# Well-known groups that spawned more than one popular solo artist **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 29, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197 "2006-11-29T15:30:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/41 "2006-11-29T22:53:26Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Were most of these _successful_ solo artists? I know Johnny Marr had an album recently, but damned if I can name a song off it. Likewise, I know Can, Beat Happening, and Tangerine Dream, but can’t think of any of their members having a successful solo career in the context of the OP. [/QUOTE] Look at their individual [Allmusic.com](http://Allmusic.com) pages sometime - TD’s Klaus Schulze has released something like 80 solo albums, which fits my definition of “successful,” while Can’s Holger Czukay has done a ton of solo albums and film scores. Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening is now on his third solo album, not counting his Dub narcotic soundsystem stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/42 "2006-11-29T23:45:05Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] The Beatles: John, Paul, and to some extent George [/QUOTE] Actually, Ringo had more #1 hits than any of them. [QUOTE=control-z] The Eagles: Don Henley, Joe Walsh [/QUOTE] … Timothy B. Scmitt and Randy Meisner both had solo hits, and Glen Frey was big for a while in the '80s. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/43 "2006-11-30T00:05:43Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] Look at their individual [Allmusic.com](http://Allmusic.com) pages sometime - TD’s Klaus Schulze has released something like 80 solo albums, which fits my definition of “successful,” while Can’s Holger Czukay has done a ton of solo albums and film scores. Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening is now on his third solo album, not counting his Dub narcotic soundsystem stuff. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but has anyone heard of Calvin Johnson’s albums? And what has Brett Lunsford done, because I can’t find anything. Even if these artists all qualify as “successful” (and I don’t feel releasing a bunch of solo albums automatically qualifies), the OP is asking for bands with two successful solo artists. ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/44 "2006-11-30T00:34:16Z")
**Frank Zappa and the Mothers** : Jean-Luc Ponty Lowell George George Duke Adrian Belew Steve Vai Mike Keneally and others I’m not remembering at the moment… FZ was like Miles Davis in the respect anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/45 "2006-11-30T00:40:51Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Rieux] Actually, Ringo had more #1 hits than any of them. [/QUOTE] Not so. I think there was a brief window of time in 1974 when Paul, Ringo, and George were tied at two #1 singles each: “Uncle Albert” and “My Love”; “My Sweet Lord” and “Give Me Love”; and “Photograph” and “You’re Sixteen.” Paul broke the tie that same year with “Band on the Run” and went on to have numerous other #1 hits (solo, with Wings, or in duets). George had one further #1 later in life (“Got My Mind Set On You”), but Ringo never reached the top spot again. (John had only one #1 hit in his lifetime, but he tied Ringo’s pair posthumously.) ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/46 "2006-11-30T00:42:52Z")
**[Clannad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clannad)** - [Enya](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enya) ---
**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:** [November 30, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/47 "2006-11-30T00:43:35Z")
I have a feeling this is going to hinge on how you define “successful.” **The E Street Band** has spawned Patti Scialfa, Clarence Clemons, Steve Van Zandt and Max Weinberg. ---
**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:** [November 30, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/48 "2006-11-30T00:55:57Z")
All the really good answers I can think of have been taken, so here are some not-so-good ones: Freddy Mercury, Brian May, and Roger Taylor each released more than one solo album, but I don’t know how successful they were; they’re far better known as members of Queen than as solo artists. Several of the Replacements had solo careers (most notably Paul Westerberg, but personally I’m rather fond of Chris Mars’s solo albums). Split Enz led to the careers (separately and together) of the Finn brothers, Tim and Neil. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/49 "2006-11-30T01:30:24Z")
Well, the New Edition spawned both Bobby Brown (a very successful solo act for a while) and Bell Biv DeVoe, who were very popular as a trio for a few years. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/50 "2006-11-30T02:02:33Z")
Diana Ross and Mary Wilson both had solo gigs after The Supremes, as did Jody Watley and Howard Hewitt after Shalamar. Diana and Jody, however, fared a little better as far as popularity . . . ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/51 "2006-11-30T02:08:11Z")
