If you could bring a dead rock star back to life
 

If you could bring a dead rock star back to life for one gig, who would it be?

John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, Kurt Cobain, Buddy Holly, Freddie Mercury? Or someone else?

So who would you bring back??


I'd bring back Keith Moon. Dude was a maniac, and I loved his out of control lifestyle.

You'd only bring him back if you got to party with him, gucci. I'm sure you secretly want Jim Croce back.

In all seriousness, I've got to go with either Buddy Holly or Kurt Cobain on this one just for the "what else would they have done" factor. All the rest were on the downslope of their careers.

And if I could go back in time to 1992, I'd kill Madonna. Nothing like going out on a high note. And sparing us the looking like shoe leather bit that we have now.

I would bring back Bradley Nowell. I thought he could have developed into a great musician.

love to see what buddy holly could have done...

Stevie Ray Vaughan, I think. It's a tough question.

I keep forgetting Robert Plant is still alive.

But yeah, it's gotta be Lennon. It would have been amazing to see how the world would have continued to change because of his influence through the 80s and 90s. His brand of peace activism seemed to take a back seat in the 80s. Not only that, but his amazing music was continuing to morph even as he was entering his 40s. He'd be 68 as of this October.

This is a tough one. Buddy Holly and Kurt Cobain would be high on my list.

But, ultimately, I'd have to choose Jimi Hendrix. That shit was just getting started.

i think this question is creepy.
i keep thinking zombie flick. i keep thinking that we'd need guitar wolf to deal with them. that'd mean bringing bass wolf back to life so that he could help deal with the zombies. so nothing makes any sense. that's why it's creepy.

Definitely Freddy Mercury. The man was a genius. And Lennon.

Why has no one mentioned Ritchie Valens?

Agreed. I want to see him in concert and stand close to the speakers and damn the consequences.

Can we stretch the definition of "Rock Star" to include other popular genres?

Then Nick Drake for Folk. Did you know there is no video footage of him performing at all? Shame.

Nina Simone for soul music because I really would like to see her in concert.

eh.. Lennon would have just been arrested by homeland security and locked up as a terrorist.

Marc Bolan.

If nothing else, he'd have ended up a Travelling Willbury.

Freddie Mercury absolutely!!

For one gig: John Bonham.

I'd love to see Zeppelin live.

To see what else could've happened: I'll also have to say Bradley Nowell.

So much originality so abruptly ended.

Just for fun: Bring Ol' Dirty Bastard back!

That dude was hilarious!

i retract my previous being-creeped out position and endorse marc bolan.

nothing says degenerate vegas show quite the way t-rex in their 60s does.
i'd go in a second.

You read my mind, although it wasn't a very tough decision for me, as I sit here listening to Lenny and air guitaring my ass off. :bowdown:

Bob Marley. He was transcendent.

Definitely Hendrix but only if when he goes back to the dead he takes Bono, Chris Cornell and all of the Smashing Pumpkins with him.

Edit: And Coldplay too. Fuck Coldplay.

SRV, as others have already said. I've often wished he could have had a longer career.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Bradley Nowell are the only ones listed so far that I feel didn't have a chance to say what they really wanted to say. So one or the other of them. Probably Vaughan.

By the time of his death, Hendrix had already alienated the Experience, along with Chas Chandler, who was a key figure in shaping his pre-Ladyland stuff. I think that the other guys don't get as much credit as they deserve, and without them I don't think Hendrix could've topped Electric Ladyland.

John Bonham without a doubt.
Jimi Hendrix, Marc Bolan and hell some Freddie Mercury for good measure.
-----Added 30/7/2008 at 08 : 20 : 42-----
Of course Lennon and Jim Morrison.

Well, I was all Hendrix until I read that. It'd be INTERESTING to see what Jimi would be up to these days, but in terms of sheer "vision left unfulfilled", SRV is way out in front.

In the spirit of roachboy's first post, can I kill Michael Bolton, have him buried, then reanimate him but leave him buried?

Throw in Kenny G and make it a double.

I think Zappa had a lot of music left in him.
-----Added 30/7/2008 at 09 : 45 : 58-----
...and Buddy Holly, definitely.

