To wonder why some good musicians and singers just...disappear one day?

[MrsWinnibago]

I like that La Roux...and Marina and the Diamonds...where did they go?

Just googled though and found that La Roux has in fact got a new album out...maybe the question should be why does it take some artists so long between albums?

that's a daft question too...it's a lot of work I suppose!

Paddy McAloon (Prefab Sprout) is still making music as great as ever - last album, Crimson Red, was superb. I listed to an interview with him a little while ago in which he admitted that even if he wrote the best song in the history of music it would never be a hit because that's just the way the industry is.

and sometimes musicians/bands don't disappear - we just stop looking for them

Paddy McAloon looks like Gandalf these days.

I do genuinely believe creative people will always find a way to be creative, but that might not always be singing and touring: writing, producing, teaching, film scores etc are all ways musicians can continue to be creative within music. Then there's acting, other kinds of writing, painting, making films, graphic design etc etc

If you look at the some of the bands on this thread, those who are genuinely creative will always find some way of creating.

Then there are people who just happened to be alright singers, got a deal, had some hits and tonnes of fun, made a bit of money if they were lucky and are now sales managers in Bermondsey. And good luck to them, I'm not knocking that. It's incredibly hard to build a long-term career in music and one of the skills is knowing when to call it a day (ie when you are still making money, as opposed to running up debts).

To look at an entirely different band - I think JLS were really well advised. Couple of big albums, one massive one, some tours where they (hopefully) made some cash, then the minute it started to dip they retired, married The Saturdays and will now go on to have other careers where they can live a relatively normal, stable life. Good luck to them.

Alliyah died in a plane crash about 2000 or summat, Ja Rule I think he went to prison at some time. I think I heard ashanti had another album out.
lonny, you are right, they got JLS totally right.

Most of the bands mentioned here are pretty mediocre but got lucky with one or two hit singles that then lead to big album sales

With the notable exceptions of Unbelievable Truth and Idlewild. They were both excellent bands.

I was listening to The Strokes for the first time in ages. They've dated badly (as have most 00s bands with a 'The')!

Late to this but I had a boyfriend who looked just like TTD. He was a beautiful man but was called Clive and was an utter shit.

I met Ben V-P once. He was a twunt

Finley Quaye used to live in student digs with my friend. She said he was the dirtiest (as in grime) person she has ever met.

He's been doing small gigs round London recently. Sadly he seemingly has problems. Friend went to see him, said he was massively late and completely off his face on stage. Forgot lyrics and stuff

Someone up thread wrote about the labels loaning bands money to record their album, and the band therefore making little money out of sales and tours until this is repaid. That's the big problem for a lot of bands, no matter what their size. I know the former singer of a rock band I doubt any of you will have heard of who was flown out to LA to discuss being signed by a label run by a band member of one of the biggest names of the 80s LA rock scene. There was a lot of money involved in the deal BUT the recording fees would have had to be repaid, AND the label would own the rights to the band name and the merchandise. The rock legend was apparently rather surprised when my friend told him to his face to fuck off.

The other problem in the industry is 'pay to play'. Smaller bands have to pay the headliners to join the tour and usually provide the back line, etc as well. Given that touring and merchandise is the only way for bands to actually make money (considering the huge numbers of people who don't think pirating music is a big deal) it's a real problem for a band trying to get established. Not all headliners do this, but enough do.

Whatever happened to Tasmin Archer (sang Sleeping Satellite)? She was the next 'big thing' about 20 years ago. I really liked her.

Remember the London Boys?

I was when the car they were driving went off the edge of a car in 1996, and the news story only made page 32 and 1 column inch in melody maker

I'd never heard of the London Boys but Googled. Two in car off a cliff, 1996, and an another man connected with them suicide in 2012. So sad.

Ooh and where did The Streets go?

After his fourth (or fifth, can't remember which) album he announced he was not making any more albums, but would release songs on his own website and remix other peoples songs.

His new project is called The D.O.T.

Billie Gentry a country singer gave it all up while she was stoll doing quite well and has not been seen since though thought to be living in Los Angeles

As big a mystery as her song Ode to Billy Joe (you will have heard it) Why did Billy Joe commit suicide and what was thrown off the bridge. song tells you so much and so little and a film was made from it

I guess many are dropped by their record labels due to poor sales and then struggle to get another deal and promotion

Billy Withers (who seems to be the most level headed and calm man on the planet) just stopped recording in 1986. He just decided he didn't need the hassle of promoting and touring new material and he had enough money to live out his days in comfort so he just stopped. I think he still records music but feels no desire to release and promote it.

Phil Collins was great.....I miss him .

Bill Withers (not Billy Withers).

Ps. How do you turn a duck into a soul singer?

• leave him in the sun til his Bill Withers

'Phil Collins was great.....I miss him'

YABVVVVVVVU

Neneh Cherry can naff off, she defended Mike Tyson after he was convicted of rape.

Bill Withers on the other hand, what a guy. There was a superb documentary on BBC 4 about him, he's hilarious, humble and kind. He had a stutter in his youth and does work for kids with speech issues.

'you can't take away all the stutterers. Why, all that's gonna leave is a whole lot of chatty chatty'.

Brilliant.

Anyone remember "Arrested Development"? i loved them and they went puff like smoke off our screens. Dina Carroll too disappeared loved that song "Don't be a stranger".

Natasha Beddingfield's "Single" was also as they say these days "heavy!" i feel so old!

Who do you think was in that gorilla outfit for the cadbury's advert???

Is Phil Collins dead?

No but he has some problem that means he can't drum.
Never forgave him for supporting Thatcher.
Loved paddy mcaloon.
And of course the Las. Best album ever.

Wait...that was a man in a gorilla outfit?!