What is the biggest band named after a member who is no longer in the band?

[A380]

Ruddy Yurts been going strong even though Ruddy disappeared in that freak underground Llama stampede... I mean I know his body was never found but that was 1972.

 

[Ax^]

was going to call nonsense but appears he is still touring

 

[killer b]

The original Glenn Miller Orchestra lasted from 1938 to 1942, when Miller joined the Army and the band disbanded. Miller was transferred to the Air Force and led the Army Airforces Band from 1942 until his disappearance in 1944.

In 1946 Miller's family put the Glenn Miller Orchestra back together with original saxophonist Tex Beneke leading the band (and a young Henry Mancini on piano). By 1950 Beneke was bored of playing the same songs with the same arrangements, so left to form his own band and the orchestra disbanded again.

Following renewed interest in Miller and his music after the 1953 film The Glenn Miller Story the orchestra was put back together again in 1956, this time led by Army Airforces Band drummer Ray McKinley. The band has continued with an ever changing line up since then.

It's a matter of perspective whether it's the same band - lots of bands go on hiatus and change members, occasionally continuing with none of the originals - or if it's an early example of a tribute act.

What's the dividing line between a band and a tribute band? There's a few that really walk the line - Tangerine Dream were on tour last month - all the original members are dead, the longest serving current member joined the band in 2005...

 

[petee]

- Tangerine Dream

i saw them once, they were ear-splitting

 

[killer b]

...I also recently spotted a show from Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, an early Pink Floyd tribute band featuring one of the actual members of Pink Floyd (Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet takes on Syd's role)

 

[SpookyFrank]

What's the dividing line between a band and a tribute band? There's a few that really walk the line - Tangerine Dream were on tour last month - all the original members are dead, the longest serving current member joined the band in 2005...

Dr Feelgood have been going with no original members for longer than the original lineup lasted.

 

[Raheem]

The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Paul McCartney and Wings. What with Paul meeting an untimely demise and being replaced by a lookalike all those years ago.

 

[Dystopiary]

Blake's 7

 

[Spandex]

What's the dividing line between a band and a tribute band? There's a few that really walk the line - Tangerine Dream were on tour last month - all the original members are dead, the longest serving current member joined the band in 2005...

I guess the primary function of a tribute act is to recreate the live experience of a band in its prime.

They stick closely to the style, sounds, tunes of the original band; they might do a playful cover that the original band didn't/couldn't have, but they certainly don't try to move the band forward or come up with new music. The whole point is that they're frozen in time, giving an experience from the past that's not available today.

I guess you could also argue, from looking at the archetypal tribute bands like Bootleg Beatles or Bjorn Again, that a tribute act is unconnected to the original band in terms of members, but I'm not sure it's the defining characteristic.

Tangerine Dream kept going with original member Froese, playing live, releasing new music, until he died in 2015 and then carried on without him. I checked out their new album the other day - it's pretty good, recognisably TD, but not in a recreating the past way - you can clearly hear Ulrich Schnauss' influence on it. So, not a tribute band.

The 1956+ Glenn Miller Orchestra's claim to continuity is the fact it was put together by the Miller estate and initally led by someone who'd played with him during the war. But it is absolutely frozen in time. What makes it the Glenn Miller Orchestra is the four saxophones, leading clarinet, trombones, trumpets, bass, percussion and piano playing Miller's tunes with Miller's arrangements. They have never sought to come up with new music or move forward, there's no jazz-funk period from the 70s, they didn't experiment with breakbeats and electronics in the 90s. The point is to see a Glenn Miller show from the 40s. Totally a tribute act.

 

[rubbershoes]

I used to play in an orchestra called “The Surrey Mozart Players”. However, Mozart died in 1791, long before the orchestra was even founded.

The Tallis Scholars would like a word

 

[kabbes]

The day after I wrote that post, I got an email from the SMP having last heard from them about three years ago. Synchronicity or are they readers of urban??

 

[editor]

Dr Feelgood have been going with no original members for longer than the original lineup lasted.

It must be really weird playing in a band where there's no one left from their heyday. Fans must come up and want to chat about albums that no one in the band was on or talk about original members that some band mates never met!

 

[Indeliblelink]

Melle Mel has been using the Grandmaster part of Grandmaster Flash's name despite them parting ways in the early 80s.

 

[og ogilby]

Are the heatbreakers still going after Toms death?

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

.

 

[killer b]

I guess the primary function of a tribute act is to recreate the live experience of a band in its prime.

They stick closely to the style, sounds, tunes of the original band; they might do a playful cover that the original band didn't/couldn't have, but they certainly don't try to move the band forward or come up with new music. The whole point is that they're frozen in time, giving an experience from the past that's not available today.

I guess you could also argue, from looking at the archetypal tribute bands like Bootleg Beatles or Bjorn Again, that a tribute act is unconnected to the original band in terms of members, but I'm not sure it's the defining characteristic.

Tangerine Dream kept going with original member Froese, playing live, releasing new music, until he died in 2015 and then carried on without him. I checked out their new album the other day - it's pretty good, recognisably TD, but not in a recreating the past way - you can clearly hear Ulrich Schnauss' influence on it. So, not a tribute band.

The 1956+ Glenn Miller Orchestra's claim to continuity is the fact it was put together by the Miller estate and initally led by someone who'd played with him during the war. But it is absolutely frozen in time. What makes it the Glenn Miller Orchestra is the four saxophones, leading clarinet, trombones, trumpets, bass, percussion and piano playing Miller's tunes with Miller's arrangements. They have never sought to come up with new music or move forward, there's no jazz-funk period from the 70s, they didn't experiment with breakbeats and electronics in the 90s. The point is to see a Glenn Miller show from the 40s. Totally a tribute act.

I'd say that results in bands like Queen & Adam Lambert, Peter Hook & The Light, From The Jam and the like being tribute acts? TBH I think they are... I'd suggest Buzzcocks who only have Steve Diggle left, but they're making new music (which actually sounds pretty good, live at least)

 

[Spandex]

I'd say that results in bands like Queen & Adam Lambert, Peter Hook & The Light, From The Jam and the like being tribute acts? TBH I think they are... I'd suggest Buzzcocks who only have Steve Diggle left, but they're making new music (which actually sounds pretty good, live at least)

Peter Hook & The Light, From The Jam = tribute bands and they know it.

Queen & Adam Lambert = tribute band with pretensions not to be (although Brian May does make a uniquely terrible sound with his guitar, no tribute act could make a guitar sound as horrible as he does).

Buzzcocks = heritage rock act living on past glories; not a tribute band.

 

[DaveCinzano]

The Halle Orchestra (founded in 1858 by Charles Halle) Still going strong

Well they are berry talented

 

[mojo pixy]

Well they are berry talented

Bah, don't comet wi' me