Greatest American Rock Band

[TacticalWargames]

I was loved up and raving in the late eighties and early nineties..to much love for any pits etc etc:)..more hugs..and kissing strangers.

[undercovergeek]

i have a saudi, iraq, and kuwait visa stamp in my passport - they dislike me enough already

[BanzaiCat]

I didn't go to many concerts in my youth except a few that I'd go to every time they hit San Antonio, one of which was Queensryche. I know, I know - they're metal, not rock, but some of their songs blur the lines a little, at least for me. Operation: Mindcrime is one of the most epic albums ever.

I'd suggest Tom Petty (surprised nobody's mentioned him yet), Ted Nugent, The Cars, or ZZ Top also.

As far as The Doors go, I got sick of them back when I was a child because my mom loved them. They have a couple of songs I do like, but for the most part, barf.

I used to really enjoy Alice In Chains and Soundgarden, but they both released songs that were murder-inducing annoyance wrapped in three minutes - Mr. Jones and Spoonman, respectively.

[bayonetbrant]

I'd suggest Tom Petty (surprised nobody's mentioned him yet), Ted Nugent, The Cars, or ZZ Top also.

Tom Petty = solo artist, not a band (same rules as Bruce)
Ted Nugent = solo artist
ZZ Top = already mentioned

Someone also brought up ZZ Top but thankfully it was quickly dismissed

The Cars = get real 

I used to really enjoy Alice In Chains and Soundgarden, but they both released songs that were murder-inducing annoyance wrapped in three minutes - Mr. Jones and Spoonman, respectively.

Back on your meds!

[BanzaiCat]

Mr. Jones can go take a leap into a pit of spiders.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

They should be asking you about that rash that isn't goong away and then move on to the Bon Jovi.

I have been in pits against my will, as I am really too small for that shit. My glory came in the winter of 1994 at a Stabbing Westward show when I got kicked in the head by a ski boot. That was enough.

The two I recall as being the craziest were:

1) The absolutely massive pit for Ministry at lolapalooza in '92.  The singer threw a bunch of bones into the crowd and people started going all 2001 on each other.  I took a jaw bone to the jaw bone.  The pit was so massive it took a lot of time and effort just to make it back out of the thing.

2) I was working in Ulsan, S. Korea and went up to Seoul for the weekend to visit some girls who were teaching there.  Several pitchers and a tab later and I ditched them because they dragged me to some shit club that played faggy music like Depeche Mode, The Smiths and the like.  Somehow ended up in Itaewon drinking with a rugby team from Oz and we found a metal bar built out of cement and pain and populated with a bunch of marines.  Not so much of a pit but more of a brawl set to music (which I guess is also kind of faggy in a West Side Story kind of way.) 

Anyway, the best US rock band is Tool.

[bayonetbrant]

1) The absolutely massive pit for Ministry at lolapalooza in '92.  The singer threw a bunch of bones into the crowd and people started going all 2001 on each other.  I took a jaw bone to the jaw bone.  The pit was so massive it took a lot of time and effort just to make it back out of the thing.

The pit for Ministry at Lollapalooza in Raleigh was huge, and it was muddy.  Most of us hit the cooling misters to try to wash the mud off afterwards, and got totally soaked.  And then got cold as hell since the sun had already gone done by the time the Chili Peppers came on, and suffered greatly.

[GDS_Starfury]

the one at Florida Fair Grounds in Orlando dug up enough dirt and mud that the storm drain was visible.
what great days those were!   O0

[bayonetbrant]

you ventured as far north as Orlando?!?!  Are you trying to become a Yankee or something?

[Gusington]

The Wife was at lollapalooza 1992 and woke up half dead in a mud pit without shoes. She was 17 at the time.

Tool is very good...I actually like more songs by A Perfect Circle. I also like both Depeche Mode and The Smiths...they were really big in my junior high and high school.

LOVE Soundgarden and Chris Cornell. But I hate Spoonman...cheesy at best.

[endfire79]

What's wrong with Pearl Jam?  (Am I in the minority here?). 

CCR, Styx, Van Halen are on my list for sure.
-CCR
- Styx
- Blue Oyster Cult
- Bon Jovi (yes, I like them, eat it)
-Van Halen
- REO Speedwagon

I would put Metallica up there for sure.  Forget the talk about them going mainstream etc, they are successful and that is a goal in that industry.

For more recent stuff:
- Rage Against the Machine (some bits were really good, not crazy about the singer)
- Audioslave (again, loved the guitarist)
- Live (may not be the greatest, but Lightning Crashes is always on my roadtrip playlist)
- Pantera
- Pearl Jam
- White Lion (it was the 80s)
- Linkin Park

[bayonetbrant]

Metallica might could possibly challenge the top two, and you're not in the minority on Pearl Jam (if you are, you've got company!)

But think about any of the bands you listed, and consider if the combination of influence, success, and longevity trumps either Kiss or The Eagles?  Personally, I'd rather listen to Van Halen, Pearl Jam, or Motley Crue, but I have a hard time denying that those top two just kick everyone else's butts in those categories, Grateful Dead and Beach Boys included.

[endfire79]

That is true, I have to agree.  Both Kiss and The Eagles had all of those.

I still have not been able to get on the Grateful Dead wagon, but they do have many followers.

[TacticalWargames]

ZZ Top where OK when The Moving Sidewalks. Love abit of texan psych.

[MetalDog]

As a viable, recording, band, The Eagles ran from '72 to '79 with exactly one album after that, in 2007.  KISS, on the other hand, started in '74 and released at least one album per year from then until 1985.  From there, seven more albums were released, with the most recent being 2012's, Monster.  So, I say to you, if those are the only two bands that need to be vetted to be crowned, then KISS has already won.