famous bands (or significant portions thereof) who backed up a solo artist or were absorbed into an existing band for a single album: the thread

Wilco backing Scott McCaughey on the Minus 5 Down with Wilco album, and backing Billy Bragg on many tracks of Mermaid Avenue (though sort of credited as the title artist)

Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit were on the first Eurythmics album plus some other records, although by that point Can were finished and they were kind of the Sly n' Robbie of Krautrock anyway.

Faust on Tony Conrad's Outside The Dream Syndicate

Can on the debut album by Alex (Wiska) - Czukay/Liebezeit, to be exact, with Karoli on one track.

... 1973?

Kaleidoscope (US) back Leonard cohen on several tracks on his first lp

!! I did not know this

Idiot Flesh/Sleepytime Gorilla Museum nucleus is also the backing band on early Charming Hostess material (which rules btw)

Love And Rockets as backup band for The Jazz Butcher

I guess since I started the thread I'm at liberty to broaden the purview and will do so now to include famous bands which morphed, in a more permanent way, into other famous bands (eg Joy Division > New Order, The Ants > Bow Wow Wow) if only because I know you boffins will come up with more archaic examples that will blow my mind.

Drive-By Truckers were the band for Bettye LaVette album The Scene of the Crime

Spoon backed up Sally Crewe on Drive it Like You Stole It.

I guess since I started the thread I'm at liberty to broaden the purview and will do so now to include famous bands which morphed, in a more permanent way, into other famous bands (eg Joy Division > New Order, The Ants > Bow Wow Wow)

Related: Bands sucking other entire bands into themselves

Cobra Verde on GBV's Mag Earwhig

Thanks, morrisp. TBRR, I'd be shocked if there isn't already an extant thread devoted to this topic in general.

famous bands which morphed, in a more permanent way, into other famous bands

The Hawks becoming the Band = I guess an example of this (and also sort of an example of the "famous backing band" scenario, although they became more famous after they struck out on their own?)

The Band backed Dylan again on Planet Waves and Before The Flood.

Which reminds me: The Band on the self-titled Bobby Charles album.

'Japanese Girl' by Akiko Yano had Litle Feat appear on it for most of the record.

too bad no other VU members ever did an album with a famous band

i see you president keyes

Paul Cook and Steve Jones on Johnny Thunders’ So Alone.

Although they didn’t play on the whole album so doesn’t seem to count.

So Alone is an allstar session innit. Phil Lynnott and members of the oNly Ones and people too aren't there.

CTI Allstars got around a lot and were Allstars too weren't they?

Who is band on Love , Devotion, Surrender. THat's half of 2 groups or something innit?

a way more fun example of Yes is on that Frankie Goes to Hollywood record, though it probably doesn't count since it's just Trevor Horn & Steve Howe

I think the first few records by The Tangent were just Andy Tillison + The Flower Kings

Teddy Lasry's Univeria Zekt basically was Magma

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band made not one but two albums as the backup band (although supplemented with Asbury Jukes members and others) for Gary U.S. Bonds.

Faust's rhythm section plays on Slapp Happy's Acnalbasac Noom

Frankie Ford’s “Sea Cruise” vocal was superimposed over a backing track recorded by Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns but not sure about who played on the album.

Two members of Darker My Love (Tim Presley and Rob Barbato) were drafted into The Fall for Reformation Post TLC, though I dunno how famous they were.

not very I don't think, but I was aware of them (and saw them live once) because my brother-in-law was a fan. Tim Presley might be better known for White Fence now

Bunch of Triffids on Bill Drummond's The Man LP

That Ellen Foley record with The Clash on it

Durutti Column people on the Pauline Murray & The Invisible Girls LP

Booker T & The MGs (w/Stephen Still subbing for Steve Cropper) are the backing band on Bill Withers' Just As I Am.

Also on Neil Young’s Are you Passionate

Little Feat on Paris 1919

That was already mentioned upthread

There's an Arthur Lee live album with Shack as the backing band.

Ian Hunter's LP "You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic" has the E-Street rhythm section (Garry Tallent- bass
Max Weinberg - drums & Roy Bittan- keyboards) with Mick Ronson producing and playing lead guitar. It even has John Cale playing on one track too. Good record.

Faust's rhythm section plays on Slapp Happy's Acnalbasac Noom

― Ambient Police (sleeve)

Goddamn it, way to steal my answer ;_;

How about Dolly Mixture backing Captain Sensible, then?

