Who were the most stable group?

[irocfan]

Being a lover of Rush I was always impressed at how stable they were as a group after their change to the late, lamented, Neil Peart which got me wondering which is the most stable band.

Whilst Rush are, I would imagine, right up there can anyone beat ZZ Top - 50 years with the same lineup (I've just finished watching the Netflix docu)

[Monkeylegend]

The Animals.

[slopes]

I was going to say Queen but they are apprently still going and whilst i appreciate they are only young 'uns, i'm fairly sure Muse have had an unchanged line up since they started

[StevieBee]

It's got to be U2, surely.

[sociopath]

The Stones? Even with their line up changes they've probably been stable for longer than most groups have existed

[irocfan]

StevieBee said:

It's got to be U2, surely.

Nope, - though to be fair they've been around at lot longer than I realised

[popegregory]

sociopath said:

The Stones? Even with their line up changes they've probably been stable for longer than most groups have existed

This. Mick, Keith and Charlie for nigh-on 60 years?

Fairport Convention.

[gazza285]

irocfan said:

StevieBee said:

It's got to be U2, surely.

Nope, - though to be fair they've been around at lot longer than I realised

Try listening to one of their albums, it'll feel like a lifetime.

[irocfan]

popegregory said:

sociopath said:

The Stones? Even with their line up changes they've probably been stable for longer than most groups have existed

This. Mick, Keith and Charlie for nigh-on 60 years?

Fairport Convention.

Nope the stones had personnel changes in the 70's and 90's

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Sparks have been going 54 years I think. And still releasing albums. 25 studio albums for far (ex live albums and compilations), with another being released next week.

Yes, I realise it's 2 brothers, but that never helped Noel & Liam.

Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Saturday 9th May 12:15

[Brave Fart]

Marillion; same five members since 1989 and they're as incredible as ever. I may have mention before on here that they're my favourite band of all time.
But the clincher is that they are all completely normal functioning human beings, so they are "stable" in that sense too.

[Mojooo]

I think U2 were the longest/oldest band touring with the same members since inception

Rolling Stones would edge them with their 4 current members but they are not the same original members

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Mojooo said:

I think U2 were the longest/oldest band touring with the same members since inception

Rolling Stones would edge them with their 4 current members but they are not the same original members

See above. Sparks were touring when U2 were in nappies.

[pitboard]

Someone said Fairport Convention. They've had around 27 members since 1967!

[irocfan]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Mojooo said:

I think U2 were the longest/oldest band touring with the same members since inception

Rolling Stones would edge them with their 4 current members but they are not the same original members

See above. Sparks were touring when U2 were in nappies.

Ditto ZZ Top

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Brave Fart said:

Marillion; same five members since 1989 and they're as incredible as ever. I may have mention before on here that they're my favourite band of all time.
But the clincher is that they are all completely normal functioning human beings, so they are "stable" in that sense too.

I'm with you, but there are still many that hark back to the fish days and would regard the change as a fundamental schism, despite the subsequent stable 30 years!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

pitboard said:

Someone said Fairport Convention. They've had around 27 members since 1967!

The same 27? That's impressive!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

irocfan said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Mojooo said:

I think U2 were the longest/oldest band touring with the same members since inception

Rolling Stones would edge them with their 4 current members but they are not the same original members

See above. Sparks were touring when U2 were in nappies.

Ditto ZZ Top

Yeah, they've been going so long, that when they started, they didn't even need to shave.

[Mojooo]

ZZ TOP don't count as they have had multiple drummers apparently

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/is-u...

There is a distinction of course between longest time as a band and longest time as your original line up with no additional members. Have Sparks always been just two people?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Mojooo said:

There is a distinction of course between longest time as a band and longest time as your original line up with no additional members. Have Sparks always been just two people?

Yup, Russ & Ron Mael.