Greatest AMERICAN Rock Band?
Went to a killer party Saturday night. Around 2 a.m., when the girls were dancing and the guys were philosophically besotted, we commenced a debate:
Who's the greatest AMERICAN rock band?
American and rock, American and rock. Tricky. Good one. We looked down into our Red Bull and vodkas, searching for answers.
I opened with Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Then came the Beach Boys. Van Halen. Guns N' Roses.
Green Day got votes, but someone said, "Come back to me in 10 years," and we harrumphed like wise men.
Someone added the Doors, but I berated them until they withdrew the entry. 'Cause as we all know, the Doors suck and Jim Morrison was full of sh--.
Despite having famous backing bands, such inherently singular icons as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Sly Stone and Bob Seger were not allowed. They transcend the group ethic.
Neither Lynyrd Skynyrd nor the Allman Brothers were mentioned. Neither were the Eagles or Fleetwood Mac or Wilco.
Anyway, we never came up with a definitive answer -- we were ultimately knocked off-task by the dancing girls. But I figured it'd be a good one for you guys...
So I ask you: Who's the greatest AMERICAN rock band?
Sean Daly is the pop music critic for the St. Petersburg Times. His CD collection -- from Journey to Dylan, Prince to U2, Public Enemy to Stan Getz -- is much bigger and better than yours.
THIS WEEK'S SHOW: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers rock Tampa Bay. To hear the latest "Stuck in the 80s" episode now, 
My top 5 personal favorites in no particular order:
Pearl Jam
Nirvana
Metallica
The Beach Boys
Van Halen
I could have easily plugged Various other groups in there including The Eagles, Aerosmith, R.E.M, Rage Against the Machine or The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Posted by: Steve G | October 09, 2007 at 08:57 AM
Never been a huge R.E.M. fan, but I can see them getting a ton of votes. Same goes for Metallica.
Aerosmith was mentioned the other night, but there was a general consensus that when they come on the radio, they're inevitably turned off.
Posted by: Sean Daly | October 09, 2007 at 10:14 AM
You wanted the best, you got the best...
KISS!
Posted by: Spears | October 09, 2007 at 10:29 AM
No love for Bon Jovi? 100 million Bon Jovi fans can't be wrong.
Posted by: Guy | October 09, 2007 at 10:34 AM
KISS and Bon Jovi -- jesus, forgetting those guys could get a man killed. Good ones.
Hey Spears, I'm surprised you didn't say Journey.
Posted by: Sean Daly | October 09, 2007 at 11:02 AM
2 words Daly: Clay Aiken.
RESPECT!
Great Blog today - how do you come up with these ideas?
Posted by: ClayFan | October 09, 2007 at 12:55 PM
How soon we've forgotten the American Band: GRAND FUNK!
(Even though the greatest band of their era was Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Sorry, a Canadian and a Brit. But there was a Texan. Doesn't he count double?)
I know, I'm just too old.
Posted by: Greg Jones | October 09, 2007 at 01:08 PM
SD, whoever brought up Fleetwood Mac must have forgot that they are 60% British.
Can't believe that no one brought up
Aerosmith
Public Enemy
The Beastie Boys
Chicago (gotta love the horns)
Styx
Posted by: sparky | October 09, 2007 at 03:24 PM
Public Enemy is a talker for sure: a rap band with a rock aesthetic. Same goes for Run DMC.
I'm surprised no one's thrown out Motley Crue yet.
In defending Fleetwood Mac's American-ness, despite their British parts, they are very much a Southern Cal band.
Posted by: Sean Daly | October 09, 2007 at 03:36 PM
What, no love for REO Speedwagon?
Posted by: Kevin Cronin | October 09, 2007 at 04:50 PM
Los Lobos. Duh.
Posted by: Old White Guy | October 09, 2007 at 05:06 PM
Or maybe Me First and the Gimme Gimme.
Posted by: Old White Guy | October 09, 2007 at 05:08 PM
I think the greatest rock band of all time was Santana. They were great. Their second album, Abraxas has to this day one of the most played songs, Oye Como Va. Those were the days, during a war, music brought us peace. It's a crime music today isn't like that.
Posted by: Larry | October 09, 2007 at 05:18 PM
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Posted by: DG | October 09, 2007 at 05:52 PM
without reservation i am happy to nominate reo speedwagon. couldn't have gotten through all my non-requited non-relationships of high school without them. yes, the stuff you know by heart can be a little insipid a quarter-century later, but you STILL know it by heart. and some of their deeper cuts are special stuff.
also happy to hear that i'm not the only one with a reflex reaction to hit ANY OTHER PRESET when i hear the opening strains of any aerosmith song. i don't understand how a band that wasn't that good in its heyday has managed to be more popular than ever 30 years later, without progressing musically one iota.
Posted by: jim webster | October 09, 2007 at 07:21 PM
Van Halen with Dave......hands down.
Except for half of Diver Down, every album they made was an instant classic.
I can't say the same for GNR, though I love the Gunners. Spaghetti Incident was a piece of crap, they were too inconsistent.
Honourable mention: Bruce with the E Street Band, and ZZ Top. Buy some albums before Eliminator, and you'll see what I mean.
Posted by: Al | October 09, 2007 at 07:33 PM
The Pixies!
Posted by: Sue | October 09, 2007 at 07:44 PM
the Smithereens
Posted by: Boe | October 09, 2007 at 10:10 PM
STYX. Yes, very fond of them, I am.
Posted by: Mandolin | October 09, 2007 at 11:30 PM
Maybe not a great American band but definitely a pioneer, what about The Runaways?
Posted by: sparky | October 10, 2007 at 07:50 AM
I'm not sure where Uncle Crappy is in response to this (or just where he is in general) but I'm sure he'd put in his two cents for The Grateful Dead.
Posted by: Erin | October 10, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Hey, Dales. Good question. I think the three obvious choices are the Beach Boys, Creedence, and Van Halen(with Dave). Even though I can't stand them (Dream On, Motherf***er)Aerosmith has to be on the list somewhere along with Eagles, R.E.M., and the Allman Brothers Band. Unfortunately, we can't compete with the best bands of the English.
Posted by: Assless Chaps | October 10, 2007 at 10:27 AM
To throw out a few names that haven't been mentioned yet: The Ramones. Parlaiment/Funkadelic. Talking Heads. Steely Dan. Talk amongst yourselves.
And could someone please explain why Nirvana isn't getting more support here? The Brits would kill to have them!
Posted by: Jay Cridlin | October 10, 2007 at 10:40 AM
Perhaps if I could understand ONE syllable that Nirvana sang I might like them more. EGADS!
Posted by: Marissa | October 10, 2007 at 03:47 PM
Little Feat with Lowell George,
Aerosmith, Steely Dan, and in future years, when the list is revised, Dave Mathews Band will join Green Day
Posted by: MickandKeith | October 10, 2007 at 05:07 PM
Nirvana ain't rock. It's grunge. DMB is hokey folk garbage.
Lock it up!
Posted by: Al | October 10, 2007 at 07:54 PM
DMB is a great American band. Consistently selling out shows for the past 14 years. When DMB tours, you know its summer and has become a ritual for thousands of fans across the U.S.
Posted by: smudge1 | October 10, 2007 at 08:59 PM
Van Halen
Eagles
Tom Petty
Posted by: Mike | October 10, 2007 at 10:20 PM
Most of these bands listed deserve immediate disqualification because they don't (or didn't) ACT like a rock star. I'm talking sex, drugs and rock n roll here people, and the band that did it the best HAS to be G'n'R.
Posted by: sarah | October 10, 2007 at 11:01 PM
Lest we forget.......
"The Grateful Dead"
Posted by: Charlie | October 11, 2007 at 09:43 AM
5. The Jackson Five
4. The Osmond Brothers
3. The Partridge Family
2. The Monkees
1. Huey Lewis and the News
Posted by: Oldtimer | October 11, 2007 at 02:08 PM
Uh, hello. The Archies.
Posted by: Stir Crazy | October 11, 2007 at 04:15 PM
Kid, you couldn't carry Jim Morrison's jock strap. Learn something about rock and roll.
Posted by: Derek Lenehan | March 19, 2008 at 05:46 PM
Come on! Hands down it's the Beach Boys - not even close...Look at the record sales, the length of career, the songs...many may not like their style, but their influence is unquestionable and their staying power is rivaled only by the Beatles.
It's not even close.
Posted by: Rich | April 15, 2008 at 07:50 PM