The Ten List: Super Duper Supergroups

Emerson, Lake and Palmer in 1973

The idea of the "supergroup" has been around since the late '60s, when great bands formed from the ashes of other groups in London. While these volatile lineups often result in ego clashes and backstage drama (Cream are a really good example!) So here are ten super-groups of varied, but always interesting quality:

1. Cream
   The guitar player from the Yardbirds (some guy named Eric Clapton) hooked up with a jazz drummer (Ginger Baker) and the bassist and singer for the Graham Bond Organisation. Cream were arguably the first power trio and one of the godfathers of heavy metal. Also they were smart--four albums before they realized they couldn't stand each other. Baker and Clapton went on to join another supergroup, Blind Faith, which lasted for only one album.
   
   
2. Emerson, Lake and Palmer
   Not a law firm, but a progressive rock supergroup with real staying power. ELP recorded together for a decade, having huge hits with "Lucky Man" and "Karn Evil 9 (First Impression"). Combining classical music pretensions (their output includes a piano concerto and an adaptation of Mussorgsy's Pictures at an Exhibition, the members had all been in different bands beforehand. Keith Emerson rose to prominence as the knife-throwing flag-burning keyboard wizard of The Nice. Carl Palmer played drums in Atomic Rooster and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. And Greg Lake was the original singer in King Crimson. ELP have re-formed a few times over the years, and even released one album as "Emerson, Lake and Powell" with drummer Cozy Powell sitting in for Palmer.
   
   
3. Asia
   Asia formed from the ashes of Yes, King Crimson and ELP, playing a unique brand of melodic arena rock with huge choruses, great riffs and multi-tracked vocals. Then guitarist Steve Howe split from the main continent to form GTR. There were many versions of Asia in the 1990s as keyboardist Geoff Downes kept the band name alive. The real, original lineup of Howe, Downes, John Wetton and Carl Palmer re-formed in 2008 and released an excellent new album, appropriately titled Phoenix.
   
   
4. Whitesnake
   Right before recording their self-titled 1987 album, lead singer and Whitesnake founder David Coverdale fired the entire band except for bassist Neil Murray. He hired guitarist John Sykes, (Thin Lizzy) drummer Aynesley Dunbar, (Journey) and ex-Ozzy keyboardist Don Airey. However, the album was recorded with hired guns, including guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, Airey, and the Heart rhythm section of Mark Andes and Denny Carmassi. Coverdale then recruited Vandenberg, Dio axe-man Vivian Campbell, and the Ozzy rhythm section (bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge) to go on tour and conquer MTV. Not so much supergroup as "revolving door."
   
   
5. Damn Yankees
   An unlikely grouping on paper. Terrible Ted Nugent on guitar (and crossbow) with pretty-boy rockers Tommy Shaw (Styx) and Jack Blades (Night Ranger). The result were an excellent first album and a mediocre follow-up. Ted went on to become a right-wing radio star, and Shaw-Blades still release an occasional album together.
   
   
6. Transatlantic
   Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater. Roine Stolt from The Flower Kings. Neal Morse from Spock's Beard. Pete Trewavas from Marillion. Like Asia, this is a four-headed prog monster. Unlike Asia, the music on Transatlantic's three studio albums is actually progressive--winding, polyrhytmic, melodic and thoroughly impressive. Their new album, "The Whirlwind" is their first in six years.
   
   
7. Audioslave
   You don't have to necessarily be good to be on this list. Rage Against the Machine replaced their departed lead singer Zack de la Rocha with Soundgarden howler Chris Cornell. The result: three mediocre albums, and the eventual launch of Cornell's solo career.
   
   
8. Velvet Revolver
   Like the above entry, VR was an amalgam of three frustrated (and fired) members of Guns 'N Roses (Slash, Duff, and Matt Sorum) who found another dysfunctional, drug-addled frontman in Stone Temple Pilot lead singer Scott Weiland, the Robert Downey Jr. of "alternative" rock. Two albums, and done. But aren't you excited that the Pilots are back together, providing Weiland can stay out of jail?
   
   
9. Chickenfoot
   The surprise success of the year: Sammy and Mike from Van Hagar team up with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and master guitarist Joe Satriani. Who needs Eddie?
   
   
10. Them Crooked Vultures
    I just reviewed this band. John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin, Dave Grohl (Nirvana and the Foo Fighters) and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) in a swirling, heavy brew of psychedelic proto-metal. You can practically smell the hashish coming out of your speakers.
    

And here's one that didn't happen...

• X-Y-Z
  After the breakup of Yes and the death of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, Chris Squire and Alan White from Yes talked about playing with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Ex Yes & Zeppelin. Get it? Plant went on to a solo career and Yes reformed two years later, having a huge hit with 90125 and "Owner of a Lonely Heart." XYZ was never heard from again.