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List of musicians changed career with better success...

Hi I followed musicians from certain bands that were much higher class and caliber than the band they used to play and here’s my nominees:

1. Mike Stern -- Blood Sweat and Tears reached his prime as virtuoso fusion guitarist and set up quite a few interesting projects
2. John Paul Jones -- Led Zeppelin. He can play various instruments and created great projects especially one with Diamanda Galas which is far more creative than his carreer in Led Zeppelin.
3. Andy Summers -- Police became jazz guitarist and created great albums in 90’s
4. Gary Brooker -- Procol Harum -- pianist and vocal of Procol Harum. His solo albums are more interesting than ones with Procol Harum
5. Colin James Hay -- Men At Work -- multi-instrumentalist, bassist and vocal released very few albums that are definitely beyond the class of Man At Work
6. Steve Stevens -- guitarist who performed with Billy Idol created great solo albums...
7. Finally among the Beatles, I believe the most successful solo career that goes beyond the Beatles I believe belongs to George Harrison.

Welcome to chip-in...
czarivey
tostadosunidos's avatar
tostadosunidos
1,197 posts
 
I personally put the early work of Clapton in a very high place. Every bit of it.  Some of the post-Blind Faith solo work hits me but I find so much of it to be over-commercialized and totally disposable.  Different strokes.
And I feel somewhat the same about Rod.
sevs
301 posts
 
David Sylvian since he left (or disbanded?) Japan.
Phil Collins post Genesis is a good  example of commercial success and (for my tastes) musical degradation...
bondmanp
1,817 posts
 

Ministry - went from synth pop to thrash metal/punk and never looked back. 


sevs - Speaking of Japan, did you ever hear their first LP?  It was a really bad arena rock attempt.  Nothing like the New Romantic sound they went for afterwards.


Also, sevs, I think Peter Gabriel moved in a great direction after Genesis.


Chrissie Hynde went from music reviewer to lead singer of the Pretenders.


bondmanp
1,817 posts
 
Oh, - Robert Gordon did fair as a punk rocker, but his career improved once he embraced Rockabilly.
czarivey OP
5,946 posts
 
David Sylvian solo albums are almost all with Japan members so it seems he never left Japan only changed everything to his name. Japan as band had a few mishaps releasing some pop rock cuap. 
tostadosunidos,
Clapton's "Cream" career is the best and his solo album live "Rainbow Concert" revealed his best qualities. Also "Slowhand" album can get kinda similar attention. 
Diana Ross had larger commercial success, but with Supremes the material was substantially more creative and interesting. She downgraded her music to become more pop and make more money.
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