"Bands Reunited" on VH1

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Anyone else watch this? I just saw the Romeo Void one. I was quite touched by the poor sax player not being able to play anymore (thanks to the Demon Tinnitus). The Berlin one wasn't quite as good, but I still quite enjoy the concept of the show. Too bad there isn't more drama, though. The ads make it look like there's a lot more acrimony, but mostly the participants are all pretty amenable.

Yer thoughts?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought the show was typical VH1 crap.. Yet I watched it because it was Romeo Void. I never consciously made the connection between "Never say Never" and Bush Tetras. ("Too Many Creeps" was probably the reference?) Makes sense, but I always thought "Waitresses" when I thought of Romeo Void.

But I fell asleep before the end. I hope the gig was good and there weren't a lot of tears. sniff.

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

The Sax player welled up and had to leave, but that was somewhat to be expected. He watched the gig on video, though.

The Waitresses , YES! Totally kindred spirits to Romeo Void. Different sax player, tho'. Mars Williams played for the Waitresses (and later for the gawdawful Midnight to Midnight-era Psychedelic Furs).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

oooh i wanted to see the romeo void one... hope they rerun it soon.

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Waitresses were one of the great misunderstood bands of the new wave era.

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm waiting for the clownfucker/Flock of Seagulls episode.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Mike Score, bald and clownfucking = MY EYES

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

wow, there's a dramarama one!

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought it was ok. But I mean has there been a dying need to see a Berlin reunion? I'd be impressed if they reunited someone like the Smiths. Can't wait for the Extreme one, haven't had enough of "More Than Words" in my lifetime.

― Chris V (Chris V), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Its VH1 they'll re-run it 7 thousand times.

― Chris V (Chris V), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

wow, there's a dramarama one!

Hm, interesting. Will they talk about the smack?

I'd be impressed if they reunited someone like the Smiths.

Haha! I expect they could reunite each of the bandmembers' lawyers.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I'm done with the show. Looks like Romeo Void is the only one that isn't pathetic.

I'd like to see a Missing Persons reunion.

The rest:
A Flock Of Seagulls
Berlin
Dramarama
Extreme
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Kajagoogoo
Klymaxx
Romeo Void
Squeeze
The Alarm

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

An Adam and the Ants reunion would be nice.

― Chris V (Chris V), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

(as a benefit to save the gorillas, of course)

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha.

― Chris V (Chris V), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I tell ya that Terri Nunn looked pretty good.

― Chris V (Chris V), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll certainly watch the Alarm one. Can't say I give too much of a damn about the other bands, though. They'd score a major coup if they landed Van Halen.

"Tonight...on a very special 'Bands Reunited'...."

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex, is that the same Mars Williams who was in the Vandermark 5?

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Berlin were OK; Romeo Void couldn't keep up with their younger selves on "Never Say Never." The juxtaposition of tempos between their present-day show and their vintage video was sad. And I felt bad for their sax player, but I thought that if anyone from the band wouldn't/couldn't do it the whole thing was off?

The histories are fairly interesting so far, but the suspense has been totally phony, at least so far: Fly me to L.A., put me up for a few days and then play two songs with my old mates? Who's going to say no, really? You think the bassist of Kajagoogoo will be too busy?

― Rick Massimo, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Interested in the FGTH one, especially if they can round up the guys who actually made the record :)

― d.w., Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Kajagoogoo? The reunion may well last longer than their original career.

― rainman (rainman), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I tell ya that Terri Nunn looked pretty good.

Understatement

― Andy K (Andy K), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Why are Dramarama on there? They never even had any HITS, did they???

I watched part of the Berlin one, but for the first 15 minutes I just assumed they were Missing Persons! I could never tell those two bands apart in the first place. (Tho I guess the MP's had fishbowls, right?)

― chuck, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

>>I never consciously made the connection between "Never say Never" and Bush Tetras. ("Too Many Creeps" was probably the reference?) Makes sense, but I always thought "Waitresses" when I thought of Romeo Void.<<

So wait, did Romeo Void mention the Bush Tetras on the show? (What's weird about Romeo Void is that their "Girl in Trouble" song was actually a way bigger pop hit than "Never Say Never," if I remember right, but nobody including me remembers at all what it sounded like.)

― chuck, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

i remember! and i actually like it better than "never say never" at this point in my adult life.

