[Closed] Longest running bands still recording/touring with the original members

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Aerosmith?
Motley Crue - although ZZtop and Aerosmith are older.
Heart, think its still the original band and they were around in the 70's.

EDIT: Rush? U2?

Rush changed their drummer after their first album, about 40 years ago. Since then though the line-up hasn't changed a bit.

and of course aerosmith have parted company with various members in the past, albeit reunited. I suspect Heart may be the same. Motley isnt that old and of course neither is U2.

Are the Rolling Stones still touring?

the line up changed though as one died

Status Quo - are they still the original line up?

Mersey beat one - jerry and the pacemakers?

The Stranglers are currently on their 40th anniversary tour with three out of the original four still producing studio work and two of the originals on stage. Jet Black's health isn't up to touring now.

Are the Rolling Stones still touring?

Ronnie Wood?

Status Quo - are they still the original line up?

No, drummer and bassist. I only know this as there was a program on BBC4 on Friday about them.

[i]The Stranglers are currently on their 40th anniversary tour with three out of the original four still producing studio work and two of the originals on stage.[/i]

Er, so not the Stranglers then!

The Seekers. Kind of.

Stones have lost Jones, Wyman and Taylor at a a minimum, over the years.

the answer is "Golden Earring" - all original members, formed in 1961 (I cheated!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Earring

Woody, from your linked article;

Current members of Golden Earring are Barry Hay (vocals, guitar, flute and saxophone, [b]member since 1967[/b]), George Kooymans (vocals and guitar, founder of band), Rinus Gerritsen (bass and keyboard, founding member), and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums and percussion,[b] member since 1970[/b]).

Sorry, but if you're going to cheat, at least do it properly! 😉

Stones have lost Jones, Wyman and Taylor at a a minimum, over the years.

Fair enough, didn't bother to check the detail - they all seem so old I kind of assumed they were original 🙂

My bad. I was looking at another page, then noticed there was a Wiki page and never checked it!

I was looking at this

http://geekshizzle.com/2013/04/24/the-oldest-rock-bands-still-performing-today/

Which said:

Current members:

Name: Marinus “Rinus” Gerritsen
Role: Bass
Original Member: Yes
Time: 1961 – Present

Name: Barry Hay
Role: Vocals
Original Member: Yes
Time: 1961 – Present

Name: George Kooymans
Role: Guitars
Original Member: Yes
Time: 1961 – Present

Name: “Cesar” Zuiderwijk
Role: Drums
Original Member: Yes
Time: 1961 – Present

I took that to mean all original 😳

I think its definitely not Dr Feelgood:

[img] [/img]

How they can call themselves Dr Feelgood, I don't know!

Its hard most of the ones I think off have dead members such as the Beach Boys or the Bee gees ...i am racking my brain alphabetically!!!

ZZ Top changed their drummer after the first release.

Longest ever was probably The Four Tops - 1953 - 1997, but they are no longer going as the original line up.

^ Sort of - I think the first album was Gibbons, Beard and Hill but there had been other people with Billy before they got to that point?

If there's any doubt, you could always qualify it with 'and still producing great music' - that way ZZ Top definitely win 😀

The Osmonds / Jackson's?

Atomic Kitten?

I think the first album was Gibbons, Beard and Hill but there had been other people with Billy before they got to that point?

That is indeed true. So not too sure if my own suggestion fits the bill or not! I suppose we could qualify it from their first album release!

Oh, and this;

Chas & Dave?

ZZ Top - The first single (Salt Lick) was Gibbons, Greig and Mitchell, replaced afterwards with Gibbons, Beard and Hill - so not the "original" line up of ZZ Top, because there is a record made with a different one.

Unless of course you start from the fist album, rather than first release.

I reckon it's U2..

Chas & Dave?

Duo's can't count, because if it was a different line up, it would not longer be Chas and Dave - e.g. the Everly Brothers - spent a decade apart doing other things, but no one was the every brother in the interim...

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - probably stretching the rules ( a lot) but the line up hasn't changed since they started with that name in 1969.

[i]Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young [/i]

[i]still recording/touring[/i] - last toured 2006

Sex Pistols if you can call them a band these days. Matlock, Cook, Jones and Rotten

Sex Pistols if you can call them a band these days. Matlock, Cook, Jones and Rotten

How could you forget Sid?

Sid was a replacement.

