Buffalo Boy's Blog

Yesterday I tuned into WGR 550 and with neither of our two big time pro sports teams playing the talk will shift to non sports related topics such as music and yesterday Schopp and The Bulldog were trying to come up with greatest American rock band of all time.

I wan't tuned in for the entire show but heard  enough to determine that they were leaving out a few very obvious choices. The ones that were coming up on their show while good and worthy of being in the discussion and certainly amongst the top bands, but the one that came to mind immediately was not mentioned while I was listening.

The conversation came up because Pearl Jam is in town and they definitely deserve to be there amongst the all time greats but my choices would have gone something like this:

1. The Beach Boys: I have been a huge fan all my life and regardless of whether you are a fan or not it is indisputable that they belong in the top spot regardless of their recent work or lack there of, Brian Wilson is still touring, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston still take a rag tag bunch around that passes for the Beach Boys car songs but in their prime, the Beach Boys were our Beatles. There was no one better. Pet Sounds I would go so far as to say is the greatest American rock album of all time.

Good Vibrations, Fun, Fun, Fun, I Get Around, Surfin USA, Wouldn't It Be Nice, Sloop John B, God Only Knows, Darlin the list goes on and on with them. More hits than any group on the list I have below and certainly more than the bands I was hearing yesterday.

2. The Ramones: This is where I will get some disagreement but this is a band that was right there with the pioneers of a movement in rock and roll that shifted the whole genre from anthemic neverending songs to 3 chords and 2 minute long power songs. The punk era was ushered in by three groups, The Clash, The Sex Pistols and our very own Ramones.

3. The Beastie Boys: Longevity, still relevant today and who would have thunk it after Licensed to Ill, No one thought these guys would amount to anymore than a frat, rap band. Where would Rock/Rap be without them?

4. The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Again longevity, still relevant and hugely sucessful both amongst their hardcore followers and in the mainstream.

5. Pearl Jam: They keep getting better as they go and they aren't old yet,  They are one of the most diverse bands in the history of rock they are admired by their peers and have collaborated with the likes of Neil Young and Neil Finn over the years, they were a part of a grunge scene that rivals the punk rock era of the late 70s and its effect on new wave.

Honorable mentions: Metallica- would be top five but lets face it, they are not appealing to the masses, Green Day-No one thinks of them but think about the songs they have put out over the years? They are already 18 years in as a band, The Grateful Dead- again appealing to their hardcore fans but outside of that challenge the average listener to name more than one or two songs?