Ultimate Grudge Match...American Bands vs British Bands.

Who has been more influential in the world of Music?   The British Music Invasion or the Origins of American Rock?  Plus, who are the Champions now? Site examples.

I am an American, I think we had originated and created the Rock and Roll sound. However, I think the British Invasion of the Beatles and Stones took it too a new level.  I'm not ready to hand over the crown yet. First, the Beatles and Stones were 40 + years ago and getting old. 

Plus your not allowed too use U2. Irish Band. Sorry or Oasis.  Oasis suck on multiple, International levels across all borders.

Ill start w/ some U.S Bands.

1. Metallica... Old Metallica. Anything before up to and including "And Justice For All".. The sh*t after SUCKED!
2. Slayer...C'mon,,Straight up, HARDCORE KINGS OF SPEED METAL.
3. Bruce Springstreen..."The Boss"
4. MC5.. Original Garage Punk.
5. Alice in Chains....Best of all 90'sSeattle/Grunge Bands.
6. Rage Against the Machine.. "Bulls on Parade"..enough said.

Bring it on!!

Ha ha, nice thread.

I'll start by stating that your list is very impressive YANK and I'll have to play Devil's Advocate for the most part. So, with that in mind....

Metallica - A band that brought down Napster..more concerned about making money than music. A metal band who wouldn't have existed without Black Sabbath - the first ever Metal band who happen to be British.   but I'll throw in Deep Purple for good measure.

Slayer - Speed metal band that were originally an Iron Maiden cover band. I give you Iron Maiden & Motorhead.

MC5 - Love 'em but try Led Zeppelin and or the Stones (40 years ago, yeah but so were, ahem - MC5 )

Alice In Chains & RATM - great bands (I preferred The Screaming Trees myself) - In opposition I give you - the Sex Pistols - (Punk saved the world from MOR, drab sh*t) & The Clash - Nevermind The Bollocks & London Calling - nuff said!

Thankfully I can't think of any like for like, British opposition to 'The Boss' - Bowie (maybe?) but here's a few for you to get your teeth into....

1: Muse - Bombastic & over-the-top rock but there's no better live act in the States than these lads.

2: Queen - pure theatre, made anthemic rock cool.

3: The Stone Roses - some of the most affirming  riffs of all time. Take 'Waterfall' - I'll defy you not to want to dance as soon as you hear it.

3: The Stone Roses

Whose side are you on lad?!

1. AC/DC
2. INXS (back in the old days).

 

1. AC/DC
2. INXS (back in the old days).

 

One of my favourite bands ever - been to see them a couple of times.  Great to see them back with their (nearly) original line up, including the Geordie Brian Johnson.

Whose side are you on lad?!

Thanks for your insightful input Eem.  

I'm not sure how Bruce Springsteen counts as a band - he was always a solo artist with a backing band.

Nobody has mentioned:
The Beatles - biggest selling band of all time.
Pink Floyd - massive selling group, apparently second to none, performing live.
Judas Priest - Rob Halford is as gay as an ostrich but they saved heavy metal.

Its actually Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band. He's played with the same band his whole career. He did go out for awhile without the E-Street Band, but now their all back and together. He is certainly not a solo artist.  E-street Band has Clarence Clemmons, Max Weinberg solid musicians.

Christ! ESP just scored...ESP 1- LFC 0!!!!!!!!

Sorry. Lost my thought.

Its actually Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band. He's played with the same band his whole career. He did go out for awhile without the E-Street Band, but now their all back and together. He is certainly not a solo artist.  E-street Band has Clarence Clemmons, Max Weinberg solid musicians.

Christ! ESP just scored...ESP 1- LFC 0!!!!!!!!

Sorry. Lost my thought.

Yes, I realise that about Springsteen, but it's the same as Prince and the Revolution - a solo artist that just happens to have a backing band that are with him for his whole career.

I guess you can argue it either way. I liken it more to "Dave Matthews Band".  His name is on the product, but its still a band.

It started in America, then the British took over, then the Australians made it the beast it is today

In all seriousness, my fav band of all time still is Led Zeppelin. And im a 21 year old Aussie, so no bias either way in the debate, just think no band has truly matched the beast that was Led Zeppelin. Just shattered i probably will never get the chance to see any of them live.

Another i haven't seen mentioned is The Who. Absolutely brilliant in my eyes, and from the live footage ive seen are great on stage to.

It started in America, then the British took over, then the Australians made it the beast it is today

I'll throw Pendulum into the mix for ya biggy!  

On the subject of Sringsteen - I've caught him three times down the years and, take my word for it "he" is most definitely a band. Whilst not really my 'cup of tea' Springsteen/E-Street band are as solid an outfit, musically as you're ever likely to see - they're the one entity alright!

