We have all enjoyed a cross section of bands and artists during our musically formative years. But there are some that we really loved. We collected every album they produced, and, in the pre-internet days, we hunted down every tidbit of information concerning them. For me, I was a huge fan of (and this is a small batch as I actually loved far, FAR too many bands and artists during my younger years), Wishbone Ash, Faces, Be 
Bop Deluxe, Bruce Springsteen, Yes, early era Genesis, Lou Reed, Slade, The Who, Rolling Stones, and yeah, the list goes on and on.
But, somewhere down the road, often during a peak, some of these bands disappeared. Whether they closed up shop due to internal strife, or important lost members (Led Zeppelin comes to mind), they just plain disappeared, as in stopped making new albums.
Devastating enough at the time. Looking back, I find it even more devastating at MY loss of albums that never got made (double negative, I know). Often, as seems the case, some of these bands continue, usually with band members that are totally unfamiliar. The touring is there. But there are no more important albums being made.
I have an immense love for Slayed!, a classic set from Slade. They continued to make excellent albums but soon Noddy Holder had had enough. Slade tours frequently (without Noddy), and almost always in the UK. But, you know what? I absolutely miss what they could have produced musically along the way.
I miss Faces. I miss Be Bop Deluxe. I miss Cocteau Twins. I miss Led Zeppelin. I miss Lou Reed. I miss Wishbone Four-era Wishbone Ash. I mourn what albums might have been made, today, ten years ago, or in some cases, 20 years ago.
The question of the day today is, what band do you miss?
I miss Pink Floyd. I miss Led Zeppelin. I miss the Rolling Stones of the 70’s even though they are still around touring. I miss Yes with Jon Anderson.
That’s what makes answering this question so hard. For every band that broke up there is another that’s still hanging in there putting out subpar material (at least for my taste). So you have to acknowledge that, at some point, breaking up might be better than lingering into obscurity.
Everything has a shelf life. Sometimes you just have to realize that you can’t go back (or stand still for that matter) even though it sucks. In fact that’s a huge part of why it sucks as we grow older and not just with music.
I miss Canned Heat.
Bands I miss – in no particular order………………..
Original Kiss, BOC, Journey, AC/DC, Black Sabbath (came close this year), Sweet, The Knack, Allman Brothers, Bad Company, Zeppelin (w/Jason almost satisfies), 70’s Aerosmith, America (w/Dan Peek), 80’s Tesla, 70’s Who, Pink Floyd, 70’s/80’s Kansas, Stevie Ray Vaughan, VH w/Roth, James Gang, 60’s/70’s Moody Blues, Cream, 70’s Bob Seger.
I wish I hadn’t done this list………….makes me sad.
It’s not so much the band(s) or artist(s) missed, but rather that time or place in life that was being occupied when a particular musical event took place. First this or first that, accompanied by a great track…instantly memorable and important. For every Slade album that DIDN’T get made, a new artist came along and made an imprint on my life with a landmark product (such as Def Leppard). Would I trade the latter for new and ongoing, continuous output by the former (and I loved Slade too)? No, I wouldn’t…what I miss is the YOUTH of Mick and Keith and their raggedy vocal harmonies circa “Only Rock’n’Roll” and “Black’n’Blue” and, by default I suppose, my own youth and the events associated with same. Boy, time to stop before too much existentialism creeps in. For the record though, I do miss the Status Quo “Frantic Four” period of the seventies…but even though they are still around after nearly 50 years they simply can’t PLAY like that anymore…same way the young Agassi beats the current old one.
WOW Tom, you hit it. I agree with your whole comment and who cares if it’s creeping into “existentialism”. Ozzy is the perfect example of what you’re saying. He’s still around doing music but I can’t listen to him anymore – even the new Sabbath album (although I did buy it). His voice can’t be fixed even with ProTools. Same thing for Dio before he died.
But to get to the reason of this comment – bands I miss.
Camel
Supertramp
Wishbone Ash – Argus time period
Dire Straits
Simon and Garfunkle
Journey – before Steve Perry
Cream
Captain Beyond
Master Apprentices
Beatles
My list looks like an 80’s throwback parade but I really miss the Smiths, the Cocteau Twins, The Fall. Even though they are still around in some form I miss the Cult as they were before the album “Electric”. And I can’t tell you how much I miss The The. Not a month goes by where I don’t listen to The The’s “Infected” in it’s entirety.
It is hard to list all the bands or artists, but I miss Vanilla Fudge, Family and Midnight Oil the most. It kind of stayed below the radar, the the Fudge’s tribute to Led Zeppelin, 2007’s Out Through the In Door, opened a window to the past and the future as a teaser. It is a super heavy album and a treat! I am hoping that with the awesome sound quality of the Essential Oils comp, Midnight Oil will remaster and reissue their entire catalogue. And Family, well, they are touring again without guitarist and composer Charlie Whitney – it says a lot about the state of “reformed bands”. Good news for Camel fans: Andy Latimer is much better after a long illness and is recording again!
To name a few:
T-Rex
Nazareth
Argent
The list can go on and on…….
Nazareth has been chugging along with some OK releases in recent years.
Mother Love Bone – They were the very best of the Seattle bands, too bad frontman Andrew Wood couldn’t shake off his demons. His loss was FAR greater than Kurt Cobains. Just listen to their one album and cuts like “Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns”, “Man Of Golden Words”, “Bone China”, “Gentle Groove”, or “Stardog Champion” they truly had greatness within their grasp. I also miss Dio a great deal…
Just off the top of my head:
Dash Rip Rock’s original lineup – Bill Davis, Ned ‘Hoaky’ Hickel, Fred LeBlanc
The Reivers
Marillion w/ Fish
The Rainmakers
Suddenly, Tammy!
Most of all, The Band. The Beatles, McGuiness Flint (good start then they splintered). Todd Rundgren (Something/Anything era), Bob Dylan’s voice in the 60s-70s, Dire Straits, Duane Allman’s Allman Brothers. Derek and the Dominoes, The Rascals (here’s hoping their tour will get some crative juices flowing and an album will emerge). Otis Redding. Simon and Garfunkel, The Faces.
I may be in a minority, but I miss the mid to late seventies Genesis. At that point, musically, the band was at the top of their game. Dance On A Volcano, One For the Vine, Burning Rope, all great songs!
I miss The Replacements,The Pretenders (original lineup),80s Alternative bands like Love and Rockets,Sisters of Mercy,The Jesus and Mary Chain
Leon Russell