this is coming from a songwriter, that is just what i do do. i lived in bands for the past 4 years. hell, i am even playing a show on saturday in front of about 600 people. f#@k yeah!

but it depends on what you mean by best band. all these factors make a great band:
- songwriting skills
- style
- originality
- talent
- stage show
- just plain coolness
- lyrics
- meaning/heart

you cant just take a band at face value because you saw there music video. you have dig deeper than that. For instance, someone said that Dave Mathiews is great. yeah, maybe he is a great songwriter, but he looks stupid on stage, is a big dork, and has no drive behind his music whatsoever.

my votes are:

Guns 'n' Roses: the coolest people i have ever seen, the best stage show, and they produce albums which are rock n roll masterpieces.

TOOL: probably the most original band i have ever heard and they are all musical genuises.

Misfits/Samhain/Danzig: (needs no explanation. Danzig is just the man)