Sadly all this generation can offer in the way of "big" rock acts (U.S & British) are M.O.R. dross (Muse being the exception), in my humble opinion. So the U.K. rules, ok?  

At the min, American bands kicks British bands ass something serious

At the min, American bands kicks British bands ass something serious

Indeed; in the Middle Of the Road, generic dross stakes anyway. 

Last UK band I like was The King Blues.... Before that there was nothing really after Fightstar

^^^ I hear you and totally agree but.......shhuussh...... . or YANK wins. 

The next three bands i'm scheduled to see are: two yank bands; The Pixies & Green Day and one U.K. ; The Specials. U.S. bands really are ahead (in the "big" act category anyway). 

Ahh now here's a topic I've debated many times. For me America has always had the most succesful SOLO ARTISTS but certainly not the best bands. British bands have been more critically acclaimed for nearly half a century, although there are some American bands that differ many of the most popular ones are in the "heavy metal" category. Bands like Slipknot and that type of genre I don't realy consider music to be honest.

It's safe to say most of the best bands in the 60s and 70s were British, and I consider most the british bands today to be better than the american ones too. That's my opinion anyway.

Kasabian anyone?

Blur?

Ermm not really into any bands but I would say American bands.

^^^ I hear you and totally agree but.......shhuussh...... . or YANK wins. 

The next three bands I'm scheduled to see are: two yank bands; The Pixies & Green Day and one U.K. ; The Specials. U.S. bands really are ahead (in the "big" act category anyway). 

Really jealous BBB.  The only bands I would pay to see at the moment are Iron Maiden and Green Day.

(Maybe Metallica, AC/DC, Leo Sayer and QotSA, too) 

For me Kasabian are the best band in the world by a long way.

For me, Iron Maiden are the best band ever to exist...no one comes close to their amazingness.

Also like Metallica and AC/DC so I'll stay multinational.

Even being an American I think the British have produced more "Classic" bands.  60's Bands, has to go to the British. Just The Beatles and Stones alone could win the argument.  But anything from 1980 and up is real weak.

I do have to counter some of the bands mentioned above. The Sex Pistols were AWFUL!!!!  Were the originators? Yes. Were they good? GOD NO!.. I grew up listening to punk. Thats all I listened too, punk and Hardcore. The Pistols were lousy musicians and they were popular because they were shocking and original.  But they should never be used as an example of "Great British Bands".  I always thought the Exploited and Cockney Rejects were the best British Punk bands.

Blur where the best at Oxegen actually, and Killers and Kings of Leon where there to beat... Blur wiped the floor with them tbh

The Sex Pistols were AWFUL!!!!  Were the originators? Yes. Were they good? GOD NO!.. I grew up listening to punk. Thats all I listened too, punk and Hardcore. The Pistols were lousy musicians and they were popular because they were shocking and original.  But they should never be used as an example of "Great British Bands".  I always thought the Exploited and Cockney Rejects were the best British Punk bands.

The whole point with the Sex Pistols is that they initiated the Punk movement. Without them and their histrionics an awful lot of other bands and genres, (hardcore, speed, thrash & grunge, for e.g.), would never have happened. Music was stale and old, hippy, attitudes in the industry sucked. They changed the musical world! Nevermind The Bollocks......is a f**king classic - nuff said!

Without the Pistols you would not have grown up listening to Punk and Hardcore. Without the Pistols your favourite British Punk bands, The Exploited and Cockney Rejects, would not have existed! Punk wasn't about how good a musician one was - you really should know that YANK!

I am right you know!  

The whole point with the Sex Pistols is that they initiated the Punk movement.

There is always the long standing debate here over whether it was the Sex Pistols or the Ramones who were the first punk band.

Certainly it can be said that the origins for punk, though, were bands like Iggy and the Stooges and the MC5....

The whole point with the Sex Pistols is that they initiated the Punk movement. Without them and their histrionics an awful lot of other bands and genres, (hardcore, speed, thrash & grunge, for e.g.), would never have happened. Music was stale and old, hippy, attitudes in the industry sucked. They changed the musical world! Nevermind The Bollocks......is a f**king classic - nuff said!

Without the Pistols you would not have grown up listening to Punk and Hardcore. Without the Pistols your favourite British Punk bands, The Exploited and Cockney Rejects, would not have existed! Punk wasn't about how good a musician one was - you really should know that YANK!

I am right you know! 

I agree they were one of the first main stream Punk bands. I agree they helped launch the Punk movement. But their were Punk bands before the Pistols. The Ramones, Stooges and New York Dolls were around before the Sex Pistols.

