Reunion gigs - without the original members

[gweimer]

We see this kind of stuff all the time in the world of "big" bands.  I even know of an agent in Cincinnati that puts out road versions of once popular bands, containing only a single member that was actually in one of those bands "at some time" when they were popular.

I just recently found that one of my popular bands from the old Chicago days has agreed to play a reunion gig for a now defunct bar (Tom, if you're here, this is a Haymakers reunion).  The kick, NOBODY from the band has actually been contacted about this.  The drummer and I had no idea that this was happening, so it looks like one member (we still don't know who it is) has volunteered to build a band from up his sleeve.

The drummer and I are debating showing up to stand at the front of the stage and see what happens.

[Basvarken]

I'd feel immensely flattered!

[Rob]

I've know several guys that have played or owned the name of defunct acts mostly from the 60's because I am .
The originals passed then name around until they were tired of playing and then someone sold the rights to the name etc.
The Outsiders (Time Won't Let Me) comes to mind

[Dave W]

That reminds me, I saw Paul Revere & The Raiders the other night on a new PBS fundraiser special. He's the only original and he really doesn't do anything anymore, he still plays at a keyboard behind the fake car front but he has a separate keyboard guy and a lead singer that sounds like Mark Lindsay.

[Chris P.]

Queen and Paul Rodgers, Faces and Mick Hucknall, ... It depends a bit. I saw The Who with Pino and Zak and they still had the two main singers. I liked that gig, although I would give my left ear to see them with Moon and Entwistle.

With my band we always joke about it. In twenty years our lead singer will sing our only hit and some cover songs on the back of a truck om fairs, with music on tape and all tuned down a bit so he can reach the high vocal parts. He will be The La La Lies. At the same moment I will play with a lot of young guys, myself playing bass seated on a chair as The Original La La Lies. All happens, while our guitarist still makes records as The Real La La Lies. And the drummer will be dead of course.

[nofi]

usually a bad idea imo.

[gearHed289]

That reminds me, I saw Paul Revere & The Raiders the other night on a new PBS fundraiser special. He's the only original and he really doesn't do anything anymore, he still plays at a keyboard behind the fake car front but he has a separate keyboard guy and a lead singer that sounds like Mark Lindsay.

We made a huge case for that car front. LOL!

Gary, that's really weird nobody contacted you guys. Haymakers was JUST before my time. I was there once before they closed to see Steve Walsh from Kansas' new band at the time "Streets", and I think that was an 18 and over show. He had this bass player that sang JUST like him. He actually ended up with a revamped Kansas later... Was pretty good. One of my sisters is in the facebook Haymakers "group". I might check it out.

[Dave W]

...

With my band we always joke about it. In twenty years our lead singer will sing our only hit and some cover songs on the back of a truck om fairs, with music on tape and all tuned down a bit so he can reach the high vocal parts. He will be The La La Lies. At the same moment I will play with a lot of young guys, myself playing bass seated on a chair as The Original La La Lies. All happens, while our guitarist still makes records as The Real La La Lies. And the drummer will be dead of course.

That's not as far-fetched as you might think. There were two versions of the Castaways playing around here, years after their one hit "Liar, Liar." One had the bassist/vocalist, the other had the keyboard guy who wrote the song. And there may have been a third Castaways for a while.

[Dave W]

We made a huge case for that car front. LOL!
...

Your case must have done its job well.

I just looked at his site, his official title in the band is Mad Man.    He will be 74 next month if wikipedia is right, he looks in pretty good shape for his age.

[leftybass]

Our drummer was in a popular band here in Texas in the 60s, Bubble Puppy, they were a one-hit-wonder. They have recently got together for a few shows, with most of the original guys.

[Dave W]

Our drummer was in a popular band here in Texas in the 60s, Bubble Puppy, they were a one-hit-wonder. They have recently got together for a few shows, with most of the original guys.

Is the original bassist still in prison?

[nofi]

back in the mid 90's a guy claiming to be bp's bassist was in atlanta wholesailing records and cds out of his car. it certainly looked like him...

[rahock]

That reminds me, I saw Paul Revere & The Raiders the other night on a new PBS fundraiser special. He's the only original and he really doesn't do anything anymore, he still plays at a keyboard behind the fake car front but he has a separate keyboard guy and a lead singer that sounds like Mark Lindsay.

I had a buddy who toured with an act that used to open for Paul Revere. My understanding is that he never really did much back in the heyday either. A lot of that was due to the coffe cup full of Scotch that was always sitting on the corner of his Vox Continental .
Rick

[nofi]

the raiders were my first concert. i was 13 or 14. i thought it was pretty exciting. so did the fire marshall because he pulled the plug four songs in.

[gweimer]

For every band that makes good, there are thousands of bands that fail.  There are even thousands of members that have come and gone. Even the bands that succeed are littered with personal failure.  This is probably the best video on the music business I've ever seen.