Another vote for the Toy Dolls.
Not everyone: they got mentioned a lot in the What band or artist, can you appreciate but don’t like thread.
Of the big, well-known, mega-successful trios, The Police are probably my favorite. But there are a few more obscure three-piece bands I like better.
My all-time favorite trio is the 80s/90s Minnesota band Something Fierce, from where I went to college. They played catchy, clever power pop, and are, admittedly, super-obscure, although they’ve been enthusiastically praised by music journalist Steve Simels (in Stereo Review magazine and elsewhere), have had their Christmas novelty song “Satan Claus” played by Dr. Demento, and their music is currently available on sites like Spotify and Bandcamp.
There was also a band called Triumvirat, who were sometimes known as “the German ELP”.
They were a three-piece until their bassist/vocalist died in a bizarre carbon monoxide poisoning accident and was replaced by two people, a bass player and a vocalist.
Love and Rockets are my personal pick
ELP was by far my favorite trio ever.
First runner up: The James Gang (Walsh, Fox, Peters; then Walsh, Fox, Kriss).
Well, it depends on the definition of 3 piece, I suppose. CSN’s first album was a studio affair and members doubled up on instruments while recording. As such, it was impossible to have only 3 people while touring to promote the album. So they hired other musicians to play with them live.
My favorite three piece is that little ol, band from Texas.
Really? I loved Tom Kriss’ bass on the first album. Dale Peters always seemed like a let-down.
There are a lot of good ones. I liked Stray Cats because their drummer had the simplest kit imaginable: snare, bass and a cymbal that he played standing up. CSN is always a favorite.
A couple of folky groups: The Limeliters, mainly due to Glen Yarbrough’s tenor voice; and The Kingston Trio, who had a string of hits.
Grand Funk Railroad.
Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson both had killer trios.
Bite your tongue!
The Crickets?
The (Dixie) Chicks?
Peter, Paul and Mounds.
That’s what I was going to say.
And yes, there were three of them, even though there were called Ben Folds Five. It was supposed to be a joke, apparently.
Like the Thompson Twins; another trio.
And you’ve got to admit, “Ben Folds Five” just has a better ring to it with the alliteration, than something like “Ben Folds Trio”.
None that haven’t been mentioned yet, but my three picks are Dinosaur Jr., Nirvana and the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Did you notice that they all made a lot of glorious noise? That’s a pattern for most bands mentioned in this thread.
Jackknife Stiletto
The Devil Makes Three
The Fratellis
Agent Orange
Beastie Boys
Bleached
How many people count in Three Dog Night?
They’re still my favorite three-piece band. And in my personal favorite Top 5.