Media Slag
April 2007
A monthly rant on the tepid traits and tawdry interactions of the media machine. This month Guy Oddy looks at the phenomenon of the band reunion, when getting back together isn’t the hardest thing…
What do the Stooges, the New York Dolls and the Doors have in common? They were all significant bands whose careers were dead and buried thirty years ago? They all had something worthwhile to say about the human condition? They all lost members to the grim reaper, largely sacrificed on the altar of substance misuse? They all wrote pretty good tunes that proved to be an influence on generations of musicians and punters alike?
Well, yes and no. The answer, in these circumstances, is that after a natural lifespan of seven years or so, a fair few stellar gigs and a handful of truly great records, they decided to call it a day. Various members pursued solo careers with limited success. Then, they got old. At this point, they realised, like so many of us, that their pension provision was somewhat inadequate.
“What to do? What to do? I know, no one gives a shit about our solo stuff and record sales are drying up from our illustrious past. Let’s reform our revered band and MAKE SOME MONEY.”
At this point, I imagine that someone pointed out that there were some empty chairs at the table.
The camera switches to Detroit, sometime in the early 21st Century. Iggy Pop, Ron and Scott Ashton are having a beer together. “So, the pension plan is cool on paper, but what are we going to do about Dave Alexander (the Stooges’ original bass player), he’s been dead for years? I guess we could get James Williamson in and play the Raw Power stuff too, but he’s a wanker and we all hate him. Mmmm. I know, let’s call up some uberfan from a similarly well-loved band from the past, who could also do with a few bob to keep the bailiffs from the door. Mr Mike Watt, come on down!”
And if that was happening with the once-mighty Stooges, what on earth was going through the minds of bands like the New York Dolls, where session men now out-number original members? It must be like watching little kids playing dressing up or touring ‘Stars In Their Eyes’. Tonight Matthew, I’m going to be Johnny Thunders, indeed.
After a few turns around the festival circuit and maybe a triumphant tour taking in the major cities of Europe and the USA, it’s then time to decide whether they are going to remain a very cool cabaret act, or write some new tunes. Some, like the Pixies are happy to remain a cabaret act, pumping out the well-loved tunes from their significant albums, spiced up with the odd cover version. Others feel their muses waking up and record new albums. Or in the Stooges case, spice up a mediocre Iggy Pop solo album (Skull Ring) with a handful of new songs, written and recorded by the band. Some of these were rather good but the forthcoming new Stooges album, ‘The Weirdness’, is something to be dreaded.
Unfortunately, with the possible exception of Jane’s Addiction, the new, (frequently) drug-free version is nothing more than a gang of old men (and sometimes women) trading on past glories.
So what, though? Really, so what? Everyone is due a reasonably comfortable old age, if it’s within their reach, surely? Of course they are. Being elderly in modern western society is no fun. Everyone knows that. So, if you can get some cash together to make things a little bit easier, that’s cool, isn’t it?
It’s fine and it isn’t something that I’d begrudge anyone. However, to sell these reunion tours and subsequent albums as great cultural events is insulting and offensive. Much as I love all of the bands mentioned in this piece, I have now had to accept that their legacies are now tarnished with substandard, cash-in records and shows which suggest that Disco Dad has stopped bothering women young enough to be their kids, in nightclubs across the world, and has got on stage. Yes, the bands that I spent much of my adolescence bouncing around to have become part of some surreal karaoke world, and ultimately, part of the heritage industry. How long before a National Trust-sponsored Kinks reunion? Or perhaps, Nirvana get back together with Mark Arm taking over Kurt Cobain’s role? Wait a minute, isn’t he already playing for the recently reformed MC5?
