Some bands pool their talents to present a united front – writing credits are shared and there’s a designated lead singer. These bands often feature stable lineups and long tenures; examples include R.E.M. and Rush. Other bands are full of competing talents with distinct individual voices.
Here are ten bands that couldn’t contain so many talented members for long – each band spawned at least two notable spin-off acts. These spin-off acts includes solo legends like Neil Young and Dr. Dre, and notable bands like Led Zeppelin and Whitesnake.
I only included bands that provided the first notable recording experience for an artist; for instance I disqualified the Eagles because Joe Walsh was already established as a solo artist before he joined (and because Don Henley was the only other Eagle with a notable solo career). Bands that just missed the cut include John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and The Housemartins.
Ten Bands That Spawned Multiple Successful Artists
The Beatles
Unlike some of the other acts on this list, The Beatles‘ work as a band clearly overshadows the members’ solo work. Nonetheless, all four Beatles scored UK number one singles as solo artists; even Ringo Starr scored a pair of chart toppers in 1974 (‘Photograph’ and ‘You’re Sixteen’). Some great albums also came out of The Beatles’ solo careers, notably George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band, and Paul McCartney’s RAM.
Buffalo Springfield
1960s folk-rockers Buffalo Springfield only released three albums, and only one of them (1967’s Buffalo Springfield Again) captured their potential. Nonetheless, many of the individual members went on to subsequent success. Neil Young, Stephen Stills, and Poco’s Richie Furay were all original members of the band, while replacement bass player Jim Messina went on to form Loggins & Messina.
The Byrds
Roger McGuinn anchored folk-rock band The Byrds during their 1960s and 1970s heyday, but plenty of other talent passed through the group. Gene Clark quit to enjoy an artistically satisfying solo career, while David Crosby formed Crosby, Stills, and Nash after his dismissal. Later, Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman left to form the country-rock pioneers The Flying Burrito Brothers.
Deep Purple
Legendary English hard rock band Deep Purple boast an extremely convoluted history. It’s so complicated that the different lineups of the band between 1968 and 1976 are labelled Mark I, II, III and IV. They also spawned a lot of spinoffs; guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left to form Rainbow, Ian Gillan formed Gillan, and David Coverdale formed Whitesnake.
Fairport Convention
English folk-rockers Fairport Convention were formed in 1967 and were a going concern more than fifty years later. At least 25 different musicians have passed through their ranks. Notable Fairport Convention alumni who’ve enjoyed solo acclaim include Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, and Iain Matthews, while founder Ashley Hutchings later formed Steeleye Span and the Albion Band.
Genesis
In 1971, the classic Genesis lineup, the quintet of Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford, released their first album together. The progressive rock of Nursery Cryme belatedly peaked at #39 on the UK charts. Fifteen years later, Genesis and its offshoots were commercial juggernauts; Invisible Touch, Peter Gabriel’s So, Phil Collins’ No Jacket Required, and Mike + The Mechanics were all hugely successful. Former guitarist Steve Hackett never reached the same height of commercial success, but has quietly released many well-received solo records.
N.W.A.
N.W.A. inarguably peaked with their debut album, 1988’s Straight Outta Compton, popularising gangsta rap. Before they released a follow-up, Ice Cube had already left the band and released AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, while Dr. Dre eclipsed his former group commercially with 1992’s The Chronic. The charismatic Eazy-E had little chance to establish a solo career, passing away from AIDS in 1995.
Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground are often name-dropped, but I didn’t hear any of their songs until I tracked down their albums. On the other hand, leader Lou Reed’s solo career produced radio-friendly songs like ‘Perfect Day’ and ‘Walk on the Wild Side’. I prefer the solo output of former band-mate John Cale, who created records like Paris 1919 and Fear and later helped to popularise Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’. Nico, who provided vocals on The Velvet Underground’s debut, also enjoyed acclaim for albums like Desertshore.
Wu-Tang Clan
Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan were an unusually large hip hop crew – the original lineup featured nine MCs. The collective’s solo albums often feel like a continuation of the group’s oeuvre – mastermind RZA is in the producer’s chair for solo efforts from Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and Genius/GZA.
