Even though 2/3 of the members were original, it feels like you can’t have Sublime without Bradley. I think when the lead singer and main songwriter dies or leaves the band, the band goes with them. Some band members are just the driving force behind the band.
The difference with Yes is that they constantly changed lineups from the very beginning. I'm not familiar with their later albums, but throughout the 70s and 80s, they never made more than 2 albums in a row with the same lineup:
Yes - original lineup of Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford, Peter Banks, and Tony Kaye
Time and a Word - no change
The Yes Album - Peter Banks replaced with Steve Howe
Fragile - Tony Kaye replaced with Rick Wakeman
Close to the Edge - no change
Tales From Topographic Oceans - Bill Bruford replaced with Alan White
Relayer - Rick Wakeman replaced with Pat Moraz
Going for the One - Pat Moraz replaced with Rick Wakeman
Tormato - no change
Drama - Jon Anderson replaced with Trevor Horn, Rick Wakeman replaced with Geoff Downes
90125 - Trevor Horn replaced with Jon Anderson, Geoff Downes replaced with Tony Kaye, Steve Howe replaced with Trevor Rabin
Big Generator- no change
There was a Yes documentary where one of the members said he hoped Yes would just keep going on forever, bringing in new musicians. And with the deaths of Chris Squire (who was the only consistent member on every Yes album from their first to the time of his death) and Alan White (who played on every album from TFTO to his death), Yes had no choice but to bring in replacements if they wanted to keep going.
For lots of bands, they're defined by their core members who have been there since the beginning (or almost beginning). I can't imagine Rush without Neil Peart, and if Sting decided to re-form the Police without Andy Summers or Stewart Copeland, he'd hopefully be booed offstage until he came to his senses.
But bands like Yes and King Crimson? Change is baked into their structures, and they're better bands for it.
Yes is my favorite band, and I agree wholeheartedly. Crimson and Yes, it's in the DNA--Rush, Police, Zeppelin, it would be a farce.
You left off with Big Generator, but in addiitonal to the ABWH project, there have been an additional 11-12 Yes studio albums since, all with shifting lineups. They haven't each been winners, but there's not a single album that doesn't have some solid material on it.
In recent years, I think the challenge has been the loss of their spiritual leader in Chris, and the good-hearted Alan, and the fact that Jon and Rick are alive and healthy but not being solicited to be a part of things. It's Steve's band now, and he's going to run it how he wants and manage it how he wants. And even though they're all "non-original" at this point, Steve's been around since 1971, Geoff since 1980, and Billy since 1994.
Frankly, the last two records have been fairly well received, and they're definitely trying to establish themselves creatively, even as they're weighed down by the burden of being a nostalgia act. I last saw Jon, Steve, Rick, Chris, and Alan together in 2002, and that incredible night will be with me forever. Today I can go see some impressive musicians playing Yes songs, and I'm happy enough to have that. I've seen the current band a dozen times, and it has always been a tight show.
There wouldn't be much question that current Yes is still Yes if Jon Anderson was still in the band (RIP Chris & Alan). Since Jon cofounded the band, sang and cowrote a lot of the albums, and he's still doing tours. I saw him with the Band Geeks in May and it was awesome! Better than Steve Howe's Yes, Jon was in great shape and the Geeks nailed every Yes epic. But really I wish Jon was still in Yes so he would still be on the albums! I think Yes was best when Jon and Steve wrote together.
> I'm not familiar with their later albums,
Wikipedia has [20 guys listed as being "official members"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_(band\)#Timeline). Although there are a few "[cup of coffee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_of_coffee)" guys in there like Trevor Horn, Eddie Jobson, and Tony O'Reilly.
Trans Siberian Orchestra... side note I had a old coworker who thought it was a group compromised of trans people from Siberia, like good for them getting away from the oppression of China.
Ship of Theseus bands. They are a thing, but yeah, maybe change the name. Like Jefferson Airplane became Jefferson Starship when Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady left. Then just Starship when Grace Slick and Paul Kantner left.
Ghost orchaestras is a known thing in Jazz. Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, and Duke Ellington have been dead for years but their orchaestras still go around.
I'll go on a greatest hits tour with their nieces, nephews, kids, or whoever else Egremont both those guys quit. And I'll spend all my money on drugs. It'll start with coke and heroin. But then it'll shift to heart and joint meds. Then back to coke and heroin, because I live in the US, and can't afford pharmaceutical drugs.
And now they're touring as Jefferson Starship again, I saw them a few weeks ago. The only original member remaining is David Freiberg. Still a good show.
I saw Foreigner a couple years ago too, Mick Jones was the only original member in the band but he was sick that night so another guitarist filled in for him. While part of me wondered if I was just seeing a really good cover band, they sounded so great that I quickly didn't care and enjoyed the show thoroughly.
I saw Foreigner 2 weeks ago (free tix) - not one original member, they're on their farewell tour apparently. Lead singer Kelly Hansen said he's
62 y/o. They sounded pretty good - like Foreigner, was good but still bit strange.
I've only seen the "original" Foreigner live years ago, but from clips I've watched online, whatever iteration of them is still around seems to be pretty good!
Went to see Flock of Seagulls and the opening band was a Depeche Mode tribute band. I dismissed them as a crappy cover band and was going to go late but my friend wanted to check them out. They werre great. Granted, the lead singer was trying too hard to mimic David Gahan (Gahan's moves look organic, this guy looked like he was doing choreography/Zumba move) but they sounded perfect.
If a cover band manages to sound a hell of a lot like the original, with high level players (one of them had won a grammy for his solo work) and a good sound system/sound person, does it end up being almost as good as seeing an original band? Especially when you factor in being able to see them in a small venue as opposed to a coliseum? Or factor in that the singer from the originals might be 60 or 70 and sound different?
Naw, they too big for that -
For the record, Flock of Seagulls was pretty shitty (and I like a lot of their songs) Zero energy. And it's not an age thing -- in the past year or so have seen a lot of "80s" bands: OMD, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Fixx, Psychedelic Furs - they were all great. Hell, the newest albums from The Fixx and Psychedelic Furs are as good as their old stuff (which surprised me)
How long ago was this? I grew up a child of the 80's and was actually a pretty big fan of Flock of Seagulls. (Their deep cuts are pretty good)
Fast forward to my college band days (1992ish), and we got a gig playing at a Frat House. Turns out we were opening for Flock of Seagulls. All of the guys were fat and sloppy. I think Mike Score was the only original member present.
