For some indie rock listeners, connecting with the music of an instrumental band can be challenging. Even at their zenith (e.g. Don Caballero, Godspeed! You Black Emperor), bands determined to move audiences by the sheer audacity of their, well, music alone can wear out their welcome. It just happens. Maybe it’s because the quiet/loud/quiet formula gets old? Maybe the human ear just yearns to connect with a human voice from time to time?

Whatever the reason, Maserati probably doesn’t care. Though they started out following the instrumental codes of post-rock, the band soon transformed into a futuristic groove-based instrumental act, and they remain that to this day — despite whatever changes in taste indie rock fans have gone through since their inception, and despite the infinitely more significant human tragedy that befell their former drummer.

On Nov. 8, 2009, Jerry Fuchs was pronounced dead. Early New York headlines detailed a story of a Brooklyn partygoer who fell down an elevator shaft after it gave way. Some reports said the person helped others out before he even attempted to jump. Within hours, Fuchs (also known for his wild percussion skills in !!! and Turing Machine) was identified.

Fuchs’ sudden death not only shocked friends, family members and fans all around the world, it also left the rest of Maserati’s members grief-stricken and conflicted. Earlier in 2009, the band had begun work on their fourth album, Pyramid of the Sun.

With the help of Zombi’s Steve Moore, the band finished the recordings that gave way to Pyramid of the Sun and the 10-inch single Pyramid of the Moon – a kind of light vs. dark undertaking. Using song sketches from Fuchs’ computer, all tracks were finished by asking “What would Jerry do?”

Maserati announced a tour in support of the newest release with Zombi’s kit man Tony Paterra filling the empty spot. On the final show of the first leg of the U.S. tour (a West Coast tour begins in April), I sat down with guitarist Coley Dennis, escaping the noise of the Atlanta bar — but not the cold. He somberly admitted that each show has come with hesitation and excitement, yet the unprecedented stoic performance given later that night oozed the same bittersweet feelings that marked the conversation.

Read the interview with Maserati’s Coley Dennis.

This past weekend saw Godspeed You! Black Emperor playing for the first time in almost a decade at ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas.

While the band won’t be hitting Louisville during its nearly-four-month tour, I’ll definitely be moseying on down to Nashville to catch one more band I never thought I’d get to see. Thank you, economic malaise!

See the Godspeed You! Black Emperor tour dates

:: Faith No More is playing its last reunion tour show in Chile.

:: You’d think a John Lennon 70th birthday tribute would be able to nab acts bigger than Patti Smith and Cyndi Lauper.

:: Kirk Hammett says he hates the rest of the Metallica dudes… but he loves them, too.

:: Godspeed You! Black Emperor will be hitting America next year.

:: The Red Chord‘s Greg Weeks is giving us his take on the NFL every week.

:: Bands playing in Chicago will now get an extra treat: free food from a fancy restaurant named after a Ramones song.

:: The record lows for album sales haven’t stopped just yet.

:: Meowrissey!

Just because a band is awesome doesn’t guarantee said rock and rollers will be able to curate an All Tomorrow’s Parties event and give us something worthwhile. However, in the case of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, we needn’t worry — the band’s Nightmare Before Christmas lineup is solid.

Or at least it was solid, until the latest round of lineup announcements put Weird Al in the mix. Then it instantly went from solid to phenomenal. Who’s flying over with me?

The rock ‘n’ roll knows no age — or genre, for that matter.

For better or worse, band reunions are happening at a faster pace than at any other time we can remember, perhaps due to the internet recreating interest on formerly-defunct artists’ discographies. Or it could be the bad economy. Musicians have to eat, too, you know.

So the Buzzgrinder staff would like to add to the pile of buzz by suggesting some other long gone — or not so long gone — bands that should reunite, in the hopes that they may be resurrected.

At the Drive-in
After Cedric Bixler-Zavala said that an ATDI reunion might happen — for the right amount of money — people were doing a lot of pants-changing. Until, that is, we talked to Jim Ward and his words made us a good bit less hopeful of a reunion. We’ll see though. Let’s just hope All Tomorrow’s Parties or Pitchfork have a big enough checkbook.

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
I mean, really, Ryan? We all know you were made to play music. You are probably going crazy sitting at home hugging Mandy Moore. It was quite obvious that you were the happiest you’ve ever been with the Cardinals, so why not give them a steady paycheck and get back on the road?

Damn the Machine
It’s not often that one comes across a prog rock band that writes actual songs and not inaccessible borefests of virtuosity. Ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland graced us with DTM’s only album and it’s hard to pinpoint what he was actually going for here, but the identity crisis only fueled the unorthodox song structures that were strangely radio-friendly. Extremely overlooked.

Read more about bands we want to see again.

For better or worse, band reunions are happening at a faster pace than at any other time, perhaps due to the internet recreating interest on formerly-defunct artists’ discographies. Or it could be the bad economy. Musicians have to eat, too, you know.

And since these times of break-up unrest are so confusing, Buzzgrinder has decided to make it easier on you by keeping a running tab of who’s back together. That way, you can pay way too much to see them live.

See the plethora of band reunions that have been announced thus far.