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"Bands" with only 1 or 2 original members...?


miroslav

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I always have to chuckle a bit when I see an older band that was big 10-20-30 years ago...make a "comeback"...

...and there's only one or two of the original group of members.

 

A lot of it is about who owns the "name" of the band...but IMO, it's somewhat of a deception...though I know a lot of people will still go see that "band"...even if there's only one original member.

 

While I understand that bands often reform during their lifespan...but it's those bands that fall off the map for many years...and then come back with a whole new roster, except for 1-2 members, that I'm talking about. :D

 

I would rather see the remaining 1-2 members just come out as a new band that does a lot of the "old songs"...rather then try and ride a 20-30 year old wave... ;)

miroslav - miroslavmusic.com

 

"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."

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I have a similar reaction, but I guess we can't forget that this is the music "business". The name recognition alone must be worth a heck of a lot.

 

Sometimes these 10-20+ year old bands can't reform and tour with the same, original founding members. They might have past away or are not up to the task anymore.

 

 

On the positive side, sometimes new and younger blood adds some new life to these old bands and keeps them going!

 

I just watched a few minutes of a REO Speedwagon concert on TV the other night. They reformed and have a new guitarist and one other (not sure which instrument). Most fans come out to hear the songs and really only recognize the lead singers voice anyway, so what is the harm?

"Spend all day doing nothing

But we sure do it well" - Huck Johns from 'Oh Yeah'

Click to Listen to Oh yeah

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No harm.

 

But if the missing members were an integral/identifiable part of the original band's sound...it's just a bit of a "fake". :)

 

Imagine of Roger Daltrey went on stage by himself...and still called the band "The Who".

While you could close your eyes and just listen to the music...would it really be "The Who"...?

 

Of course...bands that have stayed active over the years...and slowly replaced members as needed, while all the time still playing, still churning out music...

...well that works, even though the original, founding members are not there...as the replacement members are actually a part of the band...and not just hired guns used to stage a concert under the guise of the original band name.

 

I dunno...there is a difference...IMO...

miroslav - miroslavmusic.com

 

"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."

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i know what your saying.

i find it funny when only one or two is left.

Nazareth was playing at an arena where my mom lives.

she went ( i have a cool mom).

Dan and Pete are the only original members.

Pete's son is on drums.

but all in all sometimes a band wants to continue and they need to get new people to do it.

so i guess i have no point.

my mom dug it, so it is OK.

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Marshall Tucker tours.....I went to see them about a year or two ago. It was a great show, and I enjoyed it. Only the singer, Doug Grey is original....He still sounded great.

 

They had really great players, and were true to the music. It is a bit dissapointing, but I enjoyed myself, and my kids had a chance to experience that music.

 

You are right rw....it is a buisness, and the name means $$$. I do see Miro's point, however. It's just not the same.....

 

But, nothing ever stays the same. Time marches on.....

Don

 

"There once was a note, Pure and Easy. Playing so free, like a breath rippling by."

 

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=574296

 

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Basically, it's a money-grab, thanks to the Eagles and their little "hell freezes over" tour.

 

Musicians have found out that they can pull a massive amount of money down for doing a "reunion" tour - more than they dreamed of making in a tour back when they actually were together...

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The New York Dolls are currently doing exactly what you described, Miroslav. It seems like David Johanson decided to give his Buster Poindexter alter ego some time off, and now he's all glam/punk again! The Dolls played some gigs over the summer and they have at least a single if not a whole new album out. Besides Davey Jo, the only other original Doll still playing is Syl Sylvain. Those guys led a tough life and the missing guys just ain't around anymore (sadly).

 

I'm a big Dolls fan, although I was a bit too young back in the day when they were together to see them and I'm happy to hear some new stuff and get the chance to see them. But without Johnny Thunders I think something is not the same. Although whoever replaced him on lead guitar is doing a great job of carrying on in his style.

 

What about the new GnR? I guess Axl owns the name and no doubt there is no GnR wthout him but I do think the rest of those guys deserve some credit too!

"Spend all day doing nothing

But we sure do it well" - Huck Johns from 'Oh Yeah'

Click to Listen to Oh yeah

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And then there are those bands where each original (or thereabouts) member has formed his own version of the original band.

 

I think there's something like four different groups calling themselves "The Platters" out there, each with varying moral rights to the name.

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There's Megadeth, with only Mustaine as an original member. I guess that's kind of a special case though. Every album had different members for a while.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/sixtoedkitty/Miaroxsig.gif

I've got my ship, and all her flags are flying. She's all the I've got left, and MUSIC is her name!!

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I saw BTO years ago at a free concert, but it was only Turner. It was ok for free.

 

I saw Chicago last year and I felt ripped off. I think a couple of the horn players were the only originals left. I guess if they own the name they have the right to tour, but none of the original singers were there and you could really tell. It sounded like a tribute band, they were good musicians but didn't sound at all like Chicago.

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I would say it depends on how much of a role the missing members had in writing and arrangng the tunes. The Who is a great example of a band that was mostly led by one guy, Townshend. Sure, Entwhistle had a few tunes here and there, and if they hadn't come across Moon they would have languished in obscurity. But, the big songs and the vision for them came from Townshend.

 

I didn't think the stuff they did with Kenny Jones on drums sounded much like the Who. But with Zac Starkey, who can do Mooney's style to a T plus, all they need is a decent bassist and they can sound like The Who, if they want to.