The Yardbirds
The lineup of 1960s blues band The Yardbirds was relatively stable, featuring mainstays like Chris Dreja, vocalist Keith Relf, and drummer Jim McCarty. But the group went through a succession of legendary lead guitarists. Eric Clapton left the band to form Cream and was replaced by Jeff Beck who injected a middle eastern sound into the group. The Yardbirds broke up in 1968, but still were contractually bound to perform a Scandinavian tour. Guitarist Jimmy Page pulled together a new band; initially named The New Yardbirds, they were later renamed as Led Zeppelin.
Did I miss any of your favourite talent factories? Suggestions below please!
Graham Fyfe is probably the only music blogger to appreciate Neil Diamond and Ariana Grande. Aphoristic Album Reviews features reviews and blog posts across a growing spectrum of popular music.
29 Comments
Fun idea for a list! I suppose one could add many other examples.
One that comes to my mind I find particularly compelling would be John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Greene, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Mick Taylor all played with John Mayall before they formed other successful bands like Cream and Fleetwood Mac, or in the case of Mick Taylor joined The Rolling Stones.
Speaking of The Stones, each Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts have released solo albums. Another band that comes to mind is Pink Floyd, where Roger Waters and David Gilmour in particular established themselves as solo artists.
Mayall is a really good call actually – Clapton was already famous when he joined, but that’s a lot of talent that passed through.
If I was picking favourite Pink Floyd solo career, I’d choose Syd Barrett actually.
Great list but while it’s true that Don Henley had the most successful solo career after The Eagles, Glenn Frey had a couple of really good albums and hits as well, ie. “Smuggler’s Blues.” While not as noteworthy, I have to say that Don Felder’s only big hit, “Heavy Metal” from the soundtrack of the film with the same name is my favourite song of Eagles’ solo stuff.
I had a Frey greatest hits once, and didn’t really enjoy it – for some reason it omitted Smugglers Blues, which didn’t help. Schmitt’s the guy that I’m wondering about checking out his solo stuff.
How can it be a greatest hits when they omit “Smugglers Blues?” Have you heard Felder’s “Heavy Metal?” Great song.
According to SongFacts:
This Eagles rocker features lead vocals from Don Henley, lead guitar from Don Felder and slide guitar from Joe Walsh.
The lead vocals were a source of contention, as Felder came up with the idea for the song and wanted to sing it. He remembers being promised a lead vocal on the Hotel California album, and thought this would be the one.
According to Don Henley, they let record the vocal, but it didn’t meet the band’s standards. To distract Felder, the band’s manager Irving Azoff took him out for a meal while Henley put down his tracks.
“It was a bitter pill to swallow. I felt like Don was taking that song from me,” Felder said. “But there was no way to argue with my vocal versus Don Henley’s vocal.”
Henley said that Felder demanding a lead vocal on this song would be the equivalent of him demanding to play lead guitar on “Hotel California.”
But he did. He and Joe Walsh trade solos on the song.
I think Henley meant that Henley shouldn’t play lead guitar on Hotel California. And Felder shouldn’t song lead.
Ah, I see it now.
Nice idea for a post – and excellent call on Ram. Maybe not quite Revolver, but not too shabby either!
I love Monkberry Moon Delight and Uncle Albert.
That makes 2 of us!
Imaginative Fun Post!
The Runaways come to mind – Joan Jett and Lita Ford…they had bigger careers than The Runaways…commercial wise.
For a less known one that won’t count… The Mynah Birds who were signed with Motown that had the oddest pair ever… Rick James and Neil Young
I didn’t think about The Runaways – don’t really know any of Lita Ford’s stuff.
There must be some other Motown stuff that would fit, like The Temptations.
Yea I don’t know about Ford’s music either.
The Supremes would maybe count with Ross and Mary Wilson.
Yup, Supremes is a good one too. Santana had a few spin-offs too.
