ZZ Top

My dad is disappointed that we don't have them in the database. Can it be done?

I've tried (and failed) several times. There doesn't seem to be much info about the other guys in their pre-ZZ bands.

Here is a place to start:

Lanier Greig played on the first ZZ Top single. He was in this band -
[thompsonian.info] http://thompsonian.info/neal-ford-fanatics.html

Another Neal Ford band:
[thompsonian.info] http://thompsonian.info/neal-ford-foundation.html

I've tried this before - the closest I got was unworkable 'cos I couldn't (among a number of things) nail membership of the first band which may be tighter than that given......

1) Joel Rose is already in the dB

2) [www.hopkinsartmusic.com] http://www.hopkinsartmusic.com/musicsamplesE.html
"Monte Mills and The Lucky Horshoe Band - 20 Years 1976 - 1996

Riders In The Sky mp3
• Recorded in 1996 at Sutton Sound Studios Atascadero, CA
• Rick Sutton - Engineer
• Monte Mills - Vocals
• Mark Patterson - Guitar
• Bruce Hampton - Bass - Vocals
• Randy Allen - Piano
• Roland Laughlin - Drums
• Chris Scarbrough - Guitar
• Joel Rose - Sax
• Glen Rathbone - Guitar
• Bruce Sorenson - bass
• Joe Weed - Fiddle
• Mike Caldwell - Harmonica
• Michael Hopkins- Pedal steel"

Same Joel Rose
[www.hopkinsartmusic.com] http://www.hopkinsartmusic.com/musicartists1.html links to (archive.org only link at) :

[web.archive.org] http://web.archive.org/web/20030610195441/http://home.clara.net/froy/calling/imp...
"The Impacts

Personnel:
MERRELL - guitar
JOHN OLIVER - guitar
STEVE EVANS - guitar
JOEL ROSE - sax
MARTIN BROWN - steel guitar
STEVE METZ - drums
JACK METZ (aka JACK JORDAN) - bass"

3) [en.wikipedia.org] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shoppe
"The Shoppe was an American country music group from Dallas, Texas composed of Mark Cathey (vocals), Kevin Bailey (vocals), Roger Ferguson (guitar), Clarke Wilcox (banjo), Mike Caldwell (harmonica), Jack Wilcox (bass) and Lou Chavez (drums)."

Same Mike Caldwell? Not certain but he's a well-regarded country harmonica player:
[www.hopkinsartmusic.com] http://www.hopkinsartmusic.com/musicartists1.html
"Mike Caldwell (harmonica with Lorretta Lynn"
[www.harp-l.org] http://www.harp-l.org/pipermail/harp-l/2003-December/msg00312.html
"He's FROM THE DALLAS AREA and still has close friends here. He was playing with Box Car Willie at the time but has moved to working with Loretta last I heard" (my caps)

4) Later version of same band?
[www.ecrater.com] http://www.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=8028479#
" The Shoppe - The Shoppe Live RARE 8-track tape

Members of The Shoppe include Jack Wilcox bass and vocals, Clarke Wilcox, banjo, guitar and vocals; Larry Barnett, sax, guitar, flute, clarinet and vocals; Phil Redmond, keyboards and vocals: and Chip Kidd, drums. "

Barnett's certainly on something
[www.saxmagic.com] http://www.saxmagic.com/saxmagic.aspx?content=bio
"In 1986, Larry was signed to a recording contract with MTM Records in Nashville" - Shoppe were on MTM

The information about The Shoppe is at best partial - they seem to have made a significant number of records over the 70s/80s - both albums and singles - an ebay list immediately found a 1970s-looking album with a Wilcox/Wilcox/Randy Posey/Kim Wolf line-up (which I mention only because it shows there are numerous line-ups not mentioned on the wikipedia page)

5) Neal Ford Foundation
[thompsonian.info] http://thompsonian.info/neal-ford-foundation.html
"Recorded in Lubbock, Texas in 1971

The group is: Neal Ford (vocals), Rick Mensik (vocals), Rod Lehr (keyboards, trombone), Byron Plemmons (percussion, drums), Hank Spitzer (bass guitar, lead guitar) and Larry Barnett (alto sax, clarinet, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, recorder, flute, background vocals). "

6) Then all you've got to do is unpick the Neal Ford & The Fanatics discogs to get Greig in...

Like I say .... way to many ifs, buts, I thinks, maybes, hopefullys and you'd thinks....

i'm going to start adding some of these and fumble around for a connection, as is my style...

The Shoppe have so many releases / line-ups and the line to them is pretty strong : you'd think they are the best bet for someone in one of those line-ups to offer a route out to someone else...

Now loosely connected through a band called Rutabaga, who seems to be almost completely absent from the web.

(At first look) I wouldn't support the '2 Star Tabernacle' - the featuring is at best a collab, at worst a guest appearance.

However;
Michael Ray & The Kosmic Crewe >
Royal Fingerbowl >
The Happy Talk Band >
Andre Wililiams & The New Orleans Hellhounds

*may* get us as far as that Rutabaga entry

It's the only release from 2 Star Tabernacle, so that should not be a problem.

Also, Williams wrote one of the songs, sang on both and is on the cover. Seems like he was not a guest.

don't know if Rutabaga is the same as the Rutabaga Boogie Band out of Sacramento but, if so, we might have a few more players/contacts i.e. David Phelps, Russ Martinez, Larry Gosch...

[www.discogs.com] http://www.discogs.com/Various-We-Wish-You-A-Metal-Xmas-And-A-Headbanging-New-Ye...
Lemmy Kilmister* , Billy F. Gibbons* & Dave Grohl - Run Rudolph Run

[img.sharedmusic.net] http://img.sharedmusic.net/files/pics/959/958594/img_1_pr.jpg
(back cover doesn't show crediting on this release)
[media.photobucket.com] http://media.photobucket.com/image/%252522we%20wish%20you%20a%20metal%20xmas/Jay...
(this one does)

Oh, no. Oh, no no no. That is just plain completely wrong. My heart is broken.

I've got a couple of these cover records and I've always refused to add them because I personally think they don't qualify for inclusion on this site.

I have no problems with that entry if it gets loaded up and meets other criteria.

How is this any different from the credits in e.g. Gn'R - Use Your Illusion. The credits for Live And Let Die give these musicians:
Axl Rose
Slash
Izzy Stradlin
Duff McKagan
Matt Sorum
Dizzy Reed
Shannon Hoon
Jon Thautwein
Matthew McKagan
Rachel West
Robert Clark

So in analogy to that x-mas song, we could have an entry by a band called
Axl Rose · Slash · Izzy Stradlin · Duff McKagan · Matt Sorum · Dizzy Reed · Shannon Hoon · Jon Thautwein · Matthew McKagan · Rachel West · Robert Clark (released by Guns N Roses)

That's not what we want, right?

It's completely different, Python.

In one case we have a band clearly credited with the output - Guns n Roses. We then attempt to understand the chronology of who was in the band at the various times recordings were made.

In the other case we have a credit which consists trio of solo artists. That in itself defines the band, the band name and the members. Those are our rules, nothing to do with what I want. If the other criteria are then met (i.e. at least one has no prior solo material), the band is formed with connections.