# Why so little trumpet in rock? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2014, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916 "2014-03-05T08:08:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/21 "2014-03-05T18:55:06Z")
“They don’t give a damn about any trumpet playing band. It ain’t what they call rock and roll.” ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/22 "2014-03-05T20:20:44Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > “They don’t give a damn about any trumpet playing band. > It ain’t what they call rock and roll.” For the win, except that there’s no trumpet in that song… one of my deep personal faves. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/23 "2014-03-05T20:49:10Z")
Cuz the sound man won’t go for it. ---
**Author:** ![bossy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58f4c7/32.png) [@bossy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bossy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/24 "2016-11-29T16:19:05Z")
Andy Diagram ([Andy Diagram - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Diagram)) was in the band James from 1989-1992 and recorded 2 albums with them (Gold Mother and Seven). I recommend 'Seven" for some awesome rock trumpet ! ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/25 "2016-11-29T16:34:14Z")
His work as half of Two Pale Boys, who performed and recorded with David Thomas of Pere Ubu was very good, too. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/26 "2016-11-29T16:35:27Z")
I shudder to bring this up, but Chumbawamba is still around. Particularly notable because the trumpet player is female (Jude Abbott). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/27 "2016-11-29T16:57:21Z")
Meh. Sly and the Family Stone had Cynthia Robinson on trumpet in 1969. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/28 "2016-11-29T18:02:36Z")
Personally, I don’t give a damn about any trumpet playing band ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/29 "2016-11-29T18:08:47Z")
One of my favorite amateur college rock bands (Yale, 1978-82) was called Guff. As in, don’t take any. Guitar, bass, drums, and a vocalist who also played trumpet. They we SO GREAT. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/30 "2016-11-29T18:25:52Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > One exception worth noting is the '70s band Chase, which was unique in having a four-man horn section made up \*entirely \*of trumpets. (_The Rolling Stone Record Guide_ dismissed Chase with a one word review: “Flee.”) Two years later, out of curiosity, I decided to [dig them up on Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBogxn5ObgA). It’s certainly … _different_. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/31 "2016-11-29T18:25:59Z")
Red hot chili peppers Fishbone ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/32 "2016-11-29T18:36:34Z")
I’ll come back to this thread to note that the guitarist of the great band **Lake Street Dive** also plays trumpet. I. This song he plays it as an accompaniment to the si lime Rachael Price’s vocal: [Lake Street Dive "Clear A Space" - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8FQTvxDEzZM) She is so good. Scarlet Johansson channeling Bonnie Raitt. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/33 "2016-11-29T19:01:07Z")
Thank heavens for jazz and salsa bands, who keep the horn section alive and well. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/34 "2016-11-29T19:05:38Z")
There’s some great trumpet work on _Exile On Main Street_. I really like the riff on “All Down The Line”. ---
**Author:** ![akrako1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@akrako1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akrako1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/35 "2016-11-29T21:57:49Z")
Lucifer’s Friend uses some sweet French Horn on ‘Ride The Sky’. See it in action [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beg6uNekcqI). ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/36 "2016-11-29T23:40:10Z")
The late, great **Ronnie James Dio** started as a trumpet player but I don’t recall him using it in any of his famous bands: **Rainbow, Black Sabbath** or his subsequent solo career. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/37 "2016-11-30T05:23:45Z")
Allen Toussaint did some gnarly horn charts for the great live album ROCK OF AGES, recorded on New Year’s 1971-72 by The Band. The trumpet/flugelhorn player was Snooky Young, who had been the lead trumpet in Jimmie Lunceford’s kickass big band in the late 1930s. Also of note in the horn section is Howard Johnson, who bottomed out the ensemble on tuba, euphonium, and baritone saxophone. He is also the musical mentor of our SDMB best buddy **TubaDiva**. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/38 "2016-11-30T14:41:37Z")
In the USA I believe Dexy’s Midnight Runners were something of a one-hit wonder. A shame I think as their early stuff is absolutely killer and they certainly understood the power of the horn. Here’s a[great example](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfZUqnniWxc) and [another](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQO2wEJefjM) from the same album. Sure, both are trombone and sax but used to great effect. And no, no-one has a clue what he’s singing about. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/39 "2016-12-02T05:05:10Z")
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats have a trumpet player. And I would say that even better than that is in the video Nathaniel gives you the "Ye Olde Razzle Dazzle". ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916/40 "2016-12-03T21:08:02Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > “They don’t give a damn about any trumpet playing band. > It ain’t what they call rock and roll.” Dire Straits used a trumpet as a solo instrument - most memorably on ‘Your Latest Trick’, in which the entire intro is a solo trumpet. I think the decline of horns in rock might have a lot to do with the decline in school band programs. I was in a high school stage band that generated two future rock players, and many garage bands in the 70’s were made up of kids who also took band together. So lots and lots of kids learned to play horns, and kids who played horns may have appreciated rock music that featured horns. I know I did. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-trumpet-in-rock/682916.md?page=1)