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Revision as of 03:55, 17 September 2006 by WWB (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) "Supergroup" redirects here. For other uses, see Supergroup (disambiguation).In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe music groups comprising members who had already achieved fame or respect in other groups or as individual artists. 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).
The term has sometimes been applied more loosely by certain music writers to groups that sold huge numbers of albums and headlined massive concerts regardless of the previous fame of their individual members, especially after the success of Cream (of whom only Eric Clapton was widely known). However, the term as correctly applied refers to the architecture of the group, not the achievements. "Supergroup" also generally does not encompass existing bands whose members achieved individual fame after the band's founding, though some have chosen to retroactively deem such bands (including Genesis, Yes, and Broken Social Scene) to be supergroups. 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. By any standards, it is not a rigidly defined category and has become, more than anything, a marketing term.
Supergroups (of the strict definition) tend to be short-lived, often lasting only for an album or two, perhaps because of the natural conflict of egos between established stars. Additionally, supergroups are often formed as side-projects that are not intended to be permanent.
List of supergroups
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.
Charity supergroups
These were usually one-shot projects, organized to create a charity record to raise money or awareness for a cause or charity.
| Founded | Band/project name | Project co-ordinator(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Rockestra |
recorded "Let It Be", "Lucille", "Rockestra Theme", and "So Glad to See You Here" to benefit people of Cambodia suffering from Pol Pot's regime; released as a promotional EP and film | |
| 1984 | Band Aid | recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 1985 | Northern Lights | recorded the charity single "Tears Are Not Enough" for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 1985 | USA for Africa | recorded "We Are the World" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 1985 | Hear 'n Aid | recorded the charity single and album "Stars" for famine relief in Africa | |
| 1985 | Artists United Against Apartheid | recorded the song and album "Sun City" to protest apartheid in South Africa
| |
| 1989 | Band Aid II | re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single, also for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 1991 | Voices That Care | recorded charity single "Voices That Care" to raise the morale of U.S. troops in Operation Desert Storm and benefit the International Red Cross | |
| 2001 | All Star Tribute | covered "What's Going On" to benefit Artists Against AIDS Worldwide | |
| 2004 | Band Aid 20 | re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 20th anniversary charity single, for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 2004 | Dreamtime Christmas All-Stars | covered "Twelve Days of Christmas" | |
| 2005 | One World Project | recorded the charity single "Grief Never Grows Old" to benefit 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami relief |
Other supergroups
- ARMS Charity Concert
- Eric Clapton (Cream, solo), Jeff Beck (The Jeff Beck Group, solo), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Steve Winwood (Traffic, solo), Ronnie Lane (The Faces), Andy Fairweather-Low, Paul Rodgers (Bad Company), Kenney Jones (The Faces, The Who), Ray Cooper, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones)
- Army of Anyone
- Richard Patrick (Filter), Robert DeLeo & brother Dean DeLeo (both of Stone Temple Pilots), Ray Luzier (David Lee Roth, various others).
- Alcatrazz
- Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Impellitteri), Yngwie Malmsteen, Gary Shea (New England), and Jan Uvena (Alice Cooper). Malmsteen was later replaced by Steve Vai (Frank Zappa, Whitesnake, David Lee Roth).
- Bad English
- John Waite (The Babys), Neal Schon (Santana, Journey), Jonathan Cain (The Babys, Journey), Ricky Phillips (The Babys), Dean Castronovo (several groups).
- Beck, Bogert & Appice
- Power trio formed by guitarist Jeff Beck with Vanilla Fudge's Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice.
- The Bens
- Ben Folds, Ben Kweller, and Ben Lee.
- Black Light Burns
- Gothic/alternative rock band consisting of Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit, Big Dumb Face, Eat the Day), Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails), Josh Eustis (Telefon Tel Aviv), and Josh Freese (The Vandals, A Perfect Circle)
- Bloodbath
- Death metal supergroup consisting of Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity); Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström (Katatonia); Martin Axenrot (now Opeth) (former members: Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth), Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy).
- Boot Camp Clik
- Buckshot, Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C.
