Why? Paul Reiser... Why?

Why ? Paul Reiser... Why?

From 1992-1999 you were the creator, producer and star of your own hit show on NBC called Mad About You. It was a charming little show about marriage and family. It was the kind of show you didn't want to like but secretly did, about a marriage you never want to have but might not mind having because they oozed happiness. Just kidding, not trying to be a hater. I enjoyed the show. I found it charming and if I had a marriage like the two leads then I might find normalcy. Of course finding the girl, getting married and all that should probably come first. Either way, it was a cute, at times, very smart and a well done show.

It's other claim to fame was Helen Hunt. Hunt got bigger than Reiser in almost every way for about 5 years. She was huge. She won an Oscar and a bunch of Emmys. She was doing big budget movies and staring in little indie adventures and so forth. The show eventually ended and so did their huge careers. Hunt still does movies and guest stars in the occasional TV spots but Reiser has done little since the show ended in '99.

Reiser has only starred in a couple of films since the show ended and half of those were made for TV. Not knocking it but the guy has been in entertainment for 30 years. He has been around the block. He has been a part of some great television, so you might think film roles could have come a little easier but they didn't.

Reiser is unfortunately not a great actor and now, he comes back to TV starring in a show where he plays himself. He is taking the Larry David formula from Curb Your Enthusiasm and trying to make it his own with The Paul Reiser Show. A better title might not hurt.

The first episode was kind of painful. It's hard to see a smart and charming Reiser create a show to satisfy his need for relevance. Even in the very beginning of the first episode he explains that he is very satisfied with his life but he is not yet dead and is looking for what comes next. My suggestion, stay home, kick the camera out and be a family man. I know it has only been one episode but even at that you stooped low enough to get Larry David on your show and get him to playfully suggest that you, Reiser, should do a show similar to that of Curb Your Enthusiasm. What kind of television is that? It's bad television! I know NBC is desperate but come on!

Yes, there were two clever lines in the show but that doesn't save it. This idea is as bad as Seinfeld's Marriage Ref show and that got cancelled after only 10 episodes. I again, stress the need for a better title. A better idea wouldn't hurt either. Don't do this to yourself Reiser. You are better than this.

But wait, it's only been 1 episode. It could get better. What makes Larry David's show work is that it is a parody of celebrity, as well as Hollywood, and that David is such a horrible guy. The bad stuff that happens to Larry David is sad but also deserving and propels the show forward. This show has too much sincerity to be satire and Reiser is such a nice guy and good family man that the biggest problem he has is finding a job. That really is a sad sack of a problem when you don't really need a job. Do you think he needs a job, when he lives in a in a giant California home and Mad About You is in syndication somewhere, all the time? Mmm sweet delicious royalties. I don't think it's a big problem. Hard sell when so many people have so much less that need, I mean need a job.

TV strikes out again!

The Greatest American Band ?

Who is it?

well it it certainly isn't...

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Clash, The Cure or Black Sabbath because those bands are English. Other English bands include the Kinks, Cream, the Police, the Smiths, Radiohead and a slew of others. A slew of others.

It's not Rush (Canada). It's not U2 (Ireland). It's not AC/DC (Australia). Even half of Fleetwood Mac is British. Queen is British and so is Coldplay.

So who is America's greatest band?

Let us talk about what it means to be "great" first. You have to have the albums, the concert tours, the live performances at festivals and at award shows, consistency, longevity are also a plus. You have to influence music and by that, not just how it sounds but how it looks and how the listener thinks about music. Greatness is not just one or two things but a multitude of things. One thing that does not matter at all, Grammy Awards. The Grammy Awards have no part here. Let's begin.

There are many candidates. Let us start by getting rid of a few.

Automatically disqualified

Van Halen - 3 (count them and rumored to be looking for #4) lead singers, each with different styles and sounds. Not that I don't enjoy them but I think we need more consistency.

Nirvana - Like one week of hot sex, the career was not long enough to say greatest of all time. The one that got away. Sadly I know, plus it is my belief that they would have become as irrelevant as Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden and countless others that emerged from the grunge era.

Guns N' Roses - in 20 plus years of rocking and various band formations there just isn't enough music to support the argument. Appetite for Destruction does kick serious ass, just sayin'.

The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Doors all faced the loss of a vital key member to their groups and for the sake of this argument, they cannot be considered for the top spot.

