Worst (and best) band reunions

[ZoSoRose]

I am not a big Motley Crue fan. In fact, I think they are kind of lame, now. Their big break- up stunt and grand- finale tour has been pretty funny and clearly disingenuous considering they got back together. I have been following their activity very lightly because there seems to be some interesting drama. 

Vince Neal sounds and looks awful, they are accused of mimicking their instruments on- stage, they reunite shamelessly and then kick an original member out when they are all in their 60s and 70s... way to tarnish a longtime career! I have nothing against cash- grabbing reunion tours, but at least do it right without drama. 

It got me thinking that this has to be one of the lamest reunions that have happened. I am glad the GNR reunion did not go that route. I would have thought it would have, but aside from a few minor hiccups, it has essentially been a huge money- making success with low drama. 

What other reunions have sucked or have been underwhelming? What have been some of the stronger ones?

Bad reunions-

Motley Crue- Reasons listed above. They have ongoing drama that led to them parting ways with arguably their most talented member. If they just left it alone, they could have avoided this bullshit (although Nikki, Tommy, and Vince are probably just aiming to count the cash). John 5 is talented, but who wants a big band to get back together only to fall apart and then continue with a hired hand? Arguably their biggest sin is the band sounding absolutely awful live. 

Lynyrd Skynyrd- The band name and legacy has long been buried in the mud. Should have ended with the plane crash. It sure did creatively. 

KISS- KISS falls into the good and bad category for reunions. I wish I could have seen that first reunion tour in 1996, actually. The band actually sounded killer on that tour and the 1996 tour is probably oned of the best examples of a nostalgia- reunion- tour done right. The sets, sounds, and sites all looked like they came out of 1975. The issue comes after when they fell back into their old ways... hard. A middling tudio album with Peter and Ace only involved on a track or two, and then Peter and Ace turning into a brief revolving door until it imploded again. Obviously, the reunion's success led to Gene and Paul dressing up hired hands like Ace and Peter. It is a good thing the reunion happened. It let a lot of new fans see the real deal (I was too young as I was born at the end of '91) and let old fans relive the glory days. They just couldn't keep it together. 

Van Halen (2004)- Getting back with Sammy apparently turned into a mess. Eddie had issues with substances and Sammy seemed stand- offish. I have listened to some boots from this era and they are not great. Seemed to cause the final amount of bad blood that also led to Eddie and Al ousting Michael Anthony. 

Smashing Pumpkins (2007)- The band's revival was a fake reunion. Billy hired on Jimmy Chamberlain to play drums in a revised Smashing Pumpkins. Some tracks on the comeback album were okay, but then the band devolved into "NuSmashingPumpkins" with Billy as the only original member. The 2018 reunion has been more successful, with at least James Iha joining Billy and Jimmy (although Billy fucked over Darcy). They sound pretty good live from what I saw, but the new material is Billy Corgan- ego wank. I'd still consider their second go at a reunion pretty successful after the underwhelming 2007 try. 

Led Zeppelin (1985, 1988, 1995)- All of these performances were bad in their own way. Live Aid is an infamous mess due to Phil Collins not knowing the drum parts and Jimmy Page being absolutely sloshed. Aside from some missed lyrics, the band sounded a bit better in 1988 but Page did not have any gain come through on his guitar so it sounds awful. Finally, their brief reunion in 1995 at the Rock Hall was awkward due to tensions within the band, and featured some okay- at- best jamming with Aerosmith and Neil Young. 

Pantera- The band is missing its two most important members because they are dead. You get to see a jerk singer and a jerk bass player parade around with Zakk Wylde using a revived band named that has also been long- dead. I think it is pretty funny they decided to finally use the band name to rake in some dough. More power to them, I guess. Add to the fact that Phil and the brothers did not get along. In fact, it seems like it was basically hate- so it really is borderline insulting to say this is a reunion... but who cares? They all seemed like dirtbags!

NSYNC- 90s pop- gods. They resurfaced last year after 20 years with a new (terrible) song, did a bit of press, and then will fuck back off into oblivion so Justin Timberlake can do his own thing while riding the nostalgia wave from their grown- up Millennial fans. He did the same thing apparently 10- years back to the other guys. 

