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If you had to put a label on the greatest American Rock 'N Roll band...

downtownrobbrowndowntownrobbrown 446 Posts
edited June 2012 in Strut Central
Who would you say wins the title?

I mostly post on rock messageboards some I'm interested what a soul board thinks.
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  Comments

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Van Halen.
  • DuderonomyDuderonomy Haut de la Garenne 7,793 Posts
    The Rolling Stones.
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    Van Halen.

    this, although my buddy, with whom I have this discussion regularly makes a very convincing argument for Skynyrd and ZZ Top.

    Its a tough call, but definitely between those 3 IMO.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    The_Hook_Up said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    Van Halen.

    this, although my buddy, with whom I have this discussion regularly makes a very convincing argument for Skynyrd and ZZ Top.

    Its a tough call, but definitely between those 3 IMO.

    Yes, plus I would personally throw Cheap Trick into the mix as well. And then also consider Guns N Roses and Metallica.

    But yeah, ask me to name just one and it's...Van Halen.
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    good call on Cheap Trick...

    I do consider Guns n Roses to be the last American Rock N Roll band...
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    I have a friend who owned a well known record shop in the UK and then worked in the "biz" at a very high level and we have this discussion often and there is no convincing him that it's not Skynyrd. He has stories to back up his argument that are hard to argue with.

    Personally give me Mountain
  • DustedDonDustedDon 830 Posts
    The Doors and Velvet Underground
  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts
    Van Halen without a doubt. They had all the elements: great songs, attitude, entertaining live show, the most innovative guitarist since Hendrix, and the best front man in rock. There was no one close to them at their peak.

    Edit: This is just straight up Rock bands we are talking. There are several Punk/Metal bands I would enter in the discussion if we include that stuff.
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    again tough call




  • mrmatthewmrmatthew 1,575 Posts
  • downtownrobbrowndowntownrobbrown 446 Posts
    I'm going to throw the Grateful Dead hat into the ring. What do you guys think about that?
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Oh yeah, Nirvana and Soundgarden in the mix as well. Not sure how I forgot them.
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Top 3 For Me

  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    as far as longevity and quality goes...you would have to add the Melvins. Sure they aren't going to have any songs on classic radio radio now or ever..but there isn't another American band that is recognized worldwide that has consistently released records, at least one a year, whether an LP, single, EP since 1986. They are still on the road and still putting out records. Much greater and important than any other 90s band IMO.
  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    The Stooges or The Velvet Underground.
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Here are my thoughts on these bands.

    Van Halen - At their peak they were monsters....they may have as much bad output as good(Hager/Cherone related)

    ZZ Top - Same problem...first two LP's are unfuckwithable...next two are good...after that...meh.

    Lynyrd Skynyrd - I've been told they were better live than in the studio

    Grateful Dead - hard for me to associate them with the term rock 'n roll

    Nirvana - Small sampling size but contenders for sure.

    Allman Brothers - Like Skynyrd should have stopped after they lost two core members.

    The Doors - Since Morrison Hotel is the only LP of theirs I can listen to I have to recuse myself on them.

    Mountain - Leslie West is my favorite rock guitarist....Felix Pappalrdi is legendary....Corky Laing is my favorite rock drummer. They put the band to rest at the right time and their catalog, song for song, is the best out there imo.

    Soundgarden - Like them a lot...GOAT? I don't think so.

    The one GREAT American rock band that gets no love at all is Grand Funk Railroad.



    The Stooges, VU, G&R, Blue Cheer all deserve consideration

    Aerosmith - please
  • DuderonomyDuderonomy Haut de la Garenne 7,793 Posts
    Teh Eagles?
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    Tres Hombres is merely "good"?... It's contender for the best American rock LP ever IMO.

    Grand Funk is the ultimate example of falling off after 3 LPs...if the billboard union didn't go on strike and the "...American Band" billboard didn't stay up for over a year because of it, they may have not gotten as big as they did.

    As much as I love the Stooges and VU, they certainly didnt cast a large enough net to be considered GOAT.
  • TheKindCromangTheKindCromang 1,463 Posts


  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    The_Hook_Up said:
    Tres Hombres is merely "good"?... It's contender for the best American rock LP ever IMO.

    .

    I'll give you that...."La Grange" kinda ruins a whole side of that LP for me......but for the last 25 years they have been cartoon characters.
  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    The_Hook_Up said:
    As much as I love the Stooges and VU, they certainly didnt cast a large enough net to be considered GOAT.

    Not sure what you mean by this, but I would point out that these two bands are, by far, more influential on modern rock than any of the other bands mentioned here. (though Blue Cheer deserves honorable mention).
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Chuck Berry.






    Why does no one like Hendrix and the Band of Gypsies?
  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    LaserWolf said:
    Why does no one like Hendrix and the Band of Gypsies?

    Because the Experience blows them away?
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    Horseleech said:
    The_Hook_Up said:
    As much as I love the Stooges and VU, they certainly didnt cast a large enough net to be considered GOAT.

    Not sure what you mean by this, but I would point out that these two bands are, by far, more influential on modern rock than any of the other bands mentioned here. (though Blue Cheer deserves honorable mention).

    Can you really be the greatest if only a tiny slice of rock fans like you? I'm in no way saying you have to be popular to be great, but sometimes popular bands are popular for a reason. Stooges and VU are music nerd bands, to be GOAT I think you have to appeal to nerds and non-nerds alike. Also I'm sure Van Halen blew minds in tiny clubs and when they got popular they still killed shit in front of a 100,000 people. While the Stooges music could translate to a huge crowd (Cinncinati Pop festival related), I don't really hear something like " Sunday Morning" blowing the roof off Madison Square Garden. Mind you, I love them but I can't say they are the GOAT. VU and The Stooges are important as they come but not the greatest.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Horseleech said:
    LaserWolf said:
    Why does no one like Hendrix and the Band of Gypsies?

    Because the Experience blows them away?

    Agreed, but I figured the Experience was to British.

    So is VH better than Band of Gypsies?
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    This far in, talk of longevity and influence and no ones mentioned Tom Petty & the heartbreakers? Fuck Skynyrd
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Guzzo said:
    This far in, talk of longevity and infkuence and no ones mentioned Tom Petty & the heartbreakers?

    That's a good call....they would have to be up there.
  • skelskel You can't cheat karma 5,033 Posts
    The Ramones are the greatest rock n fuckin' roll band America ever produced, on every level, no contest.
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    LaserWolf said:
    Horseleech said:
    LaserWolf said:
    Why does no one like Hendrix and the Band of Gypsies?

    Because the Experience blows them away?

    Agreed, but I figured the Experience was to British.

    So is VH better than Band of Gypsies?

    Yes.
    Band of Gypsys was around for what 4 months?
  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    The_Hook_Up said:
    Horseleech said:
    The_Hook_Up said:
    As much as I love the Stooges and VU, they certainly didnt cast a large enough net to be considered GOAT.

    Not sure what you mean by this, but I would point out that these two bands are, by far, more influential on modern rock than any of the other bands mentioned here. (though Blue Cheer deserves honorable mention).

    Can you really be the greatest if only a tiny slice of rock fans like you?

    Why Not?

    These bands have become more relevant and well-regarded every year since they came out, while bands like Skynyrd fade farther in the rear view mirror with each passing year.
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