You Like an Artist's Solo Album, but Not His/Her Main Band

[Garden Dreamer]

Not sure how many replies this will generate, but the first one that comes to mind for me is John Petrucci. I don't care for Dream Theater but I dig his all-instrumental solo album, "Suspended Animation.". There's some shredding for sure, but a lot of different moods and textures. Parts of it sound like the more melodic, focused parts of Liquid Tension Experiment.

To clarify, the two solo albums Neal Morse did while still with Spock's Beard would qualify, but not the post-SB albums of his solo career starting with "Testimony" as that became his "main band."

[Garden Dreamer]

Ah, thought of another one. I like all of Ty Tabor's solo albums but King's X does nothing for me.

[ThomasKDye]

I have a friend with whom I can geek out over Anthony Phillips. However, said friend absolutely HATES "Trespass" (didn't even ask about FGTR). I asked him why, and he said, "There's something about all of those other guys being involved that makes it not as good."

"How did you find OUT about Phillips if not via Genesis?" Turns out he saw the Peter Cross album cover of "Geese" in a store and decided to buy it because it looked cool… then fell in love with the music. Really kind of interesting.

EDIT: Ah! The main page reminded me of one. Love Phil Manzanera. Roxy Music bores me.

[bob_32_116]

George Michael/Wham!

And I also like Mick Jagger's solo work a lot more than I like what the Stones were doing at that same period.

[klothos]

I prefer King Diamond's output over Mercyful Fate

I also much prefer Rob Zombie's solo efforts than White Zombie's output

[PeterG]

Roger Waters (vs. post-DSotM PF)
Anthony Phillips (vs. the music made during his time in Genesis)
Bruce Dickinson (vs. the albums Maiden made w/o him)
Donald Fagen
Ian McNabb (Icicle Works)
Nick Lowe (Rockpile)
Keith Richards

[grego]

I don't care of Magma, but I like very much Weidorje album.

[GuitarGeek]

And I also like Mick Jagger's solo work a lot more than I like what the Stones were doing at that same period.

Well, you and everyone else on the planet. In between Mick's first two solo albums, The Stones made a record called Dirty Work, which routinely comes in stone dead last in any survey of the Stones catalog. The Stones record that immediately precedes Mick's first solo record is Undercover, which isn't much better rated by most would be record critics either. Even Satanic Majesties has more admirers than either of those two duds.

(and I'm not sure even Ace Frehley could salvage any of the original songs that were on Dirty Work)

[GuitarGeek]

Nick Lowe (Rockpile)

Actually, some of Nick's solo records ARE Rockpile albums. There was a stretch in the late 70's where, regardless of whether it was Nick's name, Dave Edmunds or Rockpile on the front cover, you were getting a record where the main band was Nick, Dave, Billy Bremner and Terry Williams.

[Garden Dreamer]

Actually, some of Nick's solo records ARE Rockpile albums. There was a stretch in the late 70's where, regardless of whether it was Nick's name, Dave Edmunds or Rockpile on the front cover, you were getting a record where the main band was Nick, Dave, Billy Bremner and Terry Williams.

Correct. All of those GREAT albums contained the same 4 guys in the band, it was just a matter of whether they called it a Nick Lowe album, a Dave Edmunds album or a Rockpile album.... depending upon who did the bulk of the lead vocals.

[PeterG]

Actually, some of Nick's solo records ARE Rockpile albums. There was a stretch in the late 70's where, regardless of whether it was Nick's name, Dave Edmunds or Rockpile on the front cover, you were getting a record where the main band was Nick, Dave, Billy Bremner and Terry Williams.

Yea, I know but I always preferred the smoother style of nicks solo stuff. And I never really liked Edmunds.

[bill g]

I like David Byrne's solo material much better than Talking Heads.

I also prefer Tony Banks solo to the last 5 Genesis albums

[the winter tree]

I've never been much of a Queensryche fan but enjoyed Geoff Tate's first solo album. I read a review of it in a music mag and took a chance on it.

[Spiral]

Dream Theater came to mind for me too, but it's Kevin Moore's projects I just love. Not sure if it still counts when the band in question hasn't been the artist's main band for over two decades, though.

[dropforge]

Joe Walsh / Eagles. Can't stand Henley's voice.

[Digital_Man]

My brother knew a guy from concerts he would attend who was big into alternative stuff but not really prog rock. He was however a big fan of Jon Anderson's solo work but not much of a YES fan at all. That always seemed weird to me.

I can imagine there are fans of Steve Wilson, Peter Gabriel, Neal Morse and Peter Hammill who don't like the bands they are associated with.

[SteveSly]

This is kind of the opposite, but I have always liked Todd Rungren's work with Utopia a lot better than his solo stuff.

[arturs]

Joe Walsh / Eagles. Can't stand Henley's voice.

For me, I find Henley's solo LPs far better than the Eagles. So that is one good example.

I liked Lou Gramm's first solo too, much better than Foreigner (Maybe with the exception of 4).

I like Albert Hammond Jr. solo more than the Strokes.

[arabicadabra]

I was gonna say this site. I love Sean, and like each of you that I've met individually. But collectively here?

[dropforge]

For me, I find Henley's solo LPs far better than the Eagles.

I don't go near them. He's not on the same level. Joe can hit one note on his guitar and it supercedes Don's entire solo discography (IMO, of course).

I liked Lou Gramm's first solo too, much better than Foreigner (Maybe with the exception of 4).

The first three Foreigner albums (and I'll throw in 4) rank among Lou's best output. His first solo album is like dessert after the main course.

I like Albert Hammond Jr. solo more than the Strokes.

I hate the Strokes, so I'll stop now.

[Halmyre]

My brother knew a guy from concerts he would attend who was big into alternative stuff but not really prog rock. He was however a big fan of Jon Anderson's solo work but not much of a YES fan at all. That always seemed weird to me.

I can imagine there are fans of Steve Wilson, Peter Gabriel, Neal Morse and Peter Hammill who don't like the bands they are associated with.

There are plenty of Syd Barrett worshippers who wouldn't be seen dead with 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'. I think the same could be said for some of Gabriel's following; they would deny he had a career prior to 1976.

[miamiscot]

Neal Morse. Never really got into the Beard all that much.

[battema]

Bjork (Sugarcubes) and Danny Elfman (not sure why, but Oingo Boingo never connected with me).

Not a Depeche Mode fan, but pretty curious to hear what Martin Gore's new instrumental album "mg" is going to be like.

[dropforge]

Not a Depeche Mode fan, but pretty curious to hear what Martin Gore's new instrumental album "mg" is going to be like.

Didn't Roger O'Donnell (ex-The Cure) do an instrumental album? Or did it end up having vocals?

P.S. Did you get the reissue of Emerald Web's Catspaw?

[bob_32_116]

I much prefer both the early eagles albums and don Henley solo to Joe Walsh. I know he's a talented player and I'm sure he's a great guy (Stevie Nicks certainly thought so) but I really don't care for his grungy bluesy style of music.