Run-DMC - Along with Jam Master Jay (hell yes, two turn tables count as an instrument, therefore, band!) they were fabulous throughout the 80's but the greatness didn't last long.

Tough Calls

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Now on guitarist #4, do the Peppers really have enough consistency over a 20 plus year career to be considered the greatest? Great band they are but easier to list great songs over great albums.

The Ramones - another band with rotating members. One of the founders of punk rock but come on, come on. I'd say easily one of the most important American bands but not the greatest.

Velvet Underground - A similar thing could be said about this band. Easily one of the most important American bands but not the greatest. Underground, art, alternative music would not exist without this band.

The Grateful Dead - This is tough. They have the following, the years deep in the trenches but any band that is defined by their live shows rather than their recordings is simply not going to cut it. I tend to think their best recordings were of them recording Dylan. Sorry.

Parliament/Funkadelic - This is just a confusing group but failure to recognize them is simply criminal. Two separate groups but the same with shifting members once guided by the genius that was/is George Clinton. Not unlike the Ramones or the Velvet Underground, this group is vastly important and influential but cannot be considered the greatest.

Beastie Boys - It's hard to believe that in 25 years these guys only have only like 8 albums to build the argument, one of those being a heavily ignored instrumental album. Not to mention that the band itself ignores much of it's early material.

Absolute No's. As in, Not Going To Happen.

The Eagles - No. Not bad stuff but you've written the same song over and over again since 1971.

Aerosmith - No. Not bad stuff but you've written the same song over and over again since 1972.

Kiss - No. Not bad stuff but you've written the same song over and over again since 1973.

I won't entertain arguments for Bon Jovi or Journey. I just won't.

So with all that said who can it be??????????

Metallica - Sure they've rotated bassists once, twice or thrice but the 80's and early 90's were pretty awesome. And they attacked Napster which they should have done. No that is not a typo. They should have attacked Napster.


R.E.M. - Sure they lost their drummer in the late 90's because he had a stroke on tour and then chose to become a farmer, this leading the band into a 10 year funk of mediocre recordings. They have recently relocated their swagger and are now 30 years strong with an undeniable influence on American pop rock.

Sly and the Family Stone - Easily one of the most important acts of the 60's and 70's with the records to prove it and legendary live shows to bolster the myths and legends.

Pearl Jam - Is anything of theirs as good as the first 3 albums? I think irrelevance hit them a long time ago but fans believe that the band is still recording their best material. I have yet to be swayed by that argument or the actual recordings.

The Beach Boys - Sure, they have rotating members and a whole lot of confusion about who owns the rights to the name "the Beach Boys" but let's face it, they were one of two bands to be just as important as the Beatles in the 60's (the other being the Rolling Stones). At that time the Beach Boys were America's best counter attack against the Brit Invasion.

Sonic Youth - One of the best bands to get so little recognition. I even almost forgot about them in the process of writing this blog. Heavily influential. You cannot spell alternative rock music without Sonic Youth but it is hard to put them on the list when the average Joe or Jane doesn't know who they are.

I don't know.... Who is America's Greatest Band? I'd love to throw in Prince and the Revolution or Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band but I am weary to place bands fronted by a musical geniuses who would have been good if not great with or without the band. Talking heads don't have the body of work and neither do the Replacements or the Pixies.

It's also sad that I really can't think of any band that has come out post 1998 on this list. The Strokes? Forget about it! It's been all down hill since their debut. The Arcade Fire is fabulous but they're Canadian.

Wait a second! There is a band, you might have forgotten but you can catch them late night 5 nights a week on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Roots!



Why not? The Roots have been recording music since the early 90's and have been consistently good throughout. Maybe they don't get the consideration because they do hip hop and that is just stupid. It is stupid to disrespect them because of their genre. After all those guys rock. Don't believe me then just check them out live sometime.

Who is the Greatest American Band? I don't know.

Why not throw in the Miles Davis Quintet. Oh but wait, which one? Could it be the first that features players like John Coltrane and Red Garland or should we consider the second that featured players like Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter? Let's not forget the orchestras of Duke Ellington or Benny Goodman. Let's not forget groups like Booker T. & the M.G.'s who not only had a solid career of their own but were the house band for Stax records and being the house band allowed them to record with great acts like Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding.

Who is the Greatest American Band?

Who else is there to consider? I don't know but the search and discovery is well worth it.