What is your favorite "solo" album of all time?

While it cannot compete with some of the classics here, I played the heck out of Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker member David Lowery's 2011 solo outing.

 

Released in '74, so technically he was still in the Faces.

My pick would be Roger Taylor's Fun In Space. Apart from "50% of the synthesizers", the entire album was written and performed by him. I don't think a lot of the songs would have gotten look-ins on Queen albums (either The Game or Hot Space), but a good deal of them would have been pretty good inclusions. Besides, he proves he's no slouch on other instruments, though he still turns in some great drumming throughout. It's tough to choose a favorite song, but I think 'Magic Is Loose' is tops for me, followed by the title track. And 'No Violins'. And 'My Country'. The second side kind of falters here and there, and 'Future Management' is an interesting curio, but it's a great album overall.

 

Ace by Bob Weir - which happens to include everyone who would play on the next few GD studio albums - but at that time Weir had gotten a total of 4 of his original tunes on the first 5 GD studio albums and this was all his stuff.

 

David Gilmour's About Face is really good. Chock-full of great tunes.

 

Yeah, if no one else mentioned it, I was going to go with David Gilmour - David Gilmour (1978).

I had to look up The Band's history, because I know jack squat about that band, but I love Robbie Robertson's 1st solo album Robbie Robertson, which doesn't count for this thread.

I need to listen to more Bjorn Riis and Michael Duda, otherwise I could toss out more knowledgeable reference to their solo stuff (Riverside and Airbag still existing).

 

Brian Eno - Another Green World
Bryan Ferry - The Bride Stripped Bare
Peter Gabriel - 3
David Byrne - Catherine Wheel
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly
Kim Gordon - No Home Record
John Linnell - State Songs
Robert Fripp - Exposure
Daryl Hall - Sacred Songs
Bill Nelson - Quit Dreaming
David Thomas - Winter Comes Home
Boris Blank - Electrified
Yukihiro Takahashi - Tomorrow's Just Another Day

 

FIXED - thanks for head up

 

Your criteria said the band has to still be active but does that mean that the solo album has to be by someone who was still in the band or can it be a former member of an active band?
If so I would vote for Syd Barrett The Madcap Laughs with Peter Gabriel melting face being close second.
Otherwise I would vote for Steve Hackett Voyage of the Acolyte.
Rod Every Picture Tells a Story is a close second for me.

 

This is an interesting one for me. I only discoverd The Strawbs a few months ago and am greatly enjoying a number of the albums.

I don't have it, but have perused a used copy of this LP couple times in a local record store. I think they want 29 or 39 for it, and the jacket is a bit abused. I will have to pay more attention to the vinyl next time.

 

If they aren't in the band, then it isn't a solo album. There is no "band" from the artist to be soloing away from.
That was pretty clear and obvious from the first post.

 

Painkiller by Steve Kilbey (The Church).

 

The soon to be released CD reissue is worth a look. Check out the blurb on Cherry Red's site. Your money might be better spent there?

Dave Cousins: Two Weeks Last Summer, Remastered & Expanded Edition, CD - Cherry Red Records

 

I think many would agree that is a great choice. I guess he was still considered in PF at the time. Sort of on hold.

 

Cherry....I mean Jerry Garcia.

 

That one was in my list before I made my decision. It lost by a hair.

 

I had a thing for her when she was in The Bangles and I still have a thing for her. You know , a thing.

 

Wait, so it has to be by an artist in a band?

 

That is correct. Still an active member of the band that is still together. Both criteria. If the artist leaves and the band is still together, it does not meet the rule. Example Peter Gabriel.
I tried to limit the choices. Otherwise, there are thousands more choices. Of course by not putting it in the thread title.....well you see what has happened. My mistake.
There have been a lot of great choices under the rule though.

 

Wasn't Lennon out of the Beatles by the time POB was being worked on?

Also, and not to get technical here, but does this count as a "solo" album?

 

No. The Beatles had broken up by the time the album was released.

 

PS- You are thinking of an album other than Fish Out Of Water?

 

I think every dude had a thing for Susanna Hoffs.

 

Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley’s 1978 solo albums (can’t decide!). Bob Kulick’s recent behavior might skew me toward Ace’s.

Joe Walsh - “But Seriously, Folks...”

Gary Moore - “Back on the Streets” (recorded and released while he was in Thin Lizzy)

Interestingly, all four of these albums were released in 1978...