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Classic Line-Ups

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Years ago I had a book that provided a short biography for many bands from the late 50s. At the top of every biography was a ‘classic line-up’. For some (e.g. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin or Queen) this is easily agreed upon. For others (The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd) the decision is not so apparent.

So my question is, can we agree on the most important line-up for all these bands with a revolving door policy of members?

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Comments

  2. Floyd – with Gilmour
    Stones – with Mick Taylor
    Mac – I’d argue there are two classic Macs – one with Peter Green/Jeremy Spencer, then again with Stevie/Lindsey, completely different
    Allman Bros – with Duane and Dicky
    Soft Machine – Ratledge/Hopper/Wyatt/Dean
    Caravan – with Dave Sinclair
    Fairport – with Sandy

  3. Floyd with Gilmour and Waters
    Purple with Gillan and Blackmore
    Yes with Anderson and Wakeman
    Genesis with Gabriel
    Marillion with Fish
    Stones – with Taylor
    Tull – TAAB era

  4. Never like the word “classic,” but I’ll go for the Stones with all the no. 1 singles, Syd’s Floyd, and, as it’s my favourite Fairport LP, the Judy Dyble line-up!

    • Ooh, that controversial! I’d go for Unhalfbricking line-up, but then I think you need Swarb in there and he was only a guest at the time. By the time of Liege and Lief you’re post-crash and so no Martin Lamble. The Unhalfbricking line-up it is.

      Incidentally, I saw Judy Dyble a week or two ago as a guest singer at Daylight Music at Union Chapel. It was nice to see her on a small stage indoors for a change.

  5. Floyd- with Gilmour & Waters
    Yes – with Anderson, Bruford and Wakeman
    Genesis – with Gabriel
    Stones – with Brian Jones
    Jethro Tull – as per Minstrel in the Gallery
    VdGG – with Banton & Jackson (Godbluff line-up)
    I agree with Twang regarding Fleetwood Mac – two classic lines-up
    Fairport – the Unhalfbricking line-up
    Gong – tough one but, on balance, the Gnome Trilogy line-up…a good argument could be made for the Camembert line-up…..

    • There’s not a consistent Gong lineup for the entire Radio Gnome trilogy.
      Francis Moze on bass and Laurie Allen on drums for Flying Teapot, and Steve Hillage only on some of it, with Christian Tritsch still present from the Camembert Electrique lineup on the rest.
      The classic (for me) lineup is from the last two of the trilogy, Angel’s Egg and You.
      i.e. Mike Howlett – bass, Pierre Moerlen – drums, Mireille Bauer – percussion, Tim Blake – synths, Steve Hillage & Daevid Allen – guitars, Didier Malherbe – saxes & flutes and Gilli.

      Classic King Crimson:
      Three possible contenders here.

      1) Giles, Lake, McDonald & Fripp
      2) Bruford & Muir, Wetton, Cross, Fripp
      3) Bruford & Mastellotto, Levin & Gunn, Belew & Fripp

  6. Here’s a conundrum…Roxy. With Eno or not? Which one of the many bassists (apart from Gary Tibbs, obvs)?. The core members are easy enough – Ferry, MacKay, Manzanera, TGPT. Any thoughts on the ‘classic’ addition(s)?

  7. Fairport “with Sandy”: so is that the early iteration or the later 2nd helping.?The problem is that the classic line-up (for L&L, obviously) lasted but one album, as I think Mattacks and Hutchings is as much of a given as RT and Sandy. Swarb also was only a guest until L&L. Dave Pegg is a better bassist but less melodic, so the 2nd helping, with Sandy and Mattacks was great, but no RT present, even if Jerry Donaghue was.
    My point? Actually, the best Fairport line-ups are the ad-hoc Cropredy reunions when all those living get a shout. Which is still no Sandy.

    • To be fair, that IS the Revolution. Other bands the little feller had run them close (the NPG I saw – Mr Hayes, Barbarella, Seacer Jr, Bland, T, Mayte. But wish I’d seen the Revolution.

      • There was actually an earlier iteration of The Rev, with Dez Dickerson on guitar. Dickerson left after the 1999 tour, and Wendy replaced him and began her tenure on the legendary First Avenue show on August 3rd 1983 which more or less provided the soundtrack to Purple Rain.

