# Biggest Band IMPROVEMENT After One Quits/Fired **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 16, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716 "2019-08-16T00:13:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [August 16, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/1 "2019-08-16T00:13:48Z")
The antithesis to [this](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=880433) 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? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/2 "2019-08-16T00:22:52Z")
Well, Matt Sorum replacing Steve Adler in GnR certainly brought more drumming chops to the mix. ---
**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 16, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/3 "2019-08-16T00:42:35Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/4 "2019-08-16T01:03:21Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/5 "2019-08-16T01:21:43Z")
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.) ---
**Author:** ![bionic\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/49beb7/32.png) [@bionic\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bionic_man)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/6 "2019-08-16T01:27:40Z")
Brian Jones was a talented member of the stones but once he left they could tour again. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/7 "2019-08-16T01:46:42Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’d be interested to see examples where it was actually the quitting/firing of a member that made the band better. And, come to think of it, I think the Beatles losing Stu Sutcliffe counts. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/8 "2019-08-16T01:49:10Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/9 "2019-08-16T02:45:05Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Caldris\_bal\_Comar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Caldris\_bal\_Comar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldris_bal_Comar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/10 "2019-08-16T02:59:01Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > 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.) 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. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/11 "2019-08-16T02:59:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/12 "2019-08-16T03:04:25Z")
Dixie Chicks had a recording career with Laura Lynch. She quit and was replaced by Natalie Maines, at which point the band became _huge_. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/13 "2019-08-16T03:06:38Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I think the best example is **Rush** after drummer John Rutsey was replaced by Neil Peart. 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. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2019, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/14 "2019-08-16T06:14:40Z")
Destiny’s Child after Farrah Franklin left… ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/15 "2019-08-16T09:03:52Z")
Pink Floyd after Sid left. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/16 "2019-08-16T12:24:18Z")
In the Eagles, Bearnie Leadon was replaced by Joe Walsh. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/17 "2019-08-16T12:41:59Z")
AC/DC Dave Evans leaves - replaced by Jon Bon Scott. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/18 "2019-08-16T12:55:47Z")
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. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2019, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/19 "2019-08-16T13:19:39Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > 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.) 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.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716/20 "2019-08-16T14:39:01Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > 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. Brother-in-law. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-band-improvement-after-one-quits-fired/838716.md?page=2)