Can anyone think of examples where a notable classic band line up played together years before the same line up came together (whether under the same name or not) in their peak or classic era? A 'Preunion' if you will. Examples I can think of are Procol Harum - the 1961 line up of The Paramounts was the same line up as the 1969 Procol Harum, although only Gary Brooker remained constant in the years between. The Beatles would qualify in any of the 60-62 gigs were Ringo sat in for Pete Best.
Not exactly what you're looking for, but Jimi Hendrix played in a band with future BOG member Billy Cox in his army days. He also jammed with Buddy Miles pre-BOG.
I don't know if the Flatlanders' 1972 sessions count which made them "More A Legend Than A Band". Only after reuniting at the turn of the century did they actually have any success as a band rather than as solo artists. They might count because their initial stint was unsuccessful, then again, they might not because it is their "classic era" anyway.
Interesting story, I didn't know anything about them before: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flatlanders
I'm pretty certain that BJ Wilson and Chris Copping were never in the Paramounts at the same time. The original Paramounts drummer was Mick Brownlee, and Chris Copping had been replaced on bass by Diz Derrick by the time BJ Wilson joined.
D'oh, turns out you're right, re: Wikipedia. I was going by the old Pete Frame family tree, which claims they were, but they often contain errors.
Got another Preunion though - the Kenney Jones Line up of The Who appear on a few tracks of the 1975 Tommy soundtrack.
Along similar lines, I remember reading that John Dalton played bass on the Kinks "Dead End Street" before replacing Pete Quaife in 1969.
He played with the Kinks live from June - Oct 1966, and had just been offically confirmed as Quaife's official replacement when Quaife made his decision to return. Apparently he's on 'Little Miss Queen Of Darkness' from Face to Face. 'Dead End Street' is an odd one - Ray and John Dalton both remember Dalton as playing on it, whereas Dave and Quaife remember Peter Quaife playing on it. The fact that it was recorded twice may have confused things too. Doug Hinman concluded that most likely the released version has Dalton on it (even if it's Quaife in the video).
One setting of UK band "The Gods" included Ken Hensley, LeeKerslake and Paul Newton, all three later in Uriah Heep - though Kerslake and Newton not at the same time.
"10 cc" played as "Hotlegs" before. Bowie's "Spiders from Mars" played together as "Ronno" before Two leading members of the british "Rubettes" had a duo as "Baskin and Copperfield"
Also, Jim Rodford was bassist in the embryonic version of the Zombies. He later joined Rod Argent in Argent, then did years in the Kinks, and finally wound up in the Zombies.
McGuinn Clark and Hillman had previously been most of the Byrds. Flo and Eddie were the Turtles. Steppenwolf had been the Sparrow. Most of cheap trick was something else
Is there a minimum number of members? If 2 is enough, there is: Robert Plant & John Bonham were in a group together before Page came calling. Paul Rodgers & Simon Kirke were, of course, in Free before Bad Co. Got to be plenty of these types of examples, but it's now time for bed!
Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne were in the Move together before they started ELO The Who were the detours and high numbers before becoming known as the Who Three Dog Night recorded as Redwood for Brian Wilson prior to becoming known as TDN