The Fugees- Lauryn Hill vocal issues and assumed personal difficulties lead to canceled shows for their 2023 comeback. 

Rage Against the Machine (2020)- Same as above. COVID kills the tour then Zack has an injury leading to this tour failing after a few shows. Seems they are done. 

 

Good reunions-

Guns N' Roses- No, Steven and Izzy (and Matt, I guess) are not in the band. Aside from that, the GNR reunion has really been successful on almost all levels. We are picky and critical on here. It is true that Axl's voice is not what it was, and it is also true that we still do not have a full- length record, but the fact of the manner is that the Axl, Slash, Duff + Fortus, Frank, Melissa, Dizzy extravaganza has been a consistent, well- oiled touring juggernaut for 8- years. No big public drama within the band, deep cuts in the set, 3- hour- shows, some revamped "new" songs, and it led the way for some killer content with the 1986 Sound City Sessions and the Ritz 91 and Vegas 92. And you know what? Axl did sound pretty damn good at the start for 2016. I'll take it. 

Van Halen (2007)- Getting back with Roth was a much more successful venture than their 2004 go with Hagar. It is a bummer that Anthony got replaced with Wolfgang, and Dave did not sound great, but the band gave the fans 3 huge tours spanning from 2007- 2015. Most importantly, Eddie was sober and playing better than ever throughout most of the reunion. That is what really matters at a Van Halen show. Plus, I think "A Different Kind of Truth" is one of the strongest reunion classic- rock records out there. I really dig it. 

Eagles- They kind of pulled a Crue with Don Felder, but overall, the Eagles have been a touring fixture for almost 30 years since they first got back together. Tons of professional and polished concerts for the masses, sometimes with a hook to change things up (acoustic, playing Hotel California as a whole, orchestra/choir, past members like Bernie Leadon touring with them, and some new songs). Their reunion album, "Long Road Out of Eden" is overlong, but there are still some gems on it. The title track and "How Long" are very good songs. Sucks Felder and the band could not keep it together, or even find a way to make amends after Fray's death, but what are you going to do? I can't put them in the "bad" category considering how consistent they have been even with drama and adversity since the 1990s. We even got a documentary to air out some of their dirty laundry. 

Black Sabbath- These guys have also had a ton of drama and some aspects of their various reunions are a mixed bag. They have gotten back together various times throughout the 90s and 2010s, and overall, they have been great gigs. Ozzy did not sound amazing in 2013- 2017, but Geezer and Iommi more than made up for the vocals and seeing those guys all together was still a powerful thing to witness. The drama with Ward was disappointing, and although I liked it a lot at the time, "13" just ended up being a fine album instead of a great album. Overall, though, I'd say the Sabbath reunions gave us some great shows. The second Dio reunion renamed Heaven and Hell gets an honorable mention, too. That album is great. 

The Police- That is an example of a great reunion. Get back together, launch a monster tour, make sure you sound good, and then you can call it a day if that is what you want. True closure (I regret not going, and I could have!). Get down to business and then close shop if that is what you truly want. 

Led Zeppelin (2007)- Same as The Police but for one show instead of a tour. I wish more than anything I could have seen that show or that Plant would have done a tour. Either way, the 2007 O2 show ROCKS imo and more than makes up for their failed reunions in the 1980s. 

Pink Floyd- Same as The Police and Zep but for only one brief set! Roger and David are back to verbally killing each other, and Rick has long since passed, but for 20 or so minutes in 2005, the four classic Pink Floyd members played nice and delivered a superb four song set. Maybe not total closure, but it is something!

 

What are some other good reunion examples?

Edited February 2 by ZoSoRose

[username]

13 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

Pink Floyd- 

but for 20 or so minutes in 2005, the four classic Pink Floyd members played nice and delivered a superb four song set. Maybe not total closure, but it is something!

This, so much. It was more than any Floyd fan dared to wish or hope for. But it happened. It was surreal. It only lasted for a very short time. But it was amazing. I'm really glad this happened. 

[Rindmelon]

For the worst i'd have to say Queen. Not saying that Adam Lambert guy doesn't have pipes, he is clearly very talented. But how do you replace Freddie? you can't, John Deacon had the right idea not being involved I think. Pantera for the same reason.

For the best i have no idea, i'll edit the post if I think of one. I don't really think of GN'R as a reunion, just a different lineup of a band that has a constantly evolving lineup.

[ZoSoRose]

Just now, username said:

This, so much. It was more than any Floyd fan dared to wish or hope for. But it happened. It was surreal. It only lasted for a very short time. But it was amazing. I'm really glad this happened. 

It happened right when I was really getting into classic rock. I wasn't quite a full Floyd fan (I sure am now), but I remember watching it with my dad at my grandparents' house in 2005 live. I am glad I did!

[ZoSoRose]

20 minutes ago, Rindmelon said:

For the worst i'd have to say Queen. Not saying that Adam Lambert guy doesn't have pipes, he is clearly very talented. But how do you replace Freddie? you can't, John Deacon had the right idea not being involved I think. Pantera for the same reason.

For the best i have no idea, i'll edit the post if I think of one. I don't really think of GN'R as a reunion, just a different lineup of a band that has a constantly evolving lineup.

I thought of putting Queen on the list but I opted not to because they technically use the project name as "Queen + ____". It is kind of an asterisk way of them admitting it is not the same without Freddie and John, but they get to still use the name for maximum sales and impact. 

I saw them with Lambert twice and honestly, they were supreme shows. Killer arena spectacles with a band and vocalist that sounded great . I know it is not the same as with Freddie, but I am grateful they decided to do a big project with Rogers or Lambert. For those of us who couldn't see the real deal, these shows are still excellent ways to hear the discography in a huge setting. Plus, Brian May rocks live and was born to play in arenas and stadiums. For that alone, I can't fault the project. 

 

Good call with Pantera! That "reunion" is hilarious and blatently fucked up considering the Abbott brothers hated Phil. I saw Metallica and missed their set. I was a little bummed about that because I like seeing spectables, but on second thought, I'm good. All those guys in Pantera seemed like awful people, so I guess this "reunion" is fitting. I'll add that to the list above. 

Edited February 2 by ZoSoRose

[EvanG]

54 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

(although Billy fucked over Darcy).

 

How so?
If anything, she fucked over Billy. Billy and the other members did everything to get her back in the band because they know how much the fans wanted to see the original four reunited. They tried to put as little pressure as possible on her, because she always had terrible stage fright and hadn’t performed live in almost twenty years, by telling her she could play as many songs as she was comfortable with and be as flexible as she wanted to be regarding doing shows. Billy tried for a long time to get her in the same room but she kept bailing and eventually leaked his text messages to the press and talked shit about them. I know many people love to hate on Billy but this wasn’t on him.

Regarding their new music, it’s not my cup of tea, but I applaud them for not constantly doing the same thing, like most 90’s bands.

[username]

2 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

I am not a big Motley Crue fan. In fact, I think they are kind of lame, now. Their big break- up stunt and grand- finale tour has been pretty funny and clearly disingenuous considering they got back together. I have been following their activity very lightly because there seems to be some interesting drama. 

Vince Neal sounds and looks awful, they are accused of mimicking their instruments on- stage, they reunite shamelessly and then kick an original member out when they are all in their 60s and 70s... way to tarnish a longtime career! I have nothing against cash- grabbing reunion tours, but at least do it right without drama. 

It got me thinking that this has to be one of the lamest reunions that have happened. I am glad the GNR reunion did not go that route. I would have thought it would have, but aside from a few minor hiccups, it has essentially been a huge money- making success with low drama. 

What other reunions have sucked or have been underwhelming? What have been some of the stronger ones?

Bad reunions-

Motley Crue- Reasons listed above. They have ongoing drama that led to them parting ways with arguably their most talented member. If they just left it alone, they could have avoided this bullshit (although Nikki, Tommy, and Vince are probably just aiming to count the cash). John 5 is talented, but who wants a big band to get back together only to fall apart and then continue with a hired hand? Arguably their biggest sin is the band sounding absolutely awful live. 

Lynyrd Skynyrd- The band name and legacy has long been buried in the mud. Should have ended with the plane crash. It sure did creatively. 

KISS- KISS falls into the good and bad category for reunions. I wish I could have seen that first reunion tour in 1996, actually. The band actually sounded killer on that tour and the 1996 tour is probably oned of the best examples of a nostalgia- reunion- tour done right. The sets, sounds, and sites all looked like they came out of 1975. The issue comes after when they fell back into their old ways... hard. A middling tudio album with Peter and Ace only involved on a track or two, and then Peter and Ace turning into a brief revolving door until it imploded again. Obviously, the reunion's success led to Gene and Paul dressing up hired hands like Ace and Peter. It is a good thing the reunion happened. It let a lot of new fans see the real deal (I was too young as I was born at the end of '91) and let old fans relive the glory days. They just couldn't keep it together. 

Van Halen (2004)- Getting back with Sammy apparently turned into a mess. Eddie had issues with substances and Sammy seemed stand- offish. I have listened to some boots from this era and they are not great. Seemed to cause the final amount of bad blood that also led to Eddie and Al ousting Michael Anthony. 

Smashing Pumpkins (2007)- The band's revival was a fake reunion. Billy hired on Jimmy Chamberlain to play drums in a revised Smashing Pumpkins. Some tracks on the comeback album were okay, but then the band devolved into "NuSmashingPumpkins" with Billy as the only original member. The 2018 reunion has been more successful, with at least James Iha joining Billy and Jimmy (although Billy fucked over Darcy). They sound pretty good live from what I saw, but the new material is Billy Corgan- ego wank. I'd still consider their second go at a reunion pretty successful after the underwhelming 2007 try. 

Led Zeppelin (1985, 1988, 1995)- All of these performances were bad in their own way. Live Aid is an infamous mess due to Phil Collins not knowing the drum parts and Jimmy Page being absolutely sloshed. Aside from some missed lyrics, the band sounded a bit better in 1988 but Page did not have any gain come through on his guitar so it sounds awful. Finally, their brief reunion in 1995 at the Rock Hall was awkward due to tensions within the band, and featured some okay- at- best jamming with Aerosmith and Neil Young. 

Pantera- The band is missing its two most important members because they are dead. You get to see a jerk singer and a jerk bass player parade around with Zakk Wylde using a revived band named that has also been long- dead. I think it is pretty funny they decided to finally use the band name to rake in some dough. More power to them, I guess. Add to the fact that Phil and the brothers did not get along. In fact, it seems like it was basically hate- so it really is borderline insulting to say this is a reunion... but who cares? They all seemed like dirtbags!

NSYNC- 90s pop- gods. They resurfaced last year after 20 years with a new (terrible) song, did a bit of press, and then will fuck back off into oblivion so Justin Timberlake can do his own thing while riding the nostalgia wave from their grown- up Millennial fans. He did the same thing apparently 10- years back to the other guys. 

The Fugees- Lauryn Hill vocal issues and assumed personal difficulties lead to canceled shows for their 2023 comeback. 

Rage Against the Machine (2020)- Same as above. COVID kills the tour then Zack has an injury leading to this tour failing after a few shows. Seems they are done. 

 

Good reunions-

Guns N' Roses- No, Steven and Izzy (and Matt, I guess) are not in the band. Aside from that, the GNR reunion has really been successful on almost all levels. We are picky and critical on here. It is true that Axl's voice is not what it was, and it is also true that we still do not have a full- length record, but the fact of the manner is that the Axl, Slash, Duff + Fortus, Frank, Melissa, Dizzy extravaganza has been a consistent, well- oiled touring juggernaut for 8- years. No big public drama within the band, deep cuts in the set, 3- hour- shows, some revamped "new" songs, and it led the way for some killer content with the 1986 Sound City Sessions and the Ritz 91 and Vegas 92. And you know what? Axl did sound pretty damn good at the start for 2016. I'll take it. 

Van Halen (2007)- Getting back with Roth was a much more successful venture than their 2004 go with Hagar. It is a bummer that Anthony got replaced with Wolfgang, and Dave did not sound great, but the band gave the fans 3 huge tours spanning from 2007- 2015. Most importantly, Eddie was sober and playing better than ever throughout most of the reunion. That is what really matters at a Van Halen show. Plus, I think "A Different Kind of Truth" is one of the strongest reunion classic- rock records out there. I really dig it. 

