Who Would Be in Your Fantasy Band? Input, Please.
Let’s say you are a manager entrusted with putting together the greatest rock’n’roll band of all time. You can choose from any musician, living or dead. Who would be in your dream four-piece line-up?
The reason I ask is because The Independent offered such a suggestion this morning and I can’t say I agree with the writer’s choices. (Ringo on drums? Really?)
Let’s say we’re looking for a rock band, one with street cred and with chops. And because the payroll is going to be rather, uh, steep, the group has to have some kind of mainstream appeal across all ages. And let’s assume that whomever we pick is in the prime of life, not their actual ages.
Vocals: In my band, the frontman would be mostly unemcumbered by having to pay an instrument. I want him moving around, engaging the audience at the back of the arena as much as the people down front. Jagger would work. So would Bono. Scott Weiland was incredible in his prime. What about Joe Strummer? But I think I’d go with David Bowie if I could transport him into the present immediately after his Berlin Period. I saw him several times back then and the man was entrancing.
Guitar: This is probably the toughest position to fill. Dave Navarro? Jimi Hendrix? Slash? Pete Townshend? This will probably be unpopular with some folks, but I’d pick The Edge. His sound is distinctive yet flexible and evolving. And the man has managed to help write many, many, many hit songs since 1976.
Bass: Hands down, Tony Levin. You don’t know Tony? He’s been Peter Gabriel’s right-hand man for decades. There’s nothing he can’t do with a bass.
Drums: My favourite drummer of all time is Neil Peart. Not only is he an amazing drummer, but he’s a learned lyricist. But I think his style might be too busy for what we’re trying to accomplish here. Frankly, I think that the Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith would be a very good pick.
Keyboards: What about Jon Lord from Deep Purple? Or is my Hammond B-3 bias showing through?
Chief Songwriter: Kurt Cobain, just for fun. But I’d make Elvis Costello coach him on the side.
Obviously, there is no right answer to this exercise, but I’d sure be interested in hearing who you’d pick for your rock’n’roll all-star team. Leave a comment below.
For songwriter, i'd go with Jack White.
Singer – Janis Joplin
Guitar – Stevie Ray Vaughn
Bass – Hands down John Paul Jones (he can also cover keyboards when needed)
Drums – Danny Carey (Tool) or Christian Tanna of I Mother Earth
PS. This is a very hard exercise !!
The Edge?! ew.
I do like the Cobain/Costello alliance, though!
VOCALS: Robert Pollard (Guided by Voices)
GUITAR: Chuck Berry – We gotta get back to the Rock and Roll purity!
BASS: Chris Murphy (Sloan)-I think he has great McCartney style melodic basslines, and is always spot on with back up vocals and harmonies.
DRUMS: Mark Gaudet (Eric's Trip, Elevator to Hell)
SONGWRITING: DeeDee Ramone would definately help with the principal writing. Why?-He wrote perfect pop songs time and time again. Very simple and very smart. Teamed up with Robert Pollard would be amazing!
Maybe this wouldnt be the BEST band ever, but I think I concocted a strong lineup of individuals to create great commercial music with strong musical cred.
Vocals – Mike Patton
Guitar – Matt Belamy (Muse)
Bass – Justin Chancellor (Tool)
Drums – Joe Tomino (Dub Trio. Google that man. Phenomenal player)
Keyboards (if they had them) – Gary Numan
Frontman: Iggy Pop
Guitar: Fred "Sonic" Smith
Guitar: Eric Clapton
Bass: John McVie
Keyboards: Garth Hudson
Drums: Kenny Aronoff
Songwriter: Leonard Cohen (&Iggy)
Vocals – Mike Patton
Guitar – Frank Zappa
Bass – Les Claypool
Drums – Terry Bozzio
Just gotta say, Uncle Frank is the most under appreciated musician of all time. He was an absolute god on guitar, and a symphonic composer to boot. We celebrate so many other losses in music, yet he doesn't get the attention he so richly deserves. Offensive and articulate, music misses him more than it knows…
Yikes…
Songwriter: Ian Thornley (his lyrics have always spoke to me on a personal level)
Vocalist: Carmen Townsend (Wow does she have a cool voice)
Guitar: Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage (I can't get sick of their music, so that's gotta say something)
Bass: Lemmy Kilmister (Just because he's Lemmy)
Drums: Dave Grohl (no doubt about this one)
I wouldn't know about keyboards though…
OK, here goes…
Vocals: Freddie Mercury. I've never seen a man look so at home on stage in front of thousands of people.
Guitar: I'm going to go with duelling guitars of Randy Rhoads and Jimmy Page. Is that allowed?
Bass: Lemmy. That one is easy.
