Cameron Adams: Bands we wish would reunite in COVID-19

It’s taken a global pandemic for Powderfinger to reunite for a virtual comeback show. But there’s a few more bands we wouldn’t mind seeing reform again for the greater good, writes Cameron Adams.

It has taken a pandemic for Powderfinger to reunite, ten years and umpteen lucrative reformation offers after their split.

Their virtual comeback show – a one-off, for now – will take place with all five members playing in different states and locations.

There’s no underlying drama, they’re still friends who talk frequently for Powderfinger business. They sold a lot of records when people still paid for music and invested wisely behind the scenes, but Powderfinger business is about to get very good now we know a reunion is a possibility.

But until then, they’re demonstrating that bands you never expected to reunite can do so virtually without actually being in the same room.

Which is perfect for the bands who split due to bad blood, vibes, songs or sales. And for artists of a certain vintage, there’s no pesky germs from large crowds to worry about.

The music world has already embraced virtual duets (who hasn’t sung with Elvis from beyond the grave?) so here’s a COVID-19 era wishlist of separate room virtual reunions.

There’s no underlying drama, they’re still friends who talk frequently for Powderfinger business. Picture: Supplied

FLEETWOOD MAC

The rest of Fleetwood Mac don’t seem to want to share a stage with Lindsey Buckingham ever again, and hired Neil Finn and Mike Campbell to replace him on their last tour. It was great, but it wasn’t the same. What better way to leave egos and dramas at the door when you’re not using the same door? Of course everyone signing off on the final cut could be more complicated than getting a peace treaty signed.

OASIS

Liam Gallagher already tried to bait brother Noel on Twitter to reunite Oasis for a charity show for the NHS. Noel didn’t bite, not even for the NHS. This family feud is bitter and deep. If the brothers won’t be in the same room, and we can’t have live concerts for the foreseeable future, what about a paid livestream with Noel and Liam safely distant – but still technically together – and give all the money to charity? Because maybe …

ABBA

Let’s be real, we’re not going to see this ABBATAR hologram tour this year are we? The Swedish perfectionists were obsessive about their music back in the day and it seems like nothing has changed as they have held up this hi-tech digital comeback for two years now. They’re all back on speaking terms and have recorded new music, and Agnetha was the original queen of social isolation, so how about a virtual gig to tide us over?

A Savage Garden is something we could all use right now. Picture: supplied

SAVAGE GARDEN

Darren Hayes has done a Savage Garden song for a charity live stream in isolation. He and Daniel Jones were pioneering social distance towards the end of the career – Darren did the interviews, was in the videos, Daniel the blurry bloke in the background – so why not pick up where they left off? They both said they’d never reform, but sharing a split screen not a stage could be a nice happy ending?

SPANDAU BALLET

Nothing kills the vibe like bandmates suing each other. Eighties band Spandau Ballet split acrimoniously once, ended up in court, then managed to put their differences behind them for two lucrative world tours with the original line-up. Many bands would die to reunite their original line-up but it isn’t possible due to, well, death. However singer Tony Hadley says some Ballet members have done him dirty, again, and he’s gone solo, again. Could a global virus see him punch out Gold virtually and not have to even do a fake handshake or high five?

ONE DIRECTION

You get the feeling there’s a few members of this boy band who’d lick a strangers’ hand right now if they could reunite for their looming tenth anniversary. And then there’s at least two who would have nothing to do with it. Will fans settle for Liam, Louis and Niall singing the hits virtually?

One Direction have reportedly been having chats about a reunion. Picture: Eugene Hyland

SILVERCHAIR

Paraphrasing Daniel Johns, he’s said he would have to be at gunpoint to reform Silverchair. The three Silverchair members are all very different people (one is married to a former Real Housewife) but maybe the concept of a 2020 unrecognisable electro version of Tomorrow is twisted enough for Johns to get on board to kill some iso time.

SIMON & GARFUNKEL/THE POLICE

Both of these acts reunited in recent years, and it always looked like they were watching the clock until they had to stop being next to people they despised and could go backstage and count the truckload of danger money they’d made that night. Take breathing the same air out of the equation, and this could be the perfect way to get the bands back together but apart.

THE SMITHS

Yeah not sure this one’s salvageable, even virtually. Morrissey’s probably maskless out joining the anti Bill Gates 5G anti-vax protesters given recent form.

Cameron Adams is News Corp Australia’s National Music Writer