Best/most important American rock band

Henley's last album, "Cass County", is a great record with a lot of high-end guests and he did a terrific episode of Austin City Limits to promote it. To me, "The Boys of Summer" is his best song (I never get tired of hearing it, take all the fucking shots you want) but I heard "All She Wants to Do is Dance" the other day and man, does that sound dated.

 

Just caught up with this thread
A few observations
Having grown up in Detroit, there's no question most people haven't heard a lot of Seger's best stuff
The Cameo Parkway catalogue was tied up for years in court
Through YouTube, a lot of Seger's earlier, and best, songs finally have an audience
Stuff like East Side Story, Persecution Smith and 2+2
Watch Seger sometime when he plays with Springsteen
Their careers are very similar (as in the road traveled) and there's a lot of mutual respect
As for the Eagles, you have to factor in their influence
I once read an interview on the Eagles where Travis Tritt said, everyone in country music now grew up on the Eagles
Today?
I love bands you can't categorize
My favorite current American band is the Mavericks
They are called a country band, but there are elements of rock and jazz in their music
Raul Malo might be the best singer in pop music today

 

REM is the most boring live act I've ever seen. Palace of Auburn Hills in 1995 (late Bill Berry years). A random game between the teal-era Pistons (with Grant Hill sitting out) and orange-and-teal-era Cavs on a freezing Tuesday night in February before 6,000 people would have been a more exciting experience in that venue.

 

I was at the same show and had mostly the same reaction.

When Stipe was really on, REM could be exciting and interesting. But sometimes he would retreat back into a shell or not seem to want to carry the show, and the band seemed aimless.

Seeing the group at the 2004 Vote for Change shows with Bruce coming on for a guest shot on "Man on the Moon" was really a glaring contrast. Everyone snapped to attention when Bruce came on.

 

No one will ever confuse Maroon 5 with the best band in America, but they are playing the Super Bowl. And I'm calling it now: Mick Jagger is gonna join them on stage to perform that "Moves Like Jagger" song.

Now back to Bob Seger...

 

I think it was a few things. My friend is a huge Eagles fan and knew going in that Henley had a reputation for being a prick. He said from the moment Henley arrived and they were setting up for the interview it was pretty clear that Henley didn't want to be there and was itching for a fight. My friend didn't want to get shit on by one of his heroes.

In the end it went very well.

 

I saw REM twice -- 1986 in the student ballroom in college and in 1995 at Bigass Ugly Outdoor Pavilion in west Phoenix. Yeah, the 1995 show was pretty lame, and it was in my least favorite venue.

That '86 show, though? That was bangin'.

 

I think Stipe often spoke of his ambivalence, if not outright hatred, of touring.

 

I think in a way that his aversion to touring helped cement their legacy. They didn't overstay their welcome and become an American version of The Who or The Stones. They pulled in their shingle and called it a career. One of those great bands whose best stuff is often underplayed. I hate "Losing My Religion" and yet hear it all the time. I love songs like "Nightswimming," "Begin the Begin" and "Bang and Blame," but you rarely if ever hear those songs on the radio.

 

I'm not the first one to say this, but has a band ever been bigger than R.E.M. and yet has almost no influence or gets played on the radio less 20 years later?

There will be a renaissance for the band's legacy and it's probably overdue, but man I can't think of a band that was the biggest thing on earth and yet has disappeared from the culture this much.

 

Pink Floyd, Guns R Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac.

They all had their seasons in the sun, too, as arguably the biggest bands in the world; but years after their apexes, their cultural impacts are probably on par with REM's. In fact, socks on the cock is very much out of fashion in the #MeToo era.

 

Chili Peppers are a great comparison. I think GNR and Fleetwood Mac have had their re-assessment and renaissance in the culture. I can't speak to Pink Floyd. They were never my thing, other than Comfortably Numb.