The 80s Supergroup That Was Almost Ignored

Supergroups have long been a staple of rock history—some form organically among friends, while others are meticulously assembled, aiming for greatness from the start. Classic acts like Cream or Emerson, Lake & Palmer left behind an undeniable musical legacy. Yet for every success story, there are supergroups that quietly vanish from memory.

One such band is The Best, an oddly fitting name for a group that never quite got the recognition it might have deserved. Despite being packed with rock legends from the 70s and 80s, The Best faded almost entirely from the public eye after a brief appearance on the global stage. To this day, few outside hardcore classic rock fans even know they existed.

The Best wasn’t just another side project. It brought together some of the most respected names in the business, suggesting a promising formula that, under different circumstances, could’ve produced something truly lasting.

Rock Royalty Under One Roof

The lineup for The Best reads like a classic rock fantasy draft. Keyboardist Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer fame brought his virtuosity to the mix. John Entwistle, the iconic bassist of The Who, joined forces with Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, Steely Dan’s Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, and drummer Simon Phillips, who had ties to the Jeff Beck Group and Toto.

In the middle of this powerhouse band was Rick Livingstone, a largely unknown frontman who took on lead vocals and even played flute—an unusual but bold choice for a rock group of this caliber. Supporting him were the Richardson brothers—Hamish, Fergus, and Angus—who provided rich backing vocals. Adding to the legend, Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr and future drummer for The Who, was reportedly involved as well.

Despite its unusual mix of the famous and the unfamiliar, the band’s chemistry was strong enough to embark on at least one notable venture. The idea was to have rotating members around a fixed core—something experimental but potentially sustainable if timing and logistics had aligned.

A Whisper in Rock History

The Best’s active lifespan was brief. They formed in 1990 and quietly dissolved just four years later, without any studio albums or major tours to leave behind as proof. The only widely available documentation of their existence is a video of their performance in Japan—grainy footage that has become something of a treasure for collectors and fans of the band members’ past works.

Their tour in Japan was reportedly successful, and they had plans for a larger American tour that never came to be. According to John Entwistle, the idea of The Best was fluid by design. He said it was never meant to be a full-time, locked-in band. Members were supposed to rotate in and out depending on availability and interest.

But even with that openness, the band hit logistical walls. Schedules never aligned, and after missing the chance for their U.S. tour, the project lost momentum. As other commitments took priority, The Best faded into the background, overshadowed by the members’ more famous ventures.

What Could Have Been

For a band filled with such towering talent, it’s remarkable how little is known about The Best. Their name now reads more like a curiosity than a declaration. The idea of an all-star band with such rich musical lineage performing together remains enticing—and maybe that’s part of what makes their obscurity so haunting.

Had their American tour materialized, it might have sparked more interest, perhaps even led to recordings or further collaborations. But without the exposure or an album to preserve their work, The Best became one of rock history’s strangest near-misses. They were both everything fans could dream of—and nothing that the industry took seriously.

Ultimately, The Best never came back, and their story ended almost as quietly as it began. But for those who do remember, or discover them through obscure clips and interviews, the band stands as a bittersweet reminder: sometimes even the greatest names can slip through the cracks.