Best side project bands

Not sure if this topic has ever been raised before but arising from some of the other discussions I am curious as to which side project bands equal or exceed the quality of the original outfits. The one that comes readily to mind to me is Golden Smog. While I'm not claiming that the output of this outfit exceeded that of the Jayhawks or Wilco they have put out quality material in their own right.Any comments gratefully accepted.

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Permalink Reply by NT on August 23, 2011 at 7:00pm
Hot Tuna outlived... and in my opinion, outshines... Jefferson Airplane/Starship.
Permalink Reply by Dude on August 23, 2011 at 8:26pm
Agree. And while not actually a side project, Jorma Kaukonen's output post JA/JS beats anything the band did.
Permalink Reply by L A Johnson on August 23, 2011 at 11:04pm

The Travelling Willburys

 

Manassass

Permalink Reply by Rudyjeep on August 24, 2011 at 8:08am
Agreed - The Traveling Wilburys - the first album is amazing, especially since it was a throw away written, performed and produced in such a short period of time.
Permalink Reply by RP N10 on August 23, 2011 at 11:46pm
Both Tuna and JS continue to tour so the outlived has yet to be decided.
Permalink Reply by NT on August 24, 2011 at 6:10am

Thanks - I didn't realize Starship still toured.  I guess I pay more attention to Hot Tuna.... I imagine it is easier to get Tuna together for a few dates.

 

In any case, as I said on another thread - Hot Tuna is one of the best I have seen live.

Permalink Reply by RP N10 on August 24, 2011 at 9:30am

Jefferson Starship (which includes Paul Kantner and David Freiberg these days) still tours regularly.  They recently did a concert with a youth orchestra in Cleveland.  For anyone who's interested there are usually some free downloads to be had here

 

There is also Starship (aka Starsh*t) which is the vehicle for Mickey Thomas and is the group responsible for We Built This City, Sara and other atrocities.  They are sometimes to be found touring in the US but..

 Hot Tuna's new record is excellent BTW. 

Permalink Reply by Jack Williams on August 29, 2011 at 11:58am

New Pornographers

Billy Bragg and Wilco (Mermaid Avenue albums)

Rockpile

Little Village

The Knitters

 

David Hidalgo of Los Lobos was involved in a few gooduns: Latin Playboys, Los Super Seven and Hounddog

 

 

Permalink Reply by L A Johnson on August 29, 2011 at 11:06pm

David Hildago was also on two other side projects:

American Horizon - Los Cenzontles with Taj Mahal

&

Songs of Wood & Steel under the same name - similar to Los Super Seven

 

Permalink Reply by Tom McD on August 29, 2011 at 1:39pm

Govt Mule started as a side project for Warren Haynes and Allen Woody and quickly grew into more then that.  I also would add Old & In The Way one album released in 1975 still popular today.

 

Permalink Reply by Danielle on August 30, 2011 at 8:12am

Strength in Numbers! (Edgar Meyer, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Mark O'Connor, Jerry Douglas.)

Still hoping for a follow up to Telluride Sessions.

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Rick Cornell on August 30, 2011 at 8:13am

As you say above for Golden Smog, I wouldn't use "exceed" here, but I have always liked the Gutterball records a lot. Gutterball consisted of Steve Wynn, the late Bryan Harvey and Johnny Hott (aka House of Freaks), the Long Ryders' Stephen McCarthy, and on the first record ex-Silo Bob Rupe. (If memory serves, a Love Tractor alum took over for Rupe.)

 

And speaking of Wynn, as much as I like all of his work -- Dream Syndicate, solo, elsewhere -- and as much as I like the Young Fresh Fellows and the Minus 5 and that little R.E.M. band, I maybe have gotten as much enjoyment from the Baseball Projects releases as I have from anything previously released by its members, with the exception of R.E.M.'s first couple of records.

 

I saw Rockpile and Little Village listed, and those were the first two to come to mind for me. I consider them side projects with an asterisk though. In both cases, all the musicians involved recorded together under the name of one of the guys (or, in the case, of Rockpile, under Dave Edmunds' name and under Nick Lowe's name) in addition to recording under a side project name.

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Created by No Depression Feb 17, 2009 at 9:06pm. Last updated by No Depression Apr 9.