Originally Posted By: Notes Norton
I guess when the become a tribute band of their former self is going to be different for different people.


That's a very strong observation Notes. For ME, just me, it is when the singer goes, as the singer is usually the face of the band. Like, how many people go to see John Oates in concert vs how many go see Daryl Hall?

For side players, I look at it like this. I always liked Neil Schon. Fine, fine guitar player. BUT... those ripping solos he played.... follow my logic here.... if Neil is "great", then doesn't logic say that every guitar player who copies those solos note for note in bands that copy Journey tunes is also great? Granted, Schon played them first, but I know guys here in the Cleveland area who can play that solo in Don't Stop Believin' EXACTLY. Thus, if Schon was great, so is the guy copying him. However, Steve Perry singing it, that is another story. This guy from whatever country he came from and that guy before him that looked just like Steve Perry may sing the same lyrics and melody, but they are not Steve Perry, and given that Steve Perry was the face of Journey, Journey ended when Steve Perry left. The correct thing to do, though marketing would not allow it, would be to bill them as "Neil Schon, Steve Smith, and Ross Valory, former members of Journey, with some guy you never heard of singing". In the case of MANY of the Nostalgia Bands, as the OP stated, almost nobody is left, or the remaining members were footnote players. I mean, unless it's Weather Report, who cares who played bass? I saw Styx and Kansas a few years ago, and they were as close as health allowed to the original lineups. Or course Kerry Livgren can't pay anymore, and I guess Rob Steinhart chose not to tour, but Kansas had the rest of the major players. And Styx had the key 2 guys (Young and Shaw) with Larry Gowan replacing DeYoung, but with John Panozzo passed on and Chuck in ill health, that's as close as they can get. Those 2 bands I will give "use the original name" pass because in both cases they were upgrades.

But yeah, Notes, you are right on it. However YOU remember a band will decide when they jumped the shark.