Question:
Does anyone know any great rock or pop bands whose lead instrument is the violin?
OmegaGreen
2007-05-19 11:29:37 UTC
I'm looking for bands that rock out with the violin. Think of it like a violin equivalent to Jethro Tull and their flute driven rock. Anyone know of any good bands?
28 answers:
Dak
2007-05-19 11:38:18 UTC
A Beautiful Day. They were a band in the 60's and had a hit called "White Bird"
anonymous
2007-05-23 11:50:53 UTC
I remeber readin this article in Alternative Press magazine about this woman who plays a violin, she's either in a rock band or does solo rock stuff, but I forgot her name. Also, there's that song by 30 Seconds to Mars titled "A Modern Myth", and that has the violin in it (I think the guitarist plays it).
AVIDROCKER!
2007-05-25 16:50:31 UTC
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) used violins quite extensivley. with 7 band members, they really were close to being an actual orchestra. But not the LEAD instr. Sweet Talkin' Woman is a good example with a great vilolin at the opening.



AVIDROCKER!
?
2016-10-05 13:15:22 UTC
Punch! Aaaahhhhh! anyhow, those days... The feet has been listening to some diverse modern bands. Cage The Elephant being one in all them. maximum people comprehend their massive hit "Ain't No relax For The depraved" yet they have another cool tunes on their album, extremely "decrease back Stabbin' Betty" and "Drones in the Valley". additionally, The feet has been listening to a band called The Heavy. you comprehend that "How 'Ya Like Me Now?" music in the automobile commercial, the place the sock monkey and different toys holiday mechanical bulls and get tattoos? Yeah, nicely that's the Heavy. My famous music of theirs so some distance, is "Oh No, not You returned!". Oh, sure. And Deltahead. they are loopy... yet in an extremely sturdy way. that is like if The Black Keys and Butthole Surfers had a lovechild.
kramdensdeliciousmarshal
2007-05-26 07:50:17 UTC
The Marshall Tucker Band (southern rock)
Amelia
2007-05-19 12:55:49 UTC
Did anyone say the Dave Mathews Band? They have a violin in almost every song.



Amelia
jumpenthusiasm
2007-05-19 12:51:37 UTC
Bond is awesome, especially "Explosive". It's like classical meets rock. Also, there's Antonio Pontarelli, who's a rock singer and plays the violin, and A Beautiful Day





This is from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violin#Popular_music):

While the violin has had very little usage in rock music compared to its brethren the guitar and bass guitar, it is increasingly being absorbed into mainstream pop with artists like Linda Brava, Miri Ben-Ari, The Corrs, Nigel Kennedy, Yellowcard, Dave Matthews Band with Boyd Tinsley, Arcade Fire, Jean-Luc Ponty, the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Camper Van Beethoven, Nickel Creek and The Who (in the coda of their 1971 song Baba O'Riley). The Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship & Hot Tuna incorporated the electric rock violin stylings of Papa John Creach into their signature sound in the 1970s and 1980s. Independent artists such as Final Fantasy and Andrew Bird have also spurred increased interest in the instrument. It has also seen usage in the post-rock genre by bands like Sigur Rós, Zox, Broken Social Scene, A Silver Mt. Zion and the electric violin found in the Cruxshadows.



The hugely popular Motown recordings of the 1960s and '70s relied heavily on strings as part of their trademark texture. Earlier genres of pop music, at least those separate from the rock and roll movement, tended to make use of fairly traditional orchestras, sometimes large ones; examples include the American "Crooners" such as Bing Crosby.



In the late 1960s and early 1970s the violin (or "fiddle") was common in British folk-rock bands, such as Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span.



Several 1970s progressive rock bands, such as King Crimson (the third line-up featuring John Wetton and David Cross), Comus, and Kansas featured violinists as full-fledged members of the band.



Up to the 1970s, most types of popular music used bowed strings, but the rise of electronically created music in the 1980s saw a decline in their use, as synthesized string sections took their place. Since the end of the 20th century, real strings have began making a comeback in pop music.



