# fantasy band **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 4, 1999, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-band/8845 "1999-10-04T23:09:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 1999, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-band/8845/1 "1999-10-04T23:09:00Z")
I know everyone has one in mind, so here goes… If you could put together a band, who would be in it? Dead people are OK, so is taking the stage yourself (egomaniacs!). Here’s mine: guitar: Criss Oliva (Savatage) guitar: John Petrucci (Dream Theater) bass guitar: Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) keyboards: J.S. Bach drums/percussion: Dave Lombardo (Slayer) vocals: Ray Alder (Fates Warning) P.S.: Coldfire, come up with your own list. don’t just second mine. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/no_me_ayudes_compadre/32/5224_2.png) [@No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Me_Ayudes_Compadre)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 1999, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-band/8845/2 "1999-10-04T23:48:00Z")
guitar: Adrian Belew guitar: Terry Kath bass guitar: Bootsie Collins keyboards: Mike Garson drums/percussion: Neal Peart vocals: Yma Sumac ---
**Author:** ![sly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sly)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 1999, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-band/8845/3 "1999-10-05T01:34:00Z")
Guitar: Allan Holdsworth Guitar: Steve Lukather Bass: Stanley Clarke Piano/Keys: Chick Corea Vocals: Van Morrison Drums: Me! ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 1999, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-band/8845/4 "1999-10-05T05:40:00Z")
Bass: Bill Laswell Saxaphone: Bill Clinton (United States of America) Drums: John Right (NoMeansNo) Guitar: Kim Thayil (SoundGarden) Glockenspiel: Katharine Blake (Miranda Sex Garden) Irish Bouzouki: Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance) Keyboard: cEvin Key (Skinny Puppy) Vocals: Katharine Blake and Brendan Perry A whole bunch of assorted goofy percussion instruments like guiro, thundersheet, and antique cymbals: Boris B Who’s _your_ favorite glockenspiel player? ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 1999, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-band/8845/5 "1999-10-05T06:56:00Z")
Satan respectfully refuses to answer this on the following grounds: (a) Bands are exactly that - a single force driven by several individuals. This bond transcends playing ability and goes directly to the relationship amongst the individuals. Example: Lars Ulrich is a shitty drummer. Metallica made great music with him. Dave Lombardo is a much better player, but does that make Metallica better if Lombardo was just plugged in there in his stead? (b) Being a good musician does not in itself make a band great. Example: Tons of wanky prog discs from the '70s with impeccable playing, but zero spirit, soul, heart and gristle to them. © Musical dexterity is subjective anyway. Example: Yngwie Malmsteen is considered a God by many guitar geeks. I consider him a boring bozo who wishes he was Blackmore. He plays scales fast. Yeah. * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 1999, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-band/8845/6 "1999-10-05T09:16:00Z")
Malmsteen and Vai are slick players, but wouldn’t find a good melody if they stepped on it. J, I’ll second you list 🙂 No, just kidding. Although I REALLY like yours. Mine: Lead guitar: David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) Rythm guitar: Alex Lifeson (Rush) Bass guitar: Geddy Lee (Rush) / Les Claypool (Primus) keyboards: Tori Amos / Kevin Moore (former Dream Theater) Drums/percussion: Neil Peart (Rush) / Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) vocals: Geoff Tate (Queensryche) / Steve Hogarth (Marillion) Hmmmm Rush is in there entirely, how could that be ?? Also, I took the liberty of lining up a few substitutes (although that term REALLY does them not enough justice !), I figured, hey, if we’re gonna spend some bucks on player salaries we’d better do it well 🙂 I think the term for a band consisting out of musicians that have already proven themselves in other bands etc. is “Superband”. Am I off the mark here ? Anyway, superb thread. I’ll watch closely. * * * Coldfire * * * “You know how complex women are” - Neil Peart, Rush (1993) ---
**Author:** ![lvick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@lvick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lvick)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 1999, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-band/8845/7 "1999-10-05T10:10:00Z")
Well I agree with Satan, a band is more than the some of it’s parts, and the parts aren’t necesarily interchangable, larry