Goodbye To You

Ah, Bands Reunited. How I love you so.

Last night I watched the episode featuring the '80s rock band Scandal, who had such hits as "Goodbye To You" and "The Warrior." The band had a tense breakup and hadn't been in the same room for almost 20 years.

I think that's what makes this show so good. There's conflict inherent in the reunion, but there's also the possibility of redemption. Which is the embodiment of hope. It doesn't always happen; sometimes the band members won't let go of their old grudges (hello, A Flock of Seagulls!). But when it does, it makes my heart grow three sizes bigger.

Could I have loved someone like the one I see in you
I remember the good times baby now, and the bad times too
These last few weeks of holdin' on
The days are dull, the nights are long
Guess it's better to say
Goodbye to you
– "Goodbye To You," Scandal

The show's host, Aameer (*swoon*), got singer Patty Smyth on board first. In her interview they talked about how the reunion could not be complete because one of the band members, bassist Ivan Elias (second from right in the photo on the website), had died. So Smyth is talking about what happened to him - he had always had back problems and finally got them checked out, and it turned out he had lung cancer that had spread to his spine. By the time it was discovered he was "riddled with cancer" despite only being 43 and never having smoked, and he died not long thereafter.

Then Aameer flies to NYC to meet with two other band members, and they quickly agree to the reunion. Benjy the Keyboardist is asked about Elias and his reaction ... it just got to me - he paused, then he tried to set his mouth to keep it from quivering, and then eventually he started pulling on his lip as a distraction. He'd say a few words, and then need to stop. Start, and stop. Start. And stop.

When he was finally able to talk about visiting Elias in the hospital, his voice was wavering, and that's when I burst into tears.

'Cause baby it's over now
No need to talk about it
It's not the same
My love for you's just not the same

Aameer gets the drummer to agree, then gets the band's founder - who was actually kicked out of the band at the end - to agree, and then everyone meets for the reunion and they're all happy and smiling and they talk about the tension and how things ended and they get it all out and work it all out and they reminisce about Ivan Elias and you can see, so easily, how much they all loved him. And how fond they still are of each other, even after 20 years apart.

They have their one-off reunion show in front of their fans, and all of the band members are beaming because the experience has laid to rest all of the bad feelings they had, they're feeling the bond and camaraderie with each other again, and to a person they say that they are so grateful to have been given the chance to make amends with each other.

Redemption received.

Posted by Highwaygirl on November 10, 2004 07:13 AM to the category The Key of Life