pat loughery

VH1.com:: Bands Reunited

I happened across this show on VH1 a week or so, and I’m mesmerized by it.

Here’s the thesis: Track down the original members of an 80s band who has long since disbanded, see if they’ll agree to reunite and do a one-night show in a few days.

I was never a fan of any of these bands, but this show is fascinating. As you’d expect, nearly all of the bands broke up with acrimony, somebody hates somebody else and they haven’t talked in 20 years, etc. And everybody’s older and balder and packing extra weight and not nearly as cool as they used to think they were. Most everybody has a “real job” now, and doesn’t play much music.

But after some convincing, there’s an agreement to meet, and the reunions are fantastic. Lots of joy, friendship, redemption, forgiveness, pustting aside past differences.

Then they begin to play together, regain some chops, and there’s a lot of fun. The most critical of the band members realizes that they can’t be perfect, so they just enjoy themselves.

The music part, really, is simply window dressing on the interpersonal part. It’s a lot of fun to watch.