Does any of you know why they stopped playing for 7 years?

[crawl]

Hmm. Stopped playing for 7 years? I guess I have an advantage in that I live in the Chicago land area. I don't think I have gone a whole year with out a Soul Asylum Concert since I first heard them in about 1992. So I must have seen all the one off shows. If there was a missed year it was while Karl was sick.

I agree with almost all of what Phil said. I loved CFAS and remember the tour perfectly . I know my two best SA concert going buddies did not like the album any where near as much as me, but hey.. different strokes.

I think they are the best band out there (that plays the music I really like) and have been for well over 15 years. I find that my taste differ a bit from the mainstream. (see above). And SA is not really a mainstream band. Somewhat of a fluke that they actually got the recognition that they did back in the 90's because I don't think that was ever the goal. Hence the wierd thing about popularity.

I hope they are out there for the music and the fun like I think they are. I assume they keep playing cause they really want to. I do think there are many good things to look forward to. And even if they are just "playing the same old song", I love to hear them all!

[Closer]

I think they are the best band out there (that plays the music I really like) and have been for well over 15 years. I find that my taste differ a bit from the mainstream. (see above). And SA is not really a mainstream band. Somewhat of a fluke that they actually got the recognition that they did back in the 90's because I don't think that was ever the goal. Hence the wierd thing about popularity.

I totally agree with the first statement, not so much with the second. It made perfect sense that with GDU they finally hit the mainstream market. Grunge was at an ultimate high in popularity and SA fitted right in. The only thing about them that was a bit different was the country flirt in their music. I'm surprised that with the quality of songs on Hang Time and And The Horse They Rode In On, they didn't make it sooner to mainstream success, but I guess it just wasn't the right time in music at that moment, but after bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam made it big, it was the right time for a lot of alternative bands and SA fitted right in every way. REM is another example, they were a big cult band with a lot of great albums, but it took them many albums before they finally made it big because the time was finally right in the early 90's for that kind of bands.

I think their music is still very mainstream when I judge the Silver Lining. It's not a very ''weird'' album or anything, a lot of radio friendly rock songs, and I don't mean that as a bad thing. Look at how much success a band like Radiohead has with all the weird musical adventures they have been doing. I think the fact that SA isn't mainstream has absolutely nothing to do with the music, but purely with the marketing and perhaps luck even.

[crawl]

Good points!

[Rebel Yell5]

You just reminded me, 3 weeks ago I went to INmusic festival here in Zagreb and among others Billy Idol performed there (he was the only 80s star there as I recall, and it wasn't a crap event, far from it ).

Funny you should mention that, I just saw that guy on local TV here a few days ago. Apparently he played at one of those festivals not far away from me where a lot of those ''almost forgotten'' bands/artists from the 80's and 90's play at. Gotta give him credit, though, he hasn't changed much since the 80's. Anyway, that would be a good gig for SA. Everyone remembers Runaway Train, but no one the band and those festivals are a good gig for bands like that.

Billy Idol is a perfect example (like Soul Asylum) in terms of giving a musical act or artists a chance in a live performance and with new material. We all would and can agree SA doesn't get their due live by many who have never seen them. Many people hear their name and choose to judge them strictly by Runaway Train and the early 90's. I see so many misinformed authors of articles or blogs online. They really are not aware of the current SA album or even many after and before Grave Dancer's Union.

I see SA and Billy Idol any chance I can. (hmmm wonder where my user name came from?)
I will be seeing 2 of the Billy Idol area shows in IL in Aug and Sept. Billy's always on live, plays the hits, new material etc. The last Idol album from 2005 was probably the best album he has put other than his Rebel Yell record.
He did Lollapalooza as well in 05' which was well received. This would be an awesome fest for SA to be part of just for mere exposure to new ears. Idol always had mixed in new material as he is currently doing now on tour. SA does the same thing.

There are so many acts you can name like this that are still around. It is easy to say, "Wow where have they been?", if you don't regularly follow a band. Plus with the way music tastes change and fan bases age it makes it harder to stay around.

Older acts should do what the band the Alarm did around 2003/2004. They released a song under a different group name in the UK. They recoreded a video with a boy band miming to the song. They called the band the Poppyfields. It was a huge hit, proving that the same song released as the Alarm would have had the stigma of an older, out of vogue group, and would not have had the same commercial success. In fact they said they proved it when they were checking with stations to play the new Alarm single. The band was turned away being told there was no room for new audiences to hear a 80's act's new single.

[triumph3434]

sooo..... Ive been to a lot of Concerts. I mean tons of them. About Two years ago I saw Billy Idol in Denver. Perhaps it was an off night but it was horrendous. He was barley mumbling the lyrics and could barley hold the microphone up. Wasnt even singing. Second song in everyone was Booing him and laughing. I mean EVERYONE. He just kept going. Just standing there, barley mumbling the lyrics, not even signing. Half the people left at about the fourth song. Then people started throwing things at him and he mumbled something about not being able to breath, but it was not very audible. Played another two songs and then left.

Horrible concert. Maybee he was sick or couldnt handle the altitude, who knows. It wasnt as Bad as John Mayer though..... that was the worst concert ever... and he wasnt having a bad night, he just sucked that bad.