Rampant Reformations: next act on the nostalgia train is ?

[Loins Of London]

So I bagged my Ultravox tickets this morning for next year's surprising reunion tour. It got me thinking, just how many of the major musical acts are left to pick up a slice of the filthy lucre wedge offered to nostalgia tours?

In the last few years, reactivated rock dinosaurs such as The Police and Genesis have been criss-crossing the arena and festival circuit with previously dormant pop acts offered a new pension scheme for a second chance to shine, hello Spice Girls, Take That, New 'Kids' On The Block and Yazoo.

A decade ago, Blondie and Culture Club led the way with a new lease of life and plenty of bums and seats and the odd hit single to boot. Maria was pretty enough to even top the charts.

Even so, five years ago, who would have thought that Pink Floyd with founder member Roger Waters would steal the show from Rob and Madge at Live 8, or that a Led Zep charity reunion would see tickets changing hands for four-figure sums.

On top of that, in 2009 we're promised new studio albums from the original Roxy Music (with Eno), OMD and Simple Minds line-ups, while rumours persist that The Smiths, The Jackson Five/Jacksons (though seemingly without the only member anyone's interested in seeing them for) and, erm, Spandau Ballet are soon to announce they've all kissed and made up, and all animosities, jealousies and, in some cases, court cases are forgotten.

So, bearing this in mind...

Q: ,Just who do you think should be the next band to emerge from the shadows and tread the boards once again?

[Your Funny Uncle]

Didn't Simon and Garfunkel tour a year or two ago? Also Dire Straits was pretty much always Mark Knopfler and freinds and he never stopped (and he still plays Dire Straits songs live.)

[Kris]

Out of that lot I'd say The Jam are the likeliest to reform.

[Pet Shop Girl]

THe Smiths would be nice, but I know it will never happen.

[Hillbilly]

Get real, folks! ABBA will never ever happen!!!

[DJ_Couture]

Out of that lot I'd say The Jam are the likeliest to reform.

I think Weller really, really doesn't like the idea. Bruce Foxton (whom my grandmother used to work with!) and Rick Butler are currently(ish) on a tour billed as From The Jam. A Style Councile reuinion might be more likely!

[Loins Of London]

Dire Straits was pretty much always Mark Knopfler and freinds and he never stopped (and he still plays Dire Straits songs live.)

DS did have a number of personnel changes but they were definitely a band though. They last toured in the mid '90s IIRC.

You're right about S&G reuniting, it was 2003/04 and it completely passed me by. Don't quite know why. Did they even play in the UK?

[StevePSB]

I didn't know Ultravox were getting back together! They're one of my favourite groups, and they were the first group I ever called my favourite, way back in the very early 80's when I was knee high to a grasshopper!


StevePSB

[Your Funny Uncle]

Dire Straits was pretty much always Mark Knopfler and freinds and he never stopped (and he still plays Dire Straits songs live.)

DS did have a number of personnel changes but they were definitely a band though. They last toured in the mid '90s IIRC.

You're right about S&G reuniting, it was 2003/04 and it completely passed me by. Don't quite know why. Did they even play in the UK?

Hmmm Mark Knopfler wrote the songs, sang the songs and played lead guitar but if you want to call them a proper band you can... I took my dad (who is a massive fan) to see him play the MEN arena earlier this year and it was full, so I doubt he sees the (financial) need to reform Dire Straits.

Simon and Garfunkel definitely played the UK, as some of my friends went to watch them. I can't believe it was four years ago! Time flies...

[Loins Of London]

I took my dad (who is a massive fan) to see him play the MEN arena earlier this year and it was full, so I doubt he sees the (financial) need to reform Dire Straits.

True, but even if he was the brains behind the band, the famous brand name will always account for more. For every one night at MEN MK filled, Dire Straits would sell out three times as many.

A similar parallel would be Adam & The Ants. Adam was The Ants in so many ways, but if he toured now I doubt he'd be much of a crowd-puller, except, sadly for some, as some kind of curiosity value freak show. Reforming the Ants, the first major pop band of the 80s, and it's a completely different story, particularly if he chooses the right line-up.

[BecciJ]

Σκέφτομαι ότι θα ήταν μεγάλο εάν τα μυρμήγκια ανασχημάτισαν. I' το δ πληρώνει για αυτό!

[Loins Of London]

Σκέφτομαι ότι θα ήταν μεγάλο εάν τα μυρμήγκια ανασχημάτισαν. I' το δ πληρώνει για αυτό!

Yeah, but you don't count. You'd even pay to see Demis Roussos.

[BecciJ]

Nah- my taste isn't that bad. Now, Nana Mouskouri....