List of power trios explained

This is a list of rock groups described as power trios – bands consisting of electric guitar, bass, and drums.

The prototypical power trio is the British band Cream, founded in 1966 with Eric Clapton on guitar/vocals, Jack Bruce on bass/vocals, and Ginger Baker on drums.^[1]

A

• Adrian Belew Power Trio
• Agent Orange^[2]
• Alkaline Trio^[3]
• American Authors (Quartet from 2006 to 2021, trio since 2021)
• Arcane Roots^[4]
• Arcwelder^[5]
• The Aristocrats^[6]
• Ash
• The Atomic Bitchwax^[7]
• Autolux

B

• Babes in Toyland^[8]
• Back Door Slam^[9]
• Band of Skulls^[10]
• Beck, Bogert & Appice^[11]
• Biffy Clyro^[12]
• The Big Three^[13]
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club^[14]
• Blink-182^[15]
• Blue Cheer
• Blue Murder^[16]
• Boris (except for occasional fourth member Michio Kurihara on guitar)^[17]
• Boygenius^[18]
• Bratmobile^[19]
• Brutus^[20]
• Budgie^[21]
• Buffalo Tom^[22]

C

• California Breed^[23]
• Ché^[24]
• Chevelle^[25]
• Clear Blue Sky^[26]
• Cloakroom
• Coroner^[27]
• Cosmic Psychos^[28]
• Cream^[29]
• The Cribs (except when Johnny Marr was a member)^[30]

D

• Dada^[31]
• Danko Jones^[32]
• Death^[33]
• Die! Die! Die!^[34]
• Dinosaur Jr.
• Divididos^[35]
• Doctor Victor^[36]
• Dust^[37]
• Dying Fetus^[38]

E

• Earthless
• Earl Greyhound^[12]
• Elliott Brood
• Emerson, Lake and Palmer
• Everclear
• The Evidence

F

• Failure
• The Fall of Troy
• Feeder
• Firehose
• The Fratellis
• Freak Kitchen
• Fudge Tunnel
• Fun Lovin' Criminals

G

• Galaxie 500
• Glass Harp
• Godflesh
• Grand Funk Railroad^[39]
• Grand Magus
• Grant Lee Buffalo
• Green Day^[29]
• Guitar Wolf^[40]

H

• Heroes & Zeros
• High on Fire^[41]
• Highly Suspect
• Buddy Holly and the Crickets
• Hot Tuna (three power trio albums from 1974 to 1977)^[42]
• House of Large Sizes
• Hüsker Dü
• Hot Club de Paris

I

• Interpol^[43]

J

• James Gang
• Jawbreaker
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience^[29]
• John Mayer Trio^[12]
• The Joy Formidable^[12]

K

• Kamchatka
• Karma to Burn^{[44] [45]}
• Killdozer^[46]
• King's X^[29]
• KXM^[47]
• Khruangbin

L

• Lifehouse
• The Lawrence Arms
• Leño
• Leusemia
• The London Souls^[12]
• Los Lonely Boys^[12]
• Low

M

• Manic Street Preachers
• Mantra Sunrise
• May Blitz
• Meat Puppets
• Melvins
• Menomena
• Metz^[48]
  • Minutemen Mischief Brew
• Modest Mouse (between 1996 and 1997)
• Mondo Generator^[49]
• Morphine
• Motörhead^[29]
• Mountain
• Muse^[12]
• MxPx
• Motorpsycho

N

• Nada Surf until 2010, when Doug Gillard joined on second guitar
• Nebula^[50]
• Niacin
• The Nice
• Nirvana^[29]
• Nomeansno
• November

O

• One Man Army
• The Outfield

P

• Paramore
• Peer Günt
• Pepper
• Peter Bjorn and John^[12]
• Placebo
• The Police^[51]
• The Presidents of the United States of America
• Primus^[29]
• Los Prisioneros
• Prong

Q

• Qui

R

• Radio Moscow
• Raven (quartet 1974–1981, power trio 1981–present)^[52]
• The Rods
• Rose Hill Drive^[53]
• Rush^[29]
• Russian Circles^[12]

S

• Sasquatch^[54]
• Sausage
• The Screaming Blue Messiahs
• Screaming Females
• Sebadoh
• The Secret Machines^[12]
• Shellac^[55]
• Shrug
• Silverchair
• Sick Puppies
• Sleater-Kinney
• Sleep
• Soda Stereo
• Sodom^[56] (from 1981 until 2018)
• Soft Machine
• Spiderbait
• State Radio
• Stick Men
• The Steepwater Band
• Steve Morse Band
• Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble^[29] (until 1985, when Reese Wynans was added)
• Stöner^[57]
• Stray Cats
• Sublime
• The Subways
• Sugar
• Sunflower Bean (until 2019, when Danny Ayala was added)
• Super 400

