All Things Must Pass. Or, Why Every Band Should Break Up (Part One)

The most famous band breakup of all time yielded very little musically. George Harrison's first solo effort, All Things Must Pass, is probably the best of any post-Beatles effort. Ringo isn't in the discussion, and McCartney and Lennon ironically but not surprisingly could never duplicate the greatness they achieved together (though Ram and Plastic Ono Band come somewhat close). Of course, any worthwhile music in these efforts is just a bonus. The real reward here, thing thing that I am thankful for, is that they did breakup. All things must pass. The Beatles knew this, if not consciously, then at least subconsciously. Why?

Every good band should break up. The history of music is fraught with examples, but since we're talking about the Beatles, maybe we'll just compare them to their counterparts, The Rolling Stones. Count me out of any chance these days to go see the carcasses of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards at $200 a pop. By all accounts, this band should have been dead by 1978, and earlier if not for the surprising Some Girls. Since then, the Stones have released at least 7 or 8 mediocre studio albums and at least as many unessential live records. When I think about the Stones, I'm immediately filled with loathing. Why are they still around? At this point they've just become a parody of themselves. Even if they wrote a decent record (which is highly unlikely for so, so many reasons), it would still fall far short of Exile on Main St or Out of Our Heads etc.

There is just no way for a band to maintain that kind of peak that produces great albums for more than 10 years or so. The Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, and others have proved this over and over again, and this is not limited to classic rock. To prove my point, we'll use some modern and semi-modern examples. I've decided to group these bands into three....yeah, three categories. This isn't an exhaustive list, just an illustrative one. Feel free to point out additions or argue in the comments section. As I see them:



The Lucky Ones (Bands that broke up at the right time)

Nirvana: Um, ok, so they didn't "break up." Cobain died. But, he died at the right time. He died leaving two or three masterpiece albums, and allowed Nirvana to get out before all of their imitators clouded the market. Who was looking forward to strife between Nirvana and the Stone Temple Pilots? Did anyone really want to listen to a Dave Grohl side project later on? Erm...ok, point taken. But Nirvana's musical record is perfect, unmarred by sidesteps or the dreaded "experimental" album.

Pavement: Yep, Stephen Malkmus is still making records, and they're still pretty good. But by all accounts the last two Pavement records were mostly him anyway. This is a bit of a different case. As the band progressed, they got a little tighter, musically, but the sloppy brilliance was beginning to lose it's shine later on. Suddenly, these guys weren't 20 years old anymore, and the half-finished nature of their earlier songs was disappearing, for better or for worse. Don't get me wrong, I think Brighten the Corners is a fantastic album, but when you hear Stereo and Shady Lane, there's no doubt that this band is completely different than the one who gave you Summer Babe and No Life Singed Her.

TV on the Radio (Partial): Just announced they'll be taking a break, there are some side projects coming, perfect timing. Just released a ridiculously new/fresh/transcendental/otheroverlypraisingadjective album in Dear Science, and how the fuck do you possibly follow that up? You don't. Just give up. You hear that kids? Just give up. I'd make a great high school teacher.

The Shins: Maybe should have broken up before the last album (Wincing the Night Away), but it gave us two great songs (Australia and Sleeping Lessons) so I'll put the Shins here. Thankfully, James Mercer fired his bassist and drummer, one of whom is now running a taco truck in New Mexico (ok, I'm not sure if that's exactly right but you can fact check for me if you want). Either way, the Shins as we know them are no more. Good. Two classic records, a pretty good third, and we don't have to sit through an average at best 4th. Instead, we get whatever weird shit Mercer cooks up for us.

Outkast: Another asterisk would be necessary here if I gave a shit. Ok, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below were really solo records maybe but damn that shit was good. And so was everything before it. Now they make movies (and no, Idlewild doesn't count as an album). Um, ok. But at least they're not making mediocre rap albums with Lil whoever. There will never be another Sorry Ms. Jackson, Bombs Over Bagdahd, or ATLiens.

Whiskytown: Ryan Adams' first band, based out of my hometown, and one perfect album, called Pnemounia. Later, Adams would make another near perfect record in Heartbreaker, and then he should have retired. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Sleater-Kinney: Retired after their masterpiece, The Woods. Now Carrie Brownstein is doing musical commentary on NPR's All Songs Considered and writing a blog called Monitor Mix. The Woods is a modern day Led Zeppelin album, and better than anything Page/Plant have done/touched since 1975. These girls could wail in a way that Wayne Campbell would have loved. Tia Carrera, eat your heart out.

The Velvet Underground: Broke up before they sold any records or made any money. Now the first band name dropped once you're too cool for Stones/Beatles/Zeppelin. I mean their name is the fucking Velvet Underground. How cool is that. A friend of mine who was introduced to them recently told me that they put into music like no one else the feeling/ecstasy/comedown of being completely fucked by drugs (I'm paraphrasing). Of course, that sound, just like that high, could not be sustained. UPDATE: Actually, I just asked her for the quote, and she said "it makes me feel like I want to be completely fucked by life," but she cannot remember the exact conversation either.

I should have ended this earlier. Off to bed.

Coming tomorrow, current bands that need to call it quits.