        I saw that version of the NPG and also the earlier one with the incomparable Rosie Gaines. I’ve got a ticket to see The Revolution in February – there’ll be a huge P-shaped hole, but still, I can’t wait!

    • As you say, a tough choice and an argument could be made for a number of the other lines-up…..but on balance, I’d go for the Starless & Bible Black quartet rather than the preceding quintet….

          • The majority of Starless And Bible Black was recorded live. Two contemporaneous live sets that show the quartet to very good effect are:

            “The Great Deceiver (Live 1973-1974)” A big 4 CD box with book (later reissued as 2 double CDs) covers 6 different gigs (Glasgow Apollo, Zurich Volkshaus, Toronto Massey Hall, Pittsburg Stanley Warner Theatre, Penn State University and Providence Palace Theatre) in 8 months, in varying amounts of detail.
            Parts of some of these recordings were used in “Starless And Bible Black”, namely “The Mincer” (with studio overdubs, taken from the Zurich gig) and “We’ll Let You Know” (taken from the Glasgow Apollo gig).

            “The Nightwatch (Live At The Amsterdam Concertgebouw November 23rd 1973)” is a double CD taken from that performance, some of which was also used for Starless And Bible Black. Some studio overdubs were added to “Fracture” and most of “The Night Watch” had to be re-recorded when one of the mellotrons went into meltdown and wrecked it’s own and several adjoining tracks of the live multitrack recording. “The Great Deceiver” and “Lament” on SABB were later studio recordings.

            A lot of this live material seems to have been duplicated on the recent “Starless” enormo-box. But there appear to be a few gaps, from the “Great Deceiver” set at any rate.

  21. The Damned
    Algy Ward played on their best album (Machine Gun Etiquette), and Roman Jugg and Bryn Merrick (but not CaptainSensible) were there for the most successful period

    The classic line-up would be: Vanian, Sensible, Scabies, Gray

  27. The Polyphonic Spree

    Tim DeLaughter – lead vocals, guitar, piano
    Mark Pirro – bass
    Jessica Jordan – backing vocals
    Jenny Kirtland – backing vocals
    Kristin Hardin – backing vocals
    Elizabeth Evans – backing vocals
    Julie Doyle – backing vocals
    Natalie Young – backing vocals
    Jason Garner – drums
    Bach Norwood – piano, keyboards, backing vocals
    Rachel Woolf – flute
    Allen Halas – percussion
    Evan Weiss – trumpet
    Paul Deemer – trombone
    Mike St.Clair – trombone, synth effects
    Heather Test – French horn
    Sean Redman – violin, mandolin
    Kelly Test – percussion
    Victoria Arellano – classical harp
    Nick Earl – guitar
    Darin Hieb – trumpet, backing vocals
    Ryan Fitzgerald – guitar, backing vocals

    Though on second thoughts… maybe some of these too…

    Cory Helms – guitar, backing vocals
    Chris Curiel – trumpet[26]
    Jay Jennings – trumpet
    Tamara Brown – violin
    Elizabeth Brown – backing vocals
    Apotsala Wilson – backing vocals
    Rick G. Nelson – viola
    Audrey Easley – flute, piccolo, EWI
    Nick Groesch – piano, keyboards
    Keith Hendricks – percussion
    Evan Hisey – keyboards
    Japhy Ryder – floristry
    Dylan Silvers – guitar
    Annie Clark – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
    Regina Chellew – guitar, trumpet, backing vocals
    Daniel Hart – violin
    John Lamonica – percussion
    Stuart “Peebs” Peebles – piccolo
    Marcus Lopez – percussion
    Matt Bricker – trumpet, synth effects
    Taylor Young – percussion
    Joe Butcher – steel
    Evan Jacobs – piano, keyboards
    Todd Berridge – viola
    Joseph Singleton – viola
    Timothy Blowers – harp
    Anthony Richards – steel drums
    Louis Schwadron – French horn
    Andrew Tinker – French horn
    Nick Wlodarczyk – trombone
    Paul Gaughran – flute
    Brian Teasley – percussion
    Corn Mo – backing vocals
    James Reimer – trombone
    Davey ‘Crabsticks’ Trotter – Mellotron
    Toby Halbrooks – theremin
    Jason Rees – backing vocals
    Merritt Lota – steel drums
    Frank Benjaminsen – backing vocals
    Mark Beardsworth – claviola
    Stephanie Dolph – backing vocals
    Jennifer Jobe – backing vocals
    Isabelo Cruz – french horn
    Kelly Repka – backing vocals
    Jason Rees – backing vocals
    Jeneffa Soldatic – backing vocals
    Michael Turner – backing vocals
    Michael Musick – backing vocals
    Melissa Crutchfield – backing vocals
    Sandra Powers Giasson – backing vocals
    Daniel Huffman – guitar
    Bryan Wakeland – drums
    Josh David Jordan – backing vocals
    Jared Pechonis – theremin
    Jenelle Valencia – violin
    Roy Thomas Ivy – backing vocals
    Jamey Welch – backing vocals
    Hayley McCarthy – viola
    Christine Bolon – backing vocals
    Dave Dusters – percussion, backing vocals
    Billy Mills-Curran – flute
    Logan Keese – trumpet
    Ricky Rasura – classical harp
    Paul Jones – follower
    Gary Jones – follower

