Top 10: Most Wanted Reunions in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal

The idea for this week’s Top 10 arose at a record convention this past weekend. While shooting the breeze with a friend/dealer, the topic of bands we wanted to see reunite came up. This is a regular talking point for metalheads, as there are so many legendary bands we’d love to see go at it one more time, or in the case of some of these entries, a second time. For simplicity’s sake, we’re excluding Led Zeppelin from this list because Robert Plant has made his stance clear from the moment the band folded. With that said, here’s our Top 10 Most Wanted Reunions in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal.

10. Deep Purple

Wanted Member: Ritchie Blackmore

Aside from between 1976 and 1984, Deep Purple have always been active in one form or another. However, the classic Mk. II lineup who gave us such masterpiece albums as Deep Purple in Rock, Machine Head, and Perfect Strangers took the stage for the last time in 1993. Unfortunately, a full Mk. II reunion is impossible, since keyboardist Jon Lord passed away in 2012. But wouldn’t it be awesome to see Purple and wayward guitarist Ritchie Blackmore together one last time? Steve Morse is without a doubt a virtuoso who has gotten the job done for nearly 30 years, but it just isn’t the same. I’d love to hear all those classic riffs and solos played by the man who wrote them with the band he wrote them for, before arthritis robs his ability to do so for good.

9. Black Sabbath

Wanted Member: Tony Martin

Black Sabbath has reunited and said farewell so many times with so many lineups. It’s nearly impossible to keep track of every iteration of the band. I’ve ruled out the possibility of the original lineup hitting the road one last time, since Bill Ward has admitted he “doesn’t have the chops” to perform live anymore, and the chances of Ozzy Osbourne ever touring again are slim to none. I’d love to see the Born Again lineup reunite for another album and tour, but Ian Gillan has been far too busy with Deep Purple. Not to mention, I question how faithfully he can perform tracks like “Trashed” and “Disturbing the Priest” at 75. That brings us to the black sheep of Black Sabbath, Tony Martin. Despite releasing a handful of excellent albums with Sabbath in the late 80s and early 90s, Martin has been relegated to cult status for the better part of his career. It’s only in recent years that his five album run with the band has been re-evaluated, prompting Tony Iommi to eventually reissue them in an upcoming box set. Sabbath has had successful reunions with both Osbourne and Dio. Who says they couldn’t do so with Martin? They’d be playing much smaller venues (theaters). They might even have to go under a different moniker due to legalities (Headless Cross anyone?), but the diehards will come out in droves.

8. Impetigo

Wanted Members: The whole band

Practically every old school death metal band ends up rising from the dead. At the Gates, Carcass, Autopsy, Dismember…the list goes on and on. There are, however, some exceptions to the rule. One such exception is Impetigo…kind of. The mondo mutants reunited for one night only on July 21, 2007, to headline the Central Illinois Metalfest. Little did they know that in the 14 years since, their music would be discovered by a brand new generation of death metal maniacs who never got to see them during their initial run (yours truly included). Next year will be their 35th anniversary. Mark, Dan, Scott, and Stevo, if you’re reading this, for the love of all things grizzly, gory, and gross, please consider getting the band back together. I know you said last time was “the last time”, but it’s not our fault that we were, in the words of Saint Vitus, “Born Too Late”.

7. Venom

Wanted Members: Mantas, Abaddon

The albums and singles Venom released between 1981 and 1984 made them a permanent fixature on denim jackets ever since. Sure, there’s the sorely underrated Prime Evil era that featured Atomkraft’s Demolition Man on bass and vocals, but by and large, when people think about Venom, they think about Cronos, Mantas, and Abaddon. That’s why in 1995, the unholy trinity put their differences aside for a string of reunion shows. The honeymoon ended in 1999 with the departure of Abaddon, followed by the band folding altogether in 2002, only for Cronos to revive the moniker in 2005. He’s been touring as “Venom” ever since. Meanwhile, the Prime Evil lineup reunited under the name Venom Inc. I was lucky enough to see them in 2017, before Abaddon left in 2018, citing irreconcilable differences between he and the rest of the band. *sigh* Why does there have to be so much drama with these classic acts? It would sure be nice to see the Black Metal lineup let hell break loose again.

6. Styx

Wanted Member: Dennis DeYoung

Much like Mk. II Deep Purple, a full Styx reunion is impossible since drummer John Panozzo passed away in 1996. But that didn’t stop Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, and Chuck Panozzo from soldiering on with new drummer Todd Sucherman for the mega Return to Paradise reunion tour. Even though rock radio airwaves were dominated by lite grunge and Ozzfest metal (and still are to this day), a wave of 70s nostalgia resulted in some of the biggest crowds of Styx’s career. And then, Dennis DeYoung got sick. This, coupled with a series of conflicts that arose during the recording of the Brave New World (1999) album, lead to Shaw and Young bidding DeYoung adieu and replacing him with Lawrence Gowan. On paper, Shaw and Young look like real assholes. Matter of fact, they look like real assholes off paper too. I don’t doubt for a second that DeYoung is prone to prima-donna ego trips, but which 70s rockstar isn’t? The point is, if they really wanted to, Styx could get their act together one more time for the fans. DeYoung has cleared his name on multiple occasions. What’s your excuse Tommy?

