Bands That Were Close Friendship-Wise

Phish

 

Yep. Eddie Levert And Walter Williams from The O’Jays have known each other since they were kids, and the late William Powell grew up with them as well.

To elaborate on the Temps, Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks grew up together in Birmingham and performed in the Primettes with another friend as a counterpoint to The Primes (who became The Supremes. Also no, they didn’t perform together, though they did rehearse together, and it was Paul that devised the “Stop In The Name Of Love” routine). Eddie and David Ruffin were very close as well, to the point where Eddie was the only member that voted against kicking David out.

And Otis and Melvin were close as well.

 

For some Zappa examples,

• Frank and Jim “Motorhead” Sherwood were friends since high school and remained friends for the rest of Frank’s life. Motorhead and Ian Underwood were also two of Dweezil’s namesakes.
• Don Preston and Bunk Gardner have been friends since the late fifties after Don and Bunk’s brother Buzz roomed together in the army (and funny enough, Buzz would eventually join the Mothers as well).
• Generally, the Mothers were very tight with each other, and I believe Ian and Ruth let Art stay with them when he was trying to get back on his feet.
  
• Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (Flo And Eddie) have known each other since high school.
• Patrick O’Hearn and Terry Bozzio were friends prior to joining Frank’s band (in fact, that’s how O’Hearn got the gig). Even afterwards, they and Warren Cuccurullo played in Missing Persons and still jam every now and then.
  
• George Duke and Napoleon Murphy Brock were also close, and Napoleon ever appears on a couple of George’s records after they both left Frank’s band.
• Ed Mann and Tommy Mars have been friends since college and were in a band together long before either of them joined Zappa’s group.

Likewise, the classic Magic Band are very tight with each other.

 

Makes sense. From what I understand, they’ve had very few if any lineup changes, and in a jam band, it seems the musicians particularly develop an almost telepathic connection with each other.

 

Well, Ozzy and Zakk Wylde are close enough to where Zakk calls Sharon “Mom”, Ozzy is godfather to one of Zakk’s kids, and Zakk being kicked out twice has had no affect on their relationship.

 

I know Peter and Phil have been pretty close over the years, Phil even playing on one or two of Peter’s records for little to no pay.

 

Brothers, but they came to resent being chained to one another professionally and personally (being a duo) - their entire life as they knew it until a certain point - when the first broke up. Perfectly understandable that they'd need some space.

 

Phil. and Bill Bruford too, interestingly. In his autobiography, Bruford praises "Face Value" to the hilt.

 

isn't Ringo friends with everybody?

 

Jerry Garcia and John Dawson...

 

Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington.

Always together in Skynyrd band pictures, all the videos of them fishing together when not on tour, and them sitting together with Dean K. when the plane crashed.

Actually most of the original members of LS seemed to remain close through the years.

 

Bruce & Clarence

 

And that’s true of any group. Sometimes, you just need time to yourself.

 

I miss having Rush around.

 

Well I don't think Joey Kramer thinks of his band mates like that

 

And of course Eddie and Irons have always been tight (indeed, that’s how both of them ended up in the band). Not to mention Matt having so much history with them due to all of them coming up in the scene together.

 

Well Felder and Bernie Leadon have been friends since high school, and this is what got Felder in the band.

And of course, Felder and Joe Walsh were close for many years, Felder being the only Eagle that was there to take Joe to rehab.

 

All the members of Led Zeppelin.

 

By most accounts, the Beatles were the same. Very tight, would never do anything unless all were on board with it.

 

Similarly, Huey Lewis refused record deals unless they took the band with him. And over their forty year career (give or take), there’s been maybe two or three lineup changes.

 

Indeed, they and the other original members, Jack Irons and Hillel Slovak, all went to high school together. Even after Irons left, Anthony and especially Flea have stayed close with him over the years.

Flea and Frusciante have generally been very tight over the years, and when the latter was in rehab, Flea was the only member that visited or even called.

 

Glenn and Tommy Bolin seemed pretty close as well.

 

I believe Duane Allman and Berry Oakley we’re close as we’re Butch and Jamio. But the whole band we’re we’re friends until Duane and Berry died. Then it went to hell.

 

Multiple people in P-Funk:

Eddie Hazel and Billy ‘Bass’ Nelson
Garry Shider and Cordell ‘Boogie’ Mosson
Bernie Worrell and Bootsy Collins

 

As far as I know John and Jah had a fallout in the early 80's and their relationship is not very good.

By the way I seem to remember that John and Lu Edmonds are friends.

Cook and Jones are close friends since the 70's. Love those guys. If you haven't seen this yet you should, so lovely: