I am starting to feel the time has passed for big bands and big crowds of pensioners and their phone-fiddling junior relatives to try to relive the excitement of seeing these bands 40 years ago. The reforming Of Genesis 11 years ago was as underwhelming as you might think, going by the footage. Peter Gabriel’s work ethic has decently reduced somewhat (I think it was all over after the “Passion” soundtrack), and Steve Hackett has a variety of ways to get the last juice from the orange. So many artists haven’t really been effective in decades – what has Jimmy page delivered likewise in the last 40 years? Floyd’s last decent album was “Animals”. Just how long do you keep flogging a dead horse before you know it’s over?
https://www.planetrock.com/news/rock-news/tony-banks-says-he-wouldnt-rule-out-a-genesis-reunion/
Gary says
Floyd’s last decent album was “Animals”? OOA-most definitely-A!
Vincent says
a little provocation for a jaundiced afternoon…
Moose the Mooche says
“Oh no lads, let’s not make a few bob out of a reformation gig… it might be a bit underwhelming”…. SAID NO BAND EVER.
Lando Cakes says
I generally make some comment about how they should have paid more attention to pensions at the time. However I suspect that does not apply to Mr Banks.
Martin Hairnet says
The fact that he named one of his early solo albums ‘Bankstatement’ lends much credence to your hypothesis.
Moose the Mooche says
As does the acclaimed follow-up, ‘Bonded Superannuation Scheme With Share Options’
davebigpicture says
Inspired by Bowie Bonds
Black Celebration says
Under UK legislation back in the 80s, the inland revenue allowed pop musicians to take their retirement savings at 45. This was considered “normal retirement age” for that occupation.
davebigpicture says
Blimey. What with the year out for tax purposes, that really was a golden financial age for musicians.
Gary says
Thing is, it’s been proved recently that some bands/artists can bounce back to quality after a long gap and when you least expect it. The Stones’ Blue & Lonesome being a good example. I personally never really loved a Bowie song between 1986’s Absolute Beginners and 2013’s Where Are We Now. And, of course, Floyd’s The Endless River was a great surprise. Etc.
Vincent says
I hear the above. But I still think that someone on here a while back nailed it by saying that the first 10 years of a decent artist’s career produces 5 to 8 decent albums, while if they are lucky, the next 40 produces enough good content to fill a CD. A few artists keep punching their weight, but it’s unusual – at least in rock music.
NigelT says
There are some exceptions – Robert Plant has done some terrific stuff in recent years, and I honestly think his current band is better than Led Zeppelin. Dylan has done some wonderful stuff in his later years, and I don’t like the recent covers albums, but many do. Paul Weller continues to make great albums. Johnny Cash’s last work was amongst his best, and Leonard Cohen springs to mind too…?
Rufus T Firefly says
Except, no band is better than Led Zeppelin. I have liked some of Robert Plant’s solo stuff over the years, but it never quite catches fire that way LZ’s stuff did time and time again.
Rigid Digit says
The Led Zep conundrum:
No rock band was bigger, so unless their respective solo careers were stellar, it would always be doomed to failure.
Robert Plant’s early solo career was solid, but I wonder if it sold on the strength of the name rather than the songs?
(that said, his later stuff stands repeated listening, and no obvious connection to his past).
Jimmy Page has made several attempts at a solo career, and never really broken away from Zep.
John Paul Jones – always happy in the background, and was never likely to step forward seeking mass acclaim and sales
John Bonham – still waiting for that solo album …
NigelT says
@Rufus-T-Firefly – I have seen Led Zep in their pomp in 1969 and at the O2 in 2007, and they were great, but Percy’s latest incarnation of the Sensational Space Shifters are something else live, they really are.
And ‘No band better than Led Zeppelin’..? There’s a thread in waiting. The Who for a start, and the Stones..?
Arthur Cowslip says
It’s good to hear that Nigel. I’m too young to have seen Zep in their prime (smug grin) but Plant and the Space Shifters have blown me away both times I’ve seen them. I knew something special was happening and I always wondered what would be the opinion of someone who had seen Plant in the old days.
Martin Hairnet says
Not quite pensionable, but OMD have had a wonderful late career renaissance. The first four albums were great, but the experimental Dazzle Ships from 1983 didn’t sell, and they went off the boil, big time, with a series of increasingly rubbish records. By 1996 they were effectively extinct.
