Who got the biggest "free ride" in all of music?

Javery

Javery

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Just curious to hear what people think. By "free ride" I mean achieving fame and wealth in a band where all the members are exponentially more talented musicians - not someone in the Backstreet Boys or Britney Spears who achieved fame and wealth mainly as a result of slick marketing and an overall "image."

I'm thinking people like Ringo (drummer, The Beatles) or Michael Anthony (bass, Van Halen) would fit this category.
 
[quote name='sblymnlcrymnl']Krist Novoselic[/quote]

Good one. He was decent but his bandmates were MILES better than him (and I'd argue that Dave Grohl was the most talented one in the band).
 
[quote name='javeryh']Good one. He was decent but his bandmates were MILES better than him (and I'd argue that Dave Grohl was the most talented one in the band).[/quote]

Your argument would have many supporters. Although tis hard to say how much Kurt Cobain may have grown as a musician if he were still alive today. Either way those were/are two very talented artists.
 
The Bosstone that just dances on the side of the stage.

Freddie "fuckface" Durst.

For awhile I used to think Michael Anthony would be the poster boy for this thread, but knowing now what he's had to put up with for literally decades...the music is pretty much secondary.

EDIT: Honorable mention to Anthony Kiedis.
 
[quote name='Xevious']If you people know your rock history- one name will come to mind:

Nico
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nico

She was a completely throwaway singer in the Velvet Underground.

EDIT: Mr.Badexample is correct too. Linda McCartney is a good choice.[/quote]

Umm, Her solo career is outstanding. Any informed rock snob (such as myself) will tell you that.
I even like her songs before VU.

http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0ifwxqr5ld6e
 
In a strange, multi-act sort of way, Fonzworth Bentlely kind of qualifies for this discussion, no?

EDIT: Is it safe to assume that Joe "Mama" Besser qualifies for consideration?
 
[quote name='dallow']Umm, Her solo career is outstanding. Any informed rock snob (such as myself) will tell you that.
I even like her songs before VU.[/QUOTE]

Very true. Chelsea Girl is a great album. (Good call on Bez as well, I was going to mention him.)

I'm surprised Sid Vicious has not been mentioned yet. From a visual/performance standpoint, he was very valuable to the Sex Pistols, but when your band routinely unplugs your instrument before playing live, I think that qualifies you for this thread.

However, his version of "My Way" in The Great Rock and Roll Swindle is outstanding.
 
[quote name='javeryh'] or Michael Anthony (bass, Van Halen) would fit this category.[/QUOTE]

I don't agree with that at all. I don't think his bass playing was anything special, but the fact that he did all the backing vocals made him a pretty intergral part of their sound.
 
Like I suggested earlier, I have to imagine he also stood between a lot of swinging fists backstage and kept that band together for a duration longer than Van Halen II. Just a hindsight-based hunch.
 
[quote name='jalu6']I don't agree with that at all. I don't think his bass playing was anything special, but the fact that he did all the backing vocals made him a pretty intergral part of their sound.[/QUOTE]

That's true. I feel even more strongly about the OPs use of Ringo. Ringo wasn't the songwriter that the other Beatles were, but he was an excellent drummer and an integral part of the band. The "free ride" comment sort of downplays how valuable he was to their sound, and more so to their character. He was also the best actor of the group. Interesting note, the closest thing to a full Beatles reunion was on Ringo's third solo album, where all three of the other ex-Beatles contributed in some form or fashion (just not at the same time, of course).
 
Mike Love from The Beach Boys

Not only did he ride the Wilson boys' genius (and still is touring under The Beach Boys name with none of the original members) but he was one of the biggest reasons Smile was never completed and why the band went into a tailspin.

To sum it up, he's a no-talent piece of shit and I wish he would have died in the early 60s
 
Art Garfunkel.

/thread.

He does have an awesome voice though, so you can't say he's completely bereft of talent, but compared to Paul Simon... Quite a gulf.

Great thread BTW.
 
[quote name='Sporadic']Mike Love from The Beach Boys

Not only did he ride the Wilson boys' genius (and still is touring under The Beach Boys name with none of the original members) but he was one of the biggest reasons Smile was never completed and why the band went into a tailspin.

To sum it up, he's a no-talent piece of shit and I wish he would have died in the early 60s[/quote]

Don't like him as much as the other 'Boys, but I can't say he didn't have talent.
He did write some good songs for them post Pet Sounds era (which is so under appreciated).
Don't like the fact that he's still touring the name though.
 
Remember people, no one is saying that Ringo or Mike Love or whoever had no talent - just that his or her talent is dwarfed by the other members of the band and thus getting a "free ride".
 
Oh yeah and Rob was WAY WAY more talented than Fab. (Milli Vanilli.) If you look at the infamous tape of their music skipping Rob managed to lip sync perfectly even with the skipping music. That guy was a PRO.
 
[quote name='javeryh']Remember people, no one is saying that Ringo or Mike Love or whoever had no talent - just that his or her talent is dwarfed by the other members of the band and thus getting a "free ride".[/quote]

I s'pose that's true.

In that case, I win with Bez, he had no talent, and had a great free ride.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']Alternately, all of Aerosmith.[/quote]

So true. I went to see STP one night and Aerosmith came out as a surprise guest and we booed for about 15 minutes and left. They are terrible.

EDIT: That Bosstone is actually the band's manager, I think and even though he's "in the band" it's not all he does but yeah, he is a no-talent hack compared to anyone within 10 feet who can play an instrument or sing a song.
 
Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode

He's a member of the band, technically. He performs with the on stage. He's there in photoshoots and interviews. He gets the same third of the pie that the other two guys get. He gets a vote in final decisions with regards to the band and the creative/professional decisions they make.

Pretty sure the only musical contribution he's ever made was playing crude bass on one or two tracks on their most recent album. Never sang, never written, never arranged, never produced, never done any of that.

He's basically a 'leader,' a 'team captain' if you will. I think he used to be active as the defacto manager of the group, but has since relinquished most of those duties. These days, he just does his thing...a member of Depeche Mode who, well, is just a member.

[quote name='Sporadic']Mike Love from The Beach Boys

Not only did he ride the Wilson boys' genius (and still is touring under The Beach Boys name with none of the original members) but he was one of the biggest reasons Smile was never completed and why the band went into a tailspin.

To sum it up, he's a no-talent piece of shit and I wish he would have died in the early 60s[/quote]

There are lots of reasons that point to Mike not being the ONLY reason Smile was never completed. Brian was a huge flake at the time anyway, and he had no problem getting projects completed past Love before that. Even if Van Dyke Parks abandoned the project solely because of Mike, I think it's unfair to shoulder the blame for Smile on him...because, as I said before, Brian was able to deal with that exact problem in the past successfully. There's got to be more than the story than Mike Love stifling the project.

Also, like another poster said, I would not discount Mike's contributions to the group, both creatively and vocally. That distintive voice of his played (and still plays) a massive role in what sets Beach Boys songs apart from the rest of the pack...not to mention tracks on which his voice is downright beautiful (All I Wanna Do, for instance). Plus the guy knew how to lyricly craft a hook, let's not discount that either.

I agree with your point of his steering the band away from creative records and more towards recording covers and throwbacks to their surf/car tunes. That's a shame. But I won't use that to discount the positives he contributed. It's impossible for me to imagine the Beach Boys without Mike Love's vocals somewhere on the record, it really is. As brilliant as the Wilson brothers were in each of their own rights, Mike Love was unique and distinct talent that was necessary for The Beach Boys to be The Beach Boys...IMHO.
 
The entire band Everclear. They had one shitty beat that lasted FOUR ALBUMS.

As for the drummer from Weezer and Creed, that could basically be said for anyone else in either band. Scott Stapp especially, all he brought to the table was the easiest voice to imitate in decades.
 
Maybe it's sacrilege to some, but...Meg White? She's cute in that truck-stop-diner-hostess sort of way, but...

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Hit single.
 
Public Enemy without Flav is a group most of us would hardly remember.

Technically, you're right, but he was essential.
 
[quote name='Oops! I did it again.']Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode

He's a member of the band, technically. He performs with the on stage. He's there in photoshoots and interviews. He gets the same third of the pie that the other two guys get. He gets a vote in final decisions with regards to the band and the creative/professional decisions they make.

Pretty sure the only musical contribution he's ever made was playing crude bass on one or two tracks on their most recent album. Never sang, never written, never arranged, never produced, never done any of that.

He's basically a 'leader,' a 'team captain' if you will. I think he used to be active as the defacto manager of the group, but has since relinquished most of those duties. These days, he just does his thing...a member of Depeche Mode who, well, is just a member.



There are lots of reasons that point to Mike not being the ONLY reason Smile was never completed. Brian was a huge flake at the time anyway, and he had no problem getting projects completed past Love before that. Even if Van Dyke Parks abandoned the project solely because of Mike, I think it's unfair to shoulder the blame for Smile on him...because, as I said before, Brian was able to deal with that exact problem in the past successfully. There's got to be more than the story than Mike Love stifling the project.

Also, like another poster said, I would not discount Mike's contributions to the group, both creatively and vocally. That distintive voice of his played (and still plays) a massive role in what sets Beach Boys songs apart from the rest of the pack...not to mention tracks on which his voice is downright beautiful (All I Wanna Do, for instance). Plus the guy knew how to lyricly craft a hook, let's not discount that either.

I agree with your point of his steering the band away from creative records and more towards recording covers and throwbacks to their surf/car tunes. That's a shame. But I won't use that to discount the positives he contributed. It's impossible for me to imagine the Beach Boys without Mike Love's vocals somewhere on the record, it really is. As brilliant as the Wilson brothers were in each of their own rights, Mike Love was unique and distinct talent that was necessary for The Beach Boys to be The Beach Boys...IMHO.[/quote]

Wow, you get it.

I like you.
Maybe even like like you. ;)
 
[quote name='jollydwarf']Public Enemy without Flav is a group most of us would hardly remember.

Technically, you're right, but he was essential.[/quote]

And the Chili Peppers would be memorable without Keidis... not like he wrote Under the Bridge or anything
rolleyes.gif



[quote name='Xevious']Yeah...her solo career was decent but her time with the Velvets was nothing special. You do make a good point though.[/quote]

You're kidding me right? Mayhaps you just don't like the Velvet Underground for whatever reason, but their influence over later "alternative music" cannot be denied.
 
[quote name='jollydwarf']Maybe it's sacrilege to some, but...Meg White?[/QUOTE]

Only sacrilege because *everyone* I've ever met who would talk shit about Meg White as a musician was a small-town alt-rock superstar in the making. Meaning, of course, they were 34 and waiting tables at a coffeehouse.

With White Stripes, every song has very simple arrangements except for guitar. It more or less has to be that way, or else it ceases to sound like White Stripes.

Additionally, considering how bands like Devo use silence to accentuate their songwriting skills (Freedom of Choice comes to mind), I don't think we can say, by any stretch, that simple songwriting=bad musician or free ride.
 
[quote name='javeryh']So true. I went to see STP one night and Aerosmith came out as a surprise guest and we booed for about 15 minutes and left. They are terrible.

EDIT: That Bosstone is actually the band's manager, I think and even though he's "in the band" it's not all he does but yeah, he is a no-talent hack compared to anyone within 10 feet who can play an instrument or sing a song.[/quote]

I love STP.

Steven Tyler's contribution to Aerosmith was his lips. That's one thing hard to imitate. :)
 
Here's a obscure one for ya - Einar Örn Benediktsson. The guy from The Sugarcubes. Basically, all he did was bellow like a drunk in-between Bjork's singing. Thankfully, I like to imagine that she realized she could be much more successful without some moron singing off-key on her songs & went solo.

Not that she isn't still a complete freak, but at least she's mostly enjoyable to listen to now. ;)
 
[quote name='Oops! I did it again.']
There are lots of reasons that point to Mike not being the ONLY reason Smile was never completed. Brian was a huge flake at the time anyway, and he had no problem getting projects completed past Love before that. Even if Van Dyke Parks abandoned the project solely because of Mike, I think it's unfair to shoulder the blame for Smile on him...because, as I said before, Brian was able to deal with that exact problem in the past successfully. There's got to be more than the story than Mike Love stifling the project.[/QUOTE]

I never said he was the ONLY reason, I said he was the biggest reason.

Once Van Dyke was driven away, the project was dead. He was Brian's crutch during that period.

Brian may have been able to kind of handle Love in the past (besides Hang On To Your Ego turning into I Know There's An Answer on Pet Sounds) but around that part of his life he was losing mental footing everyday.

A helping hand instead of a look of scorch could have changed the musical landscape forever.

[quote name='Oops! I did it again.']I agree with your point of his steering the band away from creative records and more towards recording covers and throwbacks to their surf/car tunes. That's a shame. But I won't use that to discount the positives he contributed. It's impossible for me to imagine the Beach Boys without Mike Love's vocals somewhere on the record, it really is. As brilliant as the Wilson brothers were in each of their own rights, Mike Love was unique and distinct talent that was necessary for The Beach Boys to be The Beach Boys...IMHO.[/QUOTE]

See I can't forgive him for that.

He took the period where The Beach Boys could have made the superstar/legend jump The Beatles made and pissed it away robbing us of Brian Wilson's work.
 
[quote name='jollydwarf']Public Enemy without Flav is a group most of us would hardly remember.

Technically, you're right, but he was essential.[/quote]

chuck d himself said "without flav, there would have been no public enemy."
 
For people who said Ringo Starr, I disagree.

He was the drummer of -the- biggest band in Liverpool at the time (The Hurricanes), and left their group to join The Beatles because Pete Best was kicked out of The Beatles. He was far ahead of his time as far as playing drums goes (one of the first left handed drummers to play a right hand kit), and the number of drummers who cite him as influences include Phil Collins, Dave Grohl, and Max Weinberg.

Ringo might not have the star power of Lennon or McCartney, but when The Beatles became The Beatles, he was arguably the biggest name in the band.
 
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