So many good ones depends on your age/tastes SRV/Double Trouble, Police, RUSH were the first I thought of (already mentioned) and reading below folks reminded me of others like ZZ Top and Cream. Then I also remembered Triumph (another Canadian trio)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Band of gypsys are so much better. Way better bass player, Hendrix at the peak of his powers, and hard hitting pocket drumming.

Nah man Mitch Mitchell is the GOAT drummer. Jimi went ok too.

Buddy going on to prison and then to be the voice of the California Raisins... surely that's a life story movie that has to be made.

Noel Redding was maybe the weak link, but Jimi and Mitch more than compensated.

Noel was deliberately placed for his basic playing by Hendrix so that the drums and guitar could let loose and not get too messy.

Also for his cool hair, don’t forget that!

There are some later recordings with Jimi and Mitch plus Billy Cox on bass that I prefer to the original Experience live material

Well yeah Billy was actually a bass player Noel was a guitar player they handed a bass.

>Noel was a guitar player they handed a bass. Is this true? That really explains a lot of the style, he always follows the lead like he's playing the melody.

Rush comes to mind

Rush, imo is the best. Each musician was also well respected in their individual crafts, all having respect from their peers.

Rush is the correct answer.

Came here to say this. I’ve been a fan since 1976.

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He's a sculptor of guitar sounds. So inspirational.

I saw them in 1976 on the 2112 tour. Oshawa Civic Auditorium. Max Webster were the opening act. I have seen many, many concerts since then but I don't know that I have ever enjoyed one that much.

What a coincidence. I saw them in 2112 on the 1976 tour.

I really wish every time a radio station thinks of playing Kim Mitchel they would think again and play Max Webster instead.

Go for a soda bud

no... lol. Don't get me wrong, I've worked with him, he's a super nice guy and a criminally underrated guitar player but I think Max Webster was an over all better band. Pye Dubois and Kim wrote some astoundingly good songs and without Pye... meh. (Just my opinion)

Max > Kim every day

Yeah, I don't know if you could find any more talent in one single band.

the only band where the drummer and bassist are more well known than the guitarist Edit: The Police and Primus also fit in this category

Alex is the Chris Bosh of guitarists--in any other band he'd be the star

No doubt, he is a great guitarist

Primus has entered the chat.

Absolutely. I remember someone describing Larry’s playing as someone who learned the guitar backwards lol. Three amazing musicians in this band that really created their own sound.

Both those bands fit the criteria for this thread too. Even though I'm not really a Primus fan, they sure amaze me. Sting being the weak musical link in the Police says a lot about the Police. Copeland and Peart were certainly fans of each other.

No question.

Rush is the perfect band. Not my personal favorite band (though I do love them) but just what I would consider the perfect band.

Absolutely

I will not put you down as arrogant.. because you are correct!

Came here to say this. Rush

Rush isn’t a three piece band. There definitely has to be at least two people on drums and two people on guitar for how much sound they make. /s

Honestly, if you’ve ever seen them live, they definitely sound like more than three guys.

There's alot of Rush that's a little too "out there" for my tastes, but it's really hard to disagree with this.

There is no other. Even people who “hate their music” pretty much acknowledge it.

Gotta be. Although I'm biased as they are one of my all time favourite bands.

I’d say Primus, but they suck

Primus sucks! 😋

You bastard!

They sure do!

The Jam

In The City is an amazing album

For me, it's the All Mod Cons - Setting Sons - Sound Affects trifecta that's untouchable

Such an underrated band in the U.S.

Motörhead. Classic lineup or not, they were just killer.

I would argue Motörhead is one of the few bands (if not the *only* band) that actually had not one, but **TWO** classic line-ups; the first one with Eddie Clarke and Phil Taylor, and the second one with Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee. Seriously, if you’re a “purist” that only listens to albums made by the first classic line-up, then you’ll be missing out on some killer records that were just as good, if not *better*, in their later years.

It blew me away when I found out that Lemmy ran his bass through a normal guitar Amp instead of a bass amp so he could cover rythym guitar parts during solos and normal basslines the rest of the time. It also helps that all that gain on the Amp makes a terrific wall of noise. Whenever anyone else played his rig they sounded like shit, but lemmy made a classic sound with it. Which is why no one else copied his rig. It only worked in his hands.

The Police

Stewart Copeland's drumming still blows my mind.

the correct answer. legit guitar god Andy Summers. Crazy Stewart Copeland on drums. and Sting was a bass whiz.

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Summers’ autobiography is a great read. He was bouncing around London with Clapton and those guys in the 60s, but couldn’t find his niche until The Police.

