It seems to be all the rage this decade for indie bands of the 80's and 90's to reunite for a tour and sometimes a record or two. These were the bands I saw live the first time around or at least on which I cut my indie rock teeth. I wish many of them would reunite in maybe five years so that Lucia could see them as well. I say five years because a concert at this stage would only scare her. She will bee rambunctious and ready to dance in five years by my estimates.
Here's my list of top 10 reunions I wish Lucia could see.
10. Coctails
Before The Sea & Cake and before there was a Chicago sound in indie rock, there was Coctails. This band brought jazz to indie shows and had a huge influence on independent music. This is a reunion I'd also be very excited to see happen. I saw them several times in the mid-nineties, including their last jaunt in '95.
9.The Velvet Underground
OK. So, if this reunion happened again in five years or so, VU survivors would barely be able to stand on stage much less sound like they did back in the day. But it would still be cool, wouldn't it? These are the grandfathers (literally and figuratively) of punk and indie rock. Lucia should see such an influence on her father's record collection.
8. The Breeders
I had to get some ladies on this list. Besides, what band knows more about reunion tours than The Breeders? My other hope is that the Deal sisters would be cleaner than they've been for years so that they would sound like they did in the mid-nineties. Lucia needs some strong ladies to look up to. The Breeders first broke through in a time when heavy, masculine music was dominating music and they didn't do it with acoustic ballads. No, The Breeders rocked and partied harder than any of their male counterparts.
7. Pixies
While I'm on Kim Deal and her many comebacks, Lucia should see yet another quintessential band in indie rock history. I already saw Pixies on one of their reunion tours, but another generation needs to witness their greatness. She should know where Nirvana learned that loud/soft aesthetic or where Isaac Brock found his growl. This band, like most on this list, have had an enormous impact on the indie landscape. I want Lucia to know some of that history. So, we'll be there for the Pixies' fifth reunion tour.
6. Dinosaur Jr.
This band has been on a perpetual reunion. They've even gone so far as to record two albums (one was a typically bland reunion album; the second is reminiscent of their best word) since returning to the scene. However, I bet they'll grow tired of each other and break up again, just in time to reunite for Lucia's sixth birthday. They'll have to play outdoors, though. I can't risk Lu losing her hearing at such a young age.
5. Archers of Loaf
I really don't understand why no one is talking about an Archers of Loaf reunion. People just don't understand how incredible this band was live. Lucia knows "Web In Front" as I used to sing it to her while helping her get to sleep sleep. She should also know the sheer power that is Archers of Loaf.
4. Nirvana/Brainiac/Elliott Smith
I realize that none of these acts are no longer active due to tragic deaths, but wouldn't it be cool if they could come back to life just to play a Zombiepalooza or something? In all seriousness, Nirvana, Brainiac, and Elliott Smith were three of the biggest reasons I spend so much time and money on records and rock shows. I was lucky enough to see all of them live. Sadly, Lucia won't be so lucky.
3. Uncle Tupelo/Neutral Milk Hotel
These are two bands that I never saw due to discovering them too late, but I imagine it would be great to see them for the first time with Lu. Uncle Tupelo made my third-favorite genre, alt.country (whatever that is), possible and birthed two of my favorite bands of the past 15 years in Wilco and Son Volt. Neutral Milk Hotel recorded maybe the greatest album of my lifetime not recorded by Pavement. Seeing them together would be the ultimate father/daughter experience.
2. Sleater-Kinney
Too much sausage in this list. Possibly my favorite grrrl band ever comes in at number 2. I only saw them a few times back in the day, but they were so, so good live. The first time I saw Sleater-Kinney was in Amsterdam. Maybe if they come back, I can tell Lucia all about that trip.
1. Pavement
I know there has been recent talk of a Pavement reunion on the internets, but this really needs to happen 2015/16. Lucia will need to see what all the fuss is about after listening to my reminiscence of all the great Pavement records with the guy yelling in the background and the nonsensical lyrics or the terrible shows that were regularly hijacked my inadequate drummers and forgetful guitarists. She needs to know Pavement power. She needs to hear SM manipulate the lyrics and phrasing to his every whim. Lucia needs to know that Mark Ibold was in a band before Free Kitten or Sonic Youth. She needs to know Pavement.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Bands I Wish Would Reunite So Lucia Could See Them
Friday, December 28, 2007
The Year in Music
The end of the year is finally upon us, and I, like every other hack out there, has a self-indulgent year-end list. Of course I would start off with music. If this blog has any running themes or topics, it’s definitely music.
Best Single that many of you probably are annoyed with by now because of all the commercials and air play it’s received: “1 2 3 4” by Feist
Yes the lyrics are simple and repetitive. Yes the video is too wholesome. But, damn, has a song ever been bigger for a Canadian songstress? Close second: “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John
Come on. Enjoy it one more time…
Dinosaur Jr backs the Broken Social Scene front man on this happy rocker.
This may change tomorrow, but the title track from that weird Dylan movie is a dead-on interpretation. It really connects Dylan to punk in a way I had never fully realized.
Best song that carried a much weaker album: “23” by Blonde Redhead
This song has urgency, beauty, and mystery…all the things the rest of the album failed to deliver.
Best Spoon song that should cause feet to move, critics’ heads to explode, and units to shift: “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb”
Kiss Britt Daniel’s ass, Poison!
Band that Pitchfork loves that I’ve been too slow to ride the bandwagon but feel that I will take the plunge any day now: Black Kids
I don’t know if I’m offended or aroused by the band’s name, but I do know that their sound excites me in a way the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah did when I finally gave in to their will.
New act that I missed this year that NPR thankfully reported in their year-in-review feature: Taken by Trees
I think I have just discovered the next Swedish Cat Power.
Best band that all the critics love that I’ve liked in the past but have yet to purchase this year’s release: Animal Collective
Difficult indeed.
Best Video – Classic Format: “Elephant Gun” by
This sad, dance-heavy video takes me back to all those vagabond Brit-pop vids back in MTV’s early days.
Best Video that didn’t make me go out and buy the band’s record: “What’s a Girl to Do?” by Bat for Lashes
Rarely has a dance routine been so expertly executed as in this super-cool video.
Best fan video: “My Body Is a Cage” by
2007 was the year of green screens and fan videos. I don’t know whether this is a smart marketing ploy or a cheap way to make videos, but this is the best of the year by far.
Funniest video: "Can't Tell Me Nothing" by Kanye West
New dance music genre that will be old by February…I hope: Progtronica
I have had it with anything that sounds like Battles or LCD Soundsystem. Why is it that the hipsters get so happy over dance music that will be forgotten in six months when head-bobbing doesn’t count as dancing? There is a reason disco, trance, big beat, and techno all died.
Best show - Large Venue: Arcade Fire in KC
Best show - Medium Venue: Camera Obscura at The Blue Note
Best show - Small Venue: The Thermals at Mojo's
Best Albums from 2006 that I discovered late and listened to all throughout 2007: The Thermals' The Body, the Blood, the Machine, Beirut's Gulag Orkestar, and Band of Horses' Everything All the Time
Top five albums on my best 31 of 2007: Stay tuned...
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