Greatest 3 piece band

[Marack]

Since this is an often frequented topic between myself and my drummer I thought I would bring it here to see who everyone else chooses.

My choice: Cream

Oh my, where to start with Cream. Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, and Eric Clapton. 3 of the greatest musicians to ever have lived, all in one band. The shared vocal work between Bruce and Clapton is amazing, they bounce off eachother in perfect harmony while not skiping a beat on their intricate instrumental parts. Baker (easily in the top 5 best drummers ever) lays down rhythms that grove the music along wonderfully. Their ability to all solo at the same time (see any live performance) while still being tight and together the entire time is awe inspiring. Brilliant solos, my oh my, brilliant solos... I like Clapton better with Cream than in any other stage, and the other 2 musicians don't slack either, truely a testament to each of their instruments. Add all this together and you have some of the fullest sounding music you can get, all from 3 people!

Honerable mentions: Primus (Claypool on rhythm, bass, vocals, lead... and 2 other guys), Rush (See Cream, with 3 other brilliant musicians in their own rights), Presidents of the United States of America (on 3 string, 2 string, and no string guitar...), Morphine (wonderful minimalism, RIP Mark Sandman).

[KorenskySZ]

even tho for the longest time I hated them, I dont really see how a case can be made for any band other than Nirvana.

No 3-piece has been more influencial, ever. That alone is enough to tip the scales away from such self indulgent and musically ignorant acts as Cream and Rush. (Yes, we differ in taste obviously; no, im not denying you a right to your opinion). Nirvana made good songs with a sense of song, the art of song-writing as opposed to noise-making. Strining together longwinded and 'wordy' solos and disjointed parts (hihi cream/rush) is an example of a child with daddy's gun: too much power, too little focus.

The combination of focus and power in Niravan is and was brilliant, and they're the only group I could see coming close to topping this category. The fact you deliberately didnt mention them says something all on its own: love them or hate them, you must consider them.

[BorkaBork]

....with the both of you...



Cream and Nirvana were simply amazing three piece groups....

It is definately not easy to make a big sound come out of three instruments, but these guys did it....

[Nimbik]

cream is good, the Experience is good, and underrated (except for Jimi) Rush is also great. Nirvana is good, but none of them were really great musicians, and kurt's songwriting only took them so far

[somecleric]

Sleater-Kinney, The No-No's, Le Tigre, Modest Mouse and Beat Happening were/are all three pieces.

[Eomer]

Primus, The Tea Party (do yourself a favor and check them out, they are a Canadian act and so are not big outside of Canada, but Jimmy Page has commented that if Led Zep were around to day, he would be perfectly happy making the music Tea Party does. Check out Splendor Solis or Edges of Twilight, their two best albums), hmm, who else. Can't think of any other three piece bands atm.

[twistidd]

modest mouse

[Samus Aran]

The Police.

[Tristinn]

Sleater-Kinney, they are neato.

[Merauk]

Originally posted by Fungul
The Police.

Agreed. For once I have the benefit of age and music. People always used to tell me you had no idea what music was like before the Beatles, and I never really got what they meant. While people may not like them today their influence was unbelievable they changed the entire course of music history. To people who were around for them though they totally understand the Beatles role.

The Police did the same thing, you have no idea what music in the late 70's early 80's was like prior to them. For me I know what was there before and what came after, it changed my musical life (along with Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, The Clash, and David Bowie).

[Marack]

Yeah, I knew this post was coming.. and I did purposefully leave Nirvana off. The main reason is the fact that I consider a good 3 man group to be the sum of its parts so to say. Put together the right musicians with the right chemistry and you can get some great music out of even a small selection of instruments. Nirvana, even though I like them tons, doesn't fit this. Nirvana is Kurt Cobain + a rhythm section. Any rhythm section would have done, and Nirvana probably would have been just as successful if 2 other musicians had taken Novoselic and Grohls places during Nirvana's formation phase. IMO, just because the band came out to have 3 members, doesn't make them a true 3 piece band.

In my "purist" definition of 3 piece band, it must gain something speicific from each of its individual members that no other mixture could have produced. I guess Primus doesn't really qualify either, since it is just Les Claypool + 2 others. But, Claypool just blows Cobain out of the water in musicianship... in fact Claypool just plain blows almost every other musician out of the water, I can't say enough good about this guy.

[Gurry]

Their music was kinda pixie-like, but every one of em could play their asses off on their respective instrument, and were an incredibly rhythmically-in-synch band. Kudos to them for being a good 3-piece.

[aychamo_aycono]

Kill Ringo, and it's the Beatles!

[Hephalump]

i can't believe that no one has said Hanson yet... hands down, best 3 piece band of all time.

[Tarissa DR]

Let's take a moment to figure out what 'musically ingorant' means!

Rush... I was a huge fan of Rush. But there newest stuff sounds like record contract fulfillment to me. I was really into them around their moving pictures and earlier Caress of Steel days. Ever since Presto and Counterparts they've sort of lost me.