How do you feel if a band/ group still uses the band's original name if only 1 or 2..or even *none* of the original members are in it?
How do you feel if a band/ group still uses the band's original name if only 1 or 2..or even *none* of the original members are in it?
Scott Gorham's version of Thin Lizzy never won over the hard core fans. They recently changed their name to Black Star Riders!
Phil Lynott was Thin Lizzy!
I have a feeling this is rampant among Motown acts & it definitely is among several 50s doo wop groups.
I wonder what the composer of Hansel & Gretel would think about After The Lovin' by what's-his-dinck?
I always thought "Allman Brothers Band" was a weird name for a band that since 1971 has had only one person named Allman in it.
Some people will always say its King Crimson as long as Fripp is in the band.
For me it depends on the situation. If there has been some kind of continuity (Andy Powell’s version of Wishbone Ash for example) I don’t have a problem with it. If an original member just picks up a bunch of sidemen years later (Mickey Thomas version of Starship for example), I give it less credibility. As for bands with no original members, one that comes to mind is The Little River Band. In that case there has been a continuous continuity that has led to the current lineup. Molly Hatchet at one time contained no original members, but was another case of a band evolving to that point. Whether either are legit is certainly up to interpretation though.
Steve Sly
Molly Hatchet was a weird case. Danny Joe Brown, the lead singer, had actually left the band in the early 80's, but then came back a couple albums later. He then remained with the band until he was the only original member left. At that point, I gather that he and the longest serving non-original member, Bobby Ingram, co-owned the band's name. Then in the mid 90's, Danny had a stroke, and had to stop touring, so he gave Ingram permission to keep touring with another singer, and that situation persisted even after Danny passed away. But more recently, I think around 2005 or so, they invited one of the guitarists back into the band, which I think might have been the result of the present legal requirement in some areas.
Ian
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Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
I blame Wynton, what was the question?
There are only 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those that don't.
The Italian prog power metal band DGM got its name from the original three members' first names (Diego, Gianfranco, Maurizio). None of those guys have been in the band for some time, but the current guitarist pointed out when I interviewed him that to change the band name now would make it harder for fans to find them, which is understandable.
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It's pretty easy nowadays to find out who is performing in a band before you get your tickets, and you can often see a Youtube to get a sense of what to expect. I've caught a few of these types of bands in recent years with mixed results. The Zombies with Argent and Blunstone along with ex Argent/Kinks vet Rodford were a fun pop show, but I thought they lacked a real spark. The Yardbirds with only McCarty played Yardbirds and blues numbers, very capable band, and I felt that they were carrying on what I imagine to be the initial purpose and feel of the band. Sweet with only the bassist were ok but it felt like a going through the motions payday. Wishbone Ash (AP) is very good and the two shows I've seen the past three years feel like the real deal. I've seen three editions of Three Friends (2 members of Gentle Giant) and I've liked that they are quite similar to GG but there was some arrangement and feel that was different and thus a fresh slant on that old band. Those are my experiences, and as I said, there is enough info out there to pre judge before you get a ticket.
I'll also say again, as I did earlier this year in a thread, why do people expect to have almost a full original band 30 and 40 years after their career started. How many people from 30 and 40 years ago do they still work with or were friends then that they keep in touch with today, so how can they expect 5 guys to still play together now.
If they are more than competent musicians, play in the spirit of the old band, and play with a live feel rather than just mimicing the records, I think it's ok to use the name.
dave
50,000,000 Elvis impersonators can't be wrong
I think someone should do their research. Seriously, Rufus. Enough is enough. Lizzy was very popular with John Sykes, then Ricky Warwick, as their front man. The reason that they changed their name to Black Star Riders was out of respect to Phil's family so they could record(Phil's mom, ex-wife, and daughter had a problem with the Lizzy name being used for new music without Phil). At first, I was against the name change, until I learned that Brian Downey is not apart of Black Star Riders. Btw, I would have no problem with Queen touring as Queen with Adam Lambert out front. I had no problem with the Queen name being used with Paul Rogers out front. As that one Queen song says, the show must go on.
