In the world of rock music nothing divides and enrages loyal fans more than changing a key member of a popular band. Many rock fans seem to expect and demand that their favorite rock bands stay together with their original members forever. Stone Temple Pilots’ recent hiring of new lead singer Chester Bennington (of Linkin Park) and firing of original singer Scott Weiland is just the latest example a band member change that has stirred strong emotions with rock music fans.
Band member changes are not a new phenomenon. Two of the most notorious early member changes happened to the biggest bands of the 1960′s. In 1962 The Beatles replaced original drummer Pete Best with Ringo Starr. The switch happened just before The Beatles became popular and Pete Best became a footnote in the band ‘s history. Years later in 1969 The Rolling Stones fired founding guitarist Brian Jones and replaced him with 19-year-old guitarist Mick Taylor. Tragedy struck a few months later when Jones mysteriously drowned in his swimming pool. Band members changes and their ensuing drama have made headlines and tested fan loyalty ever since.
Some bands are known for having the same lineup of years, others change members frequently. It is rare for a band that has any longevity to retain the same members for their entire career. As a general rule, replacing guitarists, bassists, and drummers usually causes the least amount of fan unrest. Replacing lead singers is the most difficult member change due to the fact that singers are often the focal point of a band. Changes to the voice of a band are usually more noticeable than instrumental changes and therefore are more scrutinized by fans.
One instrumentalist whose departure has brought out strong emotions from fans is John Frusciante, former guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers. Frusciante was the most popular guitarist in the Chili Peppers long, storied history due to his original guitar style, strong backup vocals, and enigmatic stage presence. RHCP have always retained core members Anthony Keidis and Flea, but they have had 7 guitarist and 3 drummer changes. Despite being the band’s fourth guitarist and quitting the band twice, to many fans Frusciante was the only RHCP guitarist who mattered. Frusciante played on most of the band’s most popular songs and albums.
Many fans would seem to prefer a carbon copy of John Frusciante rather than deal with someone new. Frusciante’s replacements, Josh Klinghoffer and previous interim guitarist Dave Navarro, have at times been met with outright hostility from some fans. Most RHCP Youtube videos featuring Klinghoffer include harsh comments comparing him unfavorably to Frusciante. These fans overlook the fact that Frusciante quit the band and seems to have no intention of coming back. Without a guitarist, Red Hot Chili Peppers would cease to exist. But some fans will always long for Frusciante’s return.
The Smashing Pumpkins have struggled with fan acceptance of their new members by going from a consistent four member band on their most successful early albums to essentially a solo project led by Billy Corgan. Behind the scenes Corgan, who reportedly played the majority of the instrumental tracks on their Siamese Dream album except for drums, has always led the band. The Pumpkins’ latest album Oceania was recorded with guitarist of 6 years Jeff Schroeder, and new bassist and drummer Nicole Fiorentino & Mike Byrne. Founding drummer Jimmy Chamberlain was the last original member to leave, reportedly due to musical and personal differences. Although Oceania is reportedly more of a full band collaboration than most previous Pumpkins’ albums, it is still seen as a Corgan solo effort to many. Some blame Corgan for the dissolution of the original band. In reality most of Corgan’s ex-bandmates have left the band by choice and are no longer on speaking terms with Corgan.
Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age seem to garner less fan outcry when member changes occur. Dave Grohl has called Foo Fighters a “benign dictatorship” and QOTSA has a similar setup. Grohl and Josh Homme have been their respective bands’ leaders, primary songwriters, and focal points from the start. Both Grohl and Homme played almost all the instruments and sang on their bands’ debut albums. Most fans know that Grohl and Homme call the shots and other players are secondary to their creative visions. Ex-Foos William Goldsmith (drums) and Franz Stahl (guitar) painfully recount their dismissals in the Foo Fighters’ documentary “Back and Forth.” Grohl explains in the film that both players left the band or were fired because they didn’t live up to his creative expectations. Original Foos guitarist Pat Smear’s exit was the most amicable Foos’ member change. Smear reportedly left the band due to burnout from touring in 1997, and has subsequently returned.
Queens of the Stone Age has had a revolving door of players from their start. Besides Josh Homme, most QOTSA members, with the exception of guitarist Troy Van Leuwen, have not lasted more than a decade. When QOTSA changes musicians the replacements picked are always top notch. One member change that caused some uproar was the firing of founding QOTSA bassist Nick Oliveri in 2004. Oliveri sang lead on a handful of tracks while he was in the band, and was considered my some to be the most rebellious QOTSA member. Due to personality conflicts, erratic behavior, and brushes with the law, Oliveri was fired. He once called the band without him “Queens Light.” In 2012 Oliveri sang backup on two …Like Clockwork songs and asked Homme if he could play bass on the album with drummer Dave Grohl. Homme ultimately picked bassist since 2007 Michael Shuman to play on the album and subsequent tour. Oliveri’s return to QOTSA seems unlikely considering several 2011 felony charges.
Other band that have had easier times with member changes include Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. Original Soundgarden bassist Hiro Yamamoto left the band in 1989 and was eventually replaced by Ben Shepherd (after a brief stint by Jason Everman) just before recording their breakthrough album Badmotorfinger. Few mainstream Soundgarden fans remember Yamamoto. Pearl Jam has quietly switched drummers 5 times. Original drummer Dave Krusen left shortly after recording Ten due to drinking problems. Many fans mistakenly believe that drummer Dave Abbruzzese was the band’s original drummer. Abbruzzese played on the Ten tour, their Unplugged performance, & all Ten promotional videos except for the “Alive” video. He also played on and toured for the Vs. album but was fired after recording Vitalogy over personal differences.
