B&V’s List Of Rock N Roll’s Greatest Career Comebacks – Our Favorites
*Photo taken by your intrepid blogger includes Dylan’s ‘Time Out Of Mind,’ Neil Young’s ‘Freedom’ and McCartney’s ‘Memory Almost Full’
I think we all love a good comeback story. Our hero faces a setback and battles through it to regain his footing atop the mountain, so to speak. I know the comeback is big in sports…but then I’ve been a Chiefs fan since I was 10 so I’m biased.
We’re all human, especially rock stars. There are many reasons for an artist to “lose their way” so to speak. Sometimes it’s excess or sometimes it’s the failure of the ecosystem around them, like an evil manager or complacent record company… show biz, what are you gonna do?
There are so many artists or bands who burst out of the chute like a supernova, only to then stumble on ego, drugs or some other unforeseen issue. Not every band can be Rush or U2 and be friends their entire career. When I think about comebacks, I’m not talking about a band who breaks up and then reunites years later to great success, like say, the Allman Brothers.
I’m talking about bands or in this case, mostly solo artists who kept plodding along until they finally overcame whatever was vexing them and voila, they were back. Sadly, many people miss out on the later post-comeback stuff. Many folks abandon the artist during the downturn.
I’ve always felt even when a band I loved in the beginning falters, that they always have something to offer…something left in the tank. The following artists are the ones who rewarded us by making dramatic comebacks.
This list is not meant to be exhaustive. I’m sure each of you have a comeback story you like. Let me know if the comments which bands fit this description. Here are my favorites.
Elvis Presley
Well, you can’t talk about comebacks without talking about the King. I’ve written about the 1968 Comeback Special in the past. It was truly a special moment in time. Elvis returned to the US after his hitch in the Army and his evil Svengali manager Colonel Tom Parker put him on a ridiculous treadmill of awful movies. The scripts were interchangeable. Elvis’ music career began to suffer. Parker didn’t even have Elvis touring?? What a dick. Enter the 68 Comeback Special.
Elvis not only reconquered the world on the Comeback Special, but he went into the studio in his hometown, Memphis and recorded the landmark LP From Elvis In Memphis that included the amazing “In The Ghetto.” He also recorded “Suspicious Minds” during those sessions. He began to play shows, but alas, the Colonel kept him like a golden goose, stuck in Vegas at his residency. Elvis wanted to tour Europe…Parker supposedly killed someone over there and was afraid to go so that idea went away. The comeback was spectacular, but only lasted a brief but brilliant while. But it was nice to know the King still had it.
Johnny Cash
The Country Music establishment had left poor Johnny for dead by the 90s. Early on they had the man who had once sang the menacing track “Folsom Prison Blues” doing novelty tunes like “One Piece At A Time.” Sigh. And by the 90s he was playing supper clubs with the Carter Family like a revue.
It was uber producer Rick Rubin who sought Johnny out and talked him into recording some stripped down, rather inspired covers. 1994’s American Recording was an astoundingly good record, but it was only the beginning of a series of albums produced by Rubin. When American Recordings was nominated and won a Grammy, Cash took out a full page ad of himself flipping off the camera… a little love letter to the Country Music industry. Well done, Johnny, well done.
The series of records he did with Rubin are nothing short of phenomenal. His cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” from that period is the definitive version of that song. Who’d have thought Johnny doing covers of Soundgarden, Danzig and Tom Petty would hit the spot…
Paul McCartney
McCartney always had a tough go as a solo artist, in terms of critical reception. Early on, many critics blamed him for breaking up the Beatles since he was the one who announced it. His early albums McCartney and Ram are amazing records. His output in the 70s was up and down but it always sold well.
In the latter half of the 70s, with John Lennon shuttered away in his “house husband” era, McCartney sort of dominated the charts, in terms of ex-Beatles, so much so that when Howard Cosell on Monday Night Football announced John had been assassinated, he said, and I shit you not, “The world needs to protect Paul McCartney.” Yeah, that was Howard, sigh.
After an album focused on his relationship with Lennon (at least a number of songs were), Tug Of War in 1982, the 80s hit McCartney hard. I think subconsciously he was rocked by his old friend’s murder. I think it sent him spiraling off course for a long time. Granted, Flowers In The Dirt was a bright spot in an otherwise dreadful period.
It wasn’t until the Beatles got together to work on The Anthology Series that Paul got back in touch with that original creative spark. Starting with 1997’s Flaming Pie, Paul has been on a creative win streak. From Chaos And Creation In The Backyard to Memory Almost Full to New to Egypt Station, his albums are a must have here at B&V. And there’s so much more than “Silly Love Songs.”
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan, once hailed as the “voice of his generation” had a wild 70s. He went from the Rolling Thunder Review, to Desire, to his religious period (which even I, a pagan, likes). Frankly I think his divorce from his first wife Sara knocked him off course. He came out of that tumult in the 80s – that treacherous decade – with a few good LPs, Infidels and (I liked) Empire Burlesque, but then succumbed to booze, indecision and complacency. Things went downhill.
