Bands that should get back together

[Volante99]

After hearing about some loose plans of Van Halen doing a “kitchen sink” tour with DLR and Hagar I thought it’s such a shame we’ll probably never get to see some of our favorite (aging) bands get together and do one more run.

So in the spirit of 2021, a new year, new beginnings, and hopefully a new political climate (lol) which bands would you like to see get together for one more tour or album?

Here are my picks-

Ozzy Osbourne- lately he seems content churning out mediocre albums with Andrew Watt. Instead of that I think the Ozzman should go all out and do ONE MORE ALBUM and bring in all the artists and do on big collaboration. Get Bob Daisley back, Jake E Lee, Zakk Wylde, Bill Ward, Tony Iommi. Hell, even Brad Gillis. Just get them all in the studio and contribute a song or two. Something special for the fans that also celebrates the legacy of one of the greatest music icons of the past 50 years.

DLR Band- with the passing of EVH now would seem to be a great time to get Vai, Sheehan, Bissonette together and do one more tour. They shut down an LA club the demand was so high for that one off show. They could jam the old Eat Em and Smile and Skyscraper hits as well as pay tribute to the old EVH hits in a way only that band could do justice. Probably unlikely though, DLR doesn’t gain much by putting together such an ace band anymore, and frankly, Vai and Sheehan don’t stand to gain much either. One can dream, though.

King Diamond + Mikkey Dee- let’s face it KD hasn’t really been quite as good since Mikkey Dee left the band. I have zero interest in the Scorpions in 2021 and would much rather see  Mikkey finally use his talents to the fullest extent once more and bring some of that old school proggy metal goodness to the KD band. Along with Mike Portnoy, Mikkey Dee is probably the best hard rock drummer alive and his talents have, frankly, been wasted with Motörhead and Scorpions for almost 30 years now.

Devin Townsend/Steve Vai- I know I’m one of the only persons on earth that actually likes Vai’s Sex and Religion album. Yes, it definitely falls victim to some 90s trappings but I’d LOVE to see what Vai and Townsend could do together with some maturity and experience. Obviously never going to happen, they are both control freaks but I’ve always loved Vai’s writing and playing in the context of a group rather than “solo” artist. He’s such a great player but I think needs someone to reign in that creativity.

[PixelDream]

Porcupine Tree. Since they've gone on an indefinite hiatus Steven Wilson has seen a lot of success and artistically he's grown a lot, but his latest output sounds like he's running out of ideas (even though he's gone in an electronic direction - which is nothing new for him by the way).

[Zantera]

Porcupine Tree. Since they've gone on an indefinite hiatus Steven Wilson has seen a lot of success and artistically he's grown a lot, but his latest output sounds like he's running out of ideas (even though he's gone in an electronic direction - which is nothing new for him by the way).

I'd be down for a PT reunion but I don't think he's running out of ideas. It felt like it for a while, HCE to me was kinda like The Incident - nothing new, just kinda doing what he had always done summed up in one album. TTB had some new ideas (for him) and Future Bites, at least judging by the songs released so far is definitely a new direction for him. Whether you like that direction or not is of course subjective but to me it's the most unique/new sound he's done in maybe a decade (since Insurgentes perhaps?) even though I'm not really blown away by anything. New PT could be cool but it's hard to see because it feels like SW's 'ego' has grown with his solo career and it's hard to imagine him stepping back into a confined space where he can't do XYZ.

Personally I hope to see Anathema back. Love that band and I don't know what the drama is to have caused them to split but I do know the Covid situation affected them badly.

Oceansize would be neat but very unlikely seeing as the Mike-side of the band still has beef with Mark Heron and Mike is doing pretty well on his own with solo albums. Might be one of those cases of 'it's best to leave that book closed' but since they are one of my favorite bands - part of me still wishes for this.

Cardiacs - I don't mean this as in reunite and tour since Tim unfortunately passed, but I hope they can finish the album that they were working on at the time of his accident. They did release a single last year so I really hope they are able to work together and finish it and release it as a final hurrah and tribute to one of the all time great musicians in my eyes.

