# Rock bands that stayed around too much or not enough **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2018, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371 "2018-07-22T05:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/81 "2018-07-24T02:53:41Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Noboby ever makes these threads about jazz or classical artists. > > Pop and rock artists are usually connected to the fun young years of their fans life. Firstly, one usually isn’t having to same sort of life changing experiences at 40 that one had at 18 and secondly we also have a much wider appreciation of music. A Rolling Stone album from the nineties might actually be musically better than their classic material but we judge music differently as we mature. I had enough Lang Lang after 2 weeks, does that count? Ditto for Valentina Lisitsa. And I could get excited about Arkady Volodos again but haven’t heard much. Maybe I’m just not paying attention. ETA: For a more obvious one, Pavarotti hung it up WAY too late. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/82 "2018-07-24T02:55:04Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > My suspicion is that Squire may have been the only one with whom everyone else got along. On at least two occasions he duked it up with Bruford - after one of BB’s last gigs with them, and during Rick Wakeman’s audition. I recall a Bruford complaint about Squire always going apeshit insistent that BB’s kick follow particular bass lines, and how they’d be up at 4:30 am (_Close to the Edge_) working on practically the same note, over and over. I guess Bill was getting close to the edge. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/83 "2018-07-24T04:27:39Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > That was actually one of their credos. That they wouldn’t tour without some new music to play and that they’d play at least half - at one time it was all except one song - of any new album. Rush was one of my favorite bands when I was a kid, but… > [@blondebear](#): > > Besides that, when classic rock groups go out on tour, people want to hear the old hits. They either haven’t heard or don’t care about new material. It’s a common meme that concert goers start heading for the bathroom or snack bar when the band starts playing their new material. This is exactly why I stopped going to Rush concerts after seeing them on the _Test for Echo_ tour. Half the damn concert was songs from that album and Counterparts. One can only go to the bathroom so many times. ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/84 "2018-07-24T07:01:42Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I’ve seen them play twice with Lambert; he has a very different voice from Freddie, but they put on a great show, and both Brian and Roger are still strong performers. At least in the eyes of this longtime Queen fan, they haven’t “stayed around too long.” I was a huge fan of Queen from when they first started out (yes, I’m that old :D), and I had a huge crush on Freddie Mercury when I was a teenager. I’ve seen Adam Lambert with Brian and Roger (I presume, from what you are saying that Roger has retired) singing a Queen song on tv and I thought he did “Freddie” justice, he’s a very good singer. I imagine that I’d be quite critical of somebody doing “Freddie’s role”, but I liked Adam, thought he was good. I’m not much of a fan, but I liked AC/DC’s hits with Bon Scott. I think the “new guy” Brian what’s-his-name is ok too. He’s obviously been accepted by the fans because they’ve been gigging for years with him as the singer. I guess I’m quite accepting of changes in lineup, as long as the replacements are any good. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/85 "2018-07-24T10:39:25Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Beaten to it by Dravid. The Rolling Stones haven’t done anything worth listening too since 1980 or so. Yeah, but they can play to 100,000 capacity football stadiums and they have a large number of touring band employees and staff that make a good living, too. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/86 "2018-07-24T15:27:08Z")
> [@blob](#): > > I’ve seen Adam Lambert with Brian and Roger (I presume, from what you are saying that Roger has retired) Actually, it’s John Deacon who has retired. He was apparently never particularly comfortable in the spotlight, and about 20 years ago, he stepped away from performing, and has only infrequently made any public appearances or statements since then. He’s still technically a member (and part owner) of the band, along with Brian and Roger, though the two of them have indicated that they don’t have much contact with him anymore. They still always consult with him on financial decisions regarding the band. I know that, in the past, Brian has stated that, whenever they’ve embarked on any new projects (recordings and tours), they had always asked John if he was interested in joining them, and he had always turned them down. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/87 "2018-07-24T16:00:51Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Yeah, but they can play to 100,000 capacity football stadiums and they have a large number of touring band employees and staff that make a good living, too. True… And yet they ARE going to stop someday… Have they made a conscious decision to continue touring until they’re dead? If not, then they’re going to have to have some sort of decision or plan, whatever it might be. (Maybe they have one already. Maybe they can’t agree. Who knows?) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/88 "2018-07-24T17:12:44Z")
> [@blob](#): > > I’m not much of a fan, but I liked AC/DC’s hits with Bon Scott. I think the “new guy” Brian what’s-his-name is ok too. He’s obviously been accepted by the fans because they’ve been gigging for years with him as the singer. The “new” guy, Brian Johnson, has been retired for a couple of years, due to hearing problems. He’s been replaced by another new guy, somebody named Axl Rose. ---