Couldn't agree more, Brad was going to be great, too bad he couldn't beat the demons he had, such a sad story, and Lou Dog as well, if Brad comes back Lou Dog has to join him.

Man, tough call.

Just to see where growing older took him, I think I'd have to choose Lennon. But damn it, all my T. Rex vinyl is sitting here looking at me like I'm a traitor.

Wait, I've got it. I love SRV, but at least the world HEARD a little of him.

I'm going with Nick Drake. Of course, on the other hand, a Nick Drake without the problems that lead to his death wouldn't be the Nick Drake worth hearing. Perhaps it's better to leave the world with one Pink Moon and then shuffle off?

Yah, but rock-n-roll is more or less a zombie now anyway so the question is kinda appropriate to the genre.

I vote for Hendrix.

well, at least nobody said Elvis :p
-----Added 30/7/2008 at 11 : 42 : 13-----
oh, wait, doh, the OP said Elvis.

But can't we all agree that Elvez' best days were behind him :shy:

I'd be interested to know what you mean by that.

Rock and roll is a very broad category. If we want to be traditional about it, strictly speaking the only music that really deserves the classification is Bo Diddley/Chuck Berry era blues-inspired stuff. If we include the subcategories and off-shoots, which I think most people here do judging by the responses, then we're looking at the bulk of popular music since the early fifties. Rock is not as rebellious as it used to be, but I would hardly classify it as zombified.

Genre labels are tricky. Some people seem to think the solution is more, to infinitely pigeonhole music into subgenre after subgenre until each song is a genre unto itself. I try to get by with less and just enjoy the music for what it is. Broad classifications like 'rock,' 'blues,' or 'jazz' can be very useful in providing touchstones. Subcategories like 'indie rock' or 'alternative rock' can also occasionally come in handy when discussing variations. Subcategories of subcategories like post-rock (a subcategory of indie) start to get silly.

Whatever music you like that makes you feel it necessarily to exclaim pretentiously that rock is dead is probably in itself a type of rock.

On topic, there are dozens of musicians in the rock and blues landscape whose deaths could be considered untimely. One of the hazards of the profession, seemingly, is the increased mortality rate. One could argue that the drug-related deaths were self-inflicted and I don't know that I'd disagree; I don't know that I'd agree, precisely, either though. It's a very tough world to be a part of and most of the people who seek it out are emotionally damaged to begin with.

Nick Drake is an interesting candidate. Elliott Smith could also be included, as could Janis Joplin.

I'm saving my vote for Bowie. Once he goes, he'll owe me a favor.

If people want to dredge up Steve Ray Vaughn, then you have to bring back Jimi Hendrix for sure so that Steve will have someone to copy.

SRV > Hendrix.

The shit I just had > Hendrix


I would bring back Freddy Mercury or SRV

Ian Curtis.

We never heard Cliff Burton out of Metallica, and I am interested in knowing what would have happened had their original bassist lived.

Randy Rhoads and Duane Allman were both amazing guitarists and had only just begun receiving recognition in Blizzard of Ozz and The Allman Brothers Band, respectively.

Turn on the radio. What do you hear? 1980s pop. "Classic" rock.

My kids are listening to the same stuff i did. It's not even reinterpreted, it's just the same stuff endlessly repeated.

The weight of the past bears down like a nightmare on the brains of the living.

I don't think I'd bring Cobain back. I loved Nirvana, but he was an increasingly whiny asshole.

Ian Curtis.

I feel bad for your kids. I release an iMix for all of my friends once a month with about thirty songs of bands that most people don't hear, they do the same, we trade music. Rock isn't dead. It just has a few bastard sons. And when has mainstream music been the best? The 70's may have had "Classic Rock" but they also had Disco (although I will concede that some was well written and full of great hooks). The 80's had Costello but they also had Brett Michaels.

I might have Nickleback, U2, and Velvet Revolver now, but I also have The Virgins, Jack Penate, Sufjan Stevens, The Strokes, Fleet Foxes, The Hold Steady, Ben Folds, The Von Bondies, Vampire Weekend, Death Cab For Cutie, Ryan Adams, Tokyo Police Club, and Rilo Kiley; there is more. Tell them to explore.

/threadjack

I'd like to see Lennon and Nick Drake.

