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Great Overall Career Arc -- Group/Solo

I'm interested in opinions on great artist who started out in a great band(s) and then went on to have equally great or better solo careers. The starting band can be relatively short-lived (at least 2 albums), but the solo career should be long-lived, or vice versa.

An obvious example would be John Lennon, but after thinking about it I don't think he qualifies. Is his solo work really as good or better than his original group work? I think the same applies to Brian Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, George Clinton or Sting.

I'm thinking more along the lines of Neil Young (Buffalo Springfield), Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music), Gram Parsons (Byrds & Flying Burrito Bros.), Jeff Beck (Yardbirds), Micheal Jackson (Jackson 5), Dave Alvin (Blasters) or even Robin Trower (Procol Harum).

Who would you include on this list?
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onhwy61 OP
5,212 posts
 
I think Robbie Robertson's solo work is of superior quality. I could see where some people would add Levon Helm to this list. I also rank Jack Bruce's solo career higher than Eric Clapton's, but both pale when compared to their work with Cream.

How about Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Robert Fripp (King Crimson) and Jorma Kaukonen/Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane). While technically Kaukonen and Casady are two different people, career wise they really can be thought of as a single entity.

It's all just opinion.
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mapman
22,172 posts
 
Yeah, Genesis produced FOUR successful solo careers!

Gabriel
Collins
Rutherford
Hackett

Banks is still out there as a highly regarded composer and musician mostly these days as well, I believe,but less known as a solo act alone compared to the others. Anthony Phillips has also maintained a long and prodigious solo career since leaving Genesis early on but is least well known overall perhaps.

Can anyone beat that for quality and amount of musical output seeded from one act originally? Yardbirds or BEatles maybe?
bdgregory
1,712 posts
 
thanks Viridian - I think that's exactly the point. We just won't reach a consensus on who's careers were great, nor on which bands were great. eg, I would clearly have Clapton on this list before I would have Robbie Robertson. I can agree with you that Sting doesn't belong.

While I'm at it - I think I have all of Robert Fripp's solo albums, as well as all of King Crimson's - I thought I was probably the only one who did though. Glad none the less to see him listed.

Mention of Jorma Kaukonen caused me to think of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn - both I think started with "The Pentangle" (a great group) and have a pretty great solo output.
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tsugury
251 posts
 
Diana Ross- The Supremes- then solo
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