Members Vito Corleone Posted February 10, 2011 Members Share Posted February 10, 2011 Chicago If only they had stopped releasing albums 20 or so years ago.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rangefinder Posted February 10, 2011 Members Share Posted February 10, 2011 If you define "American" as both "born in America" and "reflecting America in their music" and "band" as "several musicians contributing roughly equally to the success of the group" it's gonna be pretty tough to top Eagles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members triton76 Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikerol Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 For me, it's between:AerosmithEagles Springsteen/E Street Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jwlussow Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 If only they had stopped releasing albums 20 or so years ago.... Didn't they. Actually it was up to Chicago VII (1974). After that it was maybe 1 or 2 songs a decade that were any good. But they are in their 42nd year of touring and they sound better then ever. Seriously, I see them a few times a year and they haven't released anything really great since 1974. Their tours still sell out and are some of the consistently top grossing tours year after year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 ZZ Top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mr3lions Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 because it's the internet and I can hide in anonymity I'll say me (despite the fact I'm an Englishman living in Canada). Followed closely by Pearl Jam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigjd Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 ZZ Top I second this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Didn't they. Actually it was up to Chicago VII (1974). After that it was maybe 1 or 2 songs a decade that were any good. But they are in their 42nd year of touring and they sound better then ever. Seriously, I see them a few times a year and they haven't released anything really great since 1974. Their tours still sell out and are some of the consistently top grossing tours year after year. Yeah, I agree that "VII" was their last great album. Although I liked "XI" quite a bit. And even "16" which I thought was an awesome comeback. Loved that Tubes meets Toto thing with Chicago horns on top. David Foster's finest moment there I think. Yeah, it's all very dated and sooo "80s" now and Foster and his imitators ran that sound into the ground. But at the time? I was blown away by that record. Not really "Chicago", I know. But after the turds they dropped with "13" and "XIV", it was a pretty incredible comeback, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Yeah, I agree that "VII" was their last great album. Although I liked "XI" quite a bit. And even "16" which I thought was an awesome comeback. Loved that Tubes meets Toto thing with Chicago horns on top. David Foster's finest moment there I think. Yeah, it's all very dated and sooo "80s" now and Foster and his imitators ran that sound into the ground. But at the time? I was blown away by that record. Not really "Chicago", I know. But after the turds they dropped with "13" and "XIV", it was a pretty incredible comeback, IMO. I agree. I liked some of that Chicago 80's cheez. What made it appealing to me was the updated guitar sound they had - ghost cats. They weren't gonna get another Terry Kath, and they didn't try. Which to me was cool to do at the time - made it a little more fresh sounding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 I agree. I liked some of that Chicago 80's cheez. What made it appealing to me was the updated guitar sound they had - ghost cats. They weren't gonna get another Terry Kath, and they didn't try. Which to me was cool to do at the time - made it a little more fresh sounding. Funny this came up because I just picked up the "16" CD for a couple bucks the other day and played that album for the first time in at least 20 years. I was surprised how much I still liked it and, surprisingly, there are only two ballads on it. The singles, of course, but most of the other stuff rocks. They went almost ALL ballads on the albums after that, but "16" actually rocks pretty hard. Steve Lukather is playing most of the guitar solos on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Funny this came up because I just picked up the "16" CD for a couple bucks the other day and played that album for the first time in at least 20 years. I was surprised how much I still liked it and, surprisingly, there are only two ballads on it. The singles, of course, but most of the other stuff rocks. They went almost ALL ballads on the albums after that, but "16" actually rocks pretty hard. Steve Lukather is playing most of the guitar solos on it. Yeah, he had a good mix with the keys too. Just enough chorus/distortion. He owned that sound. Almost everyone else that tries to get it gets bees, but Luke owned that processed compressed chorused hard rock sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lsits Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Grand Funk Railroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Santana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members timrocker Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Aerosmith. Or Van Halen. Or Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. Or KISS. Or The Doors. Or somebody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members troyguitar Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 MANOWAR! Other bands play, MANOWAR