# You can revive one dead rock musician, with ONE condition... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2003, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276 "2003-09-28T10:01:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/81 "2003-09-30T10:45:14Z")
Stevie Ray Vaughn. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/82 "2003-09-30T12:59:45Z")
I know, as others do, that the rules said one, but I considered my list to be a ranking of preference for revival. Since it’s a wish list game anyway, what’s wrong with considering possibilities or alternates? Considering the overlap in names mentioned, would you prefer just the mention of the usual suspects: Zappa, Morrison, Hendrix, Lennon, Elvis, Marley, Garcia? Followed by lots of dreaded “Me too” posts. And please be careful mentioning Engelbert Humperdinck even in jest. It brings up memories of a strange Pit thread I lurked for a long time concerning EH, a rabid fan (to say the least) who was a poster briefly, and Down Under Doper **kambuckta** who I became a fan of as a result of that thread. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/83 "2003-09-30T13:19:22Z")
Eva Cassidy ---
**Author:** ![Starrman10](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Starrman10](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starrman10)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/84 "2003-09-30T14:10:31Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t know man. > > That was one of those deaths that was just…right. What if he would have went on and started playing lame disco like his bandmates, or worse yet, turned Morrisey-like. If he wouldn’t have killed himself, Joy Division would have been just another whiney new wave band but he proved he meant what he was singing. Lets just keep Ian in his grave. That is dark and beautiful - I change my vote and want to leave Curtis in the ground. I have always noticed how much more effecting the songs are, knowing the guy hung himself. Tear. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/85 "2003-09-30T15:38:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Starrman10 \* > \*\*That is dark and beautiful - I change my vote and want to leave Curtis in the ground. I have always noticed how much more effecting the songs are, knowing the guy hung himself. Tear. \*\* Haha! I think I detect a hint of sarcasm. 😃 Say what you will, but lame New Order style disco and whiney alt-rock are way worse than death. Shit, look at how cool the Butthole Surfers would be right now if Gibby would have self destructed after Hairway To Steven instead of going on to make Electric Larryland! I’m only kidding…kinda…sorta 🙂 jon ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/86 "2003-09-30T18:52:43Z")
I mean this sincerely, **Liberace**. He could finally be out of the closet and still _fabulous._ ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/87 "2003-09-30T22:18:29Z")
Well, we can never know if our late, lamented musical heroes had much great music ahead of them, so I’ll make my choice on completely non-musical grounds. Harry Chapin. I pick Harry because, unlike many of the other nominees, he spent an enormous part of his life, talent and money trying to help worthy causes (Springsteen has always cited Harry as one of his heroes for that very reason). It’s possible, heck, it’s almost CERTAIN that Harry would never have had another hit along the lines of “Taxi” or “Cat’s in the Cradle,” but if he had his life back, I have no doubt he’d be playing a benefit concert somewhere right now (he got into his fatal car wreck on the way to a benefit, after all, and he’d probably say he was just making up for lost time!). ---
**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:** [October 1, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/88 "2003-10-01T01:18:55Z")
Criss Oliva (Savatage). Guitarist, died in a car wreck (10 years ago this month, IIRC)… He’d be about forty now and still have many good years left in him. Trans-Siberian Orchestra would sound f—ing awesome… oh, well ☹ ---
**Author:** ![menstrualla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@menstrualla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/menstrualla)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/89 "2003-10-01T01:44:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultrafilter \* > \*\*Wesley Willis. Seeing as he just died, the condition’s not a big deal. \*\* I second that! I miss Wesley so much. I mean, millions of people write songs everyday, but nobody else in this world will ever write another “Rock and Roll McDonalds” ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/90 "2003-10-01T06:26:37Z")
Either Kurt Cobain or Cliff Burton. Cobain because then I could see Nirvana live, and as people have mentioned, he was going interesting places before his demise. Burton becuase I love Metallica and would give most anything to see the original four rock ass. And **ultrafilter** , **menstrualla** , “Batman beat the hell out of me and knocked me to the floor. I got back up and knocked HIM to the floor” ---
**Author:** ![Starrman10](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Starrman10](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starrman10)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/91 "2003-10-01T12:50:33Z")
> [@](#): > > I think I detect a hint of sarcasm. Actually it was more melodrama than sarcasm. I think nitroglycerine has a real point and I really think the fact that Ian Curtis offed himself adds a level of emotion to the music he made when alive. For the record, I am huge into Joy Division and New Order as well. I would just like to have heard more of the music that was in Curtis’ head, especially considering his youth. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/92 "2003-10-01T13:29:35Z")
Eric Clapton! Wait, Clapton’s not dead. Yeah, that’s God. He just likes to think he can play like Clapton. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/93 "2003-10-01T15:13:49Z")
Richard Manuel ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/94 "2003-10-01T17:07:19Z")
Definately Elvis. I own pharmacuetical stock… ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/95 "2003-10-01T17:57:24Z")
Can I vote for missing pieces of rock stars? I’d give ol’ Rick Allen his arm back… ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/96 "2003-10-02T21:02:11Z")
**D. Boon** from _The Minutemen_ ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/97 "2003-10-02T21:36:17Z")
Lennon Hendrix Morrison Nowell ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/98 "2003-10-02T21:41:20Z")
Janis and Jimi would be nice, but I have to go with John Lennon. Not only for the music, but he would have been a political voice to reckon with by now. Mayor Lennon of NYC? ---
**Author:** ![Quack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e99b99/32.png) [@Quack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quack)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/99 "2003-10-03T01:37:16Z")
Joe Strummer Not only would I like to see a Clash reunion, but I’d like to see him play with the Mescaleros. Everything I’ve heard of theirs is great. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276/100 "2003-10-03T01:37:54Z")
I’d like to hear what Lennon would have said about Sir Paul’s knighthood. And Ringo’s Pizza Hut commercials. And the “Revolution” Nike ads. And George having a hit with “Got My Mind Set On You” and its limited amount of lyrics. And… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-one-dead-rock-musician-with-one-condition/204276.md?page=6)