Columnist Spencer Patterson: Supergroup Zwan might be more than ugly duckling

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Nov. 22, 2002 | 9:21 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers music for the Sun. His music notes column appears every Friday. Reach him at 259-2309 or spencer@lasvegassun.com

Supergroup. Like no other term in the music industry, it can simultaneously kindle excitement and strike fear in the hearts of fans.

For more than three decades, well-known musicians have been banding to form these groups, units burdened by expectations that the sum of their parts will produce even greater results than their members individually.

Sometimes, the hype ultimately outweighs the outcome. That could certainly be said for Power Station, The Firm, Damn Yankees, GTR and, to a lesser extent, Asia.

In rare circumstances, the concept actually works. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young remain the best active embodiment of the supergroup, with Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Weather Report and the Traveling Wilburys being other examples of successful efforts.

Eric Clapton practically invented the term during the late 1960s, first teaming with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce in Cream and then working with Baker and Steve Winwood in Blind Faith. Both bands were ultimately undone by dueling egos and financial woes, common for such star-studded entities.

Once thought to be left for dead, supergroups have experienced an unlikely resurgence in recent years. Golden Smog, Tuatara, Oysterhead and Eyes Adrift have all combined the talents of successful modern rockers, even earning praise from critics along the way.

On Dec. 5, Zwan -- the latest link in the illustrious supergroup chain -- will play a one-off show at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel. The brainchild of former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, the band also features Jimmy Chamberlin of the Pumpkins, David Pajo (Slint, Tortoise), Matt Sweeney (Chavez) and Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle).

Zwan, which played its first series of shows together last winter, recently signed to Reprise Records, which is slated to release the band's still-to-be-titled first album on Jan. 28.

The first single, "Honestly," hit radio stations today.

More than most supergroups, Zwan's members combine backgrounds in multiple genres: Corgan and Chamberlin from the 1990s grunge scene, Lenchantin from alt-metal and Sweeney and Pajo (also known as Papa Mand Aerial M) from indie rock.

One reviewer described Zwan's live sound as "arena folk metal," another as "the coolest three-guitar band since Blue Oyster Cult." Typical of the supergroup phenomenon, such comments are neither entirely positive or negative.

Zwan tickets are $17 and go on sale Saturday at noon at the Hard Rock Hotel, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 and online at ticketmaster.com.

Music notes

Thorny return: Another band that could best be described as a supergroup these days has a more familiar name: Guns N' Roses.

The popular heavy metal act is back, sort of. Frontman Axl Rose is the lone holdover from the band's early days, and keyboardist Dizzy Reed -- who joined in the early 1990s, after breakthrough album "Appetite for Destruction" -- is the only other musician who actually played with Guns N' Roses before 2001.

Also along for the ride are bassist Tommy Stinson (the Replacements), drummer Brian Mantia (Primus) and the guitar trio of Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails), Richard Fortus (Love Split Love) and the wild-looking Buckethead, who wears a KFC bucket atop his head and covers his face with an expressionless mask.

The band's "comeback" appearance at August's MTV Video Music Awards was a notorious bust, with Rose's strained vocals drawing most of the criticism.

Now comes this, from a billboard.com review of Monday's show in Chicago: "For two hours, Rose and his overstuffed band fought to emulate the glory days of the long-dead Old Guns, but could only muster an off-target, glitchy set that virtually cried out for Slash or Izzy Stradlin to ride in and rescue it."

Unfortunately, Rose's ex-Guns mates are unlikely to do so. Former GN'R members Slash, Stradlin, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum are preparing to record an album with a singer, and a band name, to be determined later. And based on comments Slash made to Entertainment Weekly recently, the quartet won't be playing with Rose anytime soon.

"Before a gig one night in '92, (Rose) hands us a contract saying that if the band breaks up, he's taking the name," Slash told the magazine. "Unfortunately, we signed it. I didn't think he'd go onstage otherwise."

Guns N' Roses performs Dec. 28 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Postponed: David Lee Roth's Dec. 7 show with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts at the Aladdin's Theatre for the Performing Arts has been postponed. Refunds can be obtained at ticket holders' original point of purchase.

Wood work: Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood will make an appearance at Entertainment Galleries in the Grand Canal Shops at The Venetian to mark the opening of an exhibit featuring his artwork. The event will be invitation-only, but Wood's exhibit will be open to the public through December.

Off the hook: Back from its two-year hiatus, Phish has announced a pair of upcoming Thomas & Mack dates -- Feb. 15 and 16. So far, Las Vegas and Cincinnati are the only tour stops hosting multiple shows. Tickets go on sale Dec. 14.

Different notes: Amid its usual slate of quality jazz acts, Blue Note Las Vegas will showcase hip-hop artist GZA/Genius on Dec. 17. The Wu-Tang Clan member will perform with rappers J-Live and POKAFACE. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door.

Quick hits

A look at a few of the shows scheduled to hit Southern Nevada in the next week:

The still Steve Perry-less version of Journey, which has featured Steve Augeri on vocals since 1998, arrives tonight at 8 at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $25, $35 and $50.

Harmonica-heavy jam band Blues Traveler plays tonight 7 at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. Tickets are $20 and $25 for the 18-and-over show.

Country star Wynonna stops in Las Vegas for a pair of 9 p.m. shows tonight and Saturday at the Las Vegas Hilton. Tickets are $45 and $55.

R&B artist India.Arie will perform at the MGM Grand's EFX Theatre Saturday night at 8. The concert was originally slated for the hotel's Grand Garden Arena, before promoters switched venues, creating confusion throughout the online world. As of Wednesday night, Ticketmaster.com, among other sites, still listed the Grand Garden Arena as the site, offering separate tickets for the two venues.

Concert-goers have also been befuddled by a parade of potential opening acts, with Floetry, K-OS, Slum Village and D.J. Rogers Jr. all rumored to be involved at one time or another. None could be confirmed by the venue.

Anyone still holding tickets for seats at the Grand Garden can either obtain a refund or swap them for seats at the EFX Theatre show. Tickets are $45 and $55.

One-time Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry will be at The Joint Monday night at 8. Ferry released his first solo album in three years, "Frantic," to positive reviews in February. Tickets are $25 and $60.

And Tuesday night at 8, Boxcar Racer -- a punk rock side project for Blink 182 members Travis Barker and Thomas DeLonge -- takes the stage at The Joint. Tickets are $17.

On sale

Tickets for a Dec. 21 House of Blues performance by Hairbanger's Ball, a tribute band covering 1980s heavy metal material, go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. Tickets are $10 and are available at the House of Blues box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at 474-4000.

"Mamma Mia!" a musical based on the songs of ABBA, comes to Las Vegas in February. Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. in the Mandalay Bay main lobby. The occasion will also be marked with a special presentation of a gold record for sales totalling more than 500,000 for the musical's original cast recording.