Here are 10 amazing solo projects by members of beloved ’90s bands.
While the effect of the ’90s on music is a polarizing topic, there is no doubt that the decade abounded with groundbreaking acts boasting charismatic personalities, of whom audiences never tire.
Thus, it comes as a relief that many such figures have experimented on their own.
The following serve as notable examples, though some peaked slightly before or after the era in question: Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, Turbonegro’s late Hank von Hell, Foo Fighters’ also late Taylor Hawkins and Pantera’s Rex Brown. We should mention Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, more of a team, however, as well.
READ MORE: 10 ’90s Rock Bands That Never Matched the Hype
One of the best surprises came in 2023 when Ville Valo released Neon Noir, his premier solo album containing the tracks from the EP Gothica Fennica Vol. 1 (2020) and more. Valo may stand as an icon of the new millennium, but he did celebrate the unveiling of HIM’s acclaimed full-length debut in 1997.
In 2024, Slayer’s Kerry King, a conqueror of all epochs, similarly dropped his first solo record, From Hell I Rise. In the realm of extreme metal, we likewise have Emperor’s Ihsahn, who has opted for a progressive route with his self-titled band. In addition, let’s give a shout-out to the revered Marko Laiho, who not only, at times, has handled all duties in Beherit and has taken the outfit in unexpected directions, but he furthermore continues to present inventive offerings under other banners.
Jerry Cantrell
One of the greatest songwriters of our time, Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell wowed listeners with his first full-length solo effort, Boggy Depot, in 1998.
Cantrell unleashed his latest album, I Want Blood, in, 2024. It features a cast of top talents, such as returning guests Robert Trujillo of Metallica, with whom Cantrell has performed, and Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses. In 2023, Cantrell made a recent appearance with the former’s eponymous project and the two of them are now considering creating a joint record.
Scott Weiland
Described as a wordsmith, chameleon of a stage presence and voice of his generation, the late Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver fame has left behind classics that continue to resonate with the volume of his trademark megaphone, in a replica of which his ashes now rest.
As a one-man enterprise, Weiland further flaunted his already established ability to tackle any challenge, whether Christmas tunes or a cover of, let’s say, Radiohead’s “Let Down.” With songs such as “Missing Cleveland” and “Pictures & Computers (I’m Not Superman)” that summon infinite mixed emotions, we can hear the story of Weiland’s life unfolding.
In Not Dead & Not for Sale: A Memoir (2011), Weiland reflected that his solo creations not only brought him deep satisfaction, but they were “also a way to tell my bandmates, ‘Ciao, so long, buenas noches.’”
Mark Lanegan
Fortunately, the legacy of Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age’s Mark Lanegan has become a more frequent topic of discussion due to the 20th anniversary reissue of the star-studded Bubblegum.
Listen to a composition such as the heartrending “Shooting Gallery” from Whiskey for the Holy Ghost (1994), an album even praised by Behemoth’s Nergal, and then try to claim that Lanegan was anything but an invaluable national treasure. All the same, if you ask me, I might just tell you that the number that best highlights his power as an artist is Mad Season’s “Slip Away.”
Read Lanegan’s genuinely exceptional Sing Backwards and Weep: A Memoir (2020) for more information, and, no, you won’t be sorry.
Ljungblut
Seigmen have performed with Crown Prince Haakon, earned a Spellemann / “Norwegian Grammy” and collaborated with the now Grammy-winning producer Sylvia Massy, but outside of Scandinavia, they are arguably the most underrated gem in alternative rock.
Their main composer and lyricist, Kim Ljung, is a true genius who founded Ljungblut as his solo vessel. Although Ljungblut has become a group, that will not stop Ljung from going back to the lone-wolf approach: Ljung handled the music for the gorgeous 2023 EP Sauda mostly by himself. Capturing the significance of the outfit in a few words, Ljung told Metal Insider: “Ljungblut is just the band I’m going to grow old with.”