Eagles- They kind of pulled a Crue with Don Felder, but overall, the Eagles have been a touring fixture for almost 30 years since they first got back together. Tons of professional and polished concerts for the masses, sometimes with a hook to change things up (acoustic, playing Hotel California as a whole, orchestra/choir, past members like Bernie Leadon touring with them, and some new songs). Their reunion album, "Long Road Out of Eden" is overlong, but there are still some gems on it. The title track and "How Long" are very good songs. Sucks Felder and the band could not keep it together, or even find a way to make amends after Fray's death, but what are you going to do? I can't put them in the "bad" category considering how consistent they have been even with drama and adversity since the 1990s. We even got a documentary to air out some of their dirty laundry. 

Black Sabbath- These guys have also had a ton of drama and some aspects of their various reunions are a mixed bag. They have gotten back together various times throughout the 90s and 2010s, and overall, they have been great gigs. Ozzy did not sound amazing in 2013- 2017, but Geezer and Iommi more than made up for the vocals and seeing those guys all together was still a powerful thing to witness. The drama with Ward was disappointing, and although I liked it a lot at the time, "13" just ended up being a fine album instead of a great album. Overall, though, I'd say the Sabbath reunions gave us some great shows. The second Dio reunion renamed Heaven and Hell gets an honorable mention, too. That album is great. 

The Police- That is an example of a great reunion. Get back together, launch a monster tour, make sure you sound good, and then you can call it a day if that is what you want. True closure (I regret not going, and I could have!). Get down to business and then close shop if that is what you truly want. 

Led Zeppelin (2007)- Same as The Police but for one show instead of a tour. I wish more than anything I could have seen that show or that Plant would have done a tour. Either way, the 2007 O2 show ROCKS imo and more than makes up for their failed reunions in the 1980s. 

Pink Floyd- Same as The Police and Zep but for only one brief set! Roger and David are back to verbally killing each other, and Rick has long since passed, but for 20 or so minutes in 2005, the four classic Pink Floyd members played nice and delivered a superb four song set. Maybe not total closure, but it is something!

 

What are some other good reunion examples?

One reunion that needs to be mentioned here, despite that most people won't know them, is the 2019 Heideroosjes reunion. 

Heideroosjes are a Dutch punk band that began in 1989 and never had a single lineup change. They made 11 studio albums, a number of live cd's and dvd's, toured the world and always fought for every crowd no matter how big or small. In 2011 they announced that they would end their band. As They released a final album that year, did a farewell tour and after 23 years they played their final concert in Brussels in 2012. It's available on DVD and I recommend it to everyone. In 2019 they reunited to celebrate 30 years of Heideroosjes. One show became 2, 2 became 5, then there was a festival tour and some more farewell shows in december. I attended the first show of their reunion tour as well as the final one. And it was amazing. Marco (the singer) his voice barely held up, they were visably exhausted at the end of the show, but in true Heideroosjes fashion they fought for their band and their audience like no others. There were jokes about their age, their fans' age, seeing how the kids in the pit from back in the day now all had to find a babysitter and what not. It was a great mix of selfawareness, humor, joy and most of all playing an awesome show. The final show of that tour was objectively better, but that first one.... man that was special! They said they wouldn't quit again, but instead go into hibernation. This resulted in a new single in december of 2020 about the pandemic, followed by a really good album in 2021 and a tour in 2022. They're touring again this year and I'm probably going to see them on that too. I love this band and everything about this reunion felt like a happy relief. 

[Mansin Humanity]

2 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

Rage Against the Machine (2020)- Same as above. COVID kills the tour then Zack has an injury leading to this tour failing after a few shows. Seems they are done. 

