[Music] When is a pop group no longer a group?

[Pavilionaire]

One by one the original members of the Sugababes left, then were prevented from reforming as as the original trio by the management of the replacement trio - mental!

 

[AmexRuislip]

I think that when all the members of Haircut 100 went bald, that was the demise of them.

 

[studio150]

I think that when all the members of Haircut 100 went bald, that was the demise of them.

That was a Fantastic Day

 

[BadFish]

If a band has been continually touring under the same name then surely they can claim to be the same band.

See also TWP - Gedge plus 3-4 others.

See also The Cure...

Or is Simon Gallup back again?

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

 

[Boys 9d]

the "Dutch Swing College Band" were formed in 1946 and were still going in 2015 and possibly even now. There have been multiple changes of personnel during the years and none of the original members (if still alive) have been involved this century.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I wonder if there are any members of the original Royal Danish Orchestra still with them. Founded in 1448...…….. Possibly not.

How can they use the same name?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Hove Town Hall?

They still had one original member then

Yes. Ratledge? Were you there

 

[Blackadder]

Dr Feelgood. No original members.

Sounds more like Dr Feelswrong.

 

[clapham_gull]

Bucks Fizz still going strong as " The Fizz " with Bobby McVay replacing Bobby G .

I've been following this for years after watching the BBC doc about their break up. I LOVE their retro websites.

http://www.thefizzofficial.com/

http://www.bucksfizz.co.uk/

Lovely timeline on wiki regarding the development of the group over the years.

Also big shout out to Brian May who has simply refused to change his retro look for years:

https://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssb.html

If you (like me) are fascinated by the "Life of Brian" after he visited a company I worked for years ago to check out our roller shelving (true story), he posts most days.

The pictures of his garden taken on his phone are not to be missed.

 

[Gwylan]

Yes. Ratledge? Were you there

I was: Ratledge, Jenkins, Babbington, Marshall and Holdsworth?

 

[Brovion]

I wonder if there are any members of the original Royal Danish Orchestra still with them. Founded in 1448...…….. Possibly not.

How can they use the same name?

It's a good point, but I don't think the same rule can apply to orchestras where the musicians are anonymous. Another exception is big bands. Who played in the Glen Miller orchestra for example? I certainly couldn't name a single member and I bet there was a revolving door of personnel. However all the while Miller was alive then people could go and see the 'Glen Miller Orchestra' and know they were watching the genuine article. As soon as he died then no matter if there hadn't ever been any changes and all the musicians Miller had worked with were still in the band - it ceased to be the genuine 'Glen Miller Orchestra'.

I do like that 'Rule of One'. I went to see a band calling themselves Slade the other year. It had half the original members and it was quite odd, I really wasn't sure if I was watching Slade or a tribute band, it was somewhere in between.


EDIT: Thinking about it though I also went to see Lynyrd Skynyrd, and even though there was only one of the original members, it DID feel like watching the genuine thing, so maybe there's no hard and fast rule! Or maybe it doesn't apply if they've died!

 

[m20gull]

I don't think there is a rule you can apply. Motorhead lost most of its original members before the first album was released, but that was always Motorhead while Lemmy was in it. Similarly I don't consider a band to be Hawkwind if it does not have Dave Brock, regardless of who else plays.

On the other hand a Buck's Fizz with less than three original members would feel a bit odd.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

ELP was ok as Powell replaced Palmer, they'll struggle now!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I don’t think there’s a rule you can apply. It’s a bit like re-union gigs, some work, some don’t, and I can’t always explain why. That said, if there’s just one person left and it’s the main song-writer, and even better, the front person, this seems to be alright from experience.

I’ve seen Brian Wilson’s Beach Boys, Motörhead and Kraftwerk and they were all enjoyable and fit this criteria.

 

[Perry Milkins]

Hove Town Hall?

They still had one original member then

Awesome name for a band.

What were they, a doo-wop combo, prog rock, or maybe a punk band?

 

[vegster]

I think Hawkwind have had more members than a pro American Football squad...Lord knows how to work out an original from that lot.

 

[zefarelly]

The Dials have 4 memebers, 2 founding . . . I replaced a bass player who had been guitarist in Dr Feelgood for 7 years . . . ironically at the time, I was playing in a blues band ( The Ant Hill mob) who supported them. They are barely a tribute act these days, nothing like the original band.

a lot of the older bands with no or few original members are just earning a crust on the circuit churning out ancient hits . . . . as opposed to other bands, like the Dials, or up the ladder say Primal scream who have lost and replaced members but evolve and produce new music along the way.

 

[gazingdown]

See also The Cure...

Or is Simon Gallup back again?

Gallup has been in the band for pretty much the whole duration (not first few years and a hiatus in the early 80s)

Robert Smith is the Cure though, without him the band would cease.

 

[el punal]

Dr Feelgood. No original members.

Thanks for reminding me! A few years ago I went with friends to a ‘Blues at the Fort’ extravaganza near Portsmouth. Essentially it was three evenings of various acts doing their stuff while all the punters did their best to consume as much booze as possible. We went on the final night - Saturday. To be honest I went for the social side of things - wine, beer, grub and chatting to old friends, rather than watching the bands perform.

Anyway, the main act turned up on stage and started playing the old Dr.Feelgood numbers. After a couple of recognisable tunes I asked one of my friends who the band were. Dr.Feelgood - came the reply. Bollocks - I retorted - there’s no Wilko Johnson, no Lee Brilleaux, no Sparko and no Big Figure. Not one member of the original line up!

So how on earth can you then still call yourself by the band’s original name? Fraud I call it!

 

[BadFish]

Gallup has been in the band for pretty much the whole duration (not first few years and a hiatus in the early 80s)

Robert Smith is the Cure though, without him the band would cease.

I stand corrected, I thought he had left again more recently.

You are right though, similar to Mark E Smith in that regard.