American Music Rocks

The American standard of living is falling.  We're stuck in a pointless war.  Gas is at three dollars.  Our most exotic city is destroyed by an act of God just 4 years after our cultural and economic capital was attacked and deeply scarred by terrorists.  Our atheletes take steroids. Television is crap.  The commercials are crap.  The news isn't the news anymore--it's just media now, the same as the commercials.  We're running up debt, exporting our manufacturing, and losing our bookstores, music stores, and other expressions of culture to a censoring WalMart business model.  Morale is low in these States.

Tonight I was listening to an old Radiohead album and got to thinking about why British and Irish rock music takes up more than half my CD collection.  What about this big country I live in?  So I dragged out my old CDs and pulled up my mp3s to find some good ol' American music.

We rock in America.  Our best stuff always comes from the rough edges.  Maybe we're not as existential as the Brits or as spiritual or nihilistic as the Irish, but we rock better.  I'll poll the few bands I love best.  Choose your fav, or name your own fav.

•  Let's rock

  Rock n' Roll comes out of Southern Black American culture, and yet your lone choice to  represent is Lady Day, a jazz singer known for her languid phrasing and achingly sad ballads? No Little Richard and Chuck Berry, no Jimi, no Godfather, no Sly, no Miles, no Mandrill, no P-Funk?

  by frightwig on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:23:40 AM PDT

  •  Appalachian mountain music

    was also a necessary ingredient in the rock mix, and there are no bluegrass bands up there either.  So who's your favorite American rocker?

    by gogol999 on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:28:57 AM PDT

    •  ?????? Yeah the Zither, washboard and jug music

      has a clear imprint on Rock & Roll,
      you probably mean rockabilly which is still an offshoot of R&B and---"Black Music" of the day.
      I hate lists and I have to disagree with your comment "Appalachian mountain music" as a neccessary ingredient. The thread that rock and roll comes from DOES come from the South via Africa (syncopation--see Gunther Schuller ) and barrels through ROCK like a freight train. It's not an ingredient it's the essence.

      by JackAshe on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 05:47:05 AM PDT

•  otis redding

  or buddy guy.

  by wu ming on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:26:51 AM PDT

•  Ahh, if I could have just read this without Guns n

  The American standard of living is falling.  We're stuck in a pointless war.  Gas is at three dollars.  Our most exotic city is destroyed by an act of God just 4 years after our cultural and economic capital was attacked and deeply scarred by terrorists.  Our atheletes take steroids. Television is crap.  The commercials are crap.  The news isn't the news anymore--it's just media now, the same as the commercials.  We're running up debt, exporting our manufacturing, and losing our bookstores, music stores, and other expressions of culture to a censoring WalMart business model.  Morale is low in these States.

  Now that rocked. The poll? Not so much.

  by TocqueDeville on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:33:00 AM PDT

  •  You're not the first

    to dis my taste in music.  And I thought I was behaving myself by not including Julee Cruise or Blondie.

    by gogol999 on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:41:37 AM PDT

    •  Anybody

      who'd diss Blondie doesn't get the point of pop music they're one of best US bands ever.

      Also Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles is a fantastic song.

      Camper Van Beethoven - take the skinheads bowling, another quality choon.

      The Ramones

      Husker Du / Bob Mould

      Dinosaur Jr

      MC5

      The Velvet Underground

      N.E.R.D.

      Jimi Hendrix

      Public Enemy

      Metallica

      I could go on and on and on - there's loads of great American music.

      by ian1973uk on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:12:32 AM PDT

      •  Nice list

        It was interesting....When I was in college in the early 80s in Montreal, underground music fans were very clearly divided into 2 camps: american music or Britsh music.  I was very clearly in the former.

        I loved Husker Du, Black Flag, X, Minor Threat, etc.
        They seemed completely real to me.

        On the other hand, I absolutely could not stand pasty faced black haired Brits like the Smiths, the Cure, Echo, etc.
        Mostly because I couldn't stand the overdramatic sound of the stuff.

        Later, I got a little bit more open-mined about the stuff and learned to like the Jesus and Mary Chain and even certain Cure stuff, despite their ridiculous look.

