Rock All-Rounders: 8 Great Musicians Who Played in Dozens of Iconic Bands (17 photos)

The world of rock music—from the stadium dinosaurs of the '60s to today's alternative heroes—is made up of a small group of people. It's an elite club where everyone knows each other. But there's a special caste among them: musicians so talented and versatile that they feel physically cramped within a single band.





They're called "musical chameleons." They jump from one supergroup to another, save tours, record landmark albums, and forever etched their names in the history of the genre.

Today, let's remember the greatest rock nomads, for whom one great band is just a short chapter in an endless musical biography.

1. Dave Grohl: A One-Man Band

Dave started out in the Washington, D.C., hardcore punk band Scream. He soon reluctantly left to join the then-little-known Northwest outfit Nirvana, becoming one of the architects of grunge.



When the band's story came to a tragic end, Dave didn't give up and created Foo Fighters—one of the leading alternative bands of our time. But that wasn't enough! He's also been the drummer for Queens of the Stone Age, played backing for the comedy metal band Tenacious D, and formed the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures with Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones.





Dave recorded his first album, Foo Fighters (1995), entirely by himself, in six days. He sang and played all the guitars, bass, and drums. Grohl also managed to make his mark behind the drums for electronic musicians The Prodigy—he's the one who plays the drums on their powerful track "Run with the Wolves"!

2. Eric Clapton: Blues Pilgrim

In the 1960s, Clapton earned a reputation as one of the best guitarists on the planet. First, there was The Yardbirds, from which Eric quit with a bang (the band was moving toward pop).



Then came John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and the legendary Cream (one of the greatest supergroups in history). Then came Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie, and finally, Derek and the Dominos, who gave the world the immortal hit "Layla." Only after that did Clapton fully pursue a solo career.



Eric Clapton is the only person in the world to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times (!): as a member of The Yardbirds, as a member of Cream, and as a solo artist. Not even Paul McCartney holds that record.

3. Ronnie James Dio: The Voice of Heavy Metal

Ronnie began his career in the late 1950s, when metal wasn't even a concept. He played bass and sang in the doo-wop group Vegas Kings. By the late 1960s, he had risen through the ranks of the Prophets and Elf.



It was Elf's performances that Ritchie Blackmore noticed and invited Dio to join his new project, Rainbow. After recording four magnificent albums, Dio left to do the impossible—replace Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath (and pull the band out of a creative rut with the album Heaven and Hell). He then formed his own highly successful band, Dio.



It was Dio who introduced the famous "horse" sign into metal music ????. He borrowed it from his Italian grandmother, who used the gesture to ward off the "evil eye" (malocchio) from her grandson.

4. Josh Freese: Drummer on Demand

If you've listened to rock music in the last 30 years, you've guaranteed heard Freese play. This guy has been working as a session guitarist and drummer since he was 15! His resume is insane.



Punks The Vandals? Yes. Synth-pop icons Devo? Of course. He was the touring drummer for Guns N' Roses in the late '90s, played with A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, Weezer, and filled in for Taylor Hawkins in Foo Fighters.



Freese is so in demand that he's played with more than just rockers. It's his powerful drums you hear on Avril Lavigne's hit album "Let Go," The Offspring's "Splinter," and even a Katy Perry track!

5. Matt Cameron: The Pulse of Seattle

Matt Cameron is a unique drummer, twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He shaped the sound of two of the most important grunge bands of the 90s. Since 1986, he has been the rhythm and rhythm of Soundgarden.



When the band took a hiatus in the late '90s, Matt jumped behind the drums to join his bandmates in Pearl Jam, where he remained for nearly three decades! He also dabbled in side projects like Wellwater Conspiracy and 3rd Secret (along with Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic).



Even before officially becoming Pearl Jam's drummer, Matt Cameron helped the band record their biggest hit, "Jeremy"—though not on drums, but by singing backing vocals!

6. Jimmy Page: Architect of Hard Rock

Before inventing 70s hard rock, Page made his living in the British band Neil Christian and the Crusaders.



Neil Christian and the Crusaders

In 1966, he joined his friend Jeff Beck in The Yardbirds. When the band broke up, Page formed the "New Yardbirds," who the world soon came to know as Led Zeppelin.



The Yardbirds

After John Bonham's death in 1980 and the breakup of LZ, Page kept busy: he played in the supergroup The Firm (with Paul Rodgers), recorded a brilliant duet album with David Coverdale (Coverdale/Page), and reunited with Robert Plant.



In the early 1960s, before all this fame, Page was the most hired studio guitarist in England. Producers would call him when band members couldn't play their parts properly. Page anonymously recorded guitar parts for The Who, The Kinks, and Joe Cocker.

7. Johnny Marr: Indie Rock Genius



For over 40 years, Marr has been a mainstay of the alternative rock scene. He rose to fame in 1982 as the guitarist and lead composer for the melancholic The Smiths. After their breakup, he played with The Pretenders, founded the synth-pop supergroup Electronic (with members of New Order and Pet Shop Boys), played indie with The The, and in the 2000s became a regular member of the American band Modest Mouse and the British band The Cribs.

Johnny Marr's unique playing style has been embraced not only by rockers but also by Hollywood. Renowned composer Hans Zimmer frequently calls on Marr to record soundtracks. Jonny's guitar can be heard in the films "Inception," "The Amazing Spider-Man," and Billie Eilish's Bond theme song, "No Time to Die."

8. Josh Homme: King of the Desert

The man who brought humor, low frequencies, and a powerful groove to music. In 1987, he pioneered stoner rock in the band Kyuss. Ten years later, he played rhythm guitar in the grunge band Screaming Trees, and then founded the true love of his life, Queens of the Stone Age (which he initially named Gamma Ray).



At the same time, Josh formed the hooligan boogie rock band Eagles of Death Metal and played in the aforementioned Them Crooked Vultures.



Josh Homme saved the career of Arctic Monkeys. When the British indie stars hit a dead end, they came to Homme in the Mojave Desert. Josh produced their 2009 album Humbug, completely changing the band's sound to a darker, heavier sound, making them global stadium giants.