Solo vs Band

[auslander]

Here's a question for the music junkies on here: Are there any musicians in our genre whom you like their solo releases better than their band output?

[CMGiordano]

Putting aside instrumental guitar shredders (Vai, Becker, Friedman, Gilbert, Beach, etc.) and the like, where genre gets to be a little varied (and if I don't, I'm going to be here for quite a while)...

My first thoughts are of
-Jean Beauvoir... Crown of Thorns is good, and I don't mind Voodoo X, but his solo albums are something else for me.

-Johnny Van Zant... I'm bold enough to say that I like Brickyard Road more than all of his output with the Johnny Van Zant Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd (combined). That record is phenomenal.

-Lita Ford... I never cared for the Runaways.

Also have some responses that muddy the waters, as I'm not sure if they count as being "solo" or not:
-I would argue that Lionsheart were pretty much Steve Grimmett solo records, especially considering the turnover the band had between albums. Though, interestingly enough, Grimmett has taken over the Grim Reaper moniker in recent years.

-Does Dio count?

[Glen]

yes. I prefer Tremonti's solo albums.

I still really like Alter Bridge though. 

[Glen]

I prefer the DLR albums to Van Halen. 

[CureTheSane]

Chris Laney
David Lee Roth
Robbie Williams
 

[KarpetRydOFunk]

Rob Rock's been on a lot of shit, many of it good, but I think his solo albums are best. 

[auslander]

3 hours ago, KarpetRydOFunk said:

Rob Rock's been on a lot of shit, many of it good, but I think his solo albums are best. 

Good call!

[Mr.AOR]

Kent Hilli

[The Rocker]

Dio over Sabbath
Ozzy over Sabbath

 

[tts42572]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:34 AM, auslander said:

Here's a question for the music junkies on here: Are there any musicians in our genre whom you like their solo releases better than their band output?

For me, there's just something about solo albums that usually don't work for me.  I don't know what it is exactly but as I look at my CD shelf, I don't have a single solo album on it.  I guess the closest one I have are some Daughtry albums but he's essentially been a solo artist right from the start.

I guess one recent solo artist that broke away from a band that has been pretty good is Ronnie Atkins....But I still prefer the Pretty Maids output to his solo stuff.

[lettard]

For me Toby Hitchcocks - Mercurys Down shits over everything else he has been involved in.

And Vince Neil - Exposed & James Christian - Rude Awakening are as good as their output from their day jobs, would probably throw David Glen Eisleys The Lost Tapes in that bracket too.

Edited August 8, 2023 by lettard

[Darkstone]

8 hours ago, lettard said:

Vince Neil - Exposed & James Christian - Rude Awakening are as good as their output from their day jobs

Good call on these two.

 

[Darkstone]

I always thought that the two Lou Gramm solo albums were just as good as his Foreigner stuff.

[whiplash1972]

First one that came to mind is I prefer the majority of Don Henley’s solo stuff over the Eagles. 
 

I prefer Sammy Hagar solo over Montrose, Chickenfoot, and The Circle (but not over VH 😜)

[CMGiordano]

5 hours ago, Darkstone said:

I always thought that the two Lou Gramm solo albums were just as good as his Foreigner stuff.

Those Lou Gramm records are phenomenal.

[Darkstone]

 

Speaking of Don Dokken lately, "Up From The Ashes" arguably surpasses any Dokken album.

I said "arguably".

I'm not sure if it's better than "Back For The Attack", but it's damn close IMO.

 

 

[lettard]

"Up From The Ashes" is excellent/classic...then again so is "Back For The Attack"  

[Kristian]

I prefer Jesper Binzer's solo album over the last couple of D-A-D outputs.