T

• Talas
• Taste^[58]
• Tera Melos
• The Tea Party
• Therapy?
• The Thermals^[12]
• Them Crooked Vultures^[12]
• The Warning
• Thirty Seconds to Mars
• Those Darlins
• Tiger Army
• Tiny Moving Parts
• Triumph^[59]
• Triggerfinger
• TTNG

U

• U.K.
• Unearthly Trance
• Urge Overkill^[60]

V

• Vampire Weekend (began as a quartet and became a rock trio when Rostam Batmanglij left the band in 2016)
• Vardis
• Venom
• Violent Femmes
• Voice of Baceprot

W

• Wakrat^[61]
• Walt Mink^[62]
• The Warning
• West, Bruce and Laing
• Wild Adriatic
• White Lies
• The Winery Dogs
• Wipers
• Wolfmother
• The Wombats

X

• The XX^[12]

Y

• Yawning Man^[63]
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs^[64]
• Year Long Disaster^[65]
• The Young Gods^[66]
• Young Knives
• Yo La Tengo
• Yob

Z

• Zebra
• ZZ Top^{[29] [64]}

• 50 Foot Wave
• The 5.6.7.8s

Notes and References

1. Book: Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound . Frank . Hoffmann . Routledge . 2004 . 978-1-135-94950-1 . 505 . Extract of page 505
2. News: No Slow . 27 June 1991 . Locey . Bill . . 6 May 2021.
3. News: Alkaline Trio, Manchester. The Guardian. 15 March 2002.
4. Web site: Arcane Roots | Biography & History. AllMusic.
5. Web site: CMJ New Music Report. Books.google.com. 4 October 1999.
6. Web site: Guthrie Govan-led instrumental power trio the Aristocrats unveil Freeze! Live in Europe 2020. Guitarworld.com. 19 March 2021.
7. Web site: (((O))): The Atomic Bitchwax – Gravitron. Echoes and Dust. Chris. Ball. April 21, 2015. August 15, 2023.
8. Web site: Babes in Toyland reform - sludge-rock power trio Babes in Toyland have reformed. Louderthanwar.com. 18 November 2014.
9. Web site: Back Door Slam is on a roll ** Blues-rock band gathers momentum. The Morning Call. 30 January 2022.
10. Web site: Band of Skulls Cover Neil Young!. Spin.com. 14 October 2009.
11. Web site: Beck, Bogert & Appice | Biography & History. AllMusic.
12. 14 Awesome Modern Power Trios . Barrett . John . 7 September 2011 . . 25 April 2021.
13. Web site: The Big Three | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links. AllMusic.
14. Web site: Music: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Mixonline.com. 27 April 2010.
15. Web site: Blink-182's 'Enema of the State' at 20 . 1 June 2019 . . 7 May 2021.
16. Web site: Bent Out of Shape: Blue Murder Remastered and Reloaded. Guitarworld.com. 29 April 2013.
17. News: A Band Plays It Loud, then Turns It up, then Cranks It Even More. The New York Times. 12 July 2008. Ratliff. Ben.
18. Web site: Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers Drop Name of New Band and Album Better Oblivion Community Center . Music.mxswn.com. 27 January 2019.
19. Web site: Secret History: Cold Cold Hearts' S/T. https://web.archive.org/web/20190504024738/https://dcist.com/story/11/11/03/secret-history-cold-cold-hearts-st/. live. 4 May 2019. Dcist.com.
20. Web site: Album of the Week: Brutus 'Nest'. Stereogum.com. 26 March 2019.
21. Web site: 1971's Best Heavy Metal Songs You Didn't Know About. Loudwire.com.
22. Web site: Unsung Heroes: Buffalo Tom. Tidal.com. 30 January 2022.
23. News: Glenn Hughes's California Breed Redefines the Power Trio. Houston Press.
24. Web site: Sounds of Liberation – Ché. AllMusic. Eduardo. Rivadavia. September 27, 2023.
25. Web site: Midwest's Chevelle. Kansas.com. 30 January 2022.
26. Web site: Breznikar . Klemen . Klemen Breznikar . August 18, 2017 . Clear Blue Sky – "Clear Blue Sky" (1970) review . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170821010225/https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2017/08/clear-blue-sky-clear-blue-sky-1970.html . August 21, 2017 . February 6, 2023 . It's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine.
27. Web site: Coroner – No More Color – Reviews – Encyclopaedia Metallum. Metal-archives.com.
28. Web site: Cosmic Psychos taking a Shit | News. Loudmag.com.au. 12 September 2018.
29. News: Fresh Cream and the Top 10 Power Trios of All Time . . Smith . Nathan . 11 January 2013 . 25 April 2021.
30. Web site: Ryan Jarman of The Cribs gives us his Top 10 Tracks of 2012 (stream them). BrooklynVegan.com. 30 January 2022.
