Entertainment For Lively Minds
solo albums recorded outside an existing band
Posted by rocker43 on 6 August 2009 - 10:17pm.
An interesting question surfaced in Facebook some time ago. Basically, can anyone think of any solo album recorded by a member of a band, while that band remained in existence, that was superior to the band's own album output. I cant myself. A friend suggested Every Picture Tells a Story by Rod Stewart, recorded when he was still with The Faces. Remember, its got to be a record put out while the band was still ongoing. So artists who went completely solo after a band broke up are not (NOT) included. Let the discussion begin.
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Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue
Better than anything coming out of the Beach Boys at that time.
Mr Lennon´s Two Virgins?
*Gets coat.*
David Crosby
"If I Could Only Remember My Name ...". Were CSNY still technically a going concern when that came out?
Actually
I think they all recorded superior albums outside CSNY
Aarg.. ooh..
Erm..
(stares at CD rack)
Were Steely Dan still going when Donald Fagen recorded The Nightfly?
(Checks CD labels...)
Yep. Aja '77. Gaucho '84. Nighfly '82.
I think The Nightfly is one of the finest albums ever. So, as far as I'm concerned, thread closed.
(Sits back. Feels smug. Awaits disagreements.)
Sorry to piss on your chips old chap
But Gaucho originally came out in 1980.
The Nightfly is one of the great albums ever though. Sorry if that's no consolation.
EDIT: Whoops. Yes, what he said below...
Gaucho '80
Sorry...
Bums.
But did the Dan actually break up or do we treat the hiatus between Gaucho and Two Against Nature as a wee break?
They definitely split up after Gaucho
It was a big thing at the time.
Blame that unfortunate sod who wiped...
'The Second Arrangement'... and heroin.
Mike Rutherford - Smallcreeps Day
A truly great album released in 198o that beats Duke/Abacab hands down.
Time and Time Again is a classic tune.
Good call
A Curious Feeling by Tony Banks, released a few months earlier, was similarly terrific.
In this context
you can add the solo albums by the Sussudio hitmaker.
Any other bands where all the members released solo
albums during the life of the band?
Befitting their corporate apporach to music, The Detroit Rock City hitmakers released co-ordinated solo albums on the same day, with themed sleeve art.
Peter Criss....
Any good?
The Revealing Science Of God hitmakers
also did a simultaneous bulk-release of solo albums in 1975 - sadly without matching Roger Dean sleeves:
Steve Howe - Beginnigs
Jon Anderson - Olias Of Sunhillow
Chris Squire - Fish Out Of Water
Alan White - Ramshackled
Patrick Moraz - The Story Of I
Yes but
they weren't better than the band's LPs of the time, with the possible exception of Fish Out Of Water.
and Olias Of Sunhillow
and possibly Ramshackled.
I thought Fish Out Of Water was a bag of arse myself.
point of order your honour
was the rod stewart album REALLY a solo album given all the faces platyed on it and they played songs from that album in their sets.
Would seem it was more like a rebranding exercise.
But an interesting thread.There is a catch 22 in that if the solo album is so superior, the band usually broke up as a result.
Err and as to thwe question ....I'll get back to you.
point of order
point of order conceded sir, though technically I think the suggestion still stands against my criteria. but I accept its a close call and illustrates the difficulty of this particular question.
a fascinating series of responses so far. I'm learning a lot about duff albums to avoid in record shops.
David Gilmour's first solo album
There's No Way Out of Here could easily rank along side anything on The Wall.
But precious little else
sadly - the rest of the album's a bit lumpen and sorely lacking in edge or point. McCartney without Lennon.
Talk Is Cheap
Keith Richards' solo effort from 1988 was far better than anything the Stones had done for years, and the follow up, Main Offender, was pretty good too.
Pete Townshend's...
'Empty Glass' and 'All the Best Cowboys have Chinese Eyes'. Both are superior to all The Who albums released after 1975.
Empty Glass
by Pete Townshend. The Who were still a going concern at the time but Empty Glass is more coherent, cohesive and, well, better.
How strange is that...
we must have posted at almost the same time.
It seems the massive...
may be evolving a hive mind
Not sure about superior, but...
Fish out of Water by Chris Squire is right up there with Yes stuff in my humble opinion.
Never In A Month of Sundays...
'Fish Out Of Water' is a decent solo album from Chris but not a patch on anything by Yes (apart from 'Open Your Eyes'). Jon Anderson's 'Olias of Sunhillow' might be a contender though...
Face Value
there, I said it
I think that's fair enough...
it's a strong record and probably as good as any of Genesis' albums.
