re: Sly and the Family Stone: Greatest American band or no?

I think, due to my limitations of knowledge on every band this country ever had but general broad knowledge, they are severely underrated in the lexicon of rock music and probably better instrumentally than given credit for. They were arguably the masters of groove and hopefully my future listening experience will reflect that.

I also think it's amazing Sly Stone is still alive. People talk about Keith Richards all the time, but Sly Stone and Keith Moon were him x1000 in terms of substance abuse.