“Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”: Exes Who Still Rock Together
Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Who knows—especially when you’re stuck 24/7 in a band with your former beloved. That’s why I give major props to bands like Paramore, who managed to stick together even when the romantic relationship between guitarist Josh Farro and singer Hayley Williams fell apart. Neon Trees is another one who soldiered through the love storm. Rilo Kiley, too.
And don’t even get me started on Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac.
If you ask me, being in a band with an ex-bf/gf is my idea of hell. However, if you can make it work—and manage to churn out some amazing lovelorn tunes in the process—then hats off to you. (This hat in particular.)
That’s why this post is for the lovers, Richard Ashcroft-style. Without further adieu, here are my top picks for bands who didn’t go through a breakdown after an internal breakup.
EXES: Jack White (vocals/guitar) and Meg White (drums)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: When non-Detroiters started paying attention to the White Stripes, it was because of the Lego-rific video for “Fell In Love With A Girl,” off their peppermint-schtick sophomore album White Blood Cells—well, that and the fact that Jack and Meg White lied about being brother and sister. Yup, the dynamic duo tied the knot back in 1996 but eventually divorced in 2000. Despite their romantic parting of the ways, the Whites soldiered on and in one fell incestuous swoop, secured their place in rock ’n’ roll infamy. They’ve been playing side-by-side ever since—although Jack fools around with Raconteurs and Dead Weather in his spare time. The only one we hear Meg fools around with is Jackson Smith, Patti Smith’s son and Meg’s fiancé.
2. NO DOUBT
EXES: Gwen Stefani (vocals) and Tony Kanal (bass)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: Unless you’ve been living under a boulder for the past 13 years—or, more than likely, you weren’t even conceived yet—everyone knows that Gwen and Tony used to date. Before the glitz and the g-L.A.M.B.-our, the two were your typical SoCal, Madness-loving, high-school sweethearts but, unfortunately, young love didn’t last and the breakup inspired Stefani to pen No Doubt’s biggest song “Don’t Speak.” Understandably, it’s gotta be awkward for Kanal to finger-pick the tune’s bass lines every night onstage; however, it seems like everyone’s moved on and is better for the heartbreak. After all, Stefani went on to marry babelicious Gavin Rossdale and pop out two illegally cute lil’ boys. Kanal, on the other hand, went on to marry… well… no one. (Sucks to be him!)
3. THE SOUNDS
EXES: Maja Ivarsson (vocals) and Fredrik Nilsson (drums)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: Back in 2004, when the Sounds started rocking out “Seven Days A Week” on Warped Tour, it was widely known in dance-punk circles that Ivarsson and Nilsson were an item. However, when the band returned to Warped two years later, the Swedish lovers were no longer together. The band was still a tight-knit unit, but it seemed like with the Sounds’ second album, Dying To Say This To You—complete with it’s suggestive lesbian-esque cover and song titles like “Queen Of Apology” and “Hurt You”—Ivarsson was also trying to say something to Nilsson and the rest of the world: She was a switch-hitter. (“She’s my first girlfriend,” admitted Ivarsson in an interview with Out Magazine regarding her three-year current relationship. “I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”)
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? Don’t make me call Kingston Rossdale and have him throw a temper tantrum on your collective tushes.
