# Bands / pop music acts that never reunited **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 6, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033 "2007-06-06T20:12:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/1 "2007-06-06T20:12:30Z")
Once upon a time, a formerly huge music act getting back together was a huge event - remember Simon & Garfunkel in Central Park (circa 1980)? Nowadays, it’s so commonplace by now, that it’s virtually an afterthought. Someone pointed out to me once that old bands tend to reunite about 18 years after their central members have sired children. Ergo, the impetus for most formerly rebellious rock & rollers to get back together is to pay their kids’ college tuitions! By now, it’s pretty much a rarity for a pop / rock band NOT to reunite sometime after they’ve called it quits. Even the Beatles - hindered by the untimely murder of John Lennon - managed to produce [a new single](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_as_a_Bird) in the 1990s. One of the few major acts of the last 40 years to not get back together is ABBA. Since they dissolved in the early 1980s, they have not recorded or performed together, and have resisted megabuck incentives to do so. What other bands haven’t reunited? How many can we come up with? ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/2 "2007-06-06T20:39:43Z")
**The Clash** never reunited after breaking up in 1986. Joe Strummer’s death in 2002 makes any reunion cash-in unlikely. It was rumored that the Lollapolooza organizers tried to get them to reform in the 90s. There have been 3 attempts to reunite David Lee Roth with the rest of Van Halen, but all have failed. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/3 "2007-06-06T21:14:11Z")
**New Kids on the Block** broke up in 1994 and have never re-united, despite truckfulls of money being repeatedly shoved at them to try to get them to do so. If they ever do, I am so totally there! God, I’m a dork. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/4 "2007-06-06T21:19:12Z")
[QUOTE=ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness] **The Clash** never reunited after breaking up in 1986. Joe Strummer’s death in 2002 makes any reunion cash-in unlikely. It was rumored that the Lollapolooza organizers tried to get them to reform in the 90s. [/quote] I came here to say this. > [@](#): > > There have been 3 attempts to reunite David Lee Roth with the rest of Van Halen, but all have failed. I dunno…they may not have reunited long enough to tour, but they recorded those two new tracks for the Best Of album in the 90s. In fact, that was one of the alleged factors in Hagar’s departure. Also, **The Smiths** have not reunited AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/5 "2007-06-06T21:26:31Z")
Pink Floyd. Woulda paid at least $1000 to see all 6 of them on stage together. ---
**Author:** ![nevermore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a587f6/32.png) [@nevermore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevermore)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/6 "2007-06-06T21:49:20Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] Pink Floyd. Woulda paid at least $1000 to see all 6 of them on stage together. [/QUOTE] I’d pay that much just to see Waters, Gilmour, Mason, & Wright. I can’t believe they’re all still out there, still making music, but not doing it together. :[ ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/7 "2007-06-06T22:24:25Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] Pink Floyd. Woulda paid at least $1000 to see all 6 of them on stage together. [/QUOTE] Okay, I’ll bite. Who are you counting as #6? ---
**Author:** ![Hubert\_Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hubert\_Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hubert_Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/8 "2007-06-07T00:08:26Z")
The original Smashing Pumpkins never have and most likely never will reunite. I don’t care what anyone says, this so-called SP reunion is just a cheap ploy by Corgan to sell more of his shitty solo music under a more marketable name. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/9 "2007-06-07T00:20:32Z")
It’ll be a cold day in hell when \*\*The Jam \*\* ever reunites. And no, I’m not counting that Foxton/Buckler abomination that’s touring now. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/10 "2007-06-07T00:42:39Z")
[QUOTE=nevermore] I’d pay that much just to see Waters, Gilmour, Mason, & Wright. I can’t believe they’re all still out there, still making music, but not doing it together. :[ [/QUOTE] They were together for a few songs during some benefit concert a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/11 "2007-06-07T01:28:38Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] Okay, I’ll bite. Who are you counting as #6? [/QUOTE] Mr. Screen? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/12 "2007-06-07T12:26:48Z")
I mean five. Musta been the drugs 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/13 "2007-06-07T12:56:13Z")
**ABBA** was offered a billion dollars to tour. They turned it down. Agnetha will never get back with the group, Frida inherited a bunch from her late husband and Benny & Bjorn are raking it in from _Mamma Mia!_. Must be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/14 "2007-06-07T14:00:14Z")
**The Band**? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/15 "2007-06-07T14:42:19Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] **The Band**? [/QUOTE] Only if you want to insist that the '90s lineup without Robbie Robertson wasn’t _really_ the Band. ---
**Author:** ![rhythmonly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rhythmonly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhythmonly)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/16 "2007-06-07T14:46:53Z")
Rockpile. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/17 "2007-06-07T15:46:53Z")
Bonzo Dog Band Emitt Rhodes, despite being a one-person act, hasn’t done anything since 1973. Jefferson Airplane Creedence Clearwater Revival (so far) The Supremes ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/18 "2007-06-07T16:34:42Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Bonzo Dog Band [/quote] Did a live show just recently (sans Viv, of course), and had previously reunited for the “No Matter Who You Vote For, The Government Always Gets In” single. > [@](#): > > Jefferson Airplane 5/6 of the classic lineup (minus Spencer Dryden) made a reunion album in 1989. > [@](#): > > The Supremes Not the original lineup, but Diana Ross plus two later members did that disastrous reunion tour a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/19 "2007-06-07T16:37:58Z")
The original lineup of Genesis. And a folk-rock one that I would pay good money to see - Mr Fox. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-pop-music-acts-that-never-reunited/407033/20 "2007-06-07T16:42:52Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] I mean five. Musta been the drugs 🙂 [/QUOTE] I was half expecting you to answer my question with “Patrick McGoohan.”