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ENT_Bands_Reunion_brill.appFooter = "By Michael Ventre";
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ENT_Bands_Reunion_brill[i-1].body = "A reunion by the Police (pictured at right) appears to be inching closer to reality. The stumbling block, as in many such cases, was the reluctance of one prominent member of the band to signing off on a tour and perhaps a new CD – in this case, Sting. Whatever the reason, he appears to be less hesitant than before.If it pans out, that will be terrific news for music fans. But there are still many groups out there with a considerable following that are having trouble embracing the prospect of a reunion. The years go by, the band members settle into new lives, and the thought of picking up where they left off creatively and personally many years prior doesn’t always appear appetizing.
In the spirit of reconciliation inspired by the Police, here are the top five bands that would set the business aflame again if they got back together.
It should be noted that there are many bands that fans would love to see that aren’t included here. That’s because some criteria had to be established, and in this case acts were excluded on the basis of one highly subjective observation:
It just wouldn’t be the same.
For instance, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr could tour together and call themselves the Beatles, but it wouldn’t be the same without their two deceased colleagues, John Lennon and George Harrison. Led Zeppelin could get together without the late John Bonham on drums, but it wouldn’t be the same.
The following list, then, are the longshots, the holdouts, the most stubborn of the reunion-averse. These are the groups that would cause the biggest stirs if they ever put aside their differences and chose to work together. While reading, don’t hold your breath:";
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The band consisted of David Byrne on vocals and guitar, Tina Weymouth on bass, Chris Franz on drums and Jerry Harrison on keyboards. They formed in 1974 at the Rhode Island School of Design, moved to New York City to be closer to the punk scene and hit it big with a cover of Al Green’s “Take Me To The River.” Byrne was the often bizarre but often mesmerizing front man (catch him in all his glory in Jonathan Demme’s 1984 concert film, “Stop Making Sense”) who eventually quarreled with the other band members over creative issues. There wasn’t an ugly breakup or lawsuits, simply an uncomfortable parting of the ways in 1991 after a lengthy hiatus. Like the Police, the Talking Heads reunited for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. But that was it. Byrne holds the key to a reunion, since the other band members – especially married couple Weymouth and Franz, who went on to form Tom Tom Club after Talking Heads – have expressed interest in the past. But unless Byrne suddenly has a change of heart, it probably won’t happen. Too bad, because during their relatively brief existence they created work that broke the mold, and they were talented and distinctive enough to push the boundaries of popular music into thrilling new realms.";
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For rabid fans of this Scandinavian super group, a reunion carries much the same importance as if the Beatles or Led Zeppelin had gotten back together (when all their bandmembers were still alive, of course). ABBA, which has sold over 370 million records, has never officially announced the end of the group, so therefore the members are theoretically still a group. However, they haven’t performed in public together since 1986 when they appeared briefly on a Swedish TV show to honor their manager, Stig Anderson. The group consisted of two men – Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus – and two women – Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The name ABBA came from the first letter of each first name. Each of them had had some measure of success individually in Sweden before teaming up in 1972. Since then, they created a raft of hit singles including “Take A Chance On Me” and “Dancing Queen.” But none of the members have expressed interest in a reunion. Lately the music of ABBA can be heard in the hit musical, “Mamma Mia!” and, in fact, the premiere in Sweden in 2005 was the first time the four had even appeared in public together since ’86. In 2000, a British-American consortium offered ABBA $1 billion to get together for 100 shows, but the members refused. Mamma mia!";
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In February of last year, the Grammys scheduled a tribute to Sly and the Family Stone. The centerpiece was supposed to be an appearance by enigmatic front man Sly Stone (Stewart) himself. He did show up, wearing a blond Mohawk. And he did perform, singing and playing keyboards on \"I Want To Take You Higher.\"” But he left before the song ended, and the rest of the band then finished up. Actually that bizarre incident was in character with the band, which was one of the most celebrated and influential of the late ['60s and '70s. It recorded such seminal hits as \"Dance To The Music\" and \"Everyday People,\" but it fell apart around 1975 because of drug abuse. The core of Sly and the Family Stone consisted of Sly, his brother Freddie, their sister Rose plus Cynthia Robinson, Larry Graham, Jerry Martini and Gregg Errico. It mixed funk, soul and pop elements to great effect. The band split in 1975, and Sly went solo until 1987, when he was arrested for cocaine possession. After that, he quit music altogether. The appearance at the Grammys was his first in public with the original Family Stone since 1971 (the band is included here despite this recent get-together because the reunion was so odd and short that it hardly qualifies as a reunion).";
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Like \"Dreamgirls,\" the Supremes took more than one form. Florence Ballard was replaced early on as lead singer by Diana Ross, presumably because Ross and Motown Records mogul Berry Gordy were an item. Then she was bounced from the trio altogether in 1967 and replaced by Cindy Birdsong; Ballard died in poverty in 1976 at the age of 32. But Ross, Wilson and Birdsong are all alive – Wilson has even been doing publicity recently for \"Dreamgirls\" --but a reunion would probably occur over Ross's dead body. Ross and Wilson nearly came to blows when the three reunited for a Motown TV special in 1983. Then in 2000, a Supremes tour was scheduled, but because Ross was offered so much more money than the other two, Wilson and Birdsong balked and were replaced; as a result, the tour flopped and was eventually cancelled. Clearly fans of the group that released a series of feminine pop/soul hits such as \"You Keep Me Hangin’ On,\" \"I Hear a Symphony\" and \"You Can’t Hurry Love\" want to see the real deal if a reunion would ever take place. Ross holds the key. She continues to be active in the music business and is set to release a new CD in North America this month.";
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It’s hard to keep up with this '80s heavy metal supergroup, because Van Halen's backstage theatrics are almost as intriguing as their on-stage lunacy. But one thing is clear: The real Van Halen consists of Eddie Van Halen on guitar, Alex Van Halen on drums, Michael Anthony on bass and David Lee Roth on vocals. The Sammy Hagar edition was just an aberration of rock history and not a particularly memorable one. The relationship between Roth and the other bandmates is key. They got together a couple of times since splitting in 1985 to record songs for a greatest hits anthology. But old tensions flared anew and hopes for a reunion tour were scrapped. In the meantime, Eddie welcomed his son Wolfgang into the band, replacing Anthony on bass, so if a Van Halen reunion did occur, it wouldn’t be the exact same original lineup. However, there is sentiment for another get-together, and it is likely Anthony could be a part of it somehow, especially when the band is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12. Like lovers who can't get along but keep pining for each other, the band's members keep suggesting in various interviews that a reunion will happen. Roth went so far as to call it \"inevitable.\" But we're still waiting.";
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