31. Web site: Power trio keeps rock alive at 8150. Vaildaily.com.
32. Web site: Danko Jones announces Power Trio album, launches riotous single I Want Out. Loudersound.com. 13 March 2021.
33. News: Death: The Detroit band that never sold out. The Guardian. 9 February 2009.
34. Web site: Die! Die! Die! @ Ding Dong Lounge. Beat.com.au. 4 September 2012. 30 January 2022.
35. Web site: Divididos Rocks with Its Own Brand of Blues. Latimes.com. 16 December 1998.
36. Web site: Doctor Victor - Zpátky k podstatě rockové hudby . Muzikus.cz . 19 December 2014 . 3 October 2021 . cs . Doctor Victor – Back to the Essence of Rock Music.
37. Web site: DUST – "One of the Fastest, Loudest Rock Bands in America Ever Produced". Bravewords.com.
38. Web site: Dying Fetus Release 'Fixated on Devastation' Video. Loudwire.com.
39. Web site: Olsen. Andrew. An Interview with Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad. Duluthreader.com. 20 July 2012. 12 June 2013.
40. Web site: Punk-Rock Frenzy Takes Over Mosswood Park In Oakland. Pehling. Dave. 26 June 2017. Sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com. 21 September 2021.
41. Web site: The 50 Most Important Metal Bands in the 21st Century. Loudwire.com.
42. Web site: Timeless music from ageless Hot Tuna. Enterprisenews.com.
43. Web site: Reborn as a trio, Interpol turns on its version of light with El Pintor. The A.V. Club. Andrea. Battleground. 9 September 2014. 2 October 2022.
44. Web site: Album Review: Karma to Burn – Arch Stanton. Kevin. Stewart-Panko. Metal Injection. January 12, 2015. November 11, 2022.
45. Web site: Mountain Rock Kings Karma to Burn are Still Addicted to the Riff. Noisey. Kelsey. Zimmerman. March 17, 2016. November 11, 2022.
46. Web site: POP MUSIC REVIEW : Killdozer: Thick-Rock for Dream States. Latimes.com. 30 March 1990.
47. Web site: George Lynch, dUg Pinnick and Ray Luzier rejuvenate the power trio format with KXM. Musicradar.com. February 2017.
48. News: New band of the day – METZ (No 1,360). The Guardian. 27 September 2012.
49. Web site: Mondo Generator – Fuck It. MetalItalia.com. Davide. Romagnoli. 10 March 2020. 22 October 2022.
50. Advertisement . 48 . . 5 June 1999 . . 111 . 23 . 0006-2510. Quoting GQ magazine: "...a breathtaking form of 60's power-trio rock."
51. News: Clark. Dick. The Police: An Arresting Power Trio. 2 June 2013. Milwaukee Record-Journal. 15 July 1983.
52. Web site: Raven Biography, Songs, & Albums. AllMusic. 30 January 2022.
53. Web site: Rose Hill Drive: Power Ride. Gllidemagazine.com. 30 January 2022.
54. Web site: Los Angeles Power Trio Sasquatch Announces New Album, Fever Fantasy. Metalheads Forever. Keith. Clement. 20 May 2022. 1 October 2022.
55. Web site: Snap, Crackle, Punk: At Action Park, Shellac's debut LP, turns 25. Rockandrollglobe.com. 30 October 2019.
56. Web site: EP Review: 1982 – Sodom. Sam. Khaneka. distortedsoundmag.com. Distorted Sound Magazine. 6 November 2023. 19 August 2024.
57. Web site: Stoner-rock supergroup Stöner light up 2022 with a New Year's Day concert. Chicago Reader. Monica. Kendrick. 27 December 2021. 1 October 2022.
58. News: Cariappa. Shiv. Interview With Gerry McAvoy. Christian Science Monitor. 8 January 1997. In the late 1960s, two music groups, Taste and Cream, blazed trails as definitive examples of rock's power-trios..
59. Web site: After Almost 45 Years, Respect for Power Trio Triumph Still Endures. Bryan. Reesman. Billboard.com. 13 December 2019. 30 January 2022.
60. Do the Hustle . 64 . Rubin . Mike . October 1995 . . 11 . 7 . 0886-3032 . The world's first postmodern arena-rock band, Urge is an irony-fortified power trio....
61. Web site: Tim Commerford Introduces New Power Trio. No Treble. Kevin. Johnson. 11 October 2015. 18 November 2022.
62. Web site: Walt Mink. Trouserpress.com.
63. Web site: Now Hear This: Yawning Man – Live at Giant Rock. Tinnitist. Darryl. Sterdan. 23 December 2020. 1 October 2022.
64. Web site: The 10 Best Power Trios in Rock . Reynolds . Wyoming . 25 October 2019 . Udiscovermusic.com . 6 May 2021.
65. Web site: Year Long Disaster. Dave. Good. San Diego Reader. August 6, 2008. February 5, 2023.
66. Platter du Jour: Spins . 119 . Reynolds . Simon . October 1995 . . 11 . 7 . 0886-3032.