# Bands which were better in their earlier and less successful incarnations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 11, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915 "2019-03-11T00:04:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/1 "2019-03-11T00:04:53Z")
First of all, I’d place The Korgis in this category. They had success in the '80s (more in the U.K. than the U.S. as far as I can tell) with a brand of pop-rock vocal harmonizing that included a few songs I liked but were overall too sucrose-infused for my taste. I much preferred the progressive rock group David and Warren sprang from, Stackridge (which had a brief minor vogue in the early '70s with albums like “Pinafore Days” and "Extravaganza). The issue got a bit confused in later years what with various demises/reincarnations of The Korgis and revival(s) of Stackridge, to the point where some version or other apparently is still touring. Then there’s Eurythmics, whose members (Annie Lennox and David Stewart) were originally in a late '70s spacy power-pop group called [The Tourists](http://youtube.com/watch?v=3Xw6XbDJDI8), whose music I enjoyed far more than that of Eurythmics, who always struck me as a modern but mediocre updating of Sonny and Cher (or to be even crueler, The Captain and Tennille). Feel free to agree/disagree/groan in disgust/pick your own. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/2 "2019-03-11T00:14:44Z")
I’ve always much preferred the Green/Kirwan/Spencer Fleetwood Mac over everything that followed. I’m not very knowledgeable about their middle period, though I heard some albums and liked them, but the Nicks/Buckingham Mac don’t do much for me. That was a very different beast. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/3 "2019-03-11T00:25:45Z")
Not a band but Leo Sayers first two albums are a delight before he went adult contemporary. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/4 "2019-03-11T00:48:22Z")
Blood, Sweat and Tears. The original Al Kooper version put out a great album of blues-based rock that the David Clayton- Thomas group couldn’t match. Renaissance. The first incarnation (with a couple of ex Yardbirds) was a rocking meld of rock and baroque classical with a terrific piano player in John Hawken. By the time of their second album, everyone had left and the music lost the hard edge. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/5 "2019-03-11T01:21:21Z")
i could fill up a whole thread about the argument “which was better joy division or new order?” considering fans have been arguing about it it for 30 years… ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/6 "2019-03-11T01:27:34Z")
Can I say the Brian Jones era Stones? ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/7 "2019-03-11T01:34:39Z")
As I recall, the first two Queen albums were more straight ahead hard rock and more to my taste than later on. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/8 "2019-03-11T02:09:20Z")
Chicago…duhhh… Heart… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/9 "2019-03-11T02:21:18Z")
The Steve Miller Band. Their first five albums are classic, with great songs like “Space Cowboy,” “Living in the USA,” and “Your Saving Grace.” After a couple of flops, Miller emerged with _The Joker_ and one lousy top-40 hit after another. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/10 "2019-03-11T04:16:06Z")
Genesis, of course. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/11 "2019-03-11T07:47:39Z")
I prefer the Birthday Party to The Bad Seeds. Not by much, mind you, but I do. I also greatly prefer Vince Clarke-era Depeche Mode ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/12 "2019-03-11T08:08:14Z")
> [@GESancMan](#): > > Genesis, of course. That is the number 1 answer. Journey with Gregg Rolie. ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/13 "2019-03-11T09:08:00Z")
Iron Maiden’s first two albums ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/14 "2019-03-11T09:30:33Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > i could fill up a whole thread about the argument “which was better joy division or new order?” considering fans have been arguing about it it for 30 years… That’s a tough call. **Joy Division** had the more interesting vision and the more ambitious aesthetics. **New Order** had the catchiest songs, and more consistency. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/15 "2019-03-11T09:41:12Z")
Is New Order _actually_ the more successful band, though? I’m guessing they’ve had more No. 1s, but where’s their biopic, huh? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/16 "2019-03-11T10:16:11Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Is New Order _actually_ the more successful band, though? I’m guessing they’ve had more No. 1s, but where’s their biopic, huh? [Here?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_Hour_Party_People) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/17 "2019-03-11T10:54:07Z")
Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett? Awesome. Pink Floyd after Syd Barrett left? No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/18 "2019-03-11T11:23:54Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett? Awesome. > > Pink Floyd after Syd Barrett left? No thanks. The exact opposite for me. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/19 "2019-03-11T11:40:31Z")
REM. For me Out of Time and Automatic for the People are okay, what went before was a lot more interesting and what went after mostly zzzzzz. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915/20 "2019-03-11T12:02:18Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > That is the number 1 answer. > Journey with Gregg Rolie. I didn’t expect anyone to mention Journey. Yeah, pre Steve Perry Journey, when they were essentially an offshoot of Santana, was a much better band than the 80s version. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-which-were-better-in-their-earlier-and-less-successful-incarnations/830915.md?page=2)