Music fans are selfish. We might act like we only want what's best for our favorite bands, but the truth is that we really just want what will give us the most gratification.
A lot of ink, both real and digital, has been used this year to talk about reunions. And while writers might dissect the motives behind them, those motives don't matter to fans. A reunion is another chance to experience the live show and to hope for new music. It's all about gratification.
There's a flip side to fandom and gratification.
It's the side that encourages acts to stay together for our amusement. It's the side that tells bands to stay on the road doing the same song and dance twice a year, release albums full of filler tracks and to never change or evolve their sound. Why don't we encourage more bands to take a break?
We as fans shouldn't be focusing on bands that should get back together. We should be focusing on bands that should break up.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Some numbers to consider:
13 -- the number of years between the formation of the band that would become Lynyrd Skynyrd and the plane crash that took the lives of three band members, two pilots and the band's assistant road manager.
25 -- the number of years since Skynyrd reunited to start touring again.
1 -- the number of members in the band that are a) still touring under the name Lynyrd Skynyrd b) on the cover of Street Survivors.
There's no question that Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote some incredible music back in the '70s. There's also no question that the plane crash that led to the band's "hiatus" was tragic. And there's no question that the members playing in the band currently are talented.
But Lynyrd Skynyrd they are not.
The reunion made sense back in 1987. There were five members of the band from the '70s era in the group, Johnny was at least related to Ronnie, and it would give fans the sense of closure that they didn't get from the band's abrupt end.
But with Gary Rossington as the only thread between the past and the present and having a career almost twice the length of the band that actually wrote the songs that people like, the whole thing is just tacky. They're the world's most famous cover band who just lucked out in getting to use the band's name.