10 Greatest Supergroups In Rock History
2. The Traveling Wilburys
Most supergroups coming up the ranks normally come together as just a unique experiment. For as much as these artists hold a pedigree on their own, it's always nice to try something different and see how you work off of someone else. However, the story of the Traveling Wilburys came together almost purely by accident.
As George Harrison was putting together a B-side for his album, he quickly found himself in the studio with Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and Jeff Lynne at the helm to oversee production. With the label thinking that the song was too good to actually be a B-side, the resulting Wilburys project was some of the most pure sounding rock and roll of its time, with session legend Jim Keltner coming in to man the drumkit. Compared to other acts trying to one-up each other, this is the sound of some of rock's greatest songwriters coming together to just have some fun in the studio.
While the results may fall into a bit of dad rock territory from time to time, the actual hooks present on songs like Handle With Care and Heading for the Light are a loving snapshot at the rock music these legends loved as kids. It might be a product of its time, and yet these kind of songs are reminders of why those old rock and roll records got a rise out of you in the first place.