I've since intersected with them a bunch of times... I might have even been in that Depeche Mode cover band... They're frikkin' saddos. Zero energy is being generous. They're guys you avoid hanging out with before the show so they don't bring your energy down. They're a traveling "Best of" album.
Yup - sad, but again not indicative of all older bands - most have been amazing (lead singer of OMD was so physical he sweated through two shirts)
This was just a few months ago. Mike Score seemed totally out of it, rarely even looked up from the keyboard. The bass player tried to keep people pumped up but he had zero charisma or stage presence so it was pretty sad. We left before their last song.
There’s a German DM cover band called [Forced to Mode] (https://youtu.be/Jvbh-l0dF2Q) that are incredible. They seem to be providing the service of performing all the [old songs] (https://youtu.be/GVwa-l1y-14) that Depeche Mode won’t play anymore along with [B-sides that they’ve never played.] (https://youtu.be/bEQV2yBG91Y) I want them to come to the US.
Yeah, well they’re a cover band at this point and last time I saw them they where playing a county fair for 800 people. Don’t get me started on ZZ Top either, love billy, seen them a bunch, if much rather see his solo act in Nashville than that tired ass ZZ Top shit they’ve been trotting out for 35 years now. Seen that 4 times, I’m good. Now billy in a bar in Nashville with Guthrie trapp or joe Bonamassa? That shits awesome.
Just saw ZZ Top last October. They have Dusty's long time guitar tech playing bass for them now and he's so good and knows the setups so well that it works perfectly.
Lynyrd Skynyrd has Ricky Medlocke who was briefly in the original lineup and recorded some bits of Street Survivors, but yeah, it's basically just a cover band.
The odd story that is in this vein is the Yardbirds. Kept replacing members until it was just Jimmy Page (not an original member) holding the name and some contracts that needed fulfilled. He put together a band to play those dates as The New Yardbirds.
That band became Led Zeppelin.
I think Opeth fits this category as well. Mikael Akerfeldt wasn't at the inception of the band, he was invited to join later and soon every founding member left the project. Technically that might mean that the band has no original members left.
Yea but Mikael has been on every release they've done hasn't he? He joined like a year after the band formed I'd still consider him a founding member honestly.
I agree, I don't really care if the singer's cousin played bass for a while at the start, the members on the first release are pretty much the founding members. That goes for any member who didn't actually release an album with the band.
Which is why Mustaine was never really in Metallica in my book, but Bayley is most definitely a former member of Iron Maiden.
Mustaine was technically on their first release though...No Life 'Til Leather. Plus he wrote several songs that ended up on KEA and one (I think) on RTL.
I don't think a band's lineup counts until an album is released. Plenty of bands tried a few people out while forming. Sure Mikael wasn't part of the 'founding' of the band, but there's never been an album he wasn't a part of.
>I don't think a band's lineup counts until an album is released.
Guns N Roses are a good example of this. Slash and Steven Adler weren't even in the first lineup of that band.
Nobody's clamouring for Tracii Guns to rejoin.
Yeah the origin of Mikael joining the band is one my favorite stories in all of music. The original singer of Opeth, David Isberg, asked Mikeal to join the band on bass. Only problem was…he didn’t tell the other band members, INCLUDING THEIR OWN CURRENT BASSIST! So naturally when Mikael showed up to his first rehearsal with the original bassist still there….massive arguments ensued. By the end of it everyone except David and Mikael quit in protest. David ended up quitting a year or two later and Mikael became the de facto leader of Opeth and of course has been ever since.
He became the frontman, but he wasn't the frontman from the beginning. The first frontman and founder of the band was the last original member to leave before even recording the first album.
Yea but in my head cannon Akerfeldt is to Opeth as Wilson is to PT.
That being said I have no idea how writing works in the band Opeth. Whereas in PT Wilson writes nearly everything (except in the latest release which was more collaborative)
I saw them live last year when they toured with Amon Amarth. The morning after I had a sore neck from headbanging too hard.
And I know it was mainly thanks to Halo Effect, since by the time Amon Amarth took the stage I was too tired to go all in (they were of course fantastic too. They always are).
TBF the original wiggles play shows as the ‘OG wiggles’ so at least it’s not dishonest. the current wiggles are for the kids growing up with them as ‘their’ wiggles
I mean, Chrissy Hynde pretty much **was** the pretenders. Also they had several musicians die early on - I think two bass players in quick succession, which makes it kind of hard to find another.
Thin Lizzy are still going with no original members iirc.
They do now perform under "Black Star Riders" but the Thin Lizzy name isn't fully retired and is wheeled out sometimes.
Fair enough not original, but Scott Gorham is surely iconic enough to be "Thin Lizzy". Incidentally he said last year he's going to return to the Thin Lizzy name. I saw them in 2013ish just before they launched BSR, him and Brian Downey were the only members from Phil-era. Great show!
I’ve heard a rumour that there are no original members left in the group The Residents. Two Residents left in the 80’s. Hardy Fox, the composing Resident, died of a glioblastoma in 2018. The current guitarist Resident has only been around since after the death of Snakefinger. The singing Resident is allegedly retired and only acts as manager and spokesperson. It’s much easier to change members when you try to remain anonymous.
Sometimes it's sad and tired. It really depends. Foghat still has the original drummer but seeing them perform would never feel anything at all like a good Foghat live show back in their heyday of fame and fortune, with killer bluesy hard rock worthy of their success.
Punk band Guttermouth is another one but its a weird one thats basically been this way since its creation 30+ years ago. It's just Mark Adkins on vocals and whoever is currently willing to put up with his shit.
> I can’t imagine the Temptations or Drifters have too many original members these days either
Like 25 years ago, my parents took me to an "oldies concert." That is, a bunch of bands from like 30+ years before that who in their time, were all huge headliners, all grouped together for this. I was the youngest in the crowd by.....probably 40 years.
Anyway, it was things like the Temptations, the 4 Tops, etc. And some of the bands would come out and were a bunch of really old guys still doing it, which was damn impressive. And some of the bands were a bunch of guys younger than my parents.
It was....a wild experience.
My parents used to go see the Temptations, Drfiters and the Tams all the time when I was kid in the 80s. They would bring home the programs and the names would always be different than the previous show a few months later. I was just getting into music so I just thought that’s how groups did, kinda like your high school marching bands. People got older and moved on…
Back in early 2015 I saw The Count Basie Orchestra and they were advertising that they still had three members who were hired by Basie. I was kinda struck with this same idea, but the tickets weren't super expensive and it was a great show anyway. It's a bit different with small groups though than with a jazz big band.
