I was contemplating doing Supergroups as my theme week later this month, but I decided to do this post first and maybe get some ideas. Now I decided to look up the term over at Wikipedia and you can check out their entire entry here if you want to. So essentially the term "Supergroup" popped up in the 1960's. It is used to describe a group composed of individuals who have already achieved fame with other groups. Many of the groups that received this label were more rock or pop like Crosby, Stills and Nash, Blind Faith or Emerson, Lake and Palmer. In the 1980's when hard rock and metal rose in popularity it was inevitable that supergroups would form in these genres as well. To me there are two problems with this label. One is that the bands although they may be comprised of people who have done something in the past don't always deliver. Then again maybe the "super" part just refers to the members past and not to what their current product will be. My other problem is that this term has become both a catch phrase and a marketing tool. Along with legendary and classic, it seems that maybe the term supergroup is used a little too generously at times. That's another story though I guess. What I really want to do for Supergroup week is review a few albums by so-called hard rock or metal supergroups and determine if the result warrants them being called a supergroup. Right now I am considering doing the first Damn Yankees album, Blue Murder's debut and maybe David Lee Roth's Skyscraper. Eat 'em and smile might be the more appropriate choice, but I reviewed that last year as a twenty year old album review.
So my questions for you are...
What do you think of the label "Supergroup"?
Are there any "Supergroups"that I didn't mention that you may like me to review for Supergroups week?
How about some of the new ones, (Rockstar) Supernova, and Velvet Revolver? I've already given my two cents on Supernova (Re: Which Album Would You Like To Return?). But I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteMr. Big spring instantly to mind - great band as well. How about The Firm - stick Paul Rodgers, Jimmy Page , Tony Franklin an Chris Slade together and you'd expect something super wouldn't you??
ReplyDeleteThe Traveling Wilburys is one Super group that lived up to the hype as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't mind reading your take on them.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with the term--it lets the buyer know that at least a couple of the band members have made their names in other groups first.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of supergroup, my first thought is Asia--I think that's where I first heard the term. In the rock or metal genre, these also come to mind as possibilities:
A Perfect Circle
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
Army of Anyone
Asia
Audioslave
Bad Company
Bad English
Blind Faith
Blue Murder
Brides of Destruction
Damn Yankees
DLR's first solo band
Emerson Lake and Powell (1980s)
The Firm
GTR
The Law
Liquid Tension Experiment
Mike + the Mechanics
Mr. Big
O.S.I.
Power Station
Suki Jones
Temple of the Dog
Transatlantic
Velvet Revolver
Obviously, I think there's enough for you to do a week on this!
-- david
I was about to suggest The Firm, but Rock_Of_Ages and david beat me to it.
ReplyDeleteMost "supergroups" don't usually seem to live up to the hype. I remember when Mr. Big and Blue Murder came out. Badlands came out at the same time and I remember thinking then that "OH WOW!!! Mr. Big, I've got to hear that!!!!" but then not really getting into them, whereas Badlands, "Oh, huh, Jake has a new band..." turned out to be one of my top non-Led Zeppelin albums of all times!!!
Do you think because a band is labled a "supergroup" that we have heightened expectations that are hard to deliver, or is it something about putting that many egos in the same room that dilutes the music?
SuperGroup...great marketing ploy! Right in line with "Valentine's Day" LOL!
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear the term supergroup, I think of bands like Cream, Blind Faith and Bad Company. I also notice that several of these bands have one thing in common; there's always one or two guys that keep showing up in these bands(Clapton, Paul Rodgers, Chris Cornell, to name a few); makes you wonder, ya know? Some of these bands were a good idea at the time(Blind Faith, Bad Company), and others were just a huge mistake that were doomed to fail from the start(Damn Yankees, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave).
ReplyDeleteA lot of the Supergroups that I know of have been mentioned. Asia was one of the bigger supergroups since they had that huge single "Heat of the Moment."
ReplyDeleteIt seems that a lot of supergroups never live up to the hype.
Anyone remember HSAS? Hagar Schon, Aaronson and Shrieve?
John-I didn't watch Supernova and have heard nothing from them.
ReplyDeleteRock of ages-I thought about the Firm. I would need to get a copy though because I don't own it.
Captain Corky-They are not hard rock or metal, but you may be right about them having been good. Although it has been a long time since I heard them.
David-I own very few of those, but will consider your suggestions.
Robert-I never got into Mr. Big either.
rockdog-I agree.
Bruce-I think Temple of the dog was just meant as a one time thing. I expected more from Damn Yankees. My guess is they were more paired by record executives then by their own actions. The Nuge and Styx were past their prime in those forms and Night Ranger had run it's course. So someone probably that solo none of them would fly, but sticking them together might draw enough attention.
