William_the_Bloody

There comes a time when many bands pass their creative peak, and despite continually releasing new music, its the old stuff the fans long to hear at concerts.

So this got me thinking, to ask the question when did one of your favourite bands reach their expiry date. Example

Massive Attack:

From Blue Lines to Mezzanine, Massive Attack was at their peak, but after Andy Vowles left over creative differences, Robert Del Naja began steering the group in his own direction, a direction that didn't capture their earlier magic, thus

Massive Attack = expiry date - after the Mezzanine album.

Tristan_Geoff

I kind of find most of my favorite bands are ones that adapt their sound with time and don't tend to stale... this might take some thought.

Ok, probably Make Do and Mend. Bodies of Water and End Measured Mile, whie they did constantly give you reminders of Hot Water Music and Small Brown Bike, were extremely good. It was fresh enough with what new sounds they brought to the plate that their influences just didn't offer, that everyone didn't care how much they sounded like them.

The problem after EMM, was that they couldn't do much else. They re-hashed the same formula and made it increasingly more radio-friendly sounding, to the point where it was a tedious listen. Granted, it's not bad music. I actually enjoyed at least a few songs from their next album, but it just couldn't strike a chord like their original work could.

Made Do and Mend = expiry date = some point after End Measured Mile

ladyislingering

One that comes to mind immediately: The Cars reached their absolute expiration date after Heartbeat City but should have given it up after Candy-O.

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Pet_Sounds

If they had, they could have been another Big Star--release a couple near-perfect albums, then disappear. But then we would never have had the song "Drive"....

A couple off the top of my head...

Bob Dylan expired as soon as he converted to Christianity and proceeded to produce the most uninspired shite imaginable.

David Bowie has yet to expire, despite going for almost fifty years.

With a couple exceptions, Iggy Pop expired after the Stooges.

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William_the_Bloody

I've never heard of this band, but then again I am now too old and irrelevant for to be a young hipster, so I'll have to check them out.

Agreed.

The Cars = Expiry Date = after Heartbreak City.


Agreed on David Bowie, he remained relevant throughout the 90's with his work with Trent Reznor, and has made another comeback. He just may be one of those artists who's RIP is their expiry date.

Disagree with Iggy, though Lust for Life was a big deal and he did seem to stay relevant in the 80's with the Repo Man soundtrack and the 90's with the trainspotting soundtrack...but yes after Lust for Life he goes into a notable decline.

I've never been a Bob Dylan fan, so I'll take your word for it.

grindy

Most of the bands I like exist for a few albums, before the members try different stuff with different collaborators, so no expiry there.
As for long running bands, none come to mind. They all are still awesome.
Pere Ubu got a little lame towards the nineties, but they became great again after a few albums.
The last King Crimson live album with the new line-up was pretty lame, but I'll wait for the studio album to be sure.

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William_the_Bloody

The Cult

The Cult started off as a great goth rock act but slowly moved towards hair metal to become more accessible to the American market. As a result, they sell out and have their most successful record with the Bob Rock produced album Sonic Temple.

They than release Ceremony but the landscape has changed with outbreak of Nirvana and the album bombs. They try to recapture their magic with the alternative single The Witch, but aren't able to recapture their earlier magic.

The Cult: Expiry Date: After Sonic Temple.

OccultHawk

AC/DC - For Those About to Rock
Van Halen- 1984
Godflesh- Street Cleaner
Ozzy- Bark at the Moon
Yes- Big Generator

Josef K

I don't agree with this at all. These are all of the albums from his weak period. The bolded ones are the ones that I would say I like, italicized are the ones that I would say I dislike.

Slow Train Coming
Saved
Shot of Love (can I just bold "Every Grain of Sand"? It's one of his best songs IMO)
Infidels
Empire Burlesque
Knocked Out Loaded
Down in the Groove
Oh Mercy
Under the Red Sky
Good as I Been to You
World Gone Wrong

That's, like, pretty okay! And even if you hate all of those, he's made Time Out of Mind, Love & Theft, Modern Times, and Tempest since then - four albums ranging from "very solid" to "great". I don't think it makes sense to say he's ever been "past his expiration date".

Tristan_Geoff

Ah. That reminds me of the similar fate Discharge came to. After their second album they started playing glam metal. It really isn't my thing, but it's comparable to when Celtic Frost did a similar album. I've heard people call it more Megadeth than Poison, but it's still an undesirable depature from their proto-crust that most can't deal with it.