While you need a host of equipment to start a hockey team and a myriad of ingredients to make Beef Bourguignon, there are really only three instruments you need when starting a band: guitar, bass, and drums. Some bands start out with more, some with even less, but many historic groups have come of the guitar-bass-drum paradigm, also known as the power trio. Without a rhythm guitar or keyboard to help fill out the sound, this bare-bones lineup requires each individual band member pull his or her own weight and demands a high level of virtuosity. When you are part of a threesome, be prepared to shine.
Power trios rose to prominence in the latter half of the 1960s due in part to developments in amplifier technology that significantly boosted the volume of the electric guitar and bass. This allowed sparsely manned groups to have the same sonic impact as their more sizable counterparts. The trio format relieved band members from the need of detailed musical arrangements and fostered improvisational freedom.
Threesomes were popular in the blues-rock and hard rock genres. A variation of the format, where the guitar was swapped out for a keyboard, was introduced in the late '60s and early '70s with the advent of prog rock and bands like Emerson Lake & Palmer. The three-man band became a bit less common in the early '80s but saw a resurgence in popularity in the latter part of that decade and into the '90s and beyond, when punk rock and grunge adopted the format, finding the stripped-down ensemble suited their spare approach to music. These days the term is used more liberally to include any sort of three-person configuration as well as bands who are a trio at their core but use supporting musicians in live performance, thus making the true power trio all the more rare.
The following are just some of the bands that have best defined the format over the decades. While some may have added a musician or two over the years, all are rooted in the power trio.
Cream (1966-1968)
London, England
Eric Clapton (guitar), Jack Bruce (bass/vocals), Ginger Baker (drums)
Fronted by Eric Clapton, Cream was the first successful supergroup in the history of rock music and the prototypical power trio. Playing a mix of blues, rock and psychedelia, they were noted for their improvisational powers, sometimes jamming for as long as 20 minutes on one song. The volatile band were together for just over two years, but in that brief time they managed to release four classic albums—Fresh Cream (1966), Disraeli Gears (1967), the very first platinum-selling double album Wheels of Fire (1968), and Goodbye (1969). What Cream lacked in longevity, they more than made up for in the influence they provided future generations of rock artists.
Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love"
The James Gang (1968-1971 Lineup)
Cleveland, Ohio
Joe Walsh (guitar/vocals), Tom Kriss (bass), Jim Fox (drums)
In May 1968, after initially starting out as a quintet and then scaling back to a quartet, the James Gang were set to open for Cream when one of the band members declined to join the other three onstage at the last minute. Walsh, Kriss and Fox, in desperate need of money, took to the stage and soldiered on as a trio. After discovering that they liked their sound as a threesome, the group decided to remain that way. Despite never reaching the same heights of stardom as their contemporaries, the James Gang boasted some seriously killer jams like "Funk #49," "Walk Away," and "The Bomber," all of which have stood the test of time.
The James Gang's "Walk Away"
Grand Funk Railroad (1968-1972)
Flint, Michigan
Mark Farner (guitar/vocals), Mel Schacher (bass), Don Brewer (drums/vocals)
Grand Funk Railroad were a trio for the first four years of their existence. They took their name from the notorious Grand Trunk Western Railroad, which ran through their home state. Despite critical backlash and radio's reluctance to give them airplay, Grand Funk Railroad were huge during the first half of the 1970s. The band amassed a devoted fan base via constant touring, a loud, simple take on the blues-rock power trio sound, and strong working-class appeal. Five of the band's eight releases from 1969 to 1972 went platinum and the others all went gold, including their 1970 release, Closer to Home, whose single "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" became an anthem of sorts to Vietnam vets during their tours of duty. In 1971 Grand Funk Railroad beat the Beatles' box-office record at Shea Stadium, selling out the venue in less than 72 hours.
Grand Funk Railroad's "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)"
Rush (1968-present)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alex Lifeson (guitar), Geddy Lee (bass/vocals), Neil Peart (drums)
The mother of all power trios, Rush has pushed the boundaries of hard rock, progressive rock, and heavy metal like no other trio. Their original compositions are complex, intricate, and challenging, with eclectic lyrical motifs that draw heavily from fantasy, science fiction, and philosophy. Lifeson, Lee, and Peart somehow manage to turn their instrumental virtuosity into a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Since the release of their self-titled debut album in 1974, Rush has redefined the term power trio by making more music than anyone ever thought possible with just three people. Through regular reinvention, perseverance, and undeniable musicality, Rush have reached legend status after 45 years together. Only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have more consecutive gold or platinum studio albums.
