Why can't America produce a great rock band?

[Thanos]

Seems that this country can't produce a great rock band.Let's be real here if Aerosmith is the best we can produce then maybe the Rock& Roll Hall of Fame should be moved to London.

Some great bands.Spot the trend?

Coldplay

Stones

U2

WHO

Radiohead

Kinks

Zepplin

Pink Floyd

Genesis

Police

Look at what we have?

R.E.M

Aerosmith

Van Halen

Bon Freaking Jovi

Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Is there a reaosn for this? Rock historians ,please help me out here?:notworthy

[SkinsD]

Some you forgot:

Boston

Creedance Clearwater Revival

Jimi Hendrix

The Doors

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Those are some GREAT bands! I do concede that the rest of the world created the best rock bands: Beatles, Stones, Led Zepp, ect however you got to consider that America is the mother of Jazz, R&B, Blues, and Rap. I think that makes up the difference.

[Busch1724]

I wouldn't put Genesis and Coldplay on par with Zepplin, the Stones, the Who, U2, Radiohead, and Floyd. You did forget Queen, Clapton, and the Beatles.

However Aersomith (despite what they've become), Van Halen (minus Van Hagar), Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Hendrix, STP, the Beach Boys, Elvis, and many others have been important in the musical landscape. In fact had it not been for guys like Robert Johnson, Blind Willie, Muddy Waters, etc. there wouldn't have been the British explosion with the Stones and Beatles followed by the Who.

Really American blues is probably the most important thing in the history of rock because of what and who artists aspired to be. Rap is probably second when you consider the landscape of today. We own that genre too.

[Spaceman Spiff]

There have been some great ones over time...however lately, this country seems to be too wrapped up in hip hop to make any great rock.

SkinsD, Hendrix put his band together in England before hitting it big here.

[SkinsD]

There have been some great ones over time...however lately, this country seems to be too wrapped up in hip hop to make any great rock.

SkinsD, Hendrix put his band together in England before hitting it big here.

Yeah I thought about that but Hendrix is American and Hendrix was that band (although Noel Redding doesn't get enough credit).

[Thanos]

I wouldn't put Genesis and Coldplay on par with Zepplin, the Stones, the Who, U2, Radiohead, and Floyd. You did forget Queen, Clapton, and the Beatles.

However Aersomith (despite what they've become), Van Halen (minus Van Hagar), Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Hendrix, STP, the Beach Boys, Elvis, and many others have been important in the musical landscape. In fact had it not been for guys like Robert Johnson, Blind Willie, Muddy Waters, etc. there wouldn't have been the British explosion with the Stones and Beatles followed by the Who.

Really American blues is probably the most important thing in the history of rock because of what and who artists aspired to be. Rap is probably second when you consider the landscape of today. We own that genre too.

I'm aware of the historical connection,but my target was the modern roc landscape.We could have another thread on jazz and the Diana Krall effect.

But , seems that Guns & Roses was the last great band and they imploded as most of them do.I would insert Dave Matthews,but to me they are more of a "jam band" and may not count in this discussion

What American band thats playing in (fill in your local dive's name here) will be selling out Shea Stadium in five years?

[HOF44]

There not my personal favorite, but you should include the Eagles. They were huge in their day. An important band that was never huge was the Ramones.

[H-O-G]

Greenday! DUH!!!

[sarcasm\]

somebody pass their singer a tissue.

[rincewind]

the hell you say....

The Grateful Dead aren't the best at what they do. They are they only ones that do what they do.

Bill Graham

[ECU-ALUM]

Back in their day Kiss was as solid as they come...they took it to a whole new level.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Yeah I thought about that but Hendrix is American and Hendrix was that band (although Noel Redding doesn't get enough credit).

Yeah, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell were 2/3 of the Experience...both of them don't get enough credit, but to call a band thats 2/3 British and that was put together in Britain American isn't totally right, imo.

Anyway, Metallica has been left out of this conversation, as have the Grateful Dead. Say what you want about the Grateful Dead, but while they may not have the huge record sales, they've had a huge impact, played a TON of concerts and have been on the scene for a really long time. Their impact has been absolutely huge.

You could also argue Dave Matthews Band as a great American band. While they have sold out and changed their sound IMO, they're great musicians with a sound all their own.

[zoony]

The english are to rock and roll what the Japanese are to our industry.

They cannot innovate. They cannot produce an original idea. They rip it off from the American artists, and mass produce it in a watered down version that everyone will go buy.

Some confuse that with innovation, originality, and heart. The british have none of that. And they never will. :2cents:

Jimmy Paige = greatest ripoff artist of all time

The Beatles = second greatest ripoff artists of all time.

that's basically how I feel about it.

[zoony]

And the next person who tries to tell me that the Sex Pistols spawned the punk movement will get 5 minutes of choke time. It was the Ramones. Again, the english ripped it off and made it their own.

....

[Drockvb]

Yeah, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell were 2/3 of the Experience...both of them don't get enough credit, but to call a band thats 2/3 British and that was put together in Britain American isn't totally right, imo.

Anyway, Metallica has been left out of this conversation, as have the Grateful Dead. Say what you want about the Grateful Dead, but while they may not have the huge record sales, they've had a huge impact, played a TON of concerts and have been on the scene for a really long time. Their impact has been absolutely huge.

