Bands that broke up at just the right time

[Vincent Vega]

What are bands that you feel broke up (either by choice or tragedy) right while they were at a peak? Bands that, had they continued, might've faded into nostalgia acts or become passe or had the music world pass their sound by and in the process tarnished their legacy?

I submit:

The Beatles-- I can't imagine The Beatles in the '70s, the era of Led Zep, Punk, wild stage shows, glam, and Disco. I think if the Beatles had continued anytime past around '72 or '73 their sound, unless it underwent radical changes to accomadate the '70s, would've sounded too innocent, too simple and passe in the '70s. I can't also imagine the Beatles trying to accomadate glam, or adapting to Disco (as most rock bands did in the late 70s) without tarnishing what The Beatles were all about. I suppose I could see them going in a total prog rock direction or more into Let it Be style blues or even a soft rock sort of direction but...I just see them as a 60s-early 70s band, music of that era, not beyond. I couldn't imagine a record like Abbey Road existing alongside Physical Graffiti or the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack without seeming like oldster music.

The Doors---They could've put out some amazing bluesy albums in the early 70s but again I can't see them going past around '74 without turning into a nostalgia act of sorts or simply having their musical style being passe.

Led Zeppelin- On one hand, as someone who loves electronic music and experimentation in music, I would've loved to have seen what Zep would've done in the New Wave era of the 80s...On the other it could've been horrible and I think by '79 the band was already sort of beginning to wane in popularity. They weren't the band that dominated music the way they did from '69 to '76.

Edited September 7, 2012 by Vincent Vega

[ZoSoRose]

The Beatles- As sad as it was, it was the right time and really cemented their legacy

Led Zeppelin- This one breaks my heart. Along with GNR, Zep is MY band lol. I would have loved to see them but they made the right call ended when they did. I do wish Plant gave into the reunion tour in 07-08 though.

X Japan- Another one of my favorite bands. They also made the right call when they did. Their lead singer, Toshi announced he was going to leave the band and all the members had already begun several solo projects taking their focus away from the band. They played one last legendary show and went their separate ways. Luckily, they did reform and I got to see them.

[CheapJon]

Probably all big bands who ever broke up. Made 'em even bigger and more legendary.

Same as those who died at the height of their careers, however morbid that thought may be.

I don't see the point of speculating of what the bands could've done. Although I'm not a fan of Kurt Cobian I think he could've done some pretty cool things as he got older and shit but he died and that's that.

Same with bands, if they break up and move on, I do too.

[JKKDARK]

Jane's Addiction. They wrote their first two albums before signing a major label.

Nirvana. Overrated, Kurt wouldn't be a god now if he was alive.

[bran]

black sabbath w/ozzy- the band was crumbling and put out 2 garbage releases needed a change

iron maiden w/di anno- i love the first 2 releases by maiden killers being one of my all time favorite albums but i feel maiden might have ended up like angelwitch and diamond head if they didnt go with dickinson

nirvana- they would have faded with all the grunge of bands

[Powerage5]

black sabbath w/ozzy- the band was crumbling and put out 2 garbage releases needed a change

iron maiden w/di anno- i love the first 2 releases by maiden killers being one of my all time favorite albums but i feel maiden might have ended up like angelwitch and diamond head if they didnt go with dickinson

nirvana- they would have faded with all the grunge of bands

Good call on Maiden - the Di'Anno albums are 2 of my favorites and I could've enjoyed more Di'Anno material, but all the pieces fell in place impeccably for Maiden to make their big breakthrough. Maiden couldn't have been theatrical with Di'Anno and thats the biggest point to me. Even if he'd have been able to keep his voice in check over the years, they just wouldn't be the live band that they are now - possibly the best live band on the planet.

[Johnny Drama]

Beatles, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd.

[GivenToFly]

I generally tend to like later music by my favorite bands, which many people dislike (Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, GNR etc.) so i would say none. I'd rather have more to choose from than less.

[chevelle]

Honestly, the original Guns. I mean, it still didn't turn out great for the new line up, but what would really have gotten besides generic blues rock record after generic blues rock record? It's probably best that they went their separate ways and each did their own thing.

[classicrawker]

Rage Against the Machine............as much as I love them they had run their course when they broke up...I don't count the several short term reunions they have done with no new music...........that being said I would love to see them do a reunoin album now that they have had some time away..