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Did The Alarm actually break up? I thought they just kept getting worse and worse until people quit acknowledging their existence.

― earlnash, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Why are Dramarama on there? They never even had any HITS, did they???

Only in LA, very regional. I'm just as surprised as you!

Tho I guess the MP's had fishbowls, right?

Yup.

Did The Alarm actually break up?

Yes, and god help me I ended up seeing Mike Peters doing Alarm songs solo as an opening act a few years back. Scary.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Only in LA, very regional. I'm just as surprised as you!

LA and New Jersey!

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

So wait, did Romeo Void mention the Bush Tetras on the show?

The guitarist said that Bush Tetras were the inspiration for the opening riff.

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I figured Mike Peters had to have gone bald like Andre Agassi because they used to have the same haircut. That much hairspray holding hair upright cannot be good for you.

― earlnash, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

LA and New Jersey!

But did they actually get steady airplay? They abandoned Jersey for LA because that's where they were actually on the radio, supposedly!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Dramarama didn't have a hit when they were gothy band like The Cult, but they had a couple that got on the radio when the record label convinced them sounding like The Black Crowes was a good idea.

― earlnash, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Dramarama didn't have a hit when they were gothy band like The Cult

*befuddled* You are the first person I've ever heard describe Dramarama as gothy -- so I'm intrigued but also confused.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Dramarama are the quintessence of the term "also-ran"

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Squeeze? That's a pretty well-known and respected band for a show like this. I'd watch that.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

But did they actually get steady airplay? They abandoned Jersey for LA because that's where they were actually on the radio, supposedly!

As far as I know/remember "Anything, Anything" did get a fair bit of airplay on local rock/college radio. You'll have to ask my Jersey ex who was in the thick of all that while it was happening.

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Dramarama are the quintessence of the term "also-ran"

*cries*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe it is a midwestern misunderstanding, the only person that I remember listening to Dramarama before they went boogie rock was the only girl that could be described as "gothy" in my hometown. It seemed like they were all into the paleface makeup looking thing in the tapes.

― earlnash, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 19:36 (twenty-two years ago)

They weren't so much "gothy" as "paisley-underground-wannabe", I found. Oh, and they stank. Sorry, Ned.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Glam (70s UK Bowie/Mott style) wannabe if anything, surely.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I was speaking more in a sartorial context, Nedrick. I should have stated. Sonically, they just sounded like tinny, oomph-free whine rock.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Pyjamarama > Bananarama > Cobo Hall Motorama > Dramarama

― Andy K (Andy K), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Romeo Void's _Instincts_, the album w/ "A Girl in Trouble...", was just reissued on Wounded Bird records. It's great, if you haven't heard it - "Going to Neon" fits right up against the Plugz "Reel Ten" as a great mix closer. They were much better than the typical one/two-hit wonder band. Haven't heard Debora Iyall's solo work or her Knife in Water cd, but love the Romeo Void combo of her voice and the saxophone. Wish I had cable to see that VH1 show.

― Chris Hill (Chris Hill), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Terri Nunn did look fantastic.

(I'm working on a VH1 show yet to air....watch this space)

― Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Speaking of girls and saxophones and the '80s and stuff, why the hell aren't Quarterflash on this show???? I'd PAY to see them reunite.

― chuck, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm-a gonna harden my heart.....

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

That had the video with guys in tuxedos and flame-throwers and little midget Quarterflash singers and bulldozers and everything. It was the MOST!, I tell ya!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I see your "Harden My Heart", now running in my head, and raise you Scandal's "The Warrior".

"Shooting at the walls of heartache..."

― Chris Hill (Chris Hill), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Bang Bang!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't Quarterflash also sing "Find Another Fool (to Love You)?" Seems to me like Little Miss Quarterflash had some self-esteem problems.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 20:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 157 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

And Eisbar, Missing Persons reunited briefly in 2001, shortly after Duran Duran decided it would be a good idea to reunite its "Fab Five"-era lineup. They did some dates in July of that year in the L.A. area.

― Mellow Dee (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 31 January 2004 23:27 (twenty-two years ago)

EBN-OZN

This may not have been the most serious suggestion to begin with, but it's another impossible reunion. (Ned Lieben died of a heart attack a few years back.)

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Sunday, 1 February 2004 01:48 (twenty-two years ago)

It goes without saying that they'll have to reunite the surviving members. (Ice Cube, Dr Dre, MC Ren, Yella and DOC)

Is it really an N.W.A reunion without Arabian Prince?