2010’s History of Modern surprised everyone, and was not half bad, displaying all the best elements they’d developed in the early phase of their career. English Electric (2013) was superb with the majestic Helen of Troy reviving the spirit of Joan of Arc. The latest album, The Punishment of Luxury (2017) is their best of the trio. Self-confident, melodic electro-pop with Andy McCluskey’s soaring vocals sounding as good as ever. I’m off to see them in Madrid next month, and I can’t wait.
Black Celebration says
Yes I agree with this – the first 4 albums gave them a hell of a lot of momentum but by the time the 90s ended I had fully gone off them. When History of Modern came out, I didn’t rush to hear it – but I was pleasantly surprised when I did.
Martin Hairnet says
Have you heard the latest one? There’s a lovely resigned melancholy to the whole thing. At their best, it was always something at which they excelled.
I was thinking about Andy McCluskey’s voice last night, and what a marvellous, unique instrument it is. Then got to thinking about similar kinds of vocalists – Marc Almond, Scott Walker, Alison Moyet and Andy Bell all came to mind.
minibreakfast says
Watching the repeat of TOTP from 1985 last week I was struck by how Russ Abbott’s voice reminded me of Andy McClusky’s.
Moose the Mooche says
In 1980 Andy had the same hair as Cooperman. Thankfully he regarded the cape as inappropriate for performances of Enola Gay and Maid of Orleans.
On a more serious note… OMD must have been the only band in the world using a Mellotron in 1981.
Mike_H says
Many a current band would kill (or at least maim or bruise slightly) to have one now.
attackdog says
Watching the same repeat I was struck by how positively progressive Russ Abbott came across amongst the mid ‘80’s drivel.
slotbadger says
Russ Abbott, this reminds me of the story of the teenage goth who committed suicide and asked his heartbroken mum to make sure that Joy Division’s ‘Atmosphere’ was played at his wake. Well, poor lady got the right song title at least.
Black Celebration says
@martin-hairnet – to answer your question – no, I haven’t. But I will very soon.
Sitheref2409 says
I’m going to see them when they’re in DC and am looking forward to it immensely. I totally agree with your breakdown of the most recent albums.
Vulpes Vulpes says
Every time someone mentions OMD, I am reminded fondly of my pal Paul, who was so on trend at the time. Paul spotted a lad cycling past our car in the centre of Bristol one busy weekend in 1980, and remarked upon the army-surplus rucksack, artfully slung across on his shoulder as he weaved between traffic hazards, and upon which he had inked, in laboriously applied biro, the name of his favourite band. “He’s got good taste.” said Paul, flatly, “Shame he’s short on artistic ability.”
The ardent young OMD fan had penned his band’s name in full across the back of his then trendy heavy ochre canvas rucksack:
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The
Dark
Sitheref2409 says
I worked with the guy who played bass for them in The Id. That’s my OMD story
Rigid Digit says
Iron Maidens peak period was the debut to Live After Death (ie the first five years).
Somewhere In Time attempted to move them into more proggy/musical space, and their second-wind confirmed (and commercially confirmed) by Seventh Son.
Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smiths departure led to a period of “Iron Maiden By Numbers”, but since their return they have got a better with each album.
2015s Book Of Souls is in the Top 5 IM albums (in my humble (possibly useless) opinion)
davebigpicture says
EMI reckoned A Matter Of Life And Death was their “comeback”. It certainly did well but the label gave it a big push, flying journalists in from around the world to Trevor Horn’s studio for the launch.
SteveT says
A mate at work has just forked out £400 for 2 U2 tickets in Manchester. that is one band I wish would call it a day but with fans willing to fork out that kind of dough it aint gonna happen any time soon.
By the way the best gigs I saw last year were by Chuck Prophet, Robert Plant, John Prine and Lucinda Williams. None of them are spring chickens.
mikethep says
“None of them are spring chickens” – Afterword t-shirt.
