1970s Rock legends that respected the line-up changes
Pink Floyd
There’s not really any hiding away the band line-up and changes. Syd Barrett departed in the early days, and then David Gilmour and Roger Waters have been poles apart for some time. Pink Floyd continued as a band after Waters left, although the album Endless River in 2014 marked the end for the band in terms of new music.
Getting Gilmour and Waters back on stage, with Rick Wright and Nick Mason, for Live 8 in 2005 was quite a miracle. And very much a one-off off it seems. Richard Wright passed away in 2008, and that has left Mason, Waters, and Gilmour following their own solo projects.
Led Zeppelin
John Bonham’s death in 1980 marked the end of the band. The remaining three felt they couldn't continue without him. The band lived on through occasional reissues, documentaries, and some collaborations. Live Aid in 1985 wasn’t an attempt at a comeback, but for a whole host of reasons, returning with Phil Collins on drums for a brief set just didn't work out anywhere near as well as it should have. The memories of the band at their prime live on, though.
Queen
It seemed almost a foregone conclusion that the death of Freddie Mercury marked the end of Queen. His charisma, Songwriting, and singing voice, not to mention being such an outstanding front man for the band, made it almost impossible to see a way forward without him. And yet after some time, Brian May and Roger Taylor emerged again as Queen.
Different singers appeared, but truly, Adam Lambert has now made the role very much his own in a long run of live gigs. Sure, the band doesn’t turn out new music; they don’t pretend that Lambert is Freddie. They just put on superb sell-out shows full of great music, and it works on that simple basis, protecting and continuing the legacy.
The Rolling Stones
The band has, over the years, been criticized for being a sort of karaoke caricature of their original selves. Turning out on big tours, churning out an occasional album, and playing the rock star role. Changes in line up with Ian Stewart, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, and Mick Taylor all departing one way or another were accommodated comfortably over time.
It was felt that Charlie Watts' death in 2021 might have brought an end, but the band rolls on still. Last year saw their Hackney Diamonds album surprise many with its quality and return to form. That earned them the right to yet another tour and to carry on the name a while longer.
Journey
It’s hard to call whether Journey belongs above the line, having made a good decision to continue after changing lead singers. Or well below the line, as the change undermined their original sound and led them into a nostalgia band playing the favorites for sing-along gigs. Steve Perry was, for many, the sound of Journey.
Several attempts to replace him didn't quite work out. Arnel Pinada was the most impressive one vocally, but it still wasn't the Journey sound that original fans loved. Or was it? Many have still been turning up to huge sell-out gigs, which suggests that perhaps the idealists aren't keen, but the fans with the money keep showing up.
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