The greatest American band of all time is...

[cooterbrown]

Big Star

[Kramerguy]

 

I guess my problem with this thread is I'm trying to define "greatness" in my head. My favorite American band of all time is DLR era Van Halen. But if you're going to define "greatness" by their influence on music as a whole, I think Nirvana's Nevermind had a much larger impact on music than VH's entire catalog. The Duke Ellington argument is a rather compelling one. And Kiss is another one. Other's that I'd consider: Bon Jovi - Huge in the 80's and really the only 80's "hair" band able to survive the early 90's grunge and still remains amazingly relevant today Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction may very well be the greatest album ever releases IMO REM - The quintessential college band Metallica - Another band that has remained relevant for almost 3 decades and has been amazingly influential throughout that entire time

 

 

I agree with all of this ^^

[Electric Catfish]

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.

 

So, anybody that doesn't like SD's glorified lounge music was "weaned on power chords?"

 

I'm not sure about "Take Six," but "Take 5" annoys the hell out of me. I'd rather hear some Mingus, Trane, Bird, Miles, etc. Or some power chords.

[SeniorBlues]

So, anybody that doesn't like SD's glorified lounge music was "weaned on power chords?" I'm not sure about "Take Six," but "Take 5" annoys the hell out of me. I'd rather hear some Mingus, Trane, Bird, Miles, etc. Or some power chords.

 

Take Five was one of my first exposures to jazz (1960) . . . too bad, because in retrospect, I don't care for them much. So we'll agree on that . . . except that if you like harmony, you should check out Take Six. We talk so much about vocals and harmony on this list. Imagine hearing a group of five guys warming of, joining in, and adding a sixth voice . . . not doubled. It's a lot of relative minor stuff... adding a new bass note. Ask Cooterbrown.

 

There is a huge difference between the limited altered chords w/ or without extension found in SD . . . even to some extent by early Chicago and BS&T . . . and elevator or lounge music. I'll concede that a lot of jazz and jazz influenced harmony is an acquired taste, so it's OK to not like it. . . . but it's nothing at all like lounge or elevator music.

 

You probably don't care much for R&B . . . a lot of minor 9ths.

[wades_keys]

 

I guess my problem with this thread is I'm trying to define "greatness" in my head. My favorite American band of all time is DLR era Van Halen. But if you're going to define "greatness" by their influence on music as a whole, I think Nirvana's Nevermind had a much larger impact on music than VH's entire catalog. The Duke Ellington argument is a rather compelling one. And Kiss is another one. Other's that I'd consider: Bon Jovi - Huge in the 80's and really the only 80's "hair" band able to survive the early 90's grunge and still remains amazingly relevant today Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction may very well be the greatest album ever releases IMO REM - The quintessential college band Metallica - Another band that has remained relevant for almost 3 decades and has been amazingly influential throughout that entire time

 

good call.

 

Except for the Nirvana being more influential argument. I don't buy that at all. Sure the grunge movement was inspired by Curt. But Curt was inspired by Eddie.

 

Eddie taught everybody from high level pros, to lounge acts, to bar bands, to kids in bedrooms - how to play guitar again. THAT kind of influence is so powerful that it's almost sublime: his way of playing guitar, once so mystical, is now part of the lexicon of every electric rock guitarist today. His rhythm guitar playing is what I'm talking about here: not his solo pyrotechnics.

[Lee Knight]

Sly and the Family Stone, can't you just feel that...

 

 

[video=youtube;xfydfBXlByk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfydfBXlByk&feature=related [video=youtube;MGwueBxJG00]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfydfBXlByk&feature=related

[MusicalSchizo]

 

Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters.

 

 

Best band ever...

 

Brian V.

[badhabit]

Alright then, I'll raise you one with Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band.

 

[Vito Corleone]

 

One of my all time favorite bands was the ides of march. One hit wonder band from 1970. vehicle is a classic standard on every horn bands set list. the thing that I found so interesting about the ides was that if you listned to their LP ,, you could hear a striking influence from a several other bands from the era. its so vivd i their songs that you can amost hear the other bands playing the songs. No way would they ever be americans greatest rock bands but they were amazing.

 

 

Great song, but I always just heard them as a Blood, Sweat & Tears/Chicago wanna be band.

 

Trivia note, Jim Peterik, who wrote and sang lead on "Vehicle" later formed, and was the primary songwriter for the band Survivor and co-wrote all their big hits including "Eye Of The Tiger", "The Search Is Over" and "High On You".

[tlbonehead]

Aerosmith. And I'm a HUGE ZZ Top fan. But Aerosmith embodies a lot of what made all those great English bands so good. Blues swagger. Kick ass rhythm section. Great songs with attitude, riffs, and hooks. Guitars based on an emerging rock tradition without resorting to cheese and hyperbole. Image that rang true. A team camaraderie. Great BAND.

agreed.

[tlbonehead]

that dipschitte had so much talent!

[tlbonehead]

Eagles

pretty solid choice!

[BlueStrat]

I'd have to say it's a tossup between

Grand Funk

Kiss

Eagles

Van Halen

[Vito Corleone]

 

Take Five was one of my first exposures to jazz (1960) . . . too bad, because in retrospect, I don't care for them much.

 

 

Are you talking just about the song? Or Dave Brubeck? (I presume not the 90s boy band of the same name....)

 

Interesting that you'd be a big Steely Dan fan but not care much for Brubeck since, in Fagen's own words, Steely Dan was nothing but putting Brubeck chords on top of rock songs.

 

Not sure if I'd go quite THAT far (Fagen is certainly known for sarcasm and snideness), but the Brubeck influence on Fagen's playing style and chord voicings is immense.

