Who do you consider to be the most individually talented group?

I blame that entirely on his Flock of Seagulls haircut.

 

These guys.

 

Sorry, I can't argue that.

 

Zeppelin!

 

Do super groups count?

If so, the Traveling Wilburys.

 

The Monkees. Great actors

 

Yes, especially in the early 70s

 

Are you sure? The Portsmouth Sinfonia are at least equally talented and there are more of them.

 

Rush




Tool
The Police
Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple MK2 & 3 & 4
The Who

Those are the ones that spring immediately to mind...

 

Glad I wasn't in proper company when I snort-laughed Mountain Dew in the wrong direction.

(Remember "Planes, Trains and Automobiles"?:
Neal: He says we're going the wrong way...
Del: Oh, he's drunk. How would he know where we're going?
Semi non-sequitur. Sorry.)

Plus, anyone with a musical IQ above 2112 knows it's the Grateful Dead, with either Constanten or Godchaux on keys.

*Garcia: An icon, larger-than-life; and if not the most technically gifted guitarist, then one of the most creative and emotive.
*Lesh: Helped redefine the role (roll?) of rock bass as a melodic catalyst and not just anchor.
*Constanten/Godchaux: Like the drummer's seat in Spinal Tap, the Dead's keyboard bench was cursed. TC was the only stable occupant, which means he was too sane to stick around through self-destruction - if that was even an option; yet the baroque architecture of his lines and fills are regal in beauty.
*Like Brent Mydland after him, Keith's introversion, poor communication skills, and emotional passivity (except when boxing Donna Jean) were fatal flaws - particularly in DeadWorld where chemical dependency was everyman's psychotherapy. Still, strong roots and great skill in jazz and dixieland are apparent when he plays to equal competence as pianoman in a Bakersfield roadhouse or Big Easy quintet.
*Mickey: His energy, enthususiam, and scholarship for exploring, playing, recording, and publishing the world's history of percussion are arguably unsurpassed; as a component of the most formidable dual drumming couplet anywhere/anytime he lent depth, texture, and diversity to the Dead's soundstage, if making adroit improvisation a bit cumbersome.
*Kreutzmann: To understand BK's greatness, I point to the fact that any number of Heads identify their favourite period not by decade, keyboardist, or recording quality, but for the time Billy played drums alone (during Mickey's temporary departure) when he matched the immense talent around him step-for-step, whether leading the band in transitions or turning on a dime with the deft improvisational changes of others (especially Jerry).

Incidentally, this is what they mean by "lost productivity at work".

 

Ah, I think I've finally got this through my thick skull now you mean why are they called Gorts...

Gort (The Day the Earth Stood Still) - Wikipedia

 

Yes...a joke...my M.O.

 

The Who.

 

Yeah, 1 extra stud gives them an edge.

 

Well, when you put it like that down in print it is hard to argue... I would only add that Pete was a near genius song writer in his prime as well.

 

For rock I say
YES
Anderson/Squire/Howe/Wakeman/White/Bruford

 

Considering talent "per capita"...I'd go with Rush.

 

This.

 

No Doubt weren't that talented.

 

I'd have to go with Steely Dan or Kath-era Chicago. Rush and early-70s Yes are way up there too.

 

A few off the top of my head:

Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Yes, Gentle Giant, Porcupine Tree, Queen, Marillion, Led Zeppelin, Rush, The Police, The Beatles, ELP, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (but also just CSN), Oregon, Tangerine Dream, Can, Radiohead, UK (esp. that first album with Wetton, Holdsworth, Jobson, and Bruford), and the list goes on and on.

 

Rockpile

 

Surely you joke

Beatles vs Stones

Best Guitarist: Mick Taylor

Best Bassists: Paul McCartney

Best Drummer: Charlie Watts

Best Singer: Mick Jagger

Best Musician: Brian Jones

 

This version, however some subsequent reincarnations were also very talented themselves.

 

There are a bunch that I'd say are about on par with each other, including:

(If I don't specify someone, I mean all lineups of the following)

Allman Brothers Band
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Bill Bruford's bands as a leader--Bruford & Earthworks
Black Sabbath
Brand X
Cream
Emerson Lake & Palmer
Focus especially when Pierre van der Linden was in the band
Frank Zappa bands
Grateful Dead
Jimi Hendrix bands
King Crimson
Led Zeppelin
the classic Mahogany Rush lineup
Mountain a ala West/Pappalardi/Lang
Oregon
Pat Metheny Group
Return to Forever
Rush
Weather Report
the Who
Yes

. . not meant to be an exhaustive list by any means (and really I could name just about every jazz and fusion group), but those are some favorites on that level