Reunion tours: The past is now

  Their faces won't look so young when the Faces get together next year.

Next week Billy Corgan will bring the latest version of the Smashing Pumpkins to Kansas City for two shows at the Midland by AMC.

The Pumpkins include only two founding members: Corgan, who writes and sings everything and plays guitar, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.

Reactions to this tour have been varied. A lot of fans seem to think that as long as Corgan and Chamberlin are on stage, they’re still hearing a bona-fide version of the Pumpkins. Others don’t think so but are willing to settle for the difference if the setlist is loaded with oldies.

Apparently it isn’t on this tour. From a message board: “I am still a huge fan but was really, really, really disappointed in the show … last night. It’s really unacceptable to call it an anniversary tour and then play about three-fourths of the show from a new album which isn’t all that good.”

These days it’s hard to figure out when a band is reuniting or just reviving itself after it a long hiatus. Is the AC/DC tour a reunion? Motley Crue? Like AC/DC, the Eagles started touring again after recording another album, “Long Road Out of Eden.” They played plenty of new songs, but the night felt more nostalgic than contemporary, even without Don Felder in the band.

News about a possible Led Zeppelin reunion gets stranger. Robert Plant has said the one-off show he did last summer was plenty for him. So Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones have been looking for a replacement lead singer. According to one rumor, a leading candidate is Myles Kennedy, the lead singer from Alter Bridge, which is really Creed without its original lead singer, Scott Stapp. Consequently that has started rumors of a Creed reunion.

Page recently said that whatever he, Jones and drummer/heir Jason Bonham do as a group, they won’t call themselves Led Zeppelin. They’ll just play its music, which will make them the best-ever Zeppelin tribute band. Former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell squashed rumors that he’d front the band, calling the prospect “completely depressing.”

One of Cornell’s grunge contemporaries, Alice in Chains, however, is keeping its name as it moves on without its founding lead singer, the late Layne Staley. After a successful tour with replacement singer William DuVall, the band is reportedly working on a new record and planning a 2009 tour.

Yes is doing the same thing as the ex-Zeps — auditioning replacements for Jon Anderson. Then there’s Gun N’ Roses, now Axl Rose and six other guys, including Tommy Stinson, formerly of the Replacements, who could never get together a get-back-together plan. And this week, Rod Stewart confirmed that a Faces reunion is in the works. 

This reunion fever is spreading to local bands. The Get Up Kids had been on the shelf for only three years and four months when they stirred up some mania on punk/emo Web sites with a get-back-together show this week at the RecordBar and a world tour in 2009. That RecordBar show had the aura of a high school reunion: friends, fans and songs together again.

On Dec. 19, Mongol Beach Party, an ’80s groove/funk band from Kansas City, will play a reunion show at RecordBar, its first in more than 15 years. And in February, Kristie Stremel is reassembling her first post-Frogpond band, Exit 159, for two shows. And earlier this month, the old Kansas City record label Titan Records drew several dozen fans, including many from out of town, to a listening party for a Titan anthology of music from the late 1970s and early 1980s.. Small in scope, yes, but vital to their fans.

This reunion thing is exclusive to music; no other form of art or entertainment attempts this kind of endeavor — the resurrection of youth? — unless watching golfers on the Senior Tour gets you warm and fuzzy about the ’65 Masters. Hollywood does the opposite: It takes old movies and refashions them into something that evokes the flash and sizzle of the present.

If you’re going to either or both of the Pumpkins’ “anniversary shows,” be prepared. Corgan apparently is trying to deliver this version of the Pumpkins the way Rose will present Guns N’ Roses: as the band in the “now,” moving forward and looking back. That’s understandable if you don’t want to become a heritage act. It worked for Jackson Browne at Ameristar Casino recently, where he played a lot of new stuff and hired two young background singers to burnish his sound.

But it’s tricky line to walk. The future represents risk, the unknown; the present can be exciting and revelatory, but it can also be static and unfamiliar. Only the past can promise a guarantee: a taste of nostalgia.

Comments

[onthemark]

Speaking of 'best ever Zeppelin tribute band', last summer I caught the 'Dream Concert' at Sandstone and the Led tribute band was 'Houses Of The Holy', and they rawked out pretty good. Including a smoking hot cover of 'Kasmir'!

