The antithesis to this thread.
I think the best example is Rush after drummer John Rutsey was replaced by Neil Peart.
While I liked Iron Maiden with Paul Di’Anno, Bruce Dickinson gave the band a major boost IMO.
Others?
Well, Matt Sorum replacing Steve Adler in GnR certainly brought more drumming chops to the mix.
I came to say the Iron Maiden thing. Though I don’t think it was so much that Paul quit as that he got canned.
Also, Faith No More is waaaaaaay better with Mike Patton. But again, I think what’s his face got axed, or went to jail? Or something. I forget the whole story.
Edit, now I see quits/FIRED is in the title.
Although I disagree, many think Michael McDonald made the Doobie Brothers better than they were with Tom Johnston.
I think Steve Perry was an addition rather than a replacement, but he sure improved Journey.
I think all the examples so far have been where it was the new member, not the loss of the old one, that made the band better. IMHO that’s too easy and should be disqualified—examples are a dime a dozen.
I’d be interested to see examples where it was actually the quitting/firing of a member that made the band better. (i.e. either the member wasn’t replaced, or the reason for the improvement wasn’t the new player but just that the band didn’t have the old one any more.)
Brian Jones was a talented member of the stones but once he left they could tour again.
And, come to think of it, I think the Beatles losing Stu Sutcliffe counts.
Alice in Chains isn’t quite the band they were with Layne Staley, but the improvement is that no one is on drugs and they can tour and make new music.
These don’t necessarily reflect my opinion, but some might say:
Genesis improved after Peter Gabriel left (disagree)
Simon and Garfunkel improved after Garfunkel left (ambivalent)
I mention these only because they are examples where you’re not also judging the impact of the replacement, because there was none.
Metallica is the first one that comes to mind there–firing Dave Mustaine got rid of, by all accounts, a great deal of friction within the band. Had they tried to tour with him, it probably would not have ended well.
Bob Welch and Bob Weston leaving/getting canned from Fleetwood Mac. Without Lindsey and Stevie, they never would have been anything but a mid-level touring band.
Dixie Chicks had a recording career with Laura Lynch. She quit and was replaced by Natalie Maines, at which point the band became huge.
This is absolutely the winner. From warmed over Zeppelin/Sabbath clone to a 40+ year career with 24 gold, 14 platinum and 3 multi-platinum albums as well as countless millions of concert attendees and awards.
I agree that Stu Sutcliffe would be up there, but in the end the Beatles lasted only about 10 years and Pete Best needed to leave, too, so there’s an argument it wasn’t just one guy leaving who made the difference.
Destiny’s Child after Farrah Franklin left…
Pink Floyd after Sid left.
In the Eagles, Bearnie Leadon was replaced by Joe Walsh.
AC/DC Dave Evans leaves - replaced by Jon Bon Scott.
Jefferson Airplane: Grace Slick replaces Signe Anderson. Slick wrote “White Rabbit” and her husband wrote “Somebody to Love,” the group’s biggest hits. Anderson was not a songwriter.
Good point. Yea, most bands that have made it big had frequent “lineup changes” when they were getting started. This thread would be more interesting if we narrow it to a band member who “established” themselves in the band before quiting/getting fired. (Not sure how best to define “established,” though.)
Brother-in-law.