Reunions - The Good , the Bad, and the Petty

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 10:11 pm

What's a promoter to do?
With the big acts sitting out this summer, many -- too many -- old faves are coming back

Richmond Times-Dispatch Mar 1, 2007

The Police and Genesis are definite. Led Zeppelin and Guns N' Roses are about as likely as getting fed on a (non-Jet Blue) airplane. And Van Halen? I'm starting to wonder if whatever miracle medicine Eddie Van Halen concocted to supposedly cure his mouth cancer hasn't nibbled at his brain.

What do all of these acts have in common? Some form of the word "reunion," as in: happening, happening, likely not gonna happen, most definitely not gonna happen and, as of 1:54 a.m. Wednesday, not happening but could have changed 12 times by the time you read this.

It used to be that reunion tours were reserved for special occasions, kind of like that bottle of Krug champagne still in the back of the fridge from some wedding or anniversary celebration.

Most things are only extraordinary when, along with being great, they're rare. And not that anyone was expecting Sting to wake up one day and decide he needed another $30 million or $40 million for that fifth villa in Italy, but there's something a little desperate about the rash of reunion tours being staged or in discussion.

As per usual in this suffocating industry, with the number of big names getting grayer and many of them -- U2, Madonna, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones sitting out road life this year, what is a promoter to do when his great savior is, uh, Fall Out Boy?

Simply hope that some old fan faves can pretend to like one another for 90 minutes onstage each night if a hefty paycheck is ready to be deposited into their hands. Hey, the Eagles keep doing it, and fans don't seem bothered by their calculated motives, so why not Sting and Phil Collins, too?

"What we're seeing now is the end of the rest of what's barely left," said Deborah Wilker, a longtime music scribe and current contributor to The Hollywood Reporter.

"The touring industry must have major headliners each season to satisfy Wall Street -- and to offset the costs of what little nurturing of young artists actually still goes on. But with the music business in such disarray in recent years, concert executives have had no choice but to keep dipping into the pre-MTV vault."

According to Wilker, the two certainties so far -- The Police, whose initial spate of dates has moved almost half a million tickets with only a portion of its itinerary up for sale (a D.C.-area date is expected soon), and Genesis, which will announce its North American tour plans at a New York news conference Wednesday -- have generated obvious interest but lack the momentous feel that a Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd reunion would produce.

With classic rock a fascination for many teenagers just now discovering their parents' CD collections, a Led Zep return with John Bonham's son, Jason, on drums (or, possibly, Ringo's impressive kid, Zak Starkey, current skinsman for The Who) would be a cross-generational gold mine.

But rumors that bassist John Paul Jones recently whispered reunion plans to a Toronto radio station were quashed so quickly, it's either such a ludicrous thought that the band shudders at talk of the possibility . . . or it's planning the itinerary right now.

With Led Zeppelin, any reunion would never be a true one, but for reasons different from the aborted-for-now Van Halen train wreck. It's one thing to have to replace a deceased band member. It's another to allow pride, ego and infantile pettiness to ruin something for dedicated fans.

I have no doubt that Eddie Van Halen's son, Wolfgang, is a phenomenal musician. The teen came out to share some licks with his dad during the band's 2004 "reunion" show with Sammy Hagar at D.C.'s Verizon Center and left the audience open-mouthed about his abilities.

But it's not really a reunion when you enlist your kid to sub for the beloved bass player you're miffed at and then spout to Rolling Stone about how the band is moving forward.

Here's an idea: Save the revolution for after the tour, but in the meantime get onstage at Nissan Pavilion, hand Michael Anthony a Jack Daniels-shaped bass and rip into "So This Is Love."

(By the way, www.melodicrock.com has some audio snippets of Eddie and Alex Van Halen's recent interview with Rolling Stone. See if you think this sounds like a band that would be happy with David Lee Roth at the helm for a couple of months.)

And as for that rumor about Guns N' Roses, which began after original drummer Steven Adler stated in a recent interview that he'd made amends with Axl Rose and that other Gunners Slash, Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagan have discussed getting back together, well, here's a suggestion:

Wait until Rose finally releases "Chinese Democracy" -- delayed again, despite March 6 being inked as the absolute release date months ago -- and then discuss. This guy can't make a commitment any more than Britney can stay in rehab. And some things just aren't worth waiting for.

St August · Post by **St August** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 10:26 pm

This guy hit the nail on the head for sure

Tone Slinger · Post by **Tone Slinger** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:13 am

Hell yeah, right on !

JD · Post by JD » Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:25 pm

I thought the Eagles reunion was pretty good actually.

Stones were dreadful, but hey, they're the Stones. SImilar to McCartney, except McCartney was absolutely stellar.

Zeppelin will never happen, give that one up.

Every day I care less and less about VanHalen, especially without Michael Anthony.

I'm rooting for Soundgarden w/ Chris Cornell back at the helm.

