Yesterday, Sept. 18, the very sad news broke that Ohio indie rock legends Guided By Voices had suddenly broken-up and canceled its upcoming tour dates. This is the second time the group has split (the first occurred back in 2004), which isn't all that uncommon. Here are nine other bands that have broken up twice, or even more times than that.
1. Simon & Garfunkel
Though Simon & Garfunkel's most famous break-up came in 1970 following the release of Bridge Over Troubled Water, this wasn't the first time the duo split. Following the poor reception of their debut Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. in 1965, Paul Simon moved to England in pursuit of a solo career, but reformed the duo in 1966 when "The Sound of Silence" became a surprise hit.
2. The Velvet Underground
Even though frontman Lou Reed left the Velvet Underground in 1970, bassist Doug Yule continued the band himself until finally calling it quits in 1973. In 1992 however, the original Velvets quartet of Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Moe Tucker reunited for a European tour, and though plans were made for a US tour and possibly a new album, Reed and Cale had a falling-out, ending the Velvet Underground once again.
3. The Stooges
Like the Velvet Underground, the Stooges weren't particularly popular during their time, and following the release of 1970's Fun House, the band basically split up. When singer Iggy Pop met David Bowie in 1972, the two made plans for a Pop solo album, though this would eventually turn into the third Stooges album Raw Power. After Raw Power failed to sell, however, the Stooges split up for good until 2003.
4. Big Star
Big Star's debut album #1 Record was recorded as a four piece, but by its third album Third/Sister Lovers, the band was down to just singer/guitarist Alex Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens and would break-up in 1974. Big Star would eventually reunite in 1993 and record a new album In Space in 2005, but following Chilton's death in 2010 the band split once and for all.
5. King Crimson
King Crimson isn't a band so much as it is guitarist Robert Fripp and whomever he wants to work with at the moment, so it basically breaks up and reforms after every album. Its first official split came in 1974, though it would reform in 1981 with the album Discipline. This new line-up would break-up in 1985, reform in 1994, and go on two hiatuses since then.
6. Minor Threat
Minor Threat lasted only three years, but it still managed to break up twice. The first split came in 1981 when guitarist Lyle Preslar went to college, though he would drop out the following year and reform the band. The band's final split came in 1983 after singer Ian MacKaye grew disillusioned with the hardcore scene.
7. Descendents
Pop-punk legends the Descendents have broken up about as many times as King Crimson. The first split came in 1983 when drummer Bill Stevenson joined Black Flag, though he would reform the Descendents from 1985 to 1988 when singer Milo Aukerman left to pursue biochemistry. The band has since reformed three more times: 1995, 2002 and most recently in 2010.
8. New Order
If you include their time together in Joy Division, then New Order was originally together from 1976 until 1993, when it split due to creative differences. The band's first reformation lasted from 1998 until 2007, when bassist Peter Hook left the band, though it reformed again in 2011, only without Hook for the first time since the Joy Division days.
9. Sunny Day Real Estate
Before it could even release its second album LP2 in 1995, emo legends Sunny Day Real Estate had already split for the first time, with bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith joining Foo Fighters. The band would reunite in 1997 and release two more albums, How It Feels To Be Something On and The Rising Tide before trouble with the record label forced the band to call it quits yet again. On Record Store Day 2014, however, the group released a split record with Circa Survive, suggesting that it may be reforming yet again.
What other bands have broken up more than once? Let us know down in the comments section!
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