Rock’n’roll is fickle and has never been pegged as a stable or reliable industry. Since Bill Haley first rocked around the clock with the likes of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, music and music lovers have never been the same. Careers get started with brashly calculated strategies and equal strokes of luck. Yet, the same careers are maintained by walking on eggshells, greasing the right palms and, of course, equal strokes of luck.

Its volatile state is partially due to the money-hungry executives which control the maniacal record conglomerates; interested solely in their net prophet instead of concerning themselves with the music that bare their logos. Artists come and go without a batting of a corner-office eyelash.

It is partially due to the evolving state of the industry. Battling the Internet and those downloading heathens, Clear-Channel’s radio monopoly, and the growing accessibility of home-recording equipment has put the recording industry on high alert.

So who is most at fault for the unreliable, ever-changing cast of the music industry players? Simple: the musicians. Musicians are the most fickle, pretentious, arrogant, quirky, bizarre, over appreciated, sensitive pre-Madonnas on the planet. They are also the most hard working, wonderful, expressive, underrated, appreciative, important and cooperative artists.

That hypocritical inner dichotomy in every musician creates a powder keg of emotion. There is not enough time in the day to sort through the libraries of information, opinions and literature on the rockstar persona.

For a cliff note version, just imagine this: You’re in your early 20’s, sometimes younger. You sign a record contract, and are instantly crammed into a van to criss-cross the country several times over. Your days are spent listening to your fans and record company tell you how much they “love your album, love it.” You’re nights are spent partying in a new town each night, doing interviews and finding less and less time to write new music. For the next few years, your life will consist of those in your band and, if you’re lucky enough, a road crew. An 8-month tour will be followed by months in the studio to finally record the songs that got you the deal in the first place. Then you hit the road again, this time for another year to promote the album that may or may not have been released yet. By the time you wrap it up, it has been over two years since it all began. You have been chained to playing the same material you have inevitably grown tired of, and sales seem less than stellar. Sooner or later, those same fans who once hounded you after your set to buy a T-shirt no longer check the website. The radio stations don’t pick up the new single beyond a mild rotation. Ultimately, the execs who once smiled and told you they “love the album, love it” aren’t at the meet-and-greets anymore. Conclusion: You feel lied to, manipulated, and begin to doubt everything after you get dropped.

It’s not surprising when egos get crushed, and those involved in the debacle become defensive and lash out at each other.  Like most love/hate relationships, the resolutions are just as spectacular as the fallings out.

This last year has seen a plethora of make up/break up scenarios in the music world. Incase you’ve lost track, here is a recap.

Make Ups
Big Star – 1970’s power-pop icons and cult heroes from Tennessee. Often sited as one of the genres biggest influences that paved the way for acts such as Matthew Sweet, The Posies and Teenage Fanclub. Besides planning an album of new material by the end of the year, they will be making a stop this month at the illustrious South By Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.

Braid – Indie-rockers from Champaign, Illinois who were one of the first wave bands to tackle college radio in the mid 1990’s. After disbanding in 1999, three members regrouped to form Hey Mercedes and were quickly signed to Universal Records inprint, Vagrant Records. The band is planning a reunion tour in May.

Mission Of Burma – The first of three bands on this list from Massachusetts. They had an on-again-off-again career throughout most of the 80s and 90s, and reached a surprise level of notoriety when Moby covered the song “That’s When I Reached For My Revolver” on his 1996 album, “Animal Rights.” The post-punk ensemble will take their act to Austin as a part of SXSW.

My Bloody Valentine – The Irish quartet has been known as everything from the loudest band on the planet, to nearly bankrupting Creation Records, to the hyper-perfectionists who relish their reclussivity. After their 1991 masterpiece, “Loveless” the band disbanded without plans to regroup. However, after front man Kevin Shields provided most of the soundtrack to the film “Lost In Translation,” the remaining members expressed an interest in reforming. The group has since finalized plans to record 5 unfinished songs, as well as compile a box set.

Sebadoh – The lo-fi pioneers reached the ten-year mark in 1999 and decided to pack their Amherst, Massachusetts’s ensemble up for good – or so we all thought. Peers of Fugazi and other early 90’s indie rock acts, Lou Barlow’s group has had no creative output since their swan song. This April, Barlow will rejoin Jason Loewenstein for a tour of clubs throughout the country, and talks of a new record have begun.