Fred-I remember HSAS. I just bought a lof of like five Asia cd's including the debut.It's more AOR, but decent enough.
I will see what albums I can get a hold of soon. So in two weeks I will have Supergroup week. It will likely consist of 3-4 reviews and maybe one topic on more discussion of the topic of Supergroups. Thanks for your input.
I don't really consider Blue Murder a super group. It may be to a select few, but they really werent promoted that way, (if at all). I love that band though.
ReplyDeleteOther super groups?
Damn Yankees
Velvet Revolver
Rockstar Supernova( ok..I wouldnt want you to waste your money on this pos disc.)
This is sort of a heavy metal super group:
Masterplan (Mike DiMeo from Riot, Roland Grapow from Helloween, Mike Terrana from Yngvie Malmsteen, Jan S. Eckert from Iron Savior)
Contraband
Soul Sirkus
Army of Anyone
If you look at Whitesnake's current lineup, they are pretty much a supergroup, but they aren't billed that way either.
hard rock hideout-I think Blue Murder were pushed as a Supergroup. I don't think Sykes would have gotten a deal with Geffen without some other name players in his band. Sykes had already been with Tygers of Pan tang, Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake. Franklin with another supergroup in the Firm and Appice with Ozzy, the Nuge, King Kobra, Cactus and Humble Pie.
ReplyDeleteOthers not mentioned might include:
Whitford/St. Holmes
Dee Sinder's Desperado
Union (Corabi/Kulick)
Tipton, Entwistle and Powell
Wild Horses(Robertson/Bain)
Phenomena(different albums included lots of people, but the original line-up was mainly the Slide it in version of Whitesnake with Glenn Hughes on vocals)
M.A.R.S
Mindfunk
Manic Eden
Don Dokken's solo band from 1990 might count too as it included John Norum (Europe), Peter Baltes (Accept) and Mickey Dee (King Diamond)
I see that some people have mentioned Audioslave as a supergroup. Wikipedia classifies them as such too. But if it's basically just a member who's had success elsewhere, the list of supergroups would be crazy! Van Halen got Sammy Hagar from Montrose, does that make them a Supergroup? What about Metallica? Robert Trujillo, Kirk Hammett and Jason Newstead all came from past bands (none as successful as Metallica, sure). I think there needs to be at least members of three bands fusing together to call it a supergroup.
ReplyDeletejohn-Here is the explanation they gave. Also their last line might be important to remember on this topic as well.
ReplyDelete"There are also instances in which an existing band added a prominent new member or members, where the resulting group might have been considered a supergroup had it not kept its original band name, such as Van Halen after recruiting Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone, and The Eagles after hiring Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit. By any standards, it is not a rigidly defined category and has become, more than anything, a marketing term."
I was reading Led Zep's wikipedia page recently and found out that after Page left the Yardbirds, he wanted to start a group with himself, Jeff Beck, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle (basically the whole rythym section for the Who+Beck.) Steve Winwood and Steve Marriott (the Faces and Humble Pie) were considered for vocalists. That would have been a great group. I think the supergroups of yesterday are more credible than the ones today. The bands and individuals had more to do with the songwriting than bands do today, and that's the difference. I'm an 80's metal guy, but there it is. I went to see STYX a few years back here in Charlotte NC and Ted Nugent came out on a couple of songs. It looked like they had a lot of fun, and that's probably why Damn Yankees was done. More of a fun thing between three rock bands who just wanted to have fun. I like Velvet Revolver, but not because of Weiland with Slash. I've become a little older and maybe a little harsher in my music critique. Even if Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, John Bonham, and John Entwistle played a one-off at Donnington, they'd still have to bring it. It's about the music.
ReplyDeleteI think the term "supergroup" is a little overused. Look at the show Supergroup, does anyone really consider that a bunch of superstar musicians other than Ted Nugent (who is way past his prime)? I like it when the media uses the phrase: "an all-star lineup". It's usually all hype.
ReplyDeleteWe are in the middle of the "supergroup" era in Metal. There are so many side projects now with band members from various bands. So many have been named already and there are a ton more from the European Metal scene, it's almost as if they are created overnight.
I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts on Damn Yankees, Blue Murder, Asia, and HSAS.
Interesting I didn't know that's what it meant. I thought it had to do with album sales. Live and learn.
ReplyDeleteDamn Yankees is probably my favorite "super group"!!
ReplyDeleteAnother cool "super group" that you could review is Contraband!
It had; Michael Schenker, Traci Guns, and Bobby Blotzer in it!!