Best American Rock and Roll Band -- Talking Heads, Ramones, Phish rising; new entrants: Byrds, Toto, Panic
The Dead keep getting votes, but so do the Allmans. The Ramones stay hot, as do the Doors.
Excellent comments to check out:
Beth quotes Jerry: http://tinyurl.com/c9mgaw
Corey quotes Lou dissing Dead: http://tinyurl.com/dn4nlh
Ryan writes in the Doors vein: http://tinyurl.com/dfbbor
Here's the latest ranking:
Allmans
Dead
E Street Band
Doors
Ramones
Aerosmith
Replacements
Beach Boys
Velvet Underground
Phish
Talking Heads
The Band
ZZ Top
Metallica
REM
Nirvana
Guns N' Roses
Pearl Jam
Eagles
Black Crows
Creedence
CSN
Foo Fighters
Fugazi
Jefferson Airplane
Little Feat
NRBQ
Rush
Stooges
Tom Petty and Heartbreakers
White Stripes
Wilco
Sonic Youth
REM
Crazy Horse (Neil Young)
Clutch
Chili Peppers
Parliament/Funkadelic
Toto
The Byrds
Widespread Panic
Allmans or Dead? What a terrible dilemma. Live at the Fillmore East vs. Europe '72? Eat a Peach vs. American Beauty? In Memory of Elizabeth Reed vs. Truckin'? Waaah. I want both!
A strict constructionist could argue neither is a "rock 'n roll" band. Allmans are BLUES rock, and the Dead at various stages morphed half a dozen different genres, including acid rock, blues, country, folk and bluegrass, as well as R&B covers. But I won't quibble.
No one should give ANY band extra points for merely continuing to be alive--it's not fair to the dead--Grateful or otherwise. I will quibble with anyone who mocks the Dead's musicianship. Jerry Garcia alone had more in his left hand than most of the rest of the bands on this list (many of whom should barely make a top 50).
Maybe it's too complex, but I'd be interested in hearing people's thoughts on a TOP 3 (in ranked order). Who would be #3 behind Allmans and Dead? And why no votes for the Jimi Hendrix Experience? The band with the greatest electric guitar player THAT EVER LIVED.
Posted by: Steve Parker | April 14, 2009 at 08:29 PM
happy to see phish moving up the ranks! still behind the beach boys, though, which is highly suspect. ;)
Posted by: Curt Lewellyn | April 14, 2009 at 09:55 PM
How about Boston? What's the criteria here?
Posted by: Tamarie Johnson | April 15, 2009 at 01:04 PM
Steve: I excluded "individuals" from the list so that keeps Dylan, Elvis, and Jimi out of consideration.
Posted by: George Colony | April 16, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Curt:
Phish below Beach Boys? Get Phish to put out an album as good as Pet Sounds and then maybe we can talk...
George
Posted by: George Colony | April 16, 2009 at 11:58 AM
Tamarie:
Regarding no Boston. The criteria is "Best." That may explain why no Boston.
George
Posted by: George Colony | April 16, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Wow. Since we've opened this up to such a diverse range of bands including those in the "hard rock" vein...I think there is a gaping hole in this list. Hard rock fans out there unite! TOOL must be on this list! Heaviness...aggression...and extreme musical chops from every single member of the band.
Posted by: Carl Doty | April 16, 2009 at 04:25 PM
Star Spangled Bummer
Posted by: Robert Rodat | April 27, 2009 at 09:31 AM
Why don't we think outside the box a little? Guided by Voices should be on this list.
Posted by: Bob Young | May 08, 2009 at 12:52 AM
I think REM deserve a special mention for being the only band to make the list twice
Posted by: Bobo | May 20, 2009 at 06:32 AM