Velvet Revolver..they caught lightning in a bottle with Contraband but Scott was a bad fit for that band IMHO and did not want to make the same type of music the others did............

Edited September 9, 2012 by classicrawker

[rocker rockstar]

At least with VR break up we got a STP and Rage reunion so the timing was pretty good. I think the Audioslave breakup was a little early but the timing worked out since Soundgarden had a reunion. I really wish original GNR did not breakup so soon. I can only imagine the records they could have done if the continued after Illusions. Or imagine what Illusions could have sounded like is Steven did no get kicked out.

[axlslash]

Springsteen and the E Street Band. Taking the 18 year break between Born in the USA and The Rising made them hungrier and better when they came back.

[Johnny Drama]

At least with VR break up we got a STP and Rage reunion so the timing was pretty good. I think the Audioslave breakup was a little early but the timing worked out since Soundgarden had a reunion. I really wish original GNR did not breakup so soon. I can only imagine the records they could have done if the continued after Illusions. Or imagine what Illusions could have sounded like is Steven did no get kicked out.

RATM is so overrated as well. And in terms of overrated bands, at least Nirvana kill RATM.

[ThinkAboutYou]

At least with VR break up we got a STP and Rage reunion so the timing was pretty good. I think the Audioslave breakup was a little early but the timing worked out since Soundgarden had a reunion. I really wish original GNR did not breakup so soon. I can only imagine the records they could have done if the continued after Illusions. Or imagine what Illusions could have sounded like is Steven did no get kicked out.

RATM is so overrated as well. And in terms of overrated bands, at least Nirvana kill RATM.

I actually ran into Zack at Lord Of The Fries had a nice chat and ordered some fries noone walking past even knew who he was Zack was there with his One Day As A Lion band mates.

Edited September 9, 2012 by ThinkAboutYou

[Johnny Drama]

At least with VR break up we got a STP and Rage reunion so the timing was pretty good. I think the Audioslave breakup was a little early but the timing worked out since Soundgarden had a reunion. I really wish original GNR did not breakup so soon. I can only imagine the records they could have done if the continued after Illusions. Or imagine what Illusions could have sounded like is Steven did no get kicked out.

RATM is so overrated as well. And in terms of overrated bands, at least Nirvana kill RATM.

I actually ran into Zack at Lord Of The Fries had a nice chat and ordered some fries noone walking past even knew who he was Zack was there with his One Day As A Lion band mates.

WTF when was this?

EDIT: That's pretty fucking cool.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Johnny Drama

[ThinkAboutYou]

At least with VR break up we got a STP and Rage reunion so the timing was pretty good. I think the Audioslave breakup was a little early but the timing worked out since Soundgarden had a reunion. I really wish original GNR did not breakup so soon. I can only imagine the records they could have done if the continued after Illusions. Or imagine what Illusions could have sounded like is Steven did no get kicked out.

RATM is so overrated as well. And in terms of overrated bands, at least Nirvana kill RATM.

I actually ran into Zack at Lord Of The Fries had a nice chat and ordered some fries noone walking past even knew who he was Zack was there with his One Day As A Lion band mates.

WTF when was this?

EDIT: That's pretty fucking cool.

Soundwave 2011 day of the show we were about to catch the train to the showgrounds and noticed him so I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

[dalsh327]

Springsteen and the E Street Band. Taking the 18 year break between Born in the USA and The Rising made them hungrier and better when they came back.

Van Zandt was in the band for a short period of time, but I think the reunion tour with Van Zandt and Lofgren together made them an even better band.

[classicrawker]

At least with VR break up we got a STP and Rage reunion so the timing was pretty good. I think the Audioslave breakup was a little early but the timing worked out since Soundgarden had a reunion. I really wish original GNR did not breakup so soon. I can only imagine the records they could have done if the continued after Illusions. Or imagine what Illusions could have sounded like is Steven did no get kicked out.

RATM is so overrated as well. And in terms of overrated bands, at least Nirvana kill RATM.

Have you ever seen Rage live? and in a small club? until you have you don't know how wrong you are.....and Nirvana is the most overrated band of the last 20+ years...If Kurt had not off'd himself they would have been just another band in the grunge fad IMHO.....and I happen to love grunge..............