    • Brilliant Mr Moles! I laughed out loud!

      And just to broaden this all out, how about Mystery Inc?

      Fred, Daphne, Shaggy, Velma and Scooby.

      Once Scrappy Doo made an appearance, the writing was on the wall.

      From Doo to Who!

      Classic line-up is David Tennant and Rose Tyler!

    • I was gonna say the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra but you’ve basically done the same joke here.

      The Karajan line-up of “68, since you ask – before drugs and, like, bad vibes caused heavy scenes that split the band, maaan.

  30. Wilco: current lineup have really come into their own:
    Tweedy
    Stirratt
    Kotche
    Cline
    Jorgenson
    Sansone

    Plus, of course, the Ramones. Classic lineup for me is:
    Ramone
    Ramone
    Ramone
    Ramone : )

    • I’m not so sure (about Wilco). The last few albums have been disappointing (Star Wars, Schmilco barely registered chez Firefly). I’m beginning to think the Jay Bennett years were the best. But hope springs eternal.

      As for the Ramones, what a gifted, if funny looking, family!

      • Current Wilco line up is definitive. They made great music before it, but as a live act Nels Cline took them to a new level. And the last few albums are actually very good, if somewhat low key (and Jeff’s solo album is out today!)

      • What Dai says, for me. The albums may be patchy/downbeat/too challenging (delete to taste) but live this incarnation is unstoppable. Saw them last year in Brixton, after a horrible day/journey, ready for disappointment, and they blew me away.

  33. Fletcher
    Gahan
    Gore
    Wilder

    This was the line-up during their imperial phase. Earlier and later line-ups are still very, very good – but we miss Alan Wilder and wish he was still involved.

    Martin Gore said that at one point (mid 80’s) Vince Clarke was sort-of asking him if he could come back into Depeche Mode. By then, they had progressed so far away from the binky bonk stuff that the very thought was ridiculous.

    • Must have been after the split with Alf. Difficult to believe that he felt he was on his uppers, but then fate played the straight man and Andy Bell arrived.

      …perhaps I’d better rephrase that…

  35. Steely Dan with Skunk or without? I can’t decide but if pushed I could never do without the mid period stuff (Katy Lied, Royal Scam). Ask me next week and I’ll say something else probably….

