Solo/Side Projects That Are Better Than the Bands They Diverged From

Paedantic Basterd · 08-19-2013, 12:52 PM

It seems to me when I look through my artist library at the solo works/side-projects which have branched off of various bands that they are never as good as the whole band collaborating together--even when the artist is the main driving force behind the band anyways.

Thom Yorke on the side has never come close to Radiohead. The dozens of Broken Social Scene projects can't compete with the eclectic combination of tens of artists combined. The New Pornographers trump the work of Neko Case, Dan Bejar, and AC Newman combined. Justin Vernon has put his hands on so many projects that they've all become boring, but it doesn't detract from the magic of Bon Iver, and don't even start me on the Beatles. Every example off the top of my head makes the point, but it's surely not a universal law.

Which solo/side projects have eclipsed the original bands in quality? Is it as rare a phenomena as it appears to be? Why do you think this is the case--the absence of collaborative ideas? An artist's free-reign and inability to self-edit? SHARE.

08-19-2013, 12:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	Solo/Side Projects That Are Better Than the Bands They Diverged From It seems to me when I look through my artist library at the solo works/side-projects which have branched off of various bands that they are never as good as the whole band collaborating together--even when the artist is the main driving force behind the band anyways. Thom Yorke on the side has never come close to Radiohead. The dozens of Broken Social Scene projects can't compete with the eclectic combination of tens of artists combined. The New Pornographers trump the work of Neko Case, Dan Bejar, and AC Newman combined. Justin Vernon has put his hands on so many projects that they've all become boring, but it doesn't detract from the magic of Bon Iver, and don't even start me on the Beatles. Every example off the top of my head makes the point, but it's surely not a universal law. Which solo/side projects have eclipsed the original bands in quality? Is it as rare a phenomena as it appears to be? Why do you think this is the case--the absence of collaborative ideas? An artist's free-reign and inability to self-edit? SHARE.