It Was Twenty Years Ago Last Week....

[RevMatt]

... that The Replacements broke up onstage in Chicago. Surprised we missed this anniversary here at 3DD. Today Pat Dinizio of The Smithereens posted his recollection of that show. He watched it from ten feet away. Said they went out with a whimper, literally throwing in the towel.

[joelle]

... that The Replacements broke up onstage in Chicago. Surprised we missed this anniversary here at 3DD. Today Pat Dinizio of The Smithereens posted his recollection of that show. He watched it from ten feet away. Said they went out with a whimper, literally throwing in the towel.

i was there
i saw it
i was heartbroken.
i knew. anyone there who had loved or was still loving the 'mats knew.
it was
over
end of an
era...
the handin' down of the handin' down...

as for rock
at one place in time
'they drove it like 'they' stole it. 'they' stole it fast and with a multitude of casualties.

the replacements defined a time for me
i slow danced to 'unsatisfied' in my first apartment after i left home one day aftyer high school graduation.
i ached to be.
etc etc

this show in my hometown
did not bruise me, but it made me feel like i had witnessed something that could not be put back together again.
yet,
it was time.
as for towels thrown.... well ,there was a time i liked the smithereens too. but i have never been moved to tears by them.
just sayin'

[RevMatt]

I can't be objective about The Smithereens because Pat was a mentor to me when I was an eighteen year old kid in my first professional band. He showed me and my friends the ropes so to speak and produced an album for us. He did all this before The Smithereens recorded Especially For You. Pat may have his faults but he was always generous when it came to helping out younger musicians. He taught me and my friends the music biz and helped us become a part of the northeastern indie scene in the mid-1980's.

As for The 'Mats, their music struck a chord with me. In the mid-eighties, it was The Replacements, The Gun Club and Echo and The Bunnymen who were on my turntable the most. I was sad when they broke up. But just like The Beatles were destined to never go beyond the 1960's, the 'Mats were to be forever associated with the 1980's. They represented the best and worst of that era. The best in that they were the epitome of those six guys piled in a van, crash on somebody's floor, eight day tours of college towns, left of the dial radio shows, tiny record lables, no money, party all night rock and roll. The worst in that all of the frustrations connected with that life could cause even the best bands to turn on themselves and implode. They were perhaps the greatest band of their era. But they had a tendency to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, screwing up one opportunity after another.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

The Slicing Up Eyeballs site streamed their last show on the 4th. It's still up if'n anyone wants to give it a listen.

[Iowan]

I think that the lack of mainstream success that the 'Mats had in their active career has actually increased their influence and regard in the critical community.

Last week I started a thread in the off-topic forum of the Iowa State athletics message board regarding Gibson naming the Boss & the E Street band the best American rock and roll band, and to just generally debate that topic. The Replacements were one of the most consistently mentioned bands. This was on a sports message board, a place I'm sure many here would suspect to find bad musical taste in spades (and I suppose there are plenty of those folks too). Maybe I have a skewed sense of their importance being from the Midwest, where a lot of the guys on this message board had actually seen the 'Mats drunk in some dive bar (due to proximity to Minneapolis) over the years.

The point is, like the Velvet Underground and Big Star before them, the 'Mats' posthumous influence and popularity has massively eclipsed what they had in their prime and continues to grow.

[RevMatt]

I think that the lack of mainstream success that the 'Mats had in their active career has actually increased their influence and regard in the critical community.

Last week I started a thread in the off-topic forum of the Iowa State athletics message board regarding Gibson naming the Boss & the E Street band the best American rock and roll band, and to just generally debate that topic. The Replacements were one of the most consistently mentioned bands. This was on a sports message board, a place I'm sure many here would suspect to find bad musical taste in spades (and I suppose there are plenty of those folks too). Maybe I have a skewed sense of their importance being from the Midwest, where a lot of the guys on this message board had actually seen the 'Mats drunk in some dive bar (due to proximity to Minneapolis) over the years.

The point is, like the Velvet Underground and Big Star before them, the 'Mats' posthumous influence and popularity has massively eclipsed what they had in their prime and continues to grow.

