Supergroup

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In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups."[1]While the term is also used in a broader sense, to describe any "highly successful rock group"[2], this article focuses on the first definition. Supergroups tend to be short-lived, often lasting only for an album or two, perhaps because of the conflict of egos between the established star performers. Additionally, supergroups are often formed as side projects that are not intended to be permanent.

Some of the most well-known supergroups include 1960s groups Cream and Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young); 1970s progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer; the 1980s group The Firm and the 2000s-era metal/hard-rock band Velvet Revolver. It is not a rigidly defined category and it can be applied subjectively. Some music writers use the term to describe groups that sold huge numbers of albums and headlined massive concerts regardless of the previous fame of their individual members. In some cases, it has become merely a marketing term used to promote a new ensemble.

[edit] History

The term took its name from the 1968 album Super Session with Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, and Stephen Stills. The coalition of Crosby, Stills, and Nash (later Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young) is another early example, given the success of their prior bands (The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Hollies respectively). In jazz, famous artists often play together, but the term is rarely used. Music writers have also applied the term to groups that sold huge numbers of albums and headlined massive concerts regardless of the previous fame of their individual members, such as the band Led Zeppelin, wherein only Jimmy Page was well known at the time the group formed. The term is also used to describe existing bands whose members achieved individual fame after the band's founding, such as Pink Floyd, Queen, Genesis and Yes.

There are also instances in which an existing band added a prominent new member or members, where the resulting group might have been considered a supergroup had it not kept its original band name, such as Van Halen after recruiting Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone, and The Eagles after hiring Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit. In the 1990s, the term began being used to describe Hip Hop collectives. By the 2000s, the term was tending to become a vague marketing term. In 2006, IGN labeled The Raconteurs the "Best Indie Rock Supergroup". The group consisted of Jack White, (White Stripes), Brendon Benson, Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence (the last two are from The Greenhornes).[3] While a 1974 Time article pointed out that "each man in C. S. N. & Y. was a skilled guitarist and singer-songwriter capable of filling an entire album with original tunes" [4], the members other than White and Benson are less well-known.

[edit] Criticism

In 1974, a Time magazine article entitled "Return of a Supergroup" quipped that the supergroup was a "potent but short-lived rock phenomenon" which was an "amalgam formed by the talented malcontents of other bands." The article acknowledged that groups such Cream and Blind Faith "played enormous arenas and made megabucks, and sometimes megamusic", with the performances "fueled by dueling egos." However, while this "musical infighting built up the excitement...it also made breakups inevitable." [5]

Chris DeVille's 2008 article "Super or blooper?", which is subtitled "Supergroups: So much promise, so often squandered", notes that "when well-known rockers get together in new configurations, they're guaranteed lots of attention, but these ego summits rarely bear fruit as fresh as what made these guys famous in the first place."[6] DeVille praises supergroups such as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Fantomas (a post- Faith No More supergroup), and Velvet Revolver. However, he rates a number of other projects as "bloopers", including Blind Faith, the country supergroup The Highwaymen (which included Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson), The Traveling Wilburys, Audioslave, Zwan,Eyes Adrift, and The Good, The Bad & The Queen.

[edit] Notable groups

This list is of each band's founding line-up, and members who joined within a year of founding.

This list contains only groups which have performed more than a single song or live show together.

1960s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
1966 Cream Albums: Fresh Cream, Disraeli Gears, Wheels of Fire, and Goodbye.
1966 Eric Clapton's Powerhouse The band did not release any albums, in fact, they recorded only three singles featured on the Elektra compilation What's Shakin'.
1968 Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young)
Albums: Crosby, Stills & Nash, Déjà Vu, Four Way Street, and more.
1969 Blind Faith Albums: Blind Faith

[edit] 1970s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
1970 Derek and the Dominos Albums: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
1970 Emerson, Lake & Palmer Albums: Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Tarkus, Trilogy, and more
1973 Journey
Albums: Journey, Look into the Future, Next, and more
1973 Bad Company Albums: Bad Company, Straight Shooter, Run With the Pack and more.

