I'm about to make some people mad. Two weeks ago, I put forth the proposition that, whether we like it or not, the Beach Boys might be the closest equivalent the United States has to The Beatles.

The California band, by my logic, was the only act that enjoyed success and influence similar to The Beatles' - and was able to develop a sound as uniquely American as the Fab Four's was British.

It was an admission that pained me, though, so I asked you, the readers, to convince me that I was wrong, to propose an alternative that could be considered The Great American Band.

Among the suggestions - the Allman Brothers, Talking Heads, Guns N' Roses, NRBQ, Chicago, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Jackson 5, Bon Jovi, Nirvana, Grand Funk Railroad, and Earth, Wind and Fire. Inexplicably, the quite English Led Zeppelin also got a nod.

My favorite response was a shout-out for Slayer, not because I'm a metal man but because the fan insisted that should I choose to disagree, the band would eat my soul.

The overwhelming favorite, however, seemed to be the Eagles.

Here's the part where people get angry.

Are you crazy?

Sure, the Eagles sold a ton of records. I mean, a ton. More records that you can possibly imagine. But selling a lot of records does not a great band make, nor does it forgive the classic rock crime that is Hotel California.

Understand, there was nothing particularly original about the Eagles. What the band managed to do is beg, borrow and steal the sounds already made popular by the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco and Buffalo Springfield.

Sure, these other bands might not have enjoyed the commercial success that bought the Eagles big houses and really nice cars, but they also had not homogenized the California country rock sound, stripping it of all the strum and twang that made it such an interesting musical movement. That dubious honor belongs to the Eagles.

Don't get me wrong: There's nothing particularly offensive about the Eagles (except Hotel California); it's just that there isn't much there to recommend the band, either.

The Eagles are what happens to rock when all the hard corners and sharp edges are removed. It's safe, but it isn't very interesting.

That brings me back to the original question: Who is the great American band?

In reviewing the submitted opinions, I think the answer might be that there is no such beast.

Instead, the United States is blessed with a musical heritage that is forever shifting, finding new ways to incorporate sounds and styles into popular music.

English music will forever be measured by the long shadow cast by The Beatles.

In the United States, we have the luxury of finding importance in everyone from the Allmans to ZZ Top - including the Eagles. If you ask me, we're better off for it.

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Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.