I agree in part, but the 'Mats were highly respected in the indie rock, left of the dial community during their time. From Let It Be onward, I would say that they would have been near the top of most polls regarding American indie/alt. bands. REM was probably the most popular during the mid to late eighties but The 'Mats and Husker Du were right behind them. None of the indie bands had much in the way of commercial airplay -- REM didn't have hits until after the left IRS. But left of the dial, The 'Mats did very well.

[Smitty]

Greatest "American" R n R Band candidates:

Elvis, Scotty & Bill
Skynyrd
Booker T & the MG's
The 'Mats
ABB
Heartbreakers
E Street Band
DBT (don't think it's a stretch - how many consistently great albums is it now?)
REM
Crazy Horse (altho not so sure about their work w/o Neil)

who else?

[dogstar]

Greatest "American" R n R Band candidates:

Elvis, Scotty & Bill
Skynyrd
Booker T & the MG's
The 'Mats
ABB
Heartbreakers
E Street Band
DBT (don't think it's a stretch - how many consistently great albums is it now?)
REM
Crazy Horse (altho not so sure about their work w/o Neil)

who else?

Beach Boys (though not sure if they're really R n R)

[Iowan]

I think that the lack of mainstream success that the 'Mats had in their active career has actually increased their influence and regard in the critical community.

Last week I started a thread in the off-topic forum of the Iowa State athletics message board regarding Gibson naming the Boss & the E Street band the best American rock and roll band, and to just generally debate that topic. The Replacements were one of the most consistently mentioned bands. This was on a sports message board, a place I'm sure many here would suspect to find bad musical taste in spades (and I suppose there are plenty of those folks too). Maybe I have a skewed sense of their importance being from the Midwest, where a lot of the guys on this message board had actually seen the 'Mats drunk in some dive bar (due to proximity to Minneapolis) over the years.

The point is, like the Velvet Underground and Big Star before them, the 'Mats' posthumous influence and popularity has massively eclipsed what they had in their prime and continues to grow.

I agree in part, but the 'Mats were highly respected in the indie rock, left of the dial community during their time. From Let It Be onward, I would say that they would have been near the top of most polls regarding American indie/alt. bands. REM was probably the most popular during the mid to late eighties but The 'Mats and Husker Du were right behind them. None of the indie bands had much in the way of commercial airplay -- REM didn't have hits until after the left IRS. But left of the dial, The 'Mats did very well.

I know that they were always respected in the indie circle, but I think they've gained notoriety, recognition, and acceptance outside of that circle.

[dime in the gutter]

Greatest "American" R n R Band candidates:

Elvis, Scotty & Bill
Skynyrd
Booker T & the MG's
The 'Mats
ABB
Heartbreakers
E Street Band
DBT (don't think it's a stretch - how many consistently great albums is it now?)
REM
Crazy Horse (altho not so sure about their work w/o Neil)

who else?

creedence clearwater revival

[Iowan]

Greatest "American" R n R Band candidates:

Elvis, Scotty & Bill
Skynyrd
Booker T & the MG's
The 'Mats
ABB
Heartbreakers
E Street Band
DBT (don't think it's a stretch - how many consistently great albums is it now?)
REM
Crazy Horse (altho not so sure about their work w/o Neil)

who else?

The Dead
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Velvet Underground
Creedence

Wouldn't count the Horse or The Band. Here's the thread I started on it, if anyone is curious. Like I said there, it shows the dominance of the British (or Canadians) in "classic rock". http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/forum/off ... -band.html

[beantownbubba]

Yep, CCR and the beach boys for sure. Also

The Band
The Byrds
The Ramones
The Jimi Hendrix Experience (if they qualify as American)
Sly & The Family Stone
James Brown & The JB's (&/or the Fabulous Flames)
The Funk Brothers
Santana

I suppose Television, Steely Dan, The Doors, The Dead, The New York Dolls, Big Star & Jefferson Airplane are at least first round mentions. Maybe Los Lobos too.

Is the classic period Fleetwood Mac an American band?

[dogstar]

Is the classic period Fleetwood Mac an American band?

NO.

[dogstar]

The Band

Aren't The Band Canadian?

