# Indispensible Band Members ("It's Not \_ Without \_") **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408 "2003-08-11T15:57:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [August 11, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/21 "2003-08-11T19:04:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Intaglio \* > \*\*I wish these bands and others who have lost members because of death, would not reform, especially when you lose a Front Man/Face of the Band. \*\* Well, I do wish I were going to the next Dead show, even if, without Jerry Garcia, they’re no longer Grateful. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/22 "2003-08-11T19:06:45Z")
In addition to Genesis, I can think of another 70s band that didn’t become mega-popular until _after_ their most distinctive band member left, namely (can you guess?) … … Pink Floyd after Syd Barrett. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/23 "2003-08-11T19:11:10Z")
It just wouldn’t be The White Stripes without Jack White, but that’s just my opinion 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/24 "2003-08-11T19:11:20Z")
Man, that’s the second post in two days where I was beaten to the punch while writing. Gotta learn to use preview! ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/25 "2003-08-11T19:12:21Z")
No Michael Stipe; no REM. No Shirley Manson; no Garbage. No Anthony Kiedis and no Flea; no Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Who is still The Who with just Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry–but just barely. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/26 "2003-08-11T19:14:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AchimbaProphet \* > \*\*Axl Rose himself is not Guns N Roses. What a travesty. \*\* See, but if you added Slash, it would work. But Slash alone couldn’t do it either. Tis a complicated world. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/27 "2003-08-11T19:25:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GargoyleWB \* > \*\*Two exceptions that would appear on the surface to be indispensible but weren’t: Ozzy in Black Sabbath, and Bon Scott in AC/DC \*\* **Gargoyle** , please correct me if I am wrong, but you ARE saying here that Sabbath and AC/DC are STILL good, even without their original frontmen, right? This is what I took it to mean but there does seem to be some confusion on that point. My take on AC/DC is that Malcolm and Angus are the indispensible ones. And I think Pearl Jam would not be the same without either Eddie or Mike McCready. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/28 "2003-08-11T22:14:07Z")
Some more: No Rivers Cuomo; no Weezer. No Bono and no The Edge; no U2. No Mick Fleetwood; no Fleetwood Mac (obviously). Speaking of which… > [@](#): > > In addition to Genesis, I can think of another 70s band that didn’t become mega-popular until _after_ their most distinctive band member left, namely (can you guess?) … How about Fleetwood Mac after the successive loss of _two_ frontmen: Peter Green and Bob Welch? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Dark\_Canuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Dark\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Dark_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/29 "2003-08-11T22:24:08Z")
**rockle** I second your vote for Pearl Jam. Eddie Vedder can’t be replaced. Nice to see someone else who gives McCready the credit he deserves. I’ll add it’s not Tool without Maynard. Too haunting and unique of a voice to replace. But they wouldn’t be the same either without Danny Carey on drums. Much too talented and original to replace with any old drummer. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/30 "2003-08-11T22:39:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Edward The Head \* > \*\*What exactly is so bad about Black Sabbath without Ozzy? Dio did a very good job coming in after Ozzy. I even enjoy some of the other Sabbath material as well. Sabbath is Iommi. > > Iron Maiden got Dickinson after DiAnno, and some including me enjoy the Blaze era Maiden. Priest was the same, though not as good with Ripper. > > Helloween has gone through three singers and is still strong, as has Savatage. > > Maiden is and always will be Steve Harris. Just as Motorhead will always be Lemmy. \*\* I second that. Steve Harris IS the backbone of Maiden. Not a bad bass player either. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/31 "2003-08-11T23:35:13Z")
Nice to see some postings about Martin Barre - guitarist of Jethro Tull. Yes, he may not be the flashiest guitarist but his solos are well-thought-out (as opposed to someone else just playing speed for speed’s sake). Think about that guitar solo in “Aqualung” - one of the best constructed rock and roll solos in R&R history IMHO. (“It’s reuired reading at the Academy” as they say in Star Trek LOL) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/32 "2003-08-11T23:37:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Dark Canuck \* > Nice to see someone else who gives McCready the credit he deserves. > > I’ll add it’s not Tool without Maynard. \*\* I would say that Gossard is Pearl Jam. Also, A Perfect Circle is basicly Tool with different players, so you are pretty much right there. Maynard is the draw. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/33 "2003-08-11T23:57:44Z")
Fleetwood Mac w/o Christine McVie doesn’t work for me. Electric Light Orchestra w/o Jeff Lynne? Nope! So screw you, Bev Bevan. The Beatles wouldn’t work without all four members. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/34 "2003-08-12T01:06:26Z")
No Lindsay Buckingham=No Fleetwood Mac. For me anyway I agree that No Jeff Lynne=No ELO. ---
**Author:** ![suki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@suki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suki)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/35 "2003-08-12T01:24:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Dark Canuck \* > \*\ ***rockle** I second your vote for Pearl Jam. Eddie Vedder can’t be replaced. Nice to see someone else who gives McCready the credit he deserves. > > I’ll add it’s not Tool without Maynard. Too haunting and unique of a voice to replace. But they wouldn’t be the same either without Danny Carey on drums. Much too talented and original to replace with any old drummer. \*\* 😃 what he said There is no Pearl Jam without Eddie Vedder. ---
**Author:** ![jweb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@jweb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jweb)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/36 "2003-08-12T01:29:11Z")
I gotta agree with **Dark Canuck** on Tool. Additionally, it wouldn’t be Nine Inch Nails without Trent Reznor. (duh, as he does almost all of the studio work himself and hires bandmates when he tours). ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/37 "2003-08-12T01:32:23Z")
I’d say Porcupine Tree **is** Steven Wilson. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/38 "2003-08-12T01:37:37Z")
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say no Metallica without Cliff Burton. And Justice For All was a decent enough album, but it was just the first step down a slippery slope to the utter cheeseball hell in which they now dwell. They suck. But I do have to disagree with people who say that Roger Waters sucks. Come on, guys. You might miss Syd Barrett, and you may not personally like Waters, but he’s a gifted lyricist, probably one of the best in rock, ever. I think that the post-Barrett Pink Floyd with Waters is easily one of the greatest rock bands of all time. JMO, YMMV, I guess, somehow… ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/39 "2003-08-12T03:05:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astorian \* > **… > Ric Ocasek and ANY set of hired musicians can call itself the Cars. > …** No. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408/40 "2003-08-12T03:12:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Intaglio \* > \*\*Also The Doors are not The Doors without Jim Morrison - The Lizard King. > > I wish these bands and others who have lost members because of death, would not reform, especially when you lose a Front Man/Face of the Band. Sorry it just isn’t the same. \*\* A-friggin’-men. Ray Manzarek needs to stop leeching off a guy who’s been dead for 31+ years now. Great keyboard player, to be sure, but based on his legacy of using Jim for his own personal aggrandizement, I think he needs to go away. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indispensible-band-members-its-not-_-without-_/194408.md?page=3)