Author: Sean Levinson (4 Articles)

Let’s face it, the idea of replacements in rock and roll bands has what many would call a negative connotation. Replacing a member of a band has often led to a bad result, proving that it’s not easy at all to recreate the chemistry the original members had. Yes, Sammy Hagar may very well have single-handedly destroyed Van Halen, and Paul Rodgers singing with Queen is like seeing the Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger, but this doesn’t mean all replacements are bad. That’s why I made this list, to remind people that despite these past monstrosities, a fair amount of replacement members have in fact had a positive effect on a band. These are five people that, in my opinion, either improved the act they joined or at least did justice to the musician they replaced.

5. Ron Wood-Already an experienced guitar player with Rod Stewart’s band, Ron Wood was a perfect replacement for Brian Jones when he died in 1969. He can truly hold his own as a blues player, and his short yet sweet fills brilliantly back up his legendary guitar counterpart when needed. Wood loves to party and perform on stage, just like a Rolling Stone should. From the start, he seemed totally comfortable with the original crew, as they did with him. Plus, anyone that can put up with what goes on between Mick and Keith after all these years has to have a good amount of dedication, which shows just how grateful Woody is to be part of quite possibly the greatest band of all time.

4. Phil Collen-Is it pop? Is it metal? It’s both, thanks to Def Leppard’s replacement of Pete Willis in the young and talented Phil Collen. His technical wizardry and extraordinary ability to write those catchy little verse riffs propelled Def Leppard beyond the endless array of 80’s metal bands and into superstardom. Collen brought the band backing vocals and stage presence, not to mention a nice image for their female fans to look at when they played their hot, sticky signature track. There’s no doubt that a large portion of Def Leppard’s long lasting fame is  due to their inclusion of this flashy guitarist they spotted in a nightclub in England.

3. Ronnie James Dio-People thought it wasn’t possible for Black Sabbath to get any more metal than they already were. Dio’s epic, earth shattering voice accompanied by the popularization of his trademark devil horns proved that even a band as incredible as Black Sabbath had room for improvement. Like the Godlike singer he replaced, Dio always delivers on stage, and the sounds on Sabbath’s later albums wouldn’t have worked better with any other vocalist. So different than Ozzy yet so alike, Dio’s undeniable talent left little if any Black Sabbath fan disappointed.

2. John Frusciante-If it wasn’t hard enough to categorize the Red Hot Chili Peppers, here comes John Frusciante to just make it more of a confusing process that is still debated today. I don’t know how they did it, but somehow the Chili Peppers found a guy that gave them everything they could ever want in a replacement for guitarist Hillel Slovak. He can play funk, metal, blues, punk, you name it, Frusciante can do it. His addition to the already successful band made people realize just how much of an all-around act these guys are, with expertise at each corner of the stage. There’s no other way to say it : John Frusciante is just the shit.

1. Brian Johnson- After all these years, I’m still asking myself the same question : How the hell does he sing like that? The great Bon Scott’s replacement must have vocal chords made of gravel. Brian Johnson’s explosive vocals and rock and roll spirit helped save AC/DC after their former singer’s death. In fact, one of the most talked about arguments in rock is whether Johnson is actually a better vocalist than Bon Scott, something rarely discussed when it comes to bands as classic as AC/DC. As unique as his voice is, it’s amazing just how well it fits into the music he sings along to. Like Scott, he gave the fans an explosive, ballsy voice, topped off with his own special touch. Throughout his long, successful career, Brian Johnson has continued to make his bandmates, fans, and predecessor, as proud as ever.