Holding on to bands who aren't what they used to be

[DebraKadabra]

Styx can still bring it live, with or without DDY, but one album of original material in over a decade since he left pretty much confirms that they are creatively dead when it comes to coming up with new material.  If Shaw and Young want to keep being a nostalgia act and touring and playing the old hits (plus the one great song off of Cyclorama, One with Everything), more power to 'em, but I'd love to see them all come back together and bust out more album before it is too late, especially since they never really did a comeback album in the latter 90s when they got back together (Brave New World doesn't count, given how fractured the band already was at that point).

Bingo, you hit the nail on the head.  I think I'd have a fair bit more respect for the new version of Styx if they'd released more original material since 1999.  The cover album that they did does NOT count, IMO - "creatively dead" is really spot-on.

[KevShmev]

I would think Tommy Shaw would still have a lot of creative stuff swimming around in his head.  He was after all a part of a fair amount of some good to really good music in the 90s - two Damn Yankees albums, the Shaw/Blades record, and his solo album, which was really, really good.  I am surprised they aren't at least taking another crack at another studio album.  It's been nine years, FFS.

[King Postwhore]

I'm like that too.  I love when bands play behind new material.  See Kiss on their last tour was way better because they were touring for a new album.  I think they just can't make any money and with most older bands touring is the way to make a living nowadays.

[KevShmev]

Probably true.  It probably ain't worth it for them to make an album that probably won't sell well, so they can keep touring and making the easy cash.  I cannot fault them for that.  They do have to make a living after all.

And actually, when you consider that just about every 70s band (meaning one that was big in the 70s at some point) that tours nowadays has to do a double or triple bill with others from the same time period just to draw enough fans to make money, it makes what Rush continues to do that much more awesome.  I mean, what other band that old can still tour by themselves, charge what they charge, and still draw well?  Aside from the mainstream biggies like the Eagles, Rolling Stones, etc., none. 

[Zook]

I guess The Offspring is my band in that area. I still pretty much love everything they put out (except Cruising California, that song is abhorrent).

The Offspring will never receive another penny from me.

Also, Dystopia isn't horrible, but I still haven't bought it. It's just... kinda meh. I'll buy it when I find a used copy. The Glorious Burden, Framing Armageddon, and even The Crucible of Man are all way better. Adami said it best: it's boring.

[King Postwhore]

Amen.  And to be honest you look at those other bands and most like Pink Floyd, U2 and the Stones can fill up stadiums.  Rush is the biggest cult band ever.  I'm just glad to see them continue to want to make new music and tour.  They still care about their craft.

[kirksnosehair]

Uh, not to turn this into a Styx debate, but last time I checked Dennis DeYoung isn't exactly pumping out new music either.   No one really wants new music from these "classic" bands.  Nobody buys it anyway.  And they're not going sell out stadiums just because they have a new album out.  No one gives a shit that they have a new album out.  The same goes for all of these older bands.  I'm seeing Foreigner again in September.  I could not possibly care less about their new album, and neither does their audience.  When I saw Foreigner last year you could literally feel the energy leaving the audience when they said "and now, here's a song from our latest album"  No one cares.  Not with these older bands.

[KevShmev]

I remember reading that DeYoung released an album a few years ago that supposedly rocked and was very 70s Styx-ish, but I've never gotten around to checking any of it out.

And that is sad but true about fans going to see old bands.  There are even a fair number of Rush fans who don't want too much new music at live shows, but to their credit, Rush's attitude is, "Too freaking bad; we are playing them anyway," and they still draw well, so it doesn't hurt them at all.  But they always do a great mix of new stuff, the classics the casual fans want to hear and deep cuts the hardcore fans go nuts for.

[kirksnosehair]

I remember reading that DeYoung released an album a few years ago that supposedly rocked and was very 70s Styx-ish, but I've never gotten around to checking any of it out.

And that is sad but true about fans going to see old bands.  There are even a fair number of Rush fans who don't want too much new music at live shows, but to their credit, Rush's attitude is, "Too freaking bad; we are playing them anyway," and they still draw well, so it doesn't hurt them at all.  But they always do a great mix of new stuff, the classics the casual fans want to hear and deep cuts the hardcore fans go nuts for.

DDY's album is called "One Hundred Years From Now" and it's worth checking out. 

Even though I haven't cared for much of Rush's material in the last 25 or so years, I have a ton of respect for them and how they've continued to create.  It takes a lot to do that and it's worthy of respect.

[Kotowboy]

I was getting as bit worried with oasis after Be Here Now and Shoulder of Giants...

But they really improved on Heathen Chemistry and Don't Believe The Truth was almost back to Morning Glory level...

I'm glad they ended on two good albums instead of ending after the ...giants album..

Also - Noel's solo album is fantastic and Liam's album is poor.

I actually hope they never get back together ( at least not with Noel - he has said they're free to reform without him ).

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Some people would take offense to this, but I think the fact of the matter is that music is about more than the actual music. It's also about what the music represents.

When Mike Portnoy left Dream Theater, I was really sad about it; not because of the impact it would have on them musically but because something that had been the same for me since I was 14 was no longer. It was another thing in my life that changed. It was another connection to the past lost. That's a big reason why I still follow DT the way I do - because of the nostalgic value of it. They may be past their prime, but I've got a couple of bucks and an Amazon Prime membership, so what the fuck?

[kirksnosehair]

^that's an excellent point!  Music is, after all, the soundtrack to our lives, right?  I know that when I listen to certain albums or certain songs they remind me of certain times in my life.  Every time I hear "Double Vision" by Foreigner, for example, I think of my first girlfriend because that's what was on the radio when I got laid for the first time.