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
Robert Gordon did fair as a punk rocker, but his career improved once he embraced Rockabilly. 
+1
I saw him perform with my one of my fav rockabilly bands back in the day in Detroit, the Twistin' Tarantulas. One of the best live shows I'd ever seen.  


While Robert Gordon is not considered an especially distinguished Rockability singer by hardcore Rockabilly aficionados (he’s kind of stiff, and without his own identifiable style. Get a Johnny Burnette Rock ’n’ Roll Trio collection to hear one of the Rockabilly greats), he has had three incredible guitarists in his band over the years. First Link Wray, then Chris Spedding, and finally the astounding Danny Gatton (I guarantee you the best guitarist lots of you probably have yet to hear. When Vince Gill’s road band started thinking they were pretty hot, Vince---himself an excellent player---made a tape of Danny’s guitar playing for the bus, and entitled it "The Humbler").
Duke Robillard also played with Robert Gordon.  Apparently there were some shows with both Robillard and Gatton.  I don't think there's any recordings of that band.
@folkfreak thats how I personally "discovered" Sylvian: thru his collaborations w/Fripp and Czukay! Good call!!! His last efforts are sublime!!!!