4 Rock Stars Who Were More Successful in Bands Than They Were as Solo Acts

Rock stars go solo all the time. When a famous rock band breaks up, it’s only to be expected that the remaining members would go do their own thing. Sadly, for a few talented rock stars, going solo didn’t yield as successful results as their original band did. Let’s take a look at a few examples, shall we?

Morrissey

Oh, Morrissey. His inclusion on this list was inevitable. After The Smiths split up in 1987, his solo career has, more or less, been pretty successful. However, many of his solo releases have been the subject of very mixed reviews. I have to say, his first couple of solo albums were good, though they weren’t quite up there with the best of The Smiths. But after that, following an eyebrow-raising political alignment, his music hasn’t been greatly perceived. Plenty of critics have dragged him through the mud in the last couple of decades.

David Lee Roth

Honestly, it doesn’t even matter that David Lee Roth didn’t find quite as much success as a solo artist as he did in Van Halen. Every video clip I see of this man on social media shows him having an absolute blast on stage. Good for him.

After the Van Halen era was more or less over, Roth decided to take on a solo career. He’s clearly been making good money from it, but a lot of his solo work hasn’t resonated well with critics. And that cover of “California Girls” is… something. Still, we’re all for Roth’s solo era.

Ray Mazarek

Jim Morrison’s death in 1971 was devastating. The Doors tried to continue as a three-member outfit, but it just wasn’t the same. After they parted ways, keyboardist Ray Manzarek decided to give a solo career a try. He released a couple of odd solo albums in the 1970s before moving on to work with Iggy Pop, Nite City, X, and a wealth of other groups.

David Crosby

This one has always surprised me. David Crosby is one of those rock stars who went solo that I would expect to be even bigger than their original bands. Crosby was a major member of the 1970s folk rock outfit (often considered a supergroup), Crosby, Stills & Nash, plus Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. He was also a founding member of The Byrds. The guy is a legend. 

Sadly, Crosby’s solo career never reached the heights of his supergroup days. Some musicians really shine when they are working with other people, and I think that might be the case for David Crosby.

Photo by Andrew Putler/Redferns

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