Putting a group of accomplished rockers always sounds like a good idea, but sometimes the end product on stage is a bit less that the sum of its parts. The following five bands should have stuck to their original groups.
5- Blind Faith
This sounded really great on paper but the end result was nothing significant. Composed of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood, and Ric Grech, Blind Faith's legacy didn't come from the music that was created. Their legacy has been attached to its album cover featuring a nude girl, which can be viewed here (very NSFW). Although the album reached number one in the US and the UK, the band (especially Clapton) felt the jamming was sub par. Part of the problem was that they didn't have enough music to play live and resorted to playing Cream and Dave Clark Five songs which was the exact opposite of intentions they started out with. Eventually the band fizzled and Clapton went on to create Derrick and the Dominoes and Winwood regrouping Traffic.
4- Audioslave
Rage Against the Machine breaking up was a gut shot to most of the alternative community. So upon hearing the idea of Rage teaming up with Chris Cornell most rock fans were dying to hear the outcome. Although the first album showed promise Audioslave ended up sounding like two tired rock forces trying to recapture what it was that made them successful. Chris Cornell needed Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepherd just as much as Rage needed Zach de la Rocha and the end result was mixed at best. Instead of creating a new rock sound like their previous bands did before, they tried to mix the genres that separated them. Which of course lead them back to where they started.
3- Oysterhead
Jam fans embraced the oddball album of "The Grand Pecking Order" and after the hiatus of Phish and Primus Trey Anastasio and Les Claypool seemed like a nice fit. Their first and only album was funky eclectic mix of prog rock and heavy jam riffs with former Police member Stewart Copeland whaling on the drums. But after a short tour the band split up only to reunite in 2006 at Bonnaroo. The reunion was not their best by any means and Trey seemed rusty with the material. Oysterhead was a fun experiment while it lasted but the end results made listeners crave the moment they first hear the material for the first time. Rehashing the material again only made us realize that like many of Les' experiments Oysterhead's day in the sun was over but the flash of light it emitted was fun while it lasted.
2- Velvet Revolver
This the only band I know of that actually sounds as bloated and high strung as its guitarist and lead singer. Riding on the wave of their previous success in Guns and Roses and Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver is the type or rock music that parodies itself by clinging desperately to previous rock and roll images. Although the group has taken a different approach with their second album Libertad the band basically came back around to where the two separate groups left off. With a lead singer addicted to drugs going into rehab and canceling shows across the world and hope of a new album. What little expectations that were left have been officially shattered.
1- Zwan
Can you name one good thing about this band? It's okay. No one can. This band couldn't even get their feet off the ground to do anything except make their album "Mary Star of the Sea". With Billy Corgan leading members of Slint, Chavez, and A Perfect Circle the band couldn't even finish a tour and cancelled the majority of their European tour. The only good thing that came out of Zwan was when you went back home and blew the dust off your old Smashing Pumpkins records. Corgan has called their album "Lies upon lies..." which makes me feel better that he actually knows how most of the world views the band. Thank goodness that's all over with.
