Design the ultimate rock dream band

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

Ok - your mission is to compile the personel for the ultimate s*#@-kicking rock band. You need, minimum, a drummer a bassist a guitarist and or a singer (any instrumentalist could be your singer also, ala Phil Collins.) So you could compile a power trio if necessary.

Go!

[Catch22Dem]

1. Shit, there wouldn't be a stage big enough

I'd have an impossible time trying to weed people out. I'm a fan of so many.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

3. you gotta separate the cream baby!

I'm musing this as we speak

[DBoon]

13. The cream should NOT be separated

In their day, they WERE a dream band!

[Catch22Dem]

15. Precisely

That's what I'm talkin' about.

[bbernardini]

2. Do the members have to be currently alive?

?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

4. No - dead or alive

its all good

[Wickerman]

5. Man, the Phil Collins example sucked the energy

right outta this one for me.

Let see Karen Carpenter Drums and vocals

Laurie Partridge keys

Danny Partridge Bass

Whatever Wilson bro on the geetar.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

6. WHAT?!? are you kidding - you ever listen to early Genesis?

Phil Collins is one of the best rock drummers ever.

Sheesh!

[Wickerman]

14. Never found it that tasty

and the sins he committed post G negated any deserved respect.

[Bluzmann57]

7. Hmmm...

John Bonham on drums, without a doubt. Jimi on guitar, Kenny Gradney(Little Feat) on bass, Jerry Lee Lewis on keyboards, and the vocalist? Mick Jagger. Why? I don't really know, except I like the Stones. One man's opinion. Duane Allman on rythym guitar too, with occasional lead.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

8. I'm feeling John Bonham on drums - that's on my bands's roster

Jimihas his own sound so I think he doesn't fit in an over all dream band. But maybe...I don't know yet

[Whitacre D_WI]

9. Drums: Jaki Leibezeit

Bass guitar: the Ox
Git-Fiddle: Tom Verlaine
Keys and Vox: Sylvester Stewart

[jpgray]

10. Here's a setup that would sound interesting

Drums - Jaki Leibezeit
2nd Drums / Vocals - Robert Wyatt (with working legs)
Bass - Holger Czukay
Rhythm Guitar - Marc Riley
Lead Guitar - Syd Barrett (with working brain)
Keyboards - Mike Ratledge
Lead vocals - Allan Clarke
Songwriting - Brian Wilson / Woody Guthrie
Lyrics - Mark E. Smith / Bob Dylan

[Whitacre D_WI]

17. Ooh, you have Holger, too.

I thought I was cool enough with just Jaki.

[jpgray]

18. To tell the truth, he's only there because I need a professional mustache

That of Ratledge doesn't relly make the cut.

[Whitacre D_WI]

19. *ahem* You want mustache? You want bass?

[jpgray]

20. The demon warts on hellspawn are not welcome in my band

And striking a pose with a Rickenbacker bass is expressly forbidden as well. However Lemmy would come in handy when my band engages in a drunken brawl with Rabrrrrrr's band.

[Whitacre D_WI]

21. Dude. MES by HIMSELF would kick the ass of Rabrrrrrr's band.

Get a few (dozen) pints in that little Limey, and he'll tear your throat out with his bare hands.

[jpgray]

24. If the Fall comes to MN this year

I'm going to sit in front yelling the names of outdated Fall songs and demanding to know where the t-shirts are sold until he comes down and fights me, or at least hurls a bottle at me.

[Whitacre D_WI]

29. "Container Drivers!" "Music Scene!" "How I Wrote 'Elastic Man!'"

"Where's Brix? Where's Brix?"

[RandomKoolzip]

37. "Male Slags!" "Repetition!" "I Am Damo Suzuki!" "No Bulbs!"

"Telephone Thing!!!!!!"

[jpgray]

38. Dude! YOU are the Dice Man! And I take a chance, fan!!! (nt)

[RandomKoolzip]

41. "No nerves left monday morning/I think I'll cut my dick off..."

My favorite E. Smith line ever, from "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul."

[Whitacre D_WI]

46. My favorite MES lyrics:

"Had your chances... you've had your chance
You've had your chances... you've had your chance
Banana!"

[RandomKoolzip]

50. "I'm the sort who gets out of the bath with a dirty face...."

Another good one, although your quote totally whips mine.

"(MArk E. Smith is) easily the finest philosopher to emerge from post-war Britain." - Byron Coley, 1993

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

62. You Biotches aren't forming dream bands - you pretentious......

geniuses......
oh f-*it - are you playing my game or no?

[Rabrrrrrr]

26. But MY band could improv a jammin' 11/8 over 5/4 vamp to accompany it

[jpgray]

30. Plus, while Geddy Lee seems like a reasonable guy

If he ever decided to use that voice to incapacitate all within range, I don't doubt that he could pull it off. :D

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. I think my band will tend toward just being continually high, not drunk

Though I'd love to see John Lord put his Hammond through Brian Wilson's head.

[jpgray]

28. A drunken brawl can be a one-way street if it has to be

Though I think the period Brian Wilson I'd want would be shuddering in a corner regardless of what was going on around him. Neil Peart would have an endless supply of drums to throw, but if he hit Mark with a telephone receiver, he might be in trouble.

