Hey, guys. Anthony Fantano here, the internet’s busiest music nerd.

I’m sad; cause my favorite band, broke up. I mean, they just broke up! They made some of the best records in the genre style, that they played in. And they (4x) had tons and tons of fans. Why would they break up? They probably had like 56 good full length albums left in ‘em, and twice as many great EP’s. Maybe there was some inter tension, between band members. Or some kind of, extraneous issues that we will never fully understand.

Either way, if anybody knows when the band really should break up, it’s the band. You know, atleast they are not trying to force chemistry, that’s not actually there; and just putting out one album after another. Kind of getting progressively worse and worse, just because they’ve got no other things going on. And speaking of other things going on, there will always be side projects. This particular band that I was very fond of, that just broke up, their drummer has a really cool ambient hip hop project going on. The guitarist is involved in this trio that plays a fusion of power electronics and jazz. And, the lead singer is in a really awesome acapella power-violence quintet.

If the musicians in the band that’s breaking up still love music, they will channel their creative endeavors into projects that they like more. Projects they’re more passionate about. The best we can do is just grow with them, and whether we like the material they end up putting out or not; just accept the change. Because, let’s face it, sometimes side projects, and solo efforts are pretty freakin' good. And, you know, isn’t it awesome when a group or an artist really takes a bow on a high note like LCD Soundsystem, or Sleater-Kinney.

No matter how passionate you are about a group, or a musician, it’s best to just, kind of, let go of the past, and let these things run their course. Artists evolve, and so should our ears. But whether we like it or not, artistic evolution is inevitable. When we try to stop it, you get really weird situations going on like that Velvet Underground record “Squeeze”. Although, sometimes an attempt at stopping evolution does kind of have it’s interesting effects. Like groups such as Napalm Death, or The Fall that have a constant rotating cast of new musicians, but not every band is going to be that way. Bands are gonna break up, and sometimes those bands that are breaking up are gonna be your favorite bands.

But it’s okay, there’ll be other bands, and other records I’ll love. New horizons, new futures, sunny days. Bands, break up, forever.