A question in popular music that begs to be answered is: When a seminal rock band loses a key member or, as the case is, lose members, does it make sense for the rest of the group to carry on? If so, is it fair on fans? Or should the group just disband and, in turn, maintain their legacy?
While there will always be two schools of thought while answering these questions, my take is straight forward, and simple: as long as the quality of sound or material is such that the legacy remains untarnished, hey, what is incorrect in continuing to sell your wares? Let me consider some of the bands that I have viewed through the years in India: Kraftwerk in 1981, or Jethro Tull or Wishbone Ash or Uriah Heep, also in the ’80s. Moving into the ’90s was Bon Jovi and, in the ’2000s, there were America and Guns N’ Roses.
When I attended these concerts, I was aware, all along, that these bands had changed line-ups, but they managed to provide sound quite like the recordings that I heard earlier and, hence, I enjoyed myself thoroughly during the concerts.
But what happens when a founding member — or members — of a band pass away or leave? The Who [in the absence of Keith Moon and John Entwistle] and Queen [Freddie Mercury and John Deacon] are just two examples of bands who have made it work after the passing of — or departure of — a key member or key members, but most bands call it quits or members embark on solo careers. Despite their “virtual” reunions for the “Anthology” box sets, the Beatles never officially got back together and, even the virtual-ness was rendered obsolete following the demise of John Lennon in 1980 and George Harrison in 2001. However, the Beatles’ unreleased content continues to be launched, meeting with unprecedented success even today: for example, the 50th anniversary edition of “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, released on May 26, 2017 saw the album hit no.3 on the US chart and no.1 in the U.K! Then, of course, are the strange instances when changing line-ups result in more than one avatar of the band existing.
Take progressive rock pioneers Yes, formed in 1968, for instance. Having had 19 full-time members in the band through the decades, earlier this year, there was one line-up that went by the band name and, then, there was the other that went by the name of Yes featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, and Rick Wakeman and, in turn, claiming themselves to be “the definitive line-up of the greatest band in the history of progressive rock”. The confusion for fans really arose because “both” Yes bands toured — or are continuing to tour — in 2017, in the US., across the same cities and, on some occasions, in the very same month!
One of the quintessential classic rock bands that decided to get back together to headline a bi-coastal North American music festival, a year and a half after the death of one of their founders, Glenn Frey, is the Eagles. The reunion with a changed line-up was more surprising because co-founder Don Henley announced that the band, following the demise of his colleague on January 18, 2016, had ended. Admitted Henley in later interviews: “I did say that I thought that was the end of the band.”
Nevertheless, in time for the Eagles sets that occurred on July 15 and 16 at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles [Classic West] and those scheduled on July 29 and July 30 at Citi Field in New York [Classic East], the Eagles added Frey’s 24-year-old son, Deacon, who took the place of his dad alongside country music stalwart Vince Gill, a winner of 21 Grammy Awards! Supporting the Eagles were other bands from the past: Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, and Journey.
On a dark, desert highway, cool wind in my hair, I found myself on the way to Dubai’s Seven Stadium, usually utilised for rugby, to witness a band that I had longed to see since their first hit in 1972 – the Eagles – in April 2012.
Based on that experience, I can safely say that the Eagles would have made sufficient adjustments through their rehearsals to ensure that, at no instance, would the fans have believed that they witnessed anything short of the real thing. So, in conclusion, as long as bands do not compromise their “classic” sound, I really remain in line for changed line-ups.
The writer has been part of the media and entertainment business for over 23 years. He continues to pursue his hobby and earns an income out of it.
