You can make me whole again
popular music tributes embodying the reunion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.v7i2.211Keywords:
embodiment, entertainment, pop reunions, popular music, tributeAbstract
Within hierarchies of taste and value, popular music tributes tend to be dismissed as lowbrow. When they are discussed by the media, they are often depicted as humorous, opportunistic or of little serious value. Nevertheless, regardless of this lack of acclaim this article argues that they fulfil a useful role within the live entertainment industry where their presence is particularly valuable in the event of original band breakup or fission. The article demonstrates how their auspices go beyond the narrow function of filling in during the absence of the original artist. This involves a discussion of the ways in which popular music tributes can help to maintain interest in their archetype during periods of hiatus when a career is disrupted for whatever reason. Furthermore, in certain cases the tribute may even offer new and original music in the style of the original musicians.
References
Aseltine, Robert. 1996. ‘Pathways Linking Parental Divorce with Adolescent Depression’. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour 37: 133–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2137269
Bellis, Mark, et al. 2007. ‘Elvis to Eminem: Quantifying the Price of Fame through Early Mortality of European and North American Rock and Pop Stars’. Journal of Epidemiology Community Health 61: 896–901. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech.2007.059915
Bertrand, Michael. 2007. ‘Elvis Presley and the Politics of Popular Memory’. Southern Cultures 13: 62–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/scu.2007.0025
Brook, Sally. 2006. ‘I Sobbed when Take That Split’. The Sun, 4 December. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/73892/I-sobbed-after-Take-That-split.html.
Bryner, Charles. 2001. ‘Children of Divorce’. Journal of the American Board of Family Practice 14: 201–210.
Clawson, Mary Ann. 1999. ‘Masculinity and Skills Acquisition in the Adolescent Rock Band’. Popular Music 18: 99–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0261143000008746
Cohen, Sara. 2005. ‘Screaming at the Moptops: Convergences between Tourism and Popular Music’. In The Media and the Tourist Imagination: Converging Cultures, ed. David Crouch, Rhona Jackson and Felix Thompson, 76–91. London: Routledge.
Deykin, Eva, Janice Levy and Victoria Wells. 1987. ‘Adolescent Depression, Alcohol and Drug Abuse’. American Journal of Public Health 77: 178–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.77.2.178
Franklyn, Kathryn, Ronnie Janoff-Bulman and John Roberts. 1990. ‘Long-term Impact of Parental Divorce on Optimism and Trust: Changes in General Assumptions or Narrow Beliefs?’ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 59: 743–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.59.4.743
Fricke, David. 1987. ‘Pink Floyd: The Inside Story’. Rolling Stone, 19 November: 44–56.
Fulton, Robert, and Greg Owen. 1987. ‘Death and Society in Twentieth Century America’. Omega 18: 379–95.
Gilmore, Mikal. 2009. ‘Why The Beatles Broke Up: The Inside Story of the Forces that Tore Apart the World’s Greatest Group’. Rolling Stone, 3 September. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/why-the-beatles-broke-up-20090903.
Greene, Andy. 2011. ‘Pink Floyd Reunite at Roger Waters Show in London: David Gilmour and Nick Mason Join Waters Onstage’. Rolling Stone, 12 May.
Hargreaves, David, and Adrian North. 1999. ‘The Functions of Music in Everyday Life: Redefining the Social in Music Psychology’. Psychology of Music 27: 71–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0305735699271007
Harris, Paul. 2010. ‘John Lennon Fans Mark Anniversary of Singer’s Murder in New York City’. The Guardian, 8 December. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/dec/08/john-lennon-murder-30th-anniversary.
Hastings, Chris. 2008. ‘ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson: We Will Never Reform’. Daily Telegraph, 5 July.
Hertsgaard, Mark. 1996. A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of The Beatles. Bel Air: Delta.
Homan, Shane. 2006. Access All Eras: Tribute Bands and Global Pop Culture. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Kearl, Michael. 1995. ‘Death in Popular Culture’. In Death: Current Perspectives, ed. John B. Williamson and Edwin Schneidman, 22–30. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.