― Vic Funk, Sunday, 1 February 2004 04:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Arabian Prince is too busy coordinating an al Qaeda cell right now and is no longer interested in entertaining American Infidel scum.

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Sunday, 1 February 2004 04:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Ned Lieben died of a heart attack a few years back.

Didn't know that. Which guy was he (blonde or brunette?) Sad.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 1 February 2004 05:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Brunette. The other was Robert Rosen!

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 1 February 2004 05:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd like to see OMD

also Mike Score could never really sing that well. It was always so processed on the recordings.

― A Nairn (moretap), Sunday, 1 February 2004 07:15 (twenty-two years ago)

OMD would be cool. are Simple Minds still together? is there any way to get these groups back together and then only have them play songs from their first three or four albums?

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Monday, 2 February 2004 05:41 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, Simple Minds is. They just toured last year.

― A Nairn (moretap), Monday, 2 February 2004 06:04 (twenty-two years ago)

But, the original line-up?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 2 February 2004 12:55 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...

Season two targets were announced a couple days ago. Does anyone give a damn about seeing any of these?

--------------------

The Motels
The (English) Beat
New Kids on the Block
ABC
Haircut 100

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 17:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Nick Heyward's got really chubby. He was on The Weakest Link 80s pop stars special thing at the weekend. He was also spectacularly stupid but I think he was just pretending.

I'd watch that, yeah.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 17:34 (twenty-one years ago)

The Beat yes, the Motels yes (though I always thought of them as all about Martha). The others strictly for the funny.

Still bummin' I missed the Romeo Void episode.

― briania (briania), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

ABC too classic (and classy) to be reunited, this episode will be horrible but I will be forced to watched anyway.

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Hell yeah about The Motels!

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 18:57 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

New season debuts tonight. Watching the Haircut 100 episode right now (they always cheat and show the first one during the day). I have to say, I do love this show, as contrived, manipulative and formulaic as it may be. There's always that moment (when they've succesfully coaxed the band back onstage) wherein they morph magically from the present back into misty, water-colored past. Like a jackass, i have to say....it gets me. I buy it. I get all misty.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 6 September 2004 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I just watched it too. I've somehow managed to go all my 30 years without ever hearing a single Haircut 100 song until just now. "Love Plus One" isn't bad at all.

Did you see Dave Wakeling mixed in the with the post-show crowd interviews?

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 6 September 2004 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, caught that.

What about "Favourite Shirts (boy meets girl)"? That was a big-ish hit for them, no? I remember a video of them dancing around a bowling alley with a stuffed penguin.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 6 September 2004 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I was at the ABC show, filmed at the islington Academy about six weeks ago. Don't know when it's showing - could be any day now, I think. The set list was - and maybe the order is wrong -

Poison Arrow
Be Near Me
Tears Are Not Enough
When Smokey Sings
How To Be A Millionaire
The Look Of Love
All Of My Heart

so no surprises there.

It was hardly a reunion - Mark White and Steve Singleton pulled out of the gig, so it was just messrs Fry and David Palmer from the Lexicon line-up. The VH1 bloke (Aameer? sorry I don't have vh1) kept on and on about how it was 'the first time in 20 years, wow !!' but it felt a bit paltry seeing as how it was only two guys. Though Nick Beggs was on bass, hahha !

― darren (darren), Monday, 6 September 2004 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Caught a little of the Haircut 100 one last night. Tivo'd it for tonight.

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 10:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I knew as soon as the New Kids show was announced that there'd be no reunion. 1) Shit like that would have made the papers. 2) Donnie Wahlberg has turned into a somewhat reputable actor now, and would immediately put the kaibosh on the idea.

What I didn't expect was that no one but the two Knights would be interested.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I quite liked the Haircut 100 show. I thought they sounded pretty good. These shows make me incredibly happy when they actually pull through and play. The Flock of Seagulls one from last year almost brought me to tears when I heard "Space Age Love Song". And I got the chills yesterday when the sax burst in on "Love PLus One".

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Hm, I saw the Berlin one sometime in the summer. Hadn't even heard of the series before that. I did like, sorta, watching the Berlin reunion - without ever having paid much notice to the band in their lifetime, to be honest. But I haven't watched any other episode since...

