I have whinged about 'reformed' (re constitued!) bands and anniversary tours before - but ..... with Metallica doing Master of Puppets Anniversary, The Pixies, Public Enemy, The Levellers and many more in the last 12 months, surely the music world is regressing? Sometimes the band even play the album on stage following the same track listing?! I really can't decide where i stand. Do i hate that the album is reduced to a commodity that they can then reissue with bonuses as well? and follow that with a 'generate a pension' tour? Or do i begrudge the fact that they are cashing in on older items when they should be trying to push new boundaries? Or do i begrudge going to see these bands and knowing i won't see tracks from other albums that i love? I really don't know. Where do i draw the line. I am certain that by the time of the 20th Anniversary tour of 'Oooopppps' I did it again Britney certainly won't be as hot!

Fuck’s sake. Is there no band who won’t jump on the lets get back together or we never split band wagon? At least the Pistols in 1996 were absolutely honest. 'We’re only after your filthy lucre' I think the tour was called!

In roughly the last 12 - 18 months just off the top of my head (any others let me know! )
Bush, the Pixies, Soundgarden, Faith No More, Rage Against the Machine, The Police, Led Zeppelin, and Fleetwood Mac.

Possibly even the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block (Do they count? And to add insult to injury in the same year as we lost REM and the White Stripes...)

Now The Stone Roses, Garbage, Suede and everyone else seem to be happy to pitch up, overlook old differences and let bygones be pay cheques. A lot of these are Late 80s Early 90s revivals – Surely the now officially not racist Morrissey can put his differences with Johnny Marr behind him?  That would please a few flower waving wish washey anti Maggie liberals!

But then maybe I am a hypocrite. Not only was I at that filthy lucre gig at Finsbury (I swear I was there!), but I also had the honour of shaking the Mozza’s hand and thanking him for making another reunion possible. One I never thought I’d see. The New York Dolls back in 2004. So perhaps in spite of my overwhelming apathy for the Smiths and Pink Floyd I should bite my lip and let the diminutive surly Glaswegian gadgie her day in the sun – oh sorry her rain in the sun!