Why does Chicago still exist?

Cafe Society
#1

I mean the band.

If they’d broken up in about 1976 I might be buying their records now. Instead I’m fantasizing about organizing a boycott to put them out of their misery.

#2

We think it’s time for them to quit. Ah, but does anyone really know what time it is?

#3

Somebody has to play the showrooms at Indian casinos.

#4

Does anybody really care?
Obviously not.

#5

Someone, I can’t remember who, suggested that they only keep selling albums because they number them–“people think they have to own the whole set, like encyclopedia supplements.”

#6

I’ve wondered the same thing of Kansas, The Temptations, and many other bands, especially the ones that have no or maybe one original members left.

The answer of course is money. They’re past their prime by decades but they can still get 4 figures for appearing at county fairs and city fests and D List venues, so that’s a lot more than they’d get from “Best of” album sales.

#7

I remember that joke from the book Paperback Writer–30 years ago!

#8

Oh god. It’s worse than I thought.

#9

I’m with you- Chicago pre-1976 is sublime. What happened in the 80’s I have blocked out. I can only imagine how bad their current output is.

#10

AFAIK Chicago still includes four of the seven original members: all three horn players plus keyboardist Bobby Lamm.

#11

25 or 6 to 4?

#12

Brass band… skyrocketing scrap metal prices…

light bulb click

#13

I had no idea Chicago was still performing, but hey, if I had a job that allowed me to sleep till noon, have orgiastic sex with teenage girls and get free drinks everywhere, and that paid well on top of it, I’d be kind of reluctant to retire.

#14

I think the orgiastic sex with teenage girls stopped a while ago.

I thought this was about Jordan retiring.

#15

I remember an old Rolling Stone interview where Michael Stipe swore REM would break up in the year 2000, so they wouldn’t keep staggering through the motions, like, um, Chicago. Ultimately, one of those two bands will open for the other.

#16

I saw them last summer on a double bill with Earth, Wind and Fire. They did only old stuff (as did EW&F) plus the two bands played a set together. It was really, really good.
But then again, they played nothing from their Air Supply phase.

#17

Perhaps someone can form a band called “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow” and put an end to Chicago.

#18

I heard my mama cry
I heard her pray the night Chicago died

#19

What about puppet shows?

#20

I’m too lazy to look up a cite, but didn’t Jagger say once that he’d rather die than still be singing Satisfaction when he’s (God forbid) 40?