Tuesday Top Ten: Trios in Rock and Roll History

There's something about a trio that strikes a chord (figuratively). Unlike the traditional guitarist/bassist/drummer/singer line-up, the trio is more efficient, more streamlined, more at risk of failure due to untimely death. When I dreamt this list up the other day, I imagined it would be a pretty easy list to compile. However, after doing some research, it was harder than I thought it would be.

I have taken an expansive view of the term "rock and roll," such that it includes a variety of genres. If rappers can be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they can sure as hell be on this list.

10. The Bee Gees.
You may hate disco, and probably with good reason, but it would be improper, if not negligent, to discount The Brothers Gibb. They were making music long before the disco era (and apparently long after, until Maurice's death in 2003), and only Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks, and Paul McCartney have outsold The Bee Gees, making them the highest-selling trio in rock history.

9. Run DMC.
Rap pioneers and champions of Adidas, they bridged the gap between rock and rap with their 1986 collaboration with Aerosmith on the now-famous cover of "Walk This Way." They weren't assholes or too caught up in themselves, and they influenced just about every rapper or hip hop artist in the last 25 years.

8. ZZ Top.
Is there a more underrated band than ZZ Top? That may be an answer for a whole 'nother list, but these Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are often overlooked, despite the fact they've been making music for 40 years. In addition to the great, straightforward, blues-influenced rock they play, one can't discount the beards, or the fact that the only guy in the band who doesn't wear a beard is named Frank Beard.

7. Green Day.
This was one of those groups that snuck up on me when I was making this list. I hadn't initially thought of them, but as soon as I remembered they are a trio, it was a no-brainer. They have been putting out great pop punk for 15 years, starting with the epic Gen-X masterpiece, Dookie, and going on up through their newest release, 21st Century Breakdown.

6. Beastie Boys.
When you first heard "Fight for Your Right," did you think these guys would be making records over twenty years later? Frankly, I didn't even think about that kind of stuff because I was nine. But I'm glad they're still going. They've consistently made some of the best rap and hip hop (or however you might classify their music) of the past couple decades.

5. Nirvana.
Certainly Nirvana would be higher on the list had their lead singer and guitarist not shot himself in the face. I think he's dumb.

4. The Police.
They made some great music in the early and mid '80s, and the whole was certainly bigger than the sum of its parts, in my opinion. It's too bad their breakup prompted Sting's solo career.

3. Buddy Holly & The Crickets.
The original trio of rock and roll, whose influence cannot be understated.

2. Jimi Hendrix Experience.
A lot of people forget about Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding, but not this blogger. Hands down, one of the greatest bands in rock history. What they did on their three studio albums is unbelievable. It's pretty damn hard to think of a better three-album span than Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love, and Electric Ladyland.

1. Cream (or The Cream, if your British (or you're, if you know how to spell)).
This was a tough choice between Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, but when you're looking at trios, you can't top Cream. Their name says it all. They were the cream of the crop -- rock's first (and greatest) supergroup. Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker were all phenomenal musicians, who managed to put their egos aside for three or four years and make some of the heaviest blue-based rock the world had ever heard, which influenced countless musicians who would transform rock over the next five years and beyond.

Other trios considered and roundly rejected (some more roundly than others): Ben Folds Five, Blink-182, Crosby Stills & Nash (it was tough to leave them off, but they only made one good album without Neil Young, in my opinion), Emerson Lake & Palmer, The Fat Boys, Grand Funk Railroad (from 1968-1972), Hüsker Dü, The Jam, James Gang (1969-1971), Motörhead, Muse, Primus, Rush, Sleater-Kinney, Sublime, Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble, Violent Femmes, Wolfmother.

Thoughts, questions, concerns?