Which rock and roll trios are the best ever?

[Pogo]

One is tempted to name ELP in such a list but let's be honest, that really means Keith Emerson. In the same way that the Jimi Hendrix Experience really means JImi Hendrix.

saw them live gregg lake was a major guy on stage.....

Me too, yeah he was big. Matter of fact I think he died of bigness.
And no slouch in his parts but not on the level of a Jack Bruce.

how many are on his level?......i saw cream on their goodby tour and saw Bruce when he was with West Bruce & Laing.....the guy played like he was doing a solo the whole song and sang on top of that.....he was great Harmonica player too.....

Okay Harry you started "Traintime" playing in my head but here's the whole band....

check this out you young whippersnappers

​

 

[ReinyDays]

Spencer Dryden?.....i think you have the wrong band.....he was never in tuna......

Spencer Dryden played for Jefferson Airplane ... Hot Tuna started out as a side project for Jorma and Jack, and yes they brought a number of folks in to play while Airplane was still touring ... once Starship went commercial then Hot Tuna kinda separated into their own band and moved over to a more Rock and Roll sound ... just Jorma, Jack and I forgot who was on drums ...

 

[Pogo]

One is tempted to name ELP in such a list but let's be honest, that really means Keith Emerson. In the same way that the Jimi Hendrix Experience really means JImi Hendrix.

saw them live gregg lake was a major guy on stage.....

Me too, yeah he was big. Matter of fact I think he died of bigness.
And no slouch in his parts but not on the level of a Jack Bruce.

how many are on his level?......i saw cream on their goodby tour and saw Bruce when he was with West Bruce & Laing.....the guy played like he was doing a solo the whole song and sang on top of that.....he was great Harmonica player too.....

Yeah I saw that tour too. Did not see WBL but did catch Derek and the Dominoes.

with Allman?.....or was this after his death?.....

Don't think Duane was with the DDs. Never did get to see him.

what!.....Pogo come on....yes duane was with DD.....

Duane was all over the album but declined to join the band. I think he may have played a couple of shows with them but only literally a couple. He was definitely not there the night I saw them.

Fun fact related to D&Ds ... the piano part that concludes Clapton's "Layla" was actually composed by Rita Coolidge, not by drummer Jim Gordon as credited on the LP. Gordon, who had been pelvically-affilated with Coolidge and had beaten her up on the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour (and who later killed his own mother) stole it from her and took the credit for himself. Coolidge was told, "what are you gonna do about it, you're a girl".

 

[Frankeneinstein]

The very first band to come to mind for me was ZZ TOP, but as soon as I saw "rush" and "cream" I had to call it a 3 way tie...but zz tops sound seemed to jump off the record more than anyone else's though [at least to me] as soon as digital/laser music became the main stay of the industry.

 

[Likkmee]

Trower

 

[bluzman61]

The very first band to come to mind for me was ZZ TOP, but as soon as I saw "rush" and "cream" I had to call it a 3 way tie...but zz tops sound seemed to jump off the record more than anyone else's though [at least to me] as soon as digital/laser music became the main stay of the industry.

It's kind of funny that while I REALLY like a LOT of ZZ Top's music, I don't really consider them to be a pure rock and roll trio. They're much more blues based than rock and roll, IMHO. I believe they ARE THE best blues/rock trio ever. With Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble a CLOSE second.

 

[Likkmee]

OK...OK. Back 45 years

 

[Frankeneinstein]

The very first band to come to mind for me was ZZ TOP, but as soon as I saw "rush" and "cream" I had to call it a 3 way tie...but zz tops sound seemed to jump off the record more than anyone else's though [at least to me] as soon as digital/laser music became the main stay of the industry.

It's kind of funny that while I REALLY like a LOT of ZZ Top's music, I don't really consider them to be a pure rock and roll trio. They're much more blues based than rock and roll, IMHO. I believe they ARE THE best blues/rock trio ever. With Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble a CLOSE second.

I just always considered it blues rock or rock with a blue hue

 

[bluzman61]

OK...OK. Back 45 years

Thanks for the video. Robin Trower was and is, a great guitarist. His album Bridge Of Sighs is just fantastic.

