Supergroups

Temple of Blood wrote:

The more "supergroups" we name the more I think my point stands that they simply don't impress, as a rule.

I have to agree, scratch off Cream from the list and Bad Company, and very few live up to the hype.

A lot of the "hype" is a combo of label bull$h!+ and fan expectation...lots of times these guys are just friends and want to do a record together and have fun...it's fans and critics that embellish and exaggerate the potential impact of these unions.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

A lot of the "hype" is a combo of label bull$h!+ and fan expectation...lots of times these guys are just friends and want to do a record together and have fun...it's fans and critics that embellish and exaggerate the potential impact of these unions.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

A lot of the "hype" is a combo of label bull$h!+ and fan expectation...lots of times these guys are just friends and want to do a record together and have fun...it's fans and critics that embellish and exaggerate the potential impact of these unions.

Very true, neither Rodgers or Page for example claimed the Firm was the second coming of Led Zeppelin

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

A lot of the "hype" is a combo of label bull$h!+ and fan expectation...lots of times these guys are just friends and want to do a record together and have fun...it's fans and critics that embellish and exaggerate the potential impact of these unions.

+3


....and how many don't happen because of label BS and lawyers. Dude A wants to jam with dude B, C and & D but can't because the label says no.

Everybody was touting "Them Crooked Vultures" as a supergroup (the press, the fans, etc). Josh just wanted to jam with John Paul Jones...that was it.

Knowing him personally, I would have to say that he HATES hype of any sort, he just wants to play music and if people dig it, fine, if they don't, he really doesn't care. He's going to record whatever the hell he wants.

That's one of the reasons I admire him.

Shawn D. wrote:

Everybody was touting "Them Crooked Vultures" as a supergroup (the press, the fans, etc). Josh just wanted to jam with John Paul Jones...that was it.

Knowing him personally, I would have to say that he HATES hype of any sort, he just wants to play music and if people dig it, fine, if they don't, he really doesn't care. He's going to record whatever the hell he wants.

That's one of the reasons I admire him.

That's cool...I think Grohl is the same way. But because he was in Nirvana and the Foo's are so huge, he can't do anything without fans and press jumping all over it. He said recently that he still "dreams of playing drums for AC/DC"...and I believe him. He seems like a guy who looks around at all he's accomplished and wonders "how the hell did I get here?"...

I dont know.

I sort of consider strapping young lad a super group. Byron and Gene were well known,Devin was picking up speed with his solo stuff. Jed was really the only unknown member of the band.

Blizzard Of Ozz....

The musicians who recorded it and the musicians who toured for it

David Lee Roth's "Eat 'Em & Smile" was a "supergroup" and that album was fantastic IMO.

James B. wrote:

Blizzard Of Ozz....

The musicians who recorded it and the musicians who toured for it

And the original Blizzard of Ozz was a supergroup. The only unknown in the band a the time was Randy.

Black Sabbath's Born Again album is essentially a supergroup, both the recording band and the touring band (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, ELO).

I'm not a huge death metal aficionado, but Bloodbath does play some of my favorite death metal (at least their first two albums, which are all I've heard).

Since Dave Grohl was mentioned, I just want to say that I love Probot (though it's not a supergroup). I wish it wasn't just a one-off album.

Grohl has talked about doing a Probot followup, but I think it's difficult to get all the label wrangling together.

Shawn D. wrote:

Grohl has talked about doing a Probot followup, but I think it's difficult to get all the label wrangling together.

There we go with labels and lawyers again...........

Shawn D. wrote:

Grohl has talked about doing a Probot followup, but I think it's difficult to get all the label wrangling together.

I'd love to hear another Probot album too, but I'm not holding my breath on that one. Dave likes to keep lotsa irons in the fire, so I could see it happening, just not anytime soon.

I don't define supergroup as merely "lineup of great musicians".

I agree with Shawn's earlier definition of musicians who have made a worldwide name for themselves.

Bands like DEATH, MEGADETH, BLACK SABBATH often had lineups of great musicians but weren't really supergroups (according to the way I think of them).

Them Crooked Vultures would be.

Shawn D. wrote:

Everybody was touting "Them Crooked Vultures" as a supergroup (the press, the fans, etc). Josh just wanted to jam with John Paul Jones...that was it.

Knowing him personally, I would have to say that he HATES hype of any sort, he just wants to play music and if people dig it, fine, if they don't, he really doesn't care. He's going to record whatever the hell he wants.

That's one of the reasons I admire him.

This one works more often than not and probably for the reason you mention, Shawn. They just wanted to jam together and weren't trying to make "hits." In fact, the first single "New Fang," while enjoyable, is not one of the stronger tracks on the album, IMO.

metalhead777 wrote:

I dont know.

I sort of consider strapping young lad a super group. Byron and Gene were well known,Devin was picking up speed with his solo stuff. Jed was really the only unknown member of the band.

Devin didn't have any solo stuff when he put Strapping Young Lad together, unless you consider the demo that landed him the Vai gig. But no one has ever heard that demo, so it doesn't count. In fact, the first Strapping album was all Devin Townsend.

The other guys who ended up in the band, and despite sometimes contributing a bit to the songwriting, were little more than session musicians.

I don't think Black Country Communion was mentioned yet. I was spinning their 2nd disc today and reminded me.

Glen Hughes
Joe Bonnamassa
Derek Sherinan (sp?)
Jason Bonham

So far, they are living up to the expectations. Both albums are very good in my opinion.

Lock Up hasn't been mentioned yet has it? i guess they'd be one of sorts.

here's some others to consider......

A Perfect Circle
Audioslave (although the argument could be made that it was just RATM w/ Cornell)
Alterbridge (same could be said here, Creed+Kennedy)
Slash's Snake Pit
Mad Season

for the record, i love me some LTE and OSI (or at least the first two OSI albums)

i also really like Portnoy's tribute bands. he really gets into the music and (at least w/ HotG and YMC) stays true to the original.
Hammer of the Gods
Cygnus and the Sea Monster
Yellow Matter Custard

could it be that we don't see supergroups as successful because they don't sell that many albums? i know the argument has been made that they don't have to sell a lot of albums, but don't we equal success with how well the band's CDs perform in sales? if a supergroup isn't making money on sales or tours, then why stay together?

redbroyer wrote:

here's some others to consider......

A Perfect Circle
Audioslave (although the argument could be made that it was just RATM w/ Cornell)
Alterbridge (same could be said here, Creed+Kennedy)
Slash's Snake Pit
Mad Season

agreed, they are all supergroups.

S.D. wrote:

redbroyer wrote:

here's some others to consider......

A Perfect Circle
Audioslave (although the argument could be made that it was just RATM w/ Cornell)
Alterbridge (same could be said here, Creed+Kennedy)
Slash's Snake Pit
Mad Season

agreed, they are all supergroups.

so in that light, i would say that APC has been more than "successful"