Kreps, Daniel. 2007. ‘All Fillers, No Killers: A Novice’s Guide to Tribute Bands’. Rolling Stone, 13 February.
Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. 1969. On Death and Dying. London: Routledge.
Oaks, Judy, and Gene Ezell. 1993. Death and Dying: Coping, Caring, Understanding. Scottsdale, AZ: Gorsuch Scarisbrick.
Schaffner, Nicholas. 1992. Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey. Bel Air: Delta.
Segalstad, Eric and Josh Hunter. 2009. The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Tessler, Holly. 2006. ‘Roses and Rotten Tomatoes: A Case Study of Liverpool’s Mathew Street Festival and the Contested Spaces of Cultural Redevelopment’. In Access All Eras: Tribute Bands and Global Pop Culture, ed. Shane Homan, 52–66. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Thomas, Ryan. 2011. ‘Precarious Collaborations: A Study of Interpersonal Conflict and Resolution Strategies in Local Rock Bands’. Unpublished MA thesis, University of Nebraska.
Thompson, Jody. 2011. ‘Bring it All Back: Rachel Stevens Sparkles at S Club Reunion at Jersey Boys—but What’s Happened to Paul?’ Mail Online, 30 March.
Vannini, Phillip, and Scott M. Myers. 2002. ‘Crazy About You: Reflections on the Meanings of Contemporary Teen Pop Music’. Electronic Journal of Sociology 6.2. http://www.sociology.org/content/vol006.002/vannini_myers.html.
Vincentelli, Elisabeth. 2011. Abba Gold. New York: Continuum.
Weber, Max. 1958. The Rational and Social Foundations of Music. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
Wilson, Cherry. 2010. ‘Michael Jackson’s Estate Earned £173m in Year after Star’s Death’. The Guardian, 8 November.
WNYC Culture. 2010. ‘Remembering John Lennon: Fans Share Reflections, Favorite Songs with WNYC’. 9 October. http://culture.wnyc.org/articles/features/2010/oct/08/john-lennon-reflections-share-your-own-lennon-memories.
Wright, Robert. 2000. ‘I’d Sell You Suicide: Pop Music and Moral Panic in the Age of Marilyn Manson’. Popular Music 19.3: 365–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0261143000000222
Youngs, Ian. 2003. ‘Fans Struggle with S Club Split’. BBC News, 22 April. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2967387.stm.
Bellis, Mark, et al. 2007. ‘Elvis to Eminem: Quantifying the Price of Fame through Early Mortality of European and North American Rock and Pop Stars’. Journal of Epidemiology Community Health 61: 896–901. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech.2007.059915
Bertrand, Michael. 2007. ‘Elvis Presley and the Politics of Popular Memory’. Southern Cultures 13: 62–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/scu.2007.0025
Brook, Sally. 2006. ‘I Sobbed when Take That Split’. The Sun, 4 December. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/73892/I-sobbed-after-Take-That-split.html.
Bryner, Charles. 2001. ‘Children of Divorce’. Journal of the American Board of Family Practice 14: 201–210.
Clawson, Mary Ann. 1999. ‘Masculinity and Skills Acquisition in the Adolescent Rock Band’. Popular Music 18: 99–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0261143000008746
Cohen, Sara. 2005. ‘Screaming at the Moptops: Convergences between Tourism and Popular Music’. In The Media and the Tourist Imagination: Converging Cultures, ed. David Crouch, Rhona Jackson and Felix Thompson, 76–91. London: Routledge.
Deykin, Eva, Janice Levy and Victoria Wells. 1987. ‘Adolescent Depression, Alcohol and Drug Abuse’. American Journal of Public Health 77: 178–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.77.2.178
Franklyn, Kathryn, Ronnie Janoff-Bulman and John Roberts. 1990. ‘Long-term Impact of Parental Divorce on Optimism and Trust: Changes in General Assumptions or Narrow Beliefs?’ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 59: 743–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.59.4.743
Fricke, David. 1987. ‘Pink Floyd: The Inside Story’. Rolling Stone, 19 November: 44–56.
Fulton, Robert, and Greg Owen. 1987. ‘Death and Society in Twentieth Century America’. Omega 18: 379–95.
Gilmore, Mikal. 2009. ‘Why The Beatles Broke Up: The Inside Story of the Forces that Tore Apart the World’s Greatest Group’. Rolling Stone, 3 September. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/why-the-beatles-broke-up-20090903.
Greene, Andy. 2011. ‘Pink Floyd Reunite at Roger Waters Show in London: David Gilmour and Nick Mason Join Waters Onstage’. Rolling Stone, 12 May.
Hargreaves, David, and Adrian North. 1999. ‘The Functions of Music in Everyday Life: Redefining the Social in Music Psychology’. Psychology of Music 27: 71–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0305735699271007
Harris, Paul. 2010. ‘John Lennon Fans Mark Anniversary of Singer’s Murder in New York City’. The Guardian, 8 December. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/dec/08/john-lennon-murder-30th-anniversary.
Hastings, Chris. 2008. ‘ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson: We Will Never Reform’. Daily Telegraph, 5 July.
Hertsgaard, Mark. 1996. A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of The Beatles. Bel Air: Delta.
Homan, Shane. 2006. Access All Eras: Tribute Bands and Global Pop Culture. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Kearl, Michael. 1995. ‘Death in Popular Culture’. In Death: Current Perspectives, ed. John B. Williamson and Edwin Schneidman, 22–30. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.
Kreps, Daniel. 2007. ‘All Fillers, No Killers: A Novice’s Guide to Tribute Bands’. Rolling Stone, 13 February.
Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. 1969. On Death and Dying. London: Routledge.
Oaks, Judy, and Gene Ezell. 1993. Death and Dying: Coping, Caring, Understanding. Scottsdale, AZ: Gorsuch Scarisbrick.
Schaffner, Nicholas. 1992. Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey. Bel Air: Delta.
Segalstad, Eric and Josh Hunter. 2009. The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Tessler, Holly. 2006. ‘Roses and Rotten Tomatoes: A Case Study of Liverpool’s Mathew Street Festival and the Contested Spaces of Cultural Redevelopment’. In Access All Eras: Tribute Bands and Global Pop Culture, ed. Shane Homan, 52–66. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Thomas, Ryan. 2011. ‘Precarious Collaborations: A Study of Interpersonal Conflict and Resolution Strategies in Local Rock Bands’. Unpublished MA thesis, University of Nebraska.
Thompson, Jody. 2011. ‘Bring it All Back: Rachel Stevens Sparkles at S Club Reunion at Jersey Boys—but What’s Happened to Paul?’ Mail Online, 30 March.
Vannini, Phillip, and Scott M. Myers. 2002. ‘Crazy About You: Reflections on the Meanings of Contemporary Teen Pop Music’. Electronic Journal of Sociology 6.2. http://www.sociology.org/content/vol006.002/vannini_myers.html.
Vincentelli, Elisabeth. 2011. Abba Gold. New York: Continuum.
Weber, Max. 1958. The Rational and Social Foundations of Music. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
Wilson, Cherry. 2010. ‘Michael Jackson’s Estate Earned £173m in Year after Star’s Death’. The Guardian, 8 November.
WNYC Culture. 2010. ‘Remembering John Lennon: Fans Share Reflections, Favorite Songs with WNYC’. 9 October. http://culture.wnyc.org/articles/features/2010/oct/08/john-lennon-reflections-share-your-own-lennon-memories.
Wright, Robert. 2000. ‘I’d Sell You Suicide: Pop Music and Moral Panic in the Age of Marilyn Manson’. Popular Music 19.3: 365–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0261143000000222
Youngs, Ian. 2003. ‘Fans Struggle with S Club Split’. BBC News, 22 April. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2967387.stm.
Published
2013-10-18
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Gregory, G. (2013). You can make me whole again: popular music tributes embodying the reunion. Popular Music History, 7(2), 211-224. https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.v7i2.211
