We all have favorite bands, but if their front person were gone (ie; Huey lewis & the News; Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; etc.) who would your favorite back-up band be, and why?
2007-11-27 12:12:29 · 14 answers · asked by the buffster 5 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Rock and Pop
Ronnie Hawkins came to Canada in 1958 from Arkansas.
His 1st backup band featured a few Canadians; Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson. Bob Dylan later recruited these very same musicians for his back up band in 1965, and they toured with him for a year or so. This backup band eventually changed their name to 'The Band', and with the addition of American drummer Levon Helm, the rest is history.
Ronnie Hawkins also spawned another great backup band. They were another Canadian group called 'Crowbar'.
Crowbar backed Ronnie in the late 60's for about a year before going off on their own.
I even remember seeing a young Canadian guitar player by the name of Pat Travers as part of Ronnie Hawkins backup band in the early 70's playing in Toronto bars.
Scottish rocker 'Alex Harvey's band was incredible too.
His group was known as 'The Sensational Alex Harvey Band', or SAHB for short. They were fantastic, and before joining Alex they were a terrific Scottish hard rock band much like Blue Cheer or Led Zeppelin known as 'Tear Gas'.
Warren Zevon also had a great backup band. Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar was a great guitarist, and had cut his teeth with such notables as David Crosby, and NYC bands 'The Kingbees', and 'The Fugs' He also backed Carol King in the 60's-early 70's. If you watch the 'Gimme Some Money' video segment of Spinal Tap, Danny can be seen as the bass player in that fictitious bands formative years.
Ian Hunter (ex frontman of Mott the Hoople) also had some skilled musicians as his backup band. Most notably Mick Ronson (guitar), along with members of 'Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band', Jaco Pastorius (bass player/Weather Report).
If you listen to Ian's album 'You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic', that's Conan O'Brians drummer Max Weinberg (E Street Band) on the drums! That album had a popular song called 'Cleveland Rocks', later used on 'The Drew Carey Show'.
Brian Eno was known for having some of the best names in the bizz on many of his albums. My favorite albums were 'Here Comes the Warm Jets', 'Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy' and 'Another Green World'. Some of Eno's musicians included; Robert Fripp, Paul Rudolph, John Wetton, Simon King, Bill MacCormick, Chris Spedding, Robert Wyatt, Phil Collins, John Cale, Tony Levin, and many others.
Jeff Beck was no slouch either when it came to choosing musical talent. His 1st couple albums featured Rod Stewart, Mickey Waller(drums), Nickey Hopkins(piano), Ronnie Wood(bass), and John Paul Jones (organ/Led Zeppelin).
By the early 70's he had in my opinion one of the tightest bands in rock at the time. Cozy Powell (drummer extraordinare), Max Middleton(keyboards), Clive Chaman(bass) and Bob Tench(vocals). These guys really rocked and can be heard on 'Rough and Ready', and 'The Jeff Beck Group' album. I think I'd place those two as my favorite Jeff Beck albums.
Lou Reed was also known for employing some great talent as backup. His first album contained Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman of 'Yes', and later featured Mick Ronson, Aynsley Dunbar(drums), Jack Bruce(bass/Cream), Dick Wagner(guitar/Frost/Alice Cooper), Steve Hunter(guitar/Alice Cooper), the rhythm section of Pentti Glan & Prakash John(of Canadian band Bush and Alice Cooper Band).
Peter Gabriel's backup bands deserves mention here as well. Over the years some of these top notch musicians have been part of his lineup; Tony Levin, Robert Fripp, Brian Eno, Phil Collins, Dick Wagner, Steve Hunter, and many more.
I think if you removed Peter Gabriel, or Lou Reed from the picture, either of those bands could hold their own (in fact they have) as a unit.
To pick one I'd say any of Peter Gabriel's lineups!
Edit - I almost forgot about the most famous backup band in the history of rock...Tony Sheridan's band, better known as 'The Beatles!
2007-11-27 13:25:47 · answer #1 · answered by Smiley 4 · 7⤊ 1⤋
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers is great. Santana as well, during their first two albums. Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band are fantastic too. Buddy Holly and the Crickets. The Band during their short tenure with Bob Dylan. Crazy Horse.
My favorite is probably Carlos Santana's, if you could call them a backing band. I love how the drummer drums. Very Latin in my opinion. The bassist is great too. Next would be The Heartbreakers. Mike Campbell is an underrated guitarist that deserves to be more well-known.
2007-11-27 16:02:42 · answer #2 · answered by Montag 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Aw... I was going to say the Heartbreakers. I love Tom Petty and his solo stuff but the band is a huge part of his music (well, his solo stuff has a lot of contributions from his band anyway). He has an amazingly strong backup band and Mike Campbell is a really underrated guitarist who's always been in Tom's shadow, bu none the less amazing.
And the Band, pretty darn good. Even when the left Dylan, they have amazing work on their own. I just wish they would have gotten a different name from "the Band", it makes for plenty of confusing conversations.
2007-11-27 13:04:42 · answer #3 · answered by meep meep 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Well, to go back in time a bit...
The Shadows.
Having originated as Cliff Richard's backing band, they showed how good they were as an instrumental group.
The E-Street band would probably be great on their own.
As would the band Meat Loaf uses, and Stevie Nicks' 1980's session musicians. {Roy Bittan played for all 3! And Stevie's band included various members of The Heartbreakers}
np: 'Self Portrait' ~ Blackmore's Night
2007-11-27 23:47:09 · answer #4 · answered by Lady Silver Rose * Wolf 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Heartbreakers but of Johnny Thunders also The Rumour of Graham Parker amd The Attractions of Elvis Costello.
2007-11-28 04:42:12 · answer #5 · answered by phatzwave 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Voidoids ( w/ Richard Hell)
The Stooges (w/ Iggy Pop)
The Catholics (w/ Frank Black)
The Blackhearts (w/ Joan Jett)
The Revolution (w/ Prince)
and The (ORIGINAL) Heartbreakers (w/ Johnny Thunders)
2007-11-27 15:57:55 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
The Funk Brothers. Motown's house band. Motown did not have a revolving door of players for their recordings. They used ONE band, for every hit for every artist that Motown ever had. Pretty amazing. Next is the Heart Breakers.
2007-11-27 13:04:35 · answer #7 · answered by Theolicious 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Crazy Horse
They flat out rock. Almost every one of Neil Youngs great flat out crunching rock anthems
(Cinnamon Girl Cowgirl In The Sand My My Hey Hey F***in Up etc etc)
Had the blistering power of Crazy Horse backing it up
2007-11-27 12:42:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Although they are a legitimate band with their own wonderful recordings, when the two of them collaberate, good stuff happens. Real good stuff.
Edit: Great call, Darth Maul. LOL
2007-11-27 12:40:04 · answer #9 · answered by Huevo 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Anyone and everyone who backed Frank Zappa up at any point during his career because you know that they had to be the absolute best musicians in the industry to get into his band and be able to play his intricate, complex and hilariously funny music.
2007-11-28 01:46:25 · answer #10 · answered by Next evolutionary step... 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The Spiders From Mars consisting of:
Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, Mick Woodmansey.
Those David Bowie "Glam Rock" albums from the early seventies were fantastic and they were the pioneers of "Glam" and "Gothic" rock!
2007-11-27 16:28:26 · answer #11 · answered by Beatle fanatic 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