Not sure about it being better than "any"
Genesis album ("Trick of The Tail" ranks as an all time favourite) but certainly better than what Genesis were producing around that time.
Fever Ray...
from sister/brother combo - The Knife.
Scott Weiland
12 Bar Blues - just a really good album. The guy seems a berk of the first order, judging from Velvet Revolver sitings. I'm not much of a Stone Temple Pilots fan either. But this album - recorded when STP were on a bit of a haitus, is excellent. I happened to hear it being played in a record shop and had to have it - oddly, it's like a grunge Rufus Wainwright - compelling, sweet, but also visceral and edgy.
The album stiffed and he went back to being a berk of course.
Thom Yorke
...released 'The Eraser' while the Fitter Happier hitmakers were making In Rainbows, I believe.
It is fucking awful though. I think it was a vent for his Warp records obsessions so that the rest of the band could get on with making music that doesn't sound like a malfunctioning Commodore 64.
Phil Collins' "Face Value"
was streets ahead of anything Genesis were doing at the time.
Crikey...
they must have been bad.
Jeff Lynne Armchair Theatre
Now is Jeff ELO or is Jeff not ? Armchair theatre sounds like an ELO album in the way Zoom sounds like a Jeff Solo record.
Neil Finn is a solo record a Crowded House record ? or vice versa
both ELO and Crowded House had split but to be honest what is the difference ?
By the same token
what about Lindsey Buckingham? Now they're regularly reunited, he seems to pursue parallel solo / Fleetwood Mac careers. However, the solo stuff is more interesting to these old ears.
Armchair Theatre
Definitely different to an ELO record. It had a strong retro feel to it and none of the sci-fi futurism that lurks in most of the other records (even the Move ones). Supposedly he made it for his mom. By Zoom he was back to meeting strangers on quiet streets, strange lyrics about verandas and the metal man (no idea what he's going on about), and also returning to the bitter swipes at ex-wives/partners first experienced on the disregarded Balance of Power.
Ironically Armchair Theatre has more ELO members on it than Zoom, but Zoom is definitely an ELO record.
Geddy Lee
released a terrific album called "My Favourite Headache" which, to my ears if not Patrick Crowther's, is streets ahead of Rush.
What?
I thought "My Favourite Headache" was a huge disappointment. Meh.
Now don't get me wrong here...
when I posted about Rush recently I had just listened to them for the first time in 15 years. They are not a permanent fixture on my stereo. However they remind me of being 15, which is a nice thing to be reminded of once in a while.
I haven't heard 'My Favourite Headache', and to be honest, I probably never will.
I still listen to Rush on a fairly regular basis
I tend to go with the early 70s and mid 80s stuff rather than the 'classic' stuff (2112, Farewell To Kings, Hemispheres) which, to these ears, hasn't dated very well.
Robin Williamson " Myrrh "
Robin Williamson
" Myrrh " is far better than anything the ISB could achieve by then.
Bryan Ferry's early -70s offerings
These Foolish Things
Another Time, Another Place
Strong arguments could be made about all his solo albums coming out during Roxy's extended hiatuses/hiati (?), as they are one of those groups which never really split up.
Also, see Mick Jagger's solo work.
Mick Jagger's solo work? You're joking, right?!
What, 'Dogshit in the Doorway' (© Keith Richards) and the like? They were rubbish, weren't they?!
This, for example, is as far removed from the concept of 'good music' as it is possible to imagine...
Ooops
I was just referring to the headline of the post, forgot about the 'good/superior' aspect of the question. I am chastising myself as I write.
Although...a poster above has mentioned a Thom Yorke solo album as being 'awful', and hasn't been similarly brought to book. Maybe I'm getting too sensitive...
I'm only kidding!
I couldn't comment on 'The Eraser' because I've never heard it.
Let's Work
is undeniable shite but there is the odd track on his solo "work" that's worth while
Not a patch on "Talk Is Cheap" of course (see above)
Tom Petty's "solo" albums..
released throughout his career have often been stronger than his stuff with the Heartbreakers - Wildflowers maybe being the best.
Though they're pretty much his backing band and Mike Campbell even plays on Petty's solo albums so there's arguably little to distinguish.
I´ve been thinking about this.
Being a big fan of Petty both with and without The Heartbreakers I´ve often found myself wondering how he decides wich one´s should be called a "solo" album. Most of them tend to feauture all The Heartbreakers anyway, even if not on all the songs.
But I agree with you that Wildflowers may be the best. Full Moon Fever is a great unusually direct album and the laid back Highway Companion is still growing to these ears. Altough I´m not usually a fan of Jeff Lynne.
