Best solo career

[thecuriousorange]

In terms of success it must be George Michael or Robbie Williams. Michael Jackson counts. Phil Collins smashed it sales-wise. But what about the best solo efforts from an ex-band member in terms of quality? Morrissey is a mixed bag, with some gems.

[sevendaughters]

Neil Young is an ex-band member that sort of kind of very much definitely actually pisses on all the abovementioned.

[thraxx]

It's a tough call, but it's either Bradley or Paul from S Club 7 isn't it.

[popcorn]

There are countless examples of people who used to be in bands but only made it big as a solo act. Bjork makes her work with the Sugarcubes completely irrelevant, for example.

It feels like in the spirit of the conversation we should only be judging people whose solo acts didn't completely dwarf their group work. In which case surely Michael Jackson is the one to beat.

Other contenders - hm. Brian Eno is one of the most influential musicians of all time...

I've followed the solo work of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with a lot of interest, and I think they've both only got more interesting as they've done less stuff with Radiohead, but I imagine that's a bit niche of me.

[Maurice Yeatman]

All four of Donald Fagen's albums are crackers, even if Kamakiriad (ironically the one that had major input from Becker) seems a slight dip in quality after the first. Becker only did two of his own, the first was ace, but the second was less inspired.

I listen to Roddy Frame's superb solo albums, particularly North Star and Seven Dials, more than I listen to any Aztec Camera these days.

[greenman]

There are countless examples of people who used to be in bands but only made it big as a solo act. Bjork makes her work with the Sugarcubes completely irrelevant, for example.

It feels like in the spirit of the conversation we should only be judging people whose solo acts didn't completely dwarf their group work. In which case surely Michael Jackson is the one to beat.

Other contenders - hm. Brian Eno is one of the most influential musicians of all time...

I've followed the solo work of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with a lot of interest, and I think they've both only got more interesting as they've done less stuff with Radiohead, but I imagine that's a bit niche of me.

Lou Reed, John Cale and Peter Gabriel come to mind as well along those lines although not sure I'd agree with the first.

[Wet Blanket]

Sophie Ellis Bextor is still famous, although I doubt anyone listens to theaudience records anymore.

[wosl]

Richard Thompson has done all right for himself post-Fairports, as did Sandy Denny, in the curtailed time she was given.  Vangelis knocked it out of the park and into orbit with a big clout from a CS-80 after leaving Aphrodite's Child.

[non capisco]

Charlotte Hatherley's solo albums 'The Deep Blue' and especially 'New Worlds' are both excellent and far superior to whatever old pony she was involved with during her time in Ash.

[Delete Delete Delete]

Lionel Richie has had a good solo career.

[Shit Good Nose]

Steve Hackett - he was the first member of Genesis to release a solo album (Voyage of the Acolyte), and it's often called the best album Genesis never made.  And, aside from the odd dodgy album and determination to be a lead singer, he's kept up a remarkable level of quality for his entire solo career, which is still going strong. 

Similarly, Robert Fripp has had a blinding solo (and other non-King Crimson bands) career, which has taken in all sorts of genres and styles.  Granted he's very much one for the purists and I don't think he'll ever achieve proper solo success (not that he ever wants it), but it's all been at least interesting if not good.

[Neomod]

Damon Albarn's done pretty well outside of Blur (project and solo wise).

[the science eel]

Charlotte Hatherley quite clearly has had the best solo career of anyone.

[mrpupkin]

In terms of success Michael Jackson counts but is bested by George Michael and Robbie Williams? Has daddy's hat fallen off?

[Nice Relaxing Poo]

Is Nick Cave considered a solo artist despite being with The Bad Seeds all these years?


If so then he's in the running.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Don Henley's Boys of Summer is better than anything the Eagles ever did, so him.

Macca's hugely successful solo career was/is far more eclectic and inventive than John, George and Ringo's, so he wins out of the Beatles.

Michael 'Mike' Nesmith never had a chance of matching the Monkees' commercial success when he went solo, but his early '70s country-rock albums are rightly regarded as classics of the genre (a genre he had a hand in creating).

Paul Simon's solo career has been pretty stellar too.

[Absorb the anus burn]

David Byrne: Rei Momo, The Forest, Look into The Eyeball, The Catherine Wheel.

Holger Czukay: Movies, Full Circle, Rome Remains Rome.

Steve Hillage: Fish Rising; Rainbow Dome. etc.

[DrGreggles]

I like a lot of Julian Cope's solo stuff.

[non capisco]

Charlotte Hatherley quite clearly has had the best solo career of anyone.

