Bands where NOBODY is an original member!

Am I alone in being less than enthused by these bands?

There's just something dissatisfying about bands carrying on using the name of the original successful group despite having zero members who wrote or recorded any of the hits for which the group is known. I find it hard enough to swallow when it's just one original member, let alone zero. It's just so... insincere.

Son of Vistalite Black saw the non-original Thin Lizzy in 2014 -- and we're really arguing a technicality since Scott Gorham and Brian Downey were in the "Boys Are Back in Town" incarnation that we all remember. The 2014 version rocked hard, and won a new fan, Son of Son of Vistalite Black.

SoVB also saw Sepultura a few years ago ... while possibly insincere, they are a powerfully intense entity to see from a few feet away.

All in all, SoVB is more inclined to see a bunch of replacements in a club than pay $16 for a beer whilst watching whichever aging rocker is playing our horrible-sounding basketball dome.
 
Alive...


barely Kickin'
written by Tommy James
 
I don't think Heart really counts though. Technically, the band existed at the club level before Ann and Nancy joined, but the band that got signed to a record deal had the sisters in it. If the sisters hadn't joined, likely the band would never have gotten signed and no one ever hears of them.

I don't believe in counting members who were in the band before the band's 1st album came out.
 
Foreigner to an extent, but KISS still has Gene and Paul who I assume will be on the "No, really, this is the last time!" tour in 2026.
I envision KISS becoming something of a franchise whereby there will eventually be several touring groups with members dressed like the original four. It'll be something similar to Menudo where the members are easily interchangeable.
 
childhood neighbor friend of mine; just conducted the Orchestra behind Peter Noone and Herman's Hermit's couple months or so ago..
Greensburg's Palace Theatre
He said they talked funny ; ) I said "Yea Bruce I know...
 
Am I alone in being less than enthused by these bands?

There's just something dissatisfying about bands carrying on using the name of the original successful group despite having zero members who wrote or recorded any of the hits for which the group is known. I find it hard enough to swallow when it's just one original member, let alone zero. It's just so... insincere.
I agree.

A few years ago I went to see another forum member open for Asia. But not that Asia, the 2nd version of Asia who have has NO members from the original lineup. Yet they still played the hit songs from the 80s. It seemed, well, rather, odd.

Not having key members of the albums that made the band popular is hard to get into. I love Queensryche, and heck, I even think their latest album is pretty good. But I can't find the motivation to pay to see them, knowing it's just 2 out of the original 5 members now.

Though I suppose it does depend on the band. I absolutely love Katatonia, and they have had numerous line-up changes. But the two members who write all the material are still in the band, so it's easier to still support them. Similar with Lacuna Coil. Despite all the band member changes, the 3 main songwriters are still in the band, and so it's easy to feel good about paying to go to a show.
 
did Weird AL ever perform in Greensburg, Pa. Palace Theater
weirdly remember maybe +/-?
 
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Iron Butterfly. No original members left in the band. The only one still alive is Doug Ingle.

Several years ago, the Sellersville Theatre in Bucks County, PA brought the fake Iron Butterfly in for a couple of shows, and were pressured by their agent to offer a paid meet & greet after the show. I was aghast. People had to pay to get their old albums signed by a bunch of anonymous musicians who were leasing the name. What a fraud. I was so incensed, I spoke to the theater's owner and explained to her that it was a ripoff. The Sellersville Theatre is a very nice small venue, very clean and well maintained, with a great staff, and they present shows that are reasonably priced, so this little escapade seemed totally opposite of the way they usually do things. She said she understood, but the meet & greet happened anyway.

Likewise, years ago, some band of nobodies were out on the circuit calling themselves The Byrds. They apparently leased the name from drummer Michael Clark, who at one time, had legal rights to the band's name, simply because McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman weren't using it. Clark had a history of using The Byrds' name for his own gain, hiring mostly unknown musicians. By that time, David Crosby owned the name, so I called his manager, Elliot Roberts, and informed him of what was going on. Within two or three weeks, the fake Byrds were history.

