Musicians who were better/worst as a solo act

Musicians who were better solo than with a group/band.
(In no particular order)

Michael Jackson - The Jackson 5
I really like the music of the Jackson 5, however no one can deny the overwhelming success of MJ after going solo. He had hit after hit after hit, and will go down as possibly the greatest solo act of all time.

Diana Ross - The Supremes
A great motown act of the 60's, but Ross was too big a star to share the stage. She butted heads with her fellow Supreme-mates when they were a group and even after they reunited years later. Ross had many hit singles by her lonesome. When you think of Diana Ross you do not necessarily think of the Supremes, but when you think of the Supremes you always think of Diana Ross.

Peter Gabriel - Genesis
I loved Genesis in the 80's. Right up until everyone started thinking it was a good idea to go solo. Gabriel left, Collins left, and that was when I said, "Ya know what, I'm not so into this group anymore."
Thankfully their departure had a silver lining, and that is the success of Peter Gabriel's solo career. Shock The Monkey, Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes, the list goes on and on. He has achieved multi-platinum status on singles and albums that other musicians would pay to have.

Justin Timberlake - 'N Sync
I'll be perfectly honest, I had to look up which boy band Timberlake was apart of. I didn't listen to his music back then, and I hardly listen to any of it now, however that which I have heard, some of it I actually enjoy. JT has grown as an artist and become much more tolerable to the masses. Getting away from 'N Sync and going solo was the best thing for his career.

Van Morrison - Them
How many people have even heard of Morrison's old band, Them? That's what I thought. Because once he left, the real magic began. Brown Eyed Girl was born shortly after the split and Morrison started his launch into Rock and Roll history.

Billy Idol - Generation X
Idol is another musician who hit the ground running as a solo artist. With hits like, Mony Mony, White Wedding, Eyes Without A Face, and Rebel Yell, he was poised to have many years of success with his solo career.

Marvin Gaye - The Moonglows
I would be willing to bet that many people probably don't know that Marvin Gaye was once a part of a doo-wop group called the Moonglows.  That is because Marvin Gaye broke out as an artist when he went on his own.  When we think of the great Marvin Gaye we think of him singing solo, not a small part of a larger group. 

Lou Reed - The Velvet Underground
While with VU, he was already the principal song writer.  Once he went solo in '71, he recorded hits such as Walk On The Wild Side, Ride Sally Ride, & Sally Can't Dance.  Reed is 70 and still performing a small amount and writing music.  He is one of those musicians who will be rockin' the stage until the day he dies.

David Bowie - The Konrads, Riot Squad, Tin Machine, Et Al.
Another super star whose bands you have likely never even heard of. Bowie was always meant to be a single act. Space Oddity, Ziggy Stardust, these are the songs legends are made of.

Peter Frampton - Humble Pie
We might not have ever known his name if he didn't go solo.  Frampton did five albums with Humble Pie before going out on his own.  After a few years he broke out with his hit album, Frampton Comes Alive, which included hits like, Baby I Love Your Way, Do You Feel Like We Do, & Show Me The Way.  A great guitarist, great singer-songwriter, and great solo act.


and now, the reverse...
Worst solo than in a group/band


Gwen Stefani - No Doubt
Some may argue this one with me, but I stand by this statement.  Gwen Stefani was better when she was with No Doubt.  As a band, they put out hit after hit, and gave an amazing live performance.  Solo....she had a couple of okay singles, but she was never as good as she was with the band.  Don't get me wrong, Stefani MAKES that band what it is, but they are better as a team than alone.

All of the Beatles
Every member of the Beatles has done music on their own.  Some achieved better success than others.  But they're the freaking Beatles!  Four of the greatest musical talents of all time.  Okay, maybe not, but definitely three of the best (sorry Ringo).  They were basically the Dream Team of music.  Together they made up the greatest band in history.  Apart, they are just four extremely talented musicians.

Freddie Mercury - Queen
He lived a lackluster solo career without his fellow band members.  Granted, he recorded some music that charted well in the UK, but seriously, that was nothing compared to the legendary success of Queen.

Steve Perry - Journey
Perry actually had the potential to have great success post Journey, with a very successful first solo album.  But life got in the way for Perry and his second solo album, Against The Wall never got finished.  In the mid 90's he finally did finish a second solo album that achieved only mild success.  Just a couple of years later Journey reunited and released the Trial By Fire record, which was a huge success.  Proof that Journey was a band that will stand the test of time, but "Steve Perry Solo Artist" will not.

All of Kiss
They are no Beatles, but the same idea applies.  Kiss was a band that had millions of adoring fans.  Their solo albums did well, but these guys need each other - crazy makeup and all.  They were good alone, but great as a group.  