[edit] 1980s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes



1982 Asia Albums: Asia, Alpha
1984 The Firm Albums: The Firm, Mean Business
1984 Power Station
Albums: Power Station, Living In Fear
1985 The Highwaymen Albums: Highwayman, Highwayman 2, The Road Goes on Forever


1985 Mike + the Mechanics Albums: Mike + The Mechanics, The Living Years, Word of Mouth, Beggar on a Beach of Gold, Mike + The Mechanics
1986 Emerson, Lake & Powell Album: Emerson, Lake & Powell
1988 Bad English Albums: Bad English, Backlash
1988 Traveling Wilburys Albums: Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3
1988 Electronic Albums: Electronic, Raise the Pressure, "Twisted Tenderness"
1988 The Breeders Albums: Pod (1990), Last Splash (1993), Title TK (2002), Mountain Battles (2008)
1989 Damn Yankees Albums: Damn Yankees (1990), Don't Tread (1992)

[edit] 1990s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
1990 Temple of the Dog
1991 Down

Albums: NOLA (1995), Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow (2002), Down III: Over the Under (2007)

1994 Mad Season
1998 Fantômas
1999 A Perfect Circle

[edit] 2000s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
2001 Audioslave Albums: Audioslave (2002), Out of Exile (2005), Revelations (2006)
2001 Zwan Albums: Mary Star of the Sea (2001)
2002 Eyes Adrift Albums: Eyes Adrift (2002)
2002 Velvet Revolver Albums: Contraband (2004), Libertad (2007)
2004 Alter Bridge Albums: One Day Remains (2004), Blackbird (2007)
2005 Angels & Airwaves Albums: We Don't Need To Whisper (2006), I-Empire (2007)
2005 +44 Albums: When Your Heart Stops Beating (2006)
2005 Army of Anyone Albums: Army of Anyone (2006)
2005 The Raconteurs Albums: Broken Boy Soldiers (2006), Consolers of the Lonely (2008)
2006 Heaven and Hell Album: Live from Radio City Music Hall (2007)
2006 Hellyeah Album: ""Hellyeah"" (2007)
2006 (untitled) Albums: The Good, The Bad, & The Queen (2007)
2007 Child Rebel Soldier Singles: US Placers (2007)
2008 Chickenfoot Albums: Untitled 2008 release

[edit] Project supergroups

These were often one-show or one album projects, though some played more than one show, because all or most members were involved in other bands or groups.

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
1967 The Super Super Blues Band Albums: Super Blues, The Super Super Blues Band
1968 The Dirty Mac Albums: The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus
1969 The Plastic Ono Band Albums: Live Peace in Toronto 1969, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band, Sometime In New York City
1979 The Greedies Originally known as The Greedy Bastards, recorded one Christmas single, "A Merry Jingle."
1990 The Gak Played two charity concerts in 1990.
1992 Praxis Albums: Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis), Sacrifist, Metatron, Live in Poland, Transmutation Live, 1984, Mold, Warszawa, Collection, Tennessee 2004, Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)
1998 Liquid Tension Experiment Albums: Liquid Tension Experiment, Liquid Tension Experiment 2
1999 Supershit 666 EP's: Supershit 666
1999 The Wondergirls Songs: "Drop That Baby" and "Lets Go All The Way"
2002 Planet Us Songs: "Vertigo" and "Peeping Through A Hole". "Vertigo" was originally intended for the first Spider-Man movie, but it was turned down.
2004 Tak Matsumoto Group Albums: TMG I
2006 Tipton, Entwistle & Powell Albums: Edge of the World. The album was released in 2006, but was recorded in the mid-1990s.
2006 Big Dirty Band Album: Soundtrack for Trailer Park Boys: The Movie
2007 Liquid Trio Experiment Albums: Spontaneous Combustion

[edit] Charity supergroups

Main article: Charity supergroup

These are usually one-shot projects, organized to create a charity record to raise money or awareness for a cause or charity. Notable examples are Band Aid ("Do They Know It's Christmas?") and USA for Africa ("We are the World").

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861717037/supergroup.html
  2. ^ http://www.yourdictionary.com/supergroup
  3. ^ http://bestof.ign.com/2006/music/3.html
  4. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879436,00.html
  5. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879436,00.html
  6. ^ http://www.columbusalive.com/?sec=music&story=alive/2008/0605/m-supergroups.html

[edit] See also