10 of the most underrated band members
When it comes to our favourite bands, be it The Beatles or Arctic Monkeys, the reverence with which they’re bestowed is often focused on one or two members in particular, with the rest of the band existing outsight of the limelight.
Typically, it is the frontman who gets the most plaudits; naturally, it is the eye-catching role that acts as the tip of the band’s spear. This position has given us some of music’s most famous faces, including John Lennon, Mick Jagger and Freddie Mercury.
If it’s not the frontman, then it’s the lead guitarist, and often, it has been the axeman that has stolen the limelight even from the frontman. Whether it be Pete Townshend of The Who, Jimi Hendrix, who combined both roles, or Slash of Guns N’ Roses, the stories of guitarists being more revered by the frontman are numerous, owing to the seemingly otherworldly skill that they possess.
A case in point is that of Jimmy Page. Not only was he Led Zeppelin’s lead guitarist, arguably the finest of all time, but he was also their creative mastermind, which led to him being coveted in a way that is rare for musicians, even of his stature. Without him, the band would not have got going, meaning that Page rightly gets a lot of the praise. However, this does a disservice to his bandmates, who were also geniuses in their own right.
Since the dawn of time, band members who are equally as brilliant as their colourful colleagues have been overlooked. From classic rock to contemporary times, many legends of the game do not get the plaudits they deserve because other members hog the limelight. So, today, we’re setting that right by listing ten of the most underrated band members. Expect to see a host of legends.
10 of the most underrated band members:
Richard Wright – Pink Floyd
Where else but to start with the king of the most underrated band members? Richard Wright, the keyboardist of Pink Floyd, was a genius. However, due to his quiet nature, he always took a backseat role as frontmen Syd Barret, David Gilmour, and Roger Waters hogged the limelight as the primary songwriters of the group and the ones with the most to say.
Whilst he might not have written as much content as Gilmour or Waters, Wright brought a genuine musical intellect to the fold of Pink Floyd, helping the band’s creative mastermind’s to arrange their pieces, a role that cannot be understated. Added to his brilliance and vital role in the prog juggernaut was that his otherworldy keys elevated all of their music, from the heady Syd Barrett days to the cerebral masterwork that is The Dark Side of the Moon. ‘Remember a Day’ and ‘Time’ remain two of his most esteemed moments.
Krist Novoselic – Nirvana
This was an easy one. When discussing the grunge pioneers that were Nirvana, the conversation always centres around the late frontman Kurt Cobain and drumming maestro Dave Grohl, and this is not unfounded as both are geniuses in their own right.
However, this means that Krist Novoselic, the other founding member of the trio alongside his school friend Cobain, gets overlooked. A monstrous bass player, the classic basslines he penned are numerous, and whilst they often get dismissed as being simple, this is not the case. They are rumbling and complex constructions complete with stylistic nuances that only the trained ear can pick up on, as his work on 1991’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ confirms. ‘In Bloom’ and ‘Lithium’ are two of his highlights – listen out for his slides and bends.
Gillian Gilbert – New Order
In truth, electronic rockers New Order have two underrated members in the form of husband and wife duo Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert, AKA The Other Two. It was hard to pick one out of the two. Still, because Morris has more of an influential legacy due to his work in Joy Division, this entry fell to Gilbert. She has been a crucial part of New Order’s rise and critical to them casting off the shadow of their previous Ian Curtis-led iteration.
Mainly famous as the keyboardist of New Order, Gilbert has performed on all of their best-loved and consequential cuts, including the game-changing 1983 single ‘Blue Monday’, the dance freak-out of ‘A Perfect Kiss’ and later favourites such as ‘Regret’. In short, Gilbert’s work on the keyboard was key to New Order rising to the heights that they did, and without her, they simply wouldn’t have been the same act.
Nick O’Malley – Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys bassist Nick O’Malley is another unassuming character but exactly the kind of man any band would welcome to have on rhythmic duties. As cool as they come, he is the band’s glue, and together with drummer Matt Helders, he has created one of the most formidable rhythm sections in rock.
It’s a testament to his work that his introduction saw the band start to take their work up a notch, and with him, they’ve managed to get better with each album, something no other bands can claim to do. ‘Brainstorm’, ‘Crying Lightning and ‘One Point Perspective’ are three of his most cherished moments on the bass guitar.
Colin Greenwood – Radiohead
From one unassuming master of the four-string to another, Colin Greenwood, Radiohead’s elder Greenwood, is one of the band’s most overlooked cogs, as his brother Jonny and frontman Thom Yorke get the lion’s share of the plaudits. As well as being a bassist-extraordinaire, he is also a more than capable multi-instrumentalist, and if you were to take him out of the fold, Radiohead wouldn’t be the same beast they are today.
Despite his multi-faceted nature, he really shines as a bassist. Across his nearly 30-year career, Greenwood has sat in drummer Phil Selway’s pocket and laid down some of the most captivating basslines in contemporary rock. He always leaves space in a measure and has a penchant for the off-beat, allowing the other band members to create their layered, futuristic work. Two of the best examples of his power are ‘Airbag’ and ‘How to Disappear Completely’, leaving nothing to be desired.
Charlie Watts – The Rolling Stones
Undoubtedly the coolest motherlicker on the list, across his 58-year tenure with rock’s most raucous rabble, The Rolling Stones, Watts not only brought musical intelligence and agility to the role but was the band’s personal ballast as well.
A lifelong jazz fan, with the form influencing everything he did, the amount of compelling tracks he recorded is dazzling, and it’s a list that includes the timeless ‘Gimme Shelter’, ‘Paint It, Black’ and ‘Honky Tonk Women’. Invariably serving the song, Watts fulfilled his role as drummer perfectly, setting the standard for all else that followed.
Tim Commerford – Rage Against the Machine
Despite being one of the most lauded bassists in modern rock, outside of the realm of bass playing, Tim Commerford is a man who deserves to be a lot more appreciated than he is. The muscle behind the political funk-rock of Rage Against the Machine, without him, you could say goodbye to their legendary status, as he is as dynamic as they come.
His style combines funk with a metal edge, and his vitality is what gives the band room to flourish. Together, he and drummer Brad Wilk created a titanic racket, and they redefined the role of a rhythm section in the modern era. Look no further than his performances on ‘Bombtrack’ and ‘Killing in the Name’.
Nick Valensi – The Strokes
When it comes to American indie heroes The Stokes, the conversation is usually centred around frontman Julian Casablancas or guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.
Of course, Casablancas and Hammond Jr. are well deserving of the praise they get as both bring a lot to the fold. Still, without Valensi, The Strokes would not be the worldbeaters they are today. Unquestionably the band’s most technically gifted guitarist, he takes on their most complicated guitar parts, with his work on ‘Juicebox’ and ‘Under Cover of Darkness’ are two of his greatest moments.
John Paul Jones – Led Zeppelin
Another one of rock’s original overlooked legends is John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. A bassist and multi-instrumentalist, he brought a cerebral, calculated cool to the English leviathan, with his work allowing Jimmy Page to realise his ever-expanding creative vision.
Cutting his teeth as a session musician and arranger, by the time he joined Led Zeppelin, Jones was on a different level as a musician, bringing all he had learnt to the group, augmenting their sound by adding a real edge. His bassline on ‘Black Dog’ speaks for itself.
Kim Deal – Pixies
Although Kim Deal is a legend in her own right, thanks to her work in The Breeders, her work in Pixies often gets overlooked, with her role in the band’s success overshadowed by that of their primary creative mastermind Black Francis.
However, her simple and no-frills basslines and unmistakable vocals carried the band in their heyday and made them alternative pioneers. Delivering the vocals on the early fan favourite ‘Gigantic’, and writing ‘Silver’ on Doolittle, are just two of her best moments in the Boston band. It reflects her position within Pixies that they were never the same after she left.
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