Also Talking Heads

[Clams]

Not that they know any more than we do, but here's the Gibson list that Iowan mentioned. http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/F ... 0701-2011/

[Iowan]

I wouldn't count the Jimi Hendrix Experience as "American". Weren't the other 2 guys British, and the whole operation based out of London?

[dogstar]

I wouldn't count the Jimi Hendrix Experience as "American". Weren't the other 2 guys British, and the whole operation based out of London?

That is correct.

[beantownbubba]

Just 'cause I have nothing better to do and acknowledging that I don't know what the right answer is, the same factors can be applied in various ways:

The only person who mattered in the Jimi Hendrix Experience was American.

The 2d most important person in the Band was American, they were based in America and they first gained fame backing the most important American rock musician.

Classic period Fleetwood Mac was based in America and the 2 people that made them as big as they got were American.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

None of the indie bands had much in the way of commercial airplay -- REM didn't have hits until after the left IRS.

"The One I Love" wasn't a "hit"?

[Iowan]

Just 'cause I have nothing better to do and acknowledging that I don't know what the right answer is, the same factors can be applied in various ways:

The only person who mattered in the Jimi Hendrix Experience was American.

The 2d most important person in the Band was American, they were based in America and they first gained fame backing the most important American rock musician.

Classic period Fleetwood Mac was based in America and the 2 people that made them as big as they got were American.

I'm just doing a head count. Simple math, no argument.

When it comes to The Band, you can make a lot of argument that after Robbie, all members were equally important. I have a hard time elevating Levon over Danko, Manuel, or Hudson. He's certainly gone on to the best post-Band career and continues to play an important role in music, but if there was ever a group where you couldn't really replace someone, that's it.

[Smitty]

CCR was John Fogerty's show too much to be called the best American RnR band, IMO. Look what happened when the "band" started having more control - Mardi Gras.
No matter how you cut it, the Band is too Canadian for this title IMO...

[RevMatt]

Best American band? CCR had a great run but didn't last long enough. Same with Skynyrd and The Doors.

No one mentioned Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band

[Slipkid42]

First off REM had a pretty big hit w/The End Of The World.
Jimi Hendrix Experience is an American band (even if the other 2 are Brits)
The Band is Canadian
Fleetwood Mac was British when they were good.
CCR was a great great American band (even if only J. Fogerty wrote the songs).

Some other good American Bands not mentioned:

Little Feat
Mothers of Invention
and of course;
Blue Oyster Cult (yes they do belong in the discussion)

Also much as some of us on here don't want to admit it; groups like Green Day & Aerosmith have shown staying power.

[RevMatt]

Another group that has shown staying power is Foo Fighters.

[Slipkid42]

If I was to rank the Top 25 American bands it would go like this:
(influence & contributions, not the order I actually like them in)

1 - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
2 - Allman Brothers Band
3 - Beach Boys
4 - Creedence Clearwater Revival
5 - Lynyrd Skynyrd
6 - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
7 - Grateful Dead
8 - Nirvana
9 - Velvet Underground
10 - The Replacements
11 - Pearl Jam
12 - Jimi Hendrix Experience
13 - Little Feat
14 - The Ramones
15 - Drive-by Truckers
16 - The Byrds
17 - R.E.M.
18 - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
19 - Big Star
20 - Aerosmith
21 - Mothers of Invention
22 - The Doors
23 - Santana
24 - ZZ Top
25 - Blue Oyster Cult

Jeez, I could go 10 more before I hit Green Day (at least). Guess I was wrong about them.

[Iowan]

Another group that has shown staying power is Foo Fighters.

Agreed. They just put out what might be their best album 16 years after the debut.

[Iowan]

That's a pretty solid list, Slip. I'd probably sneak Wilco into that Top 25 ahead of BOC or ZZ Top.

[Slipkid42]

Yeah, you might be right about that. Prolly had my rose colored BOC glasses on. Wilco definitely right there. Cheap Trick, too.

[RevMatt]

I like your list but would have ranked The Ramones and ZZ Top higher.

[Slipkid42]

Yeah Rev, I can see ZZ flippin' spots w/The Mothers. Can also see The Ramones movin' up to #11.