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TheflyingDutchman

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retired_dog

All long and poodlehaired posers from the 80's onwards simply don't count.

Auch my friend, if you look at the Stones from the 8-tees and onwards they looked and often sounded like poodlehaired posers. It's a matter of taste who counts or not.

I think you're onto something... maybe that's the reason why the Stones from the 80's and onwards don't really count?

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MisterDDDD
I could show up at a Bruce Springsteen concert and they could switch most of the members and I'd have no clue that they did or care really.

That's the measure.. would people pay the same and fill the stadiums if it were Bruce and The F Street Band? Yes.
The band isn't the draw. At all. He could put any backing band behind him. He's a solo act essentially.
Like Buddy Holly and The Crickets or Jimi Hendrix, or Big Brother or Silver Bullet or ... Once you highlight the "star", you're a solo act.

True! Conversely, I mentioned Foreigner in another thread a while back. They played Penticton in the BC interior a few years ago. Only original member is guitarist Mick Jones and he was sick so I think it was his guitar tech that played that night. Basically a Foreigner cover band!

A 3 way tie:

The Doors
CCR
Aerosmith

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MisterDDDD
I could show up at a Bruce Springsteen concert and they could switch most of the members and I'd have no clue that they did or care really.

That's the measure.. would people pay the same and fill the stadiums if it were Bruce and The F Street Band? Yes.
The band isn't the draw. At all. He could put any backing band behind him. He's a solo act essentially.
Like Buddy Holly and The Crickets or Jimi Hendrix, or Big Brother or Silver Bullet or ... Once you highlight the "star", you're a solo act.

Maybe today.
But without the contributions of Clarence and the keyboardists and guitarists Springsteen would not have achieved that status.
Springsteen set up his band the way he did for sustainability reasons. He wanted it to be clear who was in charge because so many good bands broke up in power struggles. Whether it was luck or skill or leadership he got the bandmates to buy in.

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retired_dog

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TheflyingDutchman

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retired_dog

All long and poodlehaired posers from the 80's onwards simply don't count.

Auch my friend, if you look at the Stones from the 8-tees and onwards they looked and often sounded like poodlehaired posers. It's a matter of taste who counts or not.

I think you're onto something... maybe that's the reason why the Stones from the 80's and onwards don't really count?

I edited my post on the previous page. Of course they count, but the 8-tees were quite refreshing with American bands like Van Halen, Metallica , G&R and TOTO. It's quite smug to state that bands from the 8-tees don't count.

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wonderboy

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MisterDDDD
I could show up at a Bruce Springsteen concert and they could switch most of the members and I'd have no clue that they did or care really.

That's the measure.. would people pay the same and fill the stadiums if it were Bruce and The F Street Band? Yes.
The band isn't the draw. At all. He could put any backing band behind him. He's a solo act essentially.
Like Buddy Holly and The Crickets or Jimi Hendrix, or Big Brother or Silver Bullet or ... Once you highlight the "star", you're a solo act.

Maybe today.
But without the contributions of Clarence and the keyboardists and guitarists Springsteen would not have achieved that status.
Springsteen set up his band the way he did for sustainability reasons. He wanted it to be clear who was in charge because so many good bands broke up in power struggles. Whether it was luck or skill or leadership he got the bandmates to buy in.

Valid points, but if that's the criteria, then Buddy Holly & The Crickets or Elvis Presley and The Jordanaires or The James Brown Band etc. would then take the title.

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TheflyingDutchman

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retired_dog

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TheflyingDutchman

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retired_dog

All long and poodlehaired posers from the 80's onwards simply don't count.

Auch my friend, if you look at the Stones from the 8-tees and onwards they looked and often sounded like poodlehaired posers. It's a matter of taste who counts or not.

I think you're onto something... maybe that's the reason why the Stones from the 80's and onwards don't really count?

I edited my post on the previous page. Of course they count, but the 8-tees were quite refreshing with American bands like Van Halen, Metallica , G&R and TOTO. It's quite smug to state that bands from the 8-tees don't count.

I think he meant the poodle rock bands, not the bands you mentioned. Try Poison, Bon Jovi and Cinderella instead

still workin' on it ....
There's gotta be one



ROCKMAN

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Big Al

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ChrisL
I’m not great at ranking anything, but I suppose the Beach Boys must be near the top of the list.
If the Jimi Hendrix Experience is allowed with two Brits, then that would be in the conversation obviously.

As two of the members are British and they formed in London, I would argue, correctly, that they were not an American band. They’re a London band, that counted an American as a member.

So we get to lay claim to Paul McCartney & Wings?
Then they get my vote. Great band

Best live act? Best albums? Best singles? Most influential? Best career? A combination of all of the above?

I’d have to agree with the Beach Boys and Bruce & E Street at the top of most lists.