Finally, after a couple of folk albums, Dylan came out inspired with 1997’s Time Out Of Mind. He has been on an absolute roll since then… ok, maybe not the Sinatra covers but I even liked those, he just overdid them a bit. I’m still cranking Rough And Rowdy Ways. If you gave up on Dylan during his time in the wilderness, I highly recommend checking out his latter day LPs.
Neil Young
It was those damn 80s that ensnared Neil’s career as well. After the wonderful Rust Never Sleeps (1979) and Hawks And Doves (1980) his career went off the rails. He released a series of increasingly baffling albums: Trans (1982), a rockabilly covers thing Everybody’s Rockin’ (1983), and a full on country thing on Old Ways (1985). Things got so bad David Geffen from his record company sued him for making “non commercial” records.
Turns out Neil had had a handicapped son and was trying to learn how to communicate with the child. It was effecting him personally and certainly effecting his music. He should have taken some time off. After a great blues thing, This Note’s For You (1988) that only I loved, Neil burst forth with 1989’s Freedom, a true return to form with songs like “Rockin’ In The Free World.”
While admittedly he’s been up and down since, it’s mostly been up. His last three records with Crazy Horse (Colorado (2019)Barn (2021), and World Record (2022)) were fabulous. Hell, I was even on board for his latest with the Chrome Hearts, Talkin To The Trees.
Aerosmith
Aerosmith’s comeback probably ranks up there with Elvis. These guys allowed drugs and infighting to cause a complete implosion. Steven Tyler (vocals) and Joe Perry (guitar) even nicknamed themselves the Toxic Twins… well, I guess if you need a nickname that’ll do? Eventually after an incident where a glass of milk was spilled, Perry left. Yes, Aerosmith cries over spilled milk.
Eventually second guitarist Brad Whitford left as well. Tyler carried now with a couple of other guitarists and the original rhythm section. He was living in a hotel in New York where he’d go down on the street hoping heroin dealers would recognize him and front him a dime bag. Heroin is baaaaad news kids. Don’t chase the dragon.
Eventually Perry and Whitford returned as did the magic. Done With Mirrors in ’85 should have been the comeback but it wasn’t until 1987’s Permanent Vacation that Aerosmith was back. Pump solidified their return to headliner status and the rest is history.
AC/DC
AC/DC is the weirdest band I’m including here. Many will say AC/DC never had to have a comeback. I would contend that after the mega success of Back In Black, the band got complacent. For Those About To Rock was a great follow up, but that may have been driven by momentum. Things get dicey after that.
Flick Of The Switch, Fly On The Wall and Blow Up Your Video were all rather weak records. Well, that last one wasn’t too bad, I own that one. Drummer Phil Rudd even split the band. It wasn’t until they did the song “Who Made Who” that I returned to the fold. Eventually they put in the effort again and 1990 saw The Razor’s Edge kick off a run of great albums that ran all the way to the recently released Power Up. I love these guys.
These are the bands/artists that sprang to my mind first when I began considering the whole idea of the rock n roll comeback. I actually was shuffling music here in the B&V lab and I heard songs from Dylan, McCartney and then Neil Young all in a row and all from their post comeback eras. These artists, once so huge and important in the 60s and 70s, really make a strong case for sticking with a band, even through a down turn.
I urge everybody to check out the late period records from these great artists. Of course, that’s why B&V was founded, to espouse the late work from great rock n roll acts we all were listening to when we came up. Let me know which bands fit this list that I left off – I know there are many examples!
Cheers!
All are obviously worthy of discussion, the two that hit hardest for me are Johnny Cash and Neil Young. Cash really moved out of the old folks Branson circuit and once again became the baddest man on the planet. And Young got back to his winning formula just before grunge kicked in and got to be a father figure to that movement, at least in some form. And yeah I’d also classify the AC/DC section as a true comeback, they really lit a fire under their asses with The Razor’s Edge and ascended into rock godhood.
Yes! I became a big Neil fan – of his past stuff – when I got to college in ’82. I had a fanatical fan as a roomie who turned me on through the hits thing ‘Decade’. But it was the 80s and when I started to turn from his older stuff to the then current material I could only scratch my head and wonder, “What happened here?” Then, post-college ‘Freedom’ came out and I then wondered, “Where has he been hiding this stuff?” It was a great comeback that while up/down since it has largely sustained itself.
Johnny was an artist my dad was into when he was younger. I knew the big hits from dad’s collection of singles. He had faded from memory when a young lady I was seeing dropped ‘American Recordings’ on me as a gift. I was stunned. He really was the “baddest man” on the planet again. I bought the box set Rick Rubin put out after Johnny passed and it’s chock full of brilliant material.
I had given up on AC/DC until I heard “Who Made Who,” a great AC/DC song by any measure. I still didn’t return to the fold until ‘Razor’s Edge’ and they’ve just been committed and superb since.
Cheers! and thank you for the feedback!
Born in the early 1950s and the very youngest of five children, I was raised on American rock ‘n’ roll on the radio. It was immediate: “It’s one for the money, two for the show and three to get ready.” I was a huge Elvis fan.