Overall great breakdown and fun thread BUT I gotta push back here. Yes, overall, the tour was plagued with issues and it extremely sucks they had to call off everything that was slated for 2023 (and seemingly beyond). The performances themselves though were still fantastic - yes they're older and that creates inherent challenges for playing the music they play (like jumping around and tearing your achilles, lol) but for the limited amount of shows they had, they showed they picked up right back where they left off performance wise. I mean, watch this and tell me it's not right up with classic Rage live moments:

Testify from this show is also a good example: 

 

They also took a step forward in incorporating any sort of production in their shows for the first time. The root cause was almost definitely to give their old bones a break every 4-5 songs, but the video segments added to the weight of the show and were very well produced. If the tour had started in El Paso like it was supposed to, seeing the El Paso police van in flames that first show at the first time Rage ever had a screen would have been absolutely wild (convinced this is why it's an El Paso van).  Also, ironically, having to sit made Zack's vocals arguably better than the last reunion runs just because he was able to focus on them.

In short, seeing these, you still believed them. Coming out like retreads and playing those songs without being able to have a crowd still be bought into what they were saying (even if only for 90 minutes before they went home) was always the biggest risk of an RATM reunion and that wasn't what happened. No debate on the tour overall having issues but I don't think they deserve to be lumped in with some of the other absolute disasters you mentioned.

[username]

2 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

Rage Against the Machine (2020)- Same as above. COVID kills the tour then Zack has an injury leading to this tour failing after a few shows. Seems they are done. 

Another good reunion, was the original 2007/2008 RATM reunion. The first gig was Coachella iirc. I saw them in the summer of '08 at Pinkpop Festival and they absolutely tore the house down. The way they came on, masked and dressed in Guantanamo Bay orange jumpsuits was cool too. They were actually guided to the stage and line up by security people (probably roadies) and then given instruments. The entire thing looked really weird but cool. They were still great, but everything about it also still felt relevant and passionate. 

Edited February 2 by username

[rocknroll41]

Faith No More’s reunion run from 2009-2016 was also good. Great live shows where they performed a lot of deep cuts, and a solid new album. Shame that the 2020-2022 tour plans fell apart due to Covid, and Patton’s issues. Sounds like FNM is done for real this time :/

[Dean]

DLR sounded great on that VH run in '07, would love for them to drop the recording they made during that tour, but I won't hold my breath.

[ZoSoRose]

1 hour ago, Dean said:

DLR sounded great on that VH run in '07, would love for them to drop the recording they made during that tour, but I won't hold my breath.

Wonder why they live album was from the ADKOT tour, then

[lame ass security]

7 hours ago, Rindmelon said:

For the worst i'd have to say Queen. Not saying that Adam Lambert guy doesn't have pipes, he is clearly very talented. But how do you replace Freddie? you can't, John Deacon had the right idea not being involved I think. Pantera for the same reason.

For the best i have no idea, i'll edit the post if I think of one. I don't really think of GN'R as a reunion, just a different lineup of a band that has a constantly evolving lineup.

I heard recently that at some point Queen was considering bringing in George Michael, don't know if it's true. Great topic, btw.

[Gordon Comstock]

I don't know if it counts as a 'reunion' but AIC did everything right with Black Gives Way To Blue. They handled the 'comeback' very respectfully and the album itself was great.

 

I saw Motley not long after their 2nd reunion, opening for Aerosmith in 2006. Vince gets a lot of shit for that year but I thought they were awesome, it was the last show of the tour so maybe they were trying to end on a high note. That whole Carnival Of Sins era was well done, they were playing deep cuts and new songs, some were even mild hits (If I Die Tomorrow got decent airplay at the time). But these days, I wouldn't even bother to see them for free...

[ZoSoRose]

44 minutes ago, Gordon Comstock said:

I don't know if it counts as a 'reunion' but AIC did everything right with Black Gives Way To Blue. They handled the 'comeback' very respectfully and the album itself was great.

 

I saw Motley not long after their 2nd reunion, opening for Aerosmith in 2006. Vince gets a lot of shit for that year but I thought they were awesome, it was the last show of the tour so maybe they were trying to end on a high note. That whole Carnival Of Sins era was well done, they were playing deep cuts and new songs, some were even mild hits (If I Die Tomorrow got decent airplay at the time). But these days, I wouldn't even bother to see them for free...