Mick Jagger - The Rolling Stones
It's the freaking Stones man!  Jagger is good with or without the Stones, but in my opinion, he needed the Stones slightly more than the Stones needed him.

Dave Matthews - The Dave Matthews Band
I love Dave Matthews.  He is one of my favorite musicians of all time.  And alone, sure, he's good, but DMB is better.  It should not have ever been called the Dave Matthews Band - Dave Matthews himself will admit that.  The guys that play with him are masters of their craft.  They bring a sound to this rock band unlike any other. 

Eddie Vedder - Pearl Jam
It was hard for me to put Eddie Vedder on this list.  First, he is my favorite singer of all time.  His voice is just amazing.  Second, his solo albums have been very good and Ukulele Songs was one of my favorite albums by him.  But Pearl Jam made Vedder who he is today.  He could always sing, he could even write some decent music, but he was not a musician until he joined them.  Oh, he was in other bands, but if it had not been for musicians like Jack Irons or Chris Cornell, he might not have found the missing pieces of the puzzle.  Who knows if he would have ever become the name he is today.    

Sting - The Police
I really like Sting, and I even considered putting him on the other list.  But after thinking about the music of the Police and the music of Sting, the solo artist, my favorite music of his was easily when he was with the band.  This could easily be debated though.  The Police released five chart-topping albums and won six Grammy awards.  Of the ten solo albums Sting released, seven of them went platinum or multi-platinum.  Obviously he had a great solo career, but I think the Police had better songs.

David Lee Roth - Van Halen
Roth went solo for a number of years before reuniting with Van Halen in '07.  His solo career achieved some success, but it was nothing compared to the status of Van Halen.  The band had the kind of record sales other musicians can only dream of.  Platinum is a term Van Halen knows well, since almost all of their albums have reached that status, and most went multi-platinum.  

My Top Ten Favorite Films

Every ten years Sight & Sound Magazine releases their list of the Greatest Films Of All Time.  My older brother did his own top ten greatest films, which can be viewed here: http://mattbailey97.blogspot.com/2012/05/ten-greatest-films-of-all-time.html

I personally do not feel that I have seen enough of the 'great films' to be able to make such a list.  Perhaps in 2022, when they do that list again my film portfolio will be better equipped to make that call.  For now, I will leave you with what I consider, not necessarily the "best" movies, but instead, my favorite movies over my 31 years of viewing.  


MY TOP TEN FAVORITE FILMS:

Braveheart
Pulp Fiction
The Shawshank Redemption
Walk The Line
Blow
Fight Club
The Godfather
Indiana Jones - Last Crusade
Forrest Gump
Rocky

HONORABLE MENTION:
Dazed and Confused
Bad Boys
Almost Famous
Cool Hand Luke
Christmas Vacation
The Departed
Die Hard
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Boondock Saints
Seven
Star Wars - Empire Strikes Back
Silence of the Lambs

Top 20 Best Song Intros

This is not judgment of the songs themselves, but merely the intros to each song. This is my list of the most greatest song intros.
I decided to leave commentary off of these picks since some I could ramble about for pages and pages, and others I could hardly write 3 words about.

Honorable Mention
Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N Roses
Time - Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

20) Jump - Van Halen


19) La Grange – ZZ Top


18) Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones


17) Crazy On You - Heart


16) Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry


15) Eye of the Tiger – Survivor


14) When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin


13) Where The Streets Have No Name - U2


12) Fooling yourself - Styx


11) Black Betty - Ram Jam


10) Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix


9) Baba O' Reily - The Who


8) Shipping Up To Boston - Dropkick Murphys


7) Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam


6) Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne


5) Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd


4) Thunderstruck - AC/DC


3) All Along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix


2) Guns N Roses - Sweet Child O'Mine


1) Money For Nothing - Dire Straits

Super Bowl XLVI - A Review

Super Bowl XLVI came and went once again, and it is time for me to give my review. First the game. It was good. Not the best Super Bowl, but likely in the top ten. It was a close match up and went down to the last play of the game, so there was excitement there. I was not disappointed.

Next, the half time show. Super Bowl half time shows are hard to do. Everyone is always overly critical of them and they almost always let down a big percentage of viewers. My take on Madanna? Eh, she was fine. I thought the show started off slow, but picked up pace as it went along. Moments before LMFAO appeared with the Material Girl, my wife and I were talking and agreed that these half time shows are always better when they mix several different artists into the performance - especially new & old performers. While Madanna was by herself, it was just so-so. Once others got into the game, it improved. Not that I am much of a LMFAO or Cee Lo Green fan, and I can't stand MIA or Nicki Manaj, but somehow their presence still made the show a little better. Best half time show ever? No. I doubt it even falls into the top 10. But it was decent. Madonna at 53 years old was still surprisingly lively. Not the best, but not the worst I've seen.