[Rabrrrrrr]

31. I'm really LOLing!

all funny!

And don't forget Einsturzende have all the scrap metal and industrial concrete to throw, too.

[jpgray]

33. I could always play my trump card

Wardrobe and Aerial Choreography - Sting

[Whitacre D_WI]

34. I see your Sting, and raise you Wardrobe and Aerial Choreography:

DAVID LEE ROTH!

[jpgray]

35. Ack! I give! I give!

LOL, I'm glad Dave went for the 'sensible old man sneakers' option with his shiny skin-tight suit.

[Rabrrrrrr]

56. I see your Dave, and raise you one Angel

And, by God, I just found out via this website http://www.grndzero.com/angmain.htm that Angel still exist, and are touring with KISS, and you can get their signature on April 29 here: COME MEET ANGEL AT:
THE 15TH ANNUAL NY KISS & HARD ROCK CONVENTION
ROTHMAN CENTER
HACKENSACK, NJ
FOR DIRECTIONS AND INFO: NEW YORK KISS EXPO http://users.erols.com/starzcentral/kissexpo/

[RandomKoolzip]

43. Oh yeah. I'd force-feed my dream band acid and speed

in the dungeon/rehearsal pace/studio I've built especially in my basement.....


"FASTER, WORMS! AND MORE OUT THERE, DAMMIT!!!"

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Ooh I hate questions like these because they remind me what I can't have

Vocals: Gabriel, Bowie, John Anderson, Leon Redbone, and Kate Bush

Guitar: Gilmore, Lifeson, Fripp, Zappa, Hendrix, Page, Cash, Belew, Howe (many of them also doubling on vocals)

Bass: Geddy Lee, Les Claypool

Keyboards: Rick Wakeman, Rick Wright, Tony Banks, Greg Lake, Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass (some also doing vocals, Laurie also doubling on Talking Stick and violin)

Drums: Neil Peart, Bill Bruford, Vinnie Colliauta (I spelled that wrong, I know, I can't do Italian names well)

Organ: Virgil Fox, John Lord

Flute: Ian Anderson

Saxophone: Terry Riley

Percussion: Ruth Underwood, Steve Reich, Bob Becker, Lionel Hampton

Synthesizer, effects, and tape loops: Brian Eno

Giant slabs of scrap metal, industrial concrete, and bridge overpasses: Einsturzende Neubauten

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. Mitch Mitchell on drums, Noel Redding on bass and Jimi Hendrix

but that's just my personal taste. Why tamper with perfection?

But to answer the question I think you had in mind, I would have to resort to players who were maybe not thought of completely as rock players. I would have Keith Emerson on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, Tony Williams on drums, and John McLaughlin on guitar. Michal Urbaniak on violin might be an interesting addition, but it would begin sounding more and more like a jazz-rock fusion group. While I'm more into instrumental music than music with vocals, I think that Robert Plant would be a good choice as the lead singer.

[Redleg]

57. LOL! I was thinking Townshend, Daltrey, Entwhistle, and Moon.

That would be an interesting band!

[JaySherman]

16. Try this one on for size:

Vocals - Joan Osbourne
Guitar - Allan Holdsworth, Warren Haynes, David Gilmour
Bass - Les Claypool
Drums - Neil Peart
Percussion - Marc Quiñones (Allman Brothers), Mickey Hart
Keyboards - Jordan Rudess - (Dream Theater)

Added Gilmour on edit. Going with the triple axe attack, ala Skynyrd. Probably overkill, but what the heck.

[jpgray]

22. Allan Holdsworth is one finger flashin' mamma jamma. (nt)

[JaySherman]

32. Was torn between Holdsworth and Jeff Beck

Haynes and Gilmour are sentimental picks. Holdsworth wins by a hair. He's too good to leave out. Though Beck might even be a better fit in that lineup. I think Holdsworth could play with anybody.

[bbernardini]

25. A big band, but here you go...

Guitar, Vocals - Mike Keneally
Guitar, Vocals - Frank Zappa
Guitar, Vocals - Stuart Davis
Guitar, Vocals - Andy Partridge
Guitar, Vocals - Jim Boggia
Guitar, Vocals - Todd Rundgren
Guitar, Vocals - Kevin Gilbert
Guitar, Vocals - Eric Bazilian
Guitar - Robert Fripp

Bass, Vocals - Les Claypool
Bass, Vocals - Paul McCartney
Bass, Vocals - Bootsy Collins
Bass, Vocals - Tony Levin
Bass, Vocals - Kasim Sulton
Bass, Vocals - Kevin Gilbert
Bass, Vocals - Bryan Beller

Keys, Vocals - Bernie Worrell
Keys, Vocals - Vince Welnick
Keys, Vocals - Roger Powell
Keys, Vocals - Mike Keneally
Keys, Vocals - Kevin Gilbert
Keys - Rick Wakeman

Drums, Vocals - Terry Bozzio
Drums, Vocals - Willie Wilcox
Drums, Vocals - Prairie Prince
Drums, Vocals - Nick D'Virgilio
Drums - Bill Bruford
Drums - Neil Peart

Horns - Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Pee Wee Ellis, Napoleon Murphy Brock

[Rabrrrrrr]

27. Whew, can tell you're a fan of Zappa's musicians!

Me, too!