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The weird thing about "Bands Reunited" is you get emotionally invested in a lot of bands you'd never care about in the first place. Even crap like the Alarm...

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

They should've got the sax player from Romeo Void to take the place of Danny Wood in the New Kids episode.

― Ed Armbruiser (Andy K), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

The weird thing about "Bands Reunited" is you get emotionally invested in a lot of bands you'd never care about in the first place. Even crap like the Alarm...

That's not the weird thing about the show; it's the good thing about it. You don't have to like the band involved to see that it's about how life is short and old friends and comrades are important.

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 14:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Watching the ABC one now.....sort've deceptive.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 9 September 2004 01:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, the ABC one was sort of like a metaphorical dry heave.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 9 September 2004 01:54 (twenty-one years ago)

More excited about the English Beat one tomorrow.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 9 September 2004 01:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Yep ABC was a stinker, but they sounded good. Fry hasn't changed his hairdo one bit.

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Thursday, 9 September 2004 09:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Half of the New Kids refused to be interviewed for the E! True Hollywood Story, so I don't know how they figured they would be game for a reunion.

― billstevejim, Thursday, 9 September 2004 16:17 (twenty-one years ago)

This show will never be complete until they get Emerson, Lake & Palmer to reunite and play "Taste of My Love" from Love Beach.

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 9 September 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Watching the Beat one now. Very cool so far.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 10 September 2004 01:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Shit, another misfire. Cox & Steele not showing up.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 10 September 2004 01:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Just watched the Motes one. Once again -- who gives a rolling rat fuck abou the Motels? But as ever, it was compelling viewing with the complete re-unification of the band was very sweet.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 11 September 2004 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

dave wakeling kicks major ass. i havent seen the vh1 show yet but he plays in la like every week. always so great.

― big chaki (chaki), Saturday, 11 September 2004 08:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Once again -- who gives a rolling rat fuck abou the Motels?

Me.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Saturday, 11 September 2004 08:45 (twenty-one years ago)

LA and OC, Mr. Wakeling does. Lives down in Dana Point or something.

The recent band reunions I like are the ones that have not been featured on this show.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 11 September 2004 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I am sad that the New Kids said no, not that I expected anything else.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Saturday, 11 September 2004 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

New Kids said no,

Thank Christ for that.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 11 September 2004 18:10 (twenty-one years ago)

For those who don't know, Alex is forced to watch VH1 in a Clockwork Orange-style eye-opening device.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Saturday, 11 September 2004 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

God I really love ABC -- I just heard "Be Near Me" at the grocery store whilst trying to choose between Wheat Thins and Triscuits. Hearing that song put me in such a great mood I bought BOTH!!!

I like ABC better than Roxy Music.

― longaty, Sunday, 12 September 2004 04:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Astonishing! (But I can sorta see it -- if you had said Paul Weller was superior to Roxy, I would have cried.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 12 September 2004 12:05 (twenty-one years ago)

If you had said Paul Weller was superior tome, I would have...concurred probably.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Monday, 13 September 2004 01:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Longaty: "What's your reputation?"

Box of Triscuits: "Ecstasy!"

Longaty: "What's your destination?"

Box of Wheat Thins: "Next to me!"

I'd pegged ABC as being more of a Chicken-In-A-Biskit band, myself ...

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 13 September 2004 04:43 (twenty-one years ago)

So I've seen three episodes of this show, and by far the best was the first one I saw: Berlin. I don't know anything about them except for "Take My Breath Away" (and another single maybe?), but I was seriously, seriously moved by seeing them all reunited.

I watched The Beat and ABC today and was disappointed, in both shows, at the failure to get the whole band together. I liked Martin Fry's enthusiasm in the ABC episode, though. (I also liked that he sort of resembled David Lynch in his old age: I think it's the hair.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 13 September 2004 04:59 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

They actually tried to reunite the Smiths?

― Asthmatic Cajun (Asthmatic Cajun), Thursday, 11 November 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

I would love to see Face to Face (not the punk band that stole their name) reunited.

― mark cohen, Wednesday, 2 February 2005 03:17 (twenty-one years ago)

...as in "TEN...NINE...EIGHT! I'm always countin' down!"?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 03:21 (twenty-one years ago)

i just finally added "10-9-8" to my itunes after finding it among some old mp3s i had filed away. GREAT song.

― Nimrod Kovacs (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 03:22 (twenty-one years ago)

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