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breno
Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 09:48AM
We may have covered this topic before - can't remember, but it does seem vaguely familiar. But Aitch's comment on the Last Shadow Puppets made me wonder, what are some side projects which are actually better than the purported main project?

Imperial Teen as a side project of Faith No More springs to mind.

I liked the Bon Voyage albums Jason Martin did with his wife as much as anything he does with Starflyer 59.

HIs Name is Alive was definitely better than Elvis Hitler, and has lasted long enough to stop ever being considered a side project.
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blasmo
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 09:52AM
The Killer Shrews is a great one-off Mekons/Gary Lucas side project that's as good as some of the better Mekons albums (I Love Mekons, So Good It Hurts), although not as good as their best (Rock And Roll, Edge Of The World).
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MrFab
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 11:06AM
The Devo surf spinoff The Wipeouters is the best thing they've done since the early '80s.

Back in the day, I liked Capt. Sensible's solo stuff like "Wot" better then the Damned. I also thought "Wot" was better then "Rapper's Delight."

I'll take:

- the Latin Playboys over Los Lobos.
- David Lee Roth solo ("Just A Gigalo" etc.) over Van Halen
- Henrietta Collins and Wartime over Rollins Band

I've heard some say that they like the Knitters better then X. Not me, tho. No way.
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rhettlawrence
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 01:10PM
Mr. Bungle was a lot better than Faith No More.

And I kinda agree on the Breeders. Certainly I like several of the Breeders albums much better than I like several of the Pixies albums.
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jothoma
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 11:36AM
This may be sacrilege but I actually prefer the Breeders to the Pixies.
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MrAl
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 01:03PM
this probably won't mean much to people who don't pay attention to underground punk and hardcore but there's a band from Portland, OR called Tragedy and they've done side projects that are better.... such as Criminal Damage, which is '82 style UK street punk (Blitz, No Future Records, etc) and Warcry, which is Discharge-inspired punk

no way the Knitters are better than X
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Aitch
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 05:29PM
I think the last time something like this came up, Max Q were mentioned as better than INXS but that wouldn't be too hard (although INXS are my first fake ID rock gig so I do have a soft spot for them)
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rebelwithoutaclue
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 07:24PM
i agree on the breeders as well.
keith richards solo album
not a big guns n roses fan but i love izzy stradlins solo stuff

HERE ARE A FEW either side projects or solo albums from guys who arent the lead vocalists normally that while i wouldnt call them better than the bands they are with are very good

1. chris mars first 2 albums, bash n pops 1st one and slim dunlaps n tommys solo stuff/
2. mick taylor n ron woods solo efforts
3. pete townsend
4 robbie robertson
5 the yahoos- dan baird, eric ambel
6. eric ambel- solo stuff
7. danny n dusty- few guys from green on red i think steve wynn also
8 chuck prophet- solo stuff, from green on red
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hoip chiggs
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 08, 2008 07:36PM
I was into Gwar for a while. Eventually their shock- at- all- costs humor grated on me, and I lost interest. However, when they went on tour, their opening act was themselves - only disguised as a different band called X-Cops. I saw Gwar / X-Cops in concert. Afterwards, I bought their X-Cops CD, You Have The Right To Remain Silent. It rocked harder and was funnier than anything the band did as Gwar. I wish they'd put out more X-Cops CDs.



Post Edited (07-09-08 12:10)
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satchmykels
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 09, 2008 05:14PM


> Gwar


Kepone
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dj45rpm
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 10, 2008 08:18PM
I'd take the Knitters over the Blasters (sharing a common Alvin) anyday (prepares for the flames).
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Michael Toland
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 10, 2008 08:29PM
I'll take Dave Alvin's solo stuff over either. Or X, for that matter.
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nosepail
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 10, 2008 09:09PM
I would say that Dan Bejar's contributions to The New Pornographers' 4 albums (minimal as they may be) far exceed the average quality of the songs on his 11 Destroyer albums. That being said, I never heard Destroyer's Rubies until this past weekend and it absolutely blew my pants off. It sounds like Astral Weeks made by Robert Forster with Felt as the backing band. Really beautiful, romantic, poetic stuff.

p.s. Is Destroyer the best and most prolific band of the last 10 years with no TP entry?

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breno
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 10, 2008 09:16PM
"Is Destroyer the best and most prolific band of the last 10 years with no TP entry?"

That's a good nominee. I'd throw Joseph Arthur into the mix, even though the more prolific he's gotten the more wildly the quality of his output varies.
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Aitch
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 11, 2008 01:42AM
This reminds me, what's the story with The Dirty Strangers. I almost grabbed a cd of theirs today second hand. It said on the sticker 'featuring members of The Ruts with guests Richards and Wood'.
I've always thought of myself as a pretty big Ruts fan right up the the dub projects but I'd never heard of them.
Whose vehicle was it? As far as I can tell Fox was the only Rut in there.
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Michael Toland
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 11, 2008 07:13AM
Agreed about Destroyer needing a TP entry, but I disagree about his NP songs being better than his Destroyer songs. His NP stuff always sound like his castoffs to me - not bad, mind you, but not as good as what he saves for his own albums, Kinda like most of the songs Neil Young's contributed to CSN&Y.
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Heff
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 11, 2008 10:26AM
Pailhead over Ministry (and their many other side projects - Lard is the best of them but a little Jello goes a long way)

I love "The Men Who Made Music" but the Squirrels "What Give's?" is better than the rest of the Young Fresh Fellows output

The Bubblemen only did two songs but those songs had more humor in them than the whole of Love and Rockets.

I think Tones on Tail can be considered a side project, weren't they formed when Bauhaus was on hiatus? I like them better.

Manitoba's Wild Kingdom isn't better than the Dictators but exactly the same.

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zwirnm
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 13, 2008 09:27AM
I think Shearwater is better than Okkervil River.
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erikalbany
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 14, 2008 04:28PM
I think Gary Young is better than Pavement.

I kid! I kid!
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Aitch
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 15, 2008 05:43PM
I'd rate 'My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts' up with 'Remain In Light'
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MrFab
Re: Side Projects Better Than The Original
July 15, 2008 05:58PM
Oh yeah, good call! And the first Tom Tom Club album and Byrne's "The Catherine Wheel" are pretty swell besides.
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