# Singers who were great in a group, but suck solo **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 25, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139 "2004-10-25T23:02:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/81 "2004-10-27T16:51:23Z")
Joe Perry of Aerosmith. When he left the band, he released a solo album that really sucked. Then again, Aerosmith didn’t do so well without him, either. Thank goodness they all came to their senses! ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/82 "2004-10-27T17:15:51Z")
I admit I haven’t had the chance to hear his solo album yet, but based on his work with Max Q (which just wasn’t all that interesting), Michael Hutchence was a far more talented frontman for INXS than a solo artist. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/83 "2004-10-27T18:30:33Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > Joe Perry of Aerosmith. > When he left the band, he released a solo album that really sucked. Then again, Aerosmith didn’t do so well without him, either. Thank goodness they all came to their senses! I think I’m the only person in the world who thinks that Aerosmith’s Rock And A Hard Place is one of their best albums. ---
**Author:** ![beergeek279](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/84 "2004-10-28T04:29:26Z")
I just think that it’s ironic that this thread is open at about the same time Scott Stapp butchered another God song, this time _God Bless America_ at the World Series ;). (not to say Creed were ever great, but it sure meets the latter condition!!!) ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/85 "2004-10-28T09:19:36Z")
> [@nitroglycerine](#): > > Haha…I don’t wanna step outside. 🙂 I just don’t like Bob’s stuff after Husker, That doesn’t mean YOU can’t enjoy it! This is a thread about opinions ferchristsake…no need to feel all defensive and shit. I bet there’s plenty of stuff I like that you would hate! Sorry, nitro, that was meant to be tongue-in-cheek; didn’t mean for you to take it that way. You wanna step outside…for a beer, and we can talk about which Husker Du album was the best? ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/86 "2004-10-28T13:33:04Z")
> [@beergeek279](#): > > I just think that it’s ironic that this thread is open at about the same time Scott Stapp butchered another God song, this time _God Bless America_ at the World Series ;). > > (not to say Creed were ever great, but it sure meets the latter condition!!!) I left the room and got as far away from the TV as I possibly could, so I missed what must have been that abomination. Maybe locking myself in the john would have been better, but it was in use. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/87 "2004-10-28T16:13:21Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > I nominate all of the Beatles, as well as Roger Waters. > [@Governor Quinn](#): > > My pick: Paul McCartney, hands down. > [@cornflakes](#): > > I’ll second Paul McCartney. Heck, while I’m at it I’ll third and fourth him as well! > [@ultrafilter](#): > > Hadn’t thought about Waters, but I definitely had the Beatles in mind. > [@Starving Artist](#): > > And the Beatles were the first to come to my mind, as well. **ianzin** has already provided a defense for George Harrison, so I’ll speak out on McCartney’s behalf. Joel Whitburn runs an organization called [Record Research](http://www.recordresearch.com/). They are “a team of researchers who delve into all of Billboard’s music and video charts to an unmatched degree of depth and detail. Widely recognized as the most authoritative historian on charted music”. We had a copy of one of the “Whitburn Books” at the radio station I worked at in college. It was considered the bible of pop/rock music and broke down the amount of time each song stayed on the charts, what position it achieved, and sorted them by band. In the back they had a rating system where they assigned the top 100 groups/single artists for the rock era from 1955-1990(IIRC) based on number of hits, how high the hit was on the charts, and length of time charted. I’m a bit fuzzy on the exact placement, but Elvis was #1, Beatles #2, Michael Jackson #3, and then a few other major stars. IIRC McCartney/Wings was in the top 10 as well. According to Billboard this would mean McCartney had not only one fantastic career(as part of the Beatles), but he had TWO fantastic careers. With enough hits both with and post-Beatles to put him in the top ten(or at least top twenty, don’t recall exact placement) of all the bands/solo acts charted in a 45 year period. Wings had such a fluid membership and were often little more than background musicians for McCartney that you’ll find them inconsistently credited on his albums except for a couple from the late 70’s early 80’s. Wings never got much respect as a band because they could never rise to the level where they were listed as “Wings” instead of “Paul McCartney, [sub]with Wings![/sub]”. Kind of sad, but the “Wings” era could legitimately be considered McCartney solo with