Now to the commercials. While there were a few really good commercials, overall I was let down this year. Here is my list of what was HOT, what was NOT, and what was just sorta LUKE WARM.

HOT
Hyundai, Rocky Theme - Not really the most creative, but sometimes simpler is better. A fine spot for any Rocky fan to enjoy.
VW, Fat puppy - A very solid spot. The only downside was the end with the whole Star Wars thing. If I were judging that part separately, it would have been much lower on the list, as that was a pretty lame ending. Maybe if they had used the little kid dressed up like Vadar like last year they could've made it cute, but that part let me down. Even still, the first 50 seconds of that spot were solid, so it stays in the "HOT" position.
Doritos, Missing cat - This one was solid. I really enjoyed the creative humor with it. I felt like this commercial was the way Super Bowl spots used to be. Oh, and come to find out, a Joe-Nobody made that spot for a contest Doritos put on. Even more impressive! It was, by far, one of the best of the night.
Acura, Seinfeld - This one to me was awesome, but then again, I am a die hard Seinfeld fan. I think it was good for any Seinfeld fans, but for those who might not enjoy that show & sense of humor (I think they're called 'aliens') they might not have "gotten" it. But who cares about those people? This is what I like best!
Honda, Bueller - If you were born anytime before 1985, there is no way possible you could not find this spot to be awesome. Those youngsters born AB (after Bueller) should 1) have still seen the movie at least 6 times by now, and 2) still have loved that commercial. If you didn't, you are probably a terrorist.


LUKE WARM
M&M's, Gettin' Naked - Eh, it was so-so. I think I let out a single, "Ha" towards the end. Just enough to keep it on this list.
Coke, Polar Bears, The Catch - Eh, out off all the bad Coke commercials this year, this one was probably the best, but still not great.
Audi, So long vampires - Pretty funny in the end. I started off rolling my eyes at the idea, but once the vamps started getting killed off, it got better. Still, the vampire thing is so over played, I can't give it better than a 'Luke Warm' rating.
Bridgestone, football passing - It was cute, pretty creative and sorta funny. But just not good enough to be one of those great commercials everyone talks about the next day around the water cooler.
Tax Act.com, Kid has to pee - Pretty good for what it was. The kid has to pee, and long story short, pees in the pool. Don't really remember what that had to do with taxes, but whatever. I'm sure it had some sort of 'be prepared' message behind it, or 'don't piss your pants, it's tax season'. Yeah, that second one was probably it.
Sketchers, Mr quigly - This one was sorta cute and somewhat funny. Maybe if it had been really cute and hilarious I would have ranked it better.
Fiat, Seduction - It was just so-so. I know sex sells and all, but we have all seen attractive women (that lady was nothing special BTW). Super Bowl ads need more than sex. They need smart writing, creativity, shock value, something more than what this commercial delievered.
Chevy, Sonic Stunts - I dunno, kinda cool I guess, especially since they were all real stunts, but still. Something just didn't do it for me.
Chevy, Comaro Freak Out - To me, a person freaking out like that just isn't funny. If anything it's kind of annoying. The idea was there though, had they just taken it a slightly different direction.
Oikos Yogurt, John Stamos - gets gets his ass kicked. That and that alone made that spot pretty excellent.
Chevy, Apocalypse - It was decent & a bit creative. Combining mass destruction with "Looks Like We Made It" was a nice move. Plus, they called out Ford. Ha! Oh, and the guy eating Twinkies was the cherry on top.
Budweiser, Here We Go - A pretty decent commercial! Finally! Bud got back to normal with their funny light hearted 'Here We Go' ad after a fist full of let downs. Did anyone else notice too that Budweiser didn't put up nearly the number of ads this Super Bowl as they have in the past? Guess the car companies took all the air time.


NOT
Pepsi, Elton John's Kingdom - Lame. Enough said.
Hyundai, Cheeta - Not funny, not creative, just bad.
Bud Light, Platinum spots - Lame as shit - all of them. Yes, you are introducing a new beer. Do it with your normal Budweiser humor. You guys are usually so good! What happened?
Go Daddy, Sexy Commercials - Stupid as usual. Go Daddy has never been good and never will be if they don't change the formula.
Budweiser, Prohibition - Good build up with big let down. Disappointment.
Coke, The Yell - Polar bear gets out of the cave, yells (cause he is frustrated with his team) and goes back into the cave. Oh, and then he drinks a Coke. If I pitched that idea to a client they would probably take their business elsewhere. Lame.
Coke, Straw - This is the one where the two polar bears are watching the game, seemingly cheering on opposite sides (indicated by their red & blue scarves) and one polar bear gives the other a coke and then puts a straw in it. I dunno, I just didn't get it. Thought it was pretty stupid all around.
Cars.com, Double head - A little disturbing and not funny at all. Someone should get fired over that spot.
Doritos, baby sling shot - Eh, sorta cute, but not funny. Nice try though.
Etrade, speed dating - Not funny, not good. Again, enough said.
Careerbuilder, Monkeys - The monkeys were not funny several years ago when they started using them, still not funny today. Find a new gimmick.

