that the band thinks of itself as the band as long as it wants to, regardless what its audience thinks. I mean, how many people considered Little Feat a living, breathing continuation of the original with Bonnie Bramlett's daughter as the singer? Levon Helm always said that he reckoned The Band would still exist as long as Garth Hudson turned up. However, with the absence of Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel and Rick Danko, I'm glad he seems to have adjusted this theory. The E Street Band have lost Danny Federici - and Steve Van Zandt for a time - and didn't start out with Nils Lofgren or Patti Scialfa, but the spirit has remained.

Ronnie Wood is a special case. I can't think of anyone else who has put in the hours that he has and still be thought of as a newcomer. I mean, by my reckoning, he's been a Rolling Stone nearly five times as long as Brian Jones was, but he still doesn't count as the real thing for many people.

As you say its the spirit that prevails, but would you go to see them play their back catalogue if they changed their frontman? I would probably go to see Little Feat, or The Magic Band without the Captain, but I would get up and close the window if the 21st Century Doors were playing at the end of my garden.

I think the audience is the arbiter. I've never had a problem with Robert Fripp + assorted sundries as King Crimson. Banks, Rutherford and the new boy as Genesis disappeared beneath a wave of audience indifference. Is it 'Queen' or is it 'Paul Rodgers + Queen', or neither of the above?

I regard Ronnie as a fully integrated Stone, but if he left I think it would still be The Stones. Thin Lizzy without Phil Lynott - I suspect even they know it's a poor facsimile. The tragedy there is that they probably would now be massive.

I saw Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana a few years back. With a singer whose name escapes me. Great as it was to hear those Sun solos note for note by the man that played them, it was a leetle bit pointless with just any old singer.

Are still on tour. Scott Gorham is in the band, they were at Newcastle City Hall last year. I was going to picket it with a sign saying 'Phil Lynott is dead, this is not Thin Lizzy, repent you sinners' but I went to the pub instead.

but do Thin Lizzy have 20 classic songs? After The Boys Are Back In Town, I can only think of three or four reasonable soft rock tunes and the godawful Killer On The Loose. Unlike the Who/Stones or even Buzzcocks/From The Jam, I'd aver, like

R.E.M. survived Bill Berry's departure but I really don't think they'd weather another leaver. They are so much the quintessential "gang" that if any of the remaining members left, even though you know they could carry on, you'd think / hope the last two would hold their hands up and say that was the end. With all due respect to their fantastic legacy, I think the audience would.

without Neil Finn? No.

have made the suggestion (that I agree with) their future releases might be projects involving all, some or just one of the regular band with any number of on-off or occasional collaborators. In principle I agree and I think this is a great way of working. But would it really be a Radiohead album without Thom's vocals? Tough call but, as much as I love and respect 'em, I can't help but think I'd feel short-changed.

Even more than R.E.M. (who've seen a member leave) U2 are the case study in long-lived stability. Despite whatever they might say about "new impetus, fresh challenges" etc, would it still feel like U2 if any one of them left? After this long with U2 being the same 4 people, I'm not at all sure it would be.

I think the Thin Lizzy and Queen thing is a bit rich, both Lynott and Freddie were great frontmen for their bands. Zeppelin lost Bonham and then called it quits, would Zeppelin have been as relevant in the 80's? They were in steady decline by Bonhams death anyway, having released just 2 albums of new material in the previous 5 years! I went to see Stiff Little Fingers last month and they were great. The Stranglers without Hugh? check out their latest album suite V1 it is very good. The Jam without Weller is strange, could the Clash reform without Joe? i think not, but you never know. If the voice of the band goes you have a real problem.
Could you imagine the Banshees without Siouxsie?

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. At least while Alex was alive, when the Band went on tour (and released and album) they had the sense / grace to insert "(without Alex)" after the main part of the band name, but now they just go out with some geezer singing Alex's lyrics.

Shouldn't count as a band at all, as none of the current line-up have been there from the start: even Simon Nicol took some years off for good behaviour in the 70s. And they broke up entirely for a while as well. Yet they exist, arguably more as a brand, with many "different" bands within their history. Mind you, the entire folk rock pantheon of that era have constantly invented and re-invented, with most of Fairport being concurrently or separately memebers of the Albion (Contry or Dance) Band, founded by an ex-Fairport, or of Richard (+/- Linda) Thompson's Band(s), he also, of course being an ex- himself. Let alone myriad off-shoots and incarnations, and backing/touring bands for others.
Oysterband, to continue the folk rock theme, are on their 4th, albeit a stand-in, drummer and 2nd bassist, but are still the same band. I think for some bands there is a core of members who identify the brand, and for others a sound. So Telfer, Jones and Prosser are the Oysterband, as Jagger, Richards and Watts are the Stones.

As much as I love 'em, just weren't right after Graham left. Think Tank and Out Of Time are rather ace, but it's the one track - Battery In Your Leg - that Mr Coxon contributed to makes me weep.

Still going strong with Ronnie van Zandt's brother as lead singer. Various band members seem to come and go and with three guitarists they were always very interchangable. But no Ronnie? Although the brother (Johnnie?) is very good, it didn't seem right. Still, Hammersmith Apollo certainly rocked last year when they played to a sell out.

Ref- the E Street Band. Does anyone really bemoan the loss of Vini Lopez, David Sancious and all members in between? Individually no, but when Bruce traded in the lot for a gaggle of jobbing LA session musicians (plus Roy Bittan) for those, frankly, BAD, records from 1987 - 1999, you could visibly see the magic disappear - both on vinyl and in concert.

And if ever a record needs a re-recording without the very 80's production and instrumentation, it's the Tunnel of Love. Hop to it Bruce!