Hello everyone! I seldom post in the Lounge but I was thinking about something

[PatrickforO]

on my way home from work the other day.

For some reason, don't know why because I haven't heard the term in some time, I thought of 'supergroups' while listening to a song by Supertramp.

Now, I like Supertramp but I personally - just my own opinion - don't think of them as a supergroup. Not because they aren't good, because they are...or were. No, it isn't that.

I mean, what IS a supergroup? For me, they are groups whose music is absolutely timeless - most of it - and you can hear it now and love it just the same as when you first heard it when you were 10 or 12. They are groups, who when you hear them, somehow elevate your spirit in some indefinable but visceral way.

The bands I personally would think of as 'supergroups' would of course include the Beatles, the Who, and Led Zeppelin. Don't get me wrong - there's tons of really, really good music out there, but these three groups, when I hear their music, elevate me somehow in ways other music groups do not.

The term 'supergroup' was first coined, I suspect, by the 'money' side of the music 'industry.' I believe they positioned Supertramp as the next 'supergroup' and did a sophisticated marketing campaign around the concept, but to me Supertramp, even though I like them just fine, never really reached that realm of exaltation where the Beatles, the Who and Zep live in my spirit and memory.

You know what I mean?

[Aristus]

1. For me, the simplest definition for a supergroup is a band that can sell out sports stadiums.

That's it. It doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the music, or the relative appeal of the band 'personality'. Just how many seats they can sell at a huge venue.

[PatrickforO]

5. Have to add Freddy Mercury and Queen, then, and the Stones.

[lunasun]

8. Funny you should post this-I was with my teens in a car and as a song came on they asked who is that

This was just last night
I told them it was the Rolling Stones and said you’ve heard of them
they said oh yeah
then my son asked who of these older rock groups do you think would still be known when they were my age which of course is ancient to them
ha ha
I told him I did not know if the Rolling Stones would be , but the Beatles would be for sure

Yes they said but then both spoke together, and said they believe Queen and probably the Beatles
would be the two I was surprised
Oh they added and Michael Jackson
so I don’t know why but for some reason as an older person I would not think of Queen but the future gen does !

I was sad neither mention Prince but like Michael Jackson I never considered either bounded by the genre we were talking about
I thought they might because a couple of artists they listen to credit influence from Prince
Perhaps they also didn’t make the connection to rock
This is a little off subject but your post made think of the conversation last night
Post more often!
a great subject for the lounge

[GeorgeGist]

2. I would include the Stones as well.

[Cirque du So-What]

3. To me, 'supergroup' has a different meaning

A group with two or more performers who are already legendary in their own right.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musical_supergroups

[brewens]

7. Precisely. Zepplin was considered one, then Jimmy Page was in The Firm with Paul Rodgers.

I know there are more examples that I can't think of right now.

[BluesRunTheGame]

4. Supergroups are bands made up from members of other famous bands.

Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Traveling Wilburys. Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

[PatrickforO]

6. Yeah, the Traveling Wilburys was a truly amazing group. I love them.

End of the line, with Orbison's guitar sitting in the empty rocker...

That's truly great music!