Our article “Rock’s Finest Debut Solo Albums from Former Band Members” presents a list of debut solo albums from rock and roll artists who were part of famous rock bands. It’s not easy leaving a famous group, but it has happened thousands of times in classic rock history. It’s usually a lead singer, but not always who thinks they can make it on their own. Many have succeeded, sometimes even surpassing their band careers—though that’s open to debate. This list focuses on the debut albums of these solo artists, not their entire careers.
# 10 – I Can’t Stand Still – Don Henley
Don Henley released his first solo album in the summer of 1982, just a few years after the Eagles released what seemed to be their final studio album, The Long Run, in 1979. Henley, who sang so many hits throughout the seventies as a member of the Eagles, continued his commercial success with his debut album, I Can’t Stand Still. The album featured the top 10 hit single “Dirty Laundry,” which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. This was a song that was constantly played on the radio.
I love the opening groove on the song “Dirty Laundry” that took what Henley had done so well with the Eagles and twisted it around a little to capture the 80s modern music scene. Henley also celebrated two more top 50 singles from the album, including the title track and the song “Johnny Can’t Read.” The album is fueled by a host of great guest musicians, including his former Eagles bandmate Joe Walsh and J.D. Souther. It also presented fans with a few all-stars like Warren Zevon and Bill Withers singing backing vocals. That is some pretty impressive backing singers; I tell you that, my friends.
# 9 – Nine On A Ten Scale – Sammy Hagar
Whenever we get a chance to talk about Sammy Hagar, we’re always going to take it. While Nine on a Ten Scale is not our favorite Sammy Hagar album, it did serve as a wonderful solo debut by the man who was the lead singer of Montrose. Sammy Hagar left Montrose in 1974, and two years later, in the spring of 1976, he released his debut solo album. Although the album didn’t do well commercially, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a powerful rock and roll record. Sammy Hagar was making a statement: first and foremost, he was a singer and an artist to be reckoned with. Our favorite track on the album has always been “Urban Guerrilla”—just a smoking, killer tune. If you’ve never heard this song, check it out.
# 8 – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles – Sting
Do you remember how upset most fans were when The Police broke up? Sting’s solo debut album The Dream of the Blue Turtles sounded nothing like the music he composed and performed with The Police. Although, if you listen closely, there are still so many elements of what he did with The Police scattered throughout this record. It’s the musicians on this album that make it sound so different. Sting hired all jazz musicians to play on this record.
These brilliant, up-and-coming jazz musicians like Branford Marsalis and Kenny Kirkland had careers in their own right. It has been said, “Jazz musicians don’t make any money,” so the chance to work with one of the biggest rock stars in the world was something you don’t turn down. With such a fabulous set of musicians on board and a whole new selection of freshly written, brilliant compositions, Sting’s solo debut album was a commercial success. This is one that we never get tired of.
# 7 – Ignition – John Waite
The golden silk vocals of John Waite were first introduced to the public as the lead singer of The Babys. That band had so many hits in the seventies. I always loved the way they merged pop music and rock and roll into big-time commercial hits. The Babys’ first album featured John Waite, Wally Stocker, Michael Corby, and Tony Brock. Founding member Michael Corby was eventually kicked out of the band, which we could assume was because he wasn’t the most fun guy to be around, a sentiment we assume based on the way he talked to us. Nonetheless, after six albums, the band broke up and John Waite released a solo album entitled Ignition. The album was fueled by the hit single “Change.” It was a great rock and roll record highlighted by John Waite’s killer vocals. Only two years later, he would become one of the biggest stars in the world when “Missing You” went straight to number one.
# 6 – Street Talk – Steve Perry
Steve Perry and Journey had so many hits in the 1970s and early ’80s. There weren’t many better singers in rock and roll than Steve Perry. It’s a shame what happened between him and Journey. I would love to be able to go to a Journey concert and see Steve Perry singing lead vocals. However, that doesn’t seem like it will ever happen again. Nonetheless, we could argue that his album shouldn’t qualify for this list because Steve Perry was still a member of Journey when he released his solo album. Yet, because he would eventually leave Journey, I figured why not throw this one into the mix anyway.
Steve Perry’s debut solo album was just phenomenal. He released one of the best pop records of the decade with the song “Oh Sherrie.” Only a voice like his could start a rock and roll song a cappella for the first 30-40 seconds and turn it into a massive hit. But it wasn’t just that song; the album features so many classic tunes that showcased both the lower and higher ends of his voice. This one was a real keeper.
# 5 – The Nightfly – Donald Fagen
At the halfway point on our Rock’s Finest Debut Solo Albums from Former Band Members list is Donald Fagen’s brilliant debut solo album, The Nightfly. If you hadn’t known that Steely Dan had broken up and heard this album on the radio, you would have thought it was obviously a Steely Dan song. There’s not much difference between any track on Gaucho compared to any song on The Nightfly. This album is pretty much just a continuation of what Donald Fagen did so well with Steely Dan. There was no more Steely Dan when this album was released, and there wouldn’t be any more Steely Dan for another 20 years. It was good to have Donald Fagen still releasing music because there wasn’t much stuff like this anywhere else.
# 4 – Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel’s debut solo album after he had left Genesis was released in the winter of 1977. In short, this album was a masterpiece. While Genesis continued on and released great music, it just was not the same band without Gabriel. Listening to the music that Gabriel composed on this record made his impact while he was a member of Genesis quite evident.
This was really original sounding stuff, featuring well-written songs, brilliant production, and magnificent playing by musicians such as Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Steve Hunter, and Larry Fast. Peter Gabriel even brought the London Symphony Orchestra on board for the songs “Down the Dolce Vita” and “Here Comes the Flood.” This is one of those albums that everyone should have in their record collection. It marked the start of a magnificent solo career, one in which Gabriel has had massive success.
# 3 – Blizzard Of Oz – Ozzy Osbourne
I don’t know if anybody expected Ozzy Osbourne to have such huge success as a solo artist after he left Black Sabbath. I mean, of course, he is Ozzy Osbourne, and his role as Black Sabbath’s lead singer helped that band become maybe the most famous metal rock band of all time. To come out of Black Sabbath and achieve the success he did as a solo artist was just simply stunning. His larger-than-life personality certainly played a significant role, and the fact that he assembled a whole set of great musicians to play on his records also mattered. But in the end, it was the songs—really brilliantly written songs that his rock and roll fans fell in love with, making him even bigger than he was before when he was just a member of Black Sabbath.
# 2 – Eat ‘Em And Smile – David Lee Roth
For all his charisma, showboating, and stage persona, David Lee Roth understood one thing: If he was going to leave Van Halen and have a successful solo career, then he needed to put together a band that could compete with Van Halen and deliver an album full of powerful songs so that he wouldn’t be laughed off the stage. That’s exactly what he did. Hiring Steve Vai was one of the most brilliant moves he ever made. Having Gregg Bissonette and Billy Sheehan on board gave him a band that could compete with Van Halen on the world stage. Oh, what a fun time this was when David Lee Roth released his first solo album and Van Halen released 5150. The competition between these two camps was fierce and, in the end, so beneficial to rock and roll fans as the Roth versus Hagar saga helped deliver some of the greatest music of the ’80s.