Supergroups are annoying and self-indulgent endeavours, sovaldi sale forums for already huge egos to swell and expand to otherworldly levels and let’s face it…. most of the music they create is a horrendous atrocity that should have never seen the light of day, right? WRONG. As narcissistic and conceited we feel they are, some of the best music around today is created by bands, deemed by the press, as ‘Supergroups’. So ok, you do have Velvet Revolver who just look like embarrassing dads trying to relive their youth in constricting leather pants and you have Journey (includes members of Santana) who’s lyrics can be heard being bellowed down Dublin’s vomit laden streets at 4am. People forget that well established bands like the Foo Fighters are actually a Supergroup, with Dave Grohl previously serving as drummer for Nirvana, Taylor Hawkins working with Alanis Morissette and the recently reunified member Pat Smear originally from the L.A based punk band The Germs. They make exceptional music and have been doing so for just over two decades. Their formula works, but they were never associated with the rather somewhat derogatory term, of Supergroup.
We see new-fangled bands such as The Dead Weather finding success while taking pride in the fact that they’re also a Supergroup. Although the members are all involved in some pretty eccentric, innovative and feted groups, we can still appreciate the sheer might put into each performance. Jack White (Raconteurs, The White Stripes) seemed to be the puppet master (in the nicest sense) behind this successful congregation of talent and they’re determination and thought put into both albums released so far is certainly apparent. Another strong willed and unwavering creator to envelop himself into the Supergroup category is Blur frontman Damon Albarn. Although the band does not have a tangible name, bassist Paul Simonon formerly of The Clash and past Verve guitarist Simon Tong, with Albarn firmly at the helm fashioned a powerful album in The Good, The Bad and the Queen. These guys get a high from beginning with a blank canvas. It’s like a bad habit they can’t quit.
Despite the mild dig above about these musicians putting up a somewhat arrogant front, a wholly positive factor to do with Supergroups is that these people have an innate need to craft and develop their skills, and these side projects give them an outlet for change. It is the seamless fusing of different abilities and styles that really impress and when you look back on how the term Supergroup came to be coined you really can appreciate in full the scale of the explosive evolution in sound and music production. It’s difficult to fathom that Cream, who were dubbed the original Supergroup in the 1960’s, can be connected in any way to artists like the hip-hop ambition of Child Rebel Soldier, consisting of Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams. These are all musicians that have, egotistically or not, looked past their creative constraints and, for the most part, have produced music to stand up with their previous output (just don’t mention Lulu). Supergroups? I’m a fan
Geneva Pattison
