There has been an advert running on the radio stations here since before Christmas for the Eagles Greatest Hits album and is being advertised as being by "the greatest band to come out of America".
Now that sure is a big shout considering that America is responsible for almost every decent band that has graced the world stage, certainly in my lifetime.
I don't know what criteria the advertising guru's were working to when they decided to label The Eagles as Americas finest but take out the excellent single "Hotel California" from their discography and i am struggling to name many more Eagles hits.
Maybe it is an age thing and i was too young to appreciate the Eagles 70's heyday but if we are going to be bandying about labels such as "Americas Greatest Band" i don't think The Eagles would be figuring in many peoples top 5.
Our own definition of 'The Greatest' being purely personal, i expect everyone will have different bands in mind according to the style of music we enjoy listening to and most of mine would come from the guitar based groups of the 80s and 90s.
The likes of Guns N Roses, Ramones, Nirvana and The Offspring would battle it out for top 5 placement but my sticky lapel badge would go to a band who have been consistently brilliant from their first album to the latest over a decade and a half later.
Ladies and Gentlemen, i give you my "Greatest Band To Come Out Of America"....Green Day.
From "Dookie" through to "American Idiot", a Green Day album has been almost a permanent fixture on my Stereo, tape deck and CD player through the 90's and 00's.
With their latest album selling in excess of 15m worldwide, they seem to be finally getting the recognition they deserve and while i appreciate that their brand of music may not be to everyone's tastes and their singles have never bothered the top end of the charts that often, Billy, Mike and Tre would knock The Eagles into a cocked hat.
But then that's just my opinion and maybe the years of playing Basketcase too loudly has damaged a few brain cells.
10 comments:
I heart the Eagles. Besides Hotel California, there's Life in the Fast Lane, New Kid In Town, Lyin' Eyes, Tequila Sunrise, Already Gone, Best of My Love, and of course my favorite Those Shooz!
eagles? maybe the very early eagles.
by the time joe walsh stumbled into the group, no way.
my eldest, now 25 introduced me to billy joe and co. in about 1993. 10 years later, his younger sister was nuts about them as well. american idiot wowed everyone, in this household. not bad for a bunch of slackers from crockett/rodeo. gilman street was never the same.
Advertising, huh? Those rascals will say anything to shift units. A bit like still referring to the Rolling Stones as "the greatest rock and roll band in the world" a good 25 years after they'd ceased to matter.
Voice of dissent: I always admired Green Day for their political stance (especially in this age of "you must not say what you think" anti-Dixie-Chick fascism) but, musically, I always thought they were a tired retread of 1st generation (mainly English) punk bands who did it with much more conviction and originality the first time around...
As for the Eagles- they wrote some nice songs, I think. They weren't a patch on CCR (I'm with 'the Dude' here) but they were OK in their day. I even saw them live a few years ago - they weren't loud enough. Not their fault, I guess.
I was always the other way around Cheezy, i admired Green Day for their music because it wasn't until American Idiot that their political side really came out which was just a bonus for me really.
They are just a retread of former punk bands i agree but it is their consistency over such a long length of time i admire and of course, some real barnstorming songs that just seem to tick all the right boxes for me.
The Eagles lost cred when they chose to release their latest CD only through Walmart. Walmart represents the worst of American business.
Green Day...yes, oh yes.
"America's Favorite Yodeling Hobos" was already taken.
I'm the opposite of Annie - I don't like the Eagles, but I like Joe Walsh! The Eagles represent Joe being held back, IMOWDNTBHST*.
*In my opinion, which doesn't need to be humble, so there.
The Eagles?? I think not, Even the Dead did the mellow thing better than the Eagles.
joe~in all fairness, i loved joe in the james gang and also barnstorm. the eagles are not the vehicle for him, really. he had some harsh times, poor guy.
Except for Hotel California which i think is a great song with a brilliant guitar solo at the end, moreso on the live version, the Eagles really did pass me by.
"Man, I've had a really bad day and I hate the fuckin' Eagles."
Ook ook
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