Reformation Days

I've read a number of articles on-line recently about various bands from the past reforming and playing live. The Pixies have been doing for a few years now and are currently touring their 3rd album, Doolittle. The Incredible Mr Ford and I saw them tour that record the first time around (1989 I think) and saw them at the Royal Court in Liverpool. It was an incredible show at an incredible venue, if you could excuse the sticky carpet. I've always wanted to see them again but the opportunity has never arisen. It doesn't sound like I will get the opportunity this time around either as they appear to be ignoring Canada but you never know. I could always fly to Glasgow...

The majority of the Faces are also planning a one-off reunion for charity but without Rod Stewart. This is one band that I would love to see live having been far too young the first time around. But it wouldn't feel the same without their illustrious leader. I suspect that they've fallen out after allegedly rehearsing last year with Flea on bass to replace the late departed Ronnie Lane. News coverage suggested that Rod Stewart wanted the majority of the cash from any tour and this clearly annoyed the rest of the band. I'm surprised they got that far with rehearsals in light of Rod Stewart's focus on his own solo career in the 70's as the Faces came to an end having tried to keep going after Ronnie Lane left. It saddens me that they couldn't make it work this time around and if the rumours of Rod's greed are true he needs to take a good look at himself, but that may just be media speculation.

The stand-in singers for the reunion are to include Mick Hucknel. Really?? He used to have an incredible voice (for Simply Red's first album) but he's deteriorated into middle-of -the-road rubish now and would make a mockery of the songs. The only other singer that would come close to Rod Stewart would be Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. He's the only singer I would pay to see sing with the Faces if they came to town.

The other band I've heard about today is Mott the Hoople. Rumours of the Stones Roses reforming have been around for years but is unlikely to happen by the sounds of things but it got me thinking about whether I would like to see any of these bands a second time.

I' love to see The Smiths but that's the least likely reformation on the face of the planet. I thought about going to see The Sex Pistols when they played Glasgow a few years ago but thought might have turned into a circus. The Clash would have been excellent to see but that's never going to happen now that Joe Strummer has passed away. Sylvester Stewart has been playing live occasionally over the past couple of years but not with the other members of his famous group. Sly and the Family Stone would have been the greatest reunion I think.

Kiss are touring again and I have been thinking of buying tickets for Josh but I'm really not sure. I would only want to go to see what a Kiss show was like but I guess I can see that on the internet for nothing. They were never very good the first time round and far more interested in what they looked like than what they sounded like which is why they were never heard much in the Uk as I was growing up. In any case, there's only two of the original line-up anyway and Gene Simmons is far more entertaining on the TV now that with a bass strapped to his leather-bound body. I am a genuine fan of the man, just not his band. I heard him on the radio in the UK when he was plugging one of his books a few years ago and he sounded pretty switched on. He speaks his mind and possibly gets on people's nerves as a results but I like and respect him and he's come a long way from his origins. His Mother must have been (and continue to be) an incredibly strong woman having survived the Nazi's "camps" during the Second World War and bringing a young Gene to the States a bit later, bringing him up on her own. She's the reason he has been as successful as he is. He's a self-promoting, big-mouthed, money-making machine but maybe we need more people like him.

Anyway this post isn't about the Kiss bass player. So, who would you like to see reform that hasn't already? Post a comment and let me know.

Here's my suggestons:

1. The Smiths

2. The Stones Roses

3. Sly and the Family Stone

4. Pink Floyd (all of them)

5. The Faces (all of them)

6. The Velvet Underground (I know they reformed but that was for a one-off tour and I missed them)

7. The Las (again, I know they reformed for some shambolic shows at festivals but I only got to see rough versions on the internet.

8. Dead Kennedys

9. The Jam

10. ...erm....Abba (sorry, I panicked)

Thanks to the Black family for joining the army of followers. I'm not sure if 3 can be described as an army but I'm don't care. My hits on the blog have soared into three figures now. Admittedly most of those are me checking for new comments and followers but that doesn't matter. In fact, here's another quiz to set you: how can I get more followers? What would you like me to write about. Let me know. I could be your literary DJ at a wedding, waiting for prose requests instead of records.