        Also, the Spacemen 3 are without doubt my favorite British band of the last 25 years.  As the great critic Byron Coley once wrote: "They're the only British band I'd walk across the street to piss on"

        by chicagochamp on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 07:12:47 AM PDT

        •  Spacemen3

          Sonic Boom AKA Pete Kember and Jason somebody else who went on to form Spiritualised...ah the debates that they must have had...

          Sonic "Minimalist Drone - no trumpets allowed"
          Jason "No, Maximalist Drone - I want trumpets!"

          repeat ad nauseaum.

          Spacemen3's best song is Fire which is a rip-off of a Stooges song and imho the best Jesus and Mary Chain song is Reverence, which is another rip-off of a Stooges song, Search and Destroy.

          by ian1973uk on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 08:31:11 AM PDT

          •  Yeah

            I saw Sonic under the "Spectrum" name in Chicago a few years back.  He certainly seems to be trying to make a name with the "serious" music crowd.  He's been playing with some German free jazz guys, I guess.  His output is pretty erratic, though.

            Surprisingly, Jason has, I think, turned out some pretty great records with Spiritualized.  From their first single, which covered the Troggs' "Any Way That You Want Me"  all the way through "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space", I pretty much like it all.

            Are you in the UK?  Do people still pay attention to those guys over there?

            Yeah, I like "Fire" as well...

            by chicagochamp on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 09:56:03 AM PDT

            •  Yes I am in the UK

              Spiritualised still get feted in the indie music press like the NME, they put another album out a couple of years ago called Let It Come Down.

              I've got the Spectrum album from 1992, "How You Satisfy Me" is a great song but I haven't any idea what Sonic Boom is doing these days.  I don't think he was a particularly great subject to interview and also a bit patchy with his output due to mindless drug hoover issues.

              by ian1973uk on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 10:42:32 AM PDT

              •  well

                well they certainly had the drug issues back in the Spacemen days...I'm surprised Sonic is still using, though.  

                I have heard from a critic friend, though, that the three worst people in indie rock to interview are 1) Blixa Bargeld 2) Sonic Boom and 3) J Mascis.

                Feel free to drop a line some time, my address is in my profile.

                by chicagochamp on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 12:00:15 PM PDT

•  X: I must not think bad thoughts

  "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" by X

   the facts we hate well never meet
   walking down the road everybody yelling "hurry up, hurry up!"
   but im waiting for you
   i must go slow
   i must not think bad thoughts
   when is this world coming too
   both sides are right but both sides murder
   i give up why cant they
   i must not think bad thoughts
   the civil wars and the uncivilized wars
   conflagrations leap out of every poor furnace
   the food cooks poorly and everyone goes hungry
   from then on its dog eat dog dog eat body & body eat dog
   i cant go down there i cant understand it
   im a no good coward & an american too
   a north american that is not a south or a central or a native american
   oh i must not think bad thoughts
   im guilty of murder
   of innocent men innocent women innocent children
   thousands of them
   my planes my guns my money my soul
   my blood on my hands its all my fault
   i must not think bad thoughts i must not think bad thoughts
   the facts we hate you'll never hear us
   i hear the radio its finally gonna play new music
   you know the british invasion
   but what about the minutemen
   flesheaters doa big boys and the black flag
   we're the last american bands to get played on the radio
   please bring the flag? please bring the flag!
   glitter-disco-synthesizer night school
   all the noble savage drum drum drum
   astronauts go back in time
   to hang out with the cave people
   its about time its about space
   its about some people in the strangest places
   woody guthrie sang about b-e-e-t-s not b-e-a-t-s
   i must not think bad thoughts
   i must not think bad thoughts
   the facts we hate

  by Dancing Larry on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:33:17 AM PDT

  •  Thanks for that.

    Amazing lyrics and great music (limewire'd it).  I'll have to pick up one of their albums.  We still have one good record store in town.

    by gogol999 on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:56:23 AM PDT

    •  great early reissue

      X's "Los Angeles" and "Wild Gift" were reissued on a single CD a few years ago.

