Before and after lead singers left bands
The Barenaked Ladies’ new album, out Friday, is the fourth the band has released since the departure of co-founder Steven Page in 2009. That got us thinking about bands and lead singers — or co-lead singers — who have split up, and what happened afterward
BARENAKED LADIES
The history: Page co-founded BNL with Ed Robertson in Scarborough, Ont., in 1988. The band currently consists of Robertson, Tyler Stewart, Kevin Hearn and Jim Creeggan.
The hits: Known for their fun stage presence and addictive pop hooks, BNL is a Canadian institution. If I Had $1,000,000, Brian Wilson, One Week, Pinch Me and the theme to the forever-to-be-syndicated sitcom The Big Bang Theory are among the best-known songs by the multi-Juno winners.
The breakup: In February 2009, Page and the band announced separately they had agreed to break up. Page facing drug charges in 2008 (he reached a plea bargain) quickened the split.
The outcome: The biggest BNL hits were recorded with Page, who since the split has had a hand in many things, including performing his own music and touring, writing music for theatre and television hosting. He’s also filed a lawsuit (pending) against the band regarding royalties from The Big Bang Theory theme. The band’s new album is a collaboration with a cappella group the Persuasions.
VAN HALEN
The history: It’s complicated. Formed in Pasadena, Calif., in 1972, the best-known lineup featured brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and singer David Lee Roth until 1985. Sammy Hagar replaced Roth for 10 years, then back to Roth, then Gary Cherone, back to Hagar and finally back to Roth.
The hits: Most of the band’s biggest successes came with Roth. Van Halen’s only U.S. No. 1 hit song, Jump, is from the album 1984, which also contains singles Panama and Hot for Teacher. Sammy was no slouch, though. With him at the mike, the band had its only U.S. No. 1 album, 5150. Van Halen recorded one album, Van Halen III, with Cherone, former lead singer of Extreme.
The breakup: Roth and Van Halen split up the first time while the band was one of the hottest acts in the world. The consensus is that artistic differences were at the root (Eddie’s more serious rock, Roth more fun pop). But after 30-plus years in various interviews (including Eddie’s scathing cover story in Billboard two years ago), it seems the two just simply don’t like each other.
The outcome: Roth and Van Halen released a studio and live album since reuniting again, but it’s been quiet lately. The band’s official website hasn’t been updated since July 2015.
BLACK SABBATH
The history: The original lineup of Black Sabbath — formed in Birmingham, England, in 1968 — featured Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Geezer Butler and Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy was fired in 1979 and replaced by Ronnie James Dio for two albums. Then a lead singer revolving door including Tony Martin, Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes and Ray Gillen. Dio returned to record another album in 1992. Ozzy was back for a live album in 1997 and the band’s final studio album and final tour, which ended in Birmingham in February.
The hits: The band’s second album, Paranoid, topped the British charts in 1970 and contains the essential Sabbath songs War Pigs, Iron Man and the title track. The band’s final album, 13, also topped the British charts in 2013. Sabbath also achieved chart success with Dio, with 1980’s Heaven and Hell going platinum and Mob Rules (1981) reaching gold in the U.S.
The breakup: Ozzy’s drug and alcohol abuse led to his dismissal from the band. Dio, was suggested by Sharon, the daughter of Sabbath manager Don Arden. Sharon Arden would go on to marry Ozzy.
The outcome: Music fans know the word “final” should be taken with a grain of salt, but Sabbath has wrapped things up nicely if that is the case for the band. The worldwide tour grossed more than $73.9 million in 65 shows in 2016.
GENESIS
The history: Formed at a private school in England in 1967, members included Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. After recording of the band’s second album, 1970’s Trespass, Phil Collins took over drums and guitarist Steve Hackett joined in early 1971. Started as a prog-rock band fronted by Gabriel, later shifting to a more commercial outfit helmed by Collins.
The hits: I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) with Gabriel. With Collins: Lots, including Follow You, Follow Me; Misunderstanding; Turn It On Again; Abacab; No Reply At All; Invisible Touch; Tonight, Tonight, Tonight; I Can’t Dance. The breakup: Gabriel quit over what he described as disillusionment with the industry and wanting to spend more time with family. He would soon develop a successful solo career. Collins, enjoying success as a solo artist while staying in Genesis, officially quit in 1996 to focus on family and other solo work.
The outcome: Gabriel, Collins and Rutherford have all enjoyed solo success. Collins contributed drums to Gabriel’s third solo project. Gabriel sang on Collins’ Take Me Home in 1985. Gabriel also duetted with Collins on a 1999 remake of Carpet Crawlers for a compilation. When Gabriel’s WOMAD project was facing financial difficulty, the band reunited in 1982, including Gabriel and Hackett. All remain friends, as witnessed by a few televised projects (most recently 2014’s Genesis: Together and Apart for the BBC).
NEW EDITION
The history: The Boston-based R&B group came together in 1978, with founding members Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, Travis Pettus and Corey Rackley. Pettus and Rackley were later replaced by Ralph Tresvant and Ronnie DeVoe.
The hits: With its updated take on The Jackson 5, New Edition made fans swoon in the early years with Candy Girl, Cool It Now and Mr. Telephone Man. Hits from its fifth album Heart Break include If It Isn’t Love, You’re Not My Kind of Girl, Can You Stand the Rain, Crucial and N.E. Heartbreak.
The breakup: At a 2012 reunion concert in Cleveland, Tresvant said Brown wanted to branch out and left voluntarily, though Brown refuted that story. This year’s BET miniseries The New Edition Story shows an ego-driven, cocainefuelled Brown sparring with his manager and bandmates. At one point everyone gets into a fist fight onstage, and the group ousts its frontman in 1985.
The outcome: After Brown left, rumours swirled that Tresvant wanted out too, so the group preemptively brought in Johnny Gill in 1987. Tresvant decided to stay with the group, and New Edition went on to release Heart Break. In 1990, Bell, Bivins and DeVoe released the quadruple-platinum album Poison under the name Bell Biv DeVoe. New Edition reunited several times, but never reached commercial success again.
JOURNEY
The history: Journey rose from the ashes of Santana (guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Rolie) and Frumious Bandersnatch (bassist Ross Valory, guitarist George Tickner) in San Francisco in 1973. After frontman Robert Fleischman’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it stint in 1977, they hired Steve Perry and began their more successful Journey.
The hits: The band hit it big in the 1980s with Any Way You Want It, Who’s Crying Now, and — the ultimate earworm — Don’t Stop Believin’. The latter track hit No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, sold over a million copies in vinyl and later became the No. 1 digital download song from the 20th century.
The breakup: After their tour for 1983 album Frontiers, the band took a break, regrouped, and then went on an eight-year hiatus. They reunited in 1995 for a new album (Trial by Fire) and tour, and were planning a followup when Perry injured his hip and refused to get surgery. The band replaced him with singer Steve Augeri, who was dropped in 2006. Filipino singer Arnel Pineda was hired a year later.
The outcome: All’s well that ends well? Despite Perry’s unmistakable voice, the show has gone on. And Perry stood by former bandmates Aynsley Dunbar, Rolie, Schon, Jonathan Cain, Steve Smith and Valory as they accepted their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on Friday in Brooklyn. Though Pineda took the stage when it was time to perform.