# Biggest Band Drop-off After One Quits/Fired **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 15, 2019, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681 "2019-08-15T01:53:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/1 "2019-08-15T01:53:07Z")
A single member. Band name remains. Doesn’t have to be a band - could be a long-time guitarist of a solo artist. The first name that comes to my mind is Roger Waters, but I’m sure I’ll think of others. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/2 "2019-08-15T02:01:02Z")
Blood, Sweat & Tears after Al Kooper left. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/3 "2019-08-15T02:01:10Z")
Well, when Dave lombardo left slayer, that first album without him was meh, and this was coming off one of their best albums ever. However, I’m not sure how much its mehness was due to him leaving. They’ve been kinda meh since then even though he has come back. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/4 "2019-08-15T02:07:56Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > The first name that comes to my mind is Roger Waters, but I’m sure I’ll think of others. Really? I would have thought more Pink Floyd fans preferred the first post-Waters Pink Floyd album, _A Momentary Lapse of Reason_, to the last album pre-Waters’ exit, _The Final Cut_, which was essentially a Roger Waters solo album. _A Momentary Lapse of Reason_ was a fairly mixed album, but it did have a few brilliant moments. I’m not sure _The Final Cut_ had any. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/5 "2019-08-15T02:17:58Z")
Apparently, I see these bands way too often. Had tickets for the Doors, Jim Morrison died, and they toured without him. I thought, hey, I love Ray Manzarek’s organ work, Robby Kreiger can play guitar, I’ll still go. If they’d just done a jazzy instrumental set, I’d’ve been happy. But they had some bloated no-name trying to sound like Morrison. Painful. Then I saw Blood, Sweat & Tears… well, David Clayton-Thomas wasn’t there (turns out he’d quit). Again, somebody tried to sound like him. Unsuccessfully, natch. I’m assuming it was the last tour for both bands. (Now, if only BS&T had re-hired Al Kooper and Steve Katz and gone back to the jazz-rock fusion of that first lineup…) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/6 "2019-08-15T02:29:25Z")
Evanescence kinda tanked after the guy that wrote all the songs left/got kicked out by Amy Lee. They went from world tour to tumbleweeds. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/7 "2019-08-15T03:00:40Z")
The James Gang without Joe Walsh. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/8 "2019-08-15T04:25:40Z")
The Attractions (better known as “Elvis Costello’s Band”) minus Bruce Thomas, who put the “power” in “power pop” and whose bass parts were in many cases the definitive hook of EC’s songs. There isn’t a single thing Costello recorded after that which even remotely approaches the level of musical engagement that The Attractions had. He did, at least, do the honorable thing by not billing the group as The Attractions after Thomas was out - acknowledging that he could not be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/9 "2019-08-15T07:18:57Z")
Genesis lost their unique sound after Steve Hackett left in 1977. They had already made two good Genesis albums without Peter Gabriel: _A Trick of the Tail_ and _Wind and Wuthering_, both from 1976. Everyone has always made a big deal of Gabriel’s split from Genesis, but they came back strong without Gabriel; it was the loss of Hackett that precipitated their sudden drop-off in quality. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/10 "2019-08-15T08:06:40Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Really? I would have thought more Pink Floyd fans preferred the first post-Waters Pink Floyd album, _A Momentary Lapse of Reason_, to the last album pre-Waters’ exit, _The Final Cut_, which was essentially a Roger Waters solo album. _A Momentary Lapse of Reason_ was a fairly mixed album, but it did have a few brilliant moments. I’m not sure _The Final Cut_ had any. _The Final Cut_ was fine for what it was: _The Wall, part 2_, with more Roger Waters whinging about how bad war is. _A Momentary Lapse of Reason_ was (to me at least) a breath of fresh air. Less edgy, more introspective and thoughtful. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/11 "2019-08-15T08:27:29Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Really? I would have thought more Pink Floyd fans preferred the first post-Waters Pink Floyd album, _A Momentary Lapse of Reason_, to the last album pre-Waters’ exit, _The Final Cut_, which was essentially a Roger Waters solo album. _A Momentary Lapse of Reason_ was a fairly mixed album, but it did have a few brilliant moments. I’m not sure _The Final Cut_ had any. Weird. The Final Cut remains one of my favourite albums, above Dark Side. A Momentary Lapse of Reason one of my least favourite, basically a David Gilmour solo album (someone who’s not very productive). And its the opinion of most of the PF fans I know. The lack of just David Gilmour did make The Division Bell a much better one. Almost a Floyd tribute act, made with contributions from Floyd fans. Let’s face it Animals, Wish You Were Here and The Wall were pretty much Roger Water’s solo albums. Final Cut brilliant moments? Southampton dock? The gunners dream? Paranoid eyes? Two suns in the sunset has dated though. AMLOR? A bunch of Floyd B sides with lyrics written by a child? Some stuff on a boat for about five minutes? Learning to fly? ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/12 "2019-08-15T08:31:53Z")
