Should a band die when it's singer does?

[kenny mac]

Here's one I'm putting out for discussion.
Say you are really into a band for years and then the singer dies.
Should the band give up and reform another?
Then all the songs you loved are no longer gigged live and the band you love are no longer there.
As an example I recently went with mixed thoughts to see thin Lizzy and was totally blown away with the new reincarnation but I believe they have now changed the name of the band possibly because of getting mixed press.
But there I was really enjoying all the songs I loved with a different singer.
Only asking 

[fenderbender]

Good subject KC
I think no -cos the band are the foundation.
many bands and groups have gone thr' the years changing lead singer and some had the same continued success
=
The Drifters comes to mind -
Clyde Mcphatter-Ben E king -Johnny Moore -the drifters had a sound and it remained with many face changes
=================
Smokie -the UK group are still touring -they are on their 3rd/4rd/5th lead singer
the overall all sound is Smokie--

interesting subject

Tommy

[Oldrottenhead]

Sahb are still on the go mmm

[Farrell Jackson]

I think it's fine for a band to continue on after the original singer is no longer with them, for what ever reason. That is if the majority of the band members remain the same. I hesitate going to concerts where there is just one original member or none at all of the band that is performing. In that case you may as well go listen to a tribute band. There are many vocalist in the world that have similar vocal qualities to most any singer. So if the band selects a vocalist that can perform the songs like the original singer did, it's fine in my book. It does keep the songs alive and gives the other band members a reason to carry on with the show. Good cases are Journey's and Little River Band's new singers....they both do excellent jobs of filling the original singers shoes.

Farrell

[Flash Harry]

It depends. Queen? Without Freddy? 

How about a guitarist?  Without the tone and style, would this be a reason to break up the band?  How's the Who these days? Is it missing John Entwhistle?

[Blooby]

I don't think Tom Jones would be the same.

Yes, that would indeed be my idiotic comment for the day.

Blooby

[Ferryman]

Here's a little trick I have played on folks in my day job to show the value of "intangible assets". I ask an audience (of boring IT folks) the following questions:

Do you know who Larry Mullen is? (generally no hands go up, perhaps one or two might)
Do you know who Adam Clayton is? (generally no hands go up, perhaps one or two might)
Do you know who the Edge is? (about half the hands go up)
Do you know who Bono is? (all the hands go up)

I then explain that they are the original members of U2 (and that Larry started the band). Yet it's clear that if Larry or Adam left, most people would not notice. The value of the band is really in Bono and the Edge, even though they share the songwriting credits across the band equally. Same as the Stones. Bill Wyman goes, no one notices. But if Keef or Mick left, would it still be "the Stones"?  

So it depends on the singer is the answer, and it also depends on your "value" of the band. It also depends if they keep going after the singer dies, for example AC/DC who have a pre and post Bon Scott body of work, so effectively there are "two" AC/DCs (same could be said of Pink Floyd for example, although Syd didn't die until quite recently).

I wouldn't go to see Thin Lizzy now because I saw them with Phil and there is no post Phil body of work. So they would be a pale imitation of the original IMO. But if I had never seen them I might go if I was a big Lizzy fan because it would be as close as I could get to the original. I did this with the Bonzo Dog Band btw. One of my all time faves, I never saw them when Viv Stanshall was alive. I did go and see them on their reunion tours and still enjoyed it because it was as close as I could get to the original.

Here endeth the lesson, all IMO of course!

[Gritter]

The band should cash grab for as long as possible using siblings or offspring of the dead singer....

[Gnasty]

Yes it`s worked.

It worked for AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Journey, Van Halen, and Alice in Chains although it pisses people off too. Is there others?

I always tell people. The only way to become successful in music is writing good songs, chemistry in the band, and
advertisement and distribution of your music. And looks, although that may not matter either. Alice Cooper is a hideous looking man. That could be a whole new thread.

[Gnasty]

Sorry I forgot you mentioned death. Then AC DC and Alice in Chains.
I can't really understand Thin Lizzy and Sublime who the hell is the singers? I'm not interested.

I think it's probably even harder if the other singer is still alive.