Apart from some of the already mentionned candidates:
the Doors
Velvet Underground
the Band
Grateful Dead
Beach Boys,

I would also give the names:
the Byrds
Vanilla Fudge
Sonic Youth

But somehow there is not one obvious answer, I wonder.

Interesting premise, but what's an American band? Can we count Duke Ellington and his orchestra, Louis Armstrong during his time with the Creole Jazz Band and his own All Stars, the Neville Brothers, Miles Davis and his various bands, Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm, James Brown and The Fabulous Flames, Elvis and the TCB Band, Benny Goodman and the various bands he put together, to bring up just a few who should be considered American bands? Or, is this just rock/pop we're looking at?

If you look at the realm of American music, the genres, who's to say who was/is best? For me, the Doors did some great songs, but I would never consider them the best American band. Same with the Dead, the Eagles, CSN(Y), Neil and Crazy Horse, Aerosmith, the Allmans, and so on. Each had/has their strengths, but isn't the final judgment a matter of our own taste and opinion?

In no order:

J. Geils
Allman Brothers band
CCR
Doors
Skynyrd

I have a theory that England gave us the best groups, while the States had the best studio bands (Motown, Stax, Sun Records, Muscle Shoals, ect.)

Muddy Waters Band...1951 - 1955

Hillbilly Cat & The Blue Moon Boys

Little Richard & The Upsetters



ROCKMAN

we better sqeeeeeeeeeze
Booker T & MG's in there somewhere too



ROCKMAN

A thinking man`s choice would be The Doors, despite all their shortcomings.

A more pedestrian choice would be Creedence Clearwater Revival.

I think I read in Keith's book that he considered Elvis Presley's backing band as the best American band ever

yup yup



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2020-12-01 02:29 by ryanpow.

Beach Boys is a good Choice, even though most of that is the genius of Brian Wilson and the 60's albums got a lot of help from the LA Wrecking Crew. I still give credit to the group for those harmonies alone.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2020-12-01 02:42 by ryanpow.

It's so much easier picking the best English band which is obviously the Beatles of course, followed by the Stones and then all the rest.
But then "rock band" has so many variations and definitions in which case I could nominate Motorhead. Or maybe The Clash.
Realistically though, the Beatles blazed the trails for all who followed, be it punk, hard, metal, soft, etc., etc., etc,

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

The Doors...

Close joint second.... Velvet Underground & Lynyrd Skynyrd & Crazy Horse.

I haven't read everything - is there a criteria? Obviously not a solo artist so that eliminates Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel and anyone else with their name in it.

Most record sales? I'm gonna guess that would be Aerosmith.

Biggest commercial success? Well, Aerosmith fits that again.

Most original? I dunno. Lynrrrrrrd Skynrrrrrd, The Allman Brothers, The Doors, who's the little one that fronts the band that does "my blood runs cold..."

CCR? CSNY? Oh how awful, of all bands - The Beach Boys?

Recently, I'll go with the Drive-By Truckers.

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MadMax
Mostly canadians but Levon makes 'em american;

THE BAND

LOL it said "American", and there are three of them! I'm gonna really stretch here and think they mean the United States. But that is a good point. Rush certainly could be included.

Chicago

Three Dog Night

E Street Band

For a live band that lasted it would be the Grateful Dead to me. Best band involves longevity IMHO. For bands that were around a shorter time I would include Jimi Hendrix Experience or Band of Gypsies, Jefferson Airplane, CCR or Talking Heads.

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DandelionPowderman

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TheflyingDutchman

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retired_dog

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TheflyingDutchman

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retired_dog

All long and poodlehaired posers from the 80's onwards simply don't count.

Auch my friend, if you look at the Stones from the 8-tees and onwards they looked and often sounded like poodlehaired posers. It's a matter of taste who counts or not.

I think you're onto something... maybe that's the reason why the Stones from the 80's and onwards don't really count?

I edited my post on the previous page. Of course they count, but the 8-tees were quite refreshing with American bands like Van Halen, Metallica , G&R and TOTO. It's quite smug to state that bands from the 8-tees don't count.

I think he meant the poodle rock bands, not the bands you mentioned. Try Poison, Bon Jovi and Cinderella instead

Of course I meant the ones you mentioned, Dandy, although I'm not exactly a big fan of VH, Metallica, G&R and Toto in particular either. They all have some nice and listenable stuff in their repertoires, though, but the topic of this thread is "best American rock band of all time" and by this standart, they all don't count. IMO, that is.

Grateful Dead

Iggy & The Stooges

Neil Young & Crazy Horse (self proclaimed: "Third best garage band in the world")

For sheer attitude.....

Aerosmith

Honestly, there are so many to choose from. For me, it depends on my mood.

Grateful Dead
Allman Brothers Band
With honorable mentions to The Band and Little Feat.

For this old american baby boomer.