Best backing bands of all time.

I’ve been in a soul music mood for the last few days, and Youtube has given me thislive performance by Sam and Dave, and thislive performance by Otis Redding, which have given rise in my mind that the Stax band (aka the Mar-Keys, aka Booker T. and the MG’s) might well be the best backing band of all time. In that Otis Redding clip the band nearly blows him off the stage at the songs crescendo. You have to be pretty damned good to nearly blow Otis Redding off the stage.

But then there’s the JB’s, James Brown’s famous backing band, or Miles Davis’ various bands who include a virtual Who’s Who of jazz giants.

So what are some of the other best backing bands of all time?

The Funk Brothers (Motown’s house band)
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section & Horns

The Band’s backup work for Bob Dylan is pretty darn impressive. Not soul, but still…

The E Street Band

Crazy Horse

The Attractions

Alice Cooper’s original band

The Spiders from Mars

The [Jimi Hendrix] Experience
The Chieftains, backing up Van Morrison

The Meters - the New Orleans funk/creole band that can play anything and back up a few folks

**The Wrecking Crew **- the studio crew who recorded all the the SoCal hits, including stuff by the Monkees and Partridge Family

The Revolution and the New Power Generation - Prince takes James Brown to another level

“Weird Al” Yankovic has a seriously amazing backing band, especially when you consider the vast number of genres they must perform (sometimes changing by the minute). They’ve been with Al since near the beginning of his career too (drummer Jon Bermuda Schwartz first worked with Al by banging his accordion case for Another One Rides The Bus in 1980). Many people have a hard time taking Al & his band seriously as musicians until they actually see them perform live.

I think the OP nailed it by mentioning Miles Davis’ various bands. Consider the list of people participating on Live-Evil (in various constellations):
Miles Davis, trumpet;
Gary Bartz, soprano sax, alto sax;
John McLaughlin, guitar;
Keith Jarrett, electric piano, organ;
Michael Henderson, electric bass;
Jack DeJohnette, drums;
Airto Moreira, percussion;
Steve Grossman, soprano sax;
Chick Corea, electric piano;
Herbie Hancock, electric piano;
Dave Holland, electric bass, acoustic bass;
Hermeto Pascoal, drums, whistling, voice, electric piano;
Wayne Shorter, soprano sax;
Joe Zawinul, electric piano;
Khalil Balakrishna, electric sitar;
Billy Cobham, drums;
Ron Carter, acoustic bass

The keyboard/piano setup is particularly impressive: Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarret, Joe Zawinul. Nem Um Talvez features the first three at the same time!

But these were not separate bands with a life of their own. The Stax band even recorded on their own, as I believe some othe others mentioned did.

But this does not detract from the awesomeness of Alice Cooper’s original band. They have not received the respect they deserve.

So? That’s what makes them backing bands.

Booker T. and the MGs also had some awesome songs on their own, like “Green Onions” and “Hip Hug Her”. They also covered the entire Abby Road album in 1970 on an album called Maclemore Avenue.

Their backup keyboard player was Issac Hayes.

For my money, they were the best there ever was. They were more than the sum of their parts. Even the fabled Wrecking Crew didn’t have that kind of synergy.

The Heartbreakers
and the Hooters on Cyndi Lauper’s first album

I suppose we’re using different definitions. I think of your examples as dependant on a specific lead singer, who is an integral part of the band. A backing band, to me, and I think from their examples, to some other people in this thread, are hired guns, able to back anybody they’re hired to back.

(looking at both bands’ history) Okay, Crazy Horse qualifies. And I suppose the E Street Band does, too. But NOT The Spiders From Mars or The Attractions.

Nik Turner’s backing band for the “Space Ritual 1994” tour consisted of:

Del Dettmar (ex-Hawkwind member, playing the double-bitted wood axe synthesizer)
Alan Powell (ex-Hawkwind)
Paul Della Pelle

and

Len Del Rio, Tommy Grenas, and Paul Fox (i.e., the band Pressurehed–excellent industrial/spacerock)

plus

Helios Creed
Genesis P-Orridge

Whoever’s backing up Chuck Berry tonight. They’re to be onstage, set up, when Chuck arrives. No set list, no soundcheck. Chuck plugs in and starts playing, and they’re expected to keep up.

Like Miles Davis, one of Frank Zappa’s talents was putting together great bands.

One of my favorite concert videos Joni Mitchell’s Shadows and Light - w/Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Lyle Mays, Don Alias, and Michael Brecker

I’ve thought for a long time that this Japanese singer, aiko, has an absolutely top-notch backup band, though I don’t know if they have a name unto themselves:

Taking a page out of the James Brown/Stax book:
Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6NEo5OgrjI
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul2x0gGfj5Q
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU1q7HJePjg

Or if you don’t want to watch a 12-minute medley, here’s a condensed 4-minute version from an earlier performance (before she added the horn section):

(Though I prefer the left-handed bass player she usually uses.)

My vote also. Ever seen Standing in the Shadows of Mo-Town? Decent film, outstanding soundtrack.

There’s that Roy Orbison black-and-white concert that PBS airs during its fundraising drives. From here:

Now that’s a hell of a band.