Thought we were just naming good solo careers. Forget about the 'best' thing. A thousand apologies, Lord Sarky Bollocks.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Dusty Springfield's solo recordings were much, much better than anything she did with The Springfields.

The Walker Brothers released some great stuff, obviously, but solo Scott is where it's at.

At the risk of derailing the thread, what about people who went a bit shit when they went solo? Off the top of my head...

Eric Carmen
Mick Jagger
Freddie Mercury
Linda Ronstadt
Demis Roussos
Feargal Sharkey
Paul Weller

[Golden E. Pump]

Can't really compare anyone to Jackson in terms of influence and sales.

[Brundle-Fly]

At the risk of derailing the thread, what about people who went a bit shit when they went solo? Off the top of my head...

Paul Weller

Not having that. I don't like all his solo stuff but Weller's written some of his best work over the last ten years.

I think Robert Wyatt hasn't done so bad either. 

Most artists recorded in a band of some sort before they went solo really. eg: Bob Marley, Bowie, Diana Ross

[Darles Chickens]

Sting's had some highs and lows since he left his lot. I liked Ten Summoner's Tales, a kind of almost experimental fusion of pop and jazz, with some nice singles in there. And the only Top 40 hit I can think of in 5/4 time.

[purlieu]

The aforementioned Brian Eno is definitely a contender: a huge, sprawling, extraordinarily influential career, after starting out in a band who remain hugely rated and influential in their own right.

In terms of quality, John Frusciante's solo material is so, so much better than RHCP it's staggering.

Personal favourite: Roddy Woomble. I like most of his solo albums more than a few Idlewild records.

I'm very fond of Graham Coxon's first four albums, although considerably less so his later four. But those early ones really showed a side to him barely touched in Blur's entire discography.

Mark Hollis's single solo album is a masterpiece and listened to by a lot of people, I'm sure, as if it were a sixth Talk Talk album.

At the risk of derailing the thread, what about people who went a bit shit when they went solo? Off the top of my head...

A quick glance at my CD collection and I was amazed at just how many bands have spawned solo projects which will go largely forgotten. There's a whole bunch of frontmen who decided to start a solo career while their main band was in a post-success lull, or on a break... Brett Anderson, Mark Morris, Kelly Jones, Fran Healy, Ian Broudie, James Dean Bradfield, Tim Booth.

It's intriguing that some solo careers just don't really take off. Paul Hartnoll's 8:58 project was a commercial flop, despite the album basically being a new Orbital record. It's one reason he decided to reform Orbital, as he wasn't selling any tickets for his shows. Back with his brother and he can perform much the same material, sounding the same, to crowds of thousands. Stuff like this makes it a bit more understandable why, for example, Neil Barnes still uses the Leftfield name for his own material. If it's the difference between being little more than a hobbyist musician and playing huge festivals, keeping the name is a really important thing.

[pupshaw]

... Karen Carpenter

Dusty Springfield's solo recordings were much, much better than anything she did with The Springfields.

The Walker Brothers released some great stuff, obviously, but solo Scott is where it's at.

At the risk of derailing the thread, what about people who went a bit shit when they went solo? Off the top of my head...

Eric Carmen
Mick Jagger
Freddie Mercury
Linda Ronstadt
Demis Roussos
Feargal Sharkey
Paul Weller

[Gregory Torso]

Scott Walker, surely. Maybe not commercially.

Also, another one here for Robert Wyatt.

edit: didn't read thread did I, I DIDN'T READ THE THREAD, Mr Ballad Berkely already mentioned Scott Walker, fill my arse with concrete and fly a plane off it DIDN'T READ THREAD LA LA LA

[The Culture Bunker]

I listen to Roddy Frame's superb solo albums, particularly North Star and Seven Dials, more than I listen to any Aztec Camera these days.

Aztec Camera pretty much was just Roddy Frame after their first two albums, wasn't it?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Not having that. I don't like all his solo stuff but Weller's written some of his best work over the last ten years.

I did hesitate when I nominated Weller, as he definitely reconnected with his muse after that dreary '90s Modfather phase. You're absolutely right, and I wish to strike my previous statement from the record.

Most artists recorded in a band of some sort before they went solo really. eg: Bob Marley, Bowie, Diana Ross

During the Sun era, Elvis Presley was technically in a band too - The Blue Moon Boys/Elvis Presley, Scotty and Bill. His solo career didn't do too badly after that.

[the science eel]

Thought we were just naming good solo careers. Forget about the 'best' thing. A thousand apologies, Lord Sarky Bollocks.

You are forgiven, oh non-understanding one

[Brundle-Fly]

Was Kate Bush ever in a band?