[dalsh327]

At least with VR break up we got a STP and Rage reunion so the timing was pretty good. I think the Audioslave breakup was a little early but the timing worked out since Soundgarden had a reunion. I really wish original GNR did not breakup so soon. I can only imagine the records they could have done if the continued after Illusions. Or imagine what Illusions could have sounded like is Steven did no get kicked out.

RATM is so overrated as well. And in terms of overrated bands, at least Nirvana kill RATM.

Have you ever seen Rage live? and in a small club? until you have you don't know how wrong you are.....and Nirvana is the most overrated band of the last 20+ years...If Kurt had not off'd himself they would have been just another band in the grunge fad IMHO.....and I happen to love grunge..............

I think most people wish GNR didn't try to push for something so grandiose. Most bands would've followed up with the leftovers from the first album and added a few new songs, instead of taking an ambitious approach to it.

But at that time, who knew if they were even going to live to see 1991. Like Adler said, you can see Izzy's track marks on the Rolling Stone cover. Sorum coming in prob. saved their asses and moved things forward, the same way Bumblefoot coming in helped tie up Chinese Democracy, even if it took a few more years, but in '06, they were touring, and in '08, the damn thing was out.

RATM had problems during Evil Empire, and there was always band friction.

AFD and RATM's debut should be on every "greatest debut album of all time" lists.

[Johnny Drama]

At least with VR break up we got a STP and Rage reunion so the timing was pretty good. I think the Audioslave breakup was a little early but the timing worked out since Soundgarden had a reunion. I really wish original GNR did not breakup so soon. I can only imagine the records they could have done if the continued after Illusions. Or imagine what Illusions could have sounded like is Steven did no get kicked out.

RATM is so overrated as well. And in terms of overrated bands, at least Nirvana kill RATM.

Have you ever seen Rage live? and in a small club? until you have you don't know how wrong you are.....and Nirvana is the most overrated band of the last 20+ years...If Kurt had not off'd himself they would have been just another band in the grunge fad IMHO.....and I happen to love grunge..............

I love RATM. Don't get me wrong. But I just find that they have a shtick that gets old quick for me. In response to the last post, Izzy's track marks? Izzy was clean by that time. Track marks meant nothing.

[Jabberwocky]

Sex Pistols

White Zombie

The Obsessed

[bran]

Sex Pistols

White Zombie

The Obsessed

i agree on white zombie

[DieselDaisy]

Zep got out perfectly. We were saved from the embarrassment of listening to – Bonhamless – pop-rock albums with cack-handed '80s production techniques (think, Stones and Queen during that period). ITTOD was a decent record but it was obviously weaker than their prior albums and the perfect time to bow out. Can you really imagine them releasing albums in the '80s? No. Perfect time to bow-out.

The Beatles' timing was correct also. Lennon-McCartney had been defunct for some time; Harrison was clamouring for a solo career. Let it Be (recorded prior to Abbey Rd) was a ramshackle affair, however, the band managed to pull it together for a masterpiece and a fitting swan song in Abbey Rd. Nonetheless, it isn't as if 1970s music (blues-based hard rock; progressive-rock; pop) was so detrimental to the Beatles' musical style (not surprising because they inspired so much of it). 'Helter Skelter' and 'I Want You' would fit perfectly within a 1970s context. Hypothetically then, they could have soldiered on and released, perhaps, one, maybe two records of a 'Let it Be' calibre (perhaps more hard rocky but still with some saccharine Macca ballads). But the timing was correct in regards to their personal relations. In other words, I base this more on band politics and less on musical style.

I disagree about the Doors. Looking at LA Women, I could have seen two-three more records of that blues style released through the '70s. Morrison would have done some poetry and other stuff but he would have always returned to the Doors. I could certainly envision a great Doors album in say, 1975.

Ozzy era Sabbath's timing was good but you could argue that an even better time to bow-out would have been, following Sabotage. That would leave six masterpieces - no Technical Ecstasy - no Never Say Die. Nonetheless, you cannot blame the band for continuing a bit longer.

This reminds me of when great boxers fight one-too-many fights when their legs have gone (Holmes and Berbick v a certain out-boxer; Tyson v McBride and Williams). Zep then are the Rocy Marciano of rock.

[Zint]

Alice Cooper Group.

I remember bringing home Muscle of Love all excited and putting on..listen..listen again, listen again...ultimately wound up thinking "oh dear".