25 underrated band members who deserve more love

We know about the brothers Van Halen, "Diamond" David Lee Roth, and Sammy Hagar, but the band's bassist during its classic lineup(s) does not get as much credit as he should. Anthony's high-pitched background vocals are found in many Van Halen hits. Plus, who can forget his legendary baseline from "Runnin' With The Devil"? 

The Boss' backing band has plenty of talent, but "The Professor" might also be the most versatile. In addition to the veteran's stellar work on piano ("Jungleland" and "Backstreets," to name a few), Bittan plays the organ and is an accomplished accordion player. Bittan was responsible for most of the brilliant piano work on Meat Loaf's 1977 smash Bat Out of Hell record.

Bass players are often the most forgotten members of any band. In the realm of Black Sabbath, Butler's play on the bass was not only eerie and soulfully menacing but also integral to the group's heavy sound. Butler's slap work on hits such as "Paranoid" was stoically brilliant and complemented Tony Iommi well.  

Campbell is a household name to those in the know, but as part of a band with as prominent a front presence as the late Petty, everybody else takes a backseat. Campbell is still one of the great guitarists and songwriters in music history. In addition, Campbell co-wrote some of Petty's biggest hits, such as "Refugee" and "Runnin' Down a Dream."

Freddie Mercury's flamboyance and Brian May's legendary guitar dominance make it easy to be overshadowed. Deacon stayed out of the spotlight as Queen's soft-spoken bass player. That did not mean, however, he didn't contribute. Deacon composed classic Queen cuts like "Another One Bites the Dust" and "You're My Best Friend," and he co-wrote "Under Pressure."

Known as "The Ox," Entwistle was a mainstay for these Hall of Famers. However, the charisma and antics of bandmates Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, and Keith Moon often left Entwistle as nothing more than a visual supporting player. In reality, he might have been the most musically gifted member of The Who and helped write deeper cuts such as "Boris the Spider" and "My Wife."

Kiss has always been a band about imagery and spectacle. Up front, it's also been about Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss eventually got some love through the power ballad "Beth." Yet, Frehley was arguably the best musician among the classic Kiss lineup. With Les Paul in hand, "The Spaceman" wailed on some of Kiss' biggest early hits, such as "Deuce."

Eddie Vedder takes a big share of the limelight within the Pearl Jam universe, but everyone in the band has contributed to its long-standing success. Gossard, though, is one member who probably does not get the due he deserves beyond his role as the band's rhythm guitarist. Gossard wrote some of the group's most popular tunes like "Black," "Daughter," and "Do the Evolution."

Though he's considered one of the great alternative rock guitarists, Greenwood tends not to draw much attention. Maybe that's why he doesn't feature more prominently as a visible member of this massively successful group. In addition to his strong guitar playing, Greenwood is a masterfully creative and experimental composer and musical arranger.  

Sure, everybody knows who Harrison is, and some might argue that Ringo Starr was the most underrated Beatle, but we like this choice for several reasons. In addition to being perhaps the most even-keeled member of the group, Harrison might also have been its best overall musician and should be celebrated as an exceptional guitarist.

Die-hard fans of the Clash will say that the band was never the same or nearly as good after drummer Headon left in 1982 due to his heroin addiction. While part of the band, Headon's work was often unheralded, especially on two of the Clash's most celebrated albums Sandinista! (1980) and Combat Rock (1982). Headon also showed off his accomplished piano work on the hit "Rock the Casbah."

In professional music circles, Jones is celebrated as a great bass player, composer, and arranger. Within the confines of Led Zeppelin, he contributed to classics such as "Ramble On" and "Black Dog." In the years after Led Zeppelin disbanded, Jones has been a prominent session player and collaborated with Foo Fighters and Lenny Kravitz.

It's hard not to get noticed or praised within a three-piece band. But between Geddy Lee's presence and the legendary drum work and songwriting of the late Neil Peart, Lifeson is not necessarily the first member of Rush who comes to mind. Lifeson is an exceptional guitar player and composer within the Rush universe.