You could also argue Dave Matthews Band as a great American band. While they have sold out and changed their sound IMO, they're great musicians with a sound all their own.

I agree. What makes a band great? If it is how profitable they are then The Dead are on top. Widespread Panic is also a top grossing act. Dave Mathews has a larger public appeal. In a popularity contest Pop artists take the reign.

But does being top on the charts mean best?

[HOF44]

The english are to rock and roll what the Japanese are to our industry.

They cannot innovate. They cannot produce an original idea. They rip it off from the American artists, and mass produce it in a watered down version that everyone will go buy.

Some confuse that with innovation, originality, and heart. The british have none of that. And they never will. :2cents:

Jimmy Paige = greatest ripoff artist of all time

The Beatles = second greatest ripoff artists of all time.

that's basically how I feel about it.

Come on Zoony quite sugarcoating it and tell us how you really feel.:laugh:

Good point on the Ramones I agree completely.

[Busch1724]

I'm aware of the historical connection,but my target was the modern roc landscape.We could have another thread on jazz and the Diana Krall effect.

But , seems that Guns & Roses was the last great band and they imploded as most of them do.I would insert Dave Matthews,but to me they are more of a "jam band" and may not count in this discussion

What American band thats playing in (fill in your local dive's name here) will be selling out Shea Stadium in five years?

Wanted to add Metallica and Pantera to the list above I made.

I'm assuming you're talking about current American bands that can sell out Stadiums? Secondly newer bands that 15 years from now will be doing the same? Really there's not a single band you could pick out from the crowd, but the problem is that rock that critics like and gets publicized is not what America wants to hear. The American bands that have made it are ones that critics panned severely in the beginning and many cases still do, i.e. Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Van Halen, et al. To this day many still connect with Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, and Van Halen (if Eddie can get off the meth, they would be a muscial force again).

Really the only bands critics got excited about and became something were Nirvana and Pearl Jam. They even panned Alice in Chains initially. So I think it's a cultural thing. America seems to dig fun music and not the heavy stuff of the day like Korn, Breaking Benjamin, Trapt, Shinedown, 10,000 Years, and so on. The majority of the population doesn't relate to that they relate to a good time Rock music about about sex, drugs, and lifestyle. If rock wants to fill arenas again it needs to go back to that desparately. Silvertide is a band that is as close as we got.

It's a cultural phenomenon that puts rock on the back burner. Country music oozes sex, beer, and partying in general and tours pretty well. Rap and hip hop embodies that lifestyle also but when it comes to touring it does poorly. The rock stars are in country and rap. The only guy to come around recently to embody that lifestyle is Kid Rock. He is Steven Tyler of the 70s, David Lee Roth of the 80s, for a short time Axl Rose, and for what it's worth Kurt Cobain (was a good frontman that lived it to an extent, i.e. drugs).

One band that did bleed rock was Pantera and were a very good time, had a loyal fan base, and obviously won't have that anymore. They probably were the band, once gotten back together, would have America's next big band. They did it with huge tour support and little radio airplay, the old fashioned way.

The one American rock act that does well is Dave Matthews. People identify with him, live the lifestyle he does, and America doesn't have a heavier version of them to relate to. Metallica isn't that band anymore although their number are strong. Pantera was probably it. Kid Rock might be another, although you can debate what genre to categorize him. His concerts are very rock though.

[Busch1724]

Another point I wanted to make was that there was a time in America when you didn't need to be part of the "machine" to be relevant. You almost have to sell out to the record companies and radio stations like Green Day, Metallica, and Dave Matthews have done to continually get noticed and put on TV. Metallica did shun the record companies with St. Anger and did catch some backlash from the backlash that was created with Load and Reload.

[Busch1724]

I guess to sum it all up, rock bands traditionally were album oriented not singles oriented. The reason Aerosmith, Metallica, Bon Jovi, and Dave tour well is that they do have a back catalog to go from to mix in with new singles. We are now a singles oriented society and very few bands put out great albums from cover to cover. The bands that do don't have stand out singles, but solid albums and don't get noticed like Silvertide.

[rincewind]

[rincewind]

[rincewind]

[rincewind]

[Chopper Dave]

And the next person who tries to tell me that the Sex Pistols spawned the punk movement will get 5 minutes of choke time. It was the Ramones. Again, the english ripped it off and made it their own.

....

False. That's just completely false. Both were spawned from the likes of the Velvet Underground and New York Dolls. It's ignorant and wrong to say the Sex Pistols ripped off the Ramones.

Though clearly your idea of a ripoff must be distorted, because I don't see how you can justify saying the Beatles were ripoffs of anyone.

And H-O-G, quit your ****ing. If you don't like Green Day's music, fine, but they are a hugely successful American group, and they certainly fit into the category of great rock band.

[cjcdaman]

You forgot Skynard so I will not speak to you....LOL

[Midnight Judges]

fugazi is not everyone's cup of tea but I think they are a great band. Obviously, they are very original and very influential. I saw somebody say on this thread that the Beatles are the second biggest rip-off band of all time. I wholeheartedly disagree. They were pioneers. Show me who they copied for the Magical Mystery Tour or Sgt. Pepper. Yes, I know they did not write their own orchestrations and arrangements.

Elvis was a Rock'n Roller I have not seen him on this list.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers