The Mother of All Bands

stubby · Post by **stubby** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 7:09 pm

Sorry for the Americanism in the subject (coming from a Canuck-incidentally it's amazing how quickly this phrase has become part of the vernacular). Anyway, I was listening to a radio host the other day who talked about the number of bands/solo artists that were spawned by Buffalo Springfield - (e.g., CSN, CSNY, Poco, Stills solo, Neil Young solo, Loggins & Messina). Obviously, a prolific band for "spin-offs" (for lack of a better word).

So what then is the Mother of All Bands? I mean this in a truly figurative/literal sense. What band has been the most prolific in giving birth to the most successful "offspring"-the greatest number of successful rock bands or solo artists that have come out of a single band?

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 4:09 am

for me and my musical tastes, i'd have to say black sabbath...memebers in and out of rainblow, dio, ozzy, deep purple etc.

shinynewtoy · Post by **shinynewtoy** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:20 am

I'd say probably the Yardbirds (Page, Beck, Clapton...)

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:15 am

I vote for Frank Zappa's organization...for what I hope will be obvious reasons...

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:47 pm

Dane, I second that emotion.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:17 pm

I third that! When I saw them in '72 Jean Luc Ponty and Goerge Duke was with the Mothers, along with the usual cast of characters.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:44 pm

Zappa's bunch is good but I'll have to go with Bob - The Yardbirds!

Jeff - I saw them in '72 also! Small world, man...

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:46 pm

Did the original Mahavishnu Orchestra open for them at that show?

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:56 pm

Were we at the same show, Jeff? Oh, tour - yeah. Yes they did - and with Billy Cobham drumming. I saw them at the Santa Monica Civic in some state-of-mind. Who else was with playing with McLaughlin at that time? Who played bass? I forget. Oh yeah - I was in that state-of mind. Least I forget...

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:26 pm

I saw them at the Kent State University Gymnasium. Rick Laird played bass, along with Jan Hammer on keys, Jerry Goodman on violin, and of course Billy on drums.

I don't have it anymore but I brought a cassette recorder and taped the show, I have no idea whatever happened to that tape. I do remember Zappa doing a bunch of songs from Apostrophe, which didn't get released until about two years after that tour.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 4:08 pm

>>>I'd say probably the Yardbirds (Page, Beck, Clapton...)

One step above The Yardbirds on the flowchart is The Bluesbreakers. Not only did Clapton break in with Mayall's group, but also involved were Peter Green, Mick Taylor, John McVie, Jack Bruce, and Mick Fleetwood.

shinynewtoy · Post by **shinynewtoy** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 4:48 pm

I didn't think about that, but then again I have alot to learn about them!

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:26 am

1. Clapton
Just to be clear for those not familiar, Eric was in the Yardbirds first (well, after The Roosters) and THEN The Bluesbreakers.

2. Buffalo Springfield
A million years ago, there was a diagram (maybe in Rolling Stone) showing how all the California artists were inter-connected.
The Springfield (though partly Canadian of course) stood out prominently. A reasonable vote could go for them.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:15 pm

...thought of another one: National Health.

See, that's the problem with a phrase like "The Mother Of All....". There are a lot of Mothers out there...

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:19 pm

http://www.deep-purple.net/tree/tree-menu.htm

http://www.black-sabbath.com/faq/faq01.htm#faq0100