Bands/artists who went from riches to rags

must be a 'girl thang'

 

This discussion is starting to remind me of the "Musicians who made bad decisions" topics than "going from riches to rags". And of course the "bad decisions" threads always devolve into "decisions the artist made that I didn't like"...

 

That's a big budget video!

 

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show was on top of the world in 1973 and broke by 1975. They were dropped by Columbia and moved to Capitol, in the process dropping part of their name and issuing an album called Bankrupt.

After that, they had a pretty good six-year run.

 

Aerosmith went from riches to rags to riches again. Of course, they were the creators of their own demise.

 

Best version ever of The Wild Colonial Boy

 

That's exactly what i thought when i read his comment. Theres always someone who likes to point out there's an older thread on the subject, isn't there?

 

Yes, but at least I didn't add one of these - .

 

I really doubt that every artist who people think started out in riches, did so. Read their wikipedia page people and you'll see that their starting point really wasn't all that glamourous.

 

Cat Stevens kinda fits this topic to a certain degree. Although I really like the later albums before his retirement (and he did have a few medium sized hits in the UK and Australia with Banapple Gas and Old Schoolyard) , the singles post the Catch Bull album didn't really become classics like his earlier run of songs. Oh Very Young from Buddha And The Chocolate Box was a big hit, but that was a virtual re-write of Wide World, and Another Saturday Night (also a hit) was a cover.

 

how boring

plenty of one hit wonders
we have discussed these ad nauseum

few people who got screwed or lived too lavish a life style

THe Who stopped having hits in the early 80s
But the Ox John didn't tone down his life style
they actually did this "final" tour of his life for his to pay off debts
and the night before he dies living the rock and roll lifestyle

the big fall from riches

"Too Legit to Quit" Hammer time baby comes to mind

 

According to the late Mel Tillis, you only have so many songs in you and once the well runs dry, there won't be any more. That may be true, but some have deeper wells than others.

 

John Phillips. He wrote an impressive string of brilliant hit songs for the Mamas and Papas, plus some remarkable deep cuts. Their first 4 albums were loaded with prime cuts. Their final album, People Like Us, was a dismal failure. He even said in his autobiography (Papa John) that his gift for writing hit songs was gone. His descent into heroin may well have been a major factor.

 

Old School Yard is my favourite Cat Stevens song

It's like the universe is saying, that's it you've written enough songs we'll take back that gift, thanks

 

I agree. In hindsight it's hard to understand how disco could have killed funk, but it sure did. Not to engage in CT but I do think the record companies had something to do with it. That and that in order to play funk right, you had to know how to play. Disco, not so much.

 

Thank you. For me, Men at Work, as a band. They got knocked off the charts by Michael Jackson. But Colin Hay is still going strong. And there's absolutely nothing ragged about his singing or songwriting.

Another would be Echo & The Bunnymen. Their first album helped define a genre and they could barely play their instruments, their second is a masterpiece, their third had them rallying to make it all come together and remains one of those most inspiring works of modern music ever made, their fourth WAS the greatest album ever made (well, maybe not), and then... I remember buying their fifth eponymous album and giving it away. That bad. I think it's a little better now than I initially thought it was, but something died (literally and figuratively). Ian left for the next album and they had a replacement singer. Everything since his return has been a rehash of mediocre stuff. There's a rare gem here and there, but it's not the band that it was.

 

Hilarious! Although I love the WTTP album, I’ve always suspected that didn’t play much of it, or that it was bolstered by session musicians. I could be wrong but for a new band from Liverpool it did sound massively produced. Great all the same though!

 

Most of the lesser AOR bands ie:
Loverboy
Survivor
Night Ranger
Billy Squier
All saw their popularity drop dramatically by the mid to late 80's (admittedly in Squier's case the video for Rock Me Tonite didn't help)

Some other acts that I can think of:
Mr Mister
Winger
Spandau Ballet
Ultravox
Cutting Crew
Thompson Twins

 

Most bands who had any success

 

Florence Ballard

 

John Fahey. After making a name for himself as a visionary guitarist who influenced Leo Kottke and others, and founded the independent but rather high profile Takoma label, he was homeless during his last days before his death (having had struggles with alcoholism), although he somehow was able to release a couple of albums during this downward spiral.

 

After rereading the OP, I think the question is about artists who disappeared due to poor product rather than changes in the marketplace.

Usuing the Christopher Cross example, I’ll take the earlier poster’s word that he kept his song standards high and that he disappeared due to market changes. The OP’s post about Culture Club makes more sense.

 

Quite Riot rags to riches to rags. But still trying