Rush's "Tom Sawyer"
Motörhead (1975-present)
London, England
Eddie Clarke (guitar), Lemmy Kilmister (bass/vocals), Phil Taylor (drums)
The British heavy metal band Motörhead was formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Ian Fraser Kilmister, known mostly by his stage name Lemmy, who has remained the band's sole constant member. The threesome of Lemmy, Clarke, and Taylor are considered the classic Motörhead lineup and have the Motörhead, Overkill, Ace of Spades, Bomber, No Sleep 'til Hammersmith and Iron Fist albums plus a string of hit singles to their credit. Motörhead cranked rock and metal up a notch by introducing a punk sensibility and paved the way for the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden to follow at ever increasing speeds. This trio's completely uncompromising, punishing metal cements their reputation as one of Britain's foremost rock bands.
Motörhead's "Ace of Spades"
Nirvana (1987-1994)
Aberdeen, Washington
Kurt Cobain (guitar/vocals), Krist Novoselic (bass), Dave Grohl (drums)
Perhaps one of the most well known and iconic bands ever, Nirvana is also one of the best power trios of all time. Their 1991 classic Nevermind ushered in Seattle's grunge era and put alternative music on the map, proving that you can pack quite a sonic punch into the most stripped-down band setup. Nirvana worked the trio format by using simple power chord riffs with minimal leads and employing a quiet/loud dynamic that was often built around Kurt's understated playing on verses juxtaposed with bellowing choruses that made Nirvana sound as raucous as any punk band.
Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Green Day (1987-present)
Rodeo, California
Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar/vocals), Mike Dirnt (bass), Tre Cool (drums)
Despite the backlash from hardcore fans who accused the band of selling out when they left behind the punk scene of Gilman Street in Berkeley, California, to sign with a major record label, Green Day have more than proved their scrappiness with music that is a blend of punk ferocity and resonant, pointed lyrics, not to mention a couple of politically-charged, award-winning records. This California threesome have sold upwards of 75 million albums, racked up five Grammy Awards, and have composed the Tony Award-winning musical, American Idiot. Unlike many veteran bands, Green Day retain immense ambition. At the hub of the band is Billie Joe Armstrong, who spits out lyrics and riffs at an impressive pace. Green Day released their ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, ¡Tré! trilogy in 2012 and followed it up with a world tour and talk of yet more albums and tours to come, not to mention a movie version of American Idiot.
Green Day's "American Idiot"
Muse (1994-present)
Teignmouth, England
Matthew Bellamy (guitar/vocals), Christopher Wolstenholme (bass/vocals), Dominic Howard (drums/vocals)
Muse's Matt Bellamy once said that he preferred the three-piece structure because, as a guitarist, it gave him the space to be more expressive and creative, with no second guitarist to hold him back or keep him in check. Considering the band's grandiosity and flair for the dramatic, less is definitely more for Muse. Since the release of their debut album Showbiz in 1999, Muse has grown into one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Their melodramatic music is meticulously arranged and orchestrated and executed flawlessly thanks to each member's virtuosic skill on his respective instrument. Pulsing techno-influenced pop, prog wildness, and anthemic riffing are all a part of the band's otherworldly sonic toolbox. Bellamy's compositions are so harmonically complex they're almost classical. Those dubious of the greatness of this state-of-the-art power trio need only see their explosive live show to know what a monster threesome Muse are.
Muse's "Uprising"
THEM CROOKED VULTURES (2009-present)
Los Angeles, California
Josh Homme (guitar/vocals), John Paul Jones (bass/vocals), Dave Grohl (drums/vocals)
The names in the lineup of this juggernaut of a band say it all. Not since CSNY has there been a supergroup of this magnitude. Them Crooked Vultures appeared without warning while both Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters were on hiatus. The merging of Homme's haunting vocals and steaming guitar work with Grohl's relentless assault on the skins wasn't headline-grabbing news. After all, Grohl had at one point stepped in as Queens of the Stone Age's drummer. What caught us off-guard was the inclusion of legendary Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. With a genuine tie to the realm of classic rock, Them Crooked Vultures merged a vintage sound with modern grunge bombast and eerie desert-rock melodies to create an animal all its own.
Them Crooked Vultures' "Elephants"
The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Blue Cheer, ZZ Top, Triumph, The Joy Formidable, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Primus, The Police, Stray Cats, Blink-182, Violent Femmes, Seether, Chevelle, Hüsker Dü. The list of noteworthy power trios is longer than you may think, lending credence to numerologists who claim a connection between the vibration of the number three and the gift of abundant creative energy.