There's an Arthur Lee live album with Shack as the backing band.

― Hideous Lump, Wednesday, June 5, 2019 10:45 PM (nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I saw 2 nights of that tour. London and Liverpool. Arthur Lee even paid me back after i'd had to pay in in Liverpool when he'd said he'd put me on the guestlist. Quite amazing.

xp emil.y I didn't know that one either!

Ian Hunter's LP "You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic" has the E-Street rhythm section (Garry Tallent- bass
Max Weinberg - drums & Roy Bittan- keyboards) with Mick Ronson producing and playing lead guitar. It even has John Cale playing on one track too. Good record.

Buncha E Street guys on Bat Out of Hell too.

The Hollies and some British session dudes (including Jimmy Page) provide most of the backing on Two Yanks In England by The Everly Bros.

The Weirdos backing Lydia Lunch on 13.13

Honeymoon in Red is her with the birthday party.
Some Velvet morning is her with the future These Immortal Souls
& the collaboration with Rowland S Howard as Shotgun Wedding is pretty great too

I believe all of Pere Ubu appeared on the Red Crayola's Soldier-Talk (...plus Lora Logic, as well!)

good call! also on Kangaroo?

and the amazing 'Born In Flames' single

Those have different personnel -- Epic Soundtracks, Gina Birch, Lora Logic, Ben Annesley... plus Allen Ravenstine from Pere Ubu played on Kangaroo?, not sure about the amazing "Born in Flames" single

(jammin' "Born in Flames" now; I don't hear Ravenstine's synth)

oh yeah you're right, even Ravenstine isn't on the single, my bad

your *good*; got me listening to Red C.... :)

I think a couple of PAVEMENT guys were on the first Silver Jews.

Jim O'Rourke and Sonic Youth.

― nicky lo-fi, Wednesday, June 5, 2019 7:56 PM (one week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Malk & Nasty were in the Joos before both were in Pavement

― Theodor Adorno, perhaps the greatest philosopher alive today (morrisp), Wednesday, June 5, 2019 8:09 PM (one week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

related, apparently the band Woods is the backing band for the new David Berman band Purple Mountains

Mae Moore & Margot Smith (RIP) each had albums produced by Steve Kilbey - so most/all of The Church show up.

The Smithereens have been Dave Davies’ backing band every so often.

Curve were part of Eurythmics’ touring band (it was how Toni & Dean Met)

Jason poached Julian Cope’s band for a Spiritualized line up.

Jason had already poached half his previous lineup from a previous Cope band too!

Curve were part of Eurythmics’ touring band (it was how Toni & Dean Met)

Garcia was a studio "member" of Eurythmics too, but I'm pretty sure Halliday didn't sing with them - they did meet through Dave Stewart though, and formed their first band in 1985 (also including the Eurythmics' long-time drummer Olle Romo), who flopped, split, and formed Curve a few years later after Halliday had another solo flop on Stewart's label. Eurythmics no longer existed by then, incidentally.

but! Feargal Sharkey's debut solo (the one with A Good Heart and You Little Thief as b2b openers) was produced by Stewart with himself on guitar and BVs, Garcia on bass, Romo on drums and a keyboard player who went on to be on various Eurythmics (after Garcia left) and DAS records in the following years. so not an actual lineup of Eurythmics that existed at any time, but close enough to note.

(Future hubby) Alan Moulder and Flood are all over the first Toni album, too, which further helps tie the story together.

Gawd... I forgot about that State Of Play album. Thanks for the details.

The Smithereens have been Dave Davies’ backing band every so often.

On occasion in the 80s, the Smithereens acted as the Beau Brummels, backing Sal Valentino and Ron Elliott.

The first Rainbow album was basically Elf w/Ritchie Blackmore.

R.E.M. sans Stipe throughout Zevon's "Sentimental Hygiene." Dylan and Neil Young on that record for a sec, too. Guess this was what gave us Hindu Love Gods.

Yup. Hindu Love Gods was stuff recorded during level checks and downtime during the SH sessions.

I guess in jazz it's more fungible but Norman Connors' 'Dance of Magic' is essentially all of Pharoah Sanders' band at the time minus Pharaoh but including most of the Headhunters

The Fabulous Thunderbirds are the backing band for most of Carlos Santana's Havana Moon.