I stand by my original take. Simon was a decent songwriter, but as a solo performer…
Thus: Simon & Garfunkle - great, Simon solo - meh. Garfunkle solo - solo?
A bit of a cheat, because the decline started while he was still with the band, but Ian Brown of The Stone Roses stands out. The Roses’ first album was awesome, but after that, something happened to Brown. The guy could just not sing at all! IIRC, he was booed off the stage at more than one concert…
Vince Neil. He should stick to singing what Nikki writes. And what was that fool from Rage Against the Machine thinking?
Kenny Rogers. He merely was mediocre with the First Edition, then dropped down to detestable once he went solo.
Diana Ross was only a shell of her former self once she left the Supremes.
And put me down as another who thinks Paul Simon’s solo work was no drop in quality from his work with Art.
Hah, you should hear Keith Moon’s solo album. I still wonder if he either didn’t realize he sucked, or knew it which gave him even more of a reason to record a solo album.
First of all, Greedo may or may not have shot first, but he most definitely did not suck Solo. Leia, on the other hand…
huh?
Oh. Sorry.
ummmmm… Lindsey Buckingham. Glenn Frey. Roger Hodgson. Dave Wakeling. Jello Biafra. Johnny Rotten.
I disagree. I happen to think very highly of George Harrison’s solo work. He certainly made his contribution to the Fab Four, but with two giants like Lennon and McCartney in the band he could never really find enough space for his own creativity. After the split he could explore his own talents more fully, and I (like several gazillion others) think he did some fine, fine work. I’d say ATMP rates as one of the very finest post-split solo albums produced by anyone, from any group.
Sting? Tough call. He quite intentionally changed tack after The Police and was trying to do something different. His aim with the Police was simply to be the best hit singles band of his era, hence dominate the charts and make himself mega rich. His solo career has had other aims, rather than just churning out chart-topping hits for teenage ears. His first 3 solo albums all had their merits, and I think he has produced some brilliant material that he could never have produced while he was with the band. But his output has fallen off very badly in recent years, to the point where now you hear his latest and think ‘Really, what IS the point?’.
My nomination: Roger Waters. From ‘can’t miss, must hear’ to ‘can’t bear to hear, must miss’ in one single leap.
The height of suck has to come from ex-Eagles. I didn’t much like the Eagles, but the hell that Glenn Fry unleashed on the music world cannot be understated. Don Henley remains responsible for some terribly maudlin pop music, as well as the just terrible (All She Wants to Do is Dance). Joe Walsh I can excuse.
Come on. This comparison doesn’t work on any level. Westerberg now turns out lo-fi, under-produced records. Sting doesn’t. Sting has a Jaguar commercial. Westerberg hangs out in his basement. Westerberg is a true talent. Sting isn’t.
You may not like what Westerberg is doing these days, but he’s decidedly not Sting. Personally, I think Westerberg’s last few albums are very good.
Shhhhhh.
I’m not allowed to. My husband is a huge Michael McDonald fan. Granted, Michael did save the Doobies (IMHO), and there are a couple of his solo songs he did that I actually like (guilty pleasure-wise). But… well… he just does a lot of covers! He’s touring around now singing everyone else’s songs…
YIPE! Hubby’s coming! dons camouflage and blends in with the background
Ok time for an admission. I stopped listening to Westerberg after his first few albums post Replacements. I haven’t kept up with the more recent works. Those albums form the basis of my dissapointment. I am actually intrigued now and might have a listen to something more recent.
Seems some folks who knew Kieth are of the oppinion that he was quite unright in the head, and getting worse all the time, up until his untimely death. I guess some of his public antics weren’t an act; that was the real Kieth Moon. Makes me think of poor Syd Barrett: Descent into madness was quite apparent in what little post-Floyd material he released, and even that required a huge boost from David Gilmour to be even coherent. Who helmed Moon’s solo productions? Sounds as if, unlike the Gilmour-produced “Madcap Laughs”, there was nothing salvageable in the Moon oeuvre.
I kinda lost interest immediately after hearing “Dyslexic Heart”, which made me gnash my teeth in dismay. Perhaps I should give him another chance as well.
Rollins’ pretension was held in balance by the rest of Black Flag. On his own, he tried to be a little too scary (ok, a lot too scary.) Sure, he sang on some of Black Flag’s best recordings, but that had at least as much to do with the band finding their voice as it did with Rollins holding the mic.
Ozzy? I like his '80s solo stuff. It’s fun, brainless music.
His Stereo/Mono set would be the place to start. It’s Westerberg’s best post Replacements work.
Ehhh, IMHO Michael McDonald killed the Doobie Brothers. They had been the ultimate California biker bar band but they ended up being sidemen for the Kenny Rogers of Rock and Roll. However I can safely say that aside from a few backing vocals he did with Steely Dan (Peg) I think he was as good as a solo artist as he ever was. :rolleyes:
At least he never started a fried chicken franchise.
What? No mention of the Moody Blues? Well, that’s probably because most people don’t realize there actually were solo albums. Yes, there were. And I own most of them.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
About Paul Westerberg:
I heard his song Folk Star on the radio not too long ago and loved it, so I emailed the radio station and they told me it was Paul Westerberg. I would never have guessed.
Folk Star started out as kind of folky, and then started to get harder and climaxed with him screaming “I’m a folk star!” over and over, then it all stopped and turned to really folkish music.
Actually, I thought Keith Richards “Talk Is Cheap” album was pretty good. Didn’t Steve Jordan and Hiram Bullock (from Letterman’s original NBC band) play on that one?
I think he collaberated with some well-known musicians who didn’t have the heart to thell him that he couldn’t sing.