 

[bluzman61]

The very first band to come to mind for me was ZZ TOP, but as soon as I saw "rush" and "cream" I had to call it a 3 way tie...but zz tops sound seemed to jump off the record more than anyone else's though [at least to me] as soon as digital/laser music became the main stay of the industry.

It's kind of funny that while I REALLY like a LOT of ZZ Top's music, I don't really consider them to be a pure rock and roll trio. They're much more blues based than rock and roll, IMHO. I believe they ARE THE best blues/rock trio ever. With Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble a CLOSE second.

I just always considered it blues rock or rock with a blue hue

A "blue hue", I like that description.

 

[ReinyDays]

Crosby, Stills and Nash ...

 

[bluzman61]

Crosby, Stills and Nash ...

Thanks, VERY talented trio. They were even better when Neil Young joined in. But THEN they were a quartet, obviously.

 

[Pogo]

For me, I would pick Cream as the best. They had one of the best guitarists AND drummers of all-time, IMHO, in Clapton and Baker. And their bass player, Jack Bruce, not too shabby either. My second, and VERY close to my #1 pick, would be Rush. Like Cream, their musicians were virtuosos on their instruments. My #3 pick would be The Police, again, all three virtuosos on their instruments. So who are YOUR favorites?

Got two additions, depending on the scope of the term "rock and roll" --- (1) Crosby Stills and Nash, and (2) America. Both more vocal harmony than bang-you-over-the-head instrumentation but ----- therein lies the beauty, doesn't it.

EDIT -- didn't see the above, but I did post CSN (without Y) for a reason. What anyone ever saw in Neil Young is kinda beyond my comprehension.

 

[ReinyDays]

Crosby, Stills and Nash ...

Thanks, VERY talented trio. They were even better when Neil Young joined in. But THEN they were a quartet, obviously.

Not sure they qualify as a "rock-and-roll" trio ... their music without Neil Young was kinda pussified ... if we look at all the other fine suggestions in this thread, we're really discussing groups that will knock your socks off ... something CSN never really did ...

 

[ReinyDays]

What anyone ever saw in Neil Young is kinda beyond my comprehension.

It takes a lot of heroin to fully appreciate Neil Young ...

 

[Ridgerunner]

What anyone ever saw in Neil Young is kinda beyond my comprehension.

Daryl Hannah is kinda partial to ole sugar britches...

 

[bluzman61]

What anyone ever saw in Neil Young is kinda beyond my comprehension.

It takes a lot of heroin to fully appreciate Neil Young ...

That WOULD probably help, ESPECIALLY when listening to his album Tonight's The Night. I LOVE Neil's music, from every phase of his career. He was/is a brilliant songwriter, an underrated guitarist and his voice has always seemed to fit his music perfectly. He's one of FEW good things to come out of Canada.

 

[Pogo]

He's one of FEW good things to come out of Canada

That reminds me I owe you some ridiculously awesome Cape Breton music.

Soon.

 

[Pogo]

Crosby, Stills and Nash ...

Thanks, VERY talented trio. They were even better when Neil Young joined in. But THEN they were a quartet, obviously.

Not sure they qualify as a "rock-and-roll" trio ... their music without Neil Young was kinda pussified ... if we look at all the other fine suggestions in this thread, we're really discussing groups that will knock your socks off ... something CSN never really did ...

They clearly did if you're listening for music rather than decibels.

That's why I put this band in there too. Not even sure what "pussified" is supposed to mean...

(stereo required)​

 

[bluzman61]

Crosby, Stills and Nash ...

Thanks, VERY talented trio. They were even better when Neil Young joined in. But THEN they were a quartet, obviously.

Not sure they qualify as a "rock-and-roll" trio ... their music without Neil Young was kinda pussified ... if we look at all the other fine suggestions in this thread, we're really discussing groups that will knock your socks off ... something CSN never really did ...

They clearly did if you're listening for music rather than decibels.

That's why I put this band in there too. Not even sure what "pussified" is supposed to mean...

(stereo required)​

I believe "pussified" means wimpy, not manly. I, too, like a lot of America's music, especially "A Horse With No Name" and "Ventura Highway", which is probably my favorite song by them.