Don’t believe Rutsey was holding them back with his talent as much as he didn’t want to be on the road, at least according to the various books I’ve read on Rush. He had some talent as a drummer, but didn’t want to put everything into it that the band needed. Not complaining by any stretch that Neil Peart replaced him (RIP, Professor!)
Edited improper pronoun
Rutsey had some health issues that kept him from touring. Diabetes, IIRC.
Probably true, though that is what I’m looking for your opinions on, who is the worst player in this pro sport.
But I was replying about what you said about the “core group”. Al Jardine is a horrible candidate for least talented and luckiest. I think even David Marks would have an issue with your assessment.
Cook and Clifford sound fine to me. But I don’t think I’ve ever heard Tom Fogarty’s rhythm guitar on a CCR track. I assume his playing was so far back in the mix it couldn’t be heard, and John did all the guitar overdubs.
Had John Rutsey not been a type 1 diabetic, Rush would probably have put out a couple more albums, and then been quickly forgotten as the members moved on to other projects and lives.
I do not know if Rutsey and Peart ever met, but I’ll just betcha they’re drumming together in R&R Heaven as I write this.
RIP, both of them.
Elvis Costello’s talent as a guitarist was a joke compared to the skills of the three Attractions at their instruments. Pete Thomas was about the same tier as John Bonham, Bruce Thomas was as melodic of a bassist as Paul McCartney but harder-hitting and substantially better at playing in the pocket, and I can’t even think of a keyboardist in a rock group who was on the same level as Steve Naive. Declan McManus, I mean Elvis Costello, is a clever wordsmith, a good composer, and a fair to middling vocalist, but his band was at another orbit entirely.
She (Patrice Holloway) sang the theme song and lead on several of the songs. She gave them their Motown feel.
Well…sure…
But calling him ‘luckiest, least talented, least substantial member ever’ as per the OP would be an obscenity and very antithesis of what this thread is about 
. The Attractions only existed to serve Elvis Costello. By the same token Bruce Springsteen is easily the worst musician in his band measured by technical skill. Doesn’t mean much.
Costello was a competent guitarist in my very non-expert opinion. Good enough for what he wanted to do, anyway.
They actually did record one album without him. But yeah I know what you mean. Anyway the thread went fair afield from the OP as soon as Ringo’s name came up, so it seems to have a little more flexibility at this point. Fair play though.
Yeah, if we’re going to start calling out iconic singers who are the weakest instrumentalists in their bands…
Huh! I don’t mind his bass playing, but years ago I read negative comments, from certain fans and I think from certain band members (I think in the fan newsletter “A New Day”.)
To each his own!
How about awesome intstrumentalits who should never have been allowed to sing? At least Eddie Van Halen had the sense to not be the front singer for his band and hired other people to do that.
Rush was a fine group of very talented players who, under no circumstances, should ever have allowed Geddy Lee to sing. A screaching, talentless singer who makes my ears hurt.
Ever heard his natural tenor? Not only does he speak like a regular man, he’s capable of singing like one, too. Here’s one of my favorite Rush songs as proof.
(Okay, it won’t let me post, but the song is called “Anagram for Mongo.”
R.E.M.'s bassist, Mike Mills, has done some singing for them and really shouldn’t. And yes, I know that he sings lead on the song from which I took my username.
His back-up harmonies and counter-harmonies are a vital part of REM’s sound, though. As the lead, not so great. But as Mills said himself, when asked if he wished he’d had more lead parts: Why? We have Michael Stipe.
Have you ever heard Steve Howe sing lead? Best guitarist in the world. Singer, not so much.
I have to assume you are just trying to adopt a ridiculous position to get a rise out of folk. I almost rose to your bait.
Same goes for Jeff Beck.
Herb Alpert also plays trumpet a lot better than he sings.
Donna Jean Godchaux was officially a member of the Grateful Dead, but literally all she did was dance around on stage with an unmiked tambourine and very occasionally contribute some backup vocals. If you’re only vaguely familiar with the band, you probably never knew she existed. She and her husband Keith, the pianist, came as a package deal. I think it will be hard to find anyone who was considered a full member of a successful band who contributed less.