Great Musicians in Cheesy Bands

[Jerjo]

So, I was watching the Central Park concert last night and Journey came on. Neal Schon was tearing it up on guitar but I really did not need to ever hear "Any Way You Want It" ever again in my lifetime. It wasn't the first time I wished he was in a band that was a little more musically adventurous and with respectable lyrics. I remember Pete Townshend complaining that it was a shame that Eddie Van Halen played party rock anthems instead of something that would push him. Can anyone else think of any examples or is this just an exercise in musical snobbery?

First person that says "George Harrison" will be beaten like a baby seal.

[Rick L.]

The cheesy musicians in great bands thread will be longer.

[TheH]

Neal was in Santana that will do it for me :-)

[Digital_Man]

Neal was in Santana that will do it for me :-)

I would think most would say Journey were cheesier than Santana though.

[TheH]

I would think most would say Journey were cheesier than Santana though.

That was what I tried to say :-)

[Dave (in MA)]

George Harrison.

I don't even know what that means, but I figured I'd get it out of the way.

[pb2015]

Foreigner was another band where the musicians were overqualified for the style of music they played. Ian McDonald (ex-King Crimson) being the most famous example.

[SteveSly]

So, I was watching the Central Park concert last night and Journey came on. Neal Schon was tearing it up on guitar but I really did not need to ever hear "Any Way You Want It" ever again in my lifetime. It wasn't the first time I wished he was in a band that was a little more musically adventurous and with respectable lyrics. I remember Pete Townshend complaining that it was a shame that Eddie Van Halen played party rock anthems instead of something that would push him. Can anyone else think of any examples or is this just an exercise in musical snobbery?

First person that says "George Harrison" will be beaten like a baby seal.

Personally, I only find some of Journey's music "cheesy" and the last album they did with Pineda, "Eclipse" really rocked with a lot of tasty guitar and is well worth checking out. Schon has done a lot of stuff outside of Journey over the years that is more adventurous. He has done 10 solo albums, 2 albums with Jan Hammer, Soul SirkUS, HSAS, and of course Santana.

[SteveSly]

Foreigner was another band where the musicians were overqualified for the style of music they played. Ian McDonald (ex-King Crimson) being the most famous example.

Agree, that original lineup was stacked with great musicians.

[SteveSly]

What about Toto? From a pure musicianship perspective everyone in that original lineup were virtuosos. Although they did get musically adventurous here and there, they also did a lot of cheese over the years.

[SteveSly]

How about Pablo Cruise? Most of their hits were feel good cheesy radio fodder, but everyone in that band were top notch and live they could really kick it out.

[jake]

Chris Spedding played with the Wombles. For US readers, the Wombles were a bit like the Banana Splits.
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[Zeuhlmate]

Pekka Pohjola plays the bass:

[lovecraft]

Wetton in Uriah Heep seems like a contender.

And though my memory fails me, didn't one of Tull's drummers end up in an 80s metal band....Clive Bunker I think.

[Scott Bails]

Rod Morganstein (Dixie Dregs) in Winger?

[alucard]

George Harrison
(flogging a dead horse so to speak, which could bring up Johnny Rotten as a serious contender)

[arturs]

I only found out about this band & song thanks to the John Lawton RIP thread. But it is a strong contender...

[Halmyre]

John Wetton, Steve Howe, Geoff Downes and Carl Palmer.

[progholio]

Rod Morganstein (Dixie Dregs) in Winger?

Very much like Steve Smith in Journey

[progholio]

John Wetton, Steve Howe, Geoff Downes and Carl Palmer.

Luckily i never bought into that.

[GuitarGeek]

[QUOTE=Jerjo;1065401]Can anyone else think of any examples or is this just an exercise in musical snobbery?

Snobbery? Definitely. Journey had some good songs, like People And Places, or Chain Reaction. But if you really want to hear Neal cut loose, listen to the two Schon & Hammer records, or Through The Fire by HSAS. Also, there's Santana III and Caravanserai.

First person that says "George Harrison" will be beaten like a baby seal.

You don't think The Traveling Wilburies were tacky?

Wetton in Uriah Heep seems like a contender.

The frell are you talking about?!

And though my memory fails me, didn't one of Tull's drummers end up in an 80s metal band....Clive Bunker I think.

What's wrong with being in a metal band? Clive played on the third Electric Sun album, Beyond The Astral Skies. But Barrimore Barlow made the ignoble decision to play on Yngwie Malmsteen's first solo album.

But if you want to talk about a great musician playing on cheesy records, any given studio musician, including, but not limited to, Tony Levin, Steve Lukather, David Paich, David Hungate and the Porcaro brothers, have virtually everyone else beat. Those guys have all played on lots of records by just about anyone who could afford to hire them. See also: Jennifer Batten playing with Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck playing with Rod Stewart, Steve Hackett and Rory Gallagher guesting on the second Box Of Frogs album, Steve Howe playing on...damn, it wasn't Frankie Goes To Hollywood that I'm thinking, but another one of Trevor Horn's productions, Propaganda, maybe?

Then there's also those sessions David Gilmour did in the 80's (but obviously not all of them, I'd never call Warren Zevon, Kate Bush, or Bryan Ferry "cheesy").

Oh yeah, and we can't forget Dr. Brian May producing Anita Dobson's Anyone Can Fall In Love (i.e. the highly toxic vocal version of the EastEnders theme). The things some people will do for love. Oy!

[GuitarGeek]

Very much like Steve Smith in Journey

You're gonna compare She's Only 17 and Madelaine to Chain Reaction?!

[GuitarGeek]

ANd didn't Peter Sinfield finish up writing some truly horrendous pop songs?! I seem to recall he had something to do with one of Celine Dion's hits...

[Digital_Man]

Although I personally don't really consider anything Toto or Chicago did to be cheesy I can see how some might think so. Regardless, they both featured some top notch musicians.

[Zeuhlmate]

Borderline case ?
Allan Holdsworth in Level 42 (on the album Guaranteed)