Would you see a band with no original members?

Are these reunion tours or cover bands?

Recently on the Lipps Service, we had on Jakob Nowell, the lead singer of Sublime and Bradley Nowell’s son. Now, I see how this makes sense, whether you love it or hate it.

Sublime had been touring around for a bit with two original members and another singer. Jakob has been making music for years with his own projects, including Jakobs Castle, so he was ready to take on his father’s role. He can sometimes even embody Bradley when he’s performing with the band. The elder Nowell died a tragic death at a young age, but the music lives on. It’s a testament to the legacy Bradley left behind, and how good the songs were and are. Decades later, the new lineup headlined Coachella, and Jakob did a great job, ensuing his Ronnie James Dio vocal influence from time to time.

It’s not exactly the same, but how else, realistically, can the band carry on so close to the roots that spawned them in the ‘90s?

Eric Wilson and Jakob Nowell of Sublime performing at Coachella. April 2024 in Indio, California. (Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella)

Recently, when Marisa, who works with me on the podcast, and Matt, our other booker, asked me about having Lynyrd Skynyrd on the show, I was a bit hesitant. I remember seeing an article or hearing something about how there are no original members left in the band that’s touring today. As bands like Skynyrd continue to tour in attempts to stay true to the audience, I wonder, does that really make sense?

I even have a good friend Damon Johnson, the singer from the Alabama-based, ‘90s hard-rock quartet Brother Cane, who still plays with the band.

All this led me down a rabbit hole of thinking …

… How do we feel about bands touring today with no original members? Is it worth it? Is it a cover or tribute band? Or is it a waste of consumers’ hard-earned money?

The answer is a tricky one.

I did some research and continued my deep dive in thought.

Name a band that you think is better with a replacement singer. Some may say AC/DC. I think they’re great, but I don’t know if they’re better. It could be safe to say that most people love today’s AC/DC, but some other groups are not so lucky.

Sometimes, singers and other band members pass away. While I do believe that surviving members should be able to make a living, if it’s only the bass player (sorry Rudy Sarzo and Quiet Riot), do you feel like you’re watching a mediocre cover band of Quiet Riot in 1988?

Brian Johnson and Angus Young of AC/DC performing at Wembley Stadium. July 2024 in London, England. (Credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

Would you see a band with no original members?

I’ll be honest, I did walk out of a Journey show once feeling a bit let down. No matter how good the songs are, I just don’t buy Arnel Pineda as Steve Perry. The catalog is fantastic, but I’d rather see one of my best friend’s bands, Voyage, in which Hugo actually looks and feels like Journey. To be honest, he would have made the better pick.

And The Babys without John Waite and only with the drummer? Maybe not.

On the other hand …

… Does it make sense to see U2 with another drummer? Abso-fucking-lutely. How about the Eagles with a few members left? Sure! Hopefully Don Henley’s really singing though.

Look at the Rolling Stones — there’s three out of five members still intact, and they continue to be one of the best bands in the world. Some might say the new rhythm section breathed new life into the group at 80 plus.

Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Bram van den Berg of U2 performing at The Sphere. September 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)

We also have to talk about Foreigner. Kelly Hansen, the lead singer of Foreigner since 2005, is a fantastic singer and frontman, who takes a page out of the Steven Tyler book of rock. The band plays great, and throughout the years, Mick Jones and other previous band members would occasionally play with them. They’re definitely worth seeing today. The catalog is so good that monkeys could be playing up there, and you’ll be reminiscing like you’re in the back of your dad’s ‘70s Trans Am.

Don’t get me wrong though, I’m a big Lou Gramm fan from back in the day. Sad circumstances have left Lou out of Foreigner, but he’s still performing on his own.

Just like all of us when we get older, it’s never nearly as good as it was.

The others … I’m not so sure.

So — Who’s worth it, and who’s not?

In the end, they decide. My personal recommendation: Make it outstanding, or don’t make it at all.

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