MovieChat Forums > 24 Hour Party People (2002) Discussion > Bands that lost lead singers (other than...

Bands that lost lead singers (other than Joy Division that is)

posted 12 years ago by MrAleisterCrowley
17 replies | jump to latest

At one point Coogan, who is as usual brilliant, mentions that NO band except for Joy Division/New Order lost their lead singer but continued on successfully. There are key exceptions.

One huge example that immediately sprang to my mind -- of course AC/DC. Another, although this is more loose since Syd descended into madness/drugs rather than dying, Pink Floyd. They did have to scramble to replace Syd as main songwriter and frontman. Of course the exact details are controversial, but the Floyd did have to adjust to a radical change.

Are there other examples as well?

[–] trip2themoon 12 years ago

I wouldn't say that Floyd had to scramble for a new writer. Roger had written some stuff on The Piper as well as plenty of their earlier stuff. All he had to do was step up when Syd left.

[–] MrAleisterCrowley 12 years ago

Yeah, but Syd was their main songwriter, and he was their frontman until David Gilmour replaced him (as much as the Floyd can be said to have ever had a "frontman") AC/DC is still obvious though.

[–] compact_disc_rack 11 years ago

I reacted to this as well, but when you think about it Bon Scott died not much earlier than Ian Curtis, so in a way, by the time JD had to "recharge" without Ian, you could say the AC/DC case still wasn't part of history. I don't know about the exact dates though.

[–] Atdheu90 11 years ago

The Doors; Queen; INXS; Nirvana; Boston; Lynard Skynard; Pink Floyd; Jimi Hendrix Experience etc etc

[–] Miarse 11 years ago

Uriah Heep lost David Byron.

[–] MrAleisterCrowley 11 years ago

Yes on Uriah (circa 1976 I believe) -- and hell concerning the 70s Steely Dan lost (fired) everyone but their lead singer (and the other guy) which some might consider a tragedy in itself. Fagen could write a certain type of song but singing well (and being a "lead singer") was another matter.

I am thinking there must be examples from the 60s and especially the 50s.

Would Deep Purple count or is that just a band change entirely? I think David Coverdale sang/auditioned for almost everyone.

[–] MrAleisterCrowley 11 years ago

True -- but the Floyd case certainly was rock history by that point -- and Syd was far more famous in the U. K. (which would mean that Wilson would have known this very well). Good point about the timing of Bon Scott's death.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] WarpedRecord 11 years ago

When you say "lost," I take it you mean bands whose lead singers died and the band continued successfully?

I don't think Joy Division really counts because New Order was a much different entity (new sound, new name, new image).

AC/DC is of course the rare exception to the rule for a band that became even more popular after their lead singer died.

Most of the examples here prove that bands generally fall apart when their lead singer leaves (or dies). I never thought of Syd Barrett as a "lead singer" so much as the lead guitarist (and visionary), so he was so much more, but Floyd did fine despite his absence. As for Lynyrd Skynyrd, INXS and the like, they all pretty much imploded even if they continued to record and tour.

Here are a few other cases where the band continued successfully (at first) after the lead singer left or was fired:
Black Sabbath (from Ozzy to Dio to a few other guys I can't remember)
Van Halen (from David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar to Gary Cherone)
Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (Dio and so many others)
Judas Priest (had Ripper from the tribute band after Rob Halford left)
Journey (had another guy from a tribute band after Steve Perry left)

But overall, it's pretty rare for a band to maintain its momentum and following after the lead singer leaves/dies/gets fired.

[–] WarpedRecord 11 years ago

Also, the Gin Blossoms carried on fairly well after the firing (and later suicide) of their lead singer, but they were always more of a midlevel attaction rather than headliners.

[–] sugar_n_spice 8 years ago

Also, the Gin Blossoms carried on fairly well after the firing (and later suicide) of their lead singer...

Doug Hopkins was the lead guitarist (and songwriter), not singer. Their lead singer was Jesse Valenzuela, who's alive and well.

http://greens-end.myminicity.com/

[–] WarpedRecord 8 years ago

Thank you, sugar_n_spice! I stand corrected.

[–] schumithecat 10 years ago

Genesis

[–] SteveResin 10 years ago

The Ruts

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Duty Now For The Future

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bartgirls 9 years ago

Quiet Riot!

[–] GuyOnTheLeft 8 years ago

I'm surprised to see no reference in this thread to Bauhaus--->Love and Rockets, as they were always thematically linked in my mind and are the most likely to be found in the same record collection as Joy Division and/or New Order. In both cases, the second band went on to greater success, but the earlier group was seen by purists as more artistically legitimate. (Personally, I like all four but prefer the early days of New Order and Love and Rockets, in their first couple albums after losing their lead singers.)

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