Greetings, all.

Just wanted to surface briefly to ask for a list of songs you only listen to because of the song-redeeming quality of the instrumental solo they feature. There are a good number of these in my book, but perhaps the most striking example for me is the guitar solo in “Easy” by The Commodores.

This song is basically a cheesefest from treacly beginning to bathetic end, but — man, oh, man, did the dude who plays the guitar in that band get things right! I absoluitely adore that solo, and I will gladly lilsten to the entire steamer just for the chance to hear it played. Without the solo — uh-uh, buddy; no way I’m listening to that crap!

Check out the video above. You can tell watching guitar player dude that he knows he’s the best thing about that song. It’s his moment in The Commodores’ sun. Try as Lionel might, he simply cannot wrest control of the tune from Guitar Player Guy’s Six-String Moment. Play on, Commodores Guitar Player Guy, play on!

HVB

I was paging through my Moderator’s Log last night and ran across an entry noting disappointment over the response to this early thread posted by Townsman KingEd. KingEd has moved on, but I find that the best way to dispel of lingering feelings of disappointment is to keep firing! If for no other reason than offering a fresh look at this video, I propose that we revisit this topic and see if we can’t do it justice.

This post initially appeared 02/05/07.

There are artists every few years who, we probably agree, serve as examplars of their times and magically tap into their era’s zeitgeist. Elvis in the ’50s, The Beatles through the middle years of the ’60s, CSNY in the years after Altamont, Bowie through much of the ’70s, Prince…let’s just turn over the cards and get to the obligatory Nirvana in the ’90s.

Before I bore you to death with the obvious and get off subject, what interests me are rock’s Unlikely Exemplars of Their Times. Those who may not have made it into the Time/Life representation of history yet who for reasons only explained by “the times” played a large part in pop culture when they were in vogue. I’m thinking of successful artists who, in their day and especially with a few year’s hindsight, could only be explained as part of the zeitgeist of their particular time.
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While they probably never aspired to the gold standard Super Group status that Cream enjoyed, over the years some folks have thrown in their lot with other similarly situated folks (read: modestly successful/past their prime/second or third banana in a successful group) and formed “B” curve Super Groups. Sort of like if The Green Lantern, The Atom, and Hawkman formed their own Justice League (I’ve been watching a lot of superhero shows with my 4 year old lately).

Anyway, which of the following second- and third-tier Super Groups did you think had the most promise before you actually heard the music?

Which did you like the most after you heard their music?

Feel free to add a poor man’s Super Group of your own but make sure that it is comprised of at least three people who have had a modicum of success on their own.

• Gutterball (Long Riders, Dream Syndicate, Silos)
• Continental Drifters (Bangles, Cowsills, dB’s)
• Magic Christian (Flamin’ Groovies, Plimsouls, Blondie)
• Tinted Windows (Cheap Trick, Fountains of Wayne, Hanson, Smashing Pumpkins)
• Damn Yankees (Styx, Night Ranger, Amboy Dukes)