**Author:** ![Goodnight-Loving](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9fc29f/32.png) [@Goodnight-Loving](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goodnight-Loving)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/89 "2018-07-24T17:18:40Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > **ZZ Top** should have called it a day after about three albums. You mean a couple after Eliminator, right? I ask because that was their eighth album. I’m glad they stuck around long enough to make it. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/90 "2018-07-24T18:41:50Z")
> [@Goodnight-Loving](#): > > You mean a couple after Eliminator, right? I ask because that was their eighth album. I’m glad they stuck around long enough to make it. Yeah, I was going I say this. Eliminator is one of my all time favorite albums. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/91 "2018-07-24T19:35:37Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > …As for stating too long - I don’t have any problem with The Stones. I’m not out there buying all that much of their new stuff, but I’m glad they’re offering it. I’d rather listen to them try something new than yet another album from The Pretentious Wankers. I mean U2. > > I would have been happy if U2 had packed in it at War. I think success ruined them. Thought I’d posted already in this thread, oh well. I liked Steel Wheels. Not as big a fan of later stuff, and even Wheels wasn’t anything like Exile on Main Street or Some Girls. U2 was the band I was thinking of. No Line on The Horizon was OK, though if they’d stopped after All That You Can’t Leave Behind, that’d have been fine. EDIT: Finish with their Super Bowl halftime show and go out on top. They sound like both elevator music and a U2 cover band at this point. Men At Work was a band I thought hung it up too early. Or Colin Hay wanted more of a solo career, I dunno. So many bands have been cut short from tragedy. AC/DC’s been mentioned though I grew up listening to Brian’s vocals, I prefer Bon’s. Joy Division, of course, though New Order is great too. Nirvana. Just so many. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/92 "2018-07-25T03:53:05Z")
> [@Goodnight-Loving](#): > > You mean a couple after Eliminator, right? I ask because that was their eighth album. I’m glad they stuck around long enough to make it. No. I meant the first three. A couple of things: 1. The dreck that is Afterburner is a direct response and follow-up to the success of Eliminator. So fuck Eliminator just for that. Besides, Eliminator hasn’t aged well, though that’s not exactly the point of this thread. I did enjoy it at the time, but wouldn’t listen to it now. 2. ZZ Top’s music is sort of like listening to Bluegrass. It’s ok, kind of fun, but after three songs it all just starts sounding the same. I could listen to every song they ever made, or just the same three songs over and over, and I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![steadicam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@steadicam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steadicam)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/93 "2018-07-25T14:17:18Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > **The Rolling Stones** , thirded. > > Their past-their-prime period has been twice as long as their peak. I disagree. True, their studio output isn’t worth even a free download. But in concert they are fantastic! In fact, they are musically better than they were when they were at their peak in the early 70s. Well except for maybe Keiths’s solos…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/94 "2018-07-25T15:19:26Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Actually, it’s John Deacon who has retired. Yes, thanks, I obviously messed that up, saying Roger was performing AND retired. I didn’t know Brian Johnson wasn’t still in ACDC, shows what I know, but he was with the band for a long time, wasn’t he? Longer than Bon? Bon died a long time ago now. You can say what you want about bands lasting “too long” but I admire the stamina of the “older” members. Mick Jagger has the energy of a bloke a fraction of his age, he still dances around the same as when he was young. When you think he’s over 70, his physical ability is pretty impressive. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/95 "2018-07-25T15:29:01Z")
> [@blob](#): > > I didn’t know Brian Johnson wasn’t still in ACDC, shows what I know, but he was with the band for a long time, wasn’t he? Longer than Bon? Bon died a long time ago now. A _lot_ longer. Bon died in 1980; Johnson was the band’s singer from then until 2016. Johnson was forced to retire (or maybe just take a break, depending on what story you read) due to hearing loss (his doctors warned him he faced possible deafness if he didn’t stop touring). ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/96 "2018-07-25T15:32:35Z")
Has anyone discussed R.E.M. yet? Back around 1990, one of them (Peter Buck?) said in an interview that they were considering retiring on New Year’s Eve '99-'00. Instead, they soldiered on for another eleven years. In fact, I thought their last good album was 1996’s _New Adventures in Hi-Fi_. They should have retired after touring for that album – indeed, drummer Bill Berry did just that, though mainly for personal reasons (mostly, health related). It’s hard to say what’s cause and effect, but I think the band was running out of musical ideas and cultural relevance already, and Berry’s departure was simply well timed. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/97 "2018-07-25T15:41:58Z")
I am shocked that we’ve gotten this far in and no one has mentioned Kiss yet. Even being the huge fan that I am, they’ve been around way too long. They did release some new material (2009 & 2012) but they just announced a nearly 3 year tour, and I don’t see how they’re going to pull it off. Paul Stanley’s voice is shot. I’ve seen some videos of the first shows of this tour and he sounds awful. Just plain awful. Visually, they still put on a great live show, but it’s the same set list they’ve been playing for the last 20 years. It’s a shame they can’t just retire gracefully instead of milking their early success. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/98 "2018-07-25T15:55:42Z")
All this kvetching about the Stones and not one mention of [Blue and Lonesome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_%26_Lonesome_(The_Rolling_Stones_album)), good or bad? It was a fine album and a rare pleasure by any standard. Yes, it is 100% covers, but that is the nature of the genre. I’m glad they did such good work, though I am a little disheartened by folks who would rather scoff at how the group hasn’t produced any good material in decades than listen to their fresh takes on the standards. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/99 "2018-07-25T15:59:23Z")
Artist who should probably pack it in: Bob Dylan. I’ve seen him three times: 1986, 1992, 2010. He’s been phoning it in for a long time now. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371/100 "2018-07-25T21:13:09Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > Artist who should probably pack it in: Bob Dylan. I’ve seen him three times: 1986, 1992, 2010. He’s been phoning it in for a long time now. I’ve not ever seen Dylan live, but the sense I get, from reading various articles and reviews of his shows over the past few years, is that the quality of a Dylan show is highly variable (and has been for a while). Apparently, there are still nights in which he’s into it, and puts on a very good show, and other nights on which he’s pretty clearly going through the motions. It also sounds like he plays what he wants to play, with little regard for what his audience might want to hear (which sounds so very Bob, anyway). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-that-stayed-around-too-much-or-not-enough/818371.md?page=6)