There’s been quite a few music related threads here of late, so why not another?
Any opinions (what a stupid question to ask this bunch) as to the most valuable players in a band? Who was the person that the a particular band would have failed without?
My opinions:
Chuck Berry, without Johnny Johnson on keyboards, would still be a hairdresser. Just ask Keith Richards.
Could there have been a Led Zeppelin without John Bonahm’s drum sound? The fact that they split up after he died sort of answers that question.
Brian May’s guitar playing (and under-rated song writing) is what kept Queen as interesting as they were for the time that they were interesting (after News of the World, forget it).
The one that comes immediately to mind is Blondie’s drummer, Clem Burke. Whatever Chris Stein, Debbie Harry and company may have been doing over it, you could always count on a rock-solid foundation underneath. I frequently pop in Best of Blondie and put “Dreaming” on repeat just to listen to the drums.
Seems to me that the responses that will garner the most “Hey, good point”'s, will be the ones in which a drummer really holds a band together.
For example, If I said Eddie Van Halen - MVP for Van Halen, who will disagree. Who will say “no, no, Alex is a much better drummer than Eddie is a guitarist.”
So I hereby nominate the following short list of drummers as MVP’s
Carter Beauford - Dave Matthews Band
John Bonham - Led Zeppelin
Bun E. Carlos - Cheap Trick
Levon Helm - The Band
Keith Moon - The Who
Neil Peart - Rush (yeah I know, no-brainer)
These are just off the top of my head, and apparently the top of my head isn’t that deep. At the moment these are all I could think of.
Jack, have to disagree on Carter in the DMB. Yes, he is a kick ass drummer. But if you listen to any of Dave’s acoustic stuff, its obvious that the DMB isn’t entirely reliant on the drummer as a make it or break it member. Carter is great, but certainly no band breaker.
Hmmmm…I don’t know that I agree about Levon Helm as being the MVP of The Band. Without Robbie Robertson’s songwriting skills you don’t have much there.
Maybe so, but from a performance stand-point I think Levon was the glue. When you mention “The Band” to me, Levon springs to mind first. You gotta admit, Robbie wasn’t much of singer.
OK what the hell, I’ll take issue with Led Zep. Yes, Bonham was important, but as important as Plant’s voice and charisma, or as important as Page’s groundbreaking writing? Pah!
Yea, Zepp broke up over the death of a great musician, but, more importantly, they broke up over the death of a close friend. Take Page or Plant away from that band and there cannot be a Zepp. I would argue those two are more important than Bonham ever was (especially Page).
BTW: the drummer for the Dave Matthew’s Band is simply no where near as important as, well, Dave. He is the sound of that band. Without his distinctive voice, that band may never have been.
If you want a lock for MVP’s in a band, here are some “indisputable” ones:
BB King
SRV
Hendrix
Jim Morrison
Joplin
Prince
Dave Burns(?) -Lead Singer of Talking Heads
Elton John’s writer (OK this is disputable).
However, the problem is that the MVP issue truly makes it hard for recognition of MVP duos like the Beatles and Pink Floyd. (Don’t even bring up the Eagles.) Lennon and McCarty were arguably more important than anyone mentioned, but neither is the clear MVP of the band. Although, if I had to, I’d give it to Lennon. However, Lennon’s solo work seriously missed the quality McCarty brought to the Beatles works.
Um, Prosser? There is definitely a difference between a lead singer in a band, and someone who has a BACK-UP band. BB, Prince, Janis, SRV, and Hendrix need not apply.
Connor: Perhaps a back-up was understood, but certainly not asked. No lead singers? No problems, it makes for a better Q.
Quoting plnnr: "There’s been quite a few music related threads here of late, so why not another?
Any opinions (what a stupid question to ask this bunch) as to the most valuable players in a band? Who was the person that the a particular band would have failed without?"
Victor Wooten: Bassist for Bela Fleck. Without that extrardinary bass, that band would have fizzled after the first album.
Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone (yeah, I know that Sly Stone wrote the songs, and people say he gave the music the soul, but Graham created funk bass on Electric, and without him it would have been completely different) Les Claypool of Primus (love it or hate it, Les Claypool developed his own style of bass playing that really gives the band its sound) Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers (he even writes most of the band’s newest stuff, and a lot of their older stuff) Sting of The Police (well, this could be debateable, since they really were a group, though they fought like crazy, but Sting really shone through) Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool & the Gang
I don’t think Styx would be the same without Dennis DeYoung’s keyboards or vocals. I’m listening to Blue Collar Man right now, and even with Mr. DeYoung on backup vocals (James Young on leads), he brings something to the sound that I don’t think anyone can replicate.
They were at the State Fair a coupla weeks ago, and DeYoung’s absence from the band was the sole reason I didn’t go.
I agree that Jimmy Page was much more valuable to Led Zep than Bonham. Bonham was underrated, but the band could have replaced him. As a matter of fact, I don’t think too many drummers are as essential to a band compared to the songwriters.
That said, the first name that springs to mind as being underrated but essential is Keith Moon of the Who. Sure Townsend’s songwriting was what made the group great, but it was Moon more than anything that made it distinctive. Whenever I hear “You Better You Bet,” I keep imagining how he would have handled the drums and how so much better it would have been with him.
You are dead on the money! If you don’t have a copy, track down one of “The Best of Blondie” on video. Burke is one of the few rock drummers who are a joy to watch. (which is why I prefer “performance” videos over “concept” ones)
Here’s another MVP drummer: the one in Genesis, what’s his name…oh yea, Phil Collins.
Without Clarence Clemons from the E Street Band answering him with his sax, Bruce Springsteen today would be at a street corner in Ashbury Park mumbling to himself.
Lars Ulrich of Metallica… there literally wouldn’t have been one without him, since he probably would have been able to find another vocalist if Hetfield hadn’t answered Lars’ help-wanted ad. And he’s still probably the most influential person in the sound. Of course I could probably argue for James, too, but I’ll just go with the crowd of drummers and say Lars.
…believe it or not, this was the first name I thought of, even over Rick Nielsen.
I also gotta mention:
Mike Campbell-the Heartbreakers
Steve Nieve-the Attractions
Guy Patterson-the Wonders