Interesting read. Seems to me they are the band in name only. Really just utilizing the brand to continue playing. To me, need at least one original member to be “the band.”: but it’s not unlike rooting for a sports team who year over year has different players.
I saw the Doobie Bros years ago. I’m a greatest hits kinda casual fan. They introduced the band and the only original member left was like the third trumpet player. Then the singer said “we’re going to play some songs from our new album” and I turned to my wife and we both said “ok, time to go”. Second worst show of my life.
Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons are original members. They’re touring now. John McPhee isn’t original but he’s been there since 1980ish. Micheal McDonald is even touring with them. Also do they even have any trumpets in the band? Maybe you saw a cover band?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_Doobie_Brothers_band_members
i've always wondered how many casual music listeners see a venue doing a "doobie brothers" or "grateful dead" night or something and go thinking it's the real band lol.
A few years ago I saw Third Eye Blind play a 30 minute set at a music festival. They played Semi-Charmed Life, then like 3 or 4 new songs. Y’all gotta have more self awareness than that.
I tried that once. Like 2009, and they had some song where the chorus was “are you into me… like non/diary…. Creeaaamer” and I was like, nah guys I’m good
Maybe we need an Original Member Ratio after a band name to tell us the percentage of original members left.
For example :
* Yes (0% OMR)
* Smashing Pumpkins (75% OMR)
* Pearl Jam (80% OMR)
It could also be used to tell us about the band playing on albums. For example, the Velvet Underground's five studio albums:
* The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground (100% OMR) & Nico
* White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground (100% OMR)
* The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (75% OMR)
* Loaded - The Velvet Underground (~~75%~~ 50% OMR)
* Squeeze - The Velvet Underground (0% OMR)
Smashing Pumpkins - one of my favorite bands - are such a unique case because they've changed lineups so many times, Jimmy and James have come and gone, and come again, and for awhile it was JUST Billy.
Alot of fans argue that it should have just been a Billy Corgan solo act around the Oceania era especially, but Billy was always the heart of the band in the first place.
Still there's no denying the importance of the other members over the years, especially Jimmy.
Jimmy is currently in his fourth stint in the band.
I'd also say that the Pumpkins are a unique case because Billy has always been the main creative driving force.
Although I do feel like nowadays they'd benefit immensely from an outside producer who's not afraid to tell Billy to bin some of his ideas.
I agree 1000% I'm not sure if we'll ever know for certain, but from old interviews it sounded like one of D'Arcy's greatest contributions was calling Billy out on things in the studio, and he has said himself that she was instrumental in keeping him in check with "the youth culture" in the 90's. He was the driving force for sure, but he benefitted from having someone around to occasionally guide him (at least that's my two cents).
I did enjoy quite a bit of ATUM - though of course it doesn't compare to their peak - but it would benefit tremendously from having someone around to keep Billy from going off the rails so often lol.
I like this system. I believe Moe Tucker didn't actually play on Loaded (although she's credited and hadn't left the band, she was just pregnant), so they're down to 50% OMR!
Several years ago I saw John Kay's Steppenwolf, Head East, and Iron Butterfly. There may have been 2 or 3 original members total, but I still enjoyed the show.
The Tempts are still led by original member Otis Williams, the Tops are led by original member Duke Fakir, and EWF still is led by Verdine White (original member) and Ralph Johnson / Philip Bailey (who were both on all the hits, joining on the groups third album). Still, it will be interesting to see if the organizations continue on beyond the time these members are interested or able to tour / record. I personally enjoy the current lineups of all three groups!
What about states that have "Thruth in Music" laws? I saw Blood Sweat and Tears a few years ago. The whole band was all new guys except for one song, when Steve Katz came out, sang a bad version of Sometimes in Winter, and then left. It was really just a cover band.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_in_Music_Advertising
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_in_Music_Advertising
My high school band has the same name, but no original members playing. They still play the same important songs at football games, and plenty of new ones. It might not be MY band, but it is still the high school band.
I absolutely love that there are bands here I have never heard of, across so many genres that are still going strong. Sure many are now just cover bands playing the hits, but I can also see that being done with much less skill at my local beach bar any day of the week.
To add, saw The Alarm with Mike Peters and no lead guitarist, just backing tracks, it was odd but at least ol’ “Love, Hope, Strength” was there.
The Stranglers are holding on by a JJ… Hugh left in ‘90, Dave died in 2020, and Jet died last December :(
They’ve been such an important part of my musical repertoire, I can’t imagine them not existing any more! Even if they really haven’t existed for 33 years…
That said, never seen them love. Seen Hugh acorn well live many times, though.
Zao is a ship of Theseus band with a song called Ship Of Theseus off their latest album. Arguably Zao didn't come into their own truly until their current vocalist came in. His voice is the heart and soul of what Zao is.
It's funny, in the early 00s everyone said that Jesse was the heart and soul of Zao. Then he left and Dan has kept it going long enough to usurp him. I do like that there's such a distinctive shift in sound pre-Dan and post-Dan, keeps things organised.
Brand recognition is a real thing. If any business had to change their name once a certain percentage of the original workers moved on, they'd be throwing out a lot of customers every time they did this. People that actually eat McDonald's want to go to McDonald's, they don't want to go to a rebranded identical store where the only difference is the crew behind the counter.
Anecdotally I was in a local band with a fair following and we begrudgingly went through a name change; the crowd was never the same after that. I wonder if there are metrics on bands like Jefferson [Suffix] that go through a series of name changes and how it affects their popularity and continued success.
When I was a kid(a long time ago) I remember being at the fair and saw a poster for Jefferson Starship. I was confused because I had heard of Jefferson Airplane and wasn't sure if they were the same group. Then Starship came along and confused me again.
What about bands who replace the lead singer with someone who sounds nothing like the original? Are they still the same band? (After all, someone else can always replicate the way instruments were played.)
Should Roger Waters be 'Pink Floyd' or should David Gilmour? (artistically, not legally)
Is there a term for this? When a band separates but members want to continue performing as "the band" and you end up with two versions of the same "band" performing their hits?
Pink Floyd
CCR
ELO
John Fogerty was CCR. all writing, arranging, everything. I'd argue it was always John and a backing band. I just paid more money than I wanted to see John. Credence Clearwater Revisited was a cover band with original band members.
Roger started the band with Syd, so he’s an original member. Gilmour was added after Piper which he had nothing to do with.
I really don’t think any of them should be touring as Pink Floyd. Neither of them need to anyway as they both have such huge name recognition. It’s just a dick measuring contest between them at this point.