The Pixies – One of the most innovative groups of the late 1980’s who are arguably the most important band to hail from Boston. Following an argument between front man Frank Black (AKA Black Francis) and bassist Kim Deal, the two went their separate ways and folded the band. Deal went on to form The Breeders, and Black went on to front the Catholics. The band, whose legacy extends from Kurt Cobain (who feared audiences would notice Nirvana was a “Pixies rip of”) to current acts like The Vines, has been in talks for much of the last year about a reunion. 2004 has seen the band finalizing a tour and headlining at the well-known Coachella festival.

Urge Overkill – Chicago’s half glam, half garage trio has regrouped after a 7-year hiatus. The act is currently in the midst of a national tour of sold-out dates. Though the reunion is the brainchild of singer, Nash Kato, the other members remain as enthused as the front man.

Matt Sharp & Rivers Cuomo – Not exactly a band, but the two have a storied history in one of the 90s most beloved and surprisingly popular acts. The two founding members of Weezer have not performed together since Sharp left the band after their sophomore release, “Pinkerton.” After forming The Rentals in the wake of leaving the quirk rock quartet, Sharp began to cut his teeth as a front man. Cuomo has fronted Weezer on their subsequent 2 records, but has yet to find a permanent replacement on bass.  This past February, following a lawsuit between Sharp and Weezer regarding songwriting royalties, and the commercial failure of Sharps acoustic solo-project, the two joined forces for a string of shows in California coffeehouses. As of now, there are no reported talks between Sharp and Weezer. Yet, the newfound harmony between the bands founders will only spark the hopes of sweater-wearing, four-eyed geeks everywhere.

Break Ups
Anniversary – One of the first bands signed to Vagrant Records during its reformation in the last 1990’s. The power pop, indie rockers combined elements of synth pop with traditional college rock song structure.  After forming in 1996, the band released their major-label debut in 2000, and followed in 2002 with the impressive, “Your Majesty.”

Superdrag – Power pop superheroes from Tennessee, the quartet reached its highest level of commercial notoriety when their debut single, “Sucked Out” reached the MTV airwaves. Since 1996, the band has released masterworks such as “Greetings from TN” and “Headtrip In Every Key.” One of the genres most constant performers, the band split after front man Jonathan Davis (not the Korn one), devoted himself to his rediscovered Christianity.

Ultimate Fakebook – Kansas’ most important rock trio. The 8-year career spanned multiple national and international tours. Opening for some of the countries largest pop acts, while also headlining several tours themselves, UFB built a legion of devoted followers. Their lone major-label release, “This Will Be Laughing Week,” remains their high water mark. Rumors have begun to circulate on the bands website about the future after UFB. One of the sites most reliable sources has stated the band has formed a karaoke band. The trio will learn upwards of 200 songs, and provide audience members the chance to sing the tune of their choice. What the hell?

Zwan – The aftermath of the Smashing Pumpkins. Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin formed the group in late 2002. The band called it quits roughly one year after their 2003 debut. Corgan is planning a solo record, though many Pumpkins fans would argue this wont be his first solo record. They might be right.

Honorable Mention
Queens Of The Stone Age – Not exactly a break up, just a severe line up change. The band, since forming in 1997, has never had a steady line up. However, Nick Oliveri and Josh Homme have been the bands lone constants. After performing together through much of the 1980’s in the band Kyuss, the two formed QOTSA. Last week it was reported Oliveri been kicked out of the band stemming from “actions over an 18-month period.” Yet, he denies his removal from the band.

Smashing Pumpkins – Though the band has officially been broken up since 2000, former front man Billy Corgan has shed new light on the break. Until recently, the band maintained it was a mutual split. Yet, this last month has seen postings on Corgan’s website claiming guitarist James Iha was the cause for the break, and the rest of the band wanted to continue. Also, Corgan went on to state Iha refused to thank the fans or band mates after their farewell show at Chicago’s Metro.

Wilco – Again, not exactly a break up, but a reorganization of members. The band that has seen its share of members (which were highly documented in the documentary, “I’m Trying To Break Your Heart”) has undergone another change. Original drummer Ken Coomer left in 2000. Multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett was fired in 2001. Pianist/guitarist Leroy Bach left the band earlier this year to pursue a family and solo projects. Since his departure, the band has added guitarist Nels Cline, Mikael Jorgensen on piano and laptop, and Pat Sansone on keyboard and guitar. The band is planning a June release of “A Ghost Is Born” on Nonsuch Records. However, in the world of Wilco, that means a 2011 release on any label from Jive to Aftermath to Essential.

Northern Star Online, March 22, 2004