Sigur Rós - I don't know if they are technically disbanded or just on hiatus but they're down to what, 2 members now? No studio album for 7 years. Really hope we get something more because their sound is just so unique and I need more of it in my life.

[Architeuthis]

Damn Yankees
Triumph
Yes,..with Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman or Kay,  and White.  Geddy Lee on Bass.
White Lion..with Vito Bratta back on guitar
Boston

[Volante99]

Another:

Skid Row/Ratt/Dokken- get all the OG guys back- none of this “Bobby Blotzer Experience” shit. Seriously, all these bands are getting long in the tooth and maybe have 5-8 years left before they expire and turn to cottage cheese- they should do just one more tour and celebrate the glam metal days; believe it or not they still draw crowds in the Midwest and with all of them together they could probably support a small/mid sized arena tour in the right markets.

I mean it’s not like they have anything better to do.

[wolfking]

Agalloch - I know things got messy so won't happen but an incredible band.

Savatage - Do I need to say anything?

[wolfking]

King Diamond + Mikkey Dee- let’s face it KD hasn’t really been quite as good since Mikkey Dee left the band.I have zero interest in the Scorpions in 2021 and would much rather see  Mikkey finally use his talents to the fullest extent once more and bring some of that old school proggy metal goodness to the KD band. Along with Mike Portnoy, Mikkey Dee is probably the best hard rock drummer alive and his talents have, frankly, been wasted with Motörhead and Scorpions for almost 30 years now.

While that Abigail lineup was God tier, I don't fully agree with that.  I love the 90's stuff and later. I'm not really sure how much influence he had back then, but Matt Thompson does a fine job.  The newest KD song was very promising too.  Not sure what him coming back would do for the band. It's the Kim and Andy show really.

[Evermind]

Agalloch - I know things got messy so won't happen but an incredible band.

What happened? I know they disbanded but I've no idea what happened. I wish they were still creating music though.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Dire Straits (Will never happen but they're on my list).

Scarve
If you haven't heard them check out Irradiant, great stuff.

Lost Horizon
That band had sooo much potential for world domination. Such a shame!

Porcupine Tree

[wolfking]

Agalloch - I know things got messy so won't happen but an incredible band.

What happened? I know they disbanded but I've no idea what happened. I wish they were still creating music though.

https://www.metalsucks.net/2020/01/22/ex-agalloch-members-don-anderson-and-john-haughm-are-mending-their-friendship-after-bitter-band-split/

[wolfking]

Lost Horizon

Great call this one.

[Fritzinger]

Yes,..with Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman or Kay,  and White.  Geddy Lee on Bass.

Even with such a giant on bass, White would not be able to pull of a decent groove anymore. I feel very sorry for him, but I think he should retire.

[Phoenix87x]

Dredg (supposedly they are working on new material, but I'll believe it when I see it)

Porcupine tree
RX Bandits
Rage against the machine

Led Zeppelin (not now, but a full 2007 tour would have been sweet)

[MirrorMask]

Savatage - Do I need to say anything?

It took too long for someone to post the most correct answer.

[Architeuthis]

Yes,..with Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman or Kay,  and White.  Geddy Lee on Bass.

Even with such a giant on bass, White would not be able to pull of a decent groove anymore. I feel very sorry for him, but I think he should retire.

That's a good point. I wonder if Bruford could still pull it off?  If not,,, MP to the rescue!  🤔

[KevShmev]

Eh, the choices so far here feel like, bands I love that I want back together just because.

Yes with the core members from the peak eras?  No.  Too much acrimony between those members and their creative expiration date was many years ago.

Porcupine Tree?  No. They are one of my all-time favorite bands, I have no interest in seeing someone as creatively expressive as Steven Wilson working with constraints, and that is what would happen if PT got back together.

Sometimes you just have to accept that it's over. 