[RandomKoolzip]

39. Aw man, Bozzio?!

Come on, he was Zappa'a worst drummer! It's gotta be Coliauta or Logemann...or even Aynsley Dunbar.....

[bbernardini]

45. I'll agree that Vinnie may have been better technically...

But nobody put the eyebrows on like Terry Ted. The energy and ferocity he put in every show from beginning to end was astounding.

[RandomKoolzip]

52. True...

But the period he was Frank's drummer was my least favorite period in Frank's recording and touring career: in 76-78, the lyrics got more and more unpleasant and self-referential, the music catered to the prevalent whims of the day, although sometimes you couldn't tell if it was satire or not, Frank's exclusive use of the SG was allowing for a very limited palette of tones he could wrench out of his axe, the setlists were repetitive to the extreme, and there weren't any real singers in the band. In late 78, with the appearance of Coliauta and Willis, things really picked up, IMHO.

I never liked the SOUND of Bozzio's drums...the mix job on "In New York" is horribly botched, and after a good show on "Bongo Fury," I feel Terry got sloppier. And even though they were friends and had been in bands together before, to me, Bozzio and O'Hearn never really seemed to muster a real rapport together to my ears ...although there are some real bright spots ("Ocean is the Ultimate Solution," "Rubber Shirt," "Broken Hearts are for Assholes," others).

Of course this is all subjective.


My fave years for Zappa are 70-74, 79, 82, and 88.

[RandomKoolzip]

36. Hmmm....

This is eerily similar to a thread I posted a few months ago about the "Rock Rotisserie League," Toronto.....

I'll do an archive search and dredge up the old results.

Today, here's my dream band line-up:

Drums: John "Fucking" Bonham (no question)
Bass: Chris Squire
Lead Guitar: Tom Verlaine
Sonny Sharrock
Keys: Cecil Taylor
Vocals: Craig Wedren (Shudder to Think)
Songwriter: Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel)


Kick out the um, Jams, I guess....

[jpgray]

42. Your keyboard player would never last

The ghosts of Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner would rise up and beat the cocaine juice out of him. Plus he would drown out Bonzo. :D

[RandomKoolzip]

48. Cecil ain't no cokehead....

And NOT everybody digs Bill Evans.

But imagine a Cecil-Bonham duel.....ay yi yi....

[jpgray]

63. Cecil knows his shit, no doubt about that (nt)

[Whitacre D_WI]

40. Here's another:

Drums: that chick from the Shaggs
Bass: Sid Vicious
Guitar and Vocals: Billy Squier

TOP THAT, SONS OF BITCHES!

[RandomKoolzip]

44. I'll see you and raise you:

Drums: Jad Fair
Bass: Julia Roberts
Guitar: Scott Ian


Bring it, foo!

[Whitacre D_WI]

47. Game, set, match:

Drums: Al Hedges
Bass: Al Hedges
Guitar: Al Hedges
Keyboards: Al Hedges
Vox: Al Hedges

[RandomKoolzip]

53. Liner Notes: Anthony DeCurtis.

The Ernest Borgnine of rock criticism.

Roadie: Rick Kerrigan

[Whitacre D_WI]

54. Put the amp in the van, Kerrigan.

And for the last time, STOP TALKING TO THE GIRLS.

[RandomKoolzip]

55. But it's only the ones I suspect of being hermaphrodites that I talk to...

C'mon, boss!


In your tour rider, you should make a request that no roadie or stagehand or other plebe-type makes eye contact with you, just like Glenn Danzig, Diana Ross, Jennifer Lopez, and Nick Drake.

Okay, I threw that last one in there for shits and giggles, but I bet if he were alive today......

[DBoon]

58. that chick from the Shaggs

Helen Wiggin, right?

[tigereye]

61. even I played drums better than her

(I know that ain't saying much)


Drums: Keith Moon, Art Blakey

Vocals: Johnette Napolitano, Roseanne Cash

Bass: Andrew Cyrille, Charlie Haden (neither could probably stand all the noise though)

Guitar: Tom Verlaine, Fripp

Percussion: Airto or Tito Puente

Clarinet: Don Byron (I love Don Byron!)

Hell I should have just picked a jazz band instead

[FDRrocks]

49. Humph.

Vocals: James Brown
Back up Vocals: Snoop Dogg
Guitar: Tom Morello
Drums: Mike Portney
Bass: Matt Freeman
Turntables: DJ Kilmore

Okay, so it's not the best of the best, really, but I think it would prolly sound rad.

[sendero]

51. Ultimate bands...

... have been tried and found wanting :)

Great bands are the result of serendipity or kizmet - they cannot be assembled!

[jpgray]

59. Ah but mine wouldn't play

They would only gather for publicity photos and the aforementioned battle royale with Rabrrrrrr's band.

[toddzilla]

60. hmm...

stevie ray vaughan on guitar

matt abts on drums

chris robinson on vocals

jaco pastorius on bass