Drums: Animal from The Muppets. That one is also easy.
Keyboards: Booker T, to give everything a mean soul undercurrent
Songwriter: A George Harrison/Jack White combination would be great.
Vocals – Freddie Mercury
Guitar – David Gilmour
Keyboards – Tony Banks
Bass – Geddy Lee
Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta
Songwriter/Composer – Frank Zappa 😉
Vocals/Keyboard – David Bowie
Guitars – David Gilmour and Jonny Greenwood. Greenwood's innovation with Gilmour's solos; bliss.
Bass – Eric Judy from Modest Mouse
Durms – Ginger Baker
Vocals – Chris Cornell
Guitar – Tony Iommi
Bass – John Paul Jones
Keys – Richard E Manuel
Drums- John Bonham
Lead vocals: Brandon Boyd of Incubus. Amazing range, unique melodies.
Two guitarists (cheat?): Josh Homme of QOTSA, but also The Crooked Vultures (also, he'd back on vocals). Such an innovative guitarist in an age of bland, overused progressions. And #2 would be Thomas Erak (to get more of the post-hardcore sound I love) of former The Fall of Troy, now with Just Like Vinyl.
Bass: Arif Mirabdolbaghi of Protest the Hero. Fast fingers, slap technique, very versatile.
Drums: I'm tempted to go with a deceased and choose John Bonham (any introduction needed?). But if I were to see this happen today, I'd choose Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon. Straight forward drumming, but puts a lot of the snare accents on the "and" beat. Gives it a snappy, tight feel.
Songwriter: Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind. His songs are like him telling you a story in person. Draw me in and captivate.
Vocals – Mike Patton
Guitar – Jimmy Page
Bass – Les Claypool
Drums – Dave Grohl
Vocals – Part of me wants to say Ottis Reading but I am going with Gerard Way since he is the best pure Frontman currently
Guitar – My gut says Neil Quinn of Zeus
Bass – Flea
Drums -Brandyn James Aikins from Indian Handcrafts
Vocals – Michael Hutchence: It's been nearly 15 years since he passed away but he's one of my favorite vocalists and his charisma was hard to top.
Guitar – John Frusciante: His melodies are classic and beautiful.
Bass – Darryl Jones: If he's good enough to replace Bill Wyman than he's good enough for this band.
Drums – Tommy Aldridge: He's one of my childhood heroes and did some fantastic stuff with Ozzy.
Keyboards – Steve Winwood: Great keyboardist and vocalist. He could also co-write some songs with the rest of this fantasy band.
Drums – John Stanier (Battles, Tomahawk, Helmet)
Bass – Melissa Auf Der Mar (MAdM, Smashing Pumpkins, Hole)
Keyboards – Brian Eno
Guitars – Johnny Greenwood (Radiohead) / Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins)
Vocals – Chino Moreno (Deftones, Team Sleep, †††)
The name of the band would be: Blood Ice
vocals: Courtney Love
guitar: Tom Morello
bass: Flea
drums: William Topolinsky (Pete Tremblay and The Boozy Truth, youtube it yo)
The Ramones already did it. It's done.
Vocals: Joey Ramone
Guitar: Johnny Ramone
Bass: Dee Dee Ramone
Drums: Tommy Ramone
Vocals – Chris Cornell (no one has reached the heights of Chris's vox)
Guitar – Jimmy Page (a guitar god)
Bass – Tony Levin (his rhythm is so on point and bizarre)
Drums – Taylor Hawkins (such a hard hitter and gives it his all)
Keyboards – Trent Reznor (evolutionary use of keys – some have tried to replicate but have never compared)
Crazy band line-up! Wow!
Vocals – Ian Curtis (Joy Division)
Guitar – Johnny Marr (The Smiths)
Bass – Les Claypool (Primus)
Drums – Dave Grohl (The Foo Fighters)
sorry missed one…Songwriter – we're hot on Foo Fighters – Dave Grohl and band! They really understand the importance of tempo in their melodies! They are aware of what their fans want!
Because I am a happy person.
Lead vocals: Till Lindemann or Ian Curtis
Guitar:Adrian Belew
Bass: Jeordie White
Drums: Cindy Blackman
Drum programming: Al Jourgensen
Keyboard: David A. Stewart
Vocals David Lee Roth the ideal showman
Lead Guitar Mark Knopfler. So versitile
Rythym Guitar Keith Richards
Drums Keith Moon
Bass Bootsy Collins.
Songwriter Bruce Springsteen Jeff Tweedy
Vocals: Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger)
Guitar: John Frusciante
Bass: Flea
Drums: Taylor Hawkins
Keys/Synths: Moby
Songwriters: Lennon/McCartney (with Harrison getting two cuts an album).