Blackfoot's Ricky Medlocke leased the band's name out to four no-names several years ago as well. At least he put out a press release and website telling fans about it. I don't know if they are still around or not. I saw Skynyrd on TV for a minute on NYE lip synching "Sweet Home Alabama" with Medlocke on guitar. Technically, he was an original member of the band, but left before they recorded their first album. If you don't consider him original, then Skynyrd has no original members either. They're all dead, with the exception of Artimus Pyle, and maybe one or two backup singers.

The whole "fake band" thing just reeks of greed and dishonesty.
 
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Small time bands, like ones I play in, still make social media posts about opening for bands like Molly Hatchett.

Our former guitar player was in the Lawrence Welk Orchestra well after Lawrence died.

Bands like the Temptations or Spinners toured in the 80s with all new lineups.
 
Barry Whitwam was the original drummer and he's got a band touring with a similar Hermits name. Peter Noone also tours.

Kind of the same for Bow Wow Wow... Annabella has her Bow Wow Wow band, and Leigh Gorman (the original bassist) has his Bow Wow Wow band.

And just how many "Starship" bands are there now?
Thanks for clearing that up. I figured YOU would know!

I thought I remembered Peter commenting that the person in question had not even been in the band that long. Could have just been frustration coming out in an interview...
 
Are there any original members still playing with Roomful of Blues?

They've had probably 50 different members over the years...
 
Iron Butterfly. No original members left in the band. The only one still alive is Doug Ingle.

Several years ago, the Sellersville Theatre in Bucks County, PA brought the fake Iron Butterfly in for a couple of shows, and were pressured by their agent to offer a paid meet & greet after the show. I was aghast. People had to pay to get their old albums signed by a bunch of anonymous musicians who were leasing the name. What a fraud. I was so incensed, I spoke to the theater's owner and explained to her that it was a ripoff. The Sellersville Theatre is a very nice small venue, very clean and well maintained, with a great staff, and they present shows that are reasonably priced, so this little escapade seemed totally opposite of the way they usually do things. She said she understood, but the meet & greet happened anyway.

Likewise, years ago, some band of nobodies were out on the circuit calling themselves The Byrds. They apparently leased the name from drummer Michael Clark, who at one time, had legal rights to the band's name, simply because McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman weren't using it. Clark had a history of using The Byrds' name for his own gain, hiring mostly unknown musicians. By that time, David Crosby owned the name, so I called his manager, Elliot Roberts, and informed him of what was going on. Within two or three weeks, the fake Byrds were history.

Blackfoot's Ricky Medlocke leased the band's name out to four no-names several years ago as well. At least he put out a press release and website telling fans about it. I don't know if they are still around or not. I saw Skynyrd on TV for a minute on NYE lip synching "Sweet Home Alabama" with Medlocke on guitar. Technically, he was an original member of the band, but left before they recorded their first album. If you don't consider him original, then Skynyrd has no original members either. They're all dead, with the exception of Artimus Pyle, and maybe one or two backup singers.

The whole "fake band" thing just reeks of greed and dishonesty.
Artimus wasn't the original drummer though. However, he was there for most of their prime. Bob Burns was the original drummer.
 
It'll be something similar to Menudo where the members are easily interchangeable.
I think in their case it's a matter of aging-out, but certainly none of the originals are there anymore.
 
The Zeppelins don't have any original members in the band.

These are the original members of the Zeppelins formed in 1966. Only me and the bass player remain with us today.

_1.jpg


.
 
Artimus wasn't the original drummer though. However, he was there for most of their prime. Bob Burns was the original drummer.
I know. Bob Burns was gone before their real popularity occurred.
 
Are there any original members still playing with Roomful of Blues?

They've had probably 50 different members over the years...
Maybe the only guy left is Rich, the sax player.
 
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