KILL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Catfish Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Can't narrow it down to just one, but there's plenty I'd put ahead of Steely Dan. Booker T. & the M.G.'s, The Dead, Tom Petty & Heartbreakers, CCR, Sly and the Family Stone, The Allman Brothers Band, the Stooges, Parliament/Funkadelic, the Band (yeah, 4/5 were Canadian, but they were based in NY, at least early on, and Levon's American enough for all of them)... I could list bands all night that I like more than Steely Dan. I just really don't like Steely Dan, though; they're talent is obvious, and they always hired solid musicians, just a little too clinical for my taste, I guess. I respect them, but far as listening to them goes, they're a small step above elevator music to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badhabit Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Many of these "bands" are truly great composers, arrangers, performers and musicians. I like Steeley Dan a lot for their complexity and odd chordal progressions, but they're not really a "band", since it's really Fagan and Becker running the show, Chicago is "okay" but to me, a smooth version of TOP, which, IMHO, kicks enormous butt when it comes to funky, flat out grooves and tight horns. For me, both Kath and Cetera were the soul of Chicago, and even though Bill Champlain attempted to inject some soul back into Chicago, it was, and has never been the same without Cetera and Kath. And I'm a huge fan of Bill Champlain. So, greatest AMERICAN band, dang, it's a tough call. Since I'm a guitar player, I'm going with guitar focused bands. *The Allman Brothers Band. They made southern rock and blues what it is today. Duane Allman and Dicky Betts played some of the best guitar duos ever.* The Doobie Brothers. They wrote hip, pop/rock tunes with ringing guitars. I didn't care much for the McDonald era though. It really changed the rock feel of the band.* Journey. Man, Steve Perry has a great voice, backed by Neal Schon on guitar. A tour de force.* ZZ Top. Those three cats have been together forever and are still making some hot Texas blues.*Aerosmith. Tyler and Perry are a formidable team. Great rock band.* Boston. I think Tom Scholz has had as much of an impression on rock guitar as EVH.The high, singing, dual and triple harmony guitar leads have fallen out of favor for more guttural styles. But man, are they cool.* Van Halen. Just a fun, kick ass southern CA. rock band who's had an attitude and Eddie showing the world what could be done with 6 strings. Love Van Halen. There are many, more obscure bands who never quite "made it", or, for whatever reason, didn't last, or weren't what I considered "great", for one reason or another. There was The Sons of Champlain, Moby Grape, The Electric Flag, The Band, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Jefferson Airplane/Starship, The Greatful Dead, CCR, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Heart, Tower of Power, Blood Sweat and Tears, Bill Haley and the Comets, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Vanilla Fudge, Steppenwolf, and so many more. Finally, I really don't think there can be " the greatest of all time American" Band. The greatest of all time band period, The Beatles. They did it all, and were the best songwriters in the last 50 yrs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3shiftgtr Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Since the OP said "AMERICAN BAND" and not rock band, or whatever I submit that Duke Ellington ...was the greatest American Band. They were playing a style of SPECIFICALLY American music, they had HUGE cultural significance in the way they related to their culture (Post WWII Black America) and the rest of the American population. They broke down TONS of barriers for black musicians that came after. Not to mention that they were the foremost ambassadors of jazz internationally of their time. And don't forget that they sold LOTS of records for their day and had huge hits that are now just part of the American cultural lanscape; ie "Take the A Train" and "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" are just 2 of many examples. Not to mention that their arrangements were groundbreaking and helped to change music. Hell, Duke was the first to use a FEMALE arranger (Mary Lou Williams, who is an insanely brilliant and unheralded musician) And they were on the road for 40 years solid ....nonstop.... {censored}, he was nominated for a Pulitzer, won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and his last words are said to be "Music is how I live, why I live, and how I will be remembered". He headed up the greatest AMERICAN BAND ever. No one will ever have the impact he did. And he did it with class and style and giant heaps of musical integrity. IMHO of {censored}ing course..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Catfish Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Many of these "bands" are truly great composers, arrangers, performers and musicians. I like Steeley Dan a lot for their complexity and odd chordal progressions, but they're not really a "band", since it's really Fagan and Becker running the show, Chicago is "okay" but to me, a smooth version of TOP, which, IMHO, kicks enormous butt when it comes to funky, flat out grooves and tight horns. For me, both Kath and Cetera were the soul of Chicago, and even though Bill Champlain attempted to inject some soul back into Chicago, it was, and has never been the same without Cetera and Kath. And I'm a huge fan of Bill Champlain.So, greatest AMERICAN band, dang, it's a tough call. Since I'm a guitar player, I'm going with guitar focused bands.