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Welcome to our installment of the Friday’s Food for Thought post. Last’s FFT post, we struck a more serious tone with a tribute to those who had lost lives in their 9/11. This week, we have have decided to bring the usual mojo of the FFT back in full force with the theme of the “supergroup.” Often talented musicians leave their famous and respected bands to form supergroups like Cream, the Traveling Wilburys, Audioslave and Blind Faith. In many ways, we work in intelligence community as supergroups. If you are a prime contractor, you often pull together the best subs to form a supergroup to solve some of the most significant intelligence challenges. Oh, and World Classic Rockers — an epic supergroup — is playing at GEOINT 2009.

Northrop Grumman’s Chief Executive Set to Retire
Speaking of rock stars, it was just announced that Northrop Grumman chairman and chief executive Ronald D. Sugar will retire in June 2010. Northrop Grumman’s president and chief operating officer, Wesley G. Bush, will take the helm next year, the company said. Although Sugar will remain with the company until summer of 2010, Bush will take over responsibilities at the beginning of January 2010. Read more here.

More About Supergroups
According to our strategic intelligence consultants at Wikipedia, in the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe “a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups.” Supergroups tend to be short-lived, often lasting only for an album or two. Additionally, supergroups are often formed as side projects that are not intended to be permanent. Some of the most well-known supergroups include: 1960s groups Cream, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Blind Faith; 1970s groups Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Humble Pie, Cactus and Bad Company; the 1980s & 1990s groups The Firm, Traveling Wilburys, Dokken, Asia, Power Station, and The Highwaymen; 2000s groups A Perfect Circle, Audioslave, Velvet Revolver, and Zwan. What was your favorite supergroup?

Them Crooked Vultures
If you want to impress somebody young in your office, tell them how excited you are to go see a Them Crooked Vultures concert. Them Crooked Vultures (abbreviated as TCV) is the latest and greatest rock supergroup that is comprised of Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Desert Sessions, Eagles of Death Metal, Screaming Trees) and bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin). Yes, that is right a member of Led Zepplin is teaming up with rock god Dave Grohl. Expectations are high and we are sure they will deliver the goods. Here’s a little teaser of what they will sound like:

And Now We Present, World Classic Rockers
At GEOINT 2008, musical legend Skunk Baxter kicked out the jams with country music hero Phil Vassar during the Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation and Closing Ceremony. And it was AWESOME. This year, USGIF has decided to stick casual reception-like event for the closing ceremony with a performance by World Classic Rockers. Who are they you ask? Well, only a groups of musicians comprised of former members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Toto, Steppenwolf, Journey, Santana and Boston. And to whet your appetite, we have included the following video clips. Enjoy!

Happy Friday!!

Tags: Blind Faith, Cream, Dave Grohl, GEOINT 2009, Northrop Grumman, Ron Sugar, Them Crooked Vultures, United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, USGIF, World Classic Rockers