When I saw “Lamb’ i thought it was going to be a take on that album. Interesting take. We had a small chat on this with your Roxy piece. I followed those members solo works. I like following the paths band members branch out on. I guess one of the first of these for me was all the Graham Bond/John Mayall/Yardbirds/Cream bunch. Makes my head spin. Then you have the King Crimson line. Good stuff.
There are some pretty left-field links, right? Like Santana to Journey, or King Crimson to Bad Company.
The one I just discovered and it was totally left field was Crimson to Foreigner. I had no idea. On par with Santana to Journey.
At least King Crimson have Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.
I remember Jon Anderson singing a cut for KC but he might have been in Yes already. And ELP is another band i really liked.
Yup, I think Anderson was on 1971’s Lizard, after Yes had put out some records.
That’s the record. I like it. Pete Sinfield also put out a good (Different. Back when I was paying more attention to lyrics.) album. All the KC alumni were involved. Amazing what that band produced.
I did a take on John Mayalls ‘Back To The Roots’ album. In the inside booklet, Mayall has a drawing of a tree with various branches of all the players that came through his band up to 71. Kinda cool. Cream, Fleetwood Mac and others. It’s totally in tune with your idea.
Great idea this. Off the top of my head, I guess Kyuss would be one of mine – Homme and Bjork, Queens of the Stone Age (and others) and Fu Manchu. There’s also Oliveri and Mondo Generator.
I figured you’d come up with something in the 1990s. Kyuss does have a bunch of offshoots, although I didn’t know Bjork at all – had to Google it to make sure you weren’t talking about the Icelandic lady (who I assumed wasn’t a stoner desert band…).
The eagles also had Timothy Schmidt and Randy Meisner who had some success (e.g. Top 40 hits) after leaving the eagles. This makes 5, the most of any group I believe.
Fleetwood Mac had 4 solo members who had top 40 hits AFTER leaving the group. (Dave Mason joined after he had solo hits, which I don’t think counts.)
Bob Welch
Stevie Nicks
Christine McVie
Lyndsey Buckingham
Don Felder had a #43 chart hit, so almost qualified too.
I guess quantifying chart success is a good scientific way of doing it.
Aphoristic Album Reviews is almost entirely written by one person.
Graham Fyfe is probably the only music blogger to appreciate both Neil Diamond and Ariana Grande. Based in Fleet Street (New Zealand), he's been writing this blog since around 2000. Aphoristic Album Reviews features reviews and blog posts across a growing spectrum of popular music.
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Fun idea for a list! I suppose one could add many other examples.
One that comes to my mind I find particularly compelling would be John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Greene, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Mick Taylor all played with John Mayall before they formed other successful bands like Cream and Fleetwood Mac, or in the case of Mick Taylor joined The Rolling Stones.
Speaking of The Stones, each Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts have released solo albums. Another band that comes to mind is Pink Floyd, where Roger Waters and David Gilmour in particular established themselves as solo artists.
Mayall is a really good call actually – Clapton was already famous when he joined, but that’s a lot of talent that passed through.
If I was picking favourite Pink Floyd solo career, I’d choose Syd Barrett actually.
Great list but while it’s true that Don Henley had the most successful solo career after The Eagles, Glenn Frey had a couple of really good albums and hits as well, ie. “Smuggler’s Blues.” While not as noteworthy, I have to say that Don Felder’s only big hit, “Heavy Metal” from the soundtrack of the film with the same name is my favourite song of Eagles’ solo stuff.
I had a Frey greatest hits once, and didn’t really enjoy it – for some reason it omitted Smugglers Blues, which didn’t help. Schmitt’s the guy that I’m wondering about checking out his solo stuff.
How can it be a greatest hits when they omit “Smugglers Blues?” Have you heard Felder’s “Heavy Metal?” Great song.
It was this one: https://www.discogs.com/Glenn-Frey-The-Best-Of-The-Millennium-Collecton-20th-Century-Masters/release/11737255
I’m listening to and enjoying Felder’s Heavy Metal right now. Have you heard the story about how Frey and Henley tricked him out of singing Victim of Love?
