Completely expendable band members, great group though

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I was watching the Monterey Pop Festival DVD last week, and I am pretty sure that Michelle Phillips's microphone was not plugged in. Outside of her tambourine work (which was solid, I suppose), she may as well have been sitting and watching in the audience. I know they replaced her temporarily at one point. Outside of some "songwriting" credit I doubt the Mamas and the Papas would have been any more or less successful if they had substituted another pretty face. But at least she wasn't OFFENSIVELY bad or anything.

Anyway, I would nominate her as one of the most expendable members of a great group.

― musically (musically), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

no, the guys needed someone to fuck to keep their heads straight. that's talent enough!

( ...yeah... I know... )

― dkjdkj, Wednesday, 30 November 2005 20:04 (twenty years ago)

ringo.

― regular roundups (Dave M), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 20:17 (twenty years ago)

Paging Mark E. Smith...

― Myke Weiskopf (Myke Weiskopf), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode)
Bez (Happy Mondays)

Ringo Starr, on the other hand, was pretty essential to the sound of the Beatles -- his playing is instantly recognizable. He may not have kept the steadiest time, but there's an appealing looseness to his sound; I'd miss it if you substituted someone more technically proficient.

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

What was the name of the guy in Wham who wasn't George Michael? Him, I pick him.

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 21:28 (twenty years ago)

And both members of Milli Vanilli.

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 21:28 (twenty years ago)

Vanilla Ice. Queen could do well without him.

I say Ringo Starr could have been replaced with someone who could nail his "sound" AND add even more to the Beatles.

― regular roundups (Dave M), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 21:39 (twenty years ago)

I say Ringo Starr could have been replaced with someone who could nail his "sound" AND add even more to the Beatles.

you, sir, are an idiot.

― my name is john. i reside in chicago. (frankE), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 21:43 (twenty years ago)

he definitely had the easiest ride of those four to the top.

― regular roundups (Dave M), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

melodist.

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 22:11 (twenty years ago)

I would actually find this question more interesting the other way around, although it's probably be done elsewhere on ILM. Cases in point: Jane's Addiction without Eric Avery; or Echo without Les Pattinson.

― Mitya (mitya), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

Pink Floyd probably could have gotten a dozen other drummers to play exactly like Nick Mason. It's perfectly good drumming, just saying.

― Abbadabba Berman (Hurting), Thursday, 1 December 2005 05:22 (twenty years ago)

People in the Spacemen 3 whose names do not begin with Sonic or J.

― owen moorhead (i heart daniel miller), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

Is there even any evidence of "Bass Vibrations" of any of those records??

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

James Iha and D'Arcy Wretzky

― Roadkill Bingo (Roadkill Bingo), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

James Iha? Serious?!

― Carl Handwriting (dog latin), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

Roadkill is on the drugs.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

I mean, Corgan was a bit of a tyrant but James and D'Arcy were pretty unique members of the band and certainly brought a lot to the Pumpkins.

― Carl Handwriting (dog latin), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:40 (twenty years ago)

SORRY IN ADVANCE DOODS...

IAN MACKAYE - FUGAZI

― ddb (ddb), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

I hate to be the one to say it but... Lol Tolhurst immediately came to mind (at least from The Top onwards).

― LeRooLeRoo (Seb), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:56 (twenty years ago)

i can't understand what that even means.

― regular roundups (Dave M), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

xpost (fugazi), that is.

― regular roundups (Dave M), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

fuGUYzi

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:01 (twenty years ago)

Wow, Ringo was key, guys! Not only because of his perfect touch on the drums, but as a personality balance to the other 3. Ringo doesn't belong anywhere near this thread!

― Yoshinorimike (Yoshinorimike), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

HE'S GUITAR PLAYING IS SUB PAR...AND HIS VOCALS ARE MOSTLY CRINGE INDUCING.

― ddb (ddb), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

Now come on, we've got this far and no-one's mentioned Adam Clayton?!?!?!??!

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:09 (twenty years ago)

... tho he's disqualified because the thread title says "great group tho"

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:09 (twenty years ago)

U2 as a WHOLE IS EXPENDABLE.

― ddb (ddb), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

Mickey Finn in T. Rex except he did was he paid for - i.e. he looked cool

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:12 (twenty years ago)

Brian Wilson in the Beach Boys about 1972-1974

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

Are we talking about people who could simply be tossed aside, or who could easily be REPLACED? Replaced by something besides air? 'Cause there's kind of a difference. (Is a bad drummer worse than no drummer at all?)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

Is a bad drummer worse than no drummer at all?

I'm inclined to say yes. Depends what kind of music you're trying to play.

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:36 (twenty years ago)

I'd have to add Scott Kannberg to the list. At the least his songs are dispensible.

― gerardmonchichi, Saturday, 3 December 2005 04:15 (twenty years ago)

I don't know about Scott Kannenberg. He wrote two of my favorite Pavement songs and two of the worst Pavement songs. Does this render him neutral and therefore expendable?

― joygoat (joygoat), Saturday, 3 December 2005 21:27 (twenty years ago)

Greg Errico and Jerry Martini of Sly & the Family Stone have described *themselves* this way.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 3 December 2005 21:55 (twenty years ago)

People in the Spacemen 3 whose names do not begin with Sonic or J.

I don't buy that... There was the bass player bloke who was great - Willie B Carruthers? Is that right?

― KeefW (kmw), Saturday, 3 December 2005 22:13 (twenty years ago)

Daltrey / The Who
Except for the early mod period, Daltrey sucked.

― shieldforyoureyes, Saturday, 3 December 2005 22:38 (twenty years ago)

I guess I can take back Ringo, especially since Yoshi caved to my suggestion on the Say Anything thread. But the thing about Ian is his songwriting. He's responsible for all the good songs on the debut EPs and continued/s to write great ones on later LPs. Even his singing gets "better" (if you had a problem with it in the first place) on The Argument.

― regular roundups (Dave M), Sunday, 4 December 2005 04:50 (twenty years ago)

I think John Fogerty with pretty much any other three garage-band guys would have sounded about the same.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Sunday, 4 December 2005 05:48 (twenty years ago)

four weeks pass...

Any member of the Supremes not named Diana wins this thread.

― Berry Gordy, Tuesday, 3 January 2006 18:59 (twenty years ago)

four months pass...

"What was the name of the guy in Wham who wasn't George Michael? Him, I pick him."

Andrew Ridgeley.

The Fall so totally win this topic. (Except, of course, Mark E Smith).

― GLC, Monday, 22 May 2006 21:16 (nineteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.