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Five More Band Reunions That Need to Happen (Minus the Smiths)
Pavement and the Vaselines are just the beginning
The Dismemberment Plan (Photo: massconcerts.com)
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Yesterday, the Dismemberment Plan announced they would be going on a mini-tour in 2011. Today, the Vaselines’ Sex with an X was released. Next week, Pavement will play five shows at Williamsburg Waterfront and Central Park. What do these three events have in common? Well, a year or so ago, no one would have thought any of them would be possible. The Dismemberment Plan, the Vaselines and Pavement were all split up with little hope of a new album or tour forthcoming. The fools we were.
Below are five more bands that need to reunite with two caveats: 1) They can’t be named “the Smiths” (too easy), and 2) All the members must be alive (sorry, the Velvet Underground, the Kinks and the Beatles). To the reunions:
#5. Talking Heads
Broken Up Since: 1991
Will It Ever Happen? Although they performed as the Talking Heads in 2002 (unlike the David Byrne-less the Heads in 1996), the group still doesn’t get along very well. Byrne once said, “We did have a lot of bad blood go down. That’s one reason, and another is that musically we’re just miles apart,” and Tina Weymouth basically despises the man. In other words, no.
#4. The Misfits
Broken Up Since: 1983
Will It Ever Happen? Incarnations of the Misfits have existed since the break up, but without original lead singer Glenn Danzig, it’s just not the same. In 2004, the band’s guitar player, Doyle, joined his former-bandmember on stage for a few shows to play old Misfits songs, but hopes were quickly squashed when Danzig said, “This is the first time we will be performing on stage together in 20 years. It’s the closest thing to a Misfits reunion anyone is ever going to see!” Seems unlikely he’ll change his mind.
#3. Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band
Broken Up Since: 1982
Will It Ever Happen: Another example of a band that’s lived on without a key member. In this case, the Magic Band reunited last decade, but without Don Van Vliet, “Captain Beefheart” himself, who seems content to his life as a painter. Very little is known about his personal life and considering he’s supposedly not in great health, we’ll just have to listen Trout Mask Replica for the 5,6396th time instead of getting a new album.
#2. David Bowie
Broken Up Since: 2004
Will It Ever Happen: Bowie’s slightly different from the other bands on this list because, well, he’s an artist, not a band. But he still really needs to tour again, doesn’t matter who his backing band is. Bowie last hit the road for an extended period of time in 2004 for the “A Reality Tour,” which ended with the Thin White Duke getting diagnosed with an acutely blocked artery. I never said the tour wouldn’t be depressing…I just hate the thought of never hearing “Station to Station” performed live in my life. As for whether he’ll tour again, I doubt it. He doesn’t need the money and everyone already loves him, so there’s really nothing left to prove.
#1. Hüsker Dü
Broken Up Since: 1987
Will It Ever Happen: Often bands get worse and worse the longer they’re together, but that can’t be said of Husker Dü. Bob Mould, Grant Hart and Greg Norton started as a decent enough hardcore band (Everything Falls Apart and Metal Circus), but with the release of 1984′s Zen Arcade, they became more interested in melodies which led to more enjoyable albums (Flip Your Wig, Warehouse: Songs and Stories) without giving up their punk credibility. But as they were getting better, Mould and Hart began to hate each other more. Since Husker Dü broke up, they’ve only reunited once, for a benefit concert for Soul Asylum’s Karl Mueller, and they played “Hardly Getting Over It” and “Never Talking to You Again.” Hm.