All Original members still performing with the group

Gordon Lightfoot's touring and recording band is a great example of a band that is willing to still work with him. They obviously have a great friendship with Gord.

 

Neil Diamond's band has been with him for many years as well, to the point where some band member's children have joined the group.

 

Well, there is U2 who are still great, IMO, and have been mentioned already. The Cowboy Junkies - also still great. What about Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers? Are they still all original members?

 

Last time I checked Black Sabbath and ELP were back together. As was Colosseum to about 3 years ago don't know if they still are. And the Bruce Dickenson fronted Iron Maiden have been back since 2000 and still are great.

 

Re: TP & the HB's - no, drummer Stan Lynch is gone, although they recently regained the original bass player (Ron Blair) when Howie Epstein's personal problems overcame him and he got the boot.

 

I think the Four Tops should get special recognition in this thread - I thought they were listed in the Guiness Book of World Records for their feat of longest-running group with all original members.

 

Pet Shop Boys: Neil and Chris since 1983

 

With the exception of the drummer, John Rutsey, who recorded with them on their first album, RUSH hasn't changed in 28 years. As I understand it the prog-rock band Nektar is back together with it's original line-up. The James Gang got together for a couple of performances a year or so back and Cream has performed impromptu a few times through the years and "threatened" to reform on several occasions, but unfortunately negotiations always broke down and nothing ever came of it.


Cat

 

When Bad COmpany reunited in 99' is was the origional members.

After that, Paul went solo again.

 

Nope. They've had a few different bass players.

 

Not the original lead singer. The guy that owns the studio I work at is the father of Dime Bag and Vinnie Paul. By the way, they've broken up and the brothers have just finished an album with David Alan Cole.

 

Ch.. ch.. ch.. changes

I certainly agree that Los Lobos is among the finest American bands of the last 25 years but I belive that Steve Berlin came on board after the first EP came out. I believe he was still a Blaster at that time.

This certainly is a difficult category. I know there is some band out there that has been around for a long time with zero personnel changes but for the life of me I can't think of who it is...U2 may be it.

Another category would be bands with the most personnel changes...
Southside Johnny's Asbury Jukes would be in the running for that one.
I believe that there is a time line somewhere that documents close to thirty different lineups...

Peace
Norm

 

To Isupro: Actually, Bad Company is still an entity with original members Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke at the helm (joined by Dave "Bucket" Colwell on guitar and Jaz Lochrie on bass). This is an EXCELLENT line-up by the way; Bad Company had a hit last summer ("Joe Fabulous") along with an excellent concert video on DVD of a performance filmed in last February.

However, you are correct that Paul does still perform and record solo material when Bad Company isn't touring/recording.


Cat

 

Re: Ch.. ch.. ch.. changes

Steve Berlin did come aboard later, as you mentioned. However, I was reading the requirements for the thread to be a little looser - i.e. that the original members are all together. Therefore, Steve's addition felt OK in this context. There were some other similarly loose responses, too, throughout this thread - e.g. Springsteen's current E Street Band has the same players as 1975, but Nils Lofgren and Patti Scialfa were added....

 

Prior to this thread, I thought no current band had been together longer with no changes EVER, but it looks like ZZ Top deserve that prize - 32 years without a variation in members! Granted, they're a trio, which makes it a LITTLE easier. I hadn't thought about the Bee Gees - too bad they no longer qualify.

Aerosmith have all the original members, but they didn't maintain exactly the same roster over their lifespan. And the E Street Band has changed as well - they've had a number of variations over their span, and even the current roster isn't the ORIGINAL one.

And duets shouldn't count!

 

Minus their infamous revolving drum chair, The Fastbacks also certainly qualify.

 

Actually, Kim Warnick quit the band last year, and (I think) they're broken up now.

 

What? They did? Well, shut my mouth and go into mourning.

 

ELP???? They had a major falling out about 2 or 3 years ago, as they were heading into the studio to record a new album. The disagreement was over who was to produce the album. Greg Lake wanted solo credit as producer.

There was a rumour a while back that ELP were together again. Ian Anderson was interviewed in the September issue of Norwegian Metal/Prog magazine "Monster" (#4/2002). A few weeks earlier he received a call from a certain Carl Palmer asking if he would like to tour with ELP again. "Are you kidding?", Ian said, "I thought you guys broke up for good this time?". "Well", said Carl, "that is the official story".

I just checked ELP's official Web site. There is no mention of the band doing anything at the moment.