# Good bands whose solo spinoff sucks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638 "2014-12-31T19:58:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/1 "2014-12-31T19:58:32Z")
Sometimes, you can tell where all the talent lies in a band, and when they quit to do their own thing, it’s just as good or better than the original group. Ben Folds, for instance. Nobody really mourned when Ben Folds Five broke up. White Stripes/Jack White also fits this mold. What about the opposite? Black Sabbath was great, but Ozzy Osbourne by himself is terrible. White Zombie was a good band, Rob Zombie is like a horribly mediocre cartoon version of the band. No Doubt had some good songs, but I haven’t heard a single thing that was listenable from Gwen Stefani. Help me remember some other examples. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/2 "2014-12-31T20:01:34Z")
Pink Floyd vs. solo Roger Waters ---
**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:** [December 31, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/3 "2014-12-31T20:03:02Z")
Ben Orrs solo album is not so hot stuff. I shouldn’t be surprised if I’m the only fan of Tony Banks 80s work. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/4 "2014-12-31T20:04:06Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Pink Floyd vs. solo Roger Waters Disagree a billion percent. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/5 "2014-12-31T20:05:33Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Black Sabbath was great, but Ozzy Osbourne by himself is terrible. > > White Zombie was a good band, Rob Zombie is like a horribly mediocre cartoon version of the band. > > No Doubt had some good songs, but I haven’t heard a single thing that was listenable from Gwen Stefani. > > Help me remember some other examples. It’s funny you mention these three because I would say they are on the complete other end of the spectrum: Ozzy continued to grow by himself and had WAY more hits solo than in Black Sabbath, he also kept (or maybe hired) Zakk Wylde and he’s been as big a part of Ozzy as anything. And HE’S not really done well solo too for that matter. There is little discernible difference in Rob/White Zombie Gwen Stefani has been heads-and-shoulders more successful afer No Doubt than within it. She’s adapted to the times each and every album and is way more relevant now than she would have been had No Doubt stayed together ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/6 "2014-12-31T20:31:49Z")
Paul McCartney has produced an awful lot of sappy drivel on his own. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/7 "2014-12-31T21:11:39Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > Paul McCartney has produced an awful lot of sappy drivel on his own. Agreed. As much as I loved the Beatles, I never much cared for any of their individual post-Beatles projects. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/8 "2014-12-31T21:18:42Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > Agreed. As much as I loved the Beatles, I never much cared for any of their individual post-Beatles projects. (choke) Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” is musical must. ---
**Author:** ![bunyupp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@bunyupp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunyupp)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/9 "2014-12-31T21:37:28Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I shouldn’t be surprised if I’m the only fan of Tony Banks 80s work. I found “Bankstatement” in a cutout bin years ago. It’s an awesome album! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/10 "2014-12-31T21:54:10Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > (choke) Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” is musical must. All Things Must Pass is the best solo work by any of the Beatles. That said, I’d rather have the Beatles as a unit. YMMV. Neither Crosby, Stills, nor Nash was ever as good as Crosby, Stills & Nash. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/11 "2014-12-31T21:55:01Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Sometimes, you can tell where all the talent lies in a band, and when they quit to do their own thing, it’s just as good or better than the original group. Ben Folds, for instance. Nobody really mourned when Ben Folds Five broke up. White Stripes/Jack White also fits this mold. What about the opposite? > > Black Sabbath was great, but Ozzy Osbourne by himself is terrible. > > White Zombie was a good band, Rob Zombie is like a horribly mediocre cartoon version of the band. > > No Doubt had some good songs, but I haven’t heard a single thing that was listenable from Gwen Stefani. > > Help me remember some other examples. Umm, for Ozzy Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a Madman are both classic albums that are absolutely awesome. They both rank in the top 50 metal albums of all time, easily. The Jake E Lee years were ok (Bark at the Moon, The Ultimate Sin) though each album had a few classic tracks. In the ZaKk Wylde era, No Rest for the Wicked was ok, No More Tears had at least three classic tracks. After that it is downhill a little bit but Ozzy certainly did fine after Sabbath. Slee ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/12 "2014-12-31T22:09:22Z")
Chicago. Peter Cetera’s 80s solo stuff stunk up the room. Journey. Steve Perry sunk so fast no lifeguard had a chance to grab him. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/13 "2014-12-31T22:21:01Z")
I’ll admit that I probably didn’t give it a fair shot, but I remember only making it through John Paul Jones’ Zooma once and never listening to it again. I recall getting pretty much what I expected when I bought in instrumental album by a bass guitarist. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/14 "2014-12-31T22:49:50Z")
The solo projects of the Who were uneven, but Keith Moon’s “Two Sides of the Moon” is just plain awful. Vivian Stanshall’s “Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead” is terrribly disappointing compared to his Bonzo Dog Band work. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/15 "2014-12-31T22:59:16Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Sometimes, you can tell where all the talent lies in a band, and when they quit to do their own thing, it’s just as good or better than the original group. I am guessing this happens for the _majority_ of solo spinoffs; a shorter list would include the successful ones. An extreme example IMO would be **Dee Dee Ramone**. He was arguably the best song writer in the Ramones, yet his solo career was a [huge](http://www.allmusic.com/album/standing-in-the-spotlight-mw0000199527) [disaster](http://www.markprindle.com/ramone.htm#funky). ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/16 "2014-12-31T23:18:22Z")
That Ozzy solo stuff from the 80s is bangin’ as shit… ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/17 "2014-12-31T23:18:58Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > It’s funny you mention these three because I would say they are on the complete other end of the spectrum: > > Ozzy continued to grow by himself and had WAY more hits solo than in Black Sabbath, he also kept (or maybe hired) Zakk Wylde and he’s been as big a part of Ozzy as anything. And HE’S not really done well solo too for that matter. yeah, I don’t get this one. obviously Ozzy did way better than Sabbath in terms of popularity, but it’d be a stretch to say Sabbath “sucked” after he left. The releases with Dio on vocals were solid, and _Headless Cross_ and _Cross Purposes_ with Tony Martin singing were great. TYR was OK but I think it suffered from being partially a concept album. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/18 "2014-12-31T23:21:35Z")
Gotta agree on Roger Waters’ solo output, which basically sounds like the shittier bits of _The Wall_ and _The Final Cut_, extended out to several albums. And who would’ve thought that Sting’s solo material would so quickly morph into middle-of-the-road adult contemporary? The last 20 years of his career has been largely forgettable. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/19 "2014-12-31T23:22:18Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Pink Floyd vs. solo Roger Waters Actually, for awhile there, Pink Floyd pretty much WAS Roger Waters as a solo act (Animals, The Wall, The Final Cut). And yes, that was a low point in the band’s career. Another interesting example: ELO vs. Jeff Lynne’s solo efforts. Even though Jeff Lynne pretty much \*is \*ELO, when he releases his occasional officially solo albums, they don’t compare with the stuff branded as ELO. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638/20 "2014-12-31T23:44:08Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > That Ozzy solo stuff from the 80s is bangin’ as shit… Only during the Randy Rhoads era, IMO. And only _because_ of Randy Rhoads. But Ozzy’s not alone. I’ve always been a huge fan of Geezer Butler’s work in Black Sabbath. So a few years ago I bought his solo album [Black Science](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Science). I listened to it once, then threw it away. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-bands-whose-solo-spinoff-sucks/708638.md?page=2)