I absolutely loved the Alice in Chains "reunion" of sorts.

Supposedly Smashing Pumpkins with Billy Corgan is back.

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:52 pm

I just saw the Who (the "Two") in Long Beach last Monday. Pete still had the fire in his belly and played the old stuff like he just wrote them.

I wasn't gonna mention it because because I get the feeling that not many here appreciate his kind of talent ( i.e. he doesn't play a million notes a second).

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:19 pm

I've allways repected their talent, but I didn't really appreciate them until I had to learn some WHO songs. I wish I could go see them when they're down here in about 2 weeks.

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:54 pm

Go if you can, mike. Zak Starkey on drums played his ass off. Not Moon but a very, very good fill in. Everybody's "Rent a Bass Player" Pino Pallidino was smooth as always (didn't cut the My Generation riffs, but who else can?).

Townsend was using a Strat with the Fischman bridge in it. Sounded great mixing the acoustic guitar sound with the electric. A lot of Who songs have an acoustic track or two. The "Tommy" stuff was awesome. They had Townsends brother Simon playing 2nd guitar and singing backup. His voice sounds a lot like Pete's. Instant vocal double!

Myopic Void · Post by **Myopic Void** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 4:14 pm

I wasn't gonna mention it because because I get the feeling that not many here appreciate his kind of talent

Hat's off to you NY Chief! Mention his name and the like all you want...the man is a superb arranger, writer, performer and guitarist, not to mention having great tone in his day.

( i.e. he doesn't play a million notes a second).

NY Chief you have sparked something I have wanted to say... IMO the vast majority of those (that I think) you refer too, lack every other ingrediant needed for a world class player such like Pete. Pete had many ingrediants in spades, it way takes more than speed. He was a true craftsman. A rare breed in pop culture these days.

To really digress for a moment, this is the "off topic" section right

The general argument against " the good ol'e days are better" position on some forums is: if the music now does not speak to you then you are getting older, this position does not hold water in many cases. Some may find the last 20-25 years of music abissmal, what if they are younger and did not live through 60's & 70's as a teen or adult? It's not the exaclty same postion "the good ol'e days were better" for them is it?...they never saw it. Therefore they could potentially be more objective about the creative output of the 60's and 70's compared to the last 25 years they grew up in. I am to young to have seen the forward thinking, raw and virtually unpandering era of the 60's & early 70's in person. I sadly missed it and instead lived through the late 80's (over produced million notes a second refuse) to present (no-solo..fix it in pro-tools). I certainly don't miss the popular guitar contributions of artist during my early teenage years. Will I miss the present era of guitar playing?...hmmm, I highly doubt it.

Cheers,

Eric

BTW I saw a post about Mark Hitt a while back from NY Chief, it's great to see post about other more obscure players. An older good friend of mine has opened for his band a few times back in the day.

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:14 pm

Zak Starkey was taught by Moon as a child. Ringo knew "WHO" was the best drummer to get his kid lessons from. Moon was so ahead of his time, a lot of people don't realize. I see those things in Starkey, and it really says something that thye offered him permanent membership in the band.

Entwistle played lead bass practically. All that tone out of a Triad, back then, was very groundbreaking on so many levels; I'm still discovering it.

Sounding full in a 3 piece is an art to it's own.

But I have to leave for the next movie up in Shreveport the day before the concert. The rest of the guys in my 3 piece Band are going to the concert.

I so bummed I couldn't go.

JD · Post by JD » Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:40 pm

The Who lineup was awesome, the collective talent was right up there with Led Zeppelin among others for sure.

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:39 pm

mightymike wrote:Zak Starkey was taught by Moon as a child. Ringo knew "WHO" was the best drummer to get his kid lessons from.

You know, several times I had the chill that I was watching Moon. The overhand cymbal crash, seemingly awkward movements. Now it makes a little more sense.

[/quote] Entwistle played lead bass practically. All that tone out of a Triad, back then, was very groundbreaking on so many levels; [/quote]

Mark Hitt and Rat Race Choir backed up Entwhistle at a NAMM after party a while back. Mark said Entwhistle called his gear the rack of doom. Standing by Mark on the side of stage that night confirmed it. I have NEVER heard bass tone like that since. Rack of Doom indeed!

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:30 am

I can't believe nobody caught me calling them a Triad, when they were a Quartet. I guess you guys knew what I meant.

Being that there were only 3 playing instruments early on. Anywhere else, I probably would have got flamed royally for that misspeak.
Gotta love this place.

+1000 on those little subtleties in Starkeys drumming. He learned them from the Man himself may he RIP.

Here's a little info from IMDB about Zak Starkey, the Son of Ringo.

From IMDB

He (Zak Starkey) was not taught by Ringo, but by his godfather, The Who drummer Keith Moon. Moon gave Zak his first drum set. When Moon died in 1978, Zak waited 10 years to replace him (1979-1987 drummer was Ex-Face/Small Face Kenny Jones).