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Megadeth: Dave Mustaine -

Dave Mustaine was the original lead guitar player for Metallica and after being let go for personal issues in 1983, he formed Megadeth. Megadeth is a thrash and speed metal band with 16 studio albums.

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Journey: Neal Schon -

Both Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain have been with Journey for over forty years. However, only Schon is an original member.

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The Cure: Robert Smith -

The Cure was formed in May 1978 in Crawley, England. Of the original three members, only Robert Smith remains.

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Iron Maiden: Steve Harris -

The original Iron Maiden lineup from 1975 didn't last very long. As of 2024, bassist Steve Harris is the final man standing after singer Paul Day was replaced by Dennis Wilcock.

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The Temptations: Otis Williams -

Otis Williams is the last remaining member of the famous Motown group, The Temptations. He owns the rights to the group's name and is still performing.

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Eagles: Don Henley -

Eagles co-founder Don Henley is the only member to have stayed with the group since it originated in 1971. Other members like Timothy B. Schmit and Joe Walsh have been with the band for over forty years.

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Slipknot: Shawn Crahan -

Shawn Crahan, who goes by the stage name Clown, is the final original Slipknot member. Unfortunately, the singer, Aders Colsefni left in 1997 and bassist, Paul Gray died in 2010.

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Anthrax: Scott Ian -

Though Scott Ian has changed from lead to rhythm guitar over the years, he remains the last member of the original Anthrax group. The other two members, Dan Lilker and Dave Weiss, were replaced.

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Queens of the Stone Age: Josh Homme -

The 1996 band Queens of the Stone Age was formed by Josh Homme. Throughout the years, the lineup has shifted, and Homme is the only original member remaining.

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Exodus: Tom Hunting -

Though he has taken two breaks from the Exodus band over the years, Tom Hunting remains the only original member.

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Chic: Nile Rodgers -

Nile Rodgers is the only remaining member of Chic. Chic co-founder and bassist Bernard Edwards passed away in 1996.

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Whitesnake: David Coverdale -

After leaving Deep Purple in 1978, David Coverdale started Whitesnake, and today he is the last remaining member.

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Scorpions: Rudolf Schenker -

Formed in 1965 in Hanover, Germany, the Scorpions had several lineup changes. Original member Rudolf Schenker is still there. He heads up the band's publishing company and recording studio too.

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The Human League: Phillip Oakey -

The band had several lineup changes within the first few years together. However, as of July 2024, singer and co-founder of The Human League, Phillip Oakey, was still a band member.

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Uriah Heep: Mick Box -

Aside from guitarist Mick Box and bassist Paul Newton, the original Uriah Heep lineup have all passed away. Mick Box is the only member still in the band.

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Jethro Tull: Ian Anderson -

When Jethro Tull broke up in 2011, Ian Anderson pursued a solo career. They reunited in 2017 but Anderson has been the only constant member of the group. 

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Deep Purple: Ian Paice -

The group went through its fair share of lineup changes throughout the years and even went through an eight-year breakup. The last remaining original member of Deep Purple is Ian Paice.

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AC/DC: Angus Young -

Two brothers, Malcolm and Angus Young, formed AC/DC in Sydney, Australia, in 1973, alongside drummer Colin Burgess, bassist Lary Van Kriedt, and singer Dave Evans. The lineup didn't last long, and when Malcolm retired and then died, he left Angus as the sole original member.

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Boston: Tom Scholz -

Tom Scholz is the only remaining member of the band that was Boston. According to the website, Ultimate Classic Rock, "Scholz has occasionally hinted that he's working on new music, but so far, nothing..."

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Foghat: Roger Earl -

Foghat was founded by Dave Peverett, Rod Price, Tony Stevens, and Roger Earl. Stevens no longer plays with the band, and Price and Peverett passed away, leaving Earl as the last remaining original member.

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The Staple Singers: Mavis Staples -

The Staple Singers started performing in 1948 when Mavis Staples was only nine years old. It's been about 70 years, and today she is still singing live.

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W.A.S.P.: Blackie Lawless -

Blackie Lawless alongside William "Randy" Piper, Rik Fox, and Tony Richards formed the band W.A.S.P in 1982. The lineup quickly changed and today Lawless is the only remaining member.

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Rainbow: Ritchie Blackmore -

In 1975, alongside Ronnie James Dio, Craig Gruber, Gary Driscoll, and Mickey Lee, Ritchie Blackmore co-founded the band Rainbow. The band reunited in 2015, but the only original member that came back was Blackmore.

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Little Feat: Bill Payne -

In 2010, Richie Hayward died leaving Bill Payne as the final original member of the Little Feat band. 

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Primus: Les Claypool -

Primus originally played under the name Primate until they received legal notice that another band with that name existed already. Then, in 1989, guitarist Todd Huth left, and Claypool became the final original member.

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Emerson, Lake and Palmer: Carl Palmer -

The last remaining member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer is Carl Palmer, who tours today as Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy. 

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The Band: Garth Hudson -

Guitarist Robbie Robertson of The Band passed away at 80 years old and left Garth Hudson as the last surviving band member. In April of 2023, he gave a small piano performance but otherwise lives in an assisted living facility.

Sources: (Ultimate Classic Rock) (Britannica) (Loudwire) (ABC7)

See also: Female rock stars who shaped the history of rock 'n' roll

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