h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For me, a toss-up between Guns N Roses and Slayer. GnFnRs got nice, solid, good choons that make grreat listening. As well as swear-laden fun heavy songs, there's the more mellow easy-listening material (November Rain and Estranged being my particular favourites).

Slayer, meanwhile, have no such depth, which is one thing that makes 'em so damn great. Listening to 'em is akin to having your head jumped on, with the exception that you enjoy it. Lovely stuff. Hard, heavy, fast and loud. Singer's got a lovely voice, but then, so has Axl Rose.

Dis/agree? Your favourites?

My favourite american bands are: Bon Jovi, Santana and the Bloodhound gang

I'd say either Fugazi (because I respect their polictical/social stance and their attitude towards the music industry, their lyrics and their musicianship) or PUSA. Why PUSA? I can't help but enjoy their albums because they're just... so... enjoyable.

I know the feeling. Try to describe these things...ugh! Is it enough to say they're simply great? Should be!

Anyway, I ain't heard of these guys. You seem to be developing a knack of introducing me to new bands, so, you got a link or info bout PUSA on ya?

Well, PUSA are The Presidents of the United States of America.

Or were. Or are again...

They had hits with 'Peaches' and 'Lump' from their first album. But don't be fooled into thinking that because they got popular with the public, they're not good. No! For once, they were popular for the right reason - superb songs! Before they split, PUSA consisted of Chris Ballew (Vocals, 1 or 2 String Bassitar) Dave Dederer (3 String Guit-bass, vocals) and Jason Finn (drums, vocals on later albums). Finn used to be in Love Battery.

They played comepletely crazy alternative pop-rock - always sounding lighthearted even if they touched more sobering themes. Chris Ballew must be some sort of genius. He's ALWAYS been making music, one way or another. When PUSA split, he hid in his basement with a multi-track tape recorder and about nine differnet instruements. When he emerged, he had a new CD - he called it "13 Other Dimensions" and said it was played by "The Giraffes", who are his childhood collection of stuffed toys. It's Beatles-esque, TOTALLY strange and brilliantly constructed. Ballew played all the instruments.

He's also been in more bands, but I'll let you find that out for yourself...

My favourite source of info is http://chris.ballew.net which has all the stuff you'll ever need - PUSA have just re-formed, this time with normal instruments. They're bringing out a new album in two days time. As I live in the UK, I won't get it for months so I'll try and order it online.

My reccomended PUSA album: PUSA II. Better but not as well known as their first.

PUSA are one of those bands everyone's heard of, and (as they're the misguided chart-led public) think are simple one-hit wonders. Oh, how much they're missing...

I disagree about PUSA. They were fresh and innovative with their first cd, but after a while, songs about chickens and spiders just get old. I bought that second cd, and was very disappointed. I didn't think it was superior musically, and the humor was stale. They do put on a good show, though.

The uncrowned king of American music has to be Metallica. No single band has been able to maintain such a loyal following for such a long time. They're going to be remembered throughout history... they are the Led Zeppelin of this generation. 'Nuff said.

well, i happen to come out of america, and i like lots of bands so i don't know excactly. As for metallica, i have a lot of respect for them for what they have achieved, but i am not the biggest fan of their music. Their songs all sound the same to me. My favorite band to come out of the uk is bush. I know i should probably say acdc or the stones or the beatles, but i don't really listen to their music so that wouldn't be correct. I also make it a point to not say a band is one of my favorites when i don't own one of their cds. Ok i am shutting up now, buh bye
---heather
ps-some of my faves from over here are nirvana,sevendust,kittie,korn,staind,incubus,etc.

Bit of a coincidence that most of these guys revolve around yer good ol' HM genre?

This makes great reading. Cheers for the info, Mr T. I'll prolly be hearing loads more about these guys in time. Bluergh, it always happens!
Thanks to everyone else for sharing thoughts. Keep 'em coming!

btw - Kittie are Canadian.

Fteetward Mac, The Eagles, The Crickets (Buddy Holly), Glenn Millar's Big Band, The Rondalles (Leader Of The Pack), The Quarrymen (Elvis)...

Showing your age there, eh Loony?

Kiss.
Eliot Smith, Moby.

Nuff Said

Steely Dan and Little Feat.

OK, maybe Steely Dan doesn't totally qualify as a band because it's two singer-player-writers with a core of sessionpersons ... but after I read this thread I looked around my shelves and discovered that almost all my favourite stuff consists of a single musician, say Sting or Ry Cooder, who gathers the people he or she needs to create the desired sound. Often as not it's the same people, but I think y'all see what I mean.

Is it evolution?

Seeings as America produced all the Gods of the Blues - especially going way back to the roots - there are loads from that area one could name. Guns 'n Roses is also great. And Bloodhound Gang are wild. Boyoboy. I have seen them live and loved them. They are so refreshing, really giving two fingers to the prude Americans.

But my favourite is EXTREME. If you've heard "Pornograffitti" you won't ever need to buy another CD.

And nearly forgot. Sting is British (Englishman in New York and all that)

Aerosmith, Aerosmith & Aerosmith & Metallica.

Fleetwood Mac are British by the way.

I have heard Pornograffiti, and I do have to buy another cd. Another copy, that is. It's a great album.

Ironically, Ballew and Dederer have been writing songs (apparently) about chickens and spiders for YEARS.

Metallica - uncrowned?! Ask just about any mainstream rock/metal fan and they'll tell you how good Metallica are. They're not one of my favourite bands, but Master of Puppets, Ride the Lighting and the black album were all great. Can't remember what I thought of Justice for All. I wasn't really paying attention...

Dave Matthews Band. Period.

As I heard in the states, the best american bands, like the Beatles and the stones...
A couple of others, VAST and Primitive Radio Gods.
I've got the first VAST album and can't wait for the next (must be soon as the single says it's taken from it) dark, despairing, hating , gothic feel with lots of loud guitars.
Primitive Radio Gods, I know absolutely nothing about these other than they had a single out called Standing outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand back in 96. Any song with the line 'mother Theresa's joined the mob, unhappy with her full time job' has to be good

... And Justice For All is my second favorite Metallica album, with Master of Puppets being number one. Since then, they've definitely backslid, but not so far as so many other bands, and I still like a lot of their new stuff... just not nearly so much as their old. Can anybody stand the trash Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and all the other early 90's grunge bands are cranking out now? Seems to me like Kurt Cobain had the right idea...

Dude... Phil... check out the subject of this forum. The Beatles and the Stones are British.