reply to post by cavtrooper7
The US gave us Rock N Roll - for that we'll always be grateful - and some of the original 50's artists were truly great; Eddie Cochrane, Gene Vincent,
Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domono are all true legends.
But after that, apart from your Soul and Blues singers you haven't really produced much that is new, original or cool.
Obviously there are great acts like The Doors, The Ramones, Iggy and The Stooges, MC5, Dead Kennedys who were all exceptions that prove the rule.
Not a great Metal fan, Iron Maiden, AC/DC are ok - both non-US - but I find it predictable, repetetive and slightly boring and certainly lacking
originality.
I really liked Guns N Roses before they turned into a cabaret act, don't know if you'd categorize them as Metal - and I got to say Slash still is
pretty cool.
Big fan of Motorhead but despite what some say they are definately not Metal, and they are British.
The early 70's produced three truly great and innovative artists, although they had all been around for quite some time - Iggy Pop, Bowie and Marc
Bolan.
Bowie was probably the most innovative and influential of all and for a number of years was simply THE coolest person alive.
Up until then the UK had produced a literal plethora of original, supremely talented and uber cool groups and artists - The Beatles, The Stones, The
Small Faces, The Who, The Kinks, The Animals, The Yardbirds etc, even Hendrix had to come over to the UK and hook up with two Brits.
Sure, as all musicians do, they took inspiration from elsewhere, predominantly Black Americans - but they all gave something new, original and
invigorating and inspired millions across the world - and that inspiration spread out into every aspect of the arts and society as a whole - the
epitome of cool.
I could continue in a similar vein talking about Punk and then New Wave, Northern Soul followed by the New Romantics and not forgetting the Two Tone
movement and the Mod Revivalists etc - all drenched in new, original, influential and cool.
This was all followed by the coolest of cool Madchester and Cool Britiannia artists and scenes.
And what about cool personified:- Paul Weller.
But I won't.
I think the point has been proven - Brits are Kings of Cool.
But there's also been quite a few cool Americans as well.
Oh, and before I forget - genuinely don't want to insult but I really have to say this - you Americans have absolutely no style or dress sense -
fashion definately is not your forte.
edit on 20/7/12 by Freeborn because: had to mention The Modfather