Supergroup (music)
A supergroup is a music group whose members are already successful as solo artists or as part of other groups or well known in other professions. Usually used in the context of rock and pop music, the term has been applied to other musical genres such as The Three Tenors in opera.[1]
The term is sometimes applied retrospectively when several members from a group later achieve notable success in their own right. Supergroups are sometimes formed as side projects and thus not intended to be permanent, while other times can become the primary project of the members' careers. Charity supergroups, where prominent musicians perform or record together in support of a particular cause have been common since the 1980s.
History
It became popular in late 1960s rock music for members of already successful groups to record an album together, after which they normally split up.[2] In 1969, Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner credited Cream with being the first supergroup[3] and they are still widely recognised as the archetype of the short-lived much-hyped rock supergroup. Cream comprised Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker who, after three years and four albums, split up, Clapton and Baker going on to form a new group Blind Faith.[4]
The term may have come from the 1968 album Super Session with Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, and Stephen Stills. The coalition of Crosby, Stills & Nash (later Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) is another early example, given the success of their prior bands (The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Hollies respectively).
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 as 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]
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.
Single album/show 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 | Citations |
---|---|---|---|---|
1956 | Million Dollar Quartet | Impromptu recording session later released as a 47 track compilation. Without Presley, the group would reunite in 1982 (The Survivors Live) and 1986 (Class of '55). | ||
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'. | |
1967 | The Super Super Blues Band | Albums: Super Blues, The Super Super Blues Band | ||
1968 | The Dirty Mac | They performed only once, at The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus television event, and are featured on the soundtrack album released in connection with the show being issued on VHS. | ||
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 | ||
1970 | Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends |
|
Album: Smoke and Fire | |
1979 | The Greedies |
|
Originally known as The Greedy Bastards, recorded one Christmas single, "A Merry Jingle." | |
1983 | The Glove | Album: Blue Sunshine (1983) | ||
1984 | Hindu Love Gods |
|
Album: Hindu Love Gods (1990) | |
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) | |
1993 | Automatic Baby |
|
One-time performance of U2's "One" during an MTV concert for President Bill Clinton. | |
1994 | Bruce-Baker-Moore |
|
Albums: Around the Next Dream | |
Argyle Park |
|
Albums: Misguided (1995) | ||
1998 | Brandy and Monica | Singles: | ||
Stardust | Singles: "Music Sounds Better with You" | |||
AP2 |
|
Album: Suspension of Disbelief (2000)
|
||
1999 | Global Trotters |
|
Albums: Drive, GLOBAL TROTTERS PROJECT volume I - DRIVE.
| |
2000 | The Word |
|
Album: "The Word" (2001) | |
2001 | Oysterhead | Album: The Grand Pecking Order (2001) | ||
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. | |
Frou Frou |
|
Details (album) | ||
2004 | Probot |
|
Albums: Probot
|
|
Tak Matsumoto Group |
|
Albums: TMG I | ||
2005 | Roadrunner United |
|
Albums: The All-Star Sessions. Released October 11, 2005 to commemorate Roadrunner's 25 anniversary. | |
2005 | Men with Banjos (who Know How to Use Them) |
|
Performed at the 2005 New Yorker Festival and on Late Show with David Letterman. An earlier incarnation of the Martin-Scruggs collaboration, 2001's “Earl Scruggs and Friends,” featured a number of other prominent musicians. | |
2006 | Tipton, Entwistle & Powell |
|
Albums: Edge of the World. The album was released in 2006, but was recorded in the mid-1990s. | |
The Good The Bad & The Queen |
|
Albums: The Good, the Bad & the Queen | [60] | |
2007 | Liquid Trio Experiment | Albums: Spontaneous Combustion | ||
S.K.I.N. |
|
The band gave its debut performance on June 29, 2007 at the Anime Expo in Long Beach, California.
Albums: As of mid-2009, neither an album release date nor a full-time bass player have been announced. |
||
2008 | Fear And The Nervous System |
|
Album: Fear And The Nervous System | |
2009 | Operation Aloha |
|
Albums: Operation Aloha | |
Young Legionnaire |
|
|||
The White Album Concert |
|
Toured Australia with the show The White Album Concert in 2009, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles' classic album. This involved the listed performers collectively playing the entire double album live. | ||
2010 | NKOTBSB | Albums: NKOTBSB (2011) They recorded two new songs together, a mash-up track, and released a compilation album featuring said tracks. The supergroup also toured North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia in 2011-2012. |
Charity supergroups
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 the various charity supergroups which formed in response to the 1983–85 famine in Ethiopia, initiated by Band Aid which recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 1984, such as USA for Africa ("We Are the World") and Northern Lights ("Tears Are Not Enough").
See also
- List of progressive rock supergroups
- compare with All-Stars or Dream Teams in sports
References
- ↑ Alexander Hopkins McDannald, ed. (2000). The Americana annual: an encyclopedia of current events. Americana corporation.
- ↑ Rosenberg, Stuart (2009). Rock and Roll and the American Landscape. iUniverse. ISBN 9781440164583.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Show 53 - String Man. : UNT Digital Library". Pop Chronicles. Digital.library.unt.edu. 1969. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ↑ Thompson, Dave (2005). Cream: The World's First Supergroup. Virgin. ISBN 1852272864.
