Good guitar player, but bad band?

[Flat6Driver]

I was thinking about this in the context of the Janis Joplin thread. Many folks shredded the band. Earlier, I was in the car and Hendrix was playing. I'm hot and cold on Hendrix, but it got me thinking. A good singer with a bad band, eventually the band gets axed by the label and different folks subbed in. I'm sure some guitar players (esp that sing) could have the same thing happen. But I'm guessing there's not a lot of guitar (star) players that greatly outpace the band. No label would stand for that. Or for very long. Anyone have an example of a good guitar star player with a bad band? Maybe a "meh" band would be easier. Whatever you think of Neil Young, I recall he said Crazy Horse was just OK. I think Frank Sampedro said Neil would write his easier stuff with CH. Obviously not the same material that the Bluenotes would back him playing.

Anyhow, thoughts? Examples?

 

[Short on cash]

Yes, any band I've played guitar in.
(Just kidding of course !)

 

[RhythmFender]

John Frusciante and Chili Peppers, the list goes on and on. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Dan German]

Probably a lot of examples, but I suspect it’s even more common for a solid band to get ignored behind a Guitar God.

(For the record, as much as I am a Neil Young fanboy, my favourite NY is backed by Crazy Horse. The “best” band is not always the “right” band.)

 

[Ron R]

IMO, George Lynch is a superb player, while Dokken as a band was kinda middle of the pack. Not bad, but only George stood above the crowd.

 

[Ron R]

(For the record, as much as I am a Neil Young fanboy, my favourite NY is backed by Crazy Horse. The “best” band is not always the “right” band.)

Kinda like Dinosaur Jr. J Mascis' voice is not what I'd call a great singing voice, and yet, I can't imagine a "better" voice fitting the music better.

 

[Greg70]

There's probably a fair amount of hair metal bands that would fit the bill.

 

[421JAM]

Fine, I'll say it:

X

 

[HaWE]

Not a "band" but a backing band with a good guitar player comes to my mind. I am talking of Roy Buchanan.I never had the chance to see him live, but have watched some concerts on video. And I discovered the difference between (for my taste) a good and a "not so good" backing band.
I think on "Live from Austin TX" (1976) he has a very good backing band.On the other hand the backing band on "Live at Rockpalast" (1985) sounds a little bit boring and liveless to me.
I do not say I could have done it better , I am only talking of my personal impressions and taste.So I think - compared to the band he had in 1976 - the band from 1985 is "not so good". (Although I do not want to call them "bad") .

 

[brookdalebill]

Creedence, sorta.
John was great, simple, but great.
Great singer, and writer, too.
The rest of the band were at best adequate.
Here’s where the “sorta” comes in.
They served the song, and did support/follow the leader.
In that regard, they were perfect.
Just my opinion.

 

[mixmkr 2023]

Groups like REO and Blue Oyster Cult were just horrible around their 1st albums release. Live gigs easily verified this, but playing for a living....you get a little better. Techs set up your guitars, producers help you with a sound, and live audience steer you away from embarrassing yourself after awhile.

 

[chris m.]

Michael Schenker is an amazing hard rock guitarist. His bands-- UFO and "The Michael Schenker Group" (MSG) are both pretty meh at best, IMO.

 

[Peegoo]

One example that comes to mind was the band put together for Boston's first tour. I'll probably get crucified for this, but it's true. And this comes from a Boston fanboy.

I knew one of Epic's attorneys at the time; he said they signed only Scholz and Delp as 'the band' and the other guys were simply brought in by Scholz. Before the first tour, they played a few showcases that went "okay," but the first 10 or so shows were so bad, Epic came this close to canceling the tour and dropping the band. They just couldn't get it together onstage.

Which is weird because Goudreau, Sheehan, and Hashian were good musicians. It was a chemistry thing that took some time to develop.

 

[chris m.]

One example that comes to mind was the band put together for Boston's first tour. I'll probably get crucified for this, but it's true. And this comes from a Boston fanboy.

I knew one of Epic's attorneys at the time; he said they signed only Scholz and Delp as 'the band' and the other guys were simply brought in by Scholz. Before the first tour, they played a few showcases that went "okay," but the first 10 or so shows were so bad, Epic came this close to canceling the tour and dropping the band. They just couldn't get it together onstage.

Which is weird because Goudreau, Sheehan, and Hashian were good musicians. It was a chemistry thing that took some time to develop.

Scholz was a studio god, not a road warrior. It takes a LOT of gigging to get good at gigging. I don't know about the gigging experience of the supporting cast, but if the star of the show doesn't have the experience it's probably not very easy to compensate for that.

 

[FenderGyrl]

One example that comes to mind was the band put together for Boston's first tour. I'll probably get crucified for this, but it's true. And this comes from a Boston fanboy.

I knew one of Epic's attorneys at the time; he said they signed only Scholz and Delp as 'the band' and the other guys were simply brought in by Scholz. Before the first tour, they played a few showcases that went "okay," but the first 10 or so shows were so bad, Epic came this close to canceling the tour and dropping the band. They just couldn't get it together onstage.

Which is weird because Goudreau, Sheehan, and Hashian were good musicians. It was a chemistry thing that took some time to develop.

I saw that first tour, or maybe the second one. You're right, it was awful. I was young but still knew enough to realize that what I paid to see was atrocious.
FG

 

[BigDaddyLH]

Allan Holdsworth in UK? Actually you could say all the members were better than the band

 

[Sparky472]

If Neil Young ever said Crazy Horse was “ok” then there is some context missing - he has always said that when Crazy Horse plays it’s magic and there is no band like it.

 

[Flat6Driver]

If Neil Young ever said Crazy Horse was “ok” then there is some context missing - he has always said that when Crazy Horse plays it’s magic and there is no band like it.

Didn't one tour have shirts that they are the 3rd best garage band or something?

 

[Informal]

IMO, George Lynch is a superb player, while Dokken as a band was kinda middle of the pack. Not bad, but only George stood above the crowd.

I bought all the early Dokken albums.... Primarily to listen to Lynch.

 

[Sparky472]

Didn't one tour have shirts that they are the 3rd best garage band or something?

Neil Young Crazy Horse 3rd Best Garage Band in the World 1986 - Etsy

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