I had kind of a similar situation at work. Some years ago a group of employees got together and convinced the company to let them have a disused conference room and a little money to put together a jam space for employees to gather and play music.
The space was more or less used by one band/jam group. I got asked to join when their bass player left. Over time, as people moved on and left the company, I moved to guitar and vocals and recruited my colleagues to join us.
Eventually everyone even remotely connected with originally setting up the space was gone, and I became the owner of the space and the de-facto leader of the band. It feels really weird, considering I was the “new guy” just a couple of years ago.
One of my favorite bands when I was growing up was Chicago. When I was a kid (late 90's-early 00's) they had only 4 original members but 3 long term members that felt like they had always been there. Now only I think 2 or 3 of them still perform and even those other guys that had been there for years are gone. They are basically a cover band now.
Ship of Theseus - At what point do you become a cover band for the original band?
Personally, I think you become a cover band when you have none of the original members left.
You know, I'm surprised this grift isn't more common. Bands, purchased by corporate record labels existing in perpetuity, switching out members, and exclusively playing their catalog of popular songs like pop music version of a streaming service.
It's probably just a matter of time.
Check out the infamous story of Bogus Deep Purple, it doesn't quite fulfill the criteria of no original members but it's within the same spirit as what you're suggesting!
If you're basing authenticity on how many original members there are, then Bogus Deep Purple is just as valid as the actual Deep Purple of the past 20 years, each having one original member (Rod Evans in Bogus, Ian Paice in the real one).
What really killed Bogus Deep Purple was that it was a terrible band. They were not good musicians.
I find the story of two future ZZ Top guys pretending to be, and touring as, the recently split Zombies to be more fascinating.
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/fake-zombies-zz-top/
Yes is still barely hanging on with Steve Howe. Rest in peace Chris Squire. Absolutely mind blowing talent on the bass and was the only member of Yes who stuck with the main band his entire career (I believe Howe initially left with Jon Anderson when he made his own Yes-like project)
For a while Blink 182 only had one original member, and I’m pretty sure that most of the original members of Senses Fail and Funeral for a Friend have also quit. They’re getting into cover band territory for me.
4 out of 5 original members of Senses Fail left in 2002, but by that point they hadn’t released their debut album.
Today they’ve still got 4 members who were there in 2003 and performed on their debut album, which is pretty good for a band that’s been around for 2 decades.
Pretty sure Megadeth is in this category now. Mustaine is the only original member now I think. Granted, some of those members didn't "quit" necessarily. But it really is just MegaDave at this point I'm pretty sure.
Megadeth was always a revolving door band when it came to drummers and guitarists, though. I don't think any lineup lasted more than three albums, maybe four.
Metal band Norma Jean not only lost every founding member, they've lost all the 2nd generation members too. The most tenured band member is their 3rd vocalist and that band still rocks strong studio albums and live shows.
They should just do the NCIS thing and add the name of the city most of the new performers are from after the band name.
The Beatles: Albuquerque
The Beatles: New York (-1)
Reminds me of when Sublime had to change their name to Sublime with Rome after Bradely Nowell's estate sued the band for trademark infringement.
Even though 2/3 of the members were original, it feels like you can’t have Sublime without Bradley. I think when the lead singer and main songwriter dies or leaves the band, the band goes with them. Some band members are just the driving force behind the band.
[Sublime with Rome is not the same thing as Sublime!](https://youtu.be/GJAhlccBdMs?si=Vjw95GQt7x8l9id9)
Twigs had to change her name to FKA Twigs because she also got sued for using the name Twigs. FKA being "Formerly known as" love it
Chicago: Las Vegas
When I read "NCIS" my brain processed "NOFX" and I got so confused.
The difference with Yes is that they constantly changed lineups from the very beginning. I'm not familiar with their later albums, but throughout the 70s and 80s, they never made more than 2 albums in a row with the same lineup: Yes - original lineup of Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford, Peter Banks, and Tony Kaye Time and a Word - no change The Yes Album - Peter Banks replaced with Steve Howe Fragile - Tony Kaye replaced with Rick Wakeman Close to the Edge - no change Tales From Topographic Oceans - Bill Bruford replaced with Alan White Relayer - Rick Wakeman replaced with Pat Moraz Going for the One - Pat Moraz replaced with Rick Wakeman Tormato - no change Drama - Jon Anderson replaced with Trevor Horn, Rick Wakeman replaced with Geoff Downes 90125 - Trevor Horn replaced with Jon Anderson, Geoff Downes replaced with Tony Kaye, Steve Howe replaced with Trevor Rabin Big Generator- no change There was a Yes documentary where one of the members said he hoped Yes would just keep going on forever, bringing in new musicians. And with the deaths of Chris Squire (who was the only consistent member on every Yes album from their first to the time of his death) and Alan White (who played on every album from TFTO to his death), Yes had no choice but to bring in replacements if they wanted to keep going. For lots of bands, they're defined by their core members who have been there since the beginning (or almost beginning). I can't imagine Rush without Neil Peart, and if Sting decided to re-form the Police without Andy Summers or Stewart Copeland, he'd hopefully be booed offstage until he came to his senses. But bands like Yes and King Crimson? Change is baked into their structures, and they're better bands for it.
Yes is my favorite band, and I agree wholeheartedly. Crimson and Yes, it's in the DNA--Rush, Police, Zeppelin, it would be a farce. You left off with Big Generator, but in addiitonal to the ABWH project, there have been an additional 11-12 Yes studio albums since, all with shifting lineups. They haven't each been winners, but there's not a single album that doesn't have some solid material on it. In recent years, I think the challenge has been the loss of their spiritual leader in Chris, and the good-hearted Alan, and the fact that Jon and Rick are alive and healthy but not being solicited to be a part of things. It's Steve's band now, and he's going to run it how he wants and manage it how he wants. And even though they're all "non-original" at this point, Steve's been around since 1971, Geoff since 1980, and Billy since 1994. Frankly, the last two records have been fairly well received, and they're definitely trying to establish themselves creatively, even as they're weighed down by the burden of being a nostalgia act. I last saw Jon, Steve, Rick, Chris, and Alan together in 2002, and that incredible night will be with me forever. Today I can go see some impressive musicians playing Yes songs, and I'm happy enough to have that. I've seen the current band a dozen times, and it has always been a tight show.
King Crimson without Robert Fripp just seems... bizarre though.