*The Allman Brothers Band. They made southern rock and blues what it is today. Duane Allman and Dicky Betts played some of the best guitar duos ever.* The Doobie Brothers. They wrote hip, pop/rock tunes with ringing guitars. I didn't care much for the McDonald era though. It really changed the rock feel of the band.* Journey. Man, Steve Perry has a great voice, backed by Neal Schon on guitar. A tour de force.* ZZ Top. Those three cats have been together forever and are still making some hot Texas blues.*Aerosmith. Tyler and Perry are a formidable team. Great rock band.* Boston. I think Tom Scholz has had as much of an impression on rock guitar as EVH.The high, singing, dual and triple harmony guitar leads have fallen out of favor for more guttural styles. But man, are they cool.* Van Halen. Just a fun, kick ass southern CA. rock band who's had an attitude and Eddie showing the world what could be done with 6 strings. Love Van Halen.There are many, more obscure bands who never quite "made it", or, for whatever reason, didn't last, or weren't what I considered "great", for one reason or another. There was The Sons of Champlain, Moby Grape, The Electric Flag, The Band, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Jefferson Airplane/Starship, The Greatful Dead, CCR, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Heart, Tower of Power, Blood Sweat and Tears, Bill Haley and the Comets, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Vanilla Fudge, Steppenwolf, and so many more.Finally, I really don't think there can be " the greatest of all time American" Band. The greatest of all time band period, The Beatles. They did it all, and were the best songwriters in the last 50 yrs. Moby Grape was one of the bands I almost listed, but didn't for some reason. Buffalo Springfield, too. Hell, long as we're on 3 guitar bands, I'll throw Lynyrd Skynyrd in there...I could go the rest of my life without ever hearing the radio tunes again, but they went a lot deeper than that. Seeing the Black Crowes encore with MG's "Hey Grandma" a couple years ago was really cool, though...especially since I'm pretty sure I was among probably less than 10 people that knew what the hell they were playing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jwlussow Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 For me, both Kath and Cetera were the soul of Chicago, and even though Bill Champlain attempted to inject some soul back into Chicago, it was, and has never been the same without Cetera and Kath. And I'm a huge fan of Bill Champlain. Like my new avatar? Been backstage for their shows in town for the last 8 or 9 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SeniorBlues Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 A Sons of Champlin album would be on my top ten R&R/R&B "desert island discs" list. He was especially inspirational to our cover band with B3, alto, and tenor . . . . Good to see Ellington brought up in this discussion. I'd also include early Louis Armstrong, Miles w/ Tony Williams et al, Weather Report . . . groups that influenced so many others that came after them. R&B gets short shrift on this list, mostly because they promote solo acts. Add my name to the Sly and Booker T. lists. Discussing Steely Dan in the context of elevator music and punching kittens reflects your views about harmony. If you were weaned on power chords, perhaps that's understandable. You probably didn't pull over to the side of the road the first time you heard "Take Six". I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Funkwire Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Since the OP said "AMERICAN BAND" and not rock band, or whatever I submit that Duke Ellington...was the greatest American Band. They were playing a style of SPECIFICALLY American music, they had HUGE cultural significance in the way they related to their culture (Post WWII Black America) and the rest of the American population. They broke down TONS of barriers for black musicians that came after. Not to mention that they were the foremost ambassadors of jazz internationally of their time. And don't forget that they sold LOTS of records for their day and had huge hits that are now just part of the American cultural lanscape; ie "Take the A Train" and "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" are just 2 of many examples. Not to mention that their arrangements were groundbreaking and helped to change music. Hell, Duke was the first to use a FEMALE arranger (Mary Lou Williams, who is an insanely brilliant and unheralded musician) And they were on the road for 40 years solid ....nonstop.... {censored}, he was nominated for a Pulitzer, won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and his last words are said to be "Music is how I live, why I live, and how I will be remembered". He headed up the greatest AMERICAN BAND ever. No one will ever have the impact he did. And he did it with class and style and giant heaps of musical integrity.IMHO of {censored}ing course..... Not just YOUR opinion....very eloquently put. But if the OP meant 'greatest American ROCK AND ROLL band' of all time....Booker T and the MGs. /thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Like my new avatar? Been backstage for their shows in town for the last 8 or 9 years. Cool pic. Love Bill Champlin. Did a lot to keep Chicago above "suck" over the last 30 years. And was the guy who brought David Foster to them. Without Champlin, they WOULD have stopped making records in 1980. I understand he's left the band now though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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