Unsung Heroes of Rock and Roll

I don't know if he's a ''unsung hero'' or not, but I'll say...

Eric Clapton

In 1998 Eric Clapton founded the Crossroads Centre on the island of Antigua in the West Indies - a medical facility for recovering substance abusers.

The Crossroads Centre is a non-profit, International Centre of Excellence for the treatment of alcohol and other drug addictions.

Clapton himself, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, decided this was the best way for him to give back and help people kick the habit - and save a life.

I realize a lot of Eric Clapton fans know about the Crossroads Centre, but I wasn't sure if the casual Clapton fan, or a non-Clapton fan knew about his good work.

Here's more info...

Eric Clapton in his own words...

History of Crossroads Centre

A video and even more info...

Executive Drug Rehab | Private Drug Rehab | Crossroads Antigua

Lou Reed

He is a founding member of The Velvet Underground, probably one of themost comercially underrated bands of all-time. The VU are one of those bands that you can certify has changed the face of rock music. They were one of the first to exhibit explicit references to drugs, transexuals/transvestites and the general life of the New York streets and low life. His lyrics and strange noise music wasn't fully appreciated in his time, but we have seen in the past years how some of the greatest bands have a lot of The VU's influence. For example, Sonic Youth, The Strokes, etc. It was a band that was way ahead of it's time and only now we can fully appreciate how advanced it was. You can listen to some VU records and imagine it being a CD realeased just a couple of days ago.

Lou Reed has also been in other genres. He made some glam rock albums in the 70's and also has one of the most depressing and sad albums of all time: Berlin.

He is not a main character in rock music, and he never was. At least not to the public eye. But among musicians, and big rock fans, he may be just as importante and admired as any other person in the industry. Among his peers he gets the credit he deserves, but we're still waiting for the world to realize what a great musician we have in Lou Reed. He has collaborated with The Killers, Gorillaz in the past years, showing he is still active and awesome.

The best answer I can give is people who do some of the real dirty work to help get an album done but don't necessarily appear on the record, or at least get the credit they should.

That includes outside songwriters or session musicians who aren't in the band. Jim Steinman comes to mind.

That also includes people who might have mixed an album but don't necessarily get a producer's credit.

The two I'm thinking of right now are Brian Eno (who is known for his work with Roxy Music - the man is a musical mastermind) and Mick Ronson (who is known for his close affiliation with David Bowie). Both have been criminally ignored in the music business. Brian Eno, probably because he is so thickly regarded as an experimental guru, and Mick Ronson because he was kind of Bowie's visual foil - just another guitarist in the eyes of many a drooling fangirl. :/

Malcolm Young! Angus has said in interviews that Malcolm is the best lead player that he has ever heard, yet Malcolm is content to stand in the shadows and lay down a tight, perfect rhythm. Malcolm is also the business mind and the decision man behind AC/DC and has authored many of AC/DC's classic riffs.

Electric Light Orchestra & Jeff Lynne

Bob Daisley.

He played bass, and (((wrote all the lyrics for Ozzy's first 4 albums))) yet received no writing credits on many of the greatest metal songs ever, but Ozzy is somehow made out to be a god. He also co produced on Diary and Blizzard.

Ian Hunter



Ian has been in music since the mid 50's and unlike some other rock and roll elders like Little Richard and Chuck Berry who's glory days are long behind them (Ian's being in the early 70's) he is still putting out albums, which I consider to be some of the best of his career. And, in a way of personal opinion, unlike his more popular peers such as Neil Young and Bob Dylan, who both put out good albums this year (especially Bob), his newest album that came out earlier this year still rock really hard and kick ass while still having deep political lyrics and is doing the combination of both better than anyone else his age. I also saw him a couple months ago and he put on such a phenomenal show.

Dickey freaking Betts! One hell of a guitarist who was overshadowed by Duane Allman and later to some degree by Warren Haynes.

The Allman Brothers - Southbound - YouTube

I have two


1. Roadies. No explanation needed.


2. Tommy Aldridge




This cat has been around forever, and has toured with some of the biggest names in the business.

These are the bands in which he spent time as an actual member:

Black Oak Arkansas (10 albums)

The Pat Travers Band (5)

Ozzy Osbourne (4, including a tribute album)

Gary Moore (2)

Whitesnake (4)

Macalpine, Aldridge, Rock, Sarzo (MARS) (1)



Thin Lizzy He toured with Thin Lizzy for 3 years,(2007-2009) but never appeared on any albums. Original drummer Brian Downey rejoined the band in 2010


These are artists he's recorded with, and the albums he appears on., but wasn't a member of the band. Can't say for sure if he ever toured with these bands.


Ruby Starr - Scene Stealer

Vinnie Moore - Mind's Eye

Motörhead - March ör Die

Steve Fister - Age of Great Dreams

House Of Lords - Demons Down

Dragon Attack: A Tribute to Queen (1997)

Patrick Rondat - Amphibia - On the Edge

Thin Lizzy - One Night Only (2000)

Ted Nugent - Full Bluntal Nugity (2000)

John Sykes - 20th Century


Even more impressive than his track record and longevity, is the fact that you never hear about this guy being in any trouble, acting like an idiot or getting busted for whatever.

Just a steady, solid, lunchpail, hardworking journeyman that shows up for work evey day.