I’d add NWA. Nobody in the group was famous, but ultimately the band spawned Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. DJ Yella and MC Ren… well, I know they tried to do some stuff, but it never blew up. Dre and Cube, though, definitely because bona fide solo stars. The Jackson 5 gave us Michael and Jermaine. If I warp the OP a little bit to include groups who had members that formed other groups, and if we count artists that may be unknown now, but for a moment were quite popular, and if we define “popular” outside of the US context I would also include: The (English) Beat. Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger formed General Public (Tenderness, I’ll Take You There, She’s Having A Baby) and Andy Cox and David Steele added Roland Gift, making the Fine Young Cannibals. Blur spawned Gorillaz and Graham Coxon. The Wailers launched the careers of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. (Granted, Marley stayed with the Wailers, but they were initially just the Wailers.) Rockpile featured Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds. The Housemartins featured Paul Heaton (who formed The Beautiful South) and Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim). Take That - Robbie Williams, and the others had flashes of fame in the UK. Wham! - George Michael, and for a spot, Pepsi & Shirley were famous. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/52 "2006-11-30T02:09:53Z")
[QUOTE=auntie em] Diana Ross and Mary Wilson both had solo gigs after The Supremes, as did Jody Watley and Howard Hewitt after Shalamar. Diana and Jody, however, fared a little better as far as popularity . . . [/QUOTE] I was going to mention Shalamar! But I don’t know if anyone outside of old-school R&B knows who Howard Hewitt is. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/53 "2006-11-30T02:12:13Z")
**The Runaways** produced **Lita Ford** and **Joan Jett**. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/54 "2006-11-30T02:20:32Z")
[QUOTE=Green Bean] **The Runaways** produced **Lita Ford** and **Joan Jett**. [/QUOTE] Cherie Curry and Sandy West also became rather famous, in their way… ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/55 "2006-11-30T02:39:46Z")
**The Who** : Pete Townshend has an impressive body of solo and collaborative work. Roger Daltrey has put out some decent stuff. _“McVicar”_ got to #22 in the US charts. He’s built up quite a resume as a character actor, as well (he was on CSI last week). John Entwistle was lucky to get two songs on any given Who album, but he put out a string of solo records that showcased his dark humour. He loved playing live, and had a touring band that really kicked ass (they were the rhythym section for the _“Walk Down Abbey Road”_ Tour). He also toured as a member of Ringo’s All Starr Band. Now, Moonie is a different story… ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/56 "2006-11-30T02:48:07Z")
Did Marie ever perform with **The Osmonds**? Becuase both Donny and Marie had solo careers. And from **The Clash** , **Mick Jones** had success with **Big Audio Dynamite** (“The Globe”), while **Joe Strummer** had an alternative hit as a solo artist (“Gangsterville”) and another while singing lead for **The Pogues** (“Tuesday Morning”). Not raging success, but… ---
**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:** [November 30, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/57 "2006-11-30T04:02:08Z")
\*\*Simon and Garfunkle \*\* both had successful solo careers once they broke up. **The Graham Bond Organization** spawned Jack Bruce (before John Mayall), Ginger Baker (before Cream), John McLaughlin, and Bond. ---
**Author:** ![JacksonRoykirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e79b87/32.png) [@JacksonRoykirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacksonRoykirk)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/58 "2006-11-30T04:29:10Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] The Eagles: Don Henley, Joe Walsh Any others? [/QUOTE] I might take issue with Joe Walsh. He was successful as a solo artist before he joined the Eagles. His career undoubtedly was enhanced by his membership in the group, but it wasn’t spawned by him being a member, in contrast with Don Henley or Glenn Frey. All five members of Duran Duran were in successful side projects: John Taylor and Andy Taylor formed the **Power Station** , along with Robert Palmer and **Chic’s** Tony Thompson. And Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor formed the group **Arcadia.** ---
**Author:** ![JacksonRoykirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e79b87/32.png) [@JacksonRoykirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacksonRoykirk)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/59 "2006-11-30T04:34:00Z")
Also, I don’t know about their relative popularity, but Barry Goudreau and Brad Delp of **Boston** collaborated on Goudreau’s eponymous album as well as in the group **Return To Zero** (RTZ). ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197/60 "2006-11-30T05:23:27Z")
[QUOTE=Zabali\_Clawbane] **[Clannad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clannad)** - [Enya](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enya) [/QUOTE] People _do_ seem to be having trouble with the “more than one” part of the OP … [The Byrds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_byrds) spawned David Crosby and Roger McGuinn [The Hollies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hollies) produced Graham Nash and Alan Clarke [the Zombies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombies) had Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent [Cold Chisel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Chisel) included Don Walker, Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-known-groups-that-spawned-more-than-one-popular-solo-artist/382197.md?page=4)