Question of the Day (Music Folder edition!?): How many original band members is enough?

[King Kamala]

Saw a Facebook ad for a '70s Cruise (Christ...I am a boomer internally) and one of the bands in smaller type was Robert Hart and Dave Bucket Cowell performing the hits of Bad Company.

Those two were on one Bad Company album...in 1995. And I doubt any songs from that album will be in their setlist!

This trend of short lived, late era members starring in glorified tribute bands is very hilarious to me for some reason. At least, Blaze Bayley only plays stuff from his era of Iron Maiden.

 

[King Kamala]

After seeing the comments section for a sponsored Facebook post advertising Foreigner doing a residency in Vegas this fall, I have discovered the people who have a deep personal connection with the original lineup of Foreigner.

I was reading an interview with the current singer about their “farewell tour” and how he doesn’t want to sacrifice his integrity and vocal quality in order for Foreigner to continue touring.

And I just thought “Couldn’t Mick Jones just hire a bunch of guys 20 years younger than the current band and start the whole process again like he did in the ‘00s?”


Look I am more amenable to these types of bands than most but Foreigner was the band that started it being more and more socially acceptable for a classic rock band to tour with one or less original. Now I am supposed to feel sad and be incentivized to buy tickets when the replacements feel the need to hang it up? Nah uh. Not gonna happen, pal. You reap what you sow. Lou Gramm didn’t have a choice of when to hang it up!

 

[Valeyard]

Thought this was gonna be about Skynyrd.

 

[King Kamala]

Well their last original guy just died. They’re also on a KISS length farewell tour. At least they’ve got long dead band members to justify the lack of the original members too.

 

[Valeyard]

It's even more absurd now

 

[King Kamala]

Ronnie Van Zant has been spinning in his grave for a while. I feel Lynyrd Skynyrd is definitely a legacy band that has tarnished their heyday for sure.

Foreigner is faceless corporate rock though, which makes the replacements having a farewell tour even more absurd. Who the hell cares? Just play “Jukebox Hero” or hand the mic to the next guy who will.

 

[Valeyard]

Foreigner is a superior REO Speedwagon and they're both shitty versions of ELO.

 

[King Kamala]

I don’t see REO as like ELO at all except for the similar names and being played on the same stations. Jeff Lynne would have bodied “Keep On Lovin’ You” and “Take It on the Run” though.

 

[King Kamala]

Prophetic Facebook memories.

 

[King Kamala]

Another sign we’re in the “Wait. I thought they were in that band not this band” era of classic rock. Local venue just announced a 10,000 Maniacs with Leigh Nash. You (well you if you’re a ‘90s soft rock dork) say to yourself “Leigh Nash? That’s the singer of Sixpence None The Richer.”

You’re right. Except now she’s apparently the singer of 10,000 Maniacs too!

 

[Valeyard]

I had a crush on Leigh Nash. Dated a girl who looked quite similar at one point.

That said, the people I know who went to 10,000 Maniacs shows were almost completely driven by a weird fixation with Natalie Merchant.

 

[King Kamala]

To add to my point that boomers/Xers are easily confused, I just read that 10,000 Maniacs changed their name to “10,000 Maniacs Featuring (insert name of current lead singer)” last year for their 40th anniversary tour to dissuade anyone from thinking Natalie Merchant was there.

At this point, Natalie Merchant has been out of the band for 3x as long as she was in the band and is a fairly prolific solo artist. If you go to a 10,000 Maniacs concert and are mad that she is not there, that’s on you.

OK. That’s my last post about 10,000 Maniacs for the rest of this year.

 

[Valeyard]

I haven't given either of them any thought since 1997.

 

[King Kamala]

“Carnival” is legit one of my top 20 if not top 10 favorite songs of the ‘90s. Ngl