Nick Drake
John Fahey
Warren Zevon
George Harrison
John Lennon
some people added more then one and so shall i
Kurt Cobain
George Harrison
John Lennon
Joe Strummer
Brad Nowell
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Joey Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone
James Honeyman-Scott
Pete Farndon
My gut says Hendrix, but my heart says Lowell George. It would be really interesting to see what Little Feat would have morphed into were he still with us.
Also Townes Van Zandt. I wish we had a few more of his songs. What a writer!
When did Barry Manilow die?
I think with that criteria, I’d have to say Kurt Cobain or Stevie Ray Vaughan. There are others I’d pick to come back before either of them if they could be the same age they were when they died rather than the age they would’ve been if they’d lived till 2003.
I don’t think Kurt Cobain ever fully realized the scope of his fame. It would also be interesting to see if the grunge movement would have lasted as long if he hadn’t died and become an instant legend.
I think Scumpup was being snarky about Barry Manilow, okielady. Particularly since many people think Barry has about the personality of a barely-revived mummy.
When I was 13 years old, I saw the Doors perform in my high school auditorium, of all places (we had a GREAT two years of concerts in that auditorium – but I digress). I stood right in front of the stage and nearly got my fingers stomped on by Jim Morrison. And even at that young age, I was struck by how totally empty his eyes were. Like you looked into his soul – and there was absolutely nothing there. He was already a walking dead man.
I would NOT want to see him back. ::shudder::
D’OH! :smack:
I should’ve caught that. I’m a tad embarrassed now.
Oh well.
John Lennon.
I certainly have to second (well, third or fourth) Duane Allman. If I only get one pick, he’s it: Hendrix and Morrison at least got 27 years. Duane wasn’t even 25. 
John Lennon and Bob Marley, in no order, after that. I think to myself a lot that the world needs someone like that. Bono’s doing a good job, but you know. 
Zappa too, for the music and for his outspoken advocacy. Stevie Ray Vaughan had recently cleaned up when he died, I bet he had a lot left in the tank.
If we can step outside of rock, there are a lot of players like Robert Johnson, Coltrane, Charlie Parker and others who missed out on a lot of good years (if not their primes)…
The real weirdness of scumpup suggesting Barry Manilow’s “resurrection” is
- You think he’d be the one whose music you’d like to hear in its “new” phase ? and
- When was he ever considered to be a rock and roll performer?
John Lennon
Buddy Holly
Cub Coda (always wanted to see Brownsville station live)
Frank Zappa (one of my teenage heroes)
John Lennon (liked his edge better than McCartney’s “granny music.” I think they balanced each other out well.)
Freddie Mercury (Queen rocked)
Glen Buxton (though probably wouldn’t been much musically himself, the original Alice Cooper group will always be number one with me)
I’d pick John Lennon.
One of the best Doonesbury series was when Elvis did come back to life, but would only play the tunes of his “good friend” John Denver!
Freddy Mercury - died way too young. Perfect male voice.
John Lennon - the best writer of the Beatles.
Jim Croce - folk never ages.
All the dead Van Zants and friends - Southern Rock perfection.
Hank Wlliams (Sr.) - just because.
As a few posters have noted, rock legends who are known primarily for their instrumental talent are probably better choices than singers. With a singer, you just get an old version of the singer, and the voice is seldom if ever anything like as great as when they were young (pace Elvis). On the other hand a guitarist, for example, can refine and improve and expand his technique for a lifetime, and many of them get better after their early, youthtful and fame-frenzied years.
For this and many other reasons, I go with Hendrix. It would be wonderful to see what he would have done with that awesome guitar talent, had his career not been cut short so tragically. Sure, he might have just burned out. On the other hand, he might have channelled his unique talent into countless fruitful directions.
Hendrix or Lennon? Flip a coin… Marvin Gaye’s another sterling choice.
Worth a mention: Pete Ham [of Badfinger], Bryan MacLean [Love].
See, the 1978 Morrison was already rotting in his grave in Paris. You’d want at least the 1970 Morrison, when he was still alive.
I dunno, I have this theory that if the Lizard King were still alive, he’d be an alumnus of the Betty Ford Center, and the Doors would be relegated to the casino nostalgia circuit.
That said, I don’t think I’d want anyone back from the dead.
Robin
Sid Vicious and Darby Crash (of the Germs). Both of these nihilistic punkers were full of star quality charisma if not talent. Sid wasn’t quite the dumbass the media portrays. He just had bad luck with drugs, and real bad taste in women. If it wasn’t for Nancy, I bet he would’ve been bigger than Elvis.
I’ll throw my vote in for FZ too. Maybe we’d be talking about President Zappa right now if he was still here.
I often wonder what Robert Palmers stuff would sound like if he was still with us.
International Playboy, I’m with you on Glen Buxton. Alice Cooper, the band, was probably the most influential and underrated band in the history of music.
< hijack> I’m listening to the new Alice album right now, and it’s actually GREAT! Its better than the last couple of albums by the original group. < /hijack>
jon
Lennon I guess, if only for the big-girls-blouse bickering with Macca.
How about a mention for poor old Mick Ronson?
Robert Johnson was my first thought when I read the OP (even though he’s blues), but he’d be 92 years old. Not exactly in his prime.
Brian MacLean is dead? Noooo!
(Actually, I think I did know that, but I forgot it.)
My personal choice would be someone like Jeff Buckley or Kurt Cobain, who died young in the past ten years.