# Bands touring that really aren't the original band anymore **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2015, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866 "2015-06-07T04:55:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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 8, 2015, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/41 "2015-06-08T21:55:40Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > It’s ok, they replaced her with Steve Perry. Now I want to hear Steve Perry sing “Sexy Eiffel Towers.” ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/42 "2015-06-08T22:29:33Z")
Not sure if this one counts since they changed the name by a few letters, but Creedence Clearwater Revival’s rhythm section (drummer Cosmo Clifford and bassist Stu Cook) hired a John Fogerty sound-alike and have been touring as “Creedence Clearwater Revisited” for many years. Don’t be fooled. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/43 "2015-06-08T22:53:43Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > It’s ok, they replaced her with Steve Perry. About a month ago, [Renaissance keyboard player John Tout died.](http://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-tout-dies/) They immediately replaced him with Steve Perry. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/44 "2015-06-09T01:33:29Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Well according to law that a band can only use the name of that band as long as there is one of the original members. Other can’t tour as that band if none of the members were ever part of any reincarnation of that band. ## We’re just letting this go?? 😕 One of the oldest groups in existence is the Sons of the Pioneers. All of the original members have been dead for years. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/45 "2015-06-09T05:50:51Z")
I think The Folksmen are still all the originals. They toured as the opening act for Spinal Tap. And large portions of the audience didn’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/46 "2015-06-09T06:01:17Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Not sure if this one counts since they changed the name by a few letters, but Creedence Clearwater Revival’s rhythm section (drummer Cosmo Clifford and bassist Stu Cook) hired a John Fogerty sound-alike and have been touring as “Creedence Clearwater Revisited” for many years. Don’t be fooled. This is what I came in to mention. And not only that, they’re dishonestly being advertised as the famous Grammy winning band, Creedence Clearwater Revisited. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/47 "2015-06-09T06:04:47Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Around 1999/2000, there was a band touring as Frankie Goes To Hollywood that had no original or later members. The act consisted of 5 Americans, 2 of whom claimed to have been uncredited studio musicians on the _Welcome to the Pleasuredome_ album, although producer Trevor Horn says he never met either of them. Apparently the singer incorporated in Alabama as “Frankie Goes To Hollywood” and got away with it because the original band had never obtained a US trademark. Basically a cover band pretending to be the real deal. > > 90s ska-pop band Save Ferris advertised a “reunion” show in 2013 that consisted of singer Monique Powell and a completely new backing band. The rest of the original band sued to stop her from using the name; she counter-sued claiming the band never broke up, it was just that all the other members quit, and as the sole remaining member she could legally use the name. I think it’s still in court. Rod Evans famously pulled that stunt in 1980 with a “Deep Purple” comprised of himself and a bunch of no-names, assembled by a very dodgy management team: he got personally sued, hit with a massive bill for damages, and has never been heard of since. Nobody’s ever been able to track him down. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/48 "2015-06-09T06:41:27Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > The smashing pumpkins. Everyone except corgan is gone but it doesn’t matter much. I think corgan wrote most of the music, and he is the singer. The beat goes on. Supposedly he is hard to work with so I’m sure that plays a role. It isn’t the Pumpkins without a minimum of Jimmy Chamberlain and James Iha. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/49 "2015-06-09T08:23:18Z")
First I’d heard of the Yes situation. Very sad. My feeling has always been that if you have either Anderson & Squire, or Anderson & Howe, or Squire & Howe, you have Yes. So now’s the time to bring back Anderson. ---
**Author:** ![HowSoonIsThen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@HowSoonIsThen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HowSoonIsThen)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/50 "2015-06-09T08:46:21Z")
The Grindcore band Napalm Death has been touring for about twenty years without any original members. In fact, they’d lost all original members by the second side of their debut album “Scum”. Both sides had the same drummer, though. But he’s gone now. As is everyone who performed on that album. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/51 "2015-06-09T14:25:23Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > First I’d heard of the Yes situation. Very sad. My feeling has always been that if you have either Anderson & Squire, or Anderson & Howe, or Squire & Howe, you have Yes. So now’s the time to bring back Anderson. I’d love to see him back with them, though it’s now been almost 7 years since the band first decided to tour without Anderson (when he was ill in 2008). Since then, they’ve recorded two albums with other singers, and it doesn’t seem like the bad blood is about to go away. I’ve learned to never say never when it comes to Yes’s line-up, but given the ages of the guys now, I’m not sure that it looks good. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/52 "2015-06-09T14:42:19Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I’ve always thought that Yes without Jon Anderson was a dubious proposition… They came to town last year, or the year before. They were playing all of Fragile and Closer to the Edge. “Sweet!” thought I, and bought tickets. We left after three songs. I couldn’t take it with the new singer. (Also, at the start they played this little intro film that was supposed to get you amped up about seeing Yes, like it was an arena show or something. What it did for me was make me realize I had paid to watch a bunch of guys desperately cling to the past.) I have wasted over $100 on a lot of things in my life, but this is one I’m still ouchy over. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/53 "2015-06-09T15:01:53Z")
