animalmystic

Not sure if this has been asked before, I don't visit the music forum too often, but my buddy and I were talking about it today so i thought I would get a discussion started about it.

Its a tough thing, there is a long list I would love to bring back, but here are mine.

Mine would be John Lennon. IMO he was the driving force of talent behind the Beatles, some will sure agru with me about that, its just my opinion though. I so wish he was still around now a days. His influence, talent and music making were unmatched, he is an icon.

My runners up would be Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. They are both similiar in terms of talent, and have there both unique talent and skills, and both were lost too early in there career.

Too bad I was too young to actually experience any of these remarkable artists in concert, I can only remember them through there music.

Let hear yours.

The Infidel

Man, talk about making someone feel old! It's only been 15 years since SRV died. Seems like yesterday. You must not be very old yourself. I was lucky enough to get to see him one time.

Personally, I'd bring back Freddie Mercury...if I only had one choice. SRV would be a definite runner-up.

namlook

I'd bring back Sid Vicious.

Dark_Sithlord

John Lennon would be my first choice. That guy had so much more to give. In the time he was with us, he moved mountains. His music will live on, and his legacy has become legend. If we could bring back Lennon, I can only imagine the things he could accomplish. He had a message of peace and hope during times of war, and I think in this day and age of apathy, cynicism, and war, Lennon would be a voice to be heard.

Other artists I would like to bring back:

-Roy Orbison: Man, I miss this guy's voice. The ultimate rock and roll crooner. I listen to his music regularly, but I've never seen him in concert.
-Elvis Presley. I'd bring Elvis back when he was still young, not when he was bloated, with his ass hanging out of his jumpsuit. The King was way before my time, and he died when I was just a wee lad, but it would be cool to see him perform.
-Mozart. It would be amazing to hear this phenom perform one of his piano concertos, or symphanies.
-Beethoven. I would love to hear him perform his Ninth.
-Kurt Cobain. Personified the angst of a generation, and dying much too young at the height of his genius. I would love to see him perform live in concert.
-George Harrison: Along with Lennon, the Beatles can have one last concert together.

ytrez

I'd like to see what Randy Rhodes would have done if he lived longer.

Capo2002

Jim Morrison and Layne Staley.

The Bus

Kurt

wishbone

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -- and we can find out what he thinks of Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus" too.

atlantamoi

Bob Marley. Just would like to see what he would have done over the past two decades.

Celtic Bob

Too many i'd like to see back. Lennon is at the top of the list though. Closly followed by Marley and Randy.

Filmmaker

I agree with the original poster's top two: John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix, two almost extra-terrestrial talents cut down well before they'd sang and played all they had to give...

slop101

Mine would also be Hendrix / Lennon. Hendrix, not just because he was such a musical force of nature, but because he was also always on the cutting edge and pushing the envelope as far as song writing and recording - it'd be interesting to see what he would have done with advancements in technology. Lennon more for his vocal outspokeness - his best music was behind him, but he would always remain a very intersting icon and social commentator - I would love to have him around now just to hear his take on the current social/political climate.

Goat3001

Kurt Cobain, two reasons:

1) I'm a product of the 90's and love the grunge era music. Especially Nirvana.

2) In Utero (IMO) was their best album. It would have been interesting to see what Cobain would have come up with as a follow up.

Michael Corvin

My first choice as well as my reason. Not so much for more music b/c he accomplished more than most in his time, but more for the activist role. We don't have a single voice like his anymore. It is a shame. Then the question begs, if he were still around would we have had a Beatles resurgence? If not, would his activist opinions fallen on deaf ears?

Second vote: Layne Staley. He had an incredible vocal talent and had so much more he could have done musically. Every time I listed to Mad Season I'm saddened there will never be another one. Easily in my top 5 CDs of all time.

Turd Ferguson

Stevie Ray Vaughan without a doubt. His playing had reached a new level when he died. I'd love to have seen him collaborate with B.B. King and Buddy Guy on albums while keeping pretenders like Johnny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepard in the background where they belong.

auto

Elliott Smith

The potential there was just remarkable. A true talent lost too soon.

Filmmaker

I would argue that Bono comes close. Where Bono fails (at least in relation to Lennon) is he's learned, for better or worse, to pick his battles, whereas Lennon would be willing to take on the world entire, and all he perceived wrong with it. Bono's approach is probably more pragmatic and results-oriented, but we could sure use a measure of Lennon's broad-stroke idealism these days...

Michael Corvin

I was thinking of Bono as well when I typed it, but for me his ego gets in the way and prevents me from taking anything he says seriously.

Geofferson

Bon Scott

Spiderbite

Freddy Mercury...so Brian May and Roger Taylor would quit shitting on the band's good name.

John Lennon...but before George Harrison died so The Beatles could have truly reformed...and they definitely would have.

Layne Staley...I miss his voice.

avrilfan

elvis would be a good choice, yep 42 is a littrle young. he would have lived little longer if he wasnt addicted to preciption drugs.
I', suprised know what would bring the most tragic day in rock n roll histotry. feb. 3,1959.
ther plane carrying superstars buddy holly, ritchie valens and the big bopper crashed in a frozen cornfield.I would bring back all three. holly, was right up thier with presley during the late 50;s, he admired elvis.plus, I think he would have gone to be a big superstar along with elvis, writing his own material for his music,he had creative talent. valens was just getting going and so a young age who knows what he would have gone on to do, same with j.p. richardson(big bopper).

Josh H

Jimi Hendrix. Was doing amazing things with guitar back then, I'd love to have seen what else he did if he hadn't died so young.

Aphex Twin

Jeff Buckley

John Lennon

Brian Wilson (yes he is)

Michael Jackson (the real one)

Filmmaker

Hey, as I recall, Lennon was the one who ranked his group over Jesus, so that ego knife cuts both ways...

Giantrobo

None. Because most likely they would be poor versions of their former selves as they sell out to make money to fuel their divorces, drug, and booze habits. They died when they were supposed to and their deaths honored them with a Legendary Status.