The McBournie Minute: Old bands

Hey look, it's another reunion tour! The glory days are over, people. It's time to move on. Most people understand concepts like this. They realize that the past is past and are ready to move on to the next big thing in their lives. These people are not in formerly famous rock bands.

You heard me, I'm talking to you, Rolling Stones, Poison, Duran Duran, The Police, Smashing Pumpkins, Aerosmith, The Eagles, Van Halen, Guns 'N Roses (technically), Kiss, Depeche Mode, Bon Jovi and so many, many more. Folks, it's time to pack up the guitars and head home.

Let me be clear, I am not attacking the fans that go to these concerts. There is nothing wrong with going to see your favorite band from back in the day and hitting the bathrooms when they start playing their new stuff. The bands themselves need to show some self-restraint and not go on tour.

Did Picasso re-paint his masterpieces decades after the originals were made? Did Charles Dickens go around reading his work to the public again and again. OK, maybe Dickens did, but that doesn't make it right.

The biggest problem I have with it is that the bands so thinly veil their intentions: to exploit their art to make more money. Take The Police, for example. Currently on a reunion tour, the group still hates each other after all these years. They combined forces to cash in and it is an uneasy truce.

Artists need to recognize that the time for performing the old favorites is over, makes them look like cheap whores and only sullies the music they once made because it was the most important thing in their worlds. Besides, you can always fall back on your reality show.