I’d say Cliff Burton from Metallica to me is the one who is most striking once pointed out. He brought the proggy elements to Metallica, and not just him, I think he inspired the rest to do more with their talents. His contribution to And Justice For All was clearly there, so still kind of one of his albums, though I’d love to heard the remixed version where they actually mixed in Newsteads bass playing to make it like the album it should have been, rather than the tinny half album it was. After that, they put out an almost Metallica tribute album without the “love” in the black album, and that was that. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/13 "2019-08-15T10:48:28Z")
This is my personal opinion and will get controversial. While **Rainbow** had R **onnie James Dio** I felt every album got better and better. Once **Dio** left **Ritchie Blackmore** took the band through pop-metal, AOR and empty classical rock work outs with some highlights along the way but… The end was a mercy killing. The controversial bit comes with I have never appreciated **Ozzy Osbourne** ’s talents. As such I always felt **Black Sabbath** were musically and lyrically a largely talent free zone - and I DON’T expect many, if any, will agree with that. However I thought the two studio albums **Dio** did with **Black Sabbath** were absolutely fantastic. A perfect mix of muscle and melody. **Black Sabbath** then sunk back without a trace when **Dio** left. That’s my opinion anyway. It was disappointing for me that as a solo artist **Dio** never quite seemed to hit the spot again. I was happy for the ‘Dragons and Kings’ lyrics to stay. He could still sing great, had an ear for melody. Even had decent guitarists on board but… **Dio** albums sound too amateur for me. Parts are good but there isn’t a whole. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/14 "2019-08-15T11:30:53Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > AMLOR? A bunch of Floyd B sides with lyrics written by a child? Some stuff on a boat for about five minutes? Learning to fly? I like TFC as well - it’s tied for my second favorite _musically_ with Obscured By Clouds and The Wall. But the opening three tracks to AMLoR is one of the better Floyd sequential tracks around. They just blend together. Of course The Wall and DSotM have better sequences but compared to every non-Floyd band, the flow is quite excellent. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/15 "2019-08-15T12:06:27Z")
Maybe 10000 Maniacs after Natalie Merchant left. A band (such as it is these days) with the same name still tours and releases stuff, but I don’t know anyone who actually cares. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/16 "2019-08-15T12:27:25Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Weird. The Final Cut remains one of my favourite albums, above Dark Side. A Momentary Lapse of Reason one of my least favourite, basically a David Gilmour solo album (someone who’s not very productive). And its the opinion of most of the PF fans I know. > > The lack of just David Gilmour did make The Division Bell a much better one. Almost a Floyd tribute act, made with contributions from Floyd fans. > > Let’s face it Animals, Wish You Were Here and The Wall were pretty much Roger Water’s solo albums. > > Final Cut brilliant moments? Southampton dock? The gunners dream? Paranoid eyes? Two suns in the sunset has dated though. > > AMLOR? A bunch of Floyd B sides with lyrics written by a child? Some stuff on a boat for about five minutes? Learning to fly? \ ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/17 "2019-08-15T12:48:56Z")
I’ll also add Peter Green leaving Fleetwood Mac Peter Gabriel leaving Genesis Roger Hodgson leaving Supertramp ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/18 "2019-08-15T13:11:48Z")
The Doors after Jim Morrison quit this life, hence the band as well. ETA: I see **digs** beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/19 "2019-08-15T13:28:43Z")
Van Halen after Dave Lee Roth left. Might as have called it Eddie Bought A Keyboard. And it fully being his band now, he completed full tribute to Montrose, the band he wanted to be, by hiring Sammy Hagar, the lead singer of Montrose. Then strived to be nothing like Montrose anymore, and just write sappy keyboard based songs about love and naming albums after Hilarious acroynms (sarcasm). ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681/20 "2019-08-15T13:36:04Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > The Attractions (better known as “Elvis Costello’s Band”) minus Bruce Thomas, who put the “power” in “power pop” and whose bass parts were in many cases the definitive hook of EC’s songs. There isn’t a single thing Costello recorded after that which even remotely approaches the level of musical engagement that The Attractions had. He did, at least, do the honorable thing by not billing the group as The Attractions after Thomas was out - acknowledging that he could not be replaced. Ninjaed. I find it humorous that he switched to calling his band “The Imposters,” but it’s accurate. Costello has never been a guitar whiz, so Steve Nieve’s keyboards and Thomas’ bass were the main sound of the band. The bass part on “This Year’s Girl” depresses me whenever I try to play it myself. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-drop-off-after-one-quits-fired/838681.md?page=2)