Can you think of any? The only one that occurs to me is The Seldom Scene.
Founders: John Duffey (mandolin and vocals); Ben Eldridge (banjo); John Starling (guitar and vocals); Mike Auldridge (resophonic guitar and vocals); and Tom Gray (bass).
Current: Lou Reid (guitar and vocals); Dudley Connell (guitar and vocals); Ron Stewart (banjo, fiddle and guitar); Ronnie Simpkins (bass and vocals); Fred Travers (resophonic guitar and vocals).
Billastro
Love the Seldom Scene, their 20th anniversary show rocks - the Kingston Trio, another folk band from that period/of that ilk, went on as that for awhile after Bob Shane retired, IIRC -
think it’s that way for Tucker too, altho Doug sits in every so often -
also TYAfter right? after Alvin passed?
Yes
... also TYAfter right? after Alvin passed?
As of 2020 TYA was still playing shows with Chic Churchill (keyboards) and Ric Lee (drums). Leo Lyons (bass) is also still active in music.
Canned Heat
Heart (I don't think the Wilson sisters were original members..could be wrong)
Blood, Sweat and Tears
Canned Heat
Heart (I don't think the Wilson sisters were original members..could be wrong)
Blood, Sweat and Tears
Fito de la Parra, the original drummer is still active with Canned Heat.
"Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?"
I’m pretty sure Chicago has no original members
I’m pretty sure Chicago has no original members
Pankow, Loughnane, & Lamm are still on their website for touring starting in June. These guys are pushing 80.
I’m pretty sure Molly Hatchet has no original members left.
Humble Pie. Not sure if there's still a band touring under that name but as of 2018 they didn't have a single original member in the band.
Canned Heat
Heart (I don't think the Wilson sisters were original members..could be wrong)
Blood, Sweat and Tears
Fito de la Parra, the original drummer is still active with Canned Heat.
Actually, Canned Heat's original drummer was a guy named Frank Cook. He is on their first self titled album and performed with them and appears with them in the Monterey Pop Festival movie.
Count Basie Orchestra
@islalala Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Dukes of Dixieland are among several old big bands/jazz bands touring before Covid with no founding members.
I saw Count Basie in 1966 and was impressed. His horns were so tight a d clean. And he had a hot drummer named Sonny Payne. Sonny died young and I think Frank Sinatra paid for his funeral.
Here is Sonny Payne
I guess Foreigner in a way...when Mick does not play live with them. Its more "brand" then "band"
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Soft Machine eventually evolved into a recording and touring unit with no
founding members involved. And they were still making great albums. The
current line-up recently released a fantastic studio effort and an even-better
live album.
Found a site that lists bands with no founding members. Many heavy metal bands on list. Their members wear out faster especially singers and drummers.
But they claim Yes recently (before Covid) toured with no original members.
Maybe in 10 years the Rolling Stones will tour with no founding members and Pink Floyd too. Lynyrd Skynyrd's farewell tour likely will still be underway in 10 years but probably without Rossington.
@robertdee After Jon Anderson left (or got left?), Chris Squire was the last original member of Yes. Most think of what is remembered as "the classic" line-up that included Steve Howe - but he wasn't an original member. Neither were Rick Wakeman or Alan White.
The Rolling Stones without Mick or Keith? There are very few bands with specific "irreplaceable" members, but I think the "Stones fall into this category. I believe that they were originally Brian Jones' band, but they ejected him. In my mind, the best guitarist that they ever had (Mick Taylor) was let go and replaced by Woody - who has been with them now for most of their existence. Even Bill Wyman was allowed to walk. But the "Stones without Mick or Keef would just absolutely NOT be the Rolling Stones!
Pink Floyd could be Roger Waters and/or David Gilmour any whatever assemblage of side-players that they choose. I wouldn't consider this to be Pink Floyd, but fans would fill arenas.
Not to rag on Skynyrd , but the last time I saw them they came off more akin to a Toby Keith "redneck n' roll" type thing. I have actually been re-listening to the first few albums, and I believe that the originals were a better band than I originally gave them credit for.
Did Taylor get fired? I agree he was their best guitar player- I thought he left for health reasons, aka wanted to get over addiction
@stormyrider I think he left on his own accord. I read somewhere that he got caught up in the drugs (cocaine) that the "Stones were infamous for in the day. He wanted a solo career that never took him to anywhere near the level of the Rolling Stones. I personally think that the music that the "Stones made while he was with them was their finest.
^^
Yep, the Taylor era was undoubtedly ther best
@rusty I agree that after Ronnie died Lynyrd Skynyrd became more and more a red neck and roll band. They were a little that way ay the plane crash.
Their first two albums are to me their best and are real fine albums.
I think Mick Taylor thought the Rolling Stones had broken up so moved on. In an interview he said that. That they were in one of their inactive periods and Taylor didnt hear from anyone for the longest time and suddenly Mick Jagger calls about a new album to record and Taylor told him he had moved on. Taylor said Jagger was mad about it but he is invited to sit in with them when he is nearby a show.
I thought Duane Allman was irreplaceable when he died. He clearly was the leader on stage and the other guys were playing hard to please Duane is the way it felt at times to me. But they continued without him. By the time the 1990s rolled in I figured Gregg and Dickey were the two you had to have for it to be the Allman Brothers but they pushed Dickey out and continued.
But do you agree, I think so, that the ABB name will never be used without Gregg? And that is why the 50th anniversary show was called The Brothers. Apparently also why the Dead dropped Grateful Dead after Jerry passed. Didnt feel right calling it Grateful Dead with no Jerry.
