love the solo stuff, don't care for the band stuff

[nasonm]

I was thinking this morning of artists who I enjoy their solo work but not the stuff with the bands they are usually associated with

Case in point: I love John Doe's solo albums, but don't care too much for X's work.

[jonitkin]

I do like Dire Straits, but a lot of Mark Knopfler's solo output is really amazing. Shangri La is one of my favorite albums ever. The lyrics on that one are phenomenal. Everyone knows Knopfler as a guitar hero, but for me he's also a great lyricist and storyteller.

hmmmm....

This is an interesting one. Usually it's the other way around, as in John Fogerty post-Creedence or Robbie Robertson post-Band.

[J-man]

Would it be cheating to say Jeff Beck's solo stuff, post-Yardbirds?

:P

[Ed P]

Love Keith Richard's solo stuff; don't care for the Stones

[garytelecastor]

Sting-he was great with the Police but his individual stuff is OUTSTANDING!!!!!

[BillyG]

Originally Posted by garytelecastor

Sting-he was great with the Police but his individual stuff is OUTSTANDING!!!!!

-1. Sting with The Police rocks. Sting by himself... not so much.

[Pete Galati]

Originally Posted by J-man

Would it be cheating to say Jeff Beck's solo stuff, post-Yardbirds?

:P

The Yardbirds did a few things I liked. But to me, most of it just seemed like hyper-active kids trying to play the Blues.

I think Jeff's solo career's a lot better.

Originally Posted by Ed P

Love Keith Richard's solo stuff; don't care for the Stones

Same here on that one too. The Stones did a lot more that I liked than the Yardbirds too. But I think Keith's had a lounge lizard riding on his coat tails for years.

[Skully]

Case in point: I love John Doe's solo albums, but don't care too much for X's work.

Another -1. Snoozers! Bland heartland folk rock. But to each his own!

[J-man]

Just realised another that should've occurred to me a long time ago!

Rory Gallagher was good with Taste, but he really flourished when he went solo!

[byrdbrain]

I like Soft Machine and Matching Mole, but I like Robert Wyatt's
solo albums a lot better.
And John Cale has a slew of outstanding albums.

[byrdbrain]

One more: Jack Bruce.
Cream was for some reason never my band,
but I'm a big fan of Songs for a Taylor and Harmony Row.

[Tim Bowen]

Can't say I've ever been a fan of Husker Du, but I love Bob Mould's solo records.

Don't really care for Morrisey and the Smiths, but I always dug Johnny Marr's parts with whomever he's been involved with; one of the consumate "parts players".

Guns n' Roses always got on my last nerve, but I dig Izzy Stradlin, both as a player and a writer.

[markothefish]

Originally Posted by Tim Bowen

Can't say I've ever been a fan of Husker Du, but I love Bob Mould's solo records.

+1 Thats the first one that popped in my head when I saw this thread.

[TheWasp]

I'm a big fan of solo Bob Mould but the Sugar albums are IMHO outstanding ,particularly 'Copper Blue'....

[nasonm]

Originally Posted by markothefish

+1 Thats the first one that popped in my head when I saw this thread.

His New CD "District Line" has a return to his guitar-rock sound. It's fantastic!

[davidge1]

Originally Posted by nasonm

I love John Doe's solo albums, but don't care too much for X's work.

Im just the opposite...I've been totally bored by all of John Doe's solo music...I actually fell asleep when my wife and I went to see him play an acoustic set. I'm a huge fan of the first four X albums though. Their first album is one of my favorite albums ever.

Likewise with Dave Alvin...loved the early Blasters, but I think his solo material stinks. Every Keith Richards solo song Ive heard starts out with a great guitar part, but once it settles into the song I get bored with it.

There are others, too... It seems like some people do great things in a band situation with the right people, but not so well on their own calling all the shots. I cant think of one member of any band who's solo work I like better.

[chabby]

I likd Clapton best when he was with Cream. Blind Faith. Delaney & Bonnie. John Mayall. I liked Sting better with the Police. I cant stand Phil Collins except in Genesis same with mike rutherford. Hate Keef's and Jaggers solo records. Lindsey Buckingham's gotta be the worst solo act ever. Like STeve Morse with the Dregs only. Page and Plant gotta be with Zep and d. Gilmour with the Floyd for me and Knopfler with the Straits as he's never equaled 'Sultans of Swing" on his own or "Down to the Waterline"..

WHo I like solo: Like all these in their respective bands too and are good either way to me.

Robert Palmer
Steve Winwood
Gary Moore
Ry Cooder
Peter Frampton
George Harrison (God rest his soul)
Pete Townshend
Tom Petty
Warren Haynes
Derek Trucks
Bramhall III
Jeff Beck
Stevie Nicks
Jeff Lynn

[Skully]

I'm a big fan of solo Bob Mould but the Sugar albums are IMHO outstanding ,particularly 'Copper Blue'....

I really like "Copper Blue." After it came out, I tried to get into Husker Du, but I couldn't manage it. I never got into Sugar's second album "File Under: Easy Listening," either. I've heard good things about Mould's solo stuff, but I've never really partaken.

I think I'll now put on "Copper Blue." I haven't listened to it in awhile.

[wierdOne]

I think Mark Knopfler's album Ragpickers Dream was amazing.... great stuff....

still like sultans of swing though... it's like my anthem... that and Piano Man...

I like Chris Thile's solo stuff much more than any Nickel Creek offering i've heard..

Nickel Creek is still awesome though...

[Chance]

Well, I can't believe all the Husker Du haters. I guess you had to be there

For myself, I can't get enough of Land Speed Record. First of the Last Call just gets me pumped up.

Chance

[Just-Jim]

Stan Ridgeway...especially his work with Stuart Copeland.

Ozzy...just due to my age...Sabbath scared me too much as a kid.

Billy Idol (I know, cheezy)...did not like Gen X, but did like Steve Stevens.

El DeBarge...Sorry, wrong forum.

[teledude66]

Trey Anastasio. I just loaded his cd Shine on the iPod, man it's got some good tunes and no noodling solos or extended jams. I liked some Phish recorded stuff, but they really had a fan base of their live stuff, I was the opposite. Shine really is a good cd.

[TeleBrew]

Originally Posted by BillyG

-1. Sting with The Police rocks. Sting by himself... not so much.

+1 on your -1

I love the Police, but I think Sting lost his bollocks as soon as the group split up.

This is somewhat obscure - I like Heatmiser, but really like Elliot Smith solo.

And I prefer X to John Doe, too.

[TeleBrew]

Originally Posted by Chance

Well, I can't believe all the Husker Du haters. I guess you had to be there

For myself, I can't get enough of Land Speed Record. First of the Last Call just gets me pumped up.

Chance

+1 Husker Du was a great band. Bob Mould has done some very good work since then, but I prefer Husker Du.

[thekillingjoke]

Originally Posted by BillyG

-1. Sting with The Police rocks. Sting by himself... not so much.

I'm with you on this one. Sting's better off with The Police.

[Tim Bowen]

I don't hate Husker Du, it just doesn't particularly blow my skirt up. Looking forward to hearing Bob's new record.

I'm a Police FREAK, so yeah, I prefer Gordon with Andy and Stewart. That said, I think Sting has sort of pursued his "Steely Dan" jones as a solo artist. While the recordings have become less visceral, the textures and sonics and musicianship are amazing. "Soul Cages" and "Jeremiah Blues (part 1)" are as cool as anything Gordon's ever recorded, in my opinion.

As a guitar teacher, it's virtually impossible for me to not be jaded when it comes to Ozzy. No, we can't work on "Crazy Train". It's public domain anyway, you can learn it from the internet. How about let's dig into "Sweet Leaf" or "Snowblind" or "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", that's where the cool stuff lives.

[claudel]

Ringo