My Ultimate Supergroup
After reading the immaculate imaginary supergroups of those before me — thank you, Anthony Overs, for the challenge — I’ve given it some thought and crafted what I believe would be 2023’s own Asia or Temple Of The Dog.
But first, a little supergroup history and what makes them live up to their titles…
While many such groups have existed in the same realms/genres of music (Temple of the Dog and Cream being the first two that come to mind), my favorite supergroups are the ones with a mix of voices and personalities, spanning as many genres of music as possible.
I enjoy crossovers thoroughly, country artists covering pop (See: Orville Peck’s “Born This Way”), rap artists covering rock (Ex. Denzel Curry’s “Bulls On Parade” cover for Like A Version), and so on.
There’s something special and admirable about seeing an artist with such a distinct style and aesthetic successfully tackling a separate genre, it’s a testament to their versatility and overall artistry. Even in the supergroups that brought in artists from the same genres, it’d often be subsets of a larger genre, like two post-punk rockers and a pop-punk drummer or a speed metal guitarist and 90s grunge vocalist.
What can bring these performers together is one uniting motif/idea, something that ties their genres and aesthetics together without overshadowing each other. Instead, a perfect combination of elements that all point and contribute to a central theme.
That theme for my supergroup? Americana: The Modern Classic.
Blending aspects of classic Americana — Coca-Cola, Hollywood, rock-n-roll, church on Sunday, neon, diners, Ford Cantinas, folk/the blues — with the America of today. Or as Matty Healy of The 1975 once put it, “teenage melancholy in a major key,” the plight of growing up or growing old in the internet age, history repeated weekly, political strife, the AI arms race, and the (pun incoming) dilutions of grandeur. Americana encompassed, wrapped in a package, and tied neatly with a bow.
Now, without further ado, my supergroup:
Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons (vocals and guitar)
Lana Del Rey (vocals)
Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys (vocals, piano, guitar)
Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar)
Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile of The War on Drugs ( backing vocals, guitar, synth)
Bruce Springsteen (vocals, guitar)
Jack Antonoff (backing vocals, guitar, synth, production)
Dave Grohl (drums)
I have to say it was quite hard to narrow it all down, and while it seems like a random assortment of performers, every single one of these artists, at least in my mind, absolutely encompasses Americana in one decade or another.
Willie Nelson and Marcus Mumford represent the singer-songwriter, folk-infused musical style that was the grassroots of — and ultimate offshoot later on — of American country and indie, and their voices and signature guitar-playing styles would surely meld together well. Nelson, of course, also encompasses classic Americana with his legacy and fearless ability to break the rules. A Mumford/Nelson cover of “Hopeless Wanderer” would be something to behold.
Antonoff and Springsteen would be the anthemic, powerhouse lyricists capturing the Cold War, Reagan-era 80s perspective that could blend beautifully with the formers’ ‘outlaw’ folk-alt-country amalgamation.
Both vocally and aesthetically, Turner and Del Rey capture the ‘American Dream’ of the 60s; big hair, dreams, delusions of grandeur, red lipstick, and leather in the back of a pale yellow mustang.
Between Turner’s signature croon and Del Rey’s butter-soft contralto and beehive hair, I can absolutely see a reimagined version of “Arabella,” “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino,” “National Anthem,” or “Blue Jeans” in the works.
On backing vocals, both members of The War on Drugs would provide the atmospheric synth and wanderlust-infused instrumentals that feel perfect for those days with the car windows down, the wind blowing the hair every which way. Destination unknown, but looked to with anticipation and longing. The ideal soundtrack for the nomadic traveler. A “Red Eyes” or “I Don’t Live Here Anymore” cover with Antonoff added as a bonus vocalist would be *chefs kiss* a masterpiece.
And, of course, how can you go wrong with Dave Grohl on drums? Seeing as he plays by ear and is considered one of the “most technically gifted drummers in history,” there is no doubt in my mind he’d be able to craft genius beats to back each song and performer in my ideal supergroup. Also, who wouldn’t love to see a Springsteen/Grohl collaboration of “Learn To Fly” and “Born In The U.S.A”?
The name of my supergroup? This was a bit harder. Everyone knows the cornerstones of Americana imagery: apple pie, baseball, Levi’s jeans, and so on. I wanted to place a cheeky twist on something classic, so I landed on two finalists: The Marlboro Dreads and The Dilutions of Grandeur. Classic imagery with tongue-in-cheek political statements…what could be more American than that?
This was a super fun challenge, and I hope others join in— thanks again to Anthony Overs for the challenge and Terry Barr for your inspiration, imagination, and musical wisdom!
Who’s in your ideal supergroup, Kevin Alexander, Jeffrey Harvey, Lainey Powers, Ariane Malfait, Nicole Brown, Alexander Razin, Mic-Check Newsletter, Buddy Gott, Chris Zappa, Charlie Cole, and Steve Goldberg?
Writer’s note: Thank you to all the writers and editors at The Riff for all of your insightful work and for allowing me to be a part of this community of all things music, literature & pop culture. Write on!