> [@HowSoonIsThen](#): > > The Grindcore band Napalm Death has been touring for about twenty years without any original members. That’s sort of nitpicking though, since Barney Greenway/Mick Harris/etc. are definitely regarded as the “classic” lineup. In 2013, when Geoff Tate was fired from Queensrÿche, both camps went to court fighting over use of the name. A preliminary injunction allowed BOTH sides to use the name, which meant that for a short while, there were TWO bands named “Queensrÿche” who were releasing albums and touring. Eventually, it was Jackson/Rockenfeld/Wilton who were given rights to the name, while Geoff Tate was given the sole right to perform _Operation: Mindcrime_ and _Operation: Mindcrime II_ in their entirety. Jethro Tull pretty much became Ian Anderson’s solo band in 1980 when he fired everyone except Martin Barre. In fact, the change came about because the album “A” was meant to be his solo effort, but the record label insisted on releasing it as Jethro Tull. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/54 "2015-06-09T15:49:39Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > The Guess Who. No Randy Bachman or Burton Cummings, just a half-assed line-up with the two least important original members, who screwed over Burton and Randy. See Burton if he tours near you, awesome show. I had no idea Burton Cummings was still touring. He had one of my favorite voices from that era. Looks like he’s not coming any closer to here on his current tour than Bethlehem, PA, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/55 "2015-06-09T17:04:03Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Well according to law that a band can only use the name of that band as long as there is one of the original members. So Paul could tour with three other guys as The Beatles? Could Ringo also do that, and at the same time? I’m pretty sure that it’s more complicated than that. I think these things are usually determined by contracts or lawsuits rather than a law. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/56 "2015-06-09T17:18:52Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > So Paul could tour with three other guys as The Beatles? Could Ringo also do that, and at the same time? > > I’m pretty sure that it’s more complicated than that. I think these things are usually determined by contracts or lawsuits rather than a law. Agreed; the Beatles name is, IIRC, co-owned and managed by Paul and Ringo, along with Yoko and Olivia. Individual members are undoubtedly precluded from doing anything unilaterally. Anything like “touring as the Beatles” would have to be agreed on by all four of them, or there would be lawsuits galore. Similarly, the Yes band name is owned by Squire, Anderson, Wakeman, and Howe (and, I think, Alan White). When the rest of the band elected to go on without Anderson in 2008, I know that Anderson wasn’t happy about it, but I don’t know how much legal recourse he had (or if legal action was threatened). They may have a different contractural set-up. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/57 "2015-06-09T17:56:34Z")
There do, in fact, appear to be laws on the books in some states requiring a group to have at least one original member in order to advertise themselves as that band, as opposed to a tribute band. The general term for them is “Truth in Music” laws. Jon Bauman (you know, “Bowzer” from Sha Na Na) has been very involved in lobbying for such laws. [Here](http://www.vocalgroup.org/truth_states.htm) is a page touting their success in getting these laws passed in 33 states, which are listed. Some caveats. This page does not appear to have been updated for some time. There is reference to a Federal version of the law, “to be introduced” in 2009. To the best of my knowledge, that Federal did not pass, if it was in fact ever introduced. Who knows if more states have passed similar laws, if the state laws already passed have been repealed or expired, and how diligently the laws were enforced. The most amusing part of that page, in retrospect, is the bit at the top which celebrates Governor Blagojevich signing the Illinois bill into law. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/58 "2015-06-09T18:01:00Z")
Okay. I wasn’t thinking about truth in advertising laws, but that makes sense. At the very least, they need one original member to use the name, but often there are also contractual requirements on top of that. ---
**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 9, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/59 "2015-06-09T18:43:01Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I’d love to see him back with them, though it’s now been almost 7 years since the band first decided to tour without Anderson (when he was ill in 2008). Since then, they’ve recorded two albums with other singers, and it doesn’t seem like the bad blood is about to go away. I don’t think it’s just bad blood. Even if they wanted him back, Anderson’s respiratory problems have left him unable and/or unwilling to commit to the kind of touring schedule that a band like Yes needs to keep its head above water. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866/60 "2015-06-09T19:01:27Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I don’t think it’s just bad blood. Even if they wanted him back, Anderson’s respiratory problems have left him unable and/or unwilling to commit to the kind of touring schedule that a band like Yes needs to keep its head above water. That may well be. [Anderson’s Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Anderson#2010-2014:_The_Living_Tree.2C_Survival_.26_Other_Stories.2C_Open_and_keeping_on_touring) shows him recording and performing regularly over the past few years, but those tours seem to be a fairly limited number of dates, and are likely shorter / less intensive than recent Yes tours. Plus, there are several notes in there about delayed / cancelled dates due to Anderson’s health. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-touring-that-really-arent-the-original-band-anymore/721866.md?page=4)