- Brakes
- The band is made up from Eamon Hamilton of British Sea Power, Tom and Alex White of The Electric Soft Parade and Marc Beatty from The Tenderfoot.
- Bruderschaft
- European futurepop supergroup consisting of DJ Rexx Arkana, Ronan Harris of VNV Nation, Sebastian Komor of Icon of Coil, Stephan Groth of Apoptygma Berzerk and Joakim Montelius of Covenant.
- Broken Social Scene
- Ohad Benchetrit, Torquil Campbell, Brendan Canning, Jason Collett, Evan Cranley, John Crossingham, Kevin Drew, Leslie Feist, Jo-ann Goldsmith, Emily Haines, Martin Davis Kinack, Lisa Lobsinger, Amy Millan, Dave Newfield, Julie Penner, Justin Peroff, Bill Priddle, James Shaw, Charles Spearin, and Andrew Whiteman.
- Burden Brothers
- Vaden Lewis (Toadies), Taz Bentley (Reverend Horton Heat, Tenderloin, Izzy Stradlin's band, Loaded), Casey Hess (Doosu, Jump Rope Girls), Corey Rozzoni (Clumsy); (former members: Mark Hughes (Baboon), Mike Rudnicki (Baboon), and Zach Blair (GWAR, Hagfish), Casey Orr (GWAR, Ministry, Speedealer, Rigor Mortis, Blohole, The Hellions)
- Captain Beyond
- Rod Evans (Deep Purple); Rhino Rheinhardt and Lee Dorman (Iron Butterfly); Bobby Caldwell (The Johnny Winter Band)
- Casbah Club
- Simon Townshend (The Who), Bruce Foxton (The Jam, Stiff Little Fingers), Mark Brzezicki (The Cult, Procol Harum, Big Country) and Bruce Watson (Big Country).
- Class of '99
- Layne Staley (Alice in Chains); Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine); Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction); Martyn LeNoble (Porno for Pyros)
- Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains
- Les Claypool and Brian Mantia (Primus); Buckethead (Guns N' Roses); Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadelic)
- Contraband
- Bobby Blotzer (Ratt), Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO, Michael Schenker Group), Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns), Share Pedersen (Vixen), and Richard Black (Shark Island). The band released one album in 1991.
- Cry Cry Cry
- A folk supergroup of Richard Shindell, Dar Williams, and Lucy Kaplansky
- Cyberaktif
- cEvin Key & Dwayne Goettel of Skinny Puppy, with Bill Leeb of Front Line Assembly/Delerium.
- The Damage Manual
- A quartet of prominent industrial musicians; Chris Connelly, Martin Atkins, Jah Wobble and Geordie Walker.
- Dark Lotus
- A supergroup consisting of members of Psychopathic Records. Members include Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope (Insane Clown Posse), Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child (Twiztid), Blaze Ya Dead Homie, & Anybody Killa (who replaced rapper Marz after the first album). Anybody Killa has since left Psycopathic Records.
- Damnocracy
- Created for VH1's reality show SuperGroup. Features Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, Ted Nugent, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Evan Seinfeld of Biohazard, and Jason Bonham, son of famed Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.
- The Daredevils
- Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion); Gore Verbinski (Little Kings); Dean Opseth (Medicine); Josh Freese (The Vandals)
- Dark New Day
- Brett Hestla of Virgos Merlot, Troy McLawhorn of Doubledrive, Clint Lowery of Sevendust, Corey Lowery of Stereomud, and Will Hunt of Skrape.
- David Lee Roth
- David Lee Roth (ex-Van Halen), Steve Vai (of Frank Zappa, Whitesnake, Alcatrazz), Billy Sheehan (of Talas, Niacin), and Gregg Bissionette (of Joe Satriani). Later, Vai and Sheehan were replaced by Jason Becker (of Cacophony) and Paul Baron.
- Def Squad
- Redman, Erick Sermon, and Keith Murray
- Demons and Wizards
- Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian); Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth).
- Dirty Mac
- Made up of John Lennon (The Beatles), Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones), Eric Clapton, Ivry Gitlis, Yoko Ono and Mitch Mitchell (The Jimi Hendrix Experience). Performed 2 songs on The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus.