Early RHCP drummer Jack Irons famously gave Eddie Vedder an early Pearl Jam demo tape that led to Eddie joining the band. Irons filled in as drummer for the Vitalogy tour, recorded and toured the No Code album, but left after recording Yield due to his aversion to touring. Ultimately Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron landed the gig and remains Pearl Jam’s drummer. How Cameron juggles being the drummer for Pearl Jam and Soundgarden and also maintains a family life is incredible. Pearl Jam’s drummer transitions have been less public because the band stopped making traditional music videos after Ten, although they have made several videos with Cameron since he joined permanently.
Early in Nirvana’s career they had a revolving drum chair to rival the movie “Spinal Tap.” Dave Grohl was actually the band’s sixth drummer and appeared on their most successful studio albums: Nevermind and In Utero. Some fans may remember previous drummer Chad Channing who appeared on the Bleach album and tour. The “Pete Best of Grunge” times two was guitarist Jason Everman, who paid the $606.17 recording bill for Bleach, appeared on the album’s credits and cover photo, but did not play on the album. Everman played on the Bleach tour but was then fired. Shortly thereafter Everman toured as Soundgarden’s bassist after Hiro Yamamoto’s departure. Everman appears in Soundgarden’s “Louder Than Live” concert video, but was fired after the tour. Everman missed out on both bands’ breakthrough success and later joined the military to eventually become an Army Special Forces Officer. Most casual fans are unaware of Everman’s involvement with two of the “Big Four” Seattle Grunge bands.
Fans emotions seem to run rampant when a band’s lead singer/focal point is replaced. Alice In Chains is a prime example of a band attempting to carry on after the loss of a popular lead singer. Singer Layne Staley died of a drug overdose in 2002. In 2006, singer/guitarist William DuVall joined AIC trying to help the band carry on. While DuVall’s voice has some similarities to Staley’s, DuVall is strikingly different in appearance, stage presence, and musical abilities. DuVall has solid guitar playing abilities that now make AIC a 2 guitar band. Most new AIC songs feature DuVall as co-lead vocalist along with vocalist/guitarist/main songwriter Jerry Cantrell, although both trade off singing lead vocals. Even though DuVall has been AIC’s singer for 7 years and 2 successful albums, some fans still yearn for Staley despite his return obviously being impossible.
The hard truth is that Alice In Chains were unable to function in the later years of Staley’s life. Staley’s last live show with AIC was in 1996 and his final studio performance in 1998. In the years after Staley had virtually no contact with AIC except with original bassist Mike Starr. Starr allegedly visited Staley the day before his death. Seeing Staley’s drug ravaged condition, Starr says pleaded with Staley to let him call 911 to save him. But Staley convinced him not to call saying he would never speak to Starr again if he did. Ironically Starr was reportedly the last person to see Staley alive.
A month before Staley’s death I happened to share a cab ride with Jerry Cantrell during 2002’s Austin’s busy SXSW festival. I purposefully avoiding the subject of Alice In Chains with Jerry knowing that he was probably asked about the band by every fan he bumped into. Jerry was playing a SXSW solo show that week. He was very friendly and knowledgeable about all kinds of music from The Doors to P.O.D. After the ride I privately asked Jerry’s female publicist if Alice In Chains would ever get back together. Her immediate answer was, “No.” With Staley’s passing Alice In Chains has resumed their career once again making new albums and touring the world. AIC pays tribute to Layne Staley and late bassist Mike Starr live with a bass drum head that reads “LSMS”, their fallen members’ initials.
With Chester Bennington’s replacement of Scott Weiland in STP, one of the last multi-platinum rock groups from the 90′s to feature all original members is now changed, probably for good. YouTube comments on Bennington in STP range from acceptance to rejection of any singer but Weiland. Many fans lament, “The band will never be the same without Scott.” This, of course, is true. Scott and Chester are very different people with different singing styles, stage presences, personalities, and vocal ranges.
After being in a band together off and on for over 20 years, STP did not even record in the same room as Weiland for their self-titled 2010 album. Weiland was an incredible frontman and many fans can’t get over that he is no longer in STP, but his 2013 “Purple To The Core” solo tour celebrating STP’s first 2 albums without the rest of STP sealed his fate and led directly to his ouster. With Bennington on vocals, STP as a band seems happier than they’ve been in years and they are finally recording together again in the same room.
In a recent interview Pixies frontman Frank Black, who recently replaced departing founding bassist Kim Deal with Muffs bassist Kim Shattuck, summed up why many bands stick together after enduring member changes. Black said, “We don’t want day jobs. This is what we do.” Rock bands, like marriages, friendships, and jobs sometimes require change. Bands deal with issues like drug problems, touring stress, motivational issues, musical and personal differences, and sometimes even the death of a bandmate. Some bands decide to break up and some carry on.
Many bands continue to make new music and tour despite member changes. Many fans will always revere a band’s original lineup and yearn for them to reunite. Despite the fact that most bands that last 20 years or more have changed members at least once, it is remarkable that many are still thriving and turning on generations new and old to rock music in a world increasingly dominated by Pop and Rap.
There will always be DVD’s and YouTube videos of bands during their original lineup’s “glory days.” But someday in the future these beloved bands could have lineup changes or even break up. They could be playing their last show in your town or their last show ever. Support bands that you like by buying their music and seeing them live. If you dislike a band’s new lineup maybe it’s better to move on to a band you do enjoy rather than wasting energy criticizing a band for attempting, many times through tremendous adversity, to carry on playing music that many people enjoy. Nothing lasts forever, not even rock bands, so enjoy them while you still can.