Tournament play to determine—once and for all—Rock’s Greatest Backing Band continues with the Expansion Conference, composed of backing bands for some of rock’s initial genre-expanding bands as well as a few newer backing bands supporting artists working in similar a similar ’60s rock revolution vein. Please use this space to argue for your favorite backing band in each contest, using any or all of the following criteria, including criteria not listed here:
- Ability to support the bandleader’s musical agenda/vision
- Additional musical contribution to the bandleader’s sound/vision
- Look and other supporting “rock superhero powers”
- Catchiness of backing band’s name
You may log your vote on each contestant in the Round 1 games through the polls on the following page. Please make sure to register your support and votes for the other conferences at their respective threads:
Please review the contests and all supporting material, including any you may present in the Comments section, then cast your votes through the following series of polls.
Round 1, Expansion Conference: The Mindbenders (1) vs The Vancouvers (16)
- The Mindbenders (ie, Wayne Fontana and...) (88%, 21 Votes)
- The Vancouvers (Bobby Taylor and...) (13%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 24
Loading ...Round 1, Expansion Conference: The Mad Dogs & The Englishmen (8) vs The TCB Band (9)
- The TCB Band (Elvis Presley's late-period band) (52%, 15 Votes)
- The Mad Dogs & The Englishmen (Joe Cocker's band) (48%, 14 Votes)
Total Voters: 29
Loading ...Round 1, Expansion Conference: The Mothers of Invention (5) vs The Detroit Wheels (12)
- The Detroit Wheels (Mitch Ryder and...) (52%, 15 Votes)
- The Mothers of Invention (Zappa's original lineup) (48%, 14 Votes)
Total Voters: 29
Loading ...Round 1, Expansion Conference: The Family Stone (4) vs The Pussycats (13)
- The Family Stone (Sly...) (90%, 27 Votes)
- The Pussycats (Josie and...) (10%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 30
Loading ...Round 1, Expansion Conference: The J.B.'s (6) vs The Bluesbreakers (11)
- The J.B.'s (Fred Wesley and...) (66%, 19 Votes)
- The Bluesbreakers (John Mayall's...) (34%, 10 Votes)
Total Voters: 29
Loading ...Round 1, Expansion Conference: The Revolution (3) vs The Evolution Revolution (14)
- The Revolution (Prince) (76%, 22 Votes)
- The Evolution Revolution (Lancelot Link) (24%, 7 Votes)
Total Voters: 29
Loading ...Round 1, Expansion Conference: The Buckaroos (7) vs The Upsetters (10)
- The Buckaroos (Buck Owens) (56%, 15 Votes)
- The Upsetters (Lee Perry) (44%, 12 Votes)
Total Voters: 27
Loading ...Round 1, Expansion Conference: The New Animals (2) vs The Pharaohs (15)
- The Pharaohs (Sam Sham and...) (59%, 16 Votes)
- The New Animals ("Turned-on" Eric Burdon and...) (41%, 11 Votes)
Total Voters: 27
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I don’t think I ever heard The Vancouvers. This song has some interesting pedigree:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xac-a-emzk
The Mindbenders don’t expend much energy in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W2_2slNZ9o
Or this one, but their musical backing adequately supports Fontana’s manly lead vocals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTHLjn1cmkk
I think I need to see and hear more of The Vancouvers before casting my vote on this match.
Lots of tight races in this conference. The Detroit Wheels may emerge as a sleeper.
I’ve got to look into what’s going wrong with the New Animals’ campaign.
I just searched in vain for the Detroit Wheels version of Too Many Fish In The Sea which might be even potent enough for them to beat my pick for the number one in this conference: Mad Dogs and Englishmen. If you have access to it, Mod, I implore you to post it.
This will help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDlx7JZYryA
Show me a backing band in this tournament with a better blond, Lincoln-bearded lead guitarist!
I know, there’s a dearth of performance videos by the Detroit Wheels out there. I was looking for it. I’m glad you’re backing both them and the Mad Dogs and Englishmen.
I hope the JBs hold strong here. JBs vs. The Revolution next round is a finals-worthy match-up, and the JBs getting seeded at a 6 vs. the New Animals at 2 has caused a ton of controversy among off-list commenters.
I like the Family Stone’s chances of handily winning the top of the bracket and then feasting on whoever survives the JBs vs. Revolution war.
I know what you’re saying, but this clip had not been located when seeding took place:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-i6upT-c6k
Honestly, though, wouldn’t you say the JBs ripped off Eric Burdon and War (a New Animals offshoot) as blatantly as Buddy Holly ripped off Bo Diddley?
Perhaps the influx of young Townspeople who’ve entered the Halls of Rock since we launched the RTH Youth Movement are not aware of the works of the Evolution Revolution, a backing band thought to give the Revolution a run for their money:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rhs4OCFhXo
Had to vote Mothers of Invention all the way on this one. I’m not a huge Zappa fan, but this is taking dislike of his work a little too far.
Huh? We’re talking the Detroit Wheels, a pretty smokin’ band in their time. It’s not like the Mothers are being challenged by the Evolution Revolution.
I like the Wheels just fine, but they’re a fairly generic, hard-rocking band of not that much subtlety, and they’re going up against one of the weirdest backing bands ever. I think there’s a little Zappa nose-thumbing here…
I’m proud to sponsor this gem. The band is absolutely cooking.
I had to go for the JBs, my favorite James Brown period with Bootsy and the Funky Drummer. But the Bluesbreakers would have advanced against practically everyone else with the lineups they’ve had. I guess as a backup group, the guitarists always overshadowed John Mayall, who was no great talent himself. But he could recognize it when he saw saw it!
Here’s the full Joe Cocker, The Mad Dogs & The Englishmen movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWPsI_Njaa0
Watch it and tell me they don’t edge out the TCB Band. Thanks.
Hey, I like the Pharaohs’ work on their one one hit just fine, but you’re telling me the New Animals can’t come back from a first half deficit in the face of this second half slop?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM8_v4AwltM
Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxi2_h2KX8k
Then we’ve got some hippie-Diddley bangers coming off the bench, just to draw a few fouls, like this bad boy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vPiIpFrej0
I’m not participating in this severely-flawed and poorly-thought-out game, but what the hell is wrong with “Little Red Riding Hood”?
Really? Can’t just unclench for a bit?
Nope. Not when Big Brother & The Holding Company are included (despite the fact the Janice was just the lead singer on most of the songs and didn’t even write as much as the rest of the group) and Parliament/Funkadelic are not (despite the fact that George Clinton was indisputably the leader and principal songwriter). Also, who paired the Attractions against the sequencer-driven Miami Sound Machine?
Not gonna waste my time on this.
Oh, and before anyone pince-nezzes me, I know it’s supposed to be “Janis”, not “Janice”. Brain-fart.
Well at least you’re not bitter.
The Buckaroos and the Upsetters was TOUGH. I had to go Buckaroos, but it took some serious soul-searching.
Voting continues through midnight tonight. A couple of tight battles in this conference! How ’bout the Mad Dogs-TCB showdown? There’s still time to watch the entire Mad Dogs and the Englishmen movie that I linked to before casting the obvious vote!
Or the Mothers fighting like there’s no tomorrow – because there isn’t – to stave off a pretty big upset!
The Buckaroos have taken a narrow lead over the Upsetters, and the phucking Pharoahs have probably pulled away from the New Animals. Here’s hoping one-time New Animal Andy Summers (behind Burdon’s left shoulder) can come off the bench to sink some 3s!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyoB9zNSYG0
BTW, your closing hours votes for the New Animals should NOT be confused with votes for Eric Burdon’s Fire Department, a 1980 backing band that did not make the Final 64:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZS5ElfP-dk