Cultural Moment: Pulp, Sabbath and Roses reform

A trio of classic bands reunited this year, expect all of them to be active on the festival circuit and in the studio next year.

After 15 years apart, Pulp reunited to play a number of headline slots during festival season. With Blur having pulled off a similar feat a few years prior and Oasis at least momentarily canned, the other big-hitters of the Britpop era came back and dazzled the muddy crowds.

In what could either prove to be a masterstroke or a total train wreck, Heavy metal gods Black Sabbath have announced they are coming back to headline Download Festival in 2012. We haven’t seen much of frontman Ozzy Osbourne for a while, but if he has truly ditched his gimmicky reality TV personality to return to what made him so iconic in the first place, this will be one to keep an eye on.

Perhaps the biggest story of the year, or at least the one that has attracted the most widespread attention, is the Stone Roses reunion. After years of endless speculation and denial, the Manchester legends have announced two homecoming gigs and a subsequent world tour. The last show they played is well documented as one of the worst in history, so this news has obviously been met with as much cynicism as it has euphoria. But when it comes to the ability to mesmerize effortlessly, the Roses are peerless, so fingers crossed this reunion turns out to be as mind-blowingly amazing as it deserves to be. They want to be adored…again

Oh yeah, and apparently Steps are back together.