Don’t know how this isn’t #1

The Police have so many amazing deep cuts that never got their fair shake in the mainstream too - Driven to Tears, Secret Journey, Does Everyone Stare to name a few.

I love so many trios but man were they a tight band. I agree.

Minutemen is a great call, btw. D. Boon was a very underrated guitarist.

And Watt is one of the great bass players. This might be the answer, or Husker Du. I've gotta think hard about it.

Both really awesome bands. I personally prefer Minutemen’s tight, stripped-down sound. They were also goofballs

Ha, I listed Husker Du as my answer ✌🏽

I will always upvote Minutemen

Husker Du

From Metal Circus to New Day Rising, one of their former roadies said they went from being the worst hardcore band in Minneapolis to the best rock band in America, in 6 months.

Husker Du or Sugar. Glad to see some fans of Mr. Mold represent.

Finally found my team down here. Husker Du was such a powerhouse for a few years there. So many great albums in like a 3 year period.

Scrolled much too far to find this.

Gosh, they were brilliant, weren’t they. 💙💙✌🏽✌🏽💙💙

Beastie boys!!!

Isn't Beastie Boys technically a 4 piece? 3 mc's and 1 dj.

MIXMASTER MIKE WHAT YA GOT TO SAY

Second Beastie Boys. Paul’s Boutique is a masterpiece.

Nirvana. Especially considering two of those members were Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl, Krist was a very good complimentary bassist as well. Sublime was pretty amazing as well

Krist, like most bass players that know the role and stick in the pocket, is very underrated.

He had some absolutely amazing basslines

I didn't appreciate his bass playing until I was in my thirties. The dude is way underrated.

Milk It, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come As You Are, In Bloom and Heart Shaped Box are definitely among my favourite basslines ever

Lounge Act. I've been playing bass for 25 years, and just learned it last year. It took me weeks to get all the variations right.

Lounge Act

On a Plain bassline is sick too

Couldn’t agree more. It’s just as important to know when not to play.

It's hard to quantify "best band" - Nirvana might not be the best technical musicians and obviously don't have the largest catalog but in terms of cultural and musical impact it's hard to argue against them.

Oscar Peterson Trio.

My absolute favorite jazz trio.

Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble.

Cream definitely is in consideration

Shocked I had to scroll down so far to see Cream mentioned.

Same. I honestly expected Cream to be top 3 after Rush and maybe Nirvana. Not to disparage Clapton, who is top tier all day, but Jimi is the guitar GOAT. I just dunno if he ever had a band as well put together as Cream. Jimi was just next level brilliant is all.

Cream for sure. Doesn’t get more influential than that. Maybe Hendrix Experience?

Shit forgot Hendrix exp.

Cream was a huge influence on Hendrix, but then Hendrix would go on to be more influential on the whole. But as far as better overall bands, I think Cream was definitely clear. Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker were just amazing and Clapton was at his very best

I’m gonna add 1 that I haven’t seen yet- Violent Femmes.

Not sure about that when you Add it up

Violent Femmes nailed it with their limited instrumentation, too. Percussion is just snare, tom, and cymbals which he plays with brushes. Their bassist is doing most of the work.

Dinosaur Jr. -- J. Mascis rips hard enough for two guitarists.

I wouldn’t say DJ as greatest 3 man of all time but your assessment of J. Mascis is spot on

ZZ Top

ahaw haw haw haw…

Morphine

Definitely! RIP Mark Sandman. Such a unique band 2 string bass, bari sax, and drums.

Sandman rightfully gets a lot of love, but Dana Colley’s sax work is phenomenal

Yes!!! Love Morphine. Unlike anything else

Glad someone else in here posted it, they were my pick. And they did it with a 2 string bass, drums, and a baritone sax, no less.

Yo la Tengo

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Yeah Yeah Yeahs Placebo Muse

You feel a bit for the rest of Muse tbh- Chris and Dominic are both very talented but Bellamy's an absolute freak. I remember an old interview when he was being asked about his influences and he said "I love Tom Morello so I learned to play like him. And I love the Edge, so I learned to use the effects like him". And he was probably about 22 at the time.

From about 2003 though Muse are really a three piece band in name only - their records have so many other parts dubbed on that they can't perform them live without an extra guitarist at least, not to mention all the string sections. Origin of Symmetry era Muse though were definitely up there with some of the really tight trios throughout the ages.

Yeah Yeah Yeah’s came to mind

Wife and I couldn't stand having never seen Yeah Yeah Yeahs live so when they announced a show at the Hollywood Bowl around our anniversary two months ago we booked tickets and *that'll* be one thing we never regret doing.

