6 Classic Rock Band Members That Deserve More Respect

When people think about legendary rock bands, the spotlight hits straight to the frontman or maybe a famous guitarist. But a band is not a band without the unsung heroes who made these bands truly iconic. So, let’s take these rock stars to center stage and give credit to their remarkable talent.

Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones)
When you think about Rolling Stones, it’s easy to take on Mick Jagger’s moves and Keith Richards’ riffs, right? But remove Charlie Watts’ solid, no-frills drumming from the equation, their classic rock tracks wouldn’t have been the same.

Watts wasn’t the flashy drummer, but he brought the backbone beat to the band. His steady, impeccable groove made songs like “Paint It Black” and “Gimme Shelter” truly unforgettable in the Stones’ discography. He may not have chased the spotlight, but Charlie was the heartbeat of the band, plain and simple.

Richard Wright (Pink Floyd)
Though Pink Floyd is often tied to Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, or David Gilmour, it was Richard Wright’s keyboards that added magic to their sound.

Wright’s work was nothing too loud or flashy. It was the kind of brilliance that snuck up on you. That’s the kind of haunting beauty you get from Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky” or the dreamy vibe of “Us and Them.” Wright may just be in the background but Pink Floyd’s sound wouldn’t have been nearly as rich or iconic thanks to him.

Krist Novoselic (Nirvana)
Kurt Cobain’s voice and Dave Grohl’s drums ruled Nirvana. But if you listen closer, it’s Krist Novoselic’s basslines that glued their unique sound and held it all together.

Just like in their tracks “Come as You Are” or “Lithium”, for instance, Novoselic’s power bass pushed the song’s vibes to a whole new level. Krist may not have been as famous as his bandmates, but his contributions were just as important to shaping Nirvana’s grunge sound.

Kim Deal (Pixies)
Kim Deal was no doubt a star in her own right. Though her role in the Pixies often gets overshadowed by frontman Black Francis, that didn’t stop her from showing her remarkable thumping bass talent.

Aside from her basslines that brought energy and punch to songs like “Gigantic” and “Where Is My Mind,” her vocals also added a unique layer to their sound. Sadly, when Kim left, the band lost a huge piece of what made them special.

Cliff Williams (AC/DC)
In AC/DC, it’s usually Angus Young’s guitar solos or Brian Johnson’s growling vocals that stole the show. But Cliff Williams’ rock-solid basslines were the band’s support to their classic tracks.

This bass guru may not be flashy but his talent is crisp and raw. From “Back in Black” to “Thunderstruck,” his playing added the right kind of rock punch to the band’s thunderous energy. With that skill level, Cliff didn’t need to stand in the spotlight to be a legend.

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
Led Zepplin may have been known for Robert Plant’s vocals, Jimmy Page’s guitar wizardry, and John Bonham’s thunderous drumming. However, without John Paul Jones’s musical genius Led Zeppelin’s solid rock sound wouldn’t be complete.

Name it, Jones did it—from bass, and keyboards, to arrangements. Their songs “Kashmir” and “Stairway to Heaven” showed he had that kind of creative juice. It was his contributions that completed Zeppelin’s sound that made the rock band popular.