Vulpes Vulpes says
All God-like geniuses, in fact, and pretty much incapable of doing a duff gig.
mikethep says
Actually, last time I saw Lucinda Williams was a bit of a duff gig – she was quite grumpy and offhand, and a couple of equipment malfunctions improved her mood not at all. The audience picked up on her mood, so it all became a bit of a vicious circle. There was a huge electrical storm going on in the sky behind the stage too, which did nothing to reduce the general air of tension.
It took local heroes Paul Kelly and the Merri Soul mob to cheer everybody up.
Junior Wells says
Last time I saw her she was the same and then had the temerity to chide us for not clapping loud enough for her desultory performance. So I skipped the last tour and , of course, at least in the case of the Melbourne shows, they were crackers.
retropath2 says
A sad echo. She certainly tolerates fools badly, and if they, the equipments or the audience, that is, underperform, into a hissy fit she goes.
But when she’s good, she’s terrific.
Worth the risk, just don’t forget to clap.
Rigid Digit says
Two gigs in the diary at the moment (a third being considered)
1. Stiff Little Fingers
2. From The Jam
3. (considering) The Stranglers
maybe it’s my fault that no-one is retiring gracefully?
=== goes back to looking at Great British Alternative Festival (Butlins, Skegness!!!) website ===
Harold Holt says
Re:from the jam…don’t bother. imho.
paulwright says
1. John Cooper Clarke
2. Microdisney (yes really)
3. They Might be Giants.
Really keeping modern music alive aren’t I?
The Light and I saw TMBG together 30 years ago at Redcar Bowl – you could just hear them over the rain on the roof. Next time was at the Word tent at Latitude, kids in tow. Time flies etc.
count jim moriarty says
Ah, the dear old Redcar Bowl (mind, it was known as the Coatham Bowl in my day). Spent many an evening there with various bands. Just about the only half-decent venue on Teesside. Demolished 4 years ago, there is only now news that something may actually ber developed on the site. Unfortunately, just another budget chain hotel.
Douglas says
I think this is what is partly behind the emotion a lot of us feel at Mark E Smith’s death – he didn’t just make a few great records in the first decade and then bugger off, or endlessly and cynically rehash what he’d done before. Despite what non-fans may think, there’s a huge variety and endless surprises in each subsequent Fall LP. So he was a going concern right up to the end – the last cancelled gig contained a mention of most of an album’s worth of material raring to go, too.
I accept this is an exception proving the rule, and that the thrust of the OP generally holds true. I’d say the differentiation is whether a group/artist is generally trying to do something genuinely different (and therefore we’re happy for them to keep going), or whether they’ve just exploited a single rich seam for a few years (in which case they would ideally call it a day).
Chrisf says
Much that I actually like Genesis and Mr Banks’ solo material, the cynic in me would think this is purely marketing……
He has a new solo album out and a non commital comment about Genesis reforming will generate far more column inches of promotion than him taking about working with orchestras…….
Moose the Mooche says
I quite like the way that Peter Doggett in his Beatles book points out that Macca would always talk up the possibility of a Beatles reunion whenever he had a new album to sell.
mikethep says
I feel quite relaxed about bands going on and on, possibly because I’m as old if not older than most of them. I remember going to see Lindisfarne not long before Alan Hull died – early 90s I suppose – and they were fantastic. They’d had plenty of time to get good, after all.
Nobody’s forced to pay silly money to go and see the behemoths, but while people are prepared to do so, why not. Good luck to them. Some members of my new Oz family went to see Macca in Brisbane before Christmas, and they still haven’t stopped babbling about it. Several of them were 20-something offspring of Fabs-loving parents, and seeing him hammering through Sgt Pepper and and Day in the Life (and In Spite of All the Danger, ffs!) was positively life-changing.
Only a matter of time before someone carks it on stage, mind you…
Black Celebration says
That reminds me of the Not the Nine O’Clock News piece where clerics discuss the importance of Monty Python.
“These men *died* for us. Frequently.”
GCU Grey Area says
In a similar vein is the – Neil Innes? – line; ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve suffered for my music. And now it’s your turn’.
DrJ says
I don’t blame anyone having a go at anything. Why stop? Why would you want a real job? Once bitten by the bug, why would you not want to perform? There are loads of different permutations of doing this kind of thing:
– Actually don’t need the money, e.g Macca. He just likes doing huge entertaining tours of the hits
– It’s too late to stop now, e.g. U2. The machinery is so big they keep on going. Anyone who saw Adam on BBC4 on Friday night will get the sense that he’s as bemused as everybody else, but there’s no way they’re not going to try and keep on being as big as they can be.
