# What all bands have had members go onto be successful solo artists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 30, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622 "2004-07-30T18:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dry\_gear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@dry\_gear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dry_gear)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/21 "2004-07-30T20:00:38Z")
I don’t know about successful, but these are ones that I kind of like: Lou Reed- The Velvet Underground Syd Barrett- The Pink Floyd Ian McCulloch- Echo and the Bunnymen Frank Black- The Pixies Chris Bell and Alex Chilton- Big Star Glen Phillips- Toad the Wet Sprocket Paul Westerberg- The Replacements Peter Murphy and Daniel Ash- Bauhaus ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/22 "2004-07-30T20:00:46Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > Ben Folds Five begat Ben Folds > Y Kant Tori Reed begat Tori Amos I don’t know if bands built around individuals should count. Funkadelic begat Bootsy Collins - I doubt Bootsy has had any huge hit singles, but he’s Bootsy. He’s a name, and he’s a… whatever he is. ---
**Author:** ![dry\_gear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@dry\_gear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dry_gear)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/23 "2004-07-30T20:05:01Z")
I think Mick Ronson was fairly successful too as a soloist. He was guitarist for David Bowie in the Ziggy Stardust days. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/24 "2004-07-30T20:07:24Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Paul McCartney - Wings 😉 😃 Get the rope. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/25 "2004-07-30T20:16:29Z")
[nitpick] Joe Walsh was in the James Gang before he went solo. His Eagles gig kinda overlapped his solo career (much like Phil Collins & Genesis). Also, Sammy Hagar was in Montrose before he went solo, he joined up with Van Halen after a successful solo career. [/nitpick] Stewart Copeland (of the Police) is another one that has had a fairly successful “soundtrack” career. As for the OP: Richard Thompson was in Fairport Convention. Todd Rundgren was in The Nazz then had a solo career that overlapped with Utopia. Has anyone mentioned David Byrne yet? I don’t know about “successful” but I believe Jay Farrar is going solo now after being in Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt. ---
**Author:** ![Threadkiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@Threadkiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Threadkiller)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/26 "2004-07-30T20:19:09Z")
> [@dwc1970](#): > > Eagles- Don Henley, Joe Walsh Joe Walsh was already quite well established when he was invited to join _The Eagles_. Think Sammy Hagar and _Van Halen_. If anything Joe Walsh was a product of _The James Gang_. See [www.joewalsh.com](http://www.joewalsh.com) ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/27 "2004-07-30T20:32:23Z")
Nick Cave - The Birthday Party ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/28 "2004-07-30T20:46:40Z")
It’s not “The Eurythmics.” It’s just “Eurythmics.” The Sugar Cubes begat Bjork. Miami Sound Machine begat Gloria Estefan. Freddie Mercury did quite a bit of solo work away from Queen but I don’t know how successful his solo efforts were. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/29 "2004-07-30T21:02:14Z")
> [@Wesley Clark](#): > > The Beatles - All except ringo had solo success > > > [@spoke](#): > > > > (Oh yes, and for the record, Ringo Starr has multiple top 40 hits as a solo artist.) In fact, he had more Number 1 hits than John Lennon! ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/30 "2004-07-30T22:34:07Z")
The Pixies: Black Francis (now Frank Black), Kim Deal (The Breeders) Amboy Dukes: Ted Nugent ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/31 "2004-07-30T22:39:01Z")
Les Claypool has done okay as a solo artist since Primus took a break (nice if they’re back, though). Of course, he’s not sounding very different, but he was the brains behind Primus anyway. I don’t mean that he’s had any hits. However, he seems to have built a decent following for himself on the jam circuit. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/32 "2004-07-31T03:31:27Z")
It took a while down in the thread, but somebody did finally hit upon Aimee Mann from Til Tuesday. Glad I’m not the only one to think of her. As for my own additions: Whiskeytown begot Ryan Adams CCR begot John Fogerty not quite on topic, but Nirvana gave us Dave Grohl as a frontman for Foo Fighters though he’s not been successful at it yet, Blues Traveler may give us a solo John Popper (his \Zygote\ is not a bad album at all) ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/33 "2004-07-31T04:06:35Z")
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/34 "2004-07-31T04:35:12Z")
These aren’t on the same level as some, but David Usher has had at least some success up here in the Great White North and Gord Downy has had some critical success even accross the border. -David Usher from Moist -Gord Downy from The Tragically Hip ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/35 "2004-07-31T04:54:32Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > In fact, he had more Number 1 hits than John Lennon! And was also the first (ex-)Beatle to score a #1 hit. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/36 "2004-07-31T05:09:23Z")
The Eagles - every one of them was reasonably or highly sucessful as a solo artist. Don Henley, Glenn Frey (“Smuggler’s Blues”, “The Heat is On”), Joe Walsh, Randy Meisner, even Timothy B. Schmit has a pretty good solo run for a few years. Here’s a biggie I didn’t see yet - **Kenny Rogers** , who was first in the _First Edition_. **Waylon Jennings** , who was in **Buddy Holly’s** band. **Frank Sinatra** , who was a singer for **Tommy Dorsey**. In fact, he may be the prototype for the singer who breaks from his band and goes solo. As for Ringo, He had EIGHT top ten hits, including two that went to #1. They were: _Back Off Boogaloo It Don’t Come Easy Oh My My No No Song Photograph You’re Sixteen Only You Snookeroo_ (??) Allmusic says it went to #3 - I never heard of it I think Ringo had the second-most successful solo career after Paul McCartney. And right after the Beatles broke up, Ringo became the star of the bunch, releasing two or three monster albums in the first four years after the Beatles packed it in. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/37 "2004-07-31T05:14:55Z")
Plus…if I am not mistaken, Ringo was mildly famous _before_ the Beatles - I got that impression for their ‘Anthology’ anyway, when they talked about how he was invited into the band. Now Pete Best, there’s an ex-Beatle who never quite made it. This list could go on for miles. A few that surprised me at one point or another… Kenny Rogers from First Edition, I’ve heard “Something’s Burning” and “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” and the original “Elvira” for years before I knew it was Kenny Rogers. Everlast from House of Pain. OK I knew he was in that rap group, but it was still a fairly big stylistic change, Andrew Ridgely from Wham! He actually did a hard rock album once. I wonder what became of that other guy. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/38 "2004-07-31T05:15:53Z")
Peter Cetera broke off from _Chicago_ in the 80s and went on to a solo career. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/39 "2004-07-31T05:17:17Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > The Eagles - every one of them was reasonably or highly sucessful as a solo artist. Don Henley, Glenn Frey (“Smuggler’s Blues”, “The Heat is On”), Joe Walsh, Randy Meisner, even Timothy B. Schmit has a pretty good solo run for a few years. > > Here’s a biggie I didn’t see yet - **Kenny Rogers** , who was first in the _First Edition_. I swear I began my ramblings before I saw this post! ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622/40 "2004-07-31T05:17:49Z")
> [@syncrolecyne](#): > > Andrew Ridgely from Wham! He actually did a hard rock album once. I wonder what became of that other guy. That jerk-off? :eek: :rolleyes: 🆒😃 (Hey, **somebody** had to say it!) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-bands-have-had-members-go-onto-be-successful-solo-artists/257622.md?page=3)