There are a number of soul music singing groups that were playing clubs before Covid with no original members. Tams, Drifters, Chairman of the Board are a few
@robertdee Not to sound morbid or anything, but the only the way the Allman Brother's Band could have gone on without Duane would have been for him TO die. What they managed to do through all the years was to remain relevant and to keep on being arguably the greatest live band in America (the WORLD!). Had Gregg decided to opt out at any point after that - for me, would've just marked the end of the Allman Brothers. I remember hearing plenty of talk and rumors of the band continuing without him. Having seen the last incarnation at least twice without Gregg, I KNOW they would have been a viable, kick-ass band but they would not - could not have called themselves "the Allman Brother's Band". Usually I label my opinions as such, but I'd argue this one to my death.
I was never a bona-fide "Dead Head". I like them - saw them several times with and without Jerry. I don't know how the tie-dyed in the wool fans feel about it, but I never thought they were the same without Jerry. Still a great band - just not the Grateful Dead. Some of the changes were acceptable. With Jerry, they'd take long periods of times between songs mapping out their jams (I guess). Without him, they became more ... I would say, "polished", but that's not the word I'm looking for.
Skynyrd was still a good band with Steve Gaines. I think he brought a certain amount of structure and musicianship that they didn't have before. It was really years after the crash. Sometime at around their 3rd or 4th "comeback" when they started sounding more like a modern pop-C&W act. (This is my opinion - argue if you want.)
Back to the Rolling Stones: they are all about Mick AND Keith. "AND", being the operative word. It's like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich - it just can't exist without BOTH. I don't think this is just my opinion, either! 😉
Interesting topic. How are they legally allowed to use the name? Whoever owns the rights maybe? I saw ELO Part II years ago because Jeff Lynne wasn't in the band and they were great. Kansas was similar too.
I was going to say Molly Hatchet as well.
Regarding Foreigner, I loved that band when I was a kid. I think over the past handful of years they bill themselves as something like "Foreigner featuring Mick Jones". I find them kind of a joke. The band plays for about a half hour and then Jones comes sauntering onto stage like he is the cat's meow. His band can cover the music well though. Sorry, not the same without Lou Gramm.
Skynyrd has of course been discussed on this site ad nauseam for years, usually in a bad light. Never understood that but to each his own. Been able to see them many times and they always delivered. Sadly seen five of them no longer with us.
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
I think Mick Taylor thought the Rolling Stones had broken up so moved on. In an interview he said that. That they were in one of their inactive periods and Taylor didnt hear from anyone for the longest time and suddenly Mick Jagger calls about a new album to record and Taylor told him he had moved on. Taylor said Jagger was mad about it but he is invited to sit in with them when he is nearby a show.
The Stones definitely weren't inactive when Taylor quit. Taylor was doing an interview talking about the upcoming "It's Only Rock n Roll" album and said that he had co-written 2 songs on it and the person doing the interview showed him the album and he didn't have credits on the album sleeve and Taylor was looking to work with Jack Bruce so that was a good reason for him to step aside. He left a couple of months after that interview right before they were starting to record "Black And Blue".
Maybe Jefferson Starship....I guess in away? Found this online andit looks like they are putting out new music.
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jefferson-starship-releases-music-video-for-setting-sun/
I think there are a lot of bands maybe with just one original member.
Tigers of Pan Tang- just has guitarist Rob Weir
Nazareth -Bassist Pete Agnew
Sweet is putting out a new release. Just has original guitarist Andy Scott
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/sweet-releases-set-me-free-single-from-isolation-boulevard-album/
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
@wareaglerk I believe Taylor quit in December of '74 - not too long after "It's Only Rock and Roll" was released. There are many stories from the time, but he did say that he was "cheated" out of songwriting royalties (by Jagger particularly). Other stories relate to the drug-use thing. Regardless, the 'Stones had to find a replacement guitarist for the 1975 Summer tour. "It's Only Rock and Roll" is probably my personal favorite Rolling Stones album - including "Exile on Main Street" and "Sticky Fingers". It's more polished and I think it has some of Taylor's finest playing, especially on "Time Waits For No One".
@rusty That time frame sounds right and lines up with my couple of months after he found out that he didn't get the song writing credits.
Maybe Jefferson Starship....I guess in away? Found this online andit looks like they are putting out new music.
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jefferson-starship-releases-music-video-for-setting-sun/
I think there are a lot of bands maybe with just one original member.
Tigers of Pan Tang- just has guitarist Rob Weir
Nazareth -Bassist Pete Agnew
Sweet is putting out a new release. Just has original guitarist Andy Scott
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/sweet-releases-set-me-free-single-from-isolation-boulevard-album/
They are interesting along these lines. I have no idea about their lineage but would you say Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, or Starship? I saw one of their guitar players in a beer tent at a county fair years ago.
I saw this documentary a handful of years ago and Grace Slick said she wouldn't play with them anymore because basically, who wants to see a bunch of old washed up entertainers?
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
David Freiberg was an original member of Jefferson Starship, bass/keys/vocals.
I am of the mind that losing the main instrumental sound and/or vocal sound kills the credibility. I said goodbye to both the ABB and Dead but of course many go on with the various left behinds and cover bands.
Truth is if the people lay their money down it will go on.
David Freiberg was an original member of Jefferson Starship, bass/keys/vocals.
I am of the mind that losing the main instrumental sound and/or vocal sound kills the credibility. I said goodbye to both the ABB and Dead but of course many go on with the various left behinds and cover bands.
Truth is if the people lay their money down it will go on.
Any band minus key members ... or MOST members pretty much becomes a tribute band.
Edit: USUALLY, I mean. 😉