5. Blue Murder

Wanted Member: John Sykes

John Sykes had the greatest creative run of any musician in 80s metal history. That’s not an opinion. That’s fact. Name me one other artist who had four classic albums with four different bands over the course of the decade? Anyone? Bueller? Frye? That’s what I thought. The Sykes quadrilogy ended in 1989. What was supposed to be the follow up to Whitesnake’s 1987 self titled behemoth was released under the name Blue Murder. Joining Sykes were bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. Unfortunately, the album tanked. Some suspect David Coverdale bribed David Geffen to make sure it did so (those Davids). However, those in the know regard Blue Murder’s self titled debut as one of the greatest hard and heavy releases of all time. There have been many attempts to get Blue Murder back together in the years since. Appice and Franklin are willing to do it in a heartbeat. The problem is tracking down the M.I.A. Sykes and getting him, as Appice said in a 2020 interview, “out of the house”. For whatever reason or another, Sykes has been quarantining before quarantine was even a thing. With seemingly no amount of money able to get him back on the road, I’ll file this entry under the “useless plea” section.

4. Skid Row

Wanted Members: Sebastian Bach, Rob Affuso

If you had told me in the heart of the VH1 Classic era (late 2000s-early 2010s) that Axl Rose would reunite with Slash before Skid Row reunited with Sebastian Bach, I never would’ve believed it. All these years later, I still can’t. I can only assume that Rachel Bolan, “Snake” Sabo, and Scotti Hill hate Sebastian Bach with a burning passion. Why else would they settle for playing pathetic corndog carnivals over jam packed arenas? It’s not like they’ve released anything of creative significance since Bach’s dismissal either. When have you ever heard anyone say, “Hey man! Let’s put on some Skid Row!”, only to turn on *insert name of 2000s release I can’t remember here*? You haven’t. When people put on Skid Row, they put on the self titled or Slave to the Grind. And when they think of Skid Row, they think of Bach. End of discussion.

3. Sepultura

Wanted Members: Max Cavalera, Igor Cavalera

Before I type my thoughts on this entry, I’m gonna pose you, the reader, a question. Could you imagine Van Halen without Eddie and Alex Van Halen? If you had to stop and think for a second, I’ll answer for you: No. The band was started by Eddie and Alex. Their name is literally the band’s. So how does Sepultura get away with existing without the very brothers who founded them, Max and Igor Cavalera? This is a question I’ve been asking most of my life. Somehow, Paulo Jr. and Andreas Kisser) have been putting out watered down thrash metal records under the Sepultura moniker for years, without Max or Igor. Do they (Paulo Jr. and Kisser) pay the Cavaleras a monthly fee to use the name? I’d really love to know the ins and outs of this agreement. Even more so, I’d love to see the four of them reunite and Arise once more.

2. Alice Cooper

Wanted Members: Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith

Alice Cooper has spent the last 45 years as a prolific solo artist. Most forget that before “Alice Cooper” the man, there was “Alice Cooper” the band. And Alice Cooper “the band” was once the scourge of the nation. Although guitarist Glen Buxton is no longer with us, it’d be shockingly surreal to see the surviving members of Alice Cooper reunite. The setlist would focus exclusively on the albums from Love It to Death (1971) to Muscle of Love (1973), because with all due respect, the general public isn’t even aware Pretties for You (1969) and Easy Action (1970) exist. The stage production would have to be over the top as well, capturing both the sinister evil of the Killer era and the sleazy red, white, and blue hedonism of the Billion Dollar Babies era. In other words, this wouldn’t be the campy, tongue in cheek PG rated show Alice has been doing for the past 15-20 years. Leave the kiddies at home, lest they get nightmares!

1. Grand Funk Railroad

Wanted Member: Mark Farner

Once upon a time, Grand Funk Railroad was the biggest band in the country. Their primitive brand of hard and heavy rock n’ roll captured the minds of stoned American teenagers from coast to coast. How could it not? As Homer Simpson once so eloquently put it, “the wild, shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner, bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher, and competent drum work of Don Brewer” were unavoidable. In the evolution of heavy metal, it served as the mediator between Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. So why, while Farner, Schacher, and Brewer are still alive, are they NOT together playing all those songs that made them so beloved in the first place? Well unfortunately for Farner, the man who wrote and sang 90% of their music, he got suckered into signing a bogus contract in which Schacher and Brewer essentially gained control of all operations. And how has that been working, you may ask? If you’re Schacher and Brewer, fine just fine! In fact, this summer, “Grand Funk Railroad” will be playing such esteemed venues as the Fulton County Fair, Cape Cod Melody Tent, and South Carolina Pecan Festival. Because who needs The Forum and Madison Square Garden? Is my sarcasm showing much? Sorry, but for a band who once sold out Shea Stadium faster than The Beatles to be playing the South Carolina Pecan Festival is pitiful. It’s even more pitiful when with Farner back in the fold and the right promoter, they’d be back to headlining the very arenas they did half a century ago. But no. Let’s play “Some Kind of Wonderful” for the two zillionth time in the middle of nowhere USA to an audience who couldn’t tell the difference between us and Foghat. Way to go Mel and Don. Way to go.