Top 10 Unsung Heroes of Popular Bands
Those band members who were/are very important but are overlooked or underrated.
George Harrison (1943 - 2001) was an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and music and film producer who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. People actually never understood George. If they think Lennon was like a cosmic creature(I like Lennon a lot), George was more but he was quiet all the time and never card much.
This was very true especially in The Beatles active years and in the 70s. Musicians knew, the other Beatles knew, mainstream fans not so much.
I do think more modern era fans and history buffs give George his rightful appreciation.
George is my favorite guitarist of all time.
John Baldwin, better known by his stage name John Paul Jones, is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. He is best known as the bassist for the English rock band Led Zeppelin. ...read more.
Best guitarist of all time.
Richard William "Rick" Wright was an English musician, composer, singer and songwriter. He was the main keyboardist and a backup vocalist for the psychedelic and progressive English rock band, Pink Floyd . He really made Pink Floyd what it was and gets almost the least credit
Raymond Daniel Manczarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek, was an American musician, singer, producer, film director, and author. I think The Doors were unique in that all three non-Morrison members could be considered the "unsung hero". But Ray's keys are what give them their sound--even moreso than Jim's voice.
He made their sound unique
Alexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Terrible drummer
Jason Curtis Newsted is an American metal musician, known for being the third bass guitarist with the band Metallica from November 1986 until his departure in January 2001, he was also a part of Voivod and Flotsam and Jetsam. Jason Newsted was amazing in my opinion. The guy had a lot of potential and getting a part to be a member of Metallica is a dream come true. Unfortunately, the band members mostly treated him unfairly and he responded in the fairest, yet saddest way possible; quitting the band. Because he didn't get to write many songs, unlike Cliff Burton (RIP), his bass-playing skills were never truly played to his full potential (Although he wrote "Blackened", my favorite song in...And Justice for All and even then, his sound was muted). And alongside being a great bass player, his vocals are aggressive and brimming with attitude, something which gave Metallica concerts an edge on being among the greatest concerts ever played (Live Seattle 1989, enough said). If he was in Metallica by 1983, I think he could have been lead vocalist (James Hetfield is legendary, don't get me wrong), but that's just my opinion.
Chadwick "Chad" Smith is an American musician and current drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which he joined in 1988 and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Robert Hall "Bob" Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead.
John Richard Deacon (born 19th of August 1951) is a retired English musician, who is best known as the bassist for the rock band Queen. Another one bites the dust and Under pressure bass lines are iconic and awesome.
Grossly underrated member of Queen.
Nicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English musician and composer, best known as the drummer of legendary rock band Pink Floyd.
Georg Albert Ruthenber, professionally known as Pat Smear, was the rhythm guitarist for the grunge band Nirvana, and is currently the rhythm guitarist for the post-grunge band Foo Fighters.
Paul Richard "Richie" Furay is an American singer, songwriter, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member who is best known for forming the bands Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, and Poco with Jim Messina, Rusty Young, George Grantham and Randy Meisner.
Richard Starkey known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for the Beatles.
Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones was an English musician, the founder and the original leader of the Rolling Stones. Should be number 1
I met him once and he's a real nice guy. An amazing guitarist, the show was fantastic, and he should be higher on the list
He wrote a lot of the material on their first three albums.
Harold Eugene "Gene" Clark was an American singer-songwriter and founding member of the folk rock band the Byrds. McGuinn's 12-string Rickenbacker deservedly gets a ton of praise for their sound, but Gene Clark actually wrote the majority of their songs, and sang lead on many of them too. When that jerk David Crosby finally succeeded in chasing Gene out of the band, they were still good, but never quite the same.
He's the core - holds it all together. And his background enhancements are often subtle and overlooked.
Great Drummer