I completely spaced Cliff! He goes on my list also.

Well put sir...

John fucking Lennon baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FREDDI!

and Bob Marley!

That's brilliant. So far as I can tell, though, musically speaking, he passed away after the Glass Spider tour. Please, bring him back at your leisure.
/ Time will crawl....

Me, If I can store one to bring Tom Waits back, I'll do that. If not, read on...

Yeah, He'd be my choice for one more show. I think it was poignant that he won his only grammy for a classical piece shortly before he kicked the bucket. So while I agree he had a lot more left in him, I don't know that there aren't others I would rather have back on a more permanent basis.

For folks who looked like they had more left to say that I would be even more interested in hearing from: Freddy. I was just beginning to enjoy Queen when he checked out.

Any of you bring Cobain back and I will shoot the whinging bastard myself.

Not so much into the rock genre compared to jazz/swing/etc, but in the category of musicians that died way too young, I would choose Glenn Miller

Agreed, my friend. See, the only reason I was hesitant to say SRV was Jimi..but when you do think about I don't think he would've done much else that was as badass as his previous work. But SRV's entire carreer is stellar, he had finally found a good way to rock, given up drinking, and if it wasn't for that god damn copter crash would still be bluesin' out.
-----Added 3/8/2008 at 10 : 34 : 39-----
uh.. what is that based on? Yeah SRV was very inspired by Hendrix, but he was also inspired by tons of other blues artists.
Hell, I like SRV's version of Little Wing more than Jimi's. And I do love Jimi. But no, SRV did not copy Jimi's style.

Michael Houser

I'd say Dan Folgelberg, but not sure you could consider him rock. My second would be Elvis. Mom, hubby, and I all still listen to Elvis. One of his songs was sung at our wedding.

That's a tough one. The world would be a different place had Lennon not been killed. I'd love to hear 1-2 more solos from Jon Bonham.. See how different ACDC would be with Bon Scott. I'd also like to see Dimebag Darrell again. Heck, How awesome would Keith Richards be if he was still alive! He's corpse is still touring!

I'll throw a couple of names out there. These guys may not have had the potential impact as some of the artists mentioned above, but they were the vocalists for 2 of my favorite bands. I certainly miss the music they might have made.

Layne Staley of Alice In Chains
Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon

I was wondering how long it would go before Hoon came up.

Seriously. I was sure it would happen within the first page at most.

since rock is itself a corpse with little hope of reanimation, when i think about it, there's no=one i particularly care about, marc bolan aside, and that for the decadent show i imagine he could do at 60.

if i could bring a musician back, though, it'd be albert ayler.

Cliff Burton

I'd like to see how southern rock would have evolved if Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines hadn't died in the plane crash. Maybe Allen Collins wouldn't have been in that car accident.. Maybe Skynyrd wouldn't be recycling old material and counting on overly patriotic tribute songs just go get by...

There's so many what ifs...

He made Metallica man...

Very untimely death.

I would consider Nick Drake, Cliff Burton and Jim Morrison. Odd list I know..

though he might not count as a "rock star" id like to see euronymous alive for two reasons:
first to hear his side of the story and
second to see what he would say/do to varg vikernes.

John L. easy.

Big Pun

Randy Rhodes.

Not really a rock musician but I'd bring back Eyedea just to hear him freestyle.

what about Jim Croche? that is a good one.

I must be getting old, I can't settle on just one. I'm also a little shocked at some of the names missing here. What, no love for- Janis, BB King, Jerry Garcia, Ray Charles, Robert Johnson and Bo Diddley??? No punk fans here either?? What about Sid, Wendy and Joey??? Zappa ??? I know you said Rock, but really no honorable mention for Johnny or Hank Sr. ??? I guess in the end, I'd have to go with Randy Rhoades. He went way too young.



..

..

Damn,
John Lennon or
Kurt Cobain...

Naw, Lennon.

Give peace a chance.

I'd definitely ask for SRV and Freddie Mercury back.
Great artists.

Uhh, BB King isn't listed because he's still kickin'... Unless you know something I don't know. Just saw him last summer at Crossroads in Chicago.

Oh, and my choice is Jon Bonham. SRV is a very close second though.