- ↑ "Music: Return of a Supergroup". Time. 1974-08-05. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
- ↑ "Crosby Stills and Nash". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
- ↑ Wild, David. "Crosby, Stills and Nash Greatest Hits (review)". Rolling Stone, posted April 25, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
- ↑ White, David. "Blind Faith - London Hyde Park 1969 DVD". About.com. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
- ↑ Eder, Bruce. "allmusic.com entry for Emerson, Lake & Palmer". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
- ↑ "AllMusic (((Ginger Baker's Air Force > Biography)))". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
- ↑ "Bad Company Biography". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
- ↑ "Little River Band". nostalgiacentral.com. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ↑ Tinelli, Paul. "Slash's Snakepit Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
- ↑ Huey, Steve. "Slash Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
- ↑ Slash; Bozza, Anthony (2007). Slash. HarperCollins. p. 406. ISBN 978-0-00-725775-1.
- ↑ "allmusic.com entry for Speed of Thought, Cork's debut album". Retrieved 2008-08-02.
- ↑ "allmusic ((( Neurotic Outsiders > Overview )))". AllMusic. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
- ↑ Bush, John. "Westside Connection". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ↑ Quinlan, Thomas (May 2002). "Deepspace 5 - Night We Called It A Day". Exclaim!. Ian Danzig. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
- ↑ Fryberger, Scott (May 31, 2010). "Deepspace5, "The Blueprint 3 Outtakes" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. John DiBiase. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
- ↑ Freedman, Pete (April 29, 2010). "Bonus MP3: DeepSpace5 -- "Killing With Kindness"". Dallas Observer. Voice Media Group. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
- ↑ True, Chris. "Dark Lotus". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
- ↑ "Broken Social Scene".
- ↑ "Dream Evil".
- ↑ Freeman, Jason (April 30, 2009). "Supergroups can save the day". southtownstar.com. Retrieved on May 4, 2009.
- ↑ Slash; Anthony Bozza, (2007). Slash. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-00-725775-1.
- ↑ "A Q&A with Mike Squires from Duff McKagan's Loaded". Blogger. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
- ↑ "DUFF MCKAGAN's LOADED To Release New Album This Summer". Blabbermouth. 2008-02-12. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
- ↑ "DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED Drummer Quits; Replacement Announced". Blabbermouth.net. September 12, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
- ↑ Blashill, Pat. "Audioslave, Audioslave (review)". Rolling Stone, original publication date November 28, 2002. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
- ↑ "Motordog Becomes Brides Of Destruction - Blabbermouth.net". BLABBERMOUTH.NET.
- ↑ "Brides Of Destruction Part Ways With Adema Drummer - Blabbermouth.net". BLABBERMOUTH.NET.
- ↑ "MusicMight :: Artists :: BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION".
- ↑ "John Corabi Leaves Brides Of Destruction - Blabbermouth.net". BLABBERMOUTH.NET.
- ↑ "Brides Of Destruction Announce First Live Performances! - Blabbermouth.net". BLABBERMOUTH.NET.
- ↑ http://www.discogs.com/artist/401460-NuLogic
- ↑ Goodman, David (May 8, 2007). "Neon Horse, "Neon Horse" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. John DiBiase. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ↑ W, Chris (August 3, 2009). "Neon Horse – Haunted Horse: Songs of Love, Defiance, & Delusion". Indie Vision Music. Brandon Jones. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
To begin with there is a lot more synth on this album which I still can’t shake the feeling that there is a Martin relative who is involved that we haven’t been informed of. *coughRONNIEcough*
- ↑ "Two Tongues Release date | The Official Say Anything Site". Sayanythingmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ↑ AP: FEATURES - Isles & Glaciers Alternative Press. original publication date March 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
- ↑ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - OV HELL: Debut Album Title, Track Listing Revealed". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ↑ "Basement Birds official website: About the band". Retrieved 2011-07-03.
- ↑ "Index of /artists/shrinebuilder". Neurotrecordings.com. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ↑ "Tinted Windows". Tintedwindowsmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ↑ "Home". The Dead Weather. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ↑ "Them Crooked Vultures". Them Crooked Vultures. 2010-06-30. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ↑ "Atoms For Peace.". Atomsforpeace.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ↑ Lizardo, Altagracia (April 18, 2010). "Fluye el talento entre Jorge, Lena y Alex" (in Spanish). El Informador. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
- ↑ Machkovech, Sam (Nov 16, 2010). "Wild Flag: Music's First All-Female Supergroup". The Atlantic. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
- ↑ Saraco, Bert (November 19, 2014). "Taylor, Steve And The Perfect Foil -- Goliath". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ↑ MaryNikkel_NRT (December 1, 2014). "A Perfect Storm". New Release Tuesday. NRT Media. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ↑ "Destroid 1 Raise Your Fist".
- ↑ "Destroid - The Invasion".
- ↑ "Destroid - The Invasion Remixes".
- ↑ Lancaster, Elizabeth (2012-12-21). "Skrillex And Boys Noize ‘Collide’ As Dog Blood". MTV. Retrieved 2014-10-02.
- ↑ "Hard Working Americans".
- ↑ "Rhythm Riders feat Aswad & Renegade Soundwave". Facebook.
- ↑ "Claude VonStroke and Green Velvet form new side project, 'Get Real' - Dancing Astronaut". Dancing Astronaut.
- ↑ Goble, Corban (March 9, 2015). "Franz Ferdinand and Sparks Form Supergroup FFS". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ Harrington, Richard (2007-03-09). "Supergroup Dynamics". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-07-10.