It seems like a recent trend for singers of big huge bands to want to go off and make a solo album! I guess it always happens at some point but it seems like there have been more than normal the last couple of years.
Thom Yorke from
Radiohead went off and made a solo album called
The Eraser in 2006.
Julian Casablancas from
The Strokes put out
Phrazes For the Young last year. Sometimes is a just a new collaboration that ends up coming out.
James Mercer from
The Shins just put out an album as
The Broken Bells with
Dangermouse.
Alex Turner from
The Arctic Monkeys also went this direction and started a new band called
The Last Shadow Puppets.
Jenny Lewis from
Rilo Kiley has put out two solo albums.
Conor Oberst from
Bright Eyes has put out solo albums and is a member of the super group
Monsters of Folk.
Singers need breaks from their bands. Or maybe the bands actually need breaks from their singers! Maybe the singers just have big egos and want to go off on their own and show their fans that they can be just as good as a solo artist.
Billy Corgan should just really be going by BIlly Corgan now. As far as I am concerned,
Smashing Pumpkins broke up a long time ago! It is basically just him and a bunch of teenagers in the band now!
Doug Martsch from
Built To Spill even went solo in 2002 with
Now You Know. Hope Sandoval from
Mazzy Star has put out a couple of solo albums as well. Even
Tracey Thorn from
Everything But The Girl is getting in on the solo action with a new album out next month on Merge. And
Kele from
Bloc Party also has a new solo album around the corner! I am sure we will soon see solo albums from
Beth Ditto, Karen O, Brian Molko, and Caleb Followill from Kings of Leon. It's just the way the industry goes, I gues
s.
