What if... Part I

Billy and the Banshees

Billy Idol joins Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1976 as the lead singer (obviously before the band was named) but leaves in 1977 to join Chelsea, a run-of-the-mill punk UK punk band of the time. He befriends Chelsea guitarist Tony James and they both leave the band to start their new project, Generation X. Would Billy have taken the Banshees anywhere close to where Siouxsie has?

Phil Collen joins Iron Maiden

Phil grew up with Maiden’s original singer Paul Di’Anno. The two became friends at age six and often talked about playing together someday. Phil was more interested in being in glam bands and later Def Leppard (you decide what kind of band they are besides BAD). Could you imagine Collen shredding up the stage with Eddie shooting fire over his receding blonde dome? What else would have happened if he joined? Would Nicko McBrain be missing an arm? Would my dad blast Powerslave instead of Hysteria?!

Emerson Lake Palmer and Hendrix?!

In the early days of ELP, before the “P” was established (and Carl Palmer asked to join), Emerson and Lake sought out a creative drummer. They first approached Mitch Mitchell of The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Mitchell put them on to Hendrix (who had recently expressed interest in new experimental instruments and sounds. Unfortunately Hendrix died shortly after this supergroup consideration, but the rumor is that in the final minutes, Palmer was asked to join as well and the band was to be called H.E.L.P.