    The Doobies without Michael McDonald

    The Eagles with Bernie Leadon

    The James Gang with Joe Walsh

    Humble Pie with Peter Frampton

    Mahavishnu with Cobham, Hammer, Goodman, Laird

    • I don’t think there’s any such thing as a classic Steely Dan lineup, although I suppose at least the same 5 names appeared on the covers of the first 3 albums. Supposedly the classic lineup is Becker, Fagen, Baxter, Dias and Hodder, David Palmer having been dropped before Countdown To Ecstasy started recording.
      Even on Can’t Buy A Thrill, band members were augmented or substituted as individual songs demanded. Elliot Randall for extra-whizzy guitar solos (Kings, Reelin’ In The Years) and Victor Feldman on percussion (Do It Again, Only A Fool Would Say That). The versatile Mr. Feldman continued to be drafted in for studio work right to the end, on percussion, drums and piano.
      On Countdown.. Ray Brown was drafted in to play string bass on Razor Boy and Rick Derringer to play slide guitar on Showbiz Kids.
      On Pretzel Logic the seeds of dissolution are sown. We get both Jim Gordon and Jeff Porcaro on drums for Parker’s Band, Michael Omartian’s piano on Rikki Don’t Lose That Number, Chuck Rainey’s bass on Any Major Dude and Dean Parks’ banjo on East St. Louis Toodle-Oo.
      Jeff Porcaro was hired about then as their touring second drummer. Soon to be their only touring drummer. “Skunk” Baxter also parted ways.
      By 1975 and Katy Lied, Becker & Fagen no longer had a band, as such, or a manager. Just Denny Dias and producer Gary Katz remained of the original Dan family. Denny Dias still made occasional studio contributions, right up until Aja, but was absent from Gaucho. After that album, Steely Dan ceased to exist as a recording entity for the next 20 years.

  41. Another divider. I’d take this version of the Burrito’s over Gram’s, overall: Hillman, Roberts, Leadon, Kleinow, Clark.
    Yet I’d still have the original Byrds: McGuinn, Hillman, Clark, Crosby, Clarke.
    Gram would just have to be in the best line-up of Gram, basically him, Emmylou and what would become her Hot Band.

  46. `Legs’ Larry Smith on drums
    Sam Spoons on rhythm pole
    Vernon Dudley Bohay-Nowell on bass guitar
    Neil Innes on piano
    Rodney Slater on saxophone
    Roger Ruskin Spear on tenor sax
    Vivian Stanshall on trumpet
    John Wayne on xylophone
    Robert Morley on guitar
    Billy Butlin on spoons
    Adolf Hitler on vibes
    Princess Anne on sousaphone
    Liberace on clarinet
    Garner “Ted” Armstrong on vocals
    Lord Snooty and his pals tap dancing
    Harold Wilson on violin
    Franklin McCormack on harmonica
    Eric Clapton on ukulele
    Sir Kenneth Clark on bass sax
    Sessions gorilla on vox humana
    Incredible Shrinking Man on euphonium
    Peter Scott on duck call
    Casanova on horn
    General de Gaulle on accordion
    Roy Rogers on Trigger
    Wild Man of Borneo on bongos
    Count Basie Orchestra on triangle
    The Rawlinsons on trombone
    Dan Druff on harp
    Quasimodo on bells
    Brainiac on banjo
    Val Doonican as himself
    Max Jaffa
    Zebra Kid and Horace Batchelor on percussioN

  56. I feel duty bound, as (I think) no-one else mentioned ‘em to point out that, when asked for a band which has had multiple line ups but one is indisputably definitive, I reach for
    Kilmister, Taylor, Clarke.
    Also, to throw a little petrol on things, is it possible to make a decision between the “classic” JBs and the Bootsified second classic JBs?

  69. Big Bird, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Kermit, Oscar, Telly, Elmo, Prairie Dawn, Grover, Harry, Vincent Twice Vincent Twice, Sherlock Hemlock, Dickie Tick, Cookie Monster, Guy Smiley, The Count, Simon Soundman, Bert & Ernie.

  71. Steve Zodiac, Doc Venus, Matthew Matic, Robert the Robot
    Scott, Virgil, Alan,Gordon, John
    Troy, Phones, Marina
    Harmony, Melody, Rhapsody, Symphony

    • In the same way that Genesis stopped being any good when Hackett left, ISIHAC was rubbish after we lost Humph.

      It didn’t help when they went all PC and stopped the Samantha segments being sexist which was completely missing the point.

  77. Have we done Yes yet? If I know the Afterword demographic well enough and (good natured chuckle) I think I do…

    It’s got to be the Owner of a Lonely Heart lineup. That’s when they really hit their straps I think.

  78. Moran, Bailey, Greig.

    Captain Beefheart, Zoot Horn Rollo, Winged Eel Fingerling, Rockette Morton, Drumbo.

    Miles Davis, Pete Cosey, Reggie Lucas, Dominique Gaumont, Michael Henderson, Al Foster, Mtume, Sonny Fortune (sax) or Dave Liebman (flute).

    • I like Just a Minute because the usual BBC panel game witterati -(about a dozen people) don’t necessarily thrive on the show. Some politicans can be good because they can instantly talk confidently about anything. They don’t need to banter for their supper, they can merely be good at the game.

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