Met-Al said:
You stated that as long as you hear someone playing the music of Savage Circus, it doesn't matter who it is. Are you saying that the entire band could be replaced, and as long as it's the music of the band you want to see, that everything's cool?
As long as they do it reasonably well, yes. I want to hear the music played... I don't care if I see THOSE particular guys playing it. That goes for almost any band. I didn't actually come right out and SAY that I don't care if the entire band is replaced (I think that was a little dramatic on your part), but, in the case of Savage Circus, although I happen to be a fan of certain members of the band, their musical style (euro power metal) is generic enough that it doesn't matter a whole lot WHO comes out and plays it, it can still sound pretty good.
Would I like to see Piet and Jens on stage? Of course. Would I lose sleep if one or both of them couldn't make it? No.
However, that's not to say that anybody and everybody can be replaced in a band. It's really a case-by-case issue.
Which I also alluded to. If I have a personal stake in the band (meaning, I know someone in the band, or have been a fan of a certain musician for a long time and am looking forward to meeting him/her), then I'll be pretty bummed if the person I want to see can't make it.
I wouldn't want to see a band if all of the original members are gone (and though it's pretty sad, there are some groups out there claiming to be the band when there isn't a single person who was there from day one). In each band, there should be that one person or those two people or so on who really give the band their distinctive sound.
A "band" is an abstract concept. It's a group of people -- any people -- who play a certain set of songs, and have license to use a particular band name. Their "distinctive sound" is whatever they want it to be. Sometimes, this sound changes in the course of the band's history. If I like a band's music, then I want to see that band play -- provided that they don't suck ass live -- regardless of who is now in that band. Likewise, if I like a certain musician's playing style, I'll want to see that musician play, regardless of what band he/she is in at the time.
If you believe what you just said, you might as well pass on Maiden the next time they come to your town and just pay the $5 bar tab to see the local tribute band later that month.
Might as well. Maiden's not worth the money these days, to me. (Most of the "big names" aren't, because they charge an arm and a leg to see a "legend" perform.) But how do you know that Maiden isn't one of those bands I noted above, where I'm a big fan of one or more of the musicians in the band, and I have a personal stake in seeing them play? (Besides that fact that I just told you. LOL)