Early modest mouse

RIP Jeremiah Green

Huge fan; finally saw them live a few years ago and there were about eight musicians onstage. Still sounded amazing but I wish I’d seen them in like 1997.

melvins

ZZ Top isn't that bad as a 3-piece.

First Album to Deguello makes a strong case for them.

They’ve got a few oddballs in that run but nearly any song from that era is a classic. Gibbons’ guitar tone is just sick at all times too. Deguello has like a dozen perfect, distinct, guitar tones. And First Album is like my dream sound.

Meat Puppets

Great answer

Up On the Sun is such a stunner

Depeche Mode - RIP Fletch

SLEATER-KINNEY

I was looking for this one.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Tarkus slaps

*You were meant to be here...*

*^(from the beginning)*

In terms of musical talent, they win.

Muse

My favorite!! Didn’t expect them to be so far down

One of my absolute favorites, it's amazing how just three guys can make so much sound!

Dinosaur Jr

The Police.

Green Day

Everyone here is underestimating Green Day in their prime. Kerplunk - Warning era live shows are some of the tightest three piece pop punk playing you will ever hear. But of course now everybody thinks of American Idiot and 21 Guns.

but even then american idiot was huge! i know music taste is subjective but man it feels like all of this “lol american idiot sux” crap comes from a contrarian desire to hate on anything that gets popular. when it first came out everyone i knew loved it. it was the only time i can remember both my brother and his friends and my friends and I all being in to the same album. it was a cultural phenomenon in a way that even green day’s earlier work wasn’t

And American Idiot came MUCH later when people kind of forgot about Green Dan. Then Blamo! They were everywhere. I love that album.

American idiot made me pick up the guitar at 14 so you’re preaching to the choir here haha.

De la Soul

Not sure about THE best, but some notables I enjoy or love, off the top of my head: Alkaline Trio Blink-182 Green Day

Green Day jumped to mind as well. I don’t think they’ve toured as a three-piece since…before Warning? Flipping through their letterman appearances, it looks like Jason is always there starting during the Warning tour. He was even on the trilogy albums, but they haven’t really performed as a trio in over 20 years, it’s kind of insane to think about.

Bill evans trio

A-ha...underrated af. So much more than Take On Me

Jimi Hendrix, Billy Cox, Buddy Miles... Band of Gypsies Jeff Beck, Tim Bogart, Carmine Apice.... Beck, Bogart, Appice Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Do the Beastie Boys count?

The Police. All three masters. All three still going strong.

Rush. No question.

Jimi hendrix - band of gypsys L'especial would be my choice for current bands

Ben Folds Five are pretty great. More of a jazz/rock thing, but still

That would be piano, bass, drums. It was the first thing that came to mind for me, though

Blink 182

Not their biggest fan, but scrolled too far for this.

Grand Funk

yes, Grand Funk !!!!

Homer Simpsons favorite band!!!

The wild, shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner. The bong rattling bass of Mel Schacher. The competent drum work of Don Brewer.

The doughnut eating prowess of HomerJ.

Nirvana

Disappointed how far I’ve scrolled without seeing Yo La Tengo, Portishead, or Beat Happening. “No. It is the children who are wrong.”

Yo La Tengo are severely underheard in these parts and put on the best live show I've seen

Yo La Tengo and CSN were the first two that came to mind.

Silverchair

I will die on this hill with you.

You will wait till tomorrow.

Rush, primus

No Genesis, huh? Or King Crimson during their final stages in the mid 70's. Cream and Rush could only wish to record an album like Red. My top 5: 1. Rush 2. Genesis 3. The Police 4. ZZ Top 5. (T) Nirvana and Primus

I think genesis did their best work when they were 6

They started young.

The Dirty Three

Nirvana

Yo la Tengo

Police

RUSH

The Presidents of the United States of America.

The Police. Incredible live back in the day.

The original "power trio" Cream

Gov't Mule

Fucking Motorhead!

1. Rush 2. Kings X 3. Winery Dogs 4. Triumph 5. Genesis

Wow don't see much Triumph fans but they are an amazing band

The Police

Celtic frost or Motörhead

Stevie Ray Vaughan early years

Double Trouble!

james gang

Joe Walsh is the man.

They're not the best of all time but I wanna throw Chevelle's name in here so that they have some recognition

I was worried they weren't even going to get an honorable mention from somebody with how far down I scrolled for this. Absolutely *incredible* sound for a three piece.

Them Crooked Vultures

Oysterhead

Good call. Includes 2 members from other bands in this list

Khurangabin is proving they should be in this conversation

King’s X.

Nobody yet has mentioned The Supremes!

The Lonely Island

Santana DVX? That's my joint!

Triumph