the seanapalooza that will never be

i got my metallica ticket yesterday…

…i’m getting excited!

they’re one of those bands i’ve always wanted to see, even had some missed opportunities, and it just never happened. well a week from wednesday, damn it, it’s happening! there are other bands, sadly, i realized will never get scratched off that list. like, i’ll literally die and it just won’t happen. or at least i figure. shit, i never thought the misfits would reform with danzig and play and they were at riotfest in chicago last year, so i guess never say never? let’s analyze…

prince
all pertinent members still alive? well, there’s only one, and we know
what’s the fucking deal? see above
i’ve wanted to see them since: 1984

it’s sad when i was there, they were there, i was into them, and didn’t seize the opportunity (mainly due to lack of cash and car at that tender age). and then there were the ones that broke up before i got into them, like…

minor threat
all pertinent members still alive? yes
what’s the fucking deal? egos supersede piles of cash a reunion would generate
i’ve wanted to see them since: 1986

ian mackaye is a “principles over money” guy. without googling i’d have no idea why they split up or why he and their lead guitarist can’t stand each other, but unlike the sex pistols (who without sid still didn’t seem right to me) this is one punk reunion that won’t happen, kinda like…

dead kennedys
all pertinent members still alive? yes
what’s the fucking deal? egos supersede piles of cash a reunion would generate (yes, again)
i’ve wanted to see them since: 1987

i got turned onto these guys through skating with punk kids from austin and san marcos (i somehow discovered minor threat on my own just record shopping) and again, principles over profit kicks this in the balls. unlike minor threat, i’ve actually MET and had an extensive, multi-hour chat with, one of the main players in this (jello biafra, or as he asked me to call him, “eric”) so i KNOW this won’t happen. but that chat was in 1999 – maybe the new regime will trigger a political punk uprising? the other guys still toured but with another vocalist. to me this is the punk version of journey with that little asian kid. that would never happen with…

the smiths
all pertinent members still alive? yes
what’s the fucking deal? egos supersede piles of cash a reunion would generate (catching a theme?)
i’ve wanted to see them since: 1994 (bet you expected an earlier date there, huh?)

i didn’t really get into the smiths until college, when i was slightly less bitter and cynical towards the world (it got a SHIT ton worse after mom died for some reason, but that was post-college…that’s when i REALLY got into the smiths). marr and morrissey need to just get over it. the latter still gets the biggest reactions in concert when he plays smiths tunes…you’d think he’d take the hint. but the same could be said for…

the police
all pertinent members still alive? yes
what’s the fucking deal? egos supersede piles of cash a reunion would generate (for now)
i’ve wanted to see them since: 1983, when they were actually still touring

i was to young to go to the synchronicity tour, and thanks to alex never kicking in to broke to see their “who the fuck knew this could happen?” reunion in the mid-2000’s. i figure if a check could be written then, it might still be written again. even though he’s done far more albums solo then the police ever did, and had infinitely more singles, sting still gets the biggest crowd response with police classics in his live set. take the hint, gordon – stop being all tantric with your angst. at least you’re all still around AND healthy, unlike…

AC/DC
all pertinent members still alive? yes, sorta
what’s the fucking deal? misadventure (i’ll explain that in a second)
i’ve wanted to see them since: 1984

i dropped the ball on this. they’ve come through numerous times, all of which i could have probably gone. but i didn’t. the most recent one was when i was unemployed, so that made sense – most of the others were just realizing too late the show was sold out and always figuring they’d always be around. well…

brian johnson (vocalist) – retired due to hearing loss
malcolm young (rhythm guitarist) – retired due to dementia
phil rudd (drummer) – still recording maybe, can’t tour due to house arrest
cliff williams (bass) – retired due to all of the above going down
angus young (lead guitar) – the last man standing

when initial vocalist bonn scott died from too much booze, the coroner listed his official cause of death as “death by misadventure”. who knew the band would suffer the same fate? they’re what i listened to while i wrote this, and angus is always watching over me (kinda, sorta):

highway to hell, original vinyl, both signed AND doodled with his self portrait, by angus