Bands or musicians who strayed far from their roots

[aeroplane]

This is a category that may generate a little debate. Theoretically, your answers could include artists who simply liked to experiment, whether it was The Beatles or U2.

However, I would also be thinking of artists who changed their sound to keep up with the times, become more commercial or to accommodate new band members.

Toss up your own examples and use whatever definition you like. Perhaps some of you may be feeling more liberal and will choose to compare one group to a later side project or spinoff (i.e. Jefferson Airplane vs Starship in the 80's or Rage Against the Machine vs Audioslave, etc.).

Of course it is certainly all right to include artists who drastically changed their sound for awhile and then eventually returned to their more vintage sound (i.e. ZZ Top or Alice Cooper).

So get your comments, pictures or videos up and feel free to supplement them with your comments on how you liked the new direction of that particular artist or musician.

I'll save some of mine for when the thread desperately needs a cheap bump If this goes over like a lead balloon, that might be soon..........

 

[LG]

Saxon comes to mind,,,they moved towards a "Soft Pop Metal" sound in the eighties to try and broaden their commercial appeal, especially in the US where Foreigner and Boston had a huge amount of success.

Didn't work out so well and after two or three albums they reverted to their original heavy metal roots thank gawd, and have been happily bludgeoning away ever since. Their 2009 release was amazingly good, "Into the Labyrinth".

Hope that is close to the mark Aero.

 

[Magic]

Aerosmith comes to my mind. They completely strayed from their guitar driven cock rock roots to a more pop/commercial sound.


They went from this:



to this:

 

[Kink Floyd]

Chicago - Originally a Prog/Jazz-outfit, now a Soft Rock Vehicle.

 

[Soot and Stars]

For a lot of bands to be in my overall favorites this is a requirement and I can say confidently that no one did more straying then the Smashing Pumpkins. Every album was an attempt at something new from my perspective. I know someone will throw Radiohead at this post and say "Booyah!" but with all due respect it won't phase me. I give them their props for the change from grungy alternative group to spacy, odd, electronic experimental band but it would just be a futile clash of fan bases! I'll still stand by Billy's bold vision and the endless avenues that he took his group as a songwriter and musical visionary!

Oh, and for female artists Tori stands out more than any other for transitioning different styles from album to album.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Aerosmith comes to my mind. They completely strayed from their guitar driven cock rock roots to a more pop/commercial sound.


They went from this:



to this:

And by that direction they earned my respect and me as a fan for being able to adapt their style decade after decade and stay relevant. I'll take 90's Aerosmith on over any other Aerosmith!

 

[Flower]

Fleetwood Mac started life as a blues rock band.

After Peter Green and then Jeremy Spencer, followed by Danny Kirwan left .. the band that reformed continued to use the name Fleetwood Mac. Only now it was a commercial poppy band which had/has nothing in common with Peter Green's blues rock Fleetwood Mac.

 

[Flower]

Chicago - Originally a Prog/Jazz-outfit, now a Soft Rock Vehicle.

I agree ...

 

[LG]

Early hard rock Aerosmith is the best incarnation of the band...sorry Sooty had to put my two cents worth in.

 

[Magic]

And by that direction they earned my respect and me as a fan for being able to adapt their style decade after decade and stay relevant. I'll take 90's Aerosmith on over any other Aerosmith!

LOL....this doesn't mean I abandoned them. They still have gems on each and every album. I just happen to be a bigger fan of the 70's variety Aerosmith. And I do applaud them for staying alive in a very hungry music industry. Aerosmith is still a HUGE name in rock