AIC I would definitely count as a reunion done very right. Good call, too. Great albums and they rock live. I may like NuAiC the same as old AiC (sacrilege, I know)

I saw MC with Poison and The New York Dolls in 2011. I don’t remember much of the show, so I guess it was fine

[Dean]

8 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

Wonder why they live album was from the ADKOT tour, then

Always wondered that myself, as Roth’s vocal approach was, let’s just say, vastly different to the first run 

[GnR Chris]

I’m looking forward to seeing Sublime if they end up doing dates beyond Coachella. I saw Sublime w/Rome, and it was fine. I like their original material too. But seeing Bud and Eric with Nowell’s kid would be pretty cool.

[username]

14 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

AIC I would definitely count as a reunion done very right. Good call, too. Great albums and they rock live. I may like NuAiC the same as old AiC (sacrilege, I know)

I saw MC with Poison and The New York Dolls in 2011. I don’t remember much of the show, so I guess it was fine

I saw AiC open for GnR in July 2006. I think that was still their first tour with William DuVall. It was a really interesting gig. Like they were still trying to find their footing. I did really like seeing them and they sounded good, but it definitely felt like they were still trying to find the right groove and working to reconnect with their audience. But in the end I agree - it was good. As good as it could've gone without Layne.

[Powerage5]

23 hours ago, Rindmelon said:

For the worst i'd have to say Queen. Not saying that Adam Lambert guy doesn't have pipes, he is clearly very talented. But how do you replace Freddie? you can't, John Deacon had the right idea not being involved I think. Pantera for the same reason.

For the best i have no idea, i'll edit the post if I think of one. I don't really think of GN'R as a reunion, just a different lineup of a band that has a constantly evolving lineup.

I agree with @ZoSoRose that Q+AL is tough to call a reunion. It is in the sense that there seems to be no intent to make new music with Adam, but to me it's more of a...legacy continuation. The whole point of adding the "+ singer" for any post-Freddie iteration of the band was so that the other singers wouldn't be judged against Freddie (I know it's hard not to), because the band agrees that Freddie is irreplaceable. Besides all that, Adam Lambert doesn't try to be Freddie at all (And Paul Rodgers was even more his own thing). He is his own thing live - the similarities really end at flamboyant vocalist with an impressive range. 

19 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

Faith No More’s reunion run from 2009-2016 was also good. Great live shows where they performed a lot of deep cuts, and a solid new album. Shame that the 2020-2022 tour plans fell apart due to Covid, and Patton’s issues. Sounds like FNM is done for real this time :/

On the Mike Patton front, one that is definitely divisive but I've absolutely loved is the Mr. Bungle reunion. It's the most Mike Patton thing imaginable to reunite his band that fans had been clamoring for going on 20 years...only to rerecord their high school thrash metal demo tape and none of the music they're known for. I love it. I've seen them twice and the shows have been fantastic, and Scott Ian/Dave Lombardo have been so, so good with Bungle. Scott Ian especially, I've seen Anthrax over 50 times and I've never seen him have as much fun as he has with Bungle. 

 

Another great reunion I'll add to the mix is the Misfits. I was prepared to hate it because, prior to 2016 Danzig's vocals had not been great (And his attitude even worse), but I still wanted to see them since they're my favorite punk band. They were fucking fantastic - Danzig sounded like he was dying in between songs but his singing voice is as good as you could expect at his age, it's fun to see them with an over the top production, and all three of Danzig, Jerry, and Doyle seem to be really enjoying themselves. It's a pure cash grab for sure, but as long as the performances are great that doesn't bother me. 

[F*ck Fear]

On 2/2/2024 at 10:46 AM, ZoSoRose said:

 

Pantera- The band is missing its two most important members because they are dead. You get to see a jerk singer and a jerk bass player parade around with Zakk Wylde using a revived band named that has also been long- dead. I think it is pretty funny they decided to finally use the band name to rake in some dough. More power to them, I guess. Add to the fact that Phil and the brothers did not get along. In fact, it seems like it was basically hate- so it really is borderline insulting to say this is a reunion... but who cares? They all seemed like dirtbags!

I'll argue the Pantera reunion. I feel there is nothing wrong with bringing the music out to a new audience many years later. It's not like they are making new music under the banner, either.