For more Seigmen side-project brilliance, check out Sverre Økshoff’s Jared Ambience Inc., Zeromancer, and Marius Roth Christensen acting out his double life as an awarded opera tenor.
Liam Gallagher
Oasis’ reunion has given cause for joy around the world, but, today, we would like to celebrate Liam Gallagher’s chart-topping solo material. Liam’s flawlessly balanced earworms perfectly suit all moods.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds may technically be a group, but we’ll note our respect for that undertaking as well.
Indeed, sometimes it’s just healthier for brothers, and especially this pair, to spend time apart, though perhaps forming a trio with the fatherly Phil Collins would prove a nice bonding experience for the Gallaghers.
Chris Cornell
Even after his death, the Seattle-born Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave is still viewed as a “Total F*cking Godhead.” It’s more proof of his status necessary than the fact that Johnny Cash not only chose to cover Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage,” but he actually won a Grammy for doing so (and, yes, Cornell received Grammys as well)?! As with all of his endeavors, Cornell found much success with his solo adventures, which, at times, revealed his versatility.
Cornell established Temple of the Dog, in which our next pick participated, as a tribute to his roommate, the tragically deceased Mother Love Bone luminary Andrew Wood. Had he lived, he surely would have eventually crafted a fabulous one-man record or maybe even a few.
Eddie Vedder
Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder remains a fan-favorite musician who never ceases to impress. Vedder’s first solo album, Into the Wild, was inspired by his work for the like-titled film, which secured him a Golden Globe for “Guaranteed.” For those wondering, Vedder has contributed to other soundtracks as well.
Vedder’s second solo record, Ukulele Songs (2011), certainly represents a novel experiment, and Earthling (2022) showcases none other than Sir Elton John as a guest.
Joakim Berg
Joakim Berg has earned his place in history by fronting the Swedish Music Hall of Famers Kent, conceived in 1990 before assuming their destined moniker in 1993.
In addition to raking in other prestigious awards, Kent, who will finally be reuniting for concerts in 2025, have garnered 23 of Sweden’s coveted Grammis, including Berg’s two scores for the lyricist of the year as well as his win for the best composer. Berg received yet another Grammi for producing Lisa Miskovsky’s Fallingwater (2003).
Needless to say, Joakim Berg’s solo art is impossibly catchy excellence that should definitely overtake radio stations in every country.
Sebastian Bach
Strictly rhetorical question: Has a more delightfully vibrant character than ex-Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach ever existed?! Bach has charmed audiences everywhere from Broadway to those tuning into Gilmore Girls, confirming that his voice and smile of gold could certainly conquer any stage.
Many esteemed musicians have passed through the ranks of Bach’s backing band and his son Paris currently provides drums.
Interestingly, Bach connected with Skid Row because Bon Jovi’s parents decided that he would be a good fit for the collective after witnessing a performance he gave at a wedding with two other greats, who have likewise spawned successful solo efforts — the Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society hero Zakk Wylde and Quiet Riot’s Kevin DuBrow.
Nattefrost
As the previous pick, the immortal Nattefrost of Carpathian Forest demonstrates that the ’90s offered so much more than grunge and alt-rock — they were also about “Black Shining Leather” and a different kind of dirty. Indeed, this truly Norwegian tyrant, the progenitor of highly artistic excrement such as “Nattefrost Takes a Piss” from Blood & Vomit (2004), is a remarkably filthy boy with solo content that seems to amount to booze, drugs and violence compressed into sonic-orgasm form.
Although it has been a whole 15 years since we were first floored by Nattefrost’s most recent title with his eponymous venture, Engangsgrill, a split with Fenriz’ Red Planet, he has promised fans a brand new scorcher.
Yes, Carpathian Forest’s full-length debut may have premiered behind those of other prominent Norwegian black metal bands in 1998, but they, nonetheless, still equate to one of the most important extreme voices of the decade of honor, greatly helping define the darkest genre of them all.