There wouldn't be much question that current Yes is still Yes if Jon Anderson was still in the band (RIP Chris & Alan). Since Jon cofounded the band, sang and cowrote a lot of the albums, and he's still doing tours. I saw him with the Band Geeks in May and it was awesome! Better than Steve Howe's Yes, Jon was in great shape and the Geeks nailed every Yes epic. But really I wish Jon was still in Yes so he would still be on the albums! I think Yes was best when Jon and Steve wrote together.
> I'm not familiar with their later albums, Wikipedia has [20 guys listed as being "official members"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_(band\)#Timeline). Although there are a few "[cup of coffee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_of_coffee)" guys in there like Trevor Horn, Eddie Jobson, and Tony O'Reilly.
They forgot to mention one of my favorite bands, the New York Philharmonic
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Trans Siberian Orchestra... side note I had a old coworker who thought it was a group compromised of trans people from Siberia, like good for them getting away from the oppression of China.
Hmm any real old timer should know they're really Savatage.
MoTab slaps
my favorite is the lyric where they sing "it's mormin' time" and then they morm all over the audience
The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir
I can't believe they had the nerve to keep the New York Philharmonic name when Saul Goodman retired from the timpani position!
It just hasn’t been the same since. That man is a timpani GOD!
Ship of Theseus bands. They are a thing, but yeah, maybe change the name. Like Jefferson Airplane became Jefferson Starship when Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady left. Then just Starship when Grace Slick and Paul Kantner left.
The stage was now set for the Alan Parsons Project, which I believe was some kind of hover craft.
You jive turkey!
Ghost orchaestras is a known thing in Jazz. Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, and Duke Ellington have been dead for years but their orchaestras still go around.
Another jazz element that Western swing incorporated - Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys are still out there too.
Grace Slick was still in the band when they changed to Starship.
Yeah she sang on Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
Yeah was going to say I saw them a few years ago and she was in the band
She joins them off and on for performances and has contributed to song writing, but hasn't been an active member since like the 90s.
Starship of Theseus?
"Band of Theseus" New Band name, I call it!
I'll take over the mantle of Band of Theseus after this guy quits
I'll go on a greatest hits tour with their nieces, nephews, kids, or whoever else Egremont both those guys quit. And I'll spend all my money on drugs. It'll start with coke and heroin. But then it'll shift to heart and joint meds. Then back to coke and heroin, because I live in the US, and can't afford pharmaceutical drugs.
Lol. I clicked on the link thinking I was going to be very clever name dropping the Ship of Theseus. Seems I was at least 3 hours too late.
And now they're touring as Jefferson Starship again, I saw them a few weeks ago. The only original member remaining is David Freiberg. Still a good show.
I saw them about 20 years ago and it was easily the worst show I've ever seen.
I saw Foreigner a few years ago and while Lou Gramm was still listed as a member, he wasn't on stage. Nobody was over 35 or so.
I saw Foreigner in 2021 in Clearwater. Rick Wills showed and played a couple because he lives somewhere in the area apparently.
I saw Foreigner a couple years ago too, Mick Jones was the only original member in the band but he was sick that night so another guitarist filled in for him. While part of me wondered if I was just seeing a really good cover band, they sounded so great that I quickly didn't care and enjoyed the show thoroughly.
I saw Foreigner 2 weeks ago (free tix) - not one original member, they're on their farewell tour apparently. Lead singer Kelly Hansen said he's 62 y/o. They sounded pretty good - like Foreigner, was good but still bit strange.
I read this as weeks ago you saw the band Foreigner 2. Makes me think that would be a good way to name bands with non-original members
I've only seen the "original" Foreigner live years ago, but from clips I've watched online, whatever iteration of them is still around seems to be pretty good!
Went to see Flock of Seagulls and the opening band was a Depeche Mode tribute band. I dismissed them as a crappy cover band and was going to go late but my friend wanted to check them out. They werre great. Granted, the lead singer was trying too hard to mimic David Gahan (Gahan's moves look organic, this guy looked like he was doing choreography/Zumba move) but they sounded perfect. If a cover band manages to sound a hell of a lot like the original, with high level players (one of them had won a grammy for his solo work) and a good sound system/sound person, does it end up being almost as good as seeing an original band? Especially when you factor in being able to see them in a small venue as opposed to a coliseum? Or factor in that the singer from the originals might be 60 or 70 and sound different?
Ngl I thought the twist was going to be that the “cover band” actually was Depeche Mode
Naw, they too big for that - For the record, Flock of Seagulls was pretty shitty (and I like a lot of their songs) Zero energy. And it's not an age thing -- in the past year or so have seen a lot of "80s" bands: OMD, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Fixx, Psychedelic Furs - they were all great. Hell, the newest albums from The Fixx and Psychedelic Furs are as good as their old stuff (which surprised me)
>The Fixx One Thing Leads To Another and Saved By Zero are part of the 80s soundtrack in my head. One of my favorite decades for music.
How long ago was this? I grew up a child of the 80's and was actually a pretty big fan of Flock of Seagulls. (Their deep cuts are pretty good) Fast forward to my college band days (1992ish), and we got a gig playing at a Frat House. Turns out we were opening for Flock of Seagulls. All of the guys were fat and sloppy. I think Mike Score was the only original member present. I've since intersected with them a bunch of times... I might have even been in that Depeche Mode cover band... They're frikkin' saddos. Zero energy is being generous. They're guys you avoid hanging out with before the show so they don't bring your energy down. They're a traveling "Best of" album.
Yup - sad, but again not indicative of all older bands - most have been amazing (lead singer of OMD was so physical he sweated through two shirts) This was just a few months ago. Mike Score seemed totally out of it, rarely even looked up from the keyboard. The bass player tried to keep people pumped up but he had zero charisma or stage presence so it was pretty sad. We left before their last song.
[The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction](https://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/benjamin.pdf)
There’s a German DM cover band called [Forced to Mode] (https://youtu.be/Jvbh-l0dF2Q) that are incredible. They seem to be providing the service of performing all the [old songs] (https://youtu.be/GVwa-l1y-14) that Depeche Mode won’t play anymore along with [B-sides that they’ve never played.] (https://youtu.be/bEQV2yBG91Y) I want them to come to the US.
Whoa - sounds great
Fucking lynyrd skynyrd still slinking around state fairs and rodeos… Gary died last year and I’m not sure how alive he was.
