bands that should reform but won't

[grumpyhack]

I'd go for Floyd. There's a great body of work and what's left of them could still pull off a great show.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Gaye Bykers on Acid.

[5co77ie]

Gaye Bykers on Acid.

[kaosmark2]

Cocteau Twins

[Chas]

Just thought of another 80s band that were incredible live. Screaming Blue Messiahs. Sweet Water Pools has to be one of my favourite of theirs. I don't think Bill Carter ever returned to music after they split.

[Andre91]

Box Car Racer.

[kaosmark2]

The Birthday Party.

[windy_miller]

Pop Will Eat Itself

My initial thought was The Smiths but actually it would be dreadful and would do nothing but sully their name. Some legacies are better off left alone.

EDIT: to clarify, Pop Will Eat Itself with Clint Mansell. I believe PWEI are still going without him.

Edited December 31, 2013 by windy_miller

[atomised]

Pop Will Eat Itself

My initial thought was The Smiths but actually it would be dreadful and would do nothing but sully their name. Some legacies are better off left alone.

EDIT: to clarify, Pop Will Eat Itself with Clint Mansell. I believe PWEI are still going without him.

[Wooderson]

Talk Talk, Ween, LCD Soundsystem.

[Spindles]

PWEI would indeed rock. One of the best gigs I've been to was their phoenix '94 performance. I wasn't expecting anything special and I danced like a mad bastard the whole time, they kicked major ass.

[Ted Dansons Wig]

another vote for Ween.

Far too few bands with a sense of humour nowzadays

[Ted Dansons Wig]

And Radio Stars

[Sawdusty surfer]

Talking Heads, The Jam, The Smiths

[Andre91]

Hüsker Dü. Definitely Hüsker Dü.

[5co77ie]

well Eurythmics are back it seems

[windy_miller]

(btw, did you know that Dire Straits are considering a session with Chris R.................Sorry, grabs coat)

[eFestivals]

Haha! That used to be one of my dad's favourite jokes

I thought I'd copyrighted that joke as my own.

[PDAD]

Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

(btw, did you know that Dire Straits are considering a session with Chris R.................Sorry, grabs coat)

[eFestivals]

I'm not ashamed to say it (well, I am actually) but I don't get this. Can someone explain?

Dire Straits are teaming up with Chris Rea. What do you think the band should be called?

[Guest]

Dire Straits are teaming up with Chris Rea. What do you think the band should be called?

[LondonTom]

Hint: It's not Chris Straits!

[Spindles]

I would also mention that this is the 30th Anniversary year for that joke. It is nice to see it being celebrated.

[Purple Monkey]

OK - here is the thing, has there been a band that has done good work, split, reformed and then done anything that is as good if not better than in their heyday?

I can't think of one. Bands have reformed and done decent albums, sure, but it seems as though the magic is always gone. Bands split for many reasons and so there's something just a little bit uncool and desperate when they reform. They may be good, but it's never as good, is it? Albums are almost mostly filler and there is never that sense of progression, and a sense the band is just ticking boxes to appease fans, which makes it seem old hat and irrelevant. Redundant. In many ways reforms are a no-win situation creatively. Financially, however, maybe worth it, but that just makes it feel all the more cynical.

The only ones that seem to fully bounce back are the bands who never actually split but agreed as a group to rest, and meet up again when they have charged naturally. Tool springs to mind. They haven't put an album out in almost a decade, but they never technically split.

What I mean is, if a band split, properly split, then that band died at that point, no point. Leave it.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Purple Monkey