[sleepy]

I've always said Led Zeppelin and The Beatles ended their respective careers the proper way. It feels like maybe if Led Zeppelin would reunite with Jason Bonham it would be a little more natural that the way, say, Kenny Jones fit into The Who. But I don't think bands can survive personnel changes and not be somewhat different - especially in the cases the likes of Keith moon or John Bonham.

At least the remnants of Led Zeppelin wouldn't call themselves that. I find some releif in that.

I went to Omaha to see what is left of The Who a couple of years ago - after Endles Wire was released. I found it sad when Pete Townshend all but apologized for playing songs from the new disc and thanked the crowd for their patience while they did so. Steve Miller spoke about this on last Sunday's CBS Sunday Morning. He said the crowd shows up to hear The Joker and Take the Money and Run, not any new stuff. How sad.

[bob]

"Consequently that has started rumors of a Creed reunion."

Noooooooooo!!!!!!

[MikeA]

As for the Faces, I think most of the original band members are still alive and lucid. That might be the real deal.

[what up]

Ronnie Lane's bass will be missed, but seeing Ronnie Wood and Rod together again should be awesome.

PS
onthemark, your name fits you very well:) you offer great insight and comments.

[onthemark]

"I used to be in a band called The Who. Now I play in a Who tribute band."

Pete Townshend

[Bryan]

It's hard for new bands to get that same kind of ubiquitous brand identity that those old names had. I can't think of any other reason Corgan is brining back the Smashing Pumpkins' name. There comes a point where the name becomes bigger than the music I suppose.

[onthemark]

what up: Thank you for the kind words. However, I must note that the lack of CAPS, exclamation points(!) and the usage of spell check makes me question if that was really you or some imposter...

[Bubba]

I, myself will always love reunions - hey, they're HUGE these day. Why? One reason is there's so LITTLE good music out today. Might actually depend on your age. Heard from several sources THE WHO should basically quit touring before one of them drops during a performance + I've read in several live reviews that ROGER DALTREY simply cannot sing anymore - heck, they've HAD to cancel shows after one or two songs before.

[Bewlay]

I'd rather see a Faces show than Stones. Rod can rock when he wants to, but will Clive Davis let him off his Frank Sinatra oldies gig? How long has it been since he had an original song that was popular?

[onthemark]

Mmm, I am thinkng that would be 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy'. And personally, I feel like Rod the Bod always sounded better as an interpreter of other peoples songs...

[wadkc]

I'm asking a real question here. Why all the hatred towards Creed? While I'm not a big christian rock band fan, they seem to have put out a couple of albums that sold millions and were quite popular for awhile. Granted, the singer was a tool but many a band has that going for it i.e The Cardinals, Oasis, Black Flag, Kiss and the like. I've heard bands a lot worse. What gives? just curious...

[what up]

LOL onthemark .... that was me. I am able to be very poised and polite, it is NOT as fun....but I can do it.

your comments made me chuckle, thx:)

[Tim Finn]

Mr. Wad: Good to hear from you again. Re: Creed. It's not the songs; it's the singer.

[MikeA]

Bubba makes a good point about the success of reunion shows. There is very little good new music out there. Case in point in one month this summer at the Crossroads acts included: California Voodoo (Widespread Panic cover band,) Badfish (Sublime), and The Licks (Stones). Not reunions but certainly not bands playing original music.

[billy corgan is a whiny melon-head]

srsly bro, watch out for the pumpkins show. read all of the links within the story too:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/147620-smashing-pumpkins-anniversary-tour-is-a-shitshow

[pellboy]

You guys that say that there's very little good music out there today are either crazy or just not looking hard enough. I'm 48 years old and while I still adore some of the oldies acts (I too went to Omaha for The Who), I still get excited by discovering a new act on the internet and even better catching them live for the first time. Heck, just last Sunday, the opening act for Gov't Mule was a young trio (Back Door Slam) that pretty much blew away the Mule crowd with their advanced for their years prowess and it was a sound that should appeal to even old farts still stuck in the 70s.

[lucas]

p'boy you're absolutely right. for the cost of one used up rehash of the oldies, I can go see 5 or 6(even more in some cases: ACDC) shows @ small LOCALLY OWNED venues.

