Bands that have jumped the shark the worst

[Blazer]

Well we all have argued about this before in numerous threads but let's get one thread going where we (Hopefully) all agree on Bands who jumped the shark the worst of all.

I'll start with with perhaps the best example of all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xhYk9PEmXA

Jefferson Airplane "White rabbit" at the Woodstock performance.

Jefferson Airplane used to be one of the premier psych-rock bands of the late sixties, their albums being loaded with dark, moody songs. And Grace Slick crowning herself as the unnoficial Queen of the Hippie movement.

But then the seventies arrived, the line up changed and so did the name, the Airplane went to greater heights and became Jefferson Starship in this incarnation the band went to have enormous succes. Jefferson Starship became a stadium act and their music AOR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PwG69620WA

Jefferson Starship "Jane"

But the worst was still to come. In the eighties Jefferson Starship apparently kicked Jefferson out and went on as Starship and their old hippie audience probably was white in shock when their sound changed along with that name. Starship ebraced the old hippie nemesis; the corporate rock industry and none was it more evident on what apparently was their greatest hit which even featured dee-jay talk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxGGckAc1rs

Starship "We built this city"

People talk about bands like Genesis and Kiss selling out but let's face it none of them sold out so hugely as Starship.

[Cygnus X1]

Actually, I like "Jane" a lot more than "White Rabbit"...

I hate to say this, because I love the band, but PF jumped the shark with the Wall.
Although the album is notable in it's own right, it tore the band apart once and for all.
The Final Cut was a pure Waters project. After that, it's fragments and pieces of a Gilmour project.

I've heard the same argument about the many incarnations of Rush. But, I personally don't buy it. The band has grown, developed, and changed in a way that made sense to them. The fans don't always get it, and sometimes a new base develops, but I still keep coming back. I remember when people thought they lost it when they did Moving Pictures...so in a defensive move, I'll say Rush did not jump the shark.

The worst? The Beatles. The White album was a creative masterpiece, and a travesty all in its own. Call it what you want, but Lennon killed the Beatles.

[Axewielder]

I think AC/DC was best with Bon Scott. Back in Black was pretty kickass, but they have been slowly blowing more and more chunks with Brian Johnson ever since.

[Shibs]

I agree.... Rush has in fact stayed in their own interests, they did not follow the mainstream or corporate influences. I remember when everyone thought that they were too strange in the late 70's, but they did not change their course and it has worked for them!

I agree with your Beatles statement as well, but what killed the Beatles? I think that he was greatly influenced by the times and by Yoko..... He even allowed Yoko to sing live with him and it sucked, even the band made faces and giggled at each other about it!

[Ralph E.]

Dokken with that ATROCIOUS alternative clone "Dysfunctional" cd.

[CharvelRocker]

I think AC/DC was best with Bon Scott. Back in Black was pretty kickass, but they have been slowly blowing more and more chunks with Brian Johnson ever since.

Agreed. Used to you could put on an AC/DC album and let it run the whole way through without skipping a track. Back in Black was the last of that era. For Those About to Rock was alright, but it only had maybe 3 standout tracks. Fly on the Wall and Flick of the Switch were horrible CDs. Razor's Edge was the same way as For Those...

Iron Maiden also destroyed their career for about 10 years after Somewhere in Time when it got really cheesy and used a lot of Synths. Still cheesy, but their modern CDs are at least listenable.

Judas Priest also churned out two horrible CDs, Turbo and Ram it Down. Turbo had it's moment, but once the first side ended it wasn't worth it to flip it over. Ram it Down was just an awful CD. Granted, I think those efforts were in part hurt by corporate roadblocks (IE how they were originally going to be combined) and stupid career moves (not doing the Top Gun theme). Even Painkiller was an overall weak CD, trying to do thrash but they couldn't quite get past the cheese, despite Painkiller being an awesome song.

Nothing could be worse than the nu metal-like crap they attempted with Owens. Sorry Tim, great singer, but your studio albums with them SUCKED.

I'm sure I'll think of a few more...

[GuerillaPete]

Metallica

[straycat]

Journey when they booted Robert Fleishman for that gay guy.

[Larz]

That was cool when The Fonz jumped the shark waterskiing in his leather jacket and shut the doubters up.

I'm thinking around the time LA Guns had that single on some Keeanu Reeves movie soundtrack, not that it was horrible, but there was no more Rip n Tear and Never Enough type of material.

[toejam]

Dokken with that ATROCIOUS alternative clone "Dysfunctional" cd.

Dysfunctional was okay. You're thinking of Shadow Life.

[toejam]

Journey when they booted Robert Fleishman for that gay guy.

Steve Perry is gay? :ROTF:

[JacksonDean]

...

I hate to say this, because I love the band, but PF jumped the shark with the Wall.
Although the album is notable in it's own right, it tore the band apart once and for all.
The Final Cut was a pure Waters project. After that, it's fragments and pieces of a Gilmour project.

...

I'd agree to a point with you on this one. The Wall isn't really that great an album musically, a lot of Waters-ego BS; and The Final Cut is atrocious. However, I do think the Gilmour-led Floyd albums were great in comparison. However to the however, I'm glad he finally just went solo. On An Island sounds like Floyd but isn't marketed as such; for me, somehow that makes a difference.

[Nuclear Vampire]

Ooohhh...Jefferson Airplane/Starship/Whateverthefuck is one of the saddest cases of sellout in the history of rock. We Built This City is one of the shittiest, most pointless, lame songs ever. What kind of idiot listens to and enjoys that drivel? How it still manages airplay on those '80's radio stations is beyond me. Even in the '80's it was cheese, and people had a hard time recognizing cheese back then.

Yet on the other side, White Rabbit and Somebody To Love are 2 of the '60's best rock songs. Definetly not lame.

[Ralph E.]

Dysfunctional was okay. You're thinking of Shadow Life.

See, that's how forgettable it was :ROTF:

[Jack The Riffer]

Queensryche after Operation Mindcrime.