In the early 2000’s, I got into the sub-genres of punk and alternative music. Bands like Thursday, Underoath, and Thrice were all the rage in my life. I remember going to the store and being excited to spend the little money I had to buy the CDs I wanted. I was always stoked to see CDs of the punk music I liked available at Wal-Mart and other big-box stores. It reassured me that the music I listened to maybe wasn’t as crazy as I thought it was.

Fast forward a little over a decade later, I am now seeing the bands I grew up with break-up and then come back together. Now with more buying power from me and my peers, I can see why they want to come back. Ticket prices seem to be higher and they are selling out bigger venues. The only thing that has stayed the same is the music. The bands are playing the music I loved when I was younger and it almost makes me long for the days of my youth.

However, there are a few complaints I have with this wave of reunions. I’m not opposed to bands getting back together. If bandmates can resolve their past differences and get together to play again, then I believe they have a just cause for the reunion. The problem I have is that some of the bands reunite but don’t attempt to make new music. I may be in the minority, but I feel if a band is back together, they should try to make new music. I’m okay with one tour to bring the reunion together, but after that there needs to be some new substance.

I don’t want to come off that I am not grateful for these reunions. I’m a sucker for a good reunion. However, I don’t want the only reason they are going out on tour is for the money. I get that when something ends, nostalgia can blind you and you won’t notice that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. An attempt to make the reunion more than just for money is all I am asking.

One band that has done a reunion well is Thrice. They made the commitment to do a tour on some older music but also made new music on top of it. They released a new album, and are sticking together for the time being. They did capitalize on the want for the band to come back, but they also continued the band where they left off. The same could be said for the band At The Drive-In. They have been back and are in the process of releasing a new album as well.

Bands come and go because that’s how most things are in life. However, honesty to the fans and to the music is where I want the scene to stay. We all need to make the almighty dollar, but try to do it for the right reasons.