Overshadowed by bandmates


I was listening to "Real Time" a live CD by Richard LLoyd, the "other" guitarist to Tom Verlaine in Television. It occurred to me that, while I like Verlaine's style, I ultimately prefer Lloyd's playing. I just didn't really appreciate it till he left the band and crawled out from Verlaine's shadow. This got me thinking. Until he left to start World Party, Karl Wallinger was obscured by Mike Scott while they were bandmates in The Waterboys. Now, I'll take Wallinger over Scott.

Some would say George Harrison suffered this fate, too. I think he was overshadowed by Lennon/Macca for many fans until "All Things Must Pass" and "Bangladesh". Any others come to mind?
martykl
Great post!

Completely agree with Mick Taylor when he was a Rolling Stones. Have you noticed that in interviews KR belittles Taylor?

Dave Mason was the overshadowed bandmate in Traffic. He was their George Harrison.

In the original Fleetwood Mac Danny Kirwan never got his props.

Neal Schon and Greg Rolie had to leave Santana and start Journey.

Ron Wood played second fiddle (actually he was the bassist) to Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart in an early Jeff Beck Group.

Jack Bruce wrote most of the songs, did most of the vocals and is arguably the better musician, but Cream is now viewed as an Eric Clapton band.

Levon Helm in The Band.

Both Curt Smith and John Oates kinda' got pushed to the backseat in their respective pop dous.

Boz Scaggs in the Steve Miller Band.

Artie Garfunkle.

Florence Ballard in the Supremes.

Pete Anderson -- Dwight Y. just doesn't sound the same.

Stevie Nieve. What would Elvis Costello sound like without him?

Dan Hartman in the Edgar Winter Group w/ Rick Derringer. Hartman was pop genius.

John Paul Jones. Do you think just anybody could have played bass with Page and Bonham?

And finally, my nominee for the ultimate overshadowed bandmate -- Johnny Johnson. When they went into the studio it was the Johnny Johnson Band, when they came out it was Chuck Berry.
love Lloyd's playing as well. his solo stuff is all worth owning, and that first television lp is nothing if not killer. check out 'the skids-the absolute game' for a teen stuart adamson ripping it up long before 'big country'. both were criminally underrated.
John Paul Jones in Led Zeppelin. Not only was his bass playing world class, but his keyboard parts added alot of texture, and he does not get his due.

Benn Orr in the Cars. Alot of people think Rik Ocasek sang everything, but many of the hits were sung by Ben.
bob weir.

the diff b/w a good GD set and a great one is how aggressive bobby was playing. listening to the 70 & 77 shows he's really pushing phil, jerry, mickey & bill.

but so much of their best live stuff was b/c of bobby's playing