Interest in Vashti Bunyan's music was rekindled around the turn of the century by a new generation of fans and folkies. Encouraged by this recognition, Vashti made Lookaftering, her first album since 1970. Kate Bush returned to her studio after a twelve year hiatus, and made up for her long absence with a double album, Aerial.
Dramarama reunited on VH1 and made a new record. Guy Chadwick and Terry Bickers put The House Of Love back together. The Bats (one of New Zealand's great Flying Nun bands) released At The National Grid after a decade of silence. Three of the founding members of MX-80 (aka MX-80 Sound) made the weird and wonderful We're An American Band (and yes, they covered Grand Funk).
2006 was also full of surprises: The Who, The New York Dolls, The Slits, and Radio Birdman reunited. The press, tours and documentary films surrounding those reunions overshadowed worthy comebacks by The Radiators From Space, The Shirts, The Nightingales, 24-7 Spyz, and The Toms.
Lee Hazlewood released a final album (Cake Or Death) that was equally poignant and irreverent. Billy Idol also returned. His video for "Plastic Jesus" is worth watching once (Christ Himself nails the guitar solo). Billy followed it with a holiday album -- now that's what I call idolatry! Not included in this compilation: 2006 comebacks by Cat Stevens and Bob Seger.
Comeback Special: 2005-06:
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Cool trivia: "Mine Exclusively" (covered here by Big Star) was written for The Olympics by Sherlie Wilson. She also wrote "The Same Old Thing" for The Olympics, which was covered by NRBQ on their album At Yankee Stadium.
That's quite a lineup of comeback bands! All of these sound like winners apart from Billy Idol -- I'd gladly trade him for Cat Stevens or Bob Seger but otherwise this looks like a stellar lineup! MX-80 playing "We're an American Band"? -- yes please! THX Jonder!
ReplyDeleteThanks, MrDave! The song I chose by Billy Idol is surprisingly catchy, like something Neil Diamond might have written. I didn't include "We're An American Band" but I will be glad to upload it for you. (The MX-80 song "Hell" showcases the late Bruce Anderson's stellar guitar playing.) The Deniz Tek and Jimi Hazel solos are also outstanding, and the guitar on the VdGG track sounds like Andy Gill from Gang of Four.
DeleteThere are two songs each by Big Star and The House Of Love, because it was hard to choose just one. 2006 was a good year: I saw Radio Birdman and The Slits on their US tours, and Christgau gave the NY Dolls album an A+. RIP Sylvain Sylvain, Ari Up, Alex Chilton, Lee Hazlewood, Bruce Anderson, and Philip Chevron (of the Radiators and the Pogues).
We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today) - RADIO BIRDMAN
Gimme Luv And Turn On The Light - NEW YORK DOLLS
Gotta Be That Way - THE HOUSE OF LOVE
Dony - BIG STAR
Dropping The Curtain - DRAMARAMA
A Package From Home - THE RADIATORS FROM SPACE
I Declare War - THE SHIRTS
Anthem - LEE HAZLEWOOD
Mine Exclusively - BIG STAR
Cherie - BILLY IDOL
Maybe You Know - THE HOUSE OF LOVE
Someday - THE TOMS
Horizon - THE BATS
Carry On Up The Ante - THE NIGHTINGALES
Hell - MX-80
Kill Them With Love - THE SLITS
Ride To Nowhere - 24-7 SPYZ
Abandon Ship! - VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR
Joanni - KATE BUSH
Tea & Theatre - THE WHO
Hidden - VASHTI BUNYAN
"We're An American Band" (title track from MX-80's 2005 album, written by Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad).
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Remember how the Butthole Surfers had a dog whose name was "Mark Farner Of Grand Funk Railroad"? Not just "Mark Farner", but the whole thing. My wife named our dog Toki Wartooth. We should have called him "Toki Wartooth The World's Second Fastest Guitarist From Dethklok" so more people would get the reference.
Thanks Jonder! By that logic, I should have called my last dog "Gramsci the influential Italian Marxist philosopher best known for his theory of cultural hegemony which describes how the state and ruling capitalist class use cultural institutions and ideology to maintain power in capitalist societies." I don't think many people got the reference for his name either, lol.
DeleteI forgot to include the Gin Blossoms' 2006 album "Major Lodge Victory" and the album "V" by Cactus (another 2006 comeback).
ReplyDeleteAlso forgot Stevie Wonder's 2005 comeback, "A Time To Love"
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