Readers’ Poll: 10 Artists Who Should Make A Comeback
It's a good time for comebacks. Fiona Apple recently sold out her first tour in years, DMX returned to the stage after a long absence brought on by his legal issues, D'Angelo is back on the road after more than a decade as a recluse and Leonard Cohen just put out his first album of new material in eight years. On top of that, bands from At the Drive-In and Pulp to Van Halen and Phish are playing shows again. We asked you which defunct bands and missing-in-action artists you'd like to see make a comeback. Click through to see your picks.
– By Matthew Perpetua
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10. Fugazi
Punk legends Fugazi never really broke up, but they haven't played a show or made new music since they finished touring in support of The Argument in 2002. Ten years later, there's still no sign that the group will ever pick up where they left off, meaning that it looks like an entire generation of punks might never get a chance to see one of the most powerful live acts of the Nineties. Three-fourths of the band have gone on to work on other music projects, but co-frontman Guy Picciotto has been entirely silent since Fugazi played their last gig. As you can see in this footage of the band performing their classic "Glue Man," that's a huge loss for the music world.
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9. Oasis
Given the volatile nature of Liam and Noel Gallagher's relationship, it was only a matter of time before Oasis finally called it a day. Both of the brothers released new music last year, but fans are already clamoring for the two to make amends and sharing a stage again. The 20th anniversaries of their hit albums Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory? are just around the corner, so it seems like a good bet that they'll bury the hatchet in time to celebrate that on the road, if only to make a killing in ticket sales.
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8. OutKast
Aside from sharing the mic on a few tracks here and there, OutKast rappers Big Boi and Andre 3000 have essentially been apart since Stankonia came out in 2000. They never officially split, though, and every once in a while, the rappers give fans hope that they'll finally get back together for a full album. Or not: Andre 3000 recently told GQ that he doesn't know "if or when" a new OutKast record will be made.
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7. The Replacements
The Replacements were a band on the verge of falling apart all through their career, and when they finally called it a day in the summer of 1991, it was for good. There's some chance that frontman Paul Westerberg will get back together with the surviving members of the band, but it's not looking too good. You might be better off checking out a Westerberg solo gig the next time he hits the road.
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6. Talking Heads
Despite briefly reuniting for a quick performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, Talking Heads have been broken up since 1991 and haven't toured since 1983. David Byrne is totally estranged from his former bandmates and plays a large portion of his Talking Heads catalog when he plays solo gigs, so it's extremely unlikely that he'll ever get the band back together. That's probably a good thing, since they probably wouldn't have much fun playing with each other these days. But it's hard not to watch footage of the group in their prime, as in this 1980 performance of "Crosseyed and Painless," and not want to hop in a time machine to catch a gig.
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5. Beck
Though Beck hasn't really gone away – he's spent a lot of time in the past few years recording Record Club discs and producing records by Stephen Malkmus and Thurston Moore – he hasn't made a proper album on his own since Modern Guilt in 2008. He's playing a few major festival gigs this summer, so that's a good sign that one of the most fascinating artists of the Nineties will be back with new material before too long.
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4. The Smiths
At this point, the chances of the Smiths getting back together are about as good as the likelihood that you will build a time machine that will bring you back to the early Eighties. Regardless of the deep bitterness Morrissey clearly feels toward his old bandmates, fans still cling to the hope of one day watching him play the old hits with guitarist Johnny Marr. Don't hold your breath, but definitely catch a Morrissey solo gig, since he'll always play at least a few Smiths tunes.
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3. Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd have been defunct since the Division Bell tour ended in 1994, but members of the band have put aside their differences for brief reunions, such as their Live 8 set in 2005 and a performance of "Comfortably Numb" at Roger Waters' The Wall tour stop in London last year. Given that all the members aside from Nick Mason seem to have zero interest in a reunion that lasts more than a day or two, fans are probably just going to have to make do with catching Roger Waters on tour.
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2. Led Zeppelin
For anyone born too late to catch Led Zeppelin in concert, watching old live footage of the band can be a painful and bittersweet experience. The group have reformed on a few occasions since drummer John Bonham died in 1980, and Robert Plant and Jimmy Page have toured together, but Plant is dead-set against ever launching a full-on Led Zep reunion. Looking back, it's easy to see why they'd be reluctant to do it without Bonham – he's one of the best rock drummers of all time, and utterly crucial to their sound. Anything less wouldn't be good enough.
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1. David Bowie
David Bowie has essentially been a rock recluse since he finished touring in support of his Reality album in 2004. The rocker has dealt with major health problems in the time since, but he still makes occasional public appearances. There's a good chance Bowie may have quietly retired from show business, but it's just as likely he's waiting for just the right moment to emerge with new music. Only time will tell.