Fresh off the news that J Geils Band would be touring the US for a set of dates, I run across a news piece (Vintage Vinyl News) that reported John Geils is suing the band mates. Well, make that ex-band mates. Somewhere, somehow, Seth, Peter, and the others decided that touring with the band’s founder and namesake wouldn’t work out because of ongoing legalities.
What?!
What is this band without J. Geils’ guitar, his presence? The J. Geils show was one that I’ve anticipated for such a long time. To finally reach the prize and find it incomplete is another disappointment in a growing line of disappointments with band mates unable to reconcile differences for the sake of their fans.
Grand Funk without Mark Farner; KISS without Ace Frehley and Peter Criss; Yes without Jon Anderson; Journey without Steve Perry; Wishbone Ash without Martin Turner; Pink Floyd without all the components pieces; Faces without its pieces. The bloody list goes on. Far too long.
I understand that we have differences. And that sometimes those differences are deep. But when fame is achieved and loyalty is acquired, sometimes it is required to set things aside (even if you can’t talk to each other during the tour). This inability to “get along” is a time bomb cancer. If it is that bad, okay! But the group that brought the magic should allow all the proper pieces to perform together.
Guess which show I won’t be attending.
DAMMIT!
I think bands touring without all the orginal members is OK as long as the public knows the band is not intact but this case is very little different in that this band bears the founder’s name. I understand that in a legal context the other member may have some legal claim to the name “the J. Geils Band” but this looks like a purely desperate move as neither of them have the name recognition of J. Geils or Peter Wolf. I hear Geils is suing for a “cease desist” and I hope he wins.
I saw Aerosmith back in 1983 when Joe Perry and Brad Whitford had been replaced by Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay. They sounded like Aerosmith, but I always feel like I never really saw Aerosmith. I am fine with bands like Styx, Journey, Yes, J. Geils Band, Foreigner, etc. continuing to tour and bring the nostalgia despite missing key original members, but they will always feel more like self-tribute bands than the real thing.
It’s a tough call. To me, it can be harder when the original vocalist is replaced – I don’t care what anyone says, but it ain’t Foreigner without Lou Gramm on vocals. But calling yourself the J. Geils Band without J. Geils? The guy the band is named after? That would be like David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony touring with another guitarist and drummer and calling themselves Van Halen….
Ray Davies talked about touring the Kinks (with Mick Avory), but without Dave, if Dave wasn’t up to do it.
However, after seeing almost every classic rock artists I’ve ever liked, I can say that one of my favorite concerts was Beatlemania.
Yes, I like it when we have the original singers, and so on, but it is the songs I like the most, and if they can sound like the songs, that makes it better.
Tough question. It really depends on the band and which members are being replaced as well as what incarnation of the band had the most commercial success.
Most people would rather see the platinum selling Buckingham-Nicks version of Fleetwood Mac but there are a significant minority that would argue the Peter Green era was the one that mattered.
Conversely, many would rather see the Peter Gabriel fronted Genesis than the commercially successful Phil Collins version.
Like I said, there is no definitive answer to this one. Each person has a different point of view. The bottom line is as long as they sell tickets and people are willing to pay to see them then it’s all good.
I don’t have too much a problem with successful lineups. I may prefer one over the other. Deep Purple had various Mark lineups that I appreciated. It’s nostalgia-based tours that matter however.
Yet Journey released an epic album last year, (one of their best ever), without Steve Perry.
Asia went on to make great music without John Wetton. Even though the original lineup has reformed, John Payne continues to tour and record as Asia Featuring John Payne, because he is legally entitled to. He performs songs from both eras.
I have every Asia album. Those with the Payne lineup never did it for me (even though I kept buying the cds hoping my mind would be changed). If I am going to listen to an Asia album it’s going to be one with Wetton (and preferably Howe on guitar).
“Hey guys, I know! Let’s just drop the J. Geils part of the name and go on tour as The Band! What do you think?”
“Shut up, Seth.”
Hahaha….
This is like Fleetwood Mac touring without Mick Fleetwood…………..ridiculous…….
I absolutely agree. The main problem is that Mr Geils is under license and has some legal restraints. But the band hasn’t toured for so long, I cannot see why a short negotiating period would hurt any kind of whatever momentum is out there.
Do I want to see the band? Oh, you bet! Without J Geils? Nope!