The problem is familiarity. Look at every corner in the 'burbs: same 2 restaurants and 3 big box stores. Look at every "downtown entertainment district" that popped up in the last 10 years: same chain piano bars, pubs, & restaurants. This land of pioneers has developed into a bunch of lemmings, content to keep marching towards national homogenization of culture. Luckily, there are some "radicals" out there for those of us tired of the packaged BS that passes for entertainment these days.

Not to mention, retro never goes out of style. Heck, I'll probably keep marching to Pearl Jam shows well past the expiration of their talents and creative genius.

Disclosure: I will be at the Pumpkins show, prepared for total disappointment/disgust. Music fans all know it's going to happen: their rock stars aging not so gracefully. We just don't like to face it. Reminds me of seeing Ozzy at one of the first Ozzfests. Poor guy all hunched over, looking like rigormortis had set in. Looked over at my brother in law, who'd grew up on Sabbath, etc., just shaking his head.

[Michael]

Yup, I'm prepared for disappointment too (the Chicago and NY shows got awful reviews, by the way), but I got my Balcony 1 row C seat to the 1st show (heavier setlist, less radio-friendly) for around ten bucks on eBay,so I'll probably be a lot less pissed if this show goes south.

[MikeA]

Good point, Pellboy. Back Door Slam was AWESOME. But there is a reason for cover bands and reunion gigs popping up all over. Maybe its the crummy music played on fm radio, which keeps really good bands from getting their due. Any radio stations in town been playing Back Door Slam this week?

[Bubba]

Thanks, Mike A. Yeah, I've seen many great reunions that I'm glad I attended, a few include: JIMMY PAGE & ROBERT PLANT '98 - that was was ZEPPELIN in 'spirit', BLACK SABBATH on Ozzfest, 1999, VAN HALEN, 2007 and the POLICE, 2008 are just a few. Attention: EAGLES fans, heard the guys loved the Sprint Center SO much, they might return in six months. Kansas City doesn't get a LOT of repeat 'major' shows as such, reason is - of course the money ju$t ISN'T there. Let's see what happens.

[MikeA]

Bubba you are slipping into overusing CAPS again. Focus!!

[Bubba]

MikeA - what ARE you talking about? Everything in my previous posting is 100% true. Say, did anyone else see on Channel 4 Kansas City news at 9 tonight that clip about the 550 lbs. woman who was complaining about being pre-judged and mis-treated? Those 'eating disorders' are like a freaking myth - JUST an excuse - it's all hoof and mouth disease.

[Eric]

Billy Corgan wrote 98 percent of all Pumpkins songs (music and lyrics). Additionally, he asked the other two members of the band who are not appearing to rejoin the band. They did not want to.

His current band is generally being reviewed as superior to the old Pumpkins line-up.

The comment about how they play "about three-fourths of the show from a new album which isn’t all that good” is completely inaccurate.

The new album from 2007 is "Zeitgeist". The two shows feature exactly two songs from "Zeitgeist". They are "Tarantula" and "United States". Meanwhile, five songs are being played from 1993's "Siamese Dream" over two nights.

Granted, they are playing some new songs that fans have to search the web to download or hear. I would advise fans attending this tour to look at the setlists and attempt to get a few listens in to the new songs so that they feel a little more familarity with the newer stuff.

[Bubba]

Heard SMASHING PUMPKINS had to postpone their Chicago (Nov. 22) gig, so let's all hope BILLY CORGAN is over his illness. Is it just me or has there been a LOT of postponed and canceled shows in the area and region here lately? Wouldn't want the PUMPKINS to pull a DEPECHE MODE (Starlight) stunt on us, would we?

[junior]

Bubba makes a good point about the success of reunion shows. There is very little good new music out there. Case in point in one month this summer at the Crossroads acts included: California Voodoo (Widespread Panic cover band,) Badfish (Sublime), and The Licks (Stones). Not reunions but certainly not bands playing original music.

I'm the lead singer in California Voodoo and in our defense we played a cancer fundraiser at the Crossroads.. every guy in the band has an original outlet. why don't you talk to the promoters and booking agents and ask why those bands don't get hired.. Its hard being a musician in KC when you have no back up.. and yes, most of the bands are good enough to get at least a lil notice.. too bad we don't rap or play country, we might get hired then...