Question for the Rock/Metal Music Gurus

[Variance]

Not sure how strange a question this is but here goes...

I was wondering have there been any mainstream black rock or metal bands? ("Black" as in race.) I figure if there have been white rappers, black rockers can't be too out of the question, can they?

[regfootball]

living colour?

[Nick]

Lenny Kravitz, Jimmy Hendrix, Zack de la Rocha from RATM.

[Variance]

Duh, completely forgot about Hendrix and Kravitz. Never knew about de la Rocha, though.

[mustang84]

Living Colour and Hendrix definitely. I think Sevendust has a black singer, as did Thin Lizzy.

[Camino LS6]

Sly and the Family Stone

Members of many bands, for instance: "The E Street Band"

[Hudson]

King's X and Body Count

[the_yellow_dart]

Arguably, the Roots.

One of the Spin Doctors was black.

There's a Canadian rock band called the Dears with a black singer.

[razoredge]

Jimi was Black/Native American so thats "real groovy man"

The rest of the Experience was white, however "Band of Gypsys" with Buddy Miles was all black, I think they did two recording while he was alive and then the afterlife stuff

Living color is the only totally Black heavy band I can think of.

the Isley Brothers did some cool stuff but it was probably more R&B. Ernest Isley put together some good guitar solos with distortion and phaser, so it rocked a bit.

I think one of the two drummers for the Doobie Brothers was black but problem is it could have been the Almond Brothers, cause my mind is........well.........

There was a Black drummer during the 70's named Billy Cobham and he, with a bunch of white guys did one of the greatest "Fusion" recordings ever - Billy Cobham - Spectrum, I sure wish I had that on CD, it was kinda heavy, kinda funky but fusion is not for the "pop" crowd.

Steve Vai used a Black keyboard/guitarist for G3 and let me tell you that boy could play the hell out of a guitar and the keys. He and Via did one awsome duel, very cool if you really want to see what qualifies as great musicians you will rent G3

Stevie Ray Vaughn was black.............inside :AH-HA_wink:

Isnt the singer from Hootie and the Blowfish black ? One great vocalist in my opinion

Robert Cray although technically a bluesman..........another one of my favorites

I was told about some Black rapper, back, late 80's early 90's, whos music was metal based, but I dont know who that was.

Black musicians have what it takes to be so great, all the Bluesmen and the old Jazz players were so deep and skilled but they never really got into the heavy stuff. Hendrix was bashed by the old bluesmen for playing "whitemans music" but in one sence Jimi created and steered one aspect of rock music and he did it all with blues and R&B influence. He did not deserve to be shunned by his elders. I have a CD they put together (afterlife) of Jimis greatest blues jams and let me tell you he smoked all those older guys. With talent, feel, creative improvision and emotion, forget the speed, he was well beyond the oldtimers.............but we all know that now.

I wish we'd get more music less rap from black artists. You have to listen to jazz for the best black musicians. I listened to "watercolors" for an hour on the way to Lime Rock yesterday...................

[Camino LS6]

Razor: Musically you are a man after my own heart!

Two things:

It was the Allman Brothers

You are so right about Stevie Ray

[C.H.U.D.]

Killswitch Engage has a black vocalist.

Most of God Forbid is black.

They're pretty huge in terms of metal bands.

I always thought Zack De La Rocha was Chicano...

[WS61400]

Not sure how strange a question this is but here goes...

I was wondering have there been any mainstream black rock or metal bands? ("Black" as in race.) I figure if there have been white rappers, black rockers can't be too out of the question, can they?

189525[/snapback]

Earth, Wind and Fire

[XM DUDE]

King's X and Body Count

189612[/snapback]

I love Kings X. I think they're under rated. Edited September 6, 2006 by XM DUDE

[razoredge]

I think Steve Miller Band had a black bassist..but ?

After the Animals, after War, Eric Burden released an album I cant remember much about exept that I loved it. His lead guitar player was black and very good, really smooth. That was a rock album.

Earth Wind & Fire was R&B, werent they ?

This "God Forgive" , what do they sound like ? DO they sing and work out some form of melody or is it that growling drill sargents from hell $h! ?

I like Kings X what little Ive heard, I need to get after some of that too.

Camino.................. I know...................