merit inclusion.
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I'd classify those groups as R and B. Plus, most of those acts were merely singing songs that other people wrote and did not play instruments, which is fine, but I have to factor that into any ranking.
 
julius said:
I think it's because it's difficult to refer to them as "rock-n-roll" maybe?
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How do you draw the line, though? It's an interesting question, but I view them as part of, and hugely influencing of, the "rock & roll era."
 
BGrantFan said:
I'd classify those groups as R and B. Plus, most of those acts were merely singing songs that other people wrote, which is fine, but I have to factor that into any ranking.
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They were all involved in the writing process, though. Some of their songs were written by others but, by the same token, they were writing songs for others. Very few of them were just singers/musicians (not counting the session guys).

And I forgot to include Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Smokey Robinson was very much a song-writing genius.

As to your point about R&B vs. rock & roll...it's not a line that I think is easily drawn, as to what is what. I view both as part of the same era and tapestry. Both came out of the blues tradition.
 
Minstrel said:
How do you draw the line, though? It's an interesting question, but I view them as part of, and hugely influencing of, the "rock & roll era."
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Kind of like what Bgrantfan said. There were some awesome groups, no doubt, but they were more R&B. And a lot of them didn't write their songs (imho, that is what separates bands in rankings).

I wouldn't be opposed to people referring to them as Rock N Roll bands though.
 
Minstrel said:
They were all involved in the writing process, though. Some of their songs were written by others but, by the same token, they were writing songs for others. Very few of them were just singers/musicians (not counting the session guys).

And I forgot to include Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Smokey Robinson was very much a song-writing genius.

As to your point about R&B vs. rock & roll...it's not a line that I think is easily drawn, as to what is what. I view both as part of the same era and tapestry. Both came out of the blues tradition.
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I think it's fairly clear that Motown groups are classified as "R&B". Barry Gordy basically created the genre, at least the Detroit version. Plus, weren't the Miracles just a vehicle for Smokey Robinson? :)
 
The Doors
The Eagles
Grateful Dead
Pearl Jam
Van Halen
Velvet Underground
 
BGrantFan said:
I think it's fairly clear that Motown groups are classified as "R&B".
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Sure. I just don't consider that apart from rock & roll. As far as I'm concerned, it was all part of the same scene, drawing on much of the same inspiration. And bands that were not part of that classification (like the Beatles and the Stones and the Who, among many others) were influenced by Motown. So, considering that the Motown groups and artists were part of the evolution of that era, both in terms of what they were influenced by and what they in turn influenced, it's arbitrary, IMO, to separate them out.

Just my view.

Plus, weren't the Miracles just a vehicle for Smokey Robinson? :)
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You could look at it that way, but "The Miracles" were a band from the start...long before they became famous or Smokey Robinson became famous. It only became "Smokey Robinson & the Miracles" later, when Robinson became recognized as the massive star. My understanding is that the other guys in the Jimi Hendrix Experience were simply hired on by Hendrix because he needed a bassist and a drummer. In that sense, it doesn't seem much different from session musicians...which means almost every solo artist had a "band."

It's a difference to me, but it's not a big deal. I don't mind tossing the Jimi Hendrix Experience into the discussion. Jimi Hendrix just always "felt" like a solo artist to me, but your mileage may vary.
 
julius said:
But I'm not sure if # of albums sold is a good barometer. A great example? Hootie and the Blowfish sold more albums (cracked rear view) than Pink Floyd did with Dark side of the moon. You can't tell me DSOTM is not better than Cracked Rear View.

Maybe there should be a list made and a vote done. And no crappy bands (that are just bands I know nothing about actually).
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Something to take note of. Dark Side of the Moon was on the Billboard top 200, for 741 straight weeks. Also, the link i found earlier had different #'s then what I just found, stating that Thriller sold something like 100 million, and DSOTM sold over 44 million.
 
Bob Dylan (not a band, but greatest American song writer)
Funkadelic
Big Star
Velvet Underground
 
Kyuss, AC/DC, and Metallica up until right after And Justice For All.
 
[video=youtube;h-vwPuiILBc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-vwPuiILBc[/video]
 
Great conversation guys.

Motown is an interesting one. I think the Temptations, Supremes, Four Tops, Smokey and the Miricles and to a lesser extent, the Commodores all should get some mention. Commodores not really motown, but it made me think of them
 
I would include Motown. Not sure if Simon & Garfunkel count as a band or even "rock". I have a "Rocks & Minerals" playlist in my iPod for miscellaneous including rock, pop, soul, motown etc.

Not yet mentioned herein:

Big Brother & the Holding Company

Jefferson Airplane

Buffalo Springfield

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Crosby, Still & Nash (and Young)

going all the way back to the roots:

Bill Haley & the Comets

The Crickets

And of course the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers - they rocked!
 
Ronan said:
Soundgarden? Are you serious?
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Soundgraden is a really good band actually. I think it would be tough to keep them out of a top 10 or 15 list of greatest American bands. But people are different, me thinking Blondie rocks, while others think they are only ok for example.
 
crandc said:
I would include Motown. Not sure if Simon & Garfunkel count as a band or even "rock". I have a "Rocks & Minerals" playlist in my iPod for miscellaneous including rock, pop, soul, motown etc.

Not yet mentioned herein:

Big Brother & the Holding Company

Jefferson Airplane

Buffalo Springfield

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Crosby, Still & Nash (and Young)

going all the way back to the roots:

Bill Haley & the Comets

The Crickets

And of course the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers - they rocked!
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Has anyone mentioned the Crickets, or are we thinking that's basically just Buddy Holly?

A few newer ones that are decent

Green Day
Weezer
Flaming Lips
RHCP


Also, groups like Iggy and the Stooges and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers should probably get some run too.
 
Has anyone mentioned Sly and the Family Stone yet? Great group there. Man I forgot all about them, and they might even be top 5 for me.
 
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