– Validation: Who knew in 1991 that it would be Roger Waters himself that would tour The Wall into the highest grossing tour of all time by a solo performer. Would Roger’s 21st century tours have been so successful if a Gilmour Floyd had been on the road this past 23 years? Maybe not.
– No other skills: Roy Wood does his Christmas tour every year, then disappears for 11 months. He still looks like Roy Wood. This is what he does, he shouldn’t be expected to get a part-time job in Homebase.
– Beats the day job: I see Sleeper are back, back, back! I have no idea what the Sleeper blokes have been doing the past two decades, but surely getting back in the van for a few weeks and getting on some summer festival bills will be good for their mid-fortysomething souls. Why would you not do that?
– Fun: Eighties Dublin band Something Happens still play 2-3 gigs in Dublin per year which invariably sell out. There’s no motivation greater than the fun of it, none of the band or audience are fooling themselves, so, you know, why not.
In the vein of my day beats your year, and I’d rather be in the music business for five minutes than spend a lifetime outside it, there is a huge pull for the people on the stage to be there, and we should forgive them for it. All they need is an audience. If we keep turning up, they’ll keep doing it.
Moose the Mooche says
Why do they have to work at all, considering they’re all 70-odd? Why does everyone have to work until they drop?
Come my 68th birthday I’m not doing a bloody tap.
Er….not that anyone will notice.
PS. I might be overestimating how long ago Sleeper were in their pomp.
DrJ says
Well, some need the money, sure, but I guess many don’t see it as work. The desire and motivation is totally different compared to us with our jobs. They’re still chasing something. My dad is 77 and in “the music biz” and he will not stop. He told me at the weekend he’s going to Borneo later this year. Borneo!
retropath2 says
Just a thought, @DrJ , but given both you and an erstwhile Word blogger of yore, now rampant more on twitter and in a journal about irish automatic trouser ironing machines, share a surname, um, he’s not is he? 77? I’ll have what he’s drinking!
DrJ says
Heh. Noooooo, Pat’s my cousin.
retropath2 says
😉
NigelT says
Why the hell would you want to get up on a stage and play music, get paid for it, lap up the applause, play 2 encores, and then chat to idiot fans like me afterwards who tell you how fab you are? I’d do it in a heartbeat – lack of talent is all that stops me!!
Moose the Mooche says
Mate, it doesn’t stop some people..
DrJ says
NigelT…that is the right answer!!!
deramdaze says
The next gig in my diary is Wizz Jones, 78, soon to be 79, sometime in August.
I hope he makes it that far.
I hope we both make it that far.
Vulpes Vulpes says
I’m off to see Gerry Rafferty next weekend.
NigelT says
He’s dead good he is…
Tony Japanese says
I once saw the original members of the Bootleg Beatles in about 2005, and would’ve loved them except I couldn’t ignore the fact they were fifty-year old men performing as characters that were supposed to be in their late-twenties at most. My close proximity to the stage didn’t help matters, but I think original-fake John retired soon afterwards, no doubt influenced by my scorn.
I’ve since seen the younger, Bootleg Beatles II and they were brilliant.
Sniffity says
“…original-fake John retired soon afterward”
He shot through…?
Paul Waring says
Or as HMHB would have it…
I shout all my obscenities from steeples
But please don’t label me a madman
I’m off to see the Bootleg Beatles
As the bootleg Mark Chapman
Cafe bars, idiots and pigeons
There’s far too many in this town
So me and the Ombudsman are gonna do what we can
When the evening sun goes down
Say the Bootlegs at Glastonbury last year doing a ‘Pepper’ set – basically 1967 stuff in the Pepper gear. Proper excellent it was too.
paulwright says
I obviously posted this in the wrong place in the Joan Baez section..
I’m impressed she (Joan Baez) has a new album. Checking Wikipedia she is 77.
Just seen a poster for a Joe Brown tour. He’s also 77 and seems to be playing 5 nights a week.
And of course Sir Thumbsaloft is no slouch.
Amazing that these folks who were big in the early sixties are still going so strong.