I often can't tell the difference
and think of them all just as Tom Petty albums these days.
James Dean Bradfields solo album
quite good I think not as good as peak Manics though
Nicky Wire did one too
That was definitely NOT as good as the Manics...at any point in their career...
Lowell George
"Thanks I'll eat it here" is a fab album and probably better than "Down on the farm", the Little Feat album which came later, though I love'em both. Mind you, Lowell selfishly died before DOTF was finished which hobbled it slightly.
sorry
it was a turkey - and given lowell's ever expanding size I'm surprised he didn't eat it
can't stand the rain aside, cant think of a memorable track
Well each to his own
but "Honest man", "Easy money", "20 million things", "Two trains", "Cheek to cheek", "Find a river" all utterly brilliant. And on the CD, the demo of "Heartache" with Valerie Carter - brilliant.
I'm with you on this one
TIEIH is excellent and much,much better than DOTF. Should I mention that IMHO 'Can't Stand The Rain' is one of the weaker tracks?
Solo Albums.......
A good thread!
..."superior to the band's own album output.." is the kicker. Some of the suggestions so far are (how can I put this diplomatically) crap - 'The Eraser'??!! Rod Stewart's 'Every Picture Tells A Story' and 'Never A Dull Moment' are worthy, despite the involvement of some/most of The Faces. Pete Townshend's 'Empty Glass'(1980) is an interesting suggestion but The Who were not doing anything as a group at that time and is it really better than 'Who Are You? from 1978 - Keith Moon's final album before he joined the great gig in the sky? I still get creeped out when I look at the cover - Moon's sitting astride a chair that says "Not To Be Taken Away".
Is it really better than 'Who are You'?
Yes, it is. And it's better than 'Face Dances' and 'It's Hard' (although in the latter case that isn't hard).
Jenny Lewis
solo albums are better than the Rilo Kiley albums imho - are they still going now or have they gone off in a huff?
The latter
You're absolutely right - she is probably my favourite singer.
She doesn't get on with her old band - whetehr it's a case of ego on her part, jealousy on theirs or a bit of both I have no idea. But they're on 'indefinite hiatus', which of course means they're not talking to each other until the money's big enough for a reunion
Paul McCartney & the Hey Jude Hitmakers ... (bear with me ...)
John Lennon released four albums during the final years of the HJHM (not chart bothering)
George Harrison released two (quaint and unlistenable respectively)
Ringo released one in mid- March 1970 (his mum liked it)
Paul did have a soundtrack album for 'The Family Way' in 1967 (it had a nice picture of Hayley Mills on the cover).
So arguably they did all release solo albums while the HJHMs were going.
In 1970 the Daily Mail ran the "Beatles Split!" headline on 10th March ; 'McCartney' came out on 17 April; but the 'Let It Be' LP came out on 10th May; and the writs weren't issued until December.
So the answer is 'McCartney' which is better that 'Let It Be', or not, depending upon your point of view.
Steven Wilson - Insurgentes
One of his many side projects from his day job of Porcupine Tree, and for my money better than PT
God help the girl
Stuart Murdoch's solo project, albeit with Belle and Sebastian as backing band, is very good indeed. Case in point is the song 'Funny Little Frog'. The version from the last B&S album is good but not great:
Revisited for the 'God help the girl' project it is a revelation. A powerful, driven, soaring, swooping, giant of a ballad. Judge for yourselves below. Actually, as the main difference in terms of the musicians is the replacement of Stuart Murdoch's lead vocal, this could be argued to be the polar opposite of a solo track. But I digress.
Phil Manzanera - Diamond Head
Can certainly be put forward as a better all-round album than Roxy Music's "Siren" - both released in 1975. It's long been a favourite of mine.
However I just can't agree with the point of view above that the early Bryan Ferry solo albums are better than the Roxy Music ones of 1973/4
Yes
I tried to explain to another correspondent that I missed the bit about solo albums being "better than" group albums; I just included BF and Jagger as examples of concurrent solo work. Sorry about that.
As you were. :-)
solo albums recorded outside an existing band
Almost certainly not "better" but very interesting nevertheless.
"Mutter" Slater released his own MSB CD "Riding A Hurricane" a few months before his regular band Stackridge released " A Victory For Common Sense". Produced by Billy Bragg "Mutter's" Album is stripped down & features him singing full throttle with just guitar, bass & drums. The same song appears on both Albums although the original version is called "I,m Holding Your Picture" and on the Stackridge version it is retitled "North Street Grande" ( & has the potential to be this year's left field oddball Christmas Hit if they dare release it as a single).
www.heliumrecords.co.uk