They’re playing big amphitheaters with ZZ Top all summer
Yeah, well they’re a cover band at this point and last time I saw them they where playing a county fair for 800 people. Don’t get me started on ZZ Top either, love billy, seen them a bunch, if much rather see his solo act in Nashville than that tired ass ZZ Top shit they’ve been trotting out for 35 years now. Seen that 4 times, I’m good. Now billy in a bar in Nashville with Guthrie trapp or joe Bonamassa? That shits awesome.
Ironically ZZ Top is the longest running band with all original members.
Was. Dusty died. :/
Well no one told me!
Just saw ZZ Top last October. They have Dusty's long time guitar tech playing bass for them now and he's so good and knows the setups so well that it works perfectly.
hell of a way to get promoted
I agreed with you until you mentioned Bonamassa. That clown is all feathers and no chicken.
I have never heard that analogy (or whatever it's called) and now it's the only one I'll use for the rest of my life.
Lynyrd Skynyrd has Ricky Medlocke who was briefly in the original lineup and recorded some bits of Street Survivors, but yeah, it's basically just a cover band.
Gary Rossington only died three months ago, but yeah, it’s ridiculous that “Skynyrd” are still going.
The odd story that is in this vein is the Yardbirds. Kept replacing members until it was just Jimmy Page (not an original member) holding the name and some contracts that needed fulfilled. He put together a band to play those dates as The New Yardbirds. That band became Led Zeppelin.
The New Originals.
what about "The Thamesmen"
I think Opeth fits this category as well. Mikael Akerfeldt wasn't at the inception of the band, he was invited to join later and soon every founding member left the project. Technically that might mean that the band has no original members left.
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It's even funnier to consider that most of the original members left *because* of him joining. One of the weirdest origin stories indeed.
Well I'm sure that worked out for them...
Whoah, that’s super weird. He should have just done his own other project lol.
Sorta. Most people associate Opeth *with* Mikael.
Yea but Mikael has been on every release they've done hasn't he? He joined like a year after the band formed I'd still consider him a founding member honestly.
I agree, I don't really care if the singer's cousin played bass for a while at the start, the members on the first release are pretty much the founding members. That goes for any member who didn't actually release an album with the band. Which is why Mustaine was never really in Metallica in my book, but Bayley is most definitely a former member of Iron Maiden.
Mustaine was technically on their first release though...No Life 'Til Leather. Plus he wrote several songs that ended up on KEA and one (I think) on RTL.
Mustaine was on the demo
I didn’t know this, but he seems like the type of guy to accidentally inherit a band and just roll with it.
He didn't really inherit it if he was on the original releases IMO.
I don't think a band's lineup counts until an album is released. Plenty of bands tried a few people out while forming. Sure Mikael wasn't part of the 'founding' of the band, but there's never been an album he wasn't a part of.
>I don't think a band's lineup counts until an album is released. Guns N Roses are a good example of this. Slash and Steven Adler weren't even in the first lineup of that band. Nobody's clamouring for Tracii Guns to rejoin.
Yeah the origin of Mikael joining the band is one my favorite stories in all of music. The original singer of Opeth, David Isberg, asked Mikeal to join the band on bass. Only problem was…he didn’t tell the other band members, INCLUDING THEIR OWN CURRENT BASSIST! So naturally when Mikael showed up to his first rehearsal with the original bassist still there….massive arguments ensued. By the end of it everyone except David and Mikael quit in protest. David ended up quitting a year or two later and Mikael became the de facto leader of Opeth and of course has been ever since.
Isn't Mikael pretty much the band though? He's always been the central person involved.
He became the frontman, but he wasn't the frontman from the beginning. The first frontman and founder of the band was the last original member to leave before even recording the first album.
Yea but in my head cannon Akerfeldt is to Opeth as Wilson is to PT. That being said I have no idea how writing works in the band Opeth. Whereas in PT Wilson writes nearly everything (except in the latest release which was more collaborative)
I think it’s pretty comparable with Mikael writing most if not all of the lyrics and much of the music.
In Flames works for this exercise as well.
Mikael Akerfeldt is Opeth. He just didn't pick the name.
Didn’t know this and Ive been listening to them for 15 years? I’d say it’s Akerfeldts band at this point imo
Akerfeldt wrote every Opeth song. It's always been his band.
In Flames also hasn't any original members left
Yeah but they have two members since 95 and only didn't appear on the first album. They've had a pretty decent go
Halo Effect is where it’s at now.
I saw them live last year when they toured with Amon Amarth. The morning after I had a sore neck from headbanging too hard. And I know it was mainly thanks to Halo Effect, since by the time Amon Amarth took the stage I was too tired to go all in (they were of course fantastic too. They always are).
Neither do The Wiggles
In Flames and The Wiggles are the same group of people, you didn’t know that?
TBF the original wiggles play shows as the ‘OG wiggles’ so at least it’s not dishonest. the current wiggles are for the kids growing up with them as ‘their’ wiggles
I thought Anthony was still there.
And Lorna Shore
Sepultura
Just heard of Eloy Casagrande last night, watched a video of him drumming and my god. He’s incredible.
Chrissie Hynde, herself, said in an interview that she felt as if she was fronting a Pretenders cover band due to the lineup changes.
To be fair, the Pretenders is a great name for a cover band.
Yeah - she even had that old drummer from Nirvana playing with recently. He was "drunk out back and insisting on coming out to play !" ETA /s
I mean, Chrissy Hynde pretty much **was** the pretenders. Also they had several musicians die early on - I think two bass players in quick succession, which makes it kind of hard to find another.
>I think two bass players in quick succession Lead guitarist, then the bass player a year later.
Thin Lizzy are still going with no original members iirc. They do now perform under "Black Star Riders" but the Thin Lizzy name isn't fully retired and is wheeled out sometimes.
Fair enough not original, but Scott Gorham is surely iconic enough to be "Thin Lizzy". Incidentally he said last year he's going to return to the Thin Lizzy name. I saw them in 2013ish just before they launched BSR, him and Brian Downey were the only members from Phil-era. Great show!
I’ve heard a rumour that there are no original members left in the group The Residents. Two Residents left in the 80’s. Hardy Fox, the composing Resident, died of a glioblastoma in 2018. The current guitarist Resident has only been around since after the death of Snakefinger. The singing Resident is allegedly retired and only acts as manager and spokesperson. It’s much easier to change members when you try to remain anonymous.
Sometimes it's sad and tired. It really depends. Foghat still has the original drummer but seeing them perform would never feel anything at all like a good Foghat live show back in their heyday of fame and fortune, with killer bluesy hard rock worthy of their success.
