Which band / Artist lays down the best groove ?

Oldies...but goodies: by Silvester Stewart, "Sly and the Family Stone". There's no way you can sit down and just listen to their original stuff.

Cat

Oh yes, good one Cat, the original funk myster 8) 8) 8)

Prince - the purple one can lay down some pretty funky grooves. 8)

Brian Carroll aka Buckethead - the bucket can play any style of music, and when he gets into a groove, watch out! :twisted:

Dan

Doug and Stu are the first names on my list. Listen to any old CCR record - they're tighter than a duck's bum, and that's watertight.
Sly and Robbie on those old Bob Marley and the Wailers songs.
Booker T and the MG's......Al Jackson or Willie Hall, Duck Dunn and Steve Cropper (most underesteemed rhythm guitarist of all time, IMHO) could lay down a groove that Booker T could improvise over all day.
Moon and Entwhistle - listen to Substitute or Won't Get Fooled Again.
JPJ and Bonzo - a lot of people think Led Zep were sloppy live, but not the rhythm section. No way, never.
The Funk Brothers on ANY uptempo Motown song from about 63 to the early 70's
Ditto the Bar-Kays on any Stax record from the mid 60's.
Macca and Ringo.
Bill and Charlie.
Adam and Larry.

Sheesh, there are millions of great rhythm sections....those are just the first few that came into my head. But like the man said, "if you ain't got rhythm you got NOTHING!" If your bassman and your drummer can't lay down the beat, you're going nowhere.

:D :D :D

Vic

Since picking up the bass, I've been paying WAY more attention to the rhythm section. You are right Vic, if you ain't got the rhythm down, forget it.

Booker T & the MGs for sure. All the Stax records from that era just plain groove. If I make it to Bonnaroo this year, I'm going to see Booker T playing w/ one of my favorite bands, The Drive-By Truckers. They are billed as Booker T and the DBTs.
Cliff Williams, Phil Rudd & Malcolm Young (AC/DC) - those guys are tight
Robert Randolph & The Family Band - Listen to "Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That" and if you don't dance, you don't have a soul.
RHCP (Flea and Chad Smith)
Lenny Kravitz's band - I'm not a huge fan of his, but his songs usually have a great groove.

Cliff Williams, Phil Rudd & Malcolm Young (AC/DC) - those guys are tight

I missed that one. Should have been high up the list. Malcolm's another rhythm guitarist who doesn't get nearly enough kudos, but without that rock steady rhythm it wouldn't matter how good Angus is.

:D :D :D

Vic

Garry Beers (Bass) John Farriss (Drums) Andrew Farriss (Keyboards) Tim Farriss (Guitar) You then have one of the tightest rhythm sections in the world.

I'm sure you've guessed.......INXS

Forgot about them :P

Gary Hoey (guitarist) has an incredible tight groove sound, works really well with his bass player. Check out his stuff on youtube.

+1 on Sly

Bo Diddley ... nothing but groove

Talking Heads, esp during the 'Fear of Music' and 'Remain in Light' albums era. Standout tunes: I Zimbra, Life During Wartime, Once in a Lifetime, Crosseyed and Painless.

The J Geils Band, before they became pop stars, could lay down some great blues based party music. At one time people referred to them as the "Ultimate Party Band". They've got about 10 years or so under their belt before they became pop smashes. Great live albums.

katmetal, I saw Hoey about 5 years ago or so in a little rat-hole of a venue that held maybe 200-300 people...standing. They sure can pump it out.