Top 20 Secret Weapon Band Members

The Police


The name "Stewart Copeland" is one which is mentioned often within the circles of drum aficionados everywhere, and with good reason as Copeland has long been considered to be one of the best to ever sit behind a kit. Indeed, it may be difficult to stand out from the rock star icon which is Sting, but Copeland manages to achieve an equally impactful status, thanks to his hard hitting physical style and incredibly energetic stage presence. The drummer has even branched out from rock music into the world of film score composition, lending his creative talents to such films as "Highlander II: The Quickening."

Nirvana

The tallest member of Nirvana might be the most underestimated. Most people discuss Kurt Cobain’s writing or Dave Grohl’s drums, but rarely do they give this bassist his due. Krist Novoselic gives the band a thumping heartbeat through several intense tracks. Listen closely and you’ll hear a musician that always knows when to stand out or blend in. On efforts like “Blew,” the bass player adds another layer of grunge to this song from “Bleach.” His work on deep tracks like “Lounge Act” also showcases his style, leading off a great piece from “Nevermind.” Novoselic is an essential part of the group’s DNA, making the music even heavier.

R.E.M.

With their influential sound, R.E.M. became a staple of rock music in the 1980s and 1990s. Their output relied on four talented members to make it all happen. Mike Mills was their bassist, using his underrated bass parts to balance out Peter Buck’s guitar. His playing and writing were an indispensable element of their work. Alongside singer Michael Stipe, Mills provided backing vocals to enrich the beautiful melodies. He even sang lead on tracks such as “Near Wild Heaven” and often takes lead vocals on live performances of “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville.” As a multi-instrumentalist, the artist builds upon an impressive roster of bandmates.

The Doors

At the beginning of The Doors’ career, Ray Manzarek was a vital driving force for the band. He’s also one of the pillars of the group’s sound. Playing the organ on rock tunes, the instrumentalist made the music even more unique. Jim Morrison’s words took them to a psychedelic space while Manzarek grounded them with his keys. The band member gives tracks like “Light My Fire” their spark. As a keyboardist, he had many opportunities to shine with cool arrangements and legendary intros. His career is filled with his incredible performances from “Hello, I Love You” to “Back Door Man.”

Genesis

As an influential progressive band, Genesis helped to push the genre forward in the 1970s. The group cultivated some of the finest musicians of the decade, including Tony Banks. The keyboardist brought a classical flair to their best work, including the epic “Firth of Fifth.” When the group changed their style, Banks created some amazing synth parts in the 1980s. The track “The Brazilian” is one example of his versatility. Filling out the dynamic roster, this player makes the work of Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins even better. Through the years, he brought new ideas to an eclectic catalog.

Fleetwood Mac

While this singer was tremendously successful, she was also in a band with other spotlight-stealing legends. Some listeners forget that Christine McVie wrote quality music during Fleetwood Mac’s most popular era. This includes both hits and underrated deep tracks. Her contributions to “Rumours” include everything from “Don’t Stop” to the soulful ballad “Songbird.” McVie’s beautiful voice only adds to the fantastic collective. In a group with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, this artist made her own stamp on their music. Her songwriting provided the band with some of its finest work in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Rolling Stones

Throughout much of the band’s history, The Rolling Stones had Charlie Watts backing them up. His drumming was always right for the song, never too audacious or distracting. Watts held each composition in the palms of his hands. This style gets overlooked by some, taken for granted in a sea of other drum techniques. Tracks like “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” or “Sympathy for the Devil” would be incomplete without his work. He kept time through their most successful run, creating drum parts for many hits in the 1960s and 1970s. The Stones have kept touring after their summer's death, but they’ll never be able to replace his singular talent.

Van Halen

When you think of Van Halen, you probably imagine Eddie’s guitar playing or the front men. There’s one member that doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. Bassist Michael Anthony carries the songs with steady parts that let the guitarist run wild. While his playing might be more subtle, his backing vocals stand out on various classics. These provide the extra boost that turn songs like “Panama” into arena anthems. They also come in handy for the band’s second era with Sammy Hagar. Anthony appeared in multiple eras of the group, later being swapped out for Wolfgang Van Halen in the 2000s.

AC/DC

Sometimes overshadowed by his brother Angus, Malcolm Young was another key ingredient in the AC/DC formula. The Australian musician co-created a musical framework that sent shockwaves through speakers. Together, he and his brother used power chords to energize rock music in the 1970s and 1980s. Young’s rhythm and backing vocals were as important as his sibling’s stage presence. During the Bon Scott era, the artist added strong work to hits like “T.N.T.” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.” There’s also his writing contributions to classic albums like “Back in Black.” He’s yet another reason to rediscover this electric group’s career.

Pink Floyd

From the beginning of this band, Richard Wright was there. His keyboard skills brought another layer to their progressive sound. You can trace his artistry from the Syd Barrett days to the later years with David Gilmour. Lending his talents to amazing albums, the musician also supplied songwriting credits to some of their greatest work like “Time.” From “The Dark Side of the Moon” to “The Wall,” Wright was a constant among other musical giants like Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and Gilmour. As a writer and a vocalist, the multi-talented artist did much more than sit behind a keyboard.

Queen

This epic quartet created some of the best rock anthems ever. They also feature a bass player that deserves more attention. Along with Roger Taylor, John Deacon isn’t just a part of this stellar rhythm section. He further proves that each member of Queen is multi-talented. Deacon lays down some great bass parts, but he can also write. His work on “Another One Bites the Dust” might be the most recognizable, but it only scratches the surface. He only adds to the magnificence of his bandmates Freddie Mercury and Brian May. If you explore their catalog, you’ll see that this bassist earns his place among rock icons.

Pixies

Bass players sometimes get a bad rap, often hanging in the back of the stage, holding down the rhythm and not getting super involved up front with the audience. Not so with Kim Deal, former bassist of indie rock band Pixies, who not only enjoyed a rabid fan following, but also helped co-write some of the band's biggest hits and live favorites. Deal also stepped up within The Pixies on both co-lead and backing vocals, eschewing not only bass player stereotypes, but also strengthening the role of women in rock. Not bad for someone who didn’t even own a bass when she joined the band.

The Who

As yet another bassist on our list - and, spoiler alert, there are more to come- John Entwhistle attacked his chosen instrument with a dizzying ferocity throughout the sixties and seventies, earning fans and admirers along the way. Sure, it may be tough to stand out when you're sharing a band with hard rock heroes Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and Keith Moon, but Entwhistle held his own, even branching out with his own group in later years, playing such high profile shows as Woodstock '99. Songwriting and musical chops? John Entwhistle was in no shortage of either one.

Black Sabbath

Terence "Geezer" Butler isn't your average bass player, approaching his instrument with the brash, confident sensibilities of a lead guitarist. This is exactly why the criminally underrated Butler's star shone so brightly during his tenure with the mammoth heavy metal gods Black Sabbath. The fact that Sabbath possessed a one guitar lineup, that of band founder Tony Iommi, made it possible for Butler to spread his creative wings as both songwriter and bassist, often playing against Iommi's riffs with memorable melodies of his own. Add to this Butler's open mind for more modern musical influences, and you have one seriously effective secret weapon.

The White Stripes

A band is only as good as their drummer. This holds quite a bit of water when it comes to the case of Meg White and The White Stripes, as this musician's simplistic and regressive drum work is just what the doctor ordered when it comes to her band's straight ahead brand of rock 'n roll. Jack White's garage rock riffing and direct songwriting demands an equally direct approach to the drums, an approach which Meg was only too happy to provide. To be honest, it probably wouldn't sound quite right any other way, with Meg's four-on-the-floor style driving home White's songwriting, and allowing it maximum impact.

Guns N’ Roses


If you were to look at a selection of Guns 'n Roses classics from the band's back catalog, it's highly likely that this secret weapon was responsible for some of the songwriting. Izzy Stradlin may not enjoy as big of a rock star status as lead-man Slash, but Stradlin's talent is without question, having penned or co-written the massive hits "14 Years" and "Patience." The guitar player even took lead vocals on tracks like the memorable "Dust 'n Bones," before embarking on a solo career of his own with Izzy Stradlin and the Ju-Ju Hounds after parting ways with Guns.

Rush

What do you do when you're in a power trio alongside drummer Neil Peart and bassist Geddy Lee? You speak softly and carry a big axe. It may seem strange that a guitar player with a pedigree the size of Alex Lifeson might be considered to be a secret weapon in a prog rock band, but for Lifeson it's always been a careful balancing act between the guitarist's frenetic fretwork skills and humble, unassuming personality. Rush's muscular progressive rock relies on the sum of its parts, and it's Alex Lifeson's reliably impressive ratio in that equation which makes him the band's devastating secret weapon.

Metallica

Adding to the list of bassists who bucked stereotypes, the legacy of Metallica's Cliff Burton is one which has not been diminished, despite the metal legend's tragic death while on tour in Sweden in 1986. Burton was not a quiet bassist, preferring instead to amplify his sound with an approach which was both melodic and forward-thinking. One need only look to Burton's work on such Metallica classics as "Orion" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls" to hear how this bass player moved outside the box to create some of his band's most memorable musical moments.

The Beatles

Sure, this Beatle has always been the brunt of good natured jokes by the band's worldwide fanbase, but the work of this trailblazing drummer and songwriter speaks for itself when it comes to inhabiting a wildly varied creative headspace. Ringo Starr has not only written and recorded plenty of LPs on his own, but the former Beatle's approach to drumming while performing alongside John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison was forward thinking and bold for the time, embodying a progressive spirit which helped craft numerous classics along the way.

Led Zeppelin


What can we say about John Paul Jones? Standing just out of the limelight, Jones was a songwriter, keyboardist and bass player extraordinaire, anchoring Led Zeppelin during his tenure with the hard rockers. Jones didn't stop there, however, and continued to be creative long after Zeppelin called it a day, collaborating with artists as varied as Lenny Kravitz, Diamanda Galás and even Dave Grohl, with whom Jones formed the rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures. Remaining relevant for over four decades? That's what we call the sign of a true musical secret weapon.


Did we forget another underrated band member? Let us know in the comments below.