Bands that jumped the Shark

A television reviewer I'd heard an interview with has a term,"Jumping the Shark" which refers to the point where creativity wanes and the artist attempts something to try to gather attention. On the TV show Happy Days, the audience was losing interest so the producers sent the actors to Hawaii. Fonzi, in shorts and a leather jacket, Jumps a shark while waterskiing. That signaled the end of the show, grasping at straws, the writers ran out of ideas. This happens in music,too.

Anyway, which bands released an album that "Jumped the Shark?"

ELP - Love Beach  (I liked some of it)

Genesis - Abacab  (What happened?)

Yes - Big Generator  (Shoot High, Aim Low is the only reason I still own it)

 

(No offense to member Shark intended)

Edited by danbo

No offence taken danbo! Add Tull's Under Wraps to your list.

Gentle Giant -CIVILIAN.  Eek.

PFM - After the brilliant "Jet Lag", they just slid into pop mediocrity

Return to Forever - Referring to the "Gayle Moran" edition ("Music