Musical Chairs

posted in: Music News • Rock

We recently caught wind of vocalist Joey Belladonna talking about his concerns over being a permanent fixture in Anthrax during his third tour of duty with the band. As unfortunate (and probably well-founded) as Belladonna’s concerns are, we won’t be focusing on his particular case today. His statement got us thinking on how commonplace lineup changes really are; we’re interested in how bands, especially those considered seminal in their genres, are able to maintain their sound and fanbase throughout the years with completely different members. After some research and many generalizations, we have made this list of what can happen to a band when new members are recruited.

Stroke of Luck Bands: AC/DC, Nirvana, Pantera

AC/DC was a band that had an established position within their scene, but would Back In Black have been so immensely successful if Bon Scott had still been on vocal duties? Would Nevermind be the grunge postersong if it weren’t for Dave Grohl‘s performance on the skins? Would the Cowboys From Hell have exploded onto the metal scene without Phil Anselmo‘s growling screams and falsetto? Probably not.

Frankenstein Bands: Thin Lizzy, Queen, Kiss

These bands try to relive their former glory by replacing their departed/defunct members with young, eager, undoubtedly talented blood. Unfortunately for them, they aren’t who the fans want: Ricky Warwick lacks the charisma of Phil Lynott; Paul Rodgers had the unenviable task of replacing the irreplaceable Freddy Mercury; Eric Singer, despite being superior in every musical way to Peter Criss, has fans shrieking at him to wash off the cat makeup. All these acts are still immensely successful, but you can’t help but feel that you’re watching a cover band play the music of your heroes.

Key-Artist Bands: Jethro Tull (Ian Anderson), King Crimson (Robert Fripp), Opeth (Mikael í…kerfeldt)

All these bands have a single, clear driving musical force that has kept the band alive for so long. No matter how many changes are made to the lineup, the band still keeps its style, vibe, and creative output. Everyone is expendable, and as long as the mastermind remains the band will keep on going. New members are hired for one of two reasons:

1. To bring a fresh, unique musical palate to the band, or

2. To sound exactly the same (or as close as possible) to the previous member to fill the slot.

As to Belladonna’s concern? He’s been fired before, so he shouldn’t put it past the band to axe him again. Our advice: Just go out, kick some ass and hope for the best.

What are some of your favorite bands that have gone through lineup changes? Did your interest pique due to the change? Did it dip? Or maybe you didn’t even notice until you showed up to a concert and saw a completely unknown figure standing on stage? Let us know in the comments!