So what do we make of post-Beatles stuff, including solo and band stuff?
Ringo moved towards country and easy listening classics. Not totally, and he did have some hits, with help from the others at the start at least. In a list of solo albums, Ringo’s come near the bottom.
Starr does still occasionally make music.
George‘s All Things Must Pass triple album was not his first solo effort. It is highly regarded, many saying it’s the best solo effort from any of the four. The third LP, the jams, could really be anyone and does not bear repeated listenings. Of the rest, Harrison did not write them all and there are repeats. And some great stuff.
Of later albums, George created some forgettable stuff. The electronic records are not great, and albums like Somewhere In England are pretty forgettable. At the end, he came under the influence of Jeff Lynne…
Harrison died in 2001.
Paul has been the most prolific. He is still out making music and has been touring this year. The voice went some time ago, but there are ways around that, and he seems happy just to enjoy the adulation from the fans.
There are some not very good albums, especially Wings At The Speed Of Sound and Back To The Egg. Band On The Run is highly regarded but is a mixed bag to us. Give My Regards to Broad Street was a terrible flop.
John died in 1980. It’s hard to know how his music would be regarded if he hadn’t. There have been some memorable tracks, but his inclusion of Yoko on many albums brings their quality down for many fans. Since he died, his work has been remixed, repackaged, compiled, sampled and anything else that could be done to make money.
For many, his songs are too blatantly personal and hard to listen to.