# Your favorite 3 person band **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [May 31, 2023, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801 "2023-05-31T01:44:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/1 "2023-05-31T01:44:34Z")
Off the top of my head, I can think of Rush, ZZ Top, The Police, Nirvana, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Cream, and a thousand other bands that don’t immediately come to mind. Of the ones that I can think of, it’s very hard to pick a favorite but I think I’d have to go with “The Police.” They had so many good albums in the 80’s and were on top of the world. Of the groups listed, their songs might still be the most popular. Who’s yours? ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/2 "2023-05-31T01:45:42Z")
A tossup between The Jam and the Nat Cole Trio. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/3 "2023-05-31T01:54:26Z")
The Police for me. Rush is in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/4 "2023-05-31T02:06:53Z")
The original George Thorogood and the Destroyers was a 3 piece. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/5 "2023-05-31T03:14:10Z")
The Toy Dolls, Agent Orange, and Material Issue. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sptu1ndu3RY/maxresdefault.jpg "Toy Dolls Dig That Groove Baby - Live 16 1 2020") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sptu1ndu3RY) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/6 "2023-05-31T03:25:51Z")
Off the top of my head, Cream. But then I run into the case of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. They were a three person band on their first, perfect, album. Then they added Young and backup musicians for touring. Then Young left and they were the better for it. Backup musicians continued to float in and out and Young came back irregularly. Most bands use additional musicians at times. Are they still trios? I think we’ve had a thread about that, but I don’t want to dig it up. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2023, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/7 "2023-05-31T03:29:25Z")
Of the bands listed so far, my favorite would be ELP. A pretty good group not mentioned yet: The Jimi Hendrix Experience ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/8 "2023-05-31T03:48:33Z")
Motorhead was a trio for most of its existence. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/9 "2023-05-31T04:22:42Z")
The Michel Petrucciani trio. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/10 "2023-05-31T04:29:01Z")
For me, probably Rush and ZZ Top. While I wouldn’t necessarily classify them as one of my favorites, the James Gang were a power trio, and I love a couple of their songs (“Walk Away,” “Funk #49”). ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/11 "2023-05-31T04:32:43Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > For me, probably Rush and ZZ Top. Same. Throw in Pink Floyd if we don’t count Roger as a Person. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/12 "2023-05-31T04:57:49Z")
Crosby Stills and Nash. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/13 "2023-05-31T05:04:14Z")
I forgot… Yeah. CSN should be on the short list for this. Do be fair, they were four people for a bit (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/14 "2023-05-31T05:51:03Z")
Dinosaur Jr. With runners-up Violent Femmes, Lucie Too, Kælan Mikla and Skating Polly. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/15 "2023-05-31T05:59:07Z")
_Axis of Awesome_, because they had so many [good songs.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/16 "2023-05-31T06:52:36Z")
I think that I’ll go with Bob Mould and any two people he feels like sharing a stage with. If I had to choose which two people, it would be a spectacularly tough choice between his bandmates in Hüsker Dü, Greg Norton and Grant Hart, and the rhythm section he’s spent the last decade and change with, Jason Narducy and Jon Wurster. (Had Sugar lasted a bit longer, I would throw David Barbe and Malcolm Travis right up there in the mix.) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/17 "2023-05-31T07:18:34Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > With runners-up Violent Femmes I did not know they were only three members. Hell yeah! Definitely on the list (IMO). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/18 "2023-05-31T07:21:10Z")
I’d take Sugar over Hüsker Dü regardless of how long they lasted. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/19 "2023-05-31T07:22:15Z")
I think Beastie Boys should be on this list. (just occurred to me) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801/20 "2023-05-31T07:23:47Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I did not know they were only three members. What do you mean, were? _Are_, man, are… they still rock. Check out that “drum kit”:[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICixXOKmYbQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICixXOKmYbQ) Although, I have to say, Gano is looking a lot like Brad Dourif-as-Wormtongue… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-3-person-band/984801.md?page=2)