But then came the ’60s, the movies, and the decline of a god. By the time he made his comeback in the late ’60s, I’d long been fascinated by the music of The Kinks, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, The Byrds and CSN&Y, among others. And to be honest, his music no longer appealed to me. The Las Vegas Elvis wasn’t my thing, and the magic of the ’50s was gone. Although I certainly wished him his renewed success.
And Neil Young in the ’80s deliberately destroyed his career because David Geffen was giving him orders how to make records and Neil doesn’t take orders from anyone. A huge risk, because he almost lost me. And it took a while for my trust and faith in him to be restored. Cheers Kenneth.
I think it was John Lennon who once said, “Elvis was over when he went to the Army.” A lot of folks feel that way. But I do know a lot of fans, including Springsteen, were watching intently when the ‘Comeback Special’ came out. I watch it now, from the perspective of half a century down the road and it was a spectacular moment. I wish Elvis had taken more control of his career. I can see why he didn’t appeal anymore by the 60s but man, he might have under different guidance.
You and I have discussed Neil’s difficult 80s on several occasions. He never lost me but ‘Landing On Water’ in ’86 almost did. Aren’t you glad we stuck around!! And, pardon my language, but David Geffen… fuck that guy! I still think ‘This Note’s For You’ was a great album, but I may be alone in that opinion!!
Cheers, as always, Guy!
The 1960s saw a complete upheaval, a revolution, in which music, mentality, fashion, and society changed drastically, and Elvis felt a bit out of place – for me. Colonel Parker was certainly a nuisance, but so was the fact that Elvis himself wasn’t a songwriter who could adapt to that new era and he was dependent on others – and a-hole Parker. And when the comeback came, jeans were my favorite clothes and flashy jumpsuits weren’t my thing.
But the ’50s were unforgettable, magical and he changed the music forever, and for that we should be very thankful.
Guy, very true. I always forget that Elvis couldn’t write songs. I think folks who can sing and really interpret other people’s songwriting can have a great career – Elvis and Linda Ronstadt come to mind – but I think not being able to pen your own songs to express your particular viewpoint makes it more difficult to connect with an audience. Again, Elvis was certainly an exception but in the 50s everybody used professional songwriters. Dylan and the Beatles kind of diminished that whole ‘Tin Pan Alley’ thing. Cheers!
Of course, we have to be honest about it, very few have the talent to write his/her own songs, sing them, and also play guitar or other instruments, and be able to inspire people for decades.
That talent is given to only a few. But it is impossible to maintain the level as high as in the beginning years and times when talent and inspiration just bursts off the walls and everything you touch turns to gould. Impossible. Of course I’m glad I didn’t give up on Neil.
Very true, Guy, very true. And of course I know you’re glad you didn’t give up on Neil, it was rhetorical! Cheers Sir!
I’ve never been a fan of Roy Orbison, but his comeback was also quite spectacular and unexpected. In the 1950s and 1960s, his career ran parallel to Elvis’s, – Sun Records and then RCA Records. His peak came in the early 1960s, but then faltered. His career received a huge boost in 1988 through his collaboration with The Traveling Wilbury, which he co-founded with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne. Onfortunaly he was not able to enjoy it for very long. Bummer!
Oh I love Roy Orbison. It was Elvis who once said, during the heavily segregated era of American radio, that “they finally found a white kid who sounds black,” in reference to Roy. “Crying” is such a great song. I remember that Jeff Lynne produced comeback album but as you say, alas, he passed before he could really enjoy the renewed success. Lynne was interviewed about those sessions and he said they recorded a ballad and he was in the booth and thought Roy was only mouthing the words to the song they were recording. When he listened to the playback he was astounded at the vocals, recorded softly, as they were perfect. Cheers!
I agree with some of the other commenters here… This is a nice follow-up to bands that went wrong.
Johnny Cash… I had to stop listening to him because my dad was so mad about him being arrested at an airport with Mary Jane… glad he became beloved once again a long time after that.
and Neil Young… I had always liked him but Crazy Horse was falling off my radar until Freedom came out… that album absolutely rocked.
AC/DC Back in Black became the one song I listened to most… it wasn’t until years later that I appreciated their earlier music…Big Balls is still today the funniest song I’ve ever heard…everyone comes and comes again… but yeah what a career they had. Who made who single is still one of my favorite songs. Who knew they were Australian?
Lastly Roy Orbison…greatest hits albums obviously is top 5 ever, but have somewhat recently been getting into his early music.
I hadn’t thought about it but you’re right this was a nice counterpoint to those bands I wrote about who “sold out” or better put by you, “went wrong.” I wonder if my dad stopped listening to Johnny for the same reason…”burning the devil’s lawn clippings.” Neil and AC/DC both came back strong in the 90s. And yes, “Big Balls” is hysterical. In many ways “Who Made Who” made me go back and relisten to all those old Bon Scott records, which I just love.
Roy Orbison was such a colossal talent. Definitely agree with you that his greatest hits, top 5 ever. Well said, my friend!