One of the topics I struggle with most as a music geek is the importance of a band's lineup. There are very few bands still active today that have all original members still in the band, and even fewer that have always had the same members. Members quit, start side projects that become bigger than the original band, and unfortunately, sometimes die. Some bands, such as Reel Big Fish, are known for having nearly an entirely different lineup on each album and tour. Other bands have brought on guests for tours, and the guests end up staying. Hell, INXS held a reality TV show contest to replace their deceased front man. Journey found their new singer on Youtube. Van halen replaced their long time bass player with the guitar player's teenage son. Replacing a guitarist, bass player, keyboard player or drummer is fairly commonplace. Replacing a singer is a bit more taboo. But even that happens all the time. And sometimes it ends up working out for the better.
Pantera was a mostly overlooked glam metal band until they found Phil Anselmo, their fifth vocalist. Black Flag went through 3 vocalists before Henry Rollins came on board and remained the longest running and best known vocalist for the band. Iron Maiden has had 5 vocalists, and Bruce Dickenson, their most well known, was the 4th. Dee Dee Ramone was the original vocalist for the Ramones. etc. etc.
And yet, people seem to get really bent out of shape these days when bands continue on without all members of their "classic" lineup. People come down hard on Guns 'N Roses, because Axl Rose is the only original member left in the band. People don't like that Jerry Only is touring as The Misfits, or that members of Dead Kennedys toured without Jello Biafra, and still called themselves Dead Kennedys, or that the surviving members of Queen hired a new vocalist to play shows again, more than a decade after Freddie Mercury's death.
But like it or not, more and more bands are re-forming with new members replacing iconic former members that have either passed away, or refused to ever work with their former band mates ever again. And it's left me kind of torn on the subject. Using The Misfits as an example, as a fan I would of course LOVE a full on reunion, with Glenn Danzig on vocals, Doyle on guitar, Jerry Only on bass, and Robo, or Mr. Jim, or Manny... really any of their still living drummers. But it's very, very unlikely to ever happen. Danzig is tired of touring, and still holds a grudge against Jerry over use of the band's songs, name and image. Jerry is a control freak by all accounts of former band mates, including his own brother Doyle. Doyle is trying to make his new band Gorgeous Frankenstein work. So if a full on reunion isn't likely, my choices are to either never hear Misfits songs played live again, try to catch a tribute band, or to go to see at least two guys that actually used to be in the band, and a third who was at least related to the band's history play those songs. And I'd rather at least get to hear the songs played live. I was 1 year old when Danzig quit the band in 1983, and I missed out on seeing the new incarnation of The Misfits with Michale Graves on vocals between 1995 and 2000, because I still wasn't quite old enough to go to shows on my own (And also because I hadn't "discovered" The Misfits yet.) So it's either pay to see Jerry Only's Misfits, or a cover band, or never experience that music live. I'll take what I can get.
But I can understand the other side of the argument as well. I can't see Pantera just simply replacing Dimebag Darrell and continuing on as Pantera, mostly because Dimebag's death was so tragic, Vinnie Paul was his real life brother and playing those songs live again would probably be too painful for him, and because Vinnie Paul and Phil Anselmo have a deep rooted and bitter feud. I can't see Dave Grohl shelving Foo Fighters and pulling Chris Novoselich out of musical retirement to find a Kurt Cobain-style vocalist and guitar player so they can tour as Nirvana again. I don't see Marky and C.J. Ramone finding a guitar player and vocalist and going on tour as the Ramones. And I doubt Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr would dare find a singer and guitar player and call themselves The Beatles.
And yet, Blind Melon replaced Shannon Hoon, Alice In Chains replaced Layne Staley, Sublime replaced Brad Nowell, The Who replaced John Entwistle and Keith Moon, Queen replaced Freddie Mercury, INXS replaced Michael Hutchence, The Doors replaced Jim Morrison, Led Zeppelin replaced John Bonham, Lynyrd Skynyrd replaced Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, and Steve Gaines, Mayhem continued on with the drummer as the only original member remaining after the vocalist shot himself, and the guitarist was killed...by the bass player...
I think it's harder for most fans to accept a new lineup after the death of a key member. Which of course raises the question of who are the key members of a band. I suppose the short answer would be a main songwriter, which is usually the vocalist or guitarist. Anyway, I was in that boat myself. There were, and are, many bands that I could never imagine without one of their key members. Primus without Les Claypool, Rush without Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson or Neil Peart, Tool without Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones, Justin Chancellor or Danny Carey, Pearl Jam without Eddie Vedder, Marilyn Manson without Marilyn Manson... I really can't imagine any of those situations. That's not to say they'll never happen. I never thought Alice In Chains would reform without Layne. And when I heard that they had, I was very skeptical. And then I heard the new album, and was impressed but still skeptical. And then I saw them live, and was blown away.
Death is permanent. There's no bringing back Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, Johnny Thunders, etc. So those situations become a choice between giving the new version a shot and getting to hear those songs played live, or never hearing them played live ever again. I almost think it's harder, for me at least, to roll with a lineup change when all of the iconic members are still alive, because there's that nagging possibility that as long as they're still alive, they could still reunite someday. Who would have thought Joe Perry would return to Aerosmith someday, or that The Eagles would ever reunite? Or the Pixies? Or Black Sabbath? Certainly not Pink Floyd. They hated each other for decades! Yet they all did. So I still hold out hope that the Smashing Pumpkins will really reunite someday. Along with White Zombie, Hole, Talking Heads, Sepultura, Hole, Black Flag, Danzig, my beloved Misfits...
Then again, the occasional lineup change can be fun as well, especially when it's a temporary fill in for a tour. I got to see Marky Ramone, Dr Chud, Steve Zing, Jason Newstead and Johnny Kelly play live because of tour fill in slots. I probably would never have been able to see any of those guys play otherwise. And sometimes a new member can make things interesting. I'm glad Joe perry eventually returned to Aerosmith, but Jimmy Crespo was a great player too. And C.J. Ramone is no Dee Dee, but he was a good fit for the band during his time, and a very capable player. I love the Misfits albums with Michale Graves on vocals. Say what you will, Van Halen wrote some great songs with Sammy Hagar. Brian Johnson took over as AC/DC's vocalist after Bon Scott's untimely death, and now it's hard to think of AC/DC without Brian Johnson. etc. etc.
The way I see it, you can either stick to your guns and refuse to support anything less than the absolute ideal situation, and miss out on some great music and great times, or you can accept what's available and maybe have to compromise here and there, but still have a good time. I'd much rather have a good time and wait to see if the dream ever comes true than to spend so long just waiting. But it is wrong to beat a dead horse. And it's wrong when former members aren't compensated for their work. Like the title said, I have no real conclusion. If anyone reads this and cares, I welcome your thoughts. :-)
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