Philip may be a "jerk" to some but I give the guy a lot of credit for not just using the Pantera name as he started many bands since. 

Also, I find it hard to believe Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul were dirtbags. Dime was the kind of guy who would do anything for his fans.

[ZoSoRose]

2 hours ago, F*ck Fear said:

I'll argue the Pantera reunion. I feel there is nothing wrong with bringing the music out to a new audience many years later. It's not like they are making new music under the banner, either.

Philip may be a "jerk" to some but I give the guy a lot of credit for not just using the Pantera name as he started many bands since. 

Also, I find it hard to believe Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul were dirtbags. Dime was the kind of guy who would do anything for his fans.

If Jimmy Page put together a band with a new singer, bassist, keyboardist, and drummer and called it Led Zeppelin, I would go and enjoy every minute of it

It would still make my list of worst reunions though

[F*ck Fear]

1 hour ago, ZoSoRose said:

If Jimmy Page put together a band with a new singer, bassist, keyboardist, and drummer and called it Led Zeppelin, I would go and enjoy every minute of it

It would still make my list of worst reunions though

I suppose that's a fair take. 

I just don't see how they are doing anything wrong with the way the tour has been presented. And I've seen the original lineup.

I met Darrell & Vinnie twice when they were doing Damageplan. The second time, they remembered me from our first encounter. Those guys appreciated their fans and so I don't understand the dirtbag comment.

I've seen other comments on YouTube as well, where people claim Pantera is music to beat you're wife to, and it grates on my nerves abit knowing that the guys who have passed away don't deserve that shit.

All things considered, Anselmo was very nice when I met him as well. I don't agree with everything the guy has said or done, but he's made a great career for himself.

Anyone who gives Anselmo a hard time here needs to take a step back and remember they're on a Guns N' Roses fan forum 

Sorry for the rant!

 

[ZoSoRose]

Forgot this one, My Chemical Romance

I guess these guys became the millennial poster band rock for scene and emo. They faded with their break- up, bided their time, and reunited with a vengeance. During the height of their career they mainly played theaters. Due to the passage of time and their demographic being grown up with disposable income, their reunion trek was in sold- out arenas with tickets that cost $400 initially. Damn, what a win for them. Covid delayed things but they fulfilled their obligations and even put out a new, well- received song for their fans. They had rotating sets, too. I’d say that is a successful reunion

[Cosmo]

The best, IMO:

- Judas Priest with Rob Halford (2003): There is no Priest without Halford. IMO, the Ripper years were really dull and forgetable. Since Rob came back, the new material has been hit and miss, but Firepower was the most solid veteran band release I've ever heard, IMO, and Invincible Shield seems promising.

- Maiden with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith (1999): Not a fan of Blaze Bayley. The X Factor had some good tracks but he wasn't very good live, especially singing the Bruce material. Bruce and Adrian came back, and Maiden immediately got back in great shape, consistently releasing solid albums and tracks since then, and with Bruce showing amazing vocals live.

- Black Sabbath (2012): This is, IMO, the most triumphant and important reunion in the history of heavy metal. I really wish Bill Ward was also a part of it, though. But man, seeing these three guys together live is a memory I'm carrying with me til I die. The best concert I've ever been to. 

 

The Worst, IMO:

- KISS with Ace and Peter (1996): Peter was completely out of shape, he could barely play KISS's most famous songs live, and the setlist had to be the same for three straight tours because of that. Psycho Circus was a complete fakeass reunion, and it all really fucked up what could have been a genuine reunion.

- Red Hot Chili Peppers with John (2020): I like Frusciante but, IMO, what they were releasing with Josh was far better than what they delivered with John since the reunion. It all just sounds uninspired, rushed and on autodrive.

 

 

Edited February 14 by Cosmo

[ZoSoRose]

The two new Chili albums are meh but I do think Eddie is a great song. I’d rather they tour with John than have Josh any day of the week. Still need to see them with John

Another one id put on the bad list is X Japan

One of my favorite bands, and one of the biggest in Japanese history. I’m glad they reunited because it meant I got to see them. It was a great show. But the reunion was a 10- year slog of delays and broken promises that culminated in another breakup with bad blood in 2018. Their bassist just passed away, too.