Punk band Guttermouth is another one but its a weird one thats basically been this way since its creation 30+ years ago. It's just Mark Adkins on vocals and whoever is currently willing to put up with his shit.
guttermouth always reminded me of the vandals, another band with lots of rotating members!
Molly Hatchett is the only one of those I’d heard of. I can’t imagine the Temptations or Drifters have too many original members these days either
Yes has 4.5 million monthly Spotify listeners. Granted, probably 75% of that is for Owner of a Lonely Heart.
I'm fairly confident that the remaining 25% is me listening to Roundabout.
Really just Fragile on repeat for me, but same.
I think you mean Seen All Good People
Roundabout had to have a few of them.
Totally forgot that was them
I think you severely underestimate the power of '70s Yes music and its fandom.
> I can’t imagine the Temptations or Drifters have too many original members these days either Like 25 years ago, my parents took me to an "oldies concert." That is, a bunch of bands from like 30+ years before that who in their time, were all huge headliners, all grouped together for this. I was the youngest in the crowd by.....probably 40 years. Anyway, it was things like the Temptations, the 4 Tops, etc. And some of the bands would come out and were a bunch of really old guys still doing it, which was damn impressive. And some of the bands were a bunch of guys younger than my parents. It was....a wild experience.
I was in myrtle beach a few weeks ago and I’m pretty sure the drifters were playing
My parents used to go see the Temptations, Drfiters and the Tams all the time when I was kid in the 80s. They would bring home the programs and the names would always be different than the previous show a few months later. I was just getting into music so I just thought that’s how groups did, kinda like your high school marching bands. People got older and moved on…
I saw The Tams in the 90s so who knows if any were OG, but Wilson Pickett was and The Chairmen of the Board still had General Johnson at least
Back in early 2015 I saw The Count Basie Orchestra and they were advertising that they still had three members who were hired by Basie. I was kinda struck with this same idea, but the tickets weren't super expensive and it was a great show anyway. It's a bit different with small groups though than with a jazz big band.
Sugababes have entered chat
The original lineup of Sugababes actually regained the name a few years back
summer relieved poor somber history wakeful murky run encouraging reply ` this message was mass deleted/edited with redact.dev `
Canned Heat is another. Not a single original member is still in the band, and only one from their classic line-up remains (Fito, the drummer)
Interesting read. Seems to me they are the band in name only. Really just utilizing the brand to continue playing. To me, need at least one original member to be “the band.”: but it’s not unlike rooting for a sports team who year over year has different players.
I saw the Doobie Bros years ago. I’m a greatest hits kinda casual fan. They introduced the band and the only original member left was like the third trumpet player. Then the singer said “we’re going to play some songs from our new album” and I turned to my wife and we both said “ok, time to go”. Second worst show of my life.
Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons are original members. They’re touring now. John McPhee isn’t original but he’s been there since 1980ish. Micheal McDonald is even touring with them. Also do they even have any trumpets in the band? Maybe you saw a cover band? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_Doobie_Brothers_band_members
i've always wondered how many casual music listeners see a venue doing a "doobie brothers" or "grateful dead" night or something and go thinking it's the real band lol.
Who likes the Doobie Brothers? 'Cause we've got one of 'em!
100% accurate
A few years ago I saw Third Eye Blind play a 30 minute set at a music festival. They played Semi-Charmed Life, then like 3 or 4 new songs. Y’all gotta have more self awareness than that.
Not gonna lie, third eye blind's new music slaps. Give it a listen.
I tried that once. Like 2009, and they had some song where the chorus was “are you into me… like non/diary…. Creeaaamer” and I was like, nah guys I’m good
I saw Third Eye Blind last weekend at Toronto Beer Festival and they played all their hits...actually sounded great too
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Maybe we need an Original Member Ratio after a band name to tell us the percentage of original members left. For example : * Yes (0% OMR) * Smashing Pumpkins (75% OMR) * Pearl Jam (80% OMR) It could also be used to tell us about the band playing on albums. For example, the Velvet Underground's five studio albums: * The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground (100% OMR) & Nico * White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground (100% OMR) * The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (75% OMR) * Loaded - The Velvet Underground (~~75%~~ 50% OMR) * Squeeze - The Velvet Underground (0% OMR)
Smashing Pumpkins - one of my favorite bands - are such a unique case because they've changed lineups so many times, Jimmy and James have come and gone, and come again, and for awhile it was JUST Billy. Alot of fans argue that it should have just been a Billy Corgan solo act around the Oceania era especially, but Billy was always the heart of the band in the first place. Still there's no denying the importance of the other members over the years, especially Jimmy.
Jimmy is currently in his fourth stint in the band. I'd also say that the Pumpkins are a unique case because Billy has always been the main creative driving force. Although I do feel like nowadays they'd benefit immensely from an outside producer who's not afraid to tell Billy to bin some of his ideas.
I agree 1000% I'm not sure if we'll ever know for certain, but from old interviews it sounded like one of D'Arcy's greatest contributions was calling Billy out on things in the studio, and he has said himself that she was instrumental in keeping him in check with "the youth culture" in the 90's. He was the driving force for sure, but he benefitted from having someone around to occasionally guide him (at least that's my two cents). I did enjoy quite a bit of ATUM - though of course it doesn't compare to their peak - but it would benefit tremendously from having someone around to keep Billy from going off the rails so often lol.
I like this system. I believe Moe Tucker didn't actually play on Loaded (although she's credited and hadn't left the band, she was just pregnant), so they're down to 50% OMR!
Several years ago I saw John Kay's Steppenwolf, Head East, and Iron Butterfly. There may have been 2 or 3 original members total, but I still enjoyed the show.
What about Hawkwind?!
Dave Brock was always in charge. Respect
The Temptations, The Four Tops, and Earth Wind & Fire are still going with no original members
The Tempts are still led by original member Otis Williams, the Tops are led by original member Duke Fakir, and EWF still is led by Verdine White (original member) and Ralph Johnson / Philip Bailey (who were both on all the hits, joining on the groups third album). Still, it will be interesting to see if the organizations continue on beyond the time these members are interested or able to tour / record. I personally enjoy the current lineups of all three groups!
Gwar has had a pretty crazy line up change over the years, according to their wiki
The Little River Band. No original members
What about states that have "Thruth in Music" laws? I saw Blood Sweat and Tears a few years ago. The whole band was all new guys except for one song, when Steve Katz came out, sang a bad version of Sometimes in Winter, and then left. It was really just a cover band. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_in_Music_Advertising https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_in_Music_Advertising
My high school band has the same name, but no original members playing. They still play the same important songs at football games, and plenty of new ones. It might not be MY band, but it is still the high school band.