In the 1970s disco music often featured violins in a prominent role, in songs such as Good times by Chic, I will survive by Gloria Gaynor and Love's theme by Love Unlimited Orchestra.



Indian and Arabic pop music is filled with the sound of violins, both soloists and ensembles.



Some folk/Viking metal bands use the violin in their songs (i.e. Thyrfing), and some even have a permanent violinist (i.e. Ásmegin).



In the 1990s and 2000s, violins began to appear in rock bands. Smashing Pumpkins are well-known for their violin-based sections, and James' Saul Davies, who is also a guitarist, was enlisted by the band as a violinist.



One of the best-selling bands of the 1990s, the Corrs, relied heavily on the skills of violinist Sharon Corr. The violin was intimately integrated with the Irish tin whistle, the Irish hand drum (bodhran), as well as being used as intro and outro of many of their Celtic-flavored pop-rock songs.
SainTtothEeVE
2007-05-24 09:58:29 UTC
Dan Hicks & His Hot LIcks (featuring the Lickettes)...Maria Muldar made her debut with these guys.



Papa John Creech



Buddy Holly did some excellent violin arrangements
PK27
2007-05-19 14:08:30 UTC
As someone said Arabic music use violins..

BOND is a great band..

But if you were into rock music.. theres TONS of great bads but I've always been fond of Pink Floyd and Dream Theater for their remarkable diversity of instruments.



Alot of Opera Metal - Goth - Progressive Rock use violin... there's TONS of them that i can't give you names. But if you insisnt.. email me anytime
smudge74
2007-05-19 12:23:35 UTC
Check out the Levellers. Album Levelling the Land is the best place to start.



Check out their website www.levellers.co.uk

Brilliant live band.

Spread the word.
P Diddy
2007-05-25 13:22:12 UTC
Yellowcard
Lindsey Ann
2007-05-19 11:33:45 UTC
Yellowcard uses a violin in their songs.

It's not the lead instrument but they're still very good.



-linds
Pame
2007-05-24 17:22:48 UTC
I don't know if it's their leading instrument, but yellowcard plays violin in their songs
clearwaterlab
2007-05-19 12:01:13 UTC
The Arcade Fire has violin in alot of their songs, as well as Coldplay and Yellocard
diva_in_phx420 aka ladyunicorn420
2007-05-25 14:22:52 UTC
Kansas!! They were one of the greats, back in the late 70's early 80's
srjoecow
2007-05-19 11:38:22 UTC
Kansas or Charley Daniels
pinklady43
2007-05-25 17:08:06 UTC
Charlie Daniels (The Devil went down to Georgia)
anonymous
2007-05-21 15:40:38 UTC
Ashley McIssak (don't know if that 's the right spelling)

The Drovers

The Pogues



Basically anything Irish! LOL
anonymous
2007-05-19 11:34:14 UTC
silverstein has a violin..

also Yellowcard has one, but as for LEAD violin, i donno



atleast i tried lol
blinkmonster
2007-05-23 08:42:53 UTC
I am Ghost and yellowcard are the only ones i know of
twixette
2007-05-19 11:36:59 UTC
Yellowcard has a violinist, but it's not the lead instrument.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zifdDjjnDIg
capt pappy
2007-05-25 21:57:50 UTC
the flock...great chicago band from the 60's
anonymous
2007-05-19 16:24:41 UTC
Dave Matthews

ELO

Baba o' riley-the who (just that song though)

ETH
I am the Walrus, Lestat!
2007-05-19 11:39:43 UTC
the charlie daniels band...yes they were rock and roll...they use fiddle ...ALOT!!!!!!!! and their totally awesome...they're sortta southern rock alongw/ lynyrd skynyrd... try them out...
dana w
2007-05-23 21:08:44 UTC
mary tomlin
mr_potatoe.head
2007-05-19 11:35:26 UTC
yellowcard
govtagent_2001
2007-05-24 14:21:44 UTC
yellowcard

switchfoot
geekluver21390
2007-05-25 20:04:09 UTC
idk about violin...but i know an awesome cello band! theyre called appocalyptica...(-p?)


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