In The Sunday Times today, Michael Eavis (founder of the Glastonbury Festival) is asked for hints about the line-up for next year. He replies:
One of the best bands in the whole world, who haven’t played for 35 years. I’m not saying another word.
Any ideas?
The Beatles!
Well, there is only half a band remaining. I don’t think my money would be on Paul & Ringo.
Haven’t played since ~1970… hmm…
The Velvet Underground?
From a well-known guitarist’s diary, dated June 16th:
Nah. They did a reunion in the '90s. And Sterling Morrison is dead.
I was thinking someone like Cream, or The Yardbirds. The Yardbirds last played together 35 years ago, unless you count their 2003 release which was more of a ripoff of the Yardbirds than anything (no Clapton, no Jeff Beck, no Jimmy Page).
How about the original lineup of The Kinks?
The Who have been touring for years. Cream re-formed last year for the Albert Hall concert. The Kinks are still extant. I’m not sure the Yardbirds could be described as one of the best bands in the whole world.
Well give us a hint. Tall or short? Animal, vegetable or mineral?
It’s from Pete Townsend’s diary.
Genesis with Peter Gabriel? It hasn’t been 35 years, but, outside of the 1982 reunion concert, it has been at least 30 years.
They are when the description comes from a promoter…
But arguably they’d be one of the best if you got all three guitarists together at the same time.
But I’m just guessing anyway. I’m having a hard time thinking of one of the best bands in the world that hasn’t played for 35 years… How about Creedence Clearwater Revival? From what I’ve heard, John Fogerty has patched up his problems with their record label, and has said that he’ll be doing some CCR songs now. But there’s a lot of bad blood between him and some of the original members, so who knows?
I have no idea. At this point, reforming bands that split up that long ago is problematic, because a lot of the original members are dead.
So, we have to ask, is this going to be a legitimate reunion of original members of a well-known band, or a semi-reunion of old members with a bunch of new guys?
If it’s to be a true reunion… how about the original King Crimson, with Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Michael Giles and Ian McDonald? Or the original Roxy Music (get Ferry & Eno back on stage together?).
But something tells me the latter is more likely. Maybe something like that bogus Doors reunion with Ian Astbury replacing Jim Morrison.
I heard it was Dire Straits. And I heard it on a pretty reputable source (BBC Radio 1).
Having said that, they have played more recently than 35 years ago.
Yep. Especially considering that they came together as a band 29 years ago.
:smack:
Ah, you missed a perfectly good opportunity to say “Damn youngsters! Do they know nothing about good music??”. 
What i’m gathering from this thread is that Michael Eavis either a)doesn’t know his rock ‘n’ roll–which is hard to believe, or b)is full of hot air.
I like the Genesis and Crimso ideas, though. Heck, we might as well toss Pink Floyd into the pot.
Pink Floyd played at the Live 8 concerts, so too recent (sadly).
Well, if we’re going to throw Pink Floyd into the pot, we might as well toss out the ‘35’ years thing, in which the game becomes “Name any great rock band that’s no longer together”. Pink Floyd’s last album was in 1995. Their last with Roger Waters was 23 years ago.
Dire Straits didn’t break up until 1995.