[Vito Corleone]

Interesting, because I've never really thought about comparing The Beach Boys and Steely Dan before, but they share a common thread in that the songwriters in both bands outgrew the confines of their bands and moved forward while still keeping the band name. And also, in both cases, while they certainly made good and influential albums with their original bands (many fans consider "Countdown To Ecstasy" to be Steely Dan's best album), it's doubtful anyone would be considering either band as "all time best" were they limited to those early albums. (The first 3, in the case of Steely Dan and the first 4, in the case of The Beach Boys).

[Vito Corleone]

 

good call. Except for the Nirvana being more influential argument. I don't buy that at all. Sure the grunge movement was inspired by Curt. But Curt was inspired by Eddie.

 

 

You start playing THAT game and you go all the way back to Moses. EVERYBODY....including Eddie....was inspired and taught by those who came before. With no Hendrix, Page or Beck, there's no Eddie.

 

Certainly there's no Big Hair 80s, and no Pop Metal without Van Halen. (But ya gotta give Diamond Dave as much credit for that as Eddie). And all the 80's shredders owe to Eddie as well. But Cobain's influence on HIS generation was equally as important, I'd say. I'd call it a draw.

 

Although I think a good argument could be made that the rock was ALREADY headed in the direction it was going when VH came along. They just gave it a big boost forward. While Nirvana completely stopped the Big Hair 80s in its tracks and turned everything in a whole 'nother direction.

[SeniorBlues]

 

Are you talking just about the song? Or Dave Brubeck? (I presume not the 90s boy band of the same name....) Interesting that you'd be a big Steely Dan fan but not care much for Brubeck since, in Fagen's own words, Steely Dan was nothing but putting Brubeck chords on top of rock songs. Not sure if I'd go quite THAT far (Fagen is certainly known for sarcasm and snideness), but the Brubeck influence on Fagen's playing style and chord voicings is immense.

 

 

I'm the same age as Fagan and also went to school in New York, so I understand his roots and influences.

 

Let's be honest . . . Brubeck got the visibility because he was white. (I also heard a lot of MJQ and Ahmad Jamal at that time, but again, their commercial styles were accessible to a white audience in 1960)

 

It's not like Brubeck invented the chords that Fagan liked. It's just that there are so many other jazz artists from that era that swung and didn't rely on odd time signatures. I was lucky to get exposed to the real deal, but not for another twelve years . . . . another benefit of playing with older musicians on the road.

[SeniorBlues]

 

Sly and the Family Stone, can't you just feel that...

 

 

I played in several bands that did a half dozen Sly tunes on any given night. I don't understand why current cover bands don't cover them.

 

I'd love to do a medley of If You Want Me To Stay and Family Affair. . . . if I can talk my current band into it.

[Tomm Williams]

Though they are most famous for their work as studio musicians, the Funk Brothers were one of the best bands ever. They played on more hit songs than most of the other bands combined.

[Vito Corleone]

 

It's not like Brubeck invented the chords that Fagan liked.

 

 

No, but that's clearly where Fagen learned 'em.

 

 

It's just that there are so many other jazz artists from that era that swung and didn't rely on odd time signatures.

 

 

No. Brubeck didn't swing much. Then again, neither does Steely Dan.

[Vito Corleone]

 

I played in several bands that did a half dozen Sly tunes on any given night. I don't understand why current cover bands don't cover them.

 

 

Not much of their stuff got handed down, unfortunately. I don't know if much of anyone under 40-45 would recognize ANY of their songs. MAYBE "Everyday People" because it's been used in some TV commercials and such.

 

 

I'd love to do a medley of If You Want Me To Stay and Family Affair. . . . if I can talk my current band into it.

 

 

Two great songs, that's for sure. I was doing IYWMTS in an R&B band I was playing in 5-10 years ago. Fun song to do, but again...didn't click with the audience much, though.

[Vito Corleone]

After reading through this thread and re-thinking stuff I'm revising my choices to The Eagles and The Ramones.

[SeniorBlues]

 

No. Brubeck didn't swing much. Then again, neither does Steely Dan.

 

 

Then we have different definitions of swing. Keith Carlock is one of my favorite drummers in the rock idiom. If a young drummer was trying to learn how to play a backbeat (and a variety of other rhythms), that's who I'd recommend.

 

Then there's Bernard Purdie.

[Vito Corleone]

 

Then we have different definitions of swing. Keith Carlock is one of my favorite drummers in the rock idiom. If a young drummer was trying to learn how to play a backbeat (and a variety of other rhythms), that's who I'd recommend. Then there's Bernard Purdie.

 

 

Two awesome drummers for sure. But Steely Dan has always felt to be much more about a locked-in groove and meter than a "swinging-jazz" feel. But yeah, we're probably just talking about definitions here.

 

You mentioned that Brubeck got the visibility because he was white. And I'm sure there's probably some truth to that. But while I'm not old enough to have been around when Brubeck came on the scene, my impression was that he also carved out his own niche in the late 50s/early 60s intellectual college scene. Sort of like while the pot smokers were listening to Davis and Coltrane down at the Village Vanguard, the math geeks were listening to Brubeck on the NYU campus. But that might just have been the way he was marketed as well. But Brubeck also has likely as a bit different cache out here on the west coast being that he's a northern California dude. In fact, at 90 he's STILL performing around here and touring the country sometimes.

[tlbonehead]

 

Not much of their stuff got handed down, unfortunately. I don't know if much of anyone under 40-45 would recognize ANY of their songs. MAYBE "Everyday People" because it's been used in some TV commercials and such. Two great songs, that's for sure. I was doing IYWMTS in an R&B band I was playing in 5-10 years ago. Fun song to do, but again...didn't click with the audience much, though.

 

 

Thank You Fa Letting (etc) goes over really well with the under 30 people when we bring it out. Also," I want to Take You Higher" is pretty well received thanks to Johnny Popper bringing it back.