When I was still a young and very impressionable guitarists, once in a while I’d hear of a collection of musicians, from different bands, that would get together to form this new thing called a Super Group. I could only imagine great tunes coming from these musically gifted artists. My first exposure to this new phenomenon was a Super Group called Asia.
I was not playing with Pylis at this point and I was just starting to pick up my axe again, finally! It was at this point in my journey that my renewal of love for playing and performing live came to a head. At this point I proceeded practicing like a mad man! I just needed an outlet to let go of all my pent up musical energy, so I got together this band.
These guys, Pinhead(keyboards), Domenic (drums), and this other guy that I can’t remember his name right now (bass player) wanted to play a show at Brantford’s BCI talent night, way back in the mid 80’s. Now this is where the Super Group Asia comes in.
Asia came at us with tons of hype. A line up that included guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Carl Palmer, keyboardist Geoff Downes and bassist/vocalist John Wetton was a real eye catcher. Their first big hit, the one we actually played at the show, was called Heat of the moment.
In hind site, the band and their material were ok at best. Not overly imaginative, but for the average listener at the time, it was fine. Most people were not fully aware of each of the bands members past works. They just recalled hearing the names of the bands and not what they, the guys in Asia as individuals, could bring to their musical tapestry.
Asia did in fact have several Top 10 singles and sales exceeding 7 million copies. Not bad for a so, so band. Why are these guys such a big seller … I’m not really sure. The only thing that comes to mind is ADVERTISING! So what about Super Groups from the past?
In the 1960s there was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Cream and Blind Faith. Not too bad at all I’d say. During the 1970s groups like Bad Company and Emerson, Lake & Palmer (these guys were just unreal). The 80s & 90s had super groups like The Firm, Power Station, A Perfect Circle and last but not least The Traveling Wilburys (I really wasn’t all that impressed with these guys in particular).
In today’s musical time line we have Velvet Revolver and Audioslave and just recently had Chicken Foot and Tinted Windows join the fold.
The question I have for all of you is, what do you think of the idea of The Super Group concept? Love them or hate them?
Keep on Jammin’
So it’s official, Neil Young’s 1969 classic Helpless is the song chosen by voters for next Saturday’s gathering of guitar players in Toronto’s Dundas Square.