Bands That Have Outstayed Their Welcome?

EricTheWeary

ICBM said:

ThorpyFX said:

Yet, I saw them live two years ago in Birmingham and thought the show was immense. The singer was astonishing and richie seemed to be enjoying it too. Just not quite loud enough for my tastes.

Sadly they were not like that this June. The singer was actually pretty good at the Dio-era suff, although much less good at the rest. Blackmore seemed to be going through the motions, and didn't really play any of the classic solos or even riffs - he was playing in an odd 'stilted' style which didn't really fit, and they ended Since You've Been Gone right where the solo starts. The rest of the band were just dull, and the whole thing seemed more like a tribute band.

I would have to add Deep Purple to the list as well. I've never liked anything they did after Blackmore left - or more accurately after Gillan left before he came back after Blackmore had gone .

So I will have to hold on to my memories of seeing the proper Deep Purple with Blackmore in 1987 (House Of Blue Light tour)...

I was at the same gig as Thorpy, I went with very low expectations and was quite blown away. I'd seen Purple with Gillan and Morse six months earlier who were basically terrible. Unless Gillan is having problems paying the rent he should really give up now. I'd be okay with a different singer with Purple, they've been through a few and someone who can stand upright for 90 minutes and hold a tune wouldn't be a bad thing. 

bingefeller

Coldplay

Bridgehouse

bingefeller said:

Coldplay

I don't remember them having any sort of welcome to outstay...

AlexC

Guess a lot of it comes down to how many original members remain, or perhaps key members is more important. There are always going to be those that say Pink Floyd were shit after Syd left (was thrown out), Genesis sucked after Peter Gabriel stopped playing the flute and wearing masks and Fleetwood Mac haven't been any good since the Peter Green days. I dont't agree with those examples - some acts change and move on, but when you've got guys touring as From The Jam, or From Dire Straits - sure they're good muscians - it's just a farce without Weller or Knopfler.

Philly_Q

AC/DC - they were already running on fumes as far as I'm concerned, but an AC/DC made up of Angus and Axl with a few sidemen is not AC/DC at all.

Scorpions - they actually did announce retirement plans a few years ago but scrapped them.  To be fair they are still on top form live but the last studio album was horrible.

Whitesnake - Coverdale's voice is completely shot and the last few albums have been dreadful.

All the '80s hair metal bands like Ratt, Warrant and Quiet Riot currently doing those "Rock'n'Roll" cruise ship tours.  None of them have released an album for years and they have rotating lineups where people like Keri Kelli, Jimmy de Grasso and Jizzy Pearl have played in every band at some point.

Also agreed about Status Quo, surely they should just pack it in as a mark of respect to Parfitt.  Rainbow I regard as long gone, these last couple of little tours are just money-making excercises, presumably, and nothing to do with the original band. 

I could go on (Def Leppard, Metallica, Deep Purple, Aerosmith...) but I have to say that although it's fun having this little rant I feel slightly uncomfortable about it, it's entirely up to these old buggers whether they want to carry on or not.

cpcompany

The Stone Roses. They've become a touring tribute act and the last songs they recorded were a total embarrassment 

axisus

None of them. They can do what they enjoy or what earns them money and its nobody else's business as far as I'm concerned

mrkb

Bob Dylan - wasn't interested in performing at all at the festival I saw him at.

fandango

Hawkwind

Come on Dave, you're sat in the Tenth Second of Forever and Waiting For Tomorrow.

lustycourtier

Radiohead 

TonyR

Showaddywaddy - still doing the rounds but they were past their sell-by in 1976!

Bucket

Metallica, Megadeth.

Philly_Q

What about bands who actually have retired?  Have Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath really called it a day?

And there seems to be uncertainty about the future of Rush - not that I want them to retire, they've never released a real dud album despite being around forever.

AlexC

@Philly_Q My understanding about Rush is that they've decided to stop touring, not necessarily recording. Floyd are done - the last album was really a tribute to Rick Wright. Music from the vaults. Gilmour has his own career well and truly secured. As for Sabbath... I reckon they're done. I don't think getting back with Ozzy was just a money maker - I think it was a genuine farewell.
And that's part of why I started this thread - it's okay to bow out if the mojo's gone. There's no need to keep on keeping on. Jazz and Blues guys have a longer lifespan, because it's OK to sit on a stool play the old stuff. Some rock guys have gone this way (eg, Clapton) and that's great. But the average lifespan of an act in the music industry is 3 albums. Not a lot right! But don't try and act 20 if you're 60 and if the ideas have run dry then call it day. This is not an ageist 'issue' for me, but a credibility issue.

prowla

Gassage said:

Little Mix.

(I keep thinking they're Irish...)

prowla

ICBM said:

Rainbow

Ritchie Blackmore as a pale shadow of his former self, a tolerable tribute-band singer and a bunch of other pretty nondescript players does not make a great band...

I saw him with Blackmores Night a while back and they were really good.

But the Rainbow with a tribute singer (good as he is) and the rest of Blackmores Night doesn't do it for me.

prowla

Philly_Q said:

AC/DC - they were already running on fumes as far as I'm concerned, but an AC/DC made up of Angus and Axl with a few sidemen is not AC/DC at all.

Scorpions - they actually did announce retirement plans a few years ago but scrapped them.  To be fair they are still on top form live but the last studio album was horrible.

Whitesnake - Coverdale's voice is completely shot and the last few albums have been dreadful.

All the '80s hair metal bands like Ratt, Warrant and Quiet Riot currently doing those "Rock'n'Roll" cruise ship tours.  None of them have released an album for years and they have rotating lineups where people like Keri Kelli, Jimmy de Grasso and Jizzy Pearl have played in every band at some point.

Also agreed about Status Quo, surely they should just pack it in as a mark of respect to Parfitt.  Rainbow I regard as long gone, these last couple of little tours are just money-making excercises, presumably, and nothing to do with the original band. 

I could go on (Def Leppard, Metallica, Deep Purple, Aerosmith...) but I have to say that although it's fun having this little rant I feel slightly uncomfortable about it, it's entirely up to these old buggers whether they want to carry on or not.

I saw Whitesnake with Journey (awful!) and Thunder (brilliant!!!) at Wembley a few years ago; the Whitesnake act seemed to be a lot of talking and boring-as-hell guitar solos to fill the set out.

prowla

richardhomer said:

Surely Quo without Rick Parfitt?

Just Status Quo, ever!

beed84

Dream Theater need to call it a day.

Philly_Q

I've been a fan of Wishbone Ash through many years and many lineup changes, but having learned - by chance, from an ad in a guitar mag - that longtime guitarist Muddy Manninen has recently left and been replaced by a chap called Mark Abrahams (who owns Vision Guitars in Castleford), I wondered if that was a sign that it was time to call it a day.  But let's give them and Mr Abrahams a chance...