There have been instances in music history where musicians will look far and wide for the perfect member to round out their musical ensemble. On the other hand, there are musicians who don’t look further than the dining room table and recruit their brother, sister, or cousin to be a member of their band.
In some cases, that can be the start of a phenomenal band, or it can be an absolute disaster, as is the case of Hanson, who can be used as an example of either, depending on your musical stance.
We’ve written about siblings in music, and we’ve focused on sisters in music, and even brothers in music, but with the return of one of Australia’s most famous band of brothers, Jet, last week, we’ve decided to take yet another look at the concept of family in music. So without further ado, here are 10 more groups who have decided blood is thicker than water and have decided to make music with some of their relations.
Angus & Julia Stone
For a number of years, Angus & Julia Stone were inescapable. From their debut EP Chocolates & Cigarettes, which included the classic ‘Paper Aeroplane’, everyone knew that this brother and sister duo from Sydney were going to be unstoppable. With a unique blend of indie folk and pop, the duo saw huge success in 2010 when they managed to top the Hottest 100 for that year.
Having released their last album in 2014, the duo have since been a little quiet, though their respective solo careers have been quite successful. Julia has released two solo albums, but has recently found herself collaborating with artists such as Jarryd James and Golden Features, while Angus is currently gaining airplay under the moniker DOPE LEMON. Respectively, these ventures saw them both get in the recent Hottest 100, but who knows when we’ll see them return as a duo.
Broods
Let’s skip across the Tasman for this one and have a look at the Nott siblings. While they’ve played together for years, Georgia and Caleb Nott have been making music under the name of Broods for roughly four years now, and they’ve been making fans the world over for just as long. Having hooked up with Joel Little (best known as the vocalist of Goodnight Nurse, oh, and for being Lorde’s producer), the group recorded their debut record Evergreen, which was helped along by the success of their lead single ‘Bridges’.
Having released their second LP Conscious in June of last year, the duo are still taking over the world. With the lead track from their album ‘Heartlines’ being written by Lorde herself, the group are in good hands as they attempt to continue to be the next big thing in synthpop.
Stone Temple Pilots
To many people, the heart of Stone Temple Pilots was that of Scott Weiland and his brooding, drug-addled vocals. But to many, the heart of the bands lies within the musical interplay of the group’s lead guitar and bass players, the DeLeo brothers. When Stone Temple Pilots was founded as Mighty Joe Young in the late 80’s, the group were without a bass player. After Dean DeLeo suggested his brother Robert might just be a perfect fit, the group’s famous lineup was born.
While the band had a bit of bad blood between its members, lead vocalist Scott Weiland was fired in 2013, five years after the group had gotten back together following a six-year split. Following his departure, the group recruited Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington as their vocalist, however this partnership soon dissolved too. Sadly, Weiland passed away at the end of 2015, leaving any hopes of a reunion completely dashed. The group are currently looking for a new vocalist, but the lifeblood of the group, the DeLeo brothers, are certainly planning to stick around for a while.
Pantera
We’ve written previously about how Pantera initially began life as a glam-rock band, but after a much-needed stylistic change, the group went on to become one of the most famous metal bands of the 90’s. However, the early days of the group can be traced back to a band in the 80’s who went by the name of Gemini. The group, who would soon change their name to Eterntiy and then to Pantera, originally consisted of Terry Glaze on rhythm guitar, Vinnie Paul Abbott on drums and ‘Diamond’ Darrell Abbott on lead guitar.
Soon enough, ‘Diamond’ Darrell changed his stage name to the more famous ‘Dimebag’ Darrell, and after recruiting Phil Anselmo as vocalist, the group started to take off on their road to stardom. With the Abbott brothers considered to be the main musicians of the group, their profile grew greatly. Sadly, Pantera broke up in 2003, and the following year, Dimebag Darrell was infamously shot and killed onstage while playing with his new band Damageplan. While we may never see a full Pantera reunion, or another Abbott brothers collaboration, we can take solace in the legacy of work that Dimebag left us with.
Boards Of Canada
When someone says ‘band of Scottish brothers’, your mind instantly thinks of Boards Of Canada, right? Well, sure, The Proclaimers are a good group too, but we’re not focusing on them just yet. See, Boards Of Canada are the very definition of a ‘musical enigma’. Marcus and Michael Sandison have been making music since 1986, but in the ensuing 31 years, they’ve released only a handful of albums, and have done almost as many interviews. The group’s haunting, nostalgic take on electronic music has seen them become the perfect choice for soundtracks, chill-out mixtapes, and a perfect score from Pitchfork.
