Recently it seems the trend for old bands to make that big ‘career changing’ reunion to either reunite for a comeback tour or to completely take the music industry by storm again (well attempt to anyway). But it seems most of the time we can’t help but wonder why did they bother? Not because we don’t like the bands, but because we are so fond of their old material we don’t want their new material to somehow outshine the old.
Take Aerosmith for example, now don’t get me wrong, I love this band, but it seems their newest album from last year can’t hold a candle to their old material. Now credit where credit is due the band never broke up therefore never actually attempted a ‘comeback’ but as it has been 15 years since ‘Nine Lives’ their last studio album to go platinum and number one and it leaves us questioning why is this the case? Consider how much the industry has changed since their peak. Kids don’t grow up wanting to be rock stars anymore, they idolise these ‘pop stars’, radios play the mainstream stuff and even talent shows seem to favour acts who sing more popular songs of the 21st century rather than the good ol’ classics (I think I was born in the wrong era…)
As for comeback successes? Well a prime example would be The Stone Roses who after 16 years away from touring proved that no matter how long a band has been going they can still sell out a concert like they used to. Their ‘Reunion Tour’ lasted just over a year (23rd May 2012 – 15th June 2013) and with that many dates and that many countries the success proves itself. Not only that but the band were the centre focus in the story line for the film ‘Spike Island’ which came out earlier in the year. Not every band gets a mention in a film, let alone the main focus in the story line. So it seems The Stone Roses are just as popular as they were 16 years ago.
Now how about The Rolling Stones at this year’s Glastonbury festival? If it wasn’t Mick Jaggers dance moves, Ronnie Wood’s ability to remain faultless while juggling a cig in his hand or Keith Richards cool exterior that proved they still have it. Then all you had to do was look at the 100,000+ strong crowd that managed to match Mick Jagger on their energy. Every song was an anthem that the crowd belted out like it was the last song in the Stones’ set – proving that a band can last forever.
But what about reunions we are eagerly anticipating? Well rumour has it Oasis could (and rightly should) reunite for their 20th anniversary for their second studio album ‘What’s The Story Morning Glory‘ in 2015 to play all their hits in a one-off concert. Now this is something to get excited about! (Can you tell I’m a fan?) If the success The Stone Roses had wasn’t enough the persuade the fellow Manchester raised band to jump on the comeback bandwagon, then how about the individual success Liam and Noel have had separately from ‘Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ and ‘Beady Eye’, proving their fans have stuck with them.
I managed to see Noel twice last year and I must say, even though the new material was well received, nothing beat the energy in the venue when he played some of his Oasis hits like ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ where I don’t think there wasn’t one person in the room not singing their heart out.
So come on Liam and Noel… “What yer playin’ at?”