Bands who broke up too early.

He says with a wink, and tongue in cheek.

 

BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD for sure! They broke my heart in 1968 when we realized that it was their Last Time Around!

 

Blind Faith.

 

Faust

 

Mellow Candle

 

The Open Mind
Tripsichord Music Box
Plastic Cloud
Traffic Sound
Kak

 

The classic Simple Minds line-up with Derek Forbes and Mick MacNeil.

 

Are they Japanese yet?

 

I'll second the already-mentioned White Stripes and the Jam and add these:

Sonic Youth
Jawbreaker
Fugazi
The almighty, fabulous Cure (yeah, I know they're technically still a band but I gotta assume we're not getting any new music out of those folks)

 

Yep. I've recently checked for a first time Sting first solo album. Sounds like a guy got +20 years old after Police broke up. What a boring music!

 

Faces

 

I recently saw a video of David Bowie lamenting that the Pixies broke up way too early. -It's cute, his constantly voicing appreciation for that band. But it's true: Frank Black had some really strong material in those first two solo albums that was hampered by the generic alternative rock sound and lack of a band aesthetic. One wonders if they might not have been able to fill some of the void left by Cobain's death, too.

 

I may be alone in this, but part of me pines for an alternate reality where Pink Floyd released The Final Cut and Roger Waters managed to get the venom out of his system with that release. Then, he could have reconciled with Richard Wright and the four piece could have continued to release strong material through the '80s and '90s. Waters proved he was still lyrically strong, if musically a bit unadventurous and even boring, through those decades; and Gilmour proved he was musically on point both solo and in the Floyd, if no great shakes as a lyricist (or as someone who chose the lyricist). The whole would have been greater than the sum of the pieces if Waters could have gotten over himself and we would have been treated to some amazing material as a result.

But, you know... If wishes were fishes and all that.

 

Love without Brian Maclean was never the same. Ifyoubelievein gives light to the impact he must have had on the band.

 

Van Halen

 

The Chameleons - should have been huge but fell apart irretrievably.

Young Marble Giants - though I am not sure how they could have followed up Colossal Youth.

Magazine - with John McGeogh

Japan

 

My beloved Wondermints

 

Captain Beyond

 

Very few bands I think broke up too early. Because the signs are usually there before they break up. Things run their course, and there's no point in trying to recapture the glory when the energy has since dissipated or the spirit is just not there any more.

I'm always very happy with 1-4 really good albums from bands. I don't feel I can ask for more. 1 great album is fantastic, 4 great albums is a minor miracle.

My exceptions are already noted above:

VU with John Cale. One more album, because Cale, Lou and the band were at their height. And imagine the production/arrangement values of The Marble Index with the song-writing of '3rd' and the original band.

Television. If it had not been for the indifferent-to-critical UK press reviews of their 2nd Lp, they may have had a better UK tour, and then may have carried on successfully. Lucky to have the brilliant re-union '92 album, though.

 

Captain Beyond, an early 70's super group comprised of former members of Iron Butterfly, Deep Purple Mk I etc., turned out a strong, uniquely progressive first album that fused jazz with heavy electric blues. With their second album CB changed direction, moving toward a mellower, more acoustic style accompanied by line-up changes and weaker material. If the first album's hard edged style had gained more traction and their label, Capricorn, had made more effort to hold the group's initial line-up together, CB might've been able to build momentum into the mid-70's and achieved greater success.


Cat

 

Completely agree. I wish that several of my favorite bands would have gone out on top and called it quits decades ago.

 

The Zombies

They broke up before Time of the Season hit it big. I love everything this band did, and if they had still been together when that song became a hit, maybe they would have went on to do some amazing stuff.

But, at the same time, I love their discography, so...

 

What are the odds!? LOL!

Worked on polishing my Captain Beyond post, left, came back and posted thinking no one would mention the group, and Lo and Behold. Good call, Xabby!


Cat

 

Bicycle Thief