[Volante99]

Agalloch - I know things got messy so won't happen but an incredible band.

There isn’t a bigger fan than Agalloch than me but John Haughm is such a dbag (and not just for the anti Semitism thing) that I don’t think I’d pay money to buy their record or go to show at this point. And the band is pretty much his baby.

[HOF]

I tend to think aging bands shouldn’t bother getting back together. I’m trying to think of a younger group that I’d be interested in reuniting, but I’m drawing a blank. Someone in the age range of Journey when they came back for Trial By Fire would be ideal. The problem is there weren’t many great new bands originating in the 00s/10s in general.

[Ben_Jamin]

Another:

Skid Row/Ratt/Dokken- get all the OG guys back- none of this “Bobby Blotzer Experience” shit. Seriously, all these bands are getting long in the tooth and maybe have 5-8 years left before they expire and turn to cottage cheese- they should do just one more tour and celebrate the glam metal days; believe it or not they still draw crowds in the Midwest and with all of them together they could probably support a small/mid sized arena tour in the right markets.

I mean it’s not like they have anything better to do.

Add Great White to that list there. Then it would do pretty good here I think, not big, but good enough. 



For me it would be Mudvayne. They were unique in their style, no one else had an awesome Rhythm section like that in the "Nu-Metal" genre. Their last Self-Titled album is very, very good, and up there with L.D.50 in my eyes, and may be even better as it shows how much they matured in songwriting. A shame they never toured the album and played the songs live. They would fit right in, in their live set.

Oh, and Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey needs to just put aside his ego, and the rest of the band too, and reunite with the classic lineup one last time and do one big hoorah tour. I have to at least see this lineup of Fleetwood Mac at least once.

 

[hunnus2000]

The New Bohemians!!! 

[Stadler]

Yes,..with Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman or Kay,  and White.  Geddy Lee on Bass.

Even with such a giant on bass, White would not be able to pull of a decent groove anymore. I feel very sorry for him, but I think he should retire.

That's a good point. I wonder if Bruford could still pull it off?  If not,,, MP to the rescue!  🤔

Actually, these sorts of supergroup conflagrations rarely interest me, but I would LOVE to see Anderson-Rabin-Wakeman-Lee-Portnoy.  That would SLAY, because I think both Lee and Portnoy would give it the respect it deserves, while still being able to push Rabin and Wakeman enough to make it interesting.   

[KevShmev]

Oh, and Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey needs to just put aside his ego, and the rest of the band too, and reunite with the classic lineup one last time and do one big hoorah tour. I have to at least see this lineup of Fleetwood Mac at least once.

I have never seen them either, but I wouldn't pay to now.  They are really old now and seeing them sleepwalk through a show just I can say I saw them is not something I would personally do.  And that is not even factoring in how bad Stevie Nicks sounds now when she sings (not really a criticism so much as indicative of her age).

[Stadler]

I'm with KevShmev on this; to make it worse, any of the bands I might offer are all missing key members (death) that would preclude anything really substantial from happening.  Now, if I could wish people back to life?  Then

- Blackmore with the "Rising" lineup of Rainbow;
- Blackmore with the Perfect Strangers (i.e. Jon Lord) lineup of Purple;
- Yes with the Going For The One lineup;
- Pink Floyd with at least Rick Wright, if not Roger Waters;
- ELP
- Asia

I suppose the only real possibility that I'd like to see is Marillion with Fish singing one more time, and Oasis.

[MirrorMask]

- Blackmore with the "Rising" lineup of Rainbow;

Fuck yes. A thousand times yes. A bazillion times yes.

I was lucky enough to have seen Dio and Iommi together (Heaven and Hell). But Dio and Blackmore doing their legendary Rainbow songs? I would have taken a plane for that if needed.

