News

Reunited – But Does It Feel So Good?

• 26th Jan 2011

There has been a trend recently for bands to reunite after a long period. But is this always a good thing?

Fans of Spandau Ballet and the Eagles, who once said they wouldn’t play together until hell froze over, would probably think reuniting was worth it. And many Led Zeppelin fans have been dreaming of new material even since that London show.

Giving a whole new generation of fans the opportunity to see bands play live can be great, although the years can take their toll. But if fresh material is being recorded to add to the older stuff it can be a good musical experience all round.

So how many original members does it take for it to be the same band? Some of the 80s tours in recent times have seen original line ups come together again, although that hasn’t always been the case.

At one time you would see posters for old bands, usually at seaside resorts, and when you read the small print it said something like, “features one original member”.

And there were other occasions when two or even three different versions of the same band would be touring, competing to keep the name alive. Or to cash in on it, perhaps.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this issue ever since I heard that Thin Lizzy were touring with Ricky Warwick from The Almighty as lead singer. Now Lizzy were one of my favourite bands back in the day. I saw them live several times and still play their music regularly.

The thing is – Phil Lynott was Thin Lizzy. He was the founder, frontman, vocalist, writer and the heart and soul of the band. Since his death in 1986 there have been various tribute concerts and even short tours, but that’s all they were.

For me, without Phil Lynott it simply can’t be Thin Lizzy.

This isn’t meant to be a slur on Ricky Warwick. He is a fine singer and more than decent guitarist. But I think this is one reunion too far, and that’s why I didn’t go to see the band. It just wouldn’t have been the same.

Sometimes the memories from the original period are good enough to last without the need to attempt to recreate them..