- Dodgin' Bullets
- Hardcore supergroup consisting of members of xDisciplex A.D., No Innocent Victim, and Shockwave. Members include Dan Quiggle and Tom Engler, vocals; Tim Mason and Neil Hartman, guitar; Kyle Fisher, bass; and Jason Dunn; drums.
- DPG-Unit
- Group formed by 50 Cent's G-Unit and Snoop Dogg's Dogg Pound.
- Electronic
- Bernard Sumner of New Order and Johnny Marr of The Smiths, with one or both members of the Pet Shop Boys on certain tracks; and one member of Kraftwerk on even rarer occasions.
- Eyes Adrift
- Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets, Bud Gaugh of Sublime
- The Falcon
- Brendan Kelly (guitar and vocals) and Neil Hennessy (drums) of The Lawrence Arms, Dan Andriano (bass) of Alkaline Trio, and former Rise Against member Todd Mohney (guitar).
- Fantômas
- Mike Patton (Faith No More); Buzz Osborne (The Melvins), Dave Lombardo (Slayer) and Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle)
- Far Corporation
- A multinational supergroup whose greatest his Led Zeppelin cover Stairway to Heaven.
- The Firm (1980s rock music supergroup)
- Jimmy Page; Paul Rodgers; Chris Slade.
- The Firm (1990s hip hop supergroup)
- Nas; Cormega; Foxy Brown; AZ (rapper); Nature.
- Free Kitten
- Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth): Julie Cafritz (Pussy Galore): Mark Ibold (Pavement): Yoshimi P-We (Boredoms)
- G3
- Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and various other guitarists, including Yngwie Malmsteen, Robert Fripp, Eric Johnson, and John Petrucci
- Generation X
- While recording the group's final album, "Kiss Me Deadly," the band at one point included former Sex Pistols members Paul Cook and Steve Jones. However, the two left after recording one track, and the group was joined by Terry Chimes, formerly of The Clash (whom is formally credited on drums)
- Ginger Baker's Air Force
- The Glove
- A side-project for The Cure's Robert Smith and Siouxsie & the Banshees's Steven Severin.
- Go.
- The Golden Palominos
- Project led by Anton Fier, with varying personnel that has included Bill Laswell, John Zorn, Fred Frith, Michael Stipe, John Lydon, Syd Straw, Richard Thompson, Jack Bruce, and many others.
- Golden State Warriors
- Ras Kass, Xzibit & Saafir
- GTR
- Formed by guitarists Steve Hackett (Genesis) and Steve Howe (Yes and Asia).
- Gutterball
- A Paisley Underground tour de force that consisted of Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate, Stephen McCarthy of The Long Ryders and Brian Harvey and Johnny Hott of House of Freaks.
- Happyland
- Pop-rock collaboration between Quan Yeomans of Regurgitator and partner Janet English of Spiderbait. The original name of the band was to be "The Shits", but was renamed for "commercial reasons".
- HARP
- Folk group taking its name from the initials of Holly Near, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert, Pete Seeger. The latter two were in The Weavers.
- Hazen Street
- Formed by Toby Morse, Freddy Cricien, David Kennedy, Hoya and Mackie James.