      Absolutely essential stuff.

      My favorite lyric involves a very subtle and clever play on the lyrics to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas Motown classic "Dancing in the Streets".

      The original lyrics include:

      They're dancing in Chicago
      Down in New Orleans
      Up in New York City
      All we need is music, sweet music
      There'll be music everywhere ...

      ..There'll be laughing, singing, music swinging
      Dancing in the street
      Philadelphia, PA
      Baltimore and D.C. now
      Can't forget the Motor City
      All we need is music, sweet music

      Then X takes the same idea to show the dark and poor side of America in "The New World":

      i said yes because i did honest to goodness
      the tears have been falling all over the country's face
      it was better before before they voted for whats his name
      this is supposed to be the new world
      flint
      ford auto
       mobile alabama
      windshield wiper
       buffalo new york
       gary indiana don't forget the motor city baltimore and d.c. now all we need is..... ?

      by chicagochamp on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 07:23:56 AM PDT

•  Stevie Wonder

  One of the great musicians of all time, and a long-time champion of social justice to boot.  The man has been taking power to task with his art for some forty years, while creating some of the most joyful, love-filled music around.  Jeeyah.

  by firetop on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:45:48 AM PDT

•  Here are some

  How about Hooker, Stevie Ray Vaughn.

  Also, Pearl Jam.  Thank god for Seattle music.

  by givemhellHarryR on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 02:21:47 AM PDT

•  this machine kills facists

  woody guthrie wrote some of the most powerful american music there will ever be...
  if he was here today he certainly would be out in the streets

  "i aint the worlds best writer aint the worlds best speller but when i believe in somethin i'm the loudest yeller"

  I would say X was also great at seeing the underbelly of american 'urban' life...
  Springsteen of course also understands what it means to be the little man gettin screwed

  how about Wilco, Son Volt, (uncle tupelo)  Steve Earle (just another poor boy off to fight the rich mans war)
  sure these people dont RAWK like say GnR (thank god for that) but if you want real american sentiment, its right there...

  That being said there isnt anything wrong with Radiohead

  by libertine on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 02:35:20 AM PDT

  •  G n R

    Appetite for Destruction is one of the best albums of the 80's, everything else by em is worthless self-parody.

    by ian1973uk on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:03:09 AM PDT

    •  Not sure about the Killers,

      but "Appetite for Destruction" was truly great.  People say that Nirvana killed the hair bands, but it was "Appetite" that killed them, because somebody finally did it right.  Made all the rest seem ridiculous.  Too bad they lasted only a couple of years.  I'm still waiting for "Chinese Democracy".

      by gogol999 on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:19:03 AM PDT

  •  I dunno

    As long as you've got all the paracetemol and razorblades safely locked away there's nothing wrong with Radiohead.

    by ian1973uk on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:16:46 AM PDT

•  You want spiritual and nihilistic

  Then buy or download Hot Fuss by The Killers.

  Best American band since Nirvana.

  by ian1973uk on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:02:12 AM PDT

  •  They're American?

    They sound so British.

    Geez. I had no idea.

    by LBK on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 05:45:20 AM PDT

    •  yep

      they're from las vegas.

      by Adr on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 06:58:59 AM PDT

•  This list could be endless.....

   To be honest, the points in rock history where overseas bands predominated (British Invasion, early '80's Punk/New Wave) were times of real flab in American music trends. Once the initial wave receded, the bands that sprung up following it were pretty damn good.

   As far as American stuff, as I said, the list could be endless. Some bands I'd point to across the spectrum:

   Violent Femmes
   The Replacements
   Live
   The Black Crowes
   Queensryche
   Everclear
   Prince and Whoever's Backing Him This Week
   Steely Dan
   Stone Temple Pilots (RIP)
   Red Hot Chili Peppers

   ...and so on, and so on. It all rocks.
  

  by Anderson Republican on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:15:46 AM PDT

•  Superfreak

  Who could forget Rick James?

  Chic and Nile Rodgers.

  Madonna.

  and possibly the greatest musical colossus ever to have bestrode our airwaves....