Best Names In Cinema

20)Cole Trickle - Days of Thunder
19)Walker & Texas Ranger - Talladega Nights
18)Jeffrey Lebowski (The Dude) - The Big Lebowski
17)Prince Humperdink - Princess Bride
16)Royal Tenenbaum - The Royal Tenenbaums
15)Gaylord Focker - Meet The Parents
14)Indiana Jones - Indiana Jones Series
13)Wes Mantooth - Anchorman
12)Shane Falco - The Replacements
11)Han Solo - Star Wars
10)Rocky Balboa - Rocky Series
9)Long Duck Dong - Sixteen Candles
8)Pussy Galore - James Bond
7)Merkin Muffley - Dr. Strangelove
6)Ferris Bueller – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
5)Inigo Montoya - The Princess Bride
4)Forrest Gump - Forrest Gump
3)Lloyd Dobbler - Say Anything
2)Keyer Soze - The Usual Suspects
1)Hannibal Lecter - Silence of the Lambs, et al

Top Ten Football States

Top Ten Football States (for 'winningness')
Scored based on National Championships won in High School, College & Professional Football


10 - New York & Massachusetts (30pts)

9 - Indiana & Michigan (31pts)

8 - Alabama (32pts)

7 - Connecticut (36pts)

6 - Ohio (39pts)

5 - Florida (41pts)

4 - Texas (46pts)

3 - New Jersey (53pts)

2 - Pennsylvania (68pts)

1 - California (73pts)



How some of the other states scored:
Georgia - 22
Illinois - 22
Maryland - 17
Oklahoma - 16
Louisiana - 13
Wisconsin - 12
Minnesota - 12
Nebraska - 10
Tennessee - 10
Colorado - 8
Arkansas - 6
Mississippi - 5
Kansas - 4
Virginia - 3
Washington - 3
Missouri - 3
Oregon - 3
Kentucky - 2
New Hampshire - 2
Utah - 2
South Carolina - 2
Iowa - 2
Arizona - 1

Top Ten Fake Characters On Seinfeld

10 - Paloma & Wanda Pepper - Both aliases used by Elaine, Paloma is the name she used when she posed as Uncle Leo's nurse in order to get a diagnosis for herself (she is a difficult patient). Wanda Pepper was an alias she used in order to retrieve a jacket for Kramer.

9 - Dylan Murphy - Jerry's made up name when he and George take Donald O'Brien's limo. They think they are going to watch the Knicks play, but soon realize they are actually on their way to a rally where O'Brien, the head of the regional chapter of a Neo-Nazi organization, is supposed to give his first public speech. Oops.

8 - Eduardo Corrochio - When George and Elaine go to dinner with a married couple, Elaine tells everyone this elaborate story that she once dated a romantic Spanish matador, whose name she makes up on the spot. What a great name!

7 - Kel Varnsen - The alias used by Jerry in order to help George with Vandelay Inc. He uses the alias again when he joins Kramer (posing as a wealthy industrialist) to watch the Mets game in an apartment that is up for sale.

6 - Whitey Fisk - George's imaginary summer friend. George was always jealous of Jerry and his summer camp friend, Fragile Frankie Merman. Whitey Fisk was supposed to be his "summer Jerry", but it was all a farce.

5 - Martin van / Peter von Nostrand - One of Kramer's favorite alter egos, sometimes he is Dr. Martin van Nostrand, once in order to get Elaine's medical chart. He also posed as Martin to audition for the role of Kramer in Jerry & George's pilot, Jerry. Kramer also presented himself as Peter von Nostrand in an attempt to retrieve a jacket from a man's apartment.

4 - Snoopy & Prickly Pete - The names of George's two imaginary horses he keeps at his fictional Hampton's estate. "All right, we're taking it up a notch!"

3 - H.E. Pennypacker - Kramer posed as a "wealthy industrialist" a couple of times - most memorably in Putumyo clothing store to help Elaine get revenge and again when Kramer needs to use the bathroom and sees an apartment for sale.

2 - Susie - Elaine's alter ego, Susie is believed to be real by at least two of her co-workers. When Elaine tries to kill her off, a funeral is arranged for her and Peterman claims to have had an affair with Suze (she hates when people call her that).

1 - Art Vandelay - George's alter ego is in so many episodes it is hard to count or keep track. Sometimes George works for Vandelay, sometimes George IS Vandelay, and in the Finale, the judge is actually named, Arthur Vandelay.