Last edited by JIF; 11-16-2013 at 12:33 AM.
I thought this was going to be a thread about Lynyrd Skynyrd. I think it all goes to show what marketing has done to music - it has created brands which are independent of the actual people involved in the creation of the "product". Lynyrd Skynyrd is now a franchise operation.
It depends on many factors: Which band? Are there public eye key figures? How long was the carrying person in the band?
Ask yourself: If Mick Jagger quits The Rolling Stones, does Keith Richards and Charlie Watts have every right to continue? Now, ask yourself: "A Flock Of Seagulls" is touring. You see the show and ENJOY it! Weeks later, you find out only the drummer, A. Score, is the only original member. How important is that to you?
I, personally, have played with Spiral Staircase. The first time I gigged, there was 1 original member. The next contracted session, there was 0 original members
The best example of this is Electric Light Orchestra Part II, which is a whole separate band from ELO....Bev Bevan, the only original ELO member besides Jeff Lynne to be on EVERY album (save one...Ill get to that later), wanted to reform ELO in the early 90s and extended a courtesy to Jeff Lynne. Lynne refused and, moreso, threatened court action....What?...Bev's contributions dont warrant him from making a living apart from himself, after being a founding member of ELO? As an original member, shouldnt he be entitled to use the name even if the self-appointed chief songwriter/producer from the hey-dey doesnt want to contribute? Bevan continued the Part II project anyway, without Lynnes blessing, and recruited both former members of the band and newcomers - the big surprise was that they were marginally successful (even having an album of new non-Lynne material chart in the UK)....There was court battles during the whole process and, eventually, Bevan gave up the rights under constant court pressure by Lynne......Basically, Lynne indirectly dictated Bevan's career...Fuck That!: Bevan had EVERY (non-legal) right to carry on ELO -- Lynne doesnt want a part of it? Thats his choice
Later on, Lynne, on his own whim, decides to put a new ELO album out in the early 2000s under the Electric Light Orchestra name. It was called "Zoom". Was Bevan on it? No. The only hey-dey member was on Zoom was keyboardist Richard Tandy, who did not participate in Part II. What was this?: Some kind of reward for not being a Part II turncoat? Because of the ELO Part II backlash, Bevan wasnt on Zoom. Neither was bassist Kelly Groucutt, who had previously sued Lynne about songwriting royalties
Bullshit...I have a lot of respect for Jeff Lynne but, on this issue, he can go fuck himself
Didn't the Zoom tour crash 'n burn even before it started? I seem to recall they announced dates and sold tickets promising this huge spaceship and production... then they cancelled the tour.
has anyone mentioned Soft Machine yet?
personally, I like *all* of the SM albums from Third on regardless of whether or not they have "original" members on them... well... Land Of Cockayne kinda sucks I guess
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
There is no "Ricky Medlocke angle" so far as "original members of Skynyrd" are concerned. He played drums in the band early on, but he wasn't the original drummer. Bob Burns was. I'm not sure of the exact details, but I believe in some point early in the band's history, Bob left and Ricky took his place. Then when Bob came back, there was a brief period where they both played drums, then Ricky left.
This remains a controversial issue. With The Zombies, the two most famous members are still there, and in addition the surviving 4/5 of the original line-up did that 'Odessey...' concert in 2008, so I assume relations are good within that band. Also a musician like Jim Rodford has a pedigree of his own- in Argent and in The Kinks during their big US success. The Yardbirds is certainly more of a minefield, but I will say I saw them on a bill with The Zombies about 5 years ago and was impressed. As far as I know the three famed guitarists have not objected to it.
Some of these other reconstituted line-ups I've seen, I have not cared for. I'm not going to name names, though.
As for Queen and Paul Rodgers, it was always problematic- one great singer replacing another, yet of totally different styles. I didn't care so much as a live entity, but 'The Cosmos Rocks' certainly had nothing to do with the Queen sound that I enjoy.
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