[emtee]

Heart with the classic lineup.
UPO.
Spock's Beard with NM.
Blue Murder
Whitesnake (self titled lineup)

[twosuitsluke]

Dredg (supposedly they are working on new material, but I'll believe it when I see it)

Porcupine tree
RX Bandits
Rage against the machine

Led Zeppelin (not now, but a full 2007 tour would have been sweet)

Didn't even know RX Bandits had spilt 

Also, for me, add The Black Mages! If Nobuo could arrange this and tour the UK I would be ecstatic!!

[pg1067]

Triumph
Yes,..with Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman or Kay,  and White.  Geddy Lee on Bass.

Triumph is the best suggestion in this thread so far.  One of the few bands of that era to have called it quits and stuck to it, as opposed to hanging around playing nostalgia shows and churning out the occasional garbage album that no one cares about.

They got back together for a couple shows about 5-10 years ago, didn't they?  Wasn't there some momentum to do an album together?  Whatever happened to that?


As for Yes, with Chris gone, I think I don't care anymore.  I haven't enjoyed Howe's playing the last couple times I saw them live.  And, while the idea of Geddy Lee on bass with Yes is appealing, the more time that passes without him and Alex producing new music, the less likely it is that I think he has any desire to continue as a musician.  I think he's pretty happy being a wine connoisseur and baseball fan.

UPO.

Hmmmm....

[Buddyhunter1]

Agalloch is the band that made me the most sad when they broke up. The John Haughm situation complicates my feelings towards wanting a reunion through, naturally. I'm also not sure any new material from them would be all that good even if they did re-unite. Their last album was well below their usual standards and from what I've sampled of their projects since then those didn't seem all that interesting either.

[Kotowboy]

REM.

Oasis - but it's

Noel Gallagher - Guitar and Vocals
Gem Archer - Guitar
Chris Sharrock on drums
Russel Pritchard (HFB ) On Bass
Mikey Rowe on Keys.

[Ben_Jamin]

Also, for me, add The Black Mages! If Nobuo could arrange this and tour the UK I would be ecstatic!!

I would definitely see them if they came to the states.

[Volante99]

Oh, and Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey needs to just put aside his ego, and the rest of the band too, and reunite with the classic lineup one last time and do one big hoorah tour. I have to at least see this lineup of Fleetwood Mac at least once.

I have never seen them either, but I wouldn't pay to now.  They are really old now and seeing them sleepwalk through a show just I can say I saw them is not something I would personally do.  And that is not even factoring in how bad Stevie Nicks sounds now when she sings (not really a criticism so much as indicative of her age).

I have it on good authority with someone close to the band that the real (at least one of the major) reasons Lindsay isn’t with the band is that they are sober, and he is not...

Regardless I’ve heard many people who attended their last string of concerts say the band was very low energy and looking, and performing, very long in the tooth. I think we are nearing the end of the line for Feetwood Mac unfortunately.

[Zantera]

REM.

Oasis - but it's

Noel Gallagher - Guitar and Vocals
Gem Archer - Guitar
Chris Sharrock on drums
Russel Pritchard (HFB ) On Bass
Mikey Rowe on Keys.

Can you even call it a reunion if there's none of the classic lineup except for Noel, to which point he can just play Oasis songs solo with his band?

[OpenYourEyes311]

The Styx '99 version that almost happened, but didn't: DeYoung, Shaw, Young, Burtnick, Sucherman. That would have been, to me, the definitive version of the band. All the classic voices, plus Burtnick from the Edge days, and the monster Sucherman on drums. I would die happy seeing this band live.

[Sacul]

Anathema definitely. I'm still heartbroken

[King Postwhore]

Another:

Skid Row/Ratt/Dokken- get all the OG guys back- none of this “Bobby Blotzer Experience” shit. Seriously, all these bands are getting long in the tooth and maybe have 5-8 years left before they expire and turn to cottage cheese- they should do just one more tour and celebrate the glam metal days; believe it or not they still draw crowds in the Midwest and with all of them together they could probably support a small/mid sized arena tour in the right markets.

I mean it’s not like they have anything better to do.

Don Dokjen cannot sing anymore live.