I just wouldn't list them as an example of Great British Bands, thats all.  If we were debating Punk bands then they would be certainly be near the top.  I know that they helped fuel the scene and I give them their props as true originators. I just didn't like them. I didn't like the Ramones either.  Most of my Punk taste was formed on the early-mid 80's to early 90's scene. GBH, Exploited,Rejects, Descendants, Black Flag, D.R.I, even Joy Division. I thought they were a great band.

I think Oasis have been the best band in the world for the last decade.

I hear what you are saying about the Sex Pistols YANK, but whether or not they were any good is pretty irrelevant.  They were certainly ground breaking, innovative and fresh.

As a matter of fact, I really don't like the Beatles' music on the whole (although some is ok) but I would never deny the effect they had on world music - they were ground breaking, innovative and fresh.

The "Pistols'" brand of anti-society rebellion gave the whole country (maybe even your part of the world) a kick up the arse when popular music was stagnating.

As such, they deserve to be called a great band, imo.  There are hundreds of bands out there who are/were better musicians, singers, performers, etc. but won't be anywhere near as influential as The Sex Pistols.

I think Oasis have been the best band in the world for the last decade.

Ahhh ignorance is bliss isn't it

I think Oasis have been the best band in the world for the last decade.

   

Oh f**k! Make it stop!......I very nearly pished myself there!

 

I hear what you are saying about the Sex Pistols YANK, but whether or not they were any good is pretty irrelevant.  They were certainly ground breaking, innovative and fresh.

As a matter of fact, I really don't like the Beatles' music on the whole (although some is ok) but I would never deny the effect they had on world music - they were ground breaking, innovative and fresh.

The "Pistols'" brand of anti-society rebellion gave the whole country (maybe even your part of the world) a kick up the arse when popular music was stagnating.

As such, they deserve to be called a great band, imo.  There are hundreds of bands out there who are/were better musicians, singers, performers, etc. but won't be anywhere near as influential as The Sex Pistols.

^^^^What shay says.

I expected to get that reaction. Ther's been a shortage of real bands since the begining of this century and I'd say Oasis have been head and shoulders above the majority, they've managed to get 8 number ones in the UK chart which has predominantley been filled with crap. I'd certainly say they were the best british band since the late 90s (not the best of all time since that title of course belongs to another british band, The Beatles). I prefer their style to that of the american bands aswell.

Just because people don't like Liam and Noel doesn't mean they should put down their music.

And on top of the that they're one of Jamie Carraghers favourite bands!! Soo..

Oasis have been head and shoulders above the majority, they've managed to get 8 number ones in the UK chart which has predominantley been filled with crap....... I'd certainly say they were the best british band since the late 90s

So they're best of the crap then or to put it another way......the crappiest.    

Seriously tho', there's a hell of a lot of good music out there SGf; music that's more fresh and more exciting than Oasis. I'll have to ask you what other bands you're listening to; if you honestly believe quOasis are the best in Britain, let alone the World.

Muse, Kasabian, The King Blues, The Enemy and The Twang - all fresher, all more exiting and all better live. Why not check out Reverend & The Makers' new album 'A French Kiss In The Chaos'? .......you may be surprised.

I genuinely believe you're confusing personal taste and blind loyalty with fact.

Well what I mean is it's difficult for an Indie band to get so many number ones in the charts because their dominated by Rnb and Hip hop artists, solo artists etc.. you know what I mean. That's why I consider it such an achievement, even their best songs never made it to number one songs like Wonderwall and Live forever.

I'm a big fan of Kasabian, The Enemy and The Twang,I've been to see the first two in concert..But what I'm saying is sometimes people don't give Oasis the credit they deserve. I don't understand how you wouldn't consider them one of Britains greatest bands! They've been around since the mid 90s and released some amazing albums! They certainly aren't crap

I won't say anymore since I'm going way off topic, I consider british bands to be alot better than American ones anyway since I often don't appreciate the Heavy metal type of sound or the more current all american rejects type music.

beatles
stones
led zeppelin
pink floyd
the clash
radiohead

it'll be hard to top that group of bands

beatles
stones
led zeppelin
pink floyd
the clash
radiohead

it'll be hard to top that group of bands

I'll admit no American Band can top the Beatles or Stones. So, your #1 and #2 have me beat. However the rest of the list is a toss-up.
Jimi Hendrix
The Doors
Aerosmith
Greatful Dead
The Beach Boys
Johnny Cash
Credence Clearwater Revival
Sam Cooke
Otis Redding
Van Halen
Bob Dylan
The Eagles
White Stripes
Metallica
Kiss