The group have managed to create beautiful music while keeping punters keen for years now, with many early releases of the group heavily bootlegged by dedicated fans, with no intention of official releases. Likewise, after an almost 8 year absence the group teased fans with new music by the way of a mysterious video on a Tokyo building, and a virtual reality game which was supplemented by mysterious records that would go on to sell for almost $6,000. Needless to say, these guys know how to keep their fans interested.
Devo
Akron, Ohio is one place in the world that seems to produce an inordinate amount of famous people. Music-wise, you’ve got The Black Keys, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, Maynard James Keenan of Tool, and Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, who is best known as the guy who replaced Rob Halford in Judas Priest. Arguably one of the most famous though, is Devo, whose classic lineup consisted of not one, but two sets of brothers.
Starting in 1973, Devo cut their teeth by playing live shows, before recording a few singles, and ultimately recording an album. By the time their debut album came out, the group consisted of Mark & Bob Mothersbaugh, Gerald & Bob Cassale, and Alan Myers, who presumably couldn’t rustle up a sibling to join the band. While the band would go on to keep this classic lineup for many years, Bob Cassale sadly passed away almost three years ago. The group is still making music these days despite Cassale’s death, but they’ve decided to keep up the theme of shared names within the group by recruiting Josh Freese and Josh Hagar as the group’s drummer and guitarist, respectively.
Haim
In 2013, the question on everyone’s lips was ‘Is it pronounced ‘ham’, ‘hy-am’, ‘hy-em’?” As it turns out, it’s the latter, but the ladies who were the subject of this question were Los Angeles band Haim. Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, three sisters, had been playing music since 2007, but thanks to Danielle’s touring with Juliette Lewis and Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, her profile grew, renewing interest in performing in a band with her other sisters.
After piquing the public’s interest with a string of singles, the group released their highly anticipated debut record Days Are Gone to widespread critical acclaim, with their most successful song, ‘The Wire’, reaching #11 in the 2013 Hottest 100. While they’ve been quiet for a little while now, they’re currently recording a new album, so there’s every chance we might see them on our shores once again.
The Hives
If you’ve not heard of Swedish rock group The Hives, you need to immediately change that fact. Famous for being one of the most energetic and sincere rock bands in the business, their albums and live shows have become famous for their irreverence and well-crafted musicianship. The group’s two most prominent members, singer Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, and guitarist Niklas ‘Nicholaus Arson’ Almqvist, are also brothers, meaning that if they acted as energetic and crazy during their childhood as they do during their live shows, then our sympathy is extended to their parents.
Having formed in the early 90’s, The Hives managed to burst onto the scene in 1997 with their debut LP Barely Legal. However, in 2002, they were everywhere thanks to the strength of their single ‘Hate To Say I Told You So’, which is still to this day used in plenty of advertisements. While the Almqvist brothers are the two best known members of the group, Vigilante Carlstroem, Chris Dangerous, and The Johan And Only have all managed to find their own place in the chaotic spectacle that is a performance by The Hives.
Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees are one of those brilliant bands whom many may consider a one hit wonder, despite their long existence, and legions of dedicated fans. Screaming Trees were formed by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Connor, and his brother, bassist Van Connor. The group released 5 albums before 1992’s Sweet Oblivion saw them hit #5 on the US charts with ‘Nearly Lost You’.
The incomparable musicianship between the Connor brothers, Mark Lanegan, and drummer Barrett Martin saw the group recognised as one of alternative music’s most important bands. However, due to the time in which their fame was made, they tended to be overshadowed by a little band named Nirvana. While Lanegan has gone on to find success as a solo artist and through collaborations with artists like Queens Of The Stone Age, the Connor brothers have stayed relatively quiet, sadly.
My Chemical Romance
Around the mid 00’s, pop-punk had spawned a subgenre commonly called ’emo’. While punk purists will cry ‘that’s not real emo’, the label stuck, and we saw an influx of groups that played emotional, dark, yet often quite catchy pop-punk music. One of the leading bands in this group was My Chemical Romance. With a cultural reach so great that even now, 4 years after their breakup, a simple cryptic tweet teasing an album reissue can turn the internet crazy with reunion rumours, there is no doubt that My Chemical Romance were one of the defining bands for a generation.
Lead by singer Gerard Way, and backed by guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way, the group were unstoppable for a number of years. While the Way brothers were not as publicised as much as other musical siblings, the majority of popularity and media attention was thrown upon Gerard Way and Frank Iero. While the band has been broken up for 4 years now, Gerard Way has done some solo work, and Frank Iero now tours with his band Frank Iero And The Patience, who just last year were involved in a serious accident while touring Sydney.