No,I didn’t know that.
According to SongFacts:
This Eagles rocker features lead vocals from Don Henley, lead guitar from Don Felder and slide guitar from Joe Walsh.
The lead vocals were a source of contention, as Felder came up with the idea for the song and wanted to sing it. He remembers being promised a lead vocal on the Hotel California album, and thought this would be the one.
According to Don Henley, they let record the vocal, but it didn’t meet the band’s standards. To distract Felder, the band’s manager Irving Azoff took him out for a meal while Henley put down his tracks.
“It was a bitter pill to swallow. I felt like Don was taking that song from me,” Felder said. “But there was no way to argue with my vocal versus Don Henley’s vocal.”
Henley said that Felder demanding a lead vocal on this song would be the equivalent of him demanding to play lead guitar on “Hotel California.”
But he did. He and Joe Walsh trade solos on the song.
I think Henley meant that Henley shouldn’t play lead guitar on Hotel California. And Felder shouldn’t song lead.
Ah, I see it now.
Nice idea for a post – and excellent call on Ram. Maybe not quite Revolver, but not too shabby either!
I love Monkberry Moon Delight and Uncle Albert.
That makes 2 of us!
Imaginative Fun Post!
The Runaways come to mind – Joan Jett and Lita Ford…they had bigger careers than The Runaways…commercial wise.
For a less known one that won’t count… The Mynah Birds who were signed with Motown that had the oddest pair ever… Rick James and Neil Young
I didn’t think about The Runaways – don’t really know any of Lita Ford’s stuff.
There must be some other Motown stuff that would fit, like The Temptations.
Yea I don’t know about Ford’s music either.
The Supremes would maybe count with Ross and Mary Wilson.
Yup, Supremes is a good one too. Santana had a few spin-offs too.
When I saw “Lamb’ i thought it was going to be a take on that album. Interesting take. We had a small chat on this with your Roxy piece. I followed those members solo works. I like following the paths band members branch out on. I guess one of the first of these for me was all the Graham Bond/John Mayall/Yardbirds/Cream bunch. Makes my head spin. Then you have the King Crimson line. Good stuff.
There are some pretty left-field links, right? Like Santana to Journey, or King Crimson to Bad Company.
The one I just discovered and it was totally left field was Crimson to Foreigner. I had no idea. On par with Santana to Journey.
At least King Crimson have Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.
I remember Jon Anderson singing a cut for KC but he might have been in Yes already. And ELP is another band i really liked.
Yup, I think Anderson was on 1971’s Lizard, after Yes had put out some records.
That’s the record. I like it. Pete Sinfield also put out a good (Different. Back when I was paying more attention to lyrics.) album. All the KC alumni were involved. Amazing what that band produced.
I did a take on John Mayalls ‘Back To The Roots’ album. In the inside booklet, Mayall has a drawing of a tree with various branches of all the players that came through his band up to 71. Kinda cool. Cream, Fleetwood Mac and others. It’s totally in tune with your idea.
Great idea this. Off the top of my head, I guess Kyuss would be one of mine – Homme and Bjork, Queens of the Stone Age (and others) and Fu Manchu. There’s also Oliveri and Mondo Generator.
I figured you’d come up with something in the 1990s. Kyuss does have a bunch of offshoots, although I didn’t know Bjork at all – had to Google it to make sure you weren’t talking about the Icelandic lady (who I assumed wasn’t a stoner desert band…).
The eagles also had Timothy Schmidt and Randy Meisner who had some success (e.g. Top 40 hits) after leaving the eagles. This makes 5, the most of any group I believe.
Fleetwood Mac had 4 solo members who had top 40 hits AFTER leaving the group. (Dave Mason joined after he had solo hits, which I don’t think counts.)
Bob Welch
Stevie Nicks
Christine McVie
Lyndsey Buckingham
Don Felder had a #43 chart hit, so almost qualified too.
I guess quantifying chart success is a good scientific way of doing it.