10 Worst Rock Band Member Replacements
If ain't broke, don't fix it... and certainly don't replace it with something worse.
Anyone who has ever been on the Wikipedia page of a classic rock band will know that they cycle through members like most people cycle through underwear. Well, most normal people, anyway.
Sometimes members pass away, sometimes they fall out with other members, and sometimes they just don't fancy being in the band anymore or want to pursue other projects. Whatever the reason, they have to go, and they usually end up getting replaced by someone new.
There have been a few instances where the old switcheroo has panned out quite well for a band; Dave Grohl replacing Chad Channing in Nirvana, for example, or Brian Johnson taking over from Bon Scott as AC/DC's lead singer.
Unfortunately, not everyone gets so lucky.
The following ten figures all had big shoes to fill when they stepped into their respective bands and, sadly, they ended up getting lost in all that extra space. Whether they didn't fit the vibe of the band or just weren't up to the job, most of these substitutes did not last long before getting their marching orders.
Sorry, guys, but music is a brutal business.
10. Rome Ramirez Replaces Bradley Nowell - Sublime
Ska punk group Sublime looked set to have a very good 1996. They had built up a strong fanbase thanks to their unique combination of pop punk, hip-hop, and reggae, and were set to release their third album.
Unfortunately, in May of that year, lead singer Bradley Nowell died as a result of a heroin overdose. He was 28.
Nowell's passing ripped through the music world like wildfire, devastating everyone who had gotten behind this young talent. Sublime's third album did come out, to rave reviews and their strongest chart position ever, but after that, they went their separate ways.
Until they didn't.
In 2009, guitarist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh teamed up with singer Rome Ramirez to form a new version of Sublime. That was, until Nowell's estate shut them down, and they started going by the name "Sublime with Rome" instead.
Not sure how they got away with that one, but there you go.
Ramirez stuck out like a sore thumb, especially on songs that had previous been performed by the late Nowell. The whole thing felt a bit tasteless and tacky, but hey, they got a top ten album in 2011, so there.