  Wilson Phillips

  ;-))

  by ian1973uk on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:19:53 AM PDT

  •  And

    Martika

    She cooked up some well tasty musical goodies in her kitchen.

    Like the prophetic Toy Soldiers.

    by ian1973uk on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:24:18 AM PDT

•  Audioslave

  Chris Cornell

  Nuff said

  by BobX on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 05:11:58 AM PDT

  •  Bob please contact me

    You offered help, and I need your advice!
    johnclane1ATyahooDOTcom

    by CodeTalker on Mon Sep 19, 2005 at 09:12:56 AM PDT

•  I frickin Hate LISTS

  At its most cynical, the "Best of..." list is a canny means of encouraging consumption--of films, music, books, history-- through the creation of communities of common interest. In other words, a "Top 10" list is a buying guide for readers with like interests. If you saw three of the films on a certain critic's "Best of 1999" list and liked those, then chances are you'll enjoy the other films on his/her list. There is a huge push in American marketing right now to capitalize on "communities of shared interest." Just examine any product listing at Amazon.com to see recommendations for other, similar items that you might like: "readers who enjoyed this also bought ___." And if you follow those links or suggestions, chance are you'll like them as well. It's frightening, don't you think?

  Another main component of the popular, as opposed to esoteric, "Best of..." list is its inherently critical nature: it encourages you to express your own opinion, something that Americans love to do. The list form is easily consumed, digested and remembered, since it's presented in a "sound bite" format of brevity and pith. If the list addresses a popular topic (such as films), almost anyone can discuss it with anyone else. One of the most interesting lists that I came across while researching this column assesses the best American political one-liners of the 20th century. If you want to understand American culture better, this is the list to read!

  The final element of appeal of the "Best of..." list is its air of easy authority. If you can't judge for yourself, put your trust in an expert on the subject. When we're tired of expressing our own opinions, we seek out the brief and to-the-point analyses of whatever it is we think we should know more about. A good example of this phenomenon is this list of the Best Albums of 1999, in which a music critic presents a diverse array of musical recordings--all of which most Americans have never heard of. These are not popular albums at all, but rather esoteric specialty items. It's highly unlikely you would track them down without the aid of an authority on music.

  by JackAshe on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 05:20:37 AM PDT

•  The Dead!

  They are the quintessential American band. In terms of their roots, certainly. In terms of the band's ethic, they are more American than America is. If we didn't already have an anthem, I'd want to sing U.S. Blues before every ballgame!

  by labradog on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 05:45:46 AM PDT

•  Beatles?

  by liberalcheesehead on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 05:51:31 AM PDT

  •  Um,... American???

    by Dem In VA on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 07:09:18 AM PDT

•  A few additions

  Just a few additions.

  Tool:  In my opinion, this is one of those bands that really seem like a true band.  I mean real musicianship.

  Primus:  Take some funk, add in a some silliness, and top it off with some social commentary and you've got a great band.

  Rage Against the Machine:  To paraphrase something I read once:  There were Rock/Rap bands before RATM, there will be Rap/Rock bands after RATM.  RATM was the only one that ever got it right.

  Bill Frisell:  Not many people I talk with know who this guy is.  However, whenever I hear him play it just blows me away.  

  Eric Johnson:  Some of his stuff is old school Stevie Ray Vaugh.  Some of it is kind of pop.  But in the end, it doesn't matter.  His playing is just amazing.  You can take someone who doesn't know much about music to one of his concerts and they will walk away singing his praise.

  Honorable Mention:

  Dream Theater:  Yea, they have that Hair Metal stigma.  But damn, John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess are damn good.  And their duet CD is proof of that.

  Buckethead:  Ok, so the guy wears a KFC bucket on his head and has that goofy Horror thing going on.  However, I dare anyone to listen to Colma or Population Override and not like his playing.  ("For Mom" is a rather pretty song).  Plus, bonus points for his playing with Jonas Hellborg on Octave Of The Holy Innocents.

  Alice In Chains:  Really, do I need to say more?

  by Brother Maynard on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 06:43:22 AM PDT