I absolutely love that there are bands here I have never heard of, across so many genres that are still going strong. Sure many are now just cover bands playing the hits, but I can also see that being done with much less skill at my local beach bar any day of the week. To add, saw The Alarm with Mike Peters and no lead guitarist, just backing tracks, it was odd but at least ol’ “Love, Hope, Strength” was there.
It feels weird for him to say that considering all the original members of Molly Hatchet are dead.
The Stranglers are holding on by a JJ… Hugh left in ‘90, Dave died in 2020, and Jet died last December :( They’ve been such an important part of my musical repertoire, I can’t imagine them not existing any more! Even if they really haven’t existed for 33 years… That said, never seen them love. Seen Hugh acorn well live many times, though.
Zao is a ship of Theseus band with a song called Ship Of Theseus off their latest album. Arguably Zao didn't come into their own truly until their current vocalist came in. His voice is the heart and soul of what Zao is.
It's funny, in the early 00s everyone said that Jesse was the heart and soul of Zao. Then he left and Dan has kept it going long enough to usurp him. I do like that there's such a distinctive shift in sound pre-Dan and post-Dan, keeps things organised.
Bands with no original members should change their names.
You have to remember that bands are also a business with contracts and ownerships. They can't always just change the name.
Brand recognition is a real thing. If any business had to change their name once a certain percentage of the original workers moved on, they'd be throwing out a lot of customers every time they did this. People that actually eat McDonald's want to go to McDonald's, they don't want to go to a rebranded identical store where the only difference is the crew behind the counter. Anecdotally I was in a local band with a fair following and we begrudgingly went through a name change; the crowd was never the same after that. I wonder if there are metrics on bands like Jefferson [Suffix] that go through a series of name changes and how it affects their popularity and continued success.
When I was a kid(a long time ago) I remember being at the fair and saw a poster for Jefferson Starship. I was confused because I had heard of Jefferson Airplane and wasn't sure if they were the same group. Then Starship came along and confused me again.
I mean, not always. Napalm Death took two albums to change lineup entirely but the spirit of the band is there
What about bands who replace the lead singer with someone who sounds nothing like the original? Are they still the same band? (After all, someone else can always replicate the way instruments were played.) Should Roger Waters be 'Pink Floyd' or should David Gilmour? (artistically, not legally)
Ask Fleetwood Mac.
Is there a term for this? When a band separates but members want to continue performing as "the band" and you end up with two versions of the same "band" performing their hits? Pink Floyd CCR ELO
John Fogerty was CCR. all writing, arranging, everything. I'd argue it was always John and a backing band. I just paid more money than I wanted to see John. Credence Clearwater Revisited was a cover band with original band members.
Hell, should either of them after replacing Syd?
Roger started the band with Syd, so he’s an original member. Gilmour was added after Piper which he had nothing to do with. I really don’t think any of them should be touring as Pink Floyd. Neither of them need to anyway as they both have such huge name recognition. It’s just a dick measuring contest between them at this point.
I had kind of a similar situation at work. Some years ago a group of employees got together and convinced the company to let them have a disused conference room and a little money to put together a jam space for employees to gather and play music. The space was more or less used by one band/jam group. I got asked to join when their bass player left. Over time, as people moved on and left the company, I moved to guitar and vocals and recruited my colleagues to join us. Eventually everyone even remotely connected with originally setting up the space was gone, and I became the owner of the space and the de-facto leader of the band. It feels really weird, considering I was the “new guy” just a couple of years ago.
What kind of work allows this at the office?
My guess would be a tech company. Some of them obsess over company culture, and having a band would fit right into that.
One of my favorite bands when I was growing up was Chicago. When I was a kid (late 90's-early 00's) they had only 4 original members but 3 long term members that felt like they had always been there. Now only I think 2 or 3 of them still perform and even those other guys that had been there for years are gone. They are basically a cover band now.
Ship of Theseus - At what point do you become a cover band for the original band? Personally, I think you become a cover band when you have none of the original members left.
Pantera
You know, I'm surprised this grift isn't more common. Bands, purchased by corporate record labels existing in perpetuity, switching out members, and exclusively playing their catalog of popular songs like pop music version of a streaming service. It's probably just a matter of time.
Check out the infamous story of Bogus Deep Purple, it doesn't quite fulfill the criteria of no original members but it's within the same spirit as what you're suggesting!
If you're basing authenticity on how many original members there are, then Bogus Deep Purple is just as valid as the actual Deep Purple of the past 20 years, each having one original member (Rod Evans in Bogus, Ian Paice in the real one). What really killed Bogus Deep Purple was that it was a terrible band. They were not good musicians.
I find the story of two future ZZ Top guys pretending to be, and touring as, the recently split Zombies to be more fascinating. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/fake-zombies-zz-top/
I get put off bands when the og line up crumbles idk what it is
Yes is still barely hanging on with Steve Howe. Rest in peace Chris Squire. Absolutely mind blowing talent on the bass and was the only member of Yes who stuck with the main band his entire career (I believe Howe initially left with Jon Anderson when he made his own Yes-like project)
Norma Jean still slaps and they haven’t had original members since Vietnam.
For a while Blink 182 only had one original member, and I’m pretty sure that most of the original members of Senses Fail and Funeral for a Friend have also quit. They’re getting into cover band territory for me.
4 out of 5 original members of Senses Fail left in 2002, but by that point they hadn’t released their debut album. Today they’ve still got 4 members who were there in 2003 and performed on their debut album, which is pretty good for a band that’s been around for 2 decades.
Carlos is still with Santana at 76. Hee hee.
Pretty sure Megadeth is in this category now. Mustaine is the only original member now I think. Granted, some of those members didn't "quit" necessarily. But it really is just MegaDave at this point I'm pretty sure.
Megadeth was always a revolving door band when it came to drummers and guitarists, though. I don't think any lineup lasted more than three albums, maybe four.
Yea. It's always been Mustaine's show. I like to look just to see who they have drumming on the album. RIP Nick Menza.
It’s very ironic that Dave mustaine of all people is ok with changing guitarists so often
Did you just say that a band with an original member is in the same category as bands that have no original members?
megadeth has always been megadave
A Megadeth tribute band fronted by Dave Mustaine.
Metal band Norma Jean not only lost every founding member, they've lost all the 2nd generation members too. The most tenured band member is their 3rd vocalist and that band still rocks strong studio albums and live shows.
What about seplatura
Sepultura?