Some artists (Roxy, Bowie, among many others) can return to their early material with dignity and commitment, somehow maintaining or revisiting the emotional investment they had in the work from the beginning. It's not embarrassing when such artists do this, because they are celebrating great moments in their work/careers, and bringing them back to life, approaching their legacy with respect and affection. Their hearts are in it.
This would, and should, never happen with any band that has lost these qualities.