With Jim Morrison leading the way for the Doors, casual music fans might be unable to name the other members. That said, Manzarek should be hailed as the most accomplished musician in the group. His keyboard work ("Light My Fire") was legendary and influential, and Manzarek should be celebrated as a stellar songwriter and composer, too. He also enjoyed success following the Doors, working with artists like Iggy Pop and Roy Rogers.

Vince Neil had the moves, Nikki Sixx the flamboyance, and Tommy Lee the circus-like antics behind the drum kit. Then, there was Mars, whose guitar work with the Crue has often gone underappreciated. The oldest and quietest member of these longtime hell-raisers, Mars did his talking with his instrument on hits like "Looks That Kill" and "Girls, Girls, Girls."

There was plenty of talent among these Southern rockers' original lineup and early years. However, no member was more underrated than pianist/keyboardist Powell. Originally one of the band's roadies, Powell eventually became an official member and shined on such Skynyrd favorites as "Free Bird" and the beautiful arranged "Tuesday's Gone." 

Before REO became a pop band, it was a full-fledged rock outfit during the 1970s. Late lead guitarist Richrath was a big reason. He was the "rocker" in the band and shredded on such classics as "Ridin' the Storm Out" and "Golden Country," which defined his legacy as an exceptional guitarist. Richrath left the band in the late 1980s due to musical differences with frontman Kevin Cronin.

Before drummer Schock joined the band in the late 1970s, the Go-Go's were a middling wannabe punk outfit that was not filled with great musicians. Following the addition of the determined and uber-talented Schock, the band elevated its collective game, rehearsed more, and started to polish a sound that went from the unorganized fury of punk to the radio-friendly hits that made the Go-Go's famous. Her work on "Vacation" is severely underrated. 

The witty Will Ferrell look-alike Smith doesn't always get the credit he deserves for his drumming. That might be because of the outgoing presence of bandmates Flea and Anthony Kiedis. Still, Smith can more than hold his own behind the kit, as is evident in "Higher Ground" and  "Knock Me Down." He's also been a part of the supergroup Chickenfoot with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Joe Satriani.

Those in the know are well aware of just how talented Stevens is as a guitar player. He earned prominence backing Billy Idol, shining on the singer's biggest-selling albums like his self-titled smash from 1982 and Rebel Yell a year later. Stevens, who never drew much public attention to himself, also worked with Michael Jackson and offered his guitar talent to the Top Gun soundtrack.

It's often rare that a frontman can be considered underrated. Yet, within a group that included solo star Bobby Brown and post-New Edition breakout Bell Biv DeVoe, Tresvant never enjoyed the same individual success. Now, Tresvant did not completely disappear from the pop scene, but it always seemed from his talent and voice that he had the best chance for post-New Edition stardom. 

While the late Charlie Watts is considered one of the great drummers of all time, he was overshadowed by Mick and Keith within his own band. And that was OK with Watts, who never longed for notoriety and praise.

Fans of these indie/alt rockers know just how good of a drummer Weiss is, but her overall talent was usually overshadowed by the two ladies in front of her. Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein can harmonize and trade lyrics with the best of them, but Weiss was equally special with her assault on the drums. Weiss left the group but continues to play, most notably with the band Quasi.

The Talking Heads bassist has always been able to hold her own with the best, but we never heard enough about her with bandmate David Byrne in the picture. A creative and conceptual talent, Weymouth also earned success with the side project Tom Tom Club, which she formed with her husband Chris Frantz, who also happened to be the Talking Heads' drummer.

While brother Angus Young delivered a commanding stage presence, Malcolm was one of the true driving forces of this legendary hard-rock band behind the scenes. Malcolm, the band's rhythm guitarist, wrote and composed most, if not all of the band's greatest hits and also played a major role in the group's day-to-day operations. Sadly, Young passed away from issues due to dementia in November 2017.