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Author Topic: The Greatest American Rock Band of All Time?  (Read 21502 times)
The Cincinnati Kid
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« on: January 20, 2016, 08:08:31 PM »

A new poll by CNN.  The Boys are down big time, so let's at least make it more respectable.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/20/entertainment/greatest-american-rock-band-feat/
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KDS
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« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2016, 09:02:52 PM »

How in the world did Van Halen not even make the list?
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Lonely Summer
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« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2016, 09:42:20 PM »

I voted for our guys, but it doesn't matter, really. These polls come up all the time, different results every time. I think the BB's standing might be higher in 2016 if the Mike and Bruce show hadn't been on the road for the last...wow, almost 20 years! There's something to be said for making a concert appearance a special event, and the Eagles certainly understood this. Don't tour every year, and have a group of core members together when you do. For every music lover that thinks Pet Sounds or Smile when he/she hears the name "Beach Boys", there are probably 10 that think "oh, yeah, those cheesy guys with the beach balls Hawaiian shirts playing at our local casino".
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Summertime Blooz
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« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2016, 10:38:21 PM »

The term "greatest", to me, should mean 'most influential', not just a numbers game of how many units were sold. With American bands, I think that really just comes down to The Beach Boys, The Byrds, or The Velvet Underground.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2016, 10:42:38 PM by krabklaw » Logged

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Smilin Ed H
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« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2016, 11:19:43 PM »

A lot of people associate 'rock' with macho. The term's either all-encompassing or someone should make it clear that gurning guitar solos are what they're talking about. When the last Donald Fagen album came out, people on the Hoffman board were enthusing about Weather in My Head as the best track. Why? Because it had as guitar part they could hang onto. A lot of the BB's best stuff doesn't have that and (shudder) they sing in high voices and only ever sang about fun, fun, fun, surf and cars. And, of course, that 80s - 90s live fun in the sun with dancing girls period turned off a lot of people who (probably wrongly) consider themselves SERIOUS music fans. Lists like this are always a lot of wank. Of course the Boys are the most influential and major American band. It would be difficult to see anyone else (excluding Dylan) with that kind of reach. I could say Lou Reed, but a lot of that stuff leaves me cold and as for his more esoteric stuff, I prefer what Bowie was doing.
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Emily
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« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2016, 07:00:08 AM »

Was there a poll there and now it's closed, or is it right in front of me and I'm not seeing it?

For me, the term 'rock' doesn't bring the Beach Boys to mind. There are modern genre terms like 'punk' that are (fairly) specific. 'Rock' is so vague and interpreted with so much variation, like 'pop' and even 'Rock and Roll'.
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The LEGENDARY OSD
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« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2016, 07:22:30 AM »

I voted for our guys, but it doesn't matter, really. These polls come up all the time, different results every time. I think the BB's standing might be higher in 2016 if the Mike and Bruce show hadn't been on the road for the last...wow, almost 20 years! There's something to be said for making a concert appearance a special event, and the Eagles certainly understood this. Don't tour every year, and have a group of core members together when you do. For every music lover that thinks Pet Sounds or Smile when he/she hears the name "Beach Boys", there are probably 10 that think "oh, yeah, those cheesy guys with the beach balls Hawaiian shirts playing at our local casino".

WELL SAID, especially the last line.  w00t! w00t! w00t!
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Pacific Ocean Blue
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« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2016, 07:46:28 AM »

The Beach Boys, CCR, The Eagles, The Ramones all worthy of the title
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KDS
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« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2016, 08:55:15 AM »

I'd go with The Beach Boys, Aerosmith, The Eagles, CCR, The Doors, or Van Halen (who were noticeably absent from the poll). 
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sockittome
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« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2016, 09:16:08 AM »

Apparently the poll came and went, but I find the subject just a little perplexing.  Yes, there are an alarming number of omissions (The Cars, anyone?  Where's the Steve Miller Band?). 

I find that generally, we Americans have poor memory and short attention spans.  I find it sad that a band's popularity will spike solely on current hype or (disturbingly) the news of the death of one of its members.
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The Cincinnati Kid
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« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2016, 09:22:29 AM »

The poll is there, you just have to scroll down.
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KDS
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« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2016, 09:29:20 AM »

Apparently the poll came and went, but I find the subject just a little perplexing.  Yes, there are an alarming number of omissions (The Cars, anyone?  Where's the Steve Miller Band?). 

I find that generally, we Americans have poor memory and short attention spans.  I find it sad that a band's popularity will spike solely on current hype or (disturbingly) the news of the death of one of its members.

I'm still convinced that Nirvana wouldn't be heralded as legends had Kurt Cobain not died at the height of their (and grunge's) popularity. 
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Emily
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« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2016, 09:44:36 AM »

The poll is there, you just have to scroll down.
Ah - I now see where it would be if I didn't have a browser/security issue blocking it. Thanks.
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zosobird
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« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2016, 09:53:26 AM »

This is a tossup between the Grateful Dead and the Beach Boys imo, all the others are a distant 3rd place
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SteveMC
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« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2016, 10:06:48 AM »

I like all The Doors albums though their career was brief. Ray & Densmore are amazing musicians.
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Lonely Summer
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« Reply #15 on: January 21, 2016, 01:50:15 PM »

Apparently the poll came and went, but I find the subject just a little perplexing.  Yes, there are an alarming number of omissions (The Cars, anyone?  Where's the Steve Miller Band?). 

I find that generally, we Americans have poor memory and short attention spans.  I find it sad that a band's popularity will spike solely on current hype or (disturbingly) the news of the death of one of its members.

I'm still convinced that Nirvana wouldn't be heralded as legends had Kurt Cobain not died at the height of their (and grunge's) popularity. 
I agree. Hard, though, for me to compare a band that only did, what, 3 or 4 albums, with a group that was making music for decades - the Beach Boys. Few bands have been as prolific as the BB's.  I think their only serious competition comes from the other side of the pond.
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Smilin Ed H
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« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2016, 03:16:55 PM »

Listen to how experimental a lot of the BB stuff was between 66 and 70. I just made a Wild Honey to 20/20 mix for the car and it's outstanding.
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The Old Master Painter
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« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2016, 03:27:50 PM »

I like all The Doors albums though their career was brief. Ray & Densmore are amazing musicians.

Agreed... What about The Mothers of Invention? No.. Really?... ok.. I'll leave then..... LOL
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Peter Reum
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« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2016, 03:56:05 PM »

1) Little Feat
2)The Beach Boys
3)CCR
4)Weather Report
5)Los Lobos
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Ian
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« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2016, 04:40:28 PM »

Doors recorded six official studio albums with Jim and a few more after he died
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Chocolate Shake Man
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« Reply #20 on: January 21, 2016, 05:07:54 PM »

Erm, what about The Miracles or The Temptations or The Four Tops or The Supremes?
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Sheriff John Stone
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« Reply #21 on: January 21, 2016, 05:29:57 PM »

Doors recorded six official studio albums with Jim and a few more after he died

In addition to the six studio albums with Jim, there was Absolutely Live (1970), which eventually became part of the excellent double CD, In Concert. While the two studio albums without Jim, Other Voices (1971) and Full Circle (1972) were not up to previous standards for obvious reasons, the music still showcased "the band" as well as the individual talents of Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, and John Densmore.

The later Bright Midnight Archives features some of The Doors' concerts from 1967-1970, and really shows what the band was capable of on a pretty consistent basis. Many of the "history books" will write that there was a decline post-Miami in 1969, but these live concerts, in my opinion, shows the band actually getting tighter and coming into their own. And, while Jim's behavior was reason for concern due to his alcoholism, I find the overwhelming number of his live performances to be outstanding.

I vote for The Doors.   
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SenorPotatoHead
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« Reply #22 on: January 21, 2016, 06:43:47 PM »

These types of polls ought to be done by decade, especially as we get further from the outset of rock/pop music.    There's too many good ones deserving of acknowledgement who get left out.   The Cars were mentioned, and my lord, I remember when that first album came out - I thought, "They're like the f***ing Beatles!"  Every song seemed to be a hit and they wrote great pop songs.   I was over zealous as a kid perhaps, they're not the Beatles, but they were important and inspirational in their time.   Van Halen?  There you have the Beatles of hard rock - how many hits did they have?  I dunno, lots, right?  Again, pop music, gussied down toward head bangin' territory; important and highly inspirational.   And love him or not, no one out Rothed the David Lee.  Wink
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Lee Marshall
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« Reply #23 on: January 21, 2016, 07:35:59 PM »

I'm blocked out/can't vote.

The Band doesn't count.  80% Canadian...and we won't share them as Americans.  You can have that republican guy masquerading as an American though.  Nirvana?  Please.  NO sympathy votes.

1.  Beach Boys/Brian
2.  CCR/John
3.  Eagles/Don
4.  Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
and...and...and...maybe 5.  Chicago
6.  Santana/Carlos

then dropping down a level...
7.  ZZ Top/Billy
8.  George Thorogood and the Destroyers
9.  The Steve Miller Band

and the only guy no longer still contributing

10  Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble

7 Honourable mentions to Aerosmith, Van Halen, Little Feat, Grand Funk, The Rascals, The Allmans, Lynyrd Skynrd

And Joe Bonamassa would be WAY UP the list in the top 4 but HE'S not a group.

The UK kicks our North American butts BIG TIME in this kind of 'poll'  They'd have 6 or 7 of the top 10 and maybe 18 of the top 25.  [Can't forget down under and AC/DC.]

I know...the Association, the Turtles,  but really...Peter Paul and Mary anyone?
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« Reply #24 on: January 21, 2016, 07:50:25 PM »

Not sayin' they should be Number 1, but CSNY? The American Beatles. America's first supergroup. First band to do an all stadium tour. American royalty even though half the band wasn't American!
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