I don't think reforming for the annual gig can be considered "touring".

I'm still winning with U2 🙂

Nine Inch Nails- consistently throughout their life have been Trent Reznor and 4 blokes nobody knows the name of.

sugarbabes

Jethro Tull 😀

Well, if he's^^ going to say Jethro Tull, I'll nominate Fairport Convention 😈

A bit closer to home, I'll be having dinner with one of Teenage Fan Club on Saturday night.

1989 to present.

BikePawl - Member
Well, if he's^^ going to say Jethro Tull, I'll nominate Fairport Convention

Teenage Fanclub lost Brendan O'Hare after Grand Prix, or maybe thirteen - before Songs from Northern Britain at least.

Definitely not The Drifters that's for sure though they must hold some sort of record for the most personnel ever.I remember when they were playing in two different venues in Manchester at the same time on the same night with two completely different line ups.They've aged well too 🙂
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

The Nolans

I don't usually rise to things like this, even on STW, but I don't think Dave Swarbick was in the original line-up of Fairport Convention

agree with nostoc. but, there's no way they're on their original line up. i saw them about 6 years ago, and i don't think there was one original member. they were shite as well.

Definitely not The Drifters that's for sure though they must hold some sort of record for the most personnel ever.I remember when they were playing in two different venues in Manchester at the same time on the same night with two completely different line ups.

I saw one incarnation at The Twisted Wheel (one of the two venues). Couldn't wait for the DJ to get back on if my amphetamine obscured memory of the period serves me correctly! 🙂

Sugarbabes... Oh wait

Teenage Fanclub lost Brendan O'Hare after Grand Prix, or maybe thirteen - before Songs from Northern Britain at least.

*extreme pedant alert*

i don't think Brendan O'Hare was [i]technically [/i] an original member?

Not an answer at all, but I saw the Yardbirds live the other day and there were 2 original members and three lads who must have been in their 20's. This also meant they rocked rather hard for a 47-year-old act though

iirc there are 2 discreet/different versions of the Animals that still tour, each with one original bloke in them.

i don't think Brendan O'Hare was technically an original member?

Well quite - wasn't an original member, did go on to be the drummer for 2.5 albums or so, then replaced by someone else, then they were replaced by Francis Mcdonald who did half of the first album.

If we are going to play that game, then Black Sabbath - they have played fairly recently with the original line up.

nostoc - Member 
I don't usually rise to things like this, even on STW, but I don't think Dave Swarbick was in the original line-up of Fairport Convention

Clutch - recording and touring since 1990.

Blind Boys of Alabama. Playing since 1944. Sure, four of the six founding members are dead but surely they deserve an honourable mention 🙂

Neurosis: If you ignore their various peripheral members, the core of the band have been together since 1985 and still going strong.

Twisted Sister

UK Subs - formed in '79 or '80 iirc. Saw them a few months back - Charlie Harper is now 68 and was still giving it some on stage - fair play!

Underworld. Well, they changed the band name but the members are still Fleur...

If we are going to play that game, then Black Sabbath - they have played fairly recently with the original line up.

Erm, they did a press conference as the original line up and promptly fell out with Bill Ward and he didn't play the shows.

Question on definitions - how are we meant to define "original line up?" - most bands go through changes in the formative period, but often establish a stable line up prior to recording the first album. U2 fall into this category, t'Edge's brother was originally part of the band, but had left before they recorded, and they've kept a stable line up for their entire recording career.

And what about bands that change their names? U2 also fall into this category btw.

Having looked at the wording of the question again, I'm taking it as being original members, with no new members, but it doesn't say that [b]all[/b] the original members have to be there, so on that basis, since the official members of the band are Brian May and Roger Taylor, I'm calling Queen (1971?)

Erm, they did a press conference as the original line up and promptly fell out with Bill Ward and he didn't play the shows.

Ward played with them and recorded stuff around 2001 definitely - I saw them.

Ward played with them and recorded stuff around 2001 definitely - I saw them.

If thirteen years ago counts then that does open the field up somewhat. If that was the last thing they had done together then maybe you could have it, but since they have subsequently both played live and made an album without Ward, I don't think you can really..

When did U2 form?

When did U2 form?

1978?

I've thought of one- Kraftwerk

Cliff Richard

Wikipedia says 1976. I've just looked up Kraftwerk too, they've had loads of members.

Cliff Richard

I was about to say that!