I guess nobody will be ever to beat The Four Tops here. They formed in 1955 (1956 as Four Tops) and stayed together with the same exact same lineup until Lawrence Payton died in 1997.
But what other bands are there that have kept their lineups (not neccessarily the original one) completely unchanged for more than a couple of decades?
― Geir Hongro, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:03 (seventeen years ago)
U2 I guess, 1978 - now?
― sonofstan, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:07 (seventeen years ago)
I guess it depends on who you count as an official member of the lineup. I think Ron and Russell Mael are the only official members of Sparks, and they've been together for 35 years or so, but their backing bands have changed throughout the years.
Yello has consisted of only Dieter Meier and Boris Blank ever since Carlos Peron left, which was about 25 years ago.
― Tuomas, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:13 (seventeen years ago)
Hmm. I had planned to say that duo's don't count. So, from no on, no duos. So no Pet Shop Boys or Erasure.
― Geir Hongro, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:18 (seventeen years ago)
22-Pistepirkko has had the same lineup ever since it was formed in 1980.
(x-post)
Why shouldn't duos count? They can break up too!
― Tuomas, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:19 (seventeen years ago)
Is De la Soul the only rap group to have existed in the same lineup for over 20 years?
― Tuomas, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:20 (seventeen years ago)
ZZ Top (since 1969) Golden Earring (since 1970)
― StanM, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:22 (seventeen years ago)
Wire (since 1976) - but they've taken too many long breaks to qualify, probably
― StanM, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:30 (seventeen years ago)
But it takes no more than two to stay together for ages.
― Geir Hongro, Monday, 18 February 2008 10:48 (seventeen years ago)
This was done lots of times before on ILM. Queen had a 25 year unchanged lineup, I think?
― Siegbran, Monday, 18 February 2008 11:13 (seventeen years ago)
Despite containing none of the original members from 1970, Brotherhood Of Man's line-up has been unchanged since 1974.
― mike t-diva, Monday, 18 February 2008 11:16 (seventeen years ago)
Career Bands Who've Always Had the Same Lineup
― mike t-diva, Monday, 18 February 2008 11:19 (seventeen years ago)
Scratch that; they had a fifth member in 1982/3.
― mike t-diva, Monday, 18 February 2008 11:30 (seventeen years ago)
queen was about 21 years, i think
― Charlie Howard, Monday, 18 February 2008 11:34 (seventeen years ago)
Rush, since '74.
― Nate Carson, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 12:11 (seventeen years ago)
The Four Tops didn't have the same musicians behind them all that time though, did they?
― StanM, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 12:56 (seventeen years ago)
The musicians were never considered part of the band anyway.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 14:08 (seventeen years ago)
Oh, ok - didn't know they weren't.
― StanM, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 15:14 (seventeen years ago)
Wir existing without Gotobed should discount them.
― dan selzer, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 15:54 (seventeen years ago)
Sonic Youth - since Steve Shelley joined in what, 1984 or so?
― stephen, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:11 (seventeen years ago)
ZZ Top pwns this thread
― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:17 (seventeen years ago)
Well, not in the case of Four Tops. Vocal groups were always a usual thing in soul music.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:18 (seventeen years ago)
Do ZZ Top still exist though?
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:21 (seventeen years ago)
Was Jim O'Rourke not a member for a while?
― sonofstan, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:23 (seventeen years ago)
And he left!
― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:24 (seventeen years ago)
Residents !
― Fanboy 3, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:26 (seventeen years ago)
"Do ZZ Top still exist though?"
Yes, and still delivering a Texas-sized ass-kicking in their live show.
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:30 (seventeen years ago)
cheap trick since 1974, tho tom petersson split from 1981-88, still a pretty good run
― m coleman, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:40 (seventeen years ago)
ZZ Top are definitely still around, they put out a new album not too long ago and still tour, endorse Republicans, etc.
― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:46 (seventeen years ago)
Mescalero - 2003
Yeah, Cheap Trick can't possibly count.
ZZ Top for the win.
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:47 (seventeen years ago)
".. endorse Republicans, etc."
I couldn't care less about their political stance.
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:51 (seventeen years ago)
me neither really, but it is kinda funny
― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:01 (seventeen years ago)
Texas blues-rock white dudes in their 60s being Republican shocka!
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:06 (seventeen years ago)
true dat. but i consider him more of a contributor than a core member.
― stephen, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:18 (seventeen years ago)
Gibbons came from money too. I doubt they're hard core social conservatives (see ,inter alia, Tube Snake Boogie, I Thank You)
They still kick some ass though. Great showmen.
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:21 (seventeen years ago)
I'm sure its almost entirely a taxes thing
― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:26 (seventeen years ago)