The world of rock music has never quite been a stable or sensible one, and its trend of madness continues with the resurrection of bands that died long, long ago.
Rock is in a state of constant disarray, with seemingly innocuous Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy punching a fan – though the fan did jump on stage to kiss him – and the indie pop Of Montreal outraging all of its pretentiously hip fans by rewriting a song for an Outback Steakhouse commercial.
Adding to rock’s disarray is the simple fact that bands that have broken up cannot seem to stay apart. It is like watching that extremely annoying couple whose Facebook.com news feed looks like a ping-pong match with the constant bouncing back and forth between “in a relationship” and “single.”
I’m talking about Pixies, The Who and Dinosaur Jr.
Pixies frontman Frank Black recently announced that the band will release its new album. Pixies never had an official break-up date, but they were finished by 1992, according to “All Music Guide.”
The Who released an album yesterday but technically went on a farewell tour in 1984, creating “Who’s Last.” Since then, the band has been trying to decide whether to be just that – a band.
Dinosaur Jr. has a bit more interesting of a history. It announced that it’s recording songs shortly after its 2006 reunion tour. The band has one of the rockiest break-up stories in music, with frontman J Mascis telling bassist Lou Barlow the band was through, only to re-form it the next day with a different bassist. Eventually in the late ’90s, Dinosaur Jr. officially ceased to exist.
After 17 years of being apart, Mascis and Barlow perform again under the name Dinosaur Jr.
These are only a few examples. There are many more in different variations. The Rolling Stones, for example, just will not do right by God and retire.
I love these bands. I do. Dinosaur Jr., Pixies and The Who are, in my opinion, three of the best bands ever to walk across a stage.
That is exactly why I do not want them releasing new material. In my mind, Pixies was finished when it released “Trompe le Monde.” Anything after that is probably driven by greed. Black has actually admitted to this. And no, I was not complaining when I was given the chance to see Pixies on its reunion tour. But an album lasts forever.
When I tell my children about the bands who helped shape their favorites – assuming I can find someone dumb enough to bear my children and they listen to good music – I do not want them to focus on the records that came later, that came long after the bands had reached their pinnacles.
I do not want the bands’ reputations to be tarnished by final albums that leave them the mockery of the music world.
And perhaps these albums will all be the most wonderful, the most audibly pleasing collections of songs since John Lennon first picked up a guitar. It would cause the world to rejoice and music to turn to a new and socially important direction, destroying the likes of Fergie and My Chemical Romance on its way.
But they will not – at least that’s what the past has taught us.
These bands broke up for a reason. They should keep that in mind.
And that leaves awful thoughts of what could be next.
A new George Harrison record? Maybe a collaboration with Jim Morrison.
And now some media from bands, etc. who haven’t broken up.
MUSIC November 6 -The Beatific Visions by Brakes
November 7 -Milkwhite Sheets by Isobel Campbell-The Evens Get Even by The Evens-Ear Drum by Talib Kweli-A Son Unique by Ol’ Dirty Bastard
MOVIES November 3
NATIONAL -Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan-Flushed Away-Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
LIMITED -Volver
DVDs November 7 -The Blood of My Brother-Blood Tea and Red String-Cars-Christmas in the Clouds-God’s Sandbox-Little Man-loudQUIETloud: A Film about the Pixies-Poster Boy-The Pusher Trilogy-Shadowboxer-Shem-Wordplay