Bands that are the opposite of a Super Group

Cafe Society
1

A super-group, as I understand the term, is a band that combines three or four members who distinguished themselves in other groups before working together in this one. Cream comes to mind, as do Asia and the Highwaymen.

Are there any groups that are entirely people who’ve been kicked out of other successful bands? Velvet Revolver kind of qualifies (all the ex-Guns-n-Roses folks fired by Axl Rose, and the disgraced former front man of Stone Temple Pilots, Scott Weiland). There was also a band called The Last Hard Men, featuring Kelley Deal, Sebastian Bach and Jimmy Chamberlain. I don’t think they lasted more than a year.

Are there any more solid examples of this?

2

Well, there’s Chickenfoot, featuring Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, both of whom were fired from Van Halen. They probably count as a supergroup in their own right, though.

In 1988, the up-and-coming Seattle band Metal Church fired their singer David Wayne in favor of Mike Howe from Heretic, who had just broken up. Wayne ultimately hooked up with the other members of Heretic to form the band Reverend.

The short-lived funk-rock band Mind Funk featured ex-members of Celtic Frost, M.O.D., Chemical Waste and Uniform Choice, and for one album included Jason Everman, who was a former member of both Nirvana and Soundgarden.

3

Temple of the Dog went the opposite route of a super group and consisted of members of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden before they became famous.

4

A nitpick, but Velvet Revolver fits your own (and pretty much every common) definition of a supergroup.

Plus, I don’t think Slash and McKagan were actually kicked out or fired, were they? I thought they both quit.

You’re still looking for supergroups, but with members that got kicked out of the bands that made them famous.

5

I think I got one, to an extent. Starz. Seventies power-pop, kind of proto-hair-metal.

The band formed when the lead singer of Looking Glass (Brand-ay, you’re a fine girl …) split and the rhythm section and keyboard player hooked up with Michael Lee Smith (brother of Rex Smith (he did The Pirates of Penzance with Kevin Kline)) and guitarist Brendan Harkin. Later, the keyboard player split and Richie Ranno from The Stories (Louie, Louie, Louie, Lou-Eye …) joined and we ultimately got the genius that is “Subway Terror.”

6

I wanna Rock and Roll! No - that’s a Violation!
I wanna lose control! No - that’s a Violation!
I wanna love someone! No - that’s a Violation!
I wanna have some fun! You better not try it - No!

When Clockwork Orange meets 70’s glam rock. Loved that album. Still a sucker for Cherry Baby’s chords.

7

Not to hijack, but when I think of the “opposite” of a super group, I think of a group where each member was more-or-less “unknown” in the music community. The members of these groups were often high school pals. I call these groups “organic.” Examples include Black Sabbath, Rush, and The Ramones.

8

Try this one: American Flyer.

I think they had George Martin as producer.

9

Mallard was made up of musicians who had left Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band. Further, since they played under pseudonyms for Beefheart, their names in Mallard weren’t recognizable to any but the most serious Beefheart fans.

Rhinoceros was billed as a supergroup, but the musicians were fairly obscure members of their previous groups and not well known.

10

Box of Frogs was the remnants of the Yardbirds.

11

How famous were Linda Ronstadt’s backup crew before they became the Eagles?

12

My Friend plays in a band called the Never Has Beens, you never heard of any of them I would bet.

13

Or Dylan’s before they became the Band?

14

Depending on which fansites you read, We Are the Fallen may be built out of all the people Amy Lee kicked out of Evanescence, with the addition of Carly Smithson from American Idol as their lead singer.

15

Any group Pete Best has been in post Beatles? Both Mike Love and Al Jardine fronted their own bands after Carl Wilson passed. And had legal battles about using the name “Beach Boys”.

I guess we’re not talking about “Remnant” groups here; i.e. groups that didn’t quite HIT made of the remnants of popular bands or fronted by members of bands that are no more? I’m thinking of Chris Hillman, Richie Furay, the Doors after Morrison died, and those of that ilk. I guess many fronted their own bands or went into producing recordings.

16

Souther Hillman Furay sounds like a good candidate

17

Here’s a good one: after being fired from Iron Maiden, one of Paul Di’Anno’s many failed projects was the band Gogmagog, which also featured Clive Burr (ex-Maiden), Janick Gers (future Maiden), Pete Willis (ex-Def Leppard) and Neil Murray (ex-Whitesnake). Di’Anno has also collaborated with ex-Maiden guitarist Dennis Stratton a number of times.

18

Maybe the Arc Angels? Double Trouble as the rhythm section after SRV died. Failed teen idol Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall II. I saw them live twice in Austin. Great live band, good first album. They fell apart soon after.

19

The recent incarnations of The Misfits might count. After years of lawsuits, the original band’s second bass player Jerry Only won the right to use the band’s name without Glenn Danzig (the original band’s lead singer).

For a while, they were touring as a motley lineup of legacy punk guys, including a guitarist from Black Flag, a drummer from Black Flag, and Marky Ramone. They toured playing Misfits songs with some Black Flag and Ramones hits mixed in, and they recorded an album of covers of 1950s pop songs.

More recently, Only has been touring with his son on guitar and, well, some drummer on drums. They seem to have some crossover appeal with Juggalos. It’s weird.

20

I don’t know that it has anything to do with anything, but back in the dying dregs of WCW both the Misfits and ICP were associated with the wrestler Vampiro at various points.