a particular set of backup musicians he favored. “McCartney sucked post-Beatles” is a pretty tough row to hoe. Any particular individual may not have cared for his post-Beatles work, but it was still an outstanding run by the standard measure of a musician’s success. [McCartney’s Discography](http://www.mplcommunications.com/mccartney/Discography_Albums.asp) from his solo career speaks for itself. Chart information is available on each individual record by clicking on it and looking at the top of the page. My nomination for “Sucked outside of a group?” [Freddie Mercury](http://queen-fip.com/fm-disc.html). Love the guy, but outside Queen, he pretty much blew. Unless you were from the UK, then you probably heard his stuff because his solo albums charted there, but I’m not sure they were ever even released in the US beyond “Mr Bad Guy”(1985) which totally tanked in the US. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/88 "2004-10-28T16:45:38Z")
> [@nitroglycerine](#): > > I think I’m the only person in the world who thinks that Aerosmith’s Rock And A Hard Place is one of their best albums. Well, I doubt if you’re the _only_ one in the entire world, but you’re likely among the very few. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/89 "2004-10-28T21:28:11Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > Well, I doubt if you’re the _only_ one in the entire world, but you’re likely among the very few. 😃 Ha! That’s everybody else’s loss. “Jailbait” and “Lightning Strikes” are a pair of ass kicking tunes. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/90 "2004-10-28T21:29:53Z")
> [@Middlecase](#): > > Sorry, nitro, that was meant to be tongue-in-cheek; didn’t mean for you to take it that way. You wanna step outside…for a beer, and we can talk about which Husker Du album was the best? That one’s easy. ALL of them! ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/91 "2004-10-29T02:55:50Z")
I couldn’t believe it that this thread started off with _Belinda Carlisle_ ☹ Have you ever heard ‘Summer Rain’ (and not the really crap Slinkee Minx ultra-pop cover that came out this year)? ‘In Too Deep’? ‘Leave A Light On’? Three of my all-time favourite songs. There’s more to her solo efforts than ‘Heaven Is A Place On Earth’, you know. But, then, I like nasal voices. My nick’s from a _They Might Be Giants_ song for chrissakes. As for the actual thread topic: My immediate thought was _Phil Collins_ post-Genesis. 'm not so sure whether this is quite correct though–did he do some solo stuff before he sang in Genesis, or do all his solo songs just sound like they belong in the distant past ;)? One that I only partly agree with, but am surprised no-one else has come up with: _Courtney Love_ post-_Hole_. Also, probably not quite what the OP had in mind, but I much prefer _Neko Case_’s work with the _New Pornographers_ to her solo, more country/folkish, music. An emphatic seconding for the suggestion of _Frank Black_ is added to the end of this post. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/92 "2004-10-29T03:02:03Z")
> [@bluecanary](#): > > I couldn’t believe it that this thread started off with _Belinda Carlisle_ ☹ Have you ever heard ‘Summer Rain’ (and not the really crap Slinkee Minx ultra-pop cover that came out this year)? ‘In Too Deep’? ‘Leave A Light On’? > > Three of my all-time favourite songs. There’s more to her solo efforts than ‘Heaven Is A Place On Earth’, you know. Shows what I know. I’ve never heard any of those songs (or if I did, I wasn’t paying attention), and always figured “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” was a Go-Go’s Mark II number, like that dreadful “The Whole World Lost Its Head” Can you defend “Circle in the Sand?” GAH! ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/93 "2004-10-29T03:03:50Z")
Nah. There are _some_ Belinda tracks I dislike. That’s one of them (‘I Get Weak’, ‘I Plead Insanity’ and ‘Half The World’ are others). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/94 "2004-10-29T03:04:12Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > Shows what I know. I’ve never heard any of those songs (or if I did, I wasn’t paying attention), and always figured “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” was a Go-Go’s Mark II number, like that dreadful “The Whole World Lost Its Head” > > Can you defend “Circle in the Sand?” GAH! Or “I Get Weak”. So do I. In the stomach area. But then I vomit and I feel better. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139/95 "2004-10-29T03:05:46Z")
Oh dear, on the other hand. _‘The Whole World Lost Its Head’_ was the first Go-Gos track I heard (I’m not old enough to have caught them first time round). I started listening to it again this year. It seemed strangely appropriate to what I was doing (intensive Finals cramming) and what was going on around me. I like it a lot (not as much as ‘Summer Rain’ though–that’s an amazingly good song). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-were-great-in-a-group-but-suck-solo/271139.md?page=4)