Are band reunions a good idea? Or should they just stay in the past?

In the summer of this year, 2014, I went to see The Libertines. Once at Hyde Park, and another at Alexandra Palace, and I have to say it was the best experience of my life. I have been a die hard Libertines fan for as long as I can remember, and to be a fan with no prospect of ever being able to see them is heartbreaking. When the reunion was announced I bought my tickets pre-sale and was not going to miss it for the world. However, The Libertines are still young and although they did need to break up initially, they have come back stronger and still have time in their life to rebuild themselves as a band.

Whether or not you feel some of the bands that split-up that I've mentioned were good or bad, that's not the point. The point is that some of them should have just stayed in the past. 

Here are some other of the great and disastrous come-backs: 

The Stone Roses - 
In 2012, The Stone Roses held a secret one hour gig at Parr Hall in Warrington, Cheshire. The gig was announced on twitter and you could only get a ticket if you turned up either equipped with a Roses LP, Album or t-shirt. 

Although the gig did sell out and they went on then to dominate that year  with a tour and playing numerous festivals, it seemed like it was more for the nostalgia rather than their talent as there was a lot of talk about Ian Browns voice. Some people said that it was hoarse, croaky, out of tune, but for Stone Roses fans I think it was just seen as better than nothing. 

Led Zeppelin - 

In 2007, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, the three remaining members of Led Zeppelin reunited on the stage for the first time since their split in 1980 with Jason Bonham (John Bonham's son) playing on drums in place of his father. Their comeback gig was hosted at London's O2 Arena and was actually a tribute concert for Atlantic Records founder, Ahmet Ertegun.  The show was an absolute success and created an outcry for a full-scale tour but so far nothing of the sort has happened.

The Police - 
Again in 2007 at the Grammy Awards, The Police took to the stage, opened by Sting declaring the proclamation "Ladies and gentlemen, we are The Police and we are back!" Three months after that  they went on a year long, worldwide reunion venture which was later titled the third-highest-grossing tour of all time. 

The Pixies - 
The Pixies that when split, people were sure that they were never to be seen again. In 1993 after their album 'Trompe Le Monde' was when they decided that The Pixies were no more, that was until  however in 2004 where they played a four-night-run at Brixton Academy. Since the success of their come-back they have since toured on and off and released a new song. 

The Eagles - 
Due to Hotel California, The eagles sold more albums in their prime than any other band at the time. But unfortunately all good things come to an end and in The Eagle's case, not a very good end, and the band all went in their own separate ways. Then in 1994 the band reunited with the 'Hell Freezes over' tour. The Eagles front man exclaimed at their first live show 'we never broke up, we just took a 14-year vacation'.
                                                          

Happy Mondays - 
Happy Mondays weren't a bad band in their prime and were one of Manchester's best exports. Unfortunately however, they didn't have a reunion in their fans best interests and it was all down to make back the money they had lost on their rock and roll escapades, without the rock and roll. 

The reunion gigs were nothing but a disastrous mess of organization and lack of commitment. With Shaun Ryder reading lyrics off of a teleprompter and squaring up to other members of the band during the gigs. Their comeback single was obviously just another failed method to try and rekindle their fame and fortune with a less than enthusiastic cover of 'The Boys Are Back In Town'.

Simon And Garfunkel -

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel eventually departed ways in 1970. After releasing their first album as Simon And Garfunkel in 1964 and from then releasing hits such as 'The Sound Of Silence,' Scarborough Fair' and their most known track 'Mrs. Robinson,' they were a band that was surely going to be missed. Since their dramatic break-up the pair have reunited many a times. However, one of the most memorable and historic Simon And Garfunkel reunions was in 1981 in Central Park, New York. The show was free entry and attracted a strong crowd of over 500,000.

Blur - 

2004 was when this historic brit-pop band split up, following the departure of Graham Coxon. Although this seemed the end of Blur, it only took them 4 years to reunite on stage where they played two nights at Hyde Park, London. Following the success of Hyde Park, Blur then went on to tour, and also headlined Glostonbury in 2009. Their latest reunion was in 2012 as a part of the Olympics closing ceremony.