Happy Fourth of July Weekend, Best American Bands Part 1

Wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe July Fourth weekend (USA! USA!) 

 To go the American route with music the fine folks over at Hidden Track, clued me into this list that Gibson Guitars put together about a question I have actually pondered in bars and on this blog before; who is the greatest American band? 

Shockingly not on the list!

It is a tougher question then you might think as the usual suspects for lists like this are...of all things...English, so this allows for some freedom from dulled responses.  The very fact that this conversation came up with my friend Ray on the ride up to Solid Sound this weekend was cool enough and I wanted to see if my choices made the cut. 

Now this being a Guitar company I am not sure how unbiased it is (Do Lynyrd Skynyrd play Gibson or just married the author of the list to be ranked 16th?!) but 50 is also a very big number to use, so a lot of, "sure they can belong" went into my reading.  While I am writing this they aren't done posting the full list yet, so I will save my final thoughts thoughts and list until next week (look for Part 2), but I already have a few talking points:

1) The term "band" seems to be loosely defined.  I know Alice Cooper is technically a band, but hasn't Alice really made that persona his own, above and beyond the original members?  Even then I am not sure he or they would/should make the cut...

Still my favorite AC song...

Same could really be said for Buddy Holly and the Crickets,
and I am willing to bet that Bruce Springsteen and E-Street Band will be in the top 10 (or 5) and I got a guy in LA who swears Rickey Steamboat is going to win it all at Wrestlemania 4 and is adamant that Bruce and E-Street aren't a band...

That song is for Kel...

and that is coming from a huge fan of those guys, biggest one I know actually.  

2) Numbering in lists like these is tough as all hell and designed to create chatter.  All of these bands are good, but order is subjective...that said I have had a long first half of the year and I HATE the fucking Eagles man...

Hope you weren't expecting an Eagles song...

If you want to give them love because they sold millions...fine, so then do the same for Nickleback...

3) I know it says "rock bands", but I find the list just works better and generates more discussion when it is simple "Bands"...would/should Hip hop acts/groups/bands make the cut?  'cause in my brain Public Enemy is one of the top 10 greatest American bands of all time...
but sticking to rock I guess is OK...though it seems kinda wonder bread. 

Agree? Disagree? Don't care?  Chatter back at me...and enjoy your music filled BBQ weekend.