I assume that you are referring to Genesis. I don't really like the band at all and I haven't even heard much of the post Gabriel stuff, but from the little I have heard I deduce that it's somewhat more melodic. The Gabriel era has a mere two songs that I would class as melodically memorable. Maybe that's not a important consideration for many people's appreciation of Prog, but it's reasonably important for me.
This is a matter of taste. I agree that they got rawer and, arguably, sounded more powerful. The one time that I saw them was during the Resolver tour. Louise's performance is something that I will never forget. Still, I think the band is better with Nina than without her. She writes great songs with catchy hooks and is a great singer. She should just not do easy listening solo material.
I agree that Nightwish made a lot of their best music after Tarja Turunen left, but I still think she was the finest lead singer they ever had. Strangely their best albums were made with Anette Olzon who I think was their weakest singer. Floor Jansen is almost as good a singer as Tarja.
As someone who rates Exile as my favourite Stones album, I don't think they got any better after Brian Jones. They were just as good in the mid 60s and better in some ways. More melodic, better lyrics and more diverse.
Post-Gabriel era more melodic? No way! Tunes more memorable? Maybe, in the sense that the melodies are a little simpler and easier to remember. Phil Collins also has a smoother voice, which I suppose you could call more melodic. Honestly, though, I am trying to hear it from your point of view, and I just can't. Those early albums are full or gorgeous melodies, which is what attracted me to Genesis in the first place.
Just always preferred Craig Fuller - - and I’m not so sure that Lowell George’s reputation didn’t benefit disproportionately from his death … like so many other rock stars’ did.
You said it; commercially. That’s not a word I associate with being better. Artistically, I favour PG Fleetwood Mac. Commercially, the McVie/Nicks version is all most people know.
Even in the UK this is now true even though they were huge in the Peter Green era here with big hit singles, even including a number one with Albatross. Very unusual for such an uncommercial blues rock band. Well deserved though. Surprisingly they did a bit better in the charts with singles than they did with albums.
Many examples (IMO) are of bands that were going to get better anyway, not because an "icon" left. Take the Stones for example - they're still here! Because Brian flamed out??? Also some questionable interpretations of "icon"... Ooops, "that guy" again, yelling at clouds.
Just how Dylan is always reinventing himself, he is a man of many faces, always moving on from the icon role that people try to fix on him. I contain multitudes
I think the Stones got better sans Brian, as I think "Bleed" and "Exile" are easily their best albums - and "Fingers" is top 5. (Maybe top 3, depending on mood.) And Brian was an inconsistent participant for "Banquet", so that album almost becomes "post-Brian". But I do agree they were already very good and the departure of Brian didn't mark a revolutionary upgrade.
Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple following some really rote albums and then Steve Morse came on board and the band suddenly became inspired. The Pretty Things have no true icons (in a just world Phil May would at least be an LGBTQ icon/pioneer), but Dick Taylor is maybe as close as they get due to his history with the early Stones, and after he left the band they created their best album.
The live shows with Floor have been mind blowing, but I think they still have yet to capture her full power in the studio. The climax of Shoemaker was a great start. Same with the growls on Empty Hope. I guess it all comes down to Tuomas' songwriting though. He definitely has final say on everything. Nightwish's road crew have their own band called Crewish. I read that Tuomas and Tarja both contributed their latest release. In separate studios surely, but I thought that was pretty cool!
