Headbangers’ Brawl is a weekly column where Metal Insider’s Bram and Zach take a moment to debate and analyze two opposing sides of a topical issue occurring in the world of metal and/or the music industry.
In a recent interview with The Republic, Ozzy Osbourne added more fuel to the Black Sabbath reunion fire. While he shared that he would love to reunite with Iommi, Butler and Ward for a new album, he also claims that “It’s not going to happen for at least a year or two because I’ve got my tour and an album to do, whatever.”
In a similar vein, Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy frontman Max Cavalera restated in an interview with PyroMusic.net a few weeks ago how he genuinely wants to reunite with his former band Sepultura once again. “I did try my best to get a reunion going, but I couldn’t do it because Andreas didn’t want to, you know? So gotta wait until next time,” Max claims.
With all these possible reunions not happening for one reason or another, we asked ourselves in this week’s Headbangers’ Brawl but who we think has a better chance of getting back together: The Original Black Sabbath or the Classic-era Sepultura?
Zach: While it’s amazing that Max and Andreas even communicated with each other (allegedly), my money is on Black Sabbath. Even though we may have to wait two plus years for it, the four will eventually reunite. Ozzy has shown enough interest in it happening, and the others have hinted at it as well. I hate to even say this, but the reunion is even more possible now because of the tragic death of metal legend and Heaven & Hell frontman Ronnie James Dio. Both Iommi and Butler said that their High Voltage Festival appearance would be the last for the Dio Sabbath era tribute. By the time Ozzy is finished making the rounds for Scream, maybe the two, as well as Ward, will be ready to get back in the swing of things.
Bram: I have a better question: who cares? I don’t think that either is a necessity, and both have had their shares of near-reunions. Sabbath have reunited once a decade or so, and Max has so many different projects that a Sepultura one, while welcome, would hardly stand out among Cavalera Conspiracy and Soulfly albums. That said, I’m almost positive that Sabbath will get back together. Ozzy and Tony buried the legal hatchet over the name which clears them to get back together. Tony, Geezer and Vinny Appice sadly are back to square one, and I feel like a Sabbath reunion will sell Ozzfest tickets next year.
I’m not closing the case on this debate, but what band that MATTERS would you like to see reunite? I’m not saying neither of these bands don’t matter, but what band would you be psyched beyond belief to see get back together?
Z: Well I would argue that an Ozzy era Sabbath reunion would have many people caring since it has been five years now. But since you opened it up to more bands, I’ll indulge your question:
I think a System Of A Down reunion is the most plausible reunion. Now I know that they’re calling it a “hiatus,” but you can be damn sure that when they get back together, it’ll be billed as a reunion. Sure, Serj Tankian has a new solo record, Imperfect Harmonies, coming out in September and Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan’s Scars On Broadway appears to be making a sudden return, interest in SOAD hasn’t lessened since their hiatus started in 2006. In fact, while actually like both projects, many fans constantly complain that they’d rather see the band back together. Since the band appears to stay in contact with one another, and a rumor about their return seems to hit the web every other month, maybe a System Of A Down reunion is too off from the future. And since they are one of the only bands (along with The Beatles, Guns N’ Roses, 2Pac and DMX) to have two albums hit #1 on the charts within the same year, I’d say this reunion would be a big deal.
How about you Bram? Who do you want to see (and no, ABBA won’t ever reunite, so stop dreaming).
B: I’ll always have Mamma Mia. Hey, wait a minute, aren’t you a Lady Gaga fan? It’s ok Zach – there are plenty of women and gay men that like Lady Gaga. Which category do you fit into? A System of a Down reunion would be somewhat of an event, but the longer they wait, I feel like the less of an event it’ll be.
One reunion I’d be super psyched about kind of happened already, and that’s Kyuss. John Garcia’s voice, the pre-QOTSA Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri, and Brant Bjork’s drums were amazing, hitting the perfect place between Sabbathian sludge and psychedelia. I’d say Refused too, but there’s no way they’d make a better record than The Shape of Punk to Come. That’s why I’m a little on the fence about reunions in the first place. There’s reasons your band broke up in the first place, and I’d bet most of them are pretty good reasons. Why not leave good enough alone?
Z: Sure some of them had very good reasons to call it a day, and some band shouldn’t have ever come back in the first place (Crazy Town, I’m looking at you). But then there are some bands that definitely broke up too soon. I’m not saying that bands need to reunite and record new music with each other, but if certain musicians are still in their prime (or close enough to it) and able to get their shit together with their fellow band mates, then why not perform some more shows as a band again and play music your fans love? Would you turn down seeing Soundgarden play together again? You’ve seen the reunited Faith No More perform last month Bram. Should they have left it alone?
B: No, Faith No More killed it. And looking at Soundgarden’s set list, I’d definitely want to go see them again. I don’t think it’s that there’s anything wrong with a band reuniting, especially if they’ve still got something to offer. Seeing Faith No More play was amazing last month, but if they keep touring, especially without new music to back it up, that’ll be pretty lame. And I know that there’s a ton of bands I’m forgetting about, but I feel like most of the bands I would want to see reunite already have. There’s a much longer list of bands who I’d really like to see un-unite!
So now you’ve heard us blabber on. What do you think? Are there any bands you’d want to see reunite? How about un-unite? Or should bands just remain dead after breaking up?
[Pic via]