- The Heartbreakers
- Composed of Richard Hell, Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan
- The Horsemen
- Ras Kass, Canibus, Killah Priest & Kurupt
- Humble Pie
- Steve Marriott (The Small Faces); Peter Frampton (The Herd); Greg Ridley (Spooky Tooth); and Jerry Shirley
- Jeff Beck Group
- Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, Mick Waller, Nicky Hopkins
- Jelly Jam
- John Myung (Dream Theater), Ty Tabor (King's X), Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dregs, and previously played with Derek Sherinian as Platypus)
- The Jones Gang
- Kenny Jones (The Faces/The Who), Rick Willis (Foreigner), Robert Hart (Bad Company)
- Katmandu
- Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac; Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry; Vincent Crane of Atomic Rooster
- King James
- Rex Carroll (Whitecross), Jimi Bennett (Sacred Fire), Tim Gaines and Robert Sweet (Stryper)
- L.A. Guns
- Phil Lewis (Girl), Tracii Guns (Guns N' Roses), Steve Riley (W.A.S.P.), Kelly Nickels (Faster Pussycat), Mick Cripps (Faster Pussycat)
- The Last Hard Men
- Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins); Kelley Deal (The Breeders); Jimmy Flemion (The Frogs); Sebastian Bach (Skid Row)
- Liquid Tension Experiment
- John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Jordan Rudess (now Dream Theater), Tony Levin (King Crimson)
- Little Village
- First formed as John Hiatt's backing group for his album Bring the Family: Hiatt, Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, and Jim Keltner
- Los Super Seven
- Latin American supergroup
- The Lost Dogs
- Gene Eugene, Terry Scott Taylor, Mike Rowe, and Derri Daughtery
- Lucy Pearl
- Raphael Saadiq (Tony! Toni! Toné!), Dawn Robinson (En Vogue), Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest)
- Mad Season
- Members included Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, and Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees.
- Mike & the Mechanics
- Members included Mike Rutherford (Genesis); Paul Carrack (Ace, Squeeze); Paul Young (Sad Café).
- Mr. Big
- Eric Martin (415), Paul Gilbert (Racer X), Billy Sheehan (Talas, Niacin), Pat Torpey (Impellitteri), and Richie Kotzen.
- Mutual Admiration Society
- Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), and Chris Thile, Sean Watkins and Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), who were joined by John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Pete Thomas (many bands including The Attractions). This may have been a one-shot tour.
- Naked City
- John Zorn: Joey Baron: Fred Frith (Henry Cow): Bill Frisell: Wayne Horvitz: Yamatsuka Eye (Boredoms)
- The New Cars
- Greg Hawkes and Elliot Easton of The Cars, Todd Rundgren of Utopia and solo, Prairie Prince of The Tubes.
- NiNa
- Kate Pierson (The B-52's), YUKI (Judy and Mary), Mick Karn (Japan)
- The No WTO Combo
- Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys, Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Kim Thayil of Soundgarden
- The Ol' Skydaddies
- A combination of legendary Australian bands Ol' 55, Daddy Cool and Skyhooks that toured in the 2000s.
- Osaka Popstar
- John Cafiero (The Misfits), Jerry Only (The Misfits), Dez Cadena (Black Flag, The Misfits), Marky Ramone (The Ramones, The Misfits, The Voidoids), Ivan Julian (The Isley Brothers, The Foundations, The Voidoids), Daniel Johnston
- OSI
- Jim Matheos (Fates Warning), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Kevin Moore, (Chroma Key), Sean Malone (Gordian Knot, Cynic), and Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree).
- Oysterhead
- Les Claypool (Primus); Trey Anastasio (Phish); Stewart Copeland (The Police).
- Various artists on Perfect Day.
- Pinkly Smooth
- A side-project band consisting of members from Avenged Sevenfold and Ballistico. They released a 6 song demo tape, titled "Unfortunate Snort", in 2002, but have since never released any other albums.
- Pigface
- The industrial supergroup. Martin Atkins (Ministry), Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Steve Albini, Nivek Ogre (OhGr, Skinny Puppy).
- Planet X
- Virgil Donati, Tony MacAlpine and Derek Sherinian.
- Praxis
- Bootsy Collins (Parliament/Funkadelic), Brian Mantia (Primus), Bill Laswell, Buckethead, Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadelic) and others.
- Primal Scream
- Britpop Masters Gary Mounfield (Stone Roses), Bobby Gillespie (The Jesus and Mary Chain), Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine), Martin Duffy (The Charlatans).
- Psychopathic Rydas
- A supergroup consisting of members of Psychopathic Records taking on various aliases. Current members include Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope (Insane Clown Posse), Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child (Twiztid), & Blaze Ya Dead Homie. Former members include Myzery (1st album), Anybody Killa (3rd album), and Esham (3rd album).
- Rebel Meets Rebel
- David Allan Coe; Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell (Pantera and Damageplan); and Rex Brown (Pantera).
- The Reindeer Section
- 27-strong Scottish indie rock supergroup featuring (amongst others) members from Snow Patrol, Belle & Sebastian, Idlewild, Mogwai, Arab Strap and Teenage Fanclub.
- The Rising Sons
- Named after the famous song 'House of the Rising Sun': Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal, Kevin Kelly (later in The Byrds), and (briefly) Ed Cassidy (later in Spirit). Their one album was recorded in 1965... and then shelved... to be released in 1992! Cooder was also in the two-album band Little Village and would later hit paydirt by organizing "The Buena Vista Social Club" album.
- Roadrunner United
- A celebration of Roadrunner Records' 25th anniversary, featuring music written by Joey Jordison (Slipknot and Murderdolls), Matt Heafy (Trivium), Dino Cazares (Fear Factory) and Robb Flynn (Machine Head), and performed by a multitude of guest musicians.
- Shandi's Addiction
- Tom Morello, Billy Gould, Brad Wilk and Maynard James Keenan
- Shriekback
- Members of XTC, The Pop Group and Gang of Four
- Sinergy
- Formed by Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom and Roope Latvala of Stone together with former Dimmu Borgir keyboardist Kimberly Goss.
- Sky
- Classical guitarist John Williams, with other classical performers
- Stars
- Syd Barrett, Twink, Jack Monck
- Supernova
- Gilby Clarke of Guns N' Roses, Jason Newsted of Metallica and Voivod, Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe and Methods of Mayhem, and Lukas Rossi, winner of Rock Star: Supernova
- Super Super Blues Band
- One album of material by Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Howlin' Wolf
- Supershine
- Doug Pinnick, Jerry Gaskill, and Ty Tabor of King's X, Bruce Franklin and Jeff Olson of Trouble.
- Swan Lake
- Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes), Daniel Bejar (Destroyer and The New Pornographers; Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown).
- Tapeworm
- Reported collaborative project of Trent Reznor, Danny Lohner, and Charlie Clouser (Nine Inch Nails), Maynard James Keenan (Tool), Atticus Ross (12 Rounds), and many others. Existed for 8 years, but disbanded without releasing any music.
- The Tear Garden
- All members of Skinny Puppy and The Legendary Pink Dots.
- Tomahawk
- Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle); Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard); Kevin Rutmanis (The Cows, The Melvins); John Stanier (Helmet, The Mark of Cain).
- Transatlantic
- Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater); Pete Trewavas (Marillion); Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings); Neal Morse (ex-Spock's Beard).
- Transplants
- Tim Armstrong of Rancid, Travis Barker of Blink-182 and Rob Aston.
- TRIO!
- Side-project fusion supergroup. Consists of renowned banjo player Bela Fleck, legendary bassist Stanley Clarke (Return to Forever), and violin virtuoso Jean-Luc Ponty. Toured in 2005 but have yet to record an album.
- U.K.
- Eddie Jobson, Terry Bozzio, John Wetton, Bill Bruford and Allan Holdsworth
- The Vicious White Kids
- Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols , Rat Scabies of The Damned, Glen Matlock of The Sex Pistols and Rich Kids, Steve New of The Rich Kids.
- The Vital Tech Tones
- Fusion side-project supergroup. Consisted of bassist Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), guitarist Scott Henderson (Tribal Tech), and drummer Steve Smith (Vital Information/ Journey). Made 2 albums but never appeared live.
- The Wrights
- Consisting of Nic Cester (Jet), Chris Cheney (The Living End), Kram (Spiderbait), Davey Lane (You Am I/The Pictures) & Pat Bourke (Dallas Crane), and featuring guest vocals from Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger) and Phil Jamieson (Grinspoon).
- The Wreckers
- Rock/country/pop duo consisting of Michelle Branch noted American country/pop/rock artist and songwriter and Jessica Harp, one of Branch's backup singers and friends who released an independent album "Preface" in 2002.
- XYZ
- Ex-Yes and Led Zeppelin members who became a true supergroup on creation, despite the group not surviving long enough to produce any official albums.
- Straylight Run
- John Nolan and Shaun Cooper (Taking Back Sunday), Will Noon (Breaking Pangaea), Michelle Nolan.