 

Now Molly Hatchet is a different story. They came out with an album some years back that didn't have ANY of the original members, and while it was "southern rock" per se, it didn't sound anything like Molly Hatchet. That kinda sux, I think.

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

 

 

 

 

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This is why I was so glad to see Black Sabbath with all four original members.

 

The Ozzy concert I saw with Geezer Butler on bass was very cool, but not like seeing the entire band together in full force. That Ozzy concert could have been a Sabbath reunion by the music indrustry's standards.

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Originally posted by Picker:

I would say it depends on how much of a role the missing members had in writing and arrangng the tunes. The Who is a great example of a band that was mostly led by one guy, Townshend. Sure, Entwhistle had a few tunes here and there, and if they hadn't come across Moon they would have languished in obscurity. But, the big songs and the vision for them came from Townshend.

 

I didn't think the stuff they did with Kenny Jones on drums sounded much like the Who. But with Zac Starkey, who can do Mooney's style to a T plus, all they need is a decent bassist and they can sound like The Who, if they want to.

 

Now Molly Hatchet is a different story. They came out with an album some years back that didn't have ANY of the original members, and while it was "southern rock" per se, it didn't sound anything like Molly Hatchet. That kinda sux, I think.

and it didn't even have real "Boris" cover art.
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A lot of these bands are just trying to cash in on their legacy. Squeezing out the last few dollars while the original fans are still alive.

 

This month, the local music hall has three concerts over the space of a few weeks:

 

First is "Jefferson Starship" featuring a couple of original members, a couple of members who probably weren't born when "Red Octopus" was released and non-original drummer Prarie Prince.

 

Second is "the Tubes" featuring a couple of original members including the aforementioned Prarie Prince. Mr. Prince also plays in "the New Cars" with Elliot Easton (The New Cars, who feature Easton, TODD RUNDGREN [!!!] and Kasim Sultan, are not coming to town).

 

Finally, Marty Balin (formerly of Jefferson Starship) is playing a solo show.

 

 

A couple of years ago there were two versions of Ratt touring at the same time. I believe there are currently two LA Guns touring. Then there's Warrant and "Jani Lane's Warrant". Too funny!

"You never can vouch for your own consciousness." - Norman Mailer
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Originally posted by GuitarPlayerSoCal:

How about bands with NO original members?

 

Like Molly Hatchet.

 

And they re-recorded an album's worth of the original band's hits. :rolleyes:

Selling THAT must take some great marketing! :D

miroslav - miroslavmusic.com

 

"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."

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Originally posted by Gabriel E.:

Mr. Prince also plays in "the New Cars" with Elliot Easton (The New Cars, who feature Easton, TODD RUNDGREN [!!!] and Kasim Sultan, are not coming to town).

I`d much rather see a reunion of Todd Rundgren`s Utopia.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

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www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

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Originally posted by skipclone 1:

Originally posted by Gabriel E.:

Mr. Prince also plays in "the New Cars" with Elliot Easton (The New Cars, who feature Easton, TODD RUNDGREN [!!!] and Kasim Sultan, are not coming to town).

I`d much rather see a reunion of Todd Rundgren`s Utopia.
What is up with Todd Rundgren fronting the (new) Cars in place of Ric Ocasic???

"Spend all day doing nothing

But we sure do it well" - Huck Johns from 'Oh Yeah'

Click to Listen to Oh yeah

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Originally posted by rw2003:

Originally posted by skipclone 1:

Originally posted by Gabriel E.:

Mr. Prince also plays in "the New Cars" with Elliot Easton (The New Cars, who feature Easton, TODD RUNDGREN [!!!] and Kasim Sultan, are not coming to town).

I`d much rather see a reunion of Todd Rundgren`s Utopia.
What is up with Todd Rundgren fronting the (new) Cars in place of Ric Ocasic???
especially since he recently put out a dynamite solo album. Weird.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

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Well thankfully there will never be another Led Zeppelin or The Beatles. Even the loss of one member has been irreplaceable from each of those groups.

 

OTOH, how about a band with all original members still very much alive, that is currently on its 4th or 5th drummer, had a guitarist leave the band and then come back as the bassist when the bassist left, and was stuck in a legal battle over their catalog for over a decade that basically paralized them from releasing anything new over that time period?

 

Technically, only one band member is "original", because the other original member's primary instrument isn't the same as it was. (He still plays guitar on some songs, though.) So it's your call if you want to say there are one or two original members now.

 

They've even had reunions of sorts, with the current lineup inviting one or both of the other original members to join them on stage from time to time. Interesting to see a 6-member 4-piece band. ;)

 

But their situation isn't quite the same as other bands already mentioned here. They're pretty much just now emerging from their long legal battle that forced them to be silent for so long. They have a new CD out with all new songs and are working on another.

 

Sure, they play all their old hits at concerts. Imagine how their "old" fans would feel if they didn't. But it's not a "comeback", it's the continuation of a career that was put on hold. Not because someone died or quit the band or they just wanted to take a break. Because they were the victims of some rather unscrupulous people and they had to fight for what was rightfully theirs.

 

Prince's situation was different, but he also handled it differently by becoming "symbol boy" for a period of time before he could revert back to being "Prince" without ill repurcussions. Imagine if he had put his career on hold instead, stopping all touring and didn't release any new material.

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