Is there anything more crushing as a music fan? You hear rumours of a brand-new team-up between superstars you adore, read all the interviews, lap up the hype – then it turns that that supergroup is naff. Sadly, it’s not a rare thing. For every Velvet Revolver, Killer Be Killed or Audioslave, there are a dozen all-star collaborations that fall tragically flat. Here are 10 bands that couldn’t beat the curse of the subpar supergroup.
Damnocracy
Proof that the post-Osbournes rock reality TV boom of the mid-2000s was mostly guff, Damnocracy were a bizarre cast plonked together for the VH1 show Supergroup in 2006. Sebastian Bach from Skid Row, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Jason Bonham (son of Led Zeppelin’s John), Evan Seinfield from Biohazard and… Ted fucking Nugent?! How was that lineup ever going to coexist? They split in 2010 with only one demo to their name.
Methods Of Mayhem
Sometimes an idea is so ingenious that you never realised how badly you needed it in your life until you heard it. “Mötley Crüe’s drummer goes rap metal” is, sadly, not that idea. Somehow, Tommy Lee managed to sell Jane’s Addiction’s rhythm section, Stephen Perkins and Chris Chaney, and Beastie Boys DJ Mixmaster Mike on this scheme, but it still fell flat. Their lyric “Shooting my jizzy jizzum” may be the worst committed to tape.
Medication
Medication released one EP and one album, both of which were bang average. However, they still caused a lot of fuss. Singer Whitfield Crane left Life Of Agony, leading to their split, then recruited guitarist Logan Mader from Soulfly, who brought drummer Roy Mayorga with him, massively pissing off Max Cavalera in the process. The grass wasn’t greener for any of them, they all fell out and Medication split in 2003.
Neurotic Outsiders
Two members of Guns N’ Roses, one Sex Pistol and the bassist for Duran Duran somehow made one album of clunky, old-school punk named Neurotic Outsiders. The Pistols’ Steve Jones is a great guitarist but, as evidenced here, not the best singer. It all feels rushed and unfinished, the lowest points being the ruining of The Clash’s Janie Jones and Duran bassist John Taylor murdering his own song, Planet Earth.
Tapeworm
In the late ’90s, rumours of a new supergroup called Tapeworm – a project featuring such icons as Maynard James Keenan, Trent Reznor, Zack De La Rocha, Dimebag Darrell and more – began to kick up pace. We were promised music had been worked on for years (there were even tentative release rumours), but, in the end, we got zilch. This was nothing more than the biggest musical prick tease in history.
Prophets Of Rage
Although Prophets Of Rage were far from dreadful, they were a Wish.com Rage Against The Machine. Co-singer Chuck D’s basically admitted as much since, tweeting in 2020 that he was “keeping Zack De La Rocha’s spot warm”. From the band’s name to the lineup and music, it felt like everything was designed to put Prophets in its far more famous predecessor’s shadow, despite Chuck and B-Real doing their best.
Chickenfoot
Sammy Hagar had one of the finest rock voices of his generation. Unfortunately – when he teamed up with former Van Halen bandmate Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and guitar hero Joe Satriani for Chickenfoot in 2008 – that generation had long gone. Over a pair of albums, Chickenfoot produced some decent hard rock but were sadly hampered by the fact that their best days were well behind them.
Device
Disturbed are footed firmly in the adrenaline-pumping rock end of things. So, you couldn’t help but be a bit intrigued when the band’s frontman David Draiman announced he was joining forces with two members of Filter to do an industrial project named Device. How different would it be? What daring sonic steps would they make? In the end, it just sounded like Disturbed. At least that Close My Eyes Forever cover was worthwhile.
Art Of Anarchy
This post-grunge supergroup, co-founded by Disturbed bassist John Moyer and ex-Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, were victims of tragedy and circumstance. Singer Scott Weiland passed away after their 2015 debut, then their stint with replacement Scott Stapp was hampered with in-fighting and legal issues. Now, the band have former Journey man Jeff Scott Soto up front and are planning a comeback, so fingers crossed things finally pick up.
Against All Will
Against All Will formed in 2007 and never officially broke up, yet we’ve heard precious little from them. Former Puddle Of Mudd player Jimmy Allen corralled this collective, which has also included ex-Soulfly and Dead Kennedys members over the years. However, they’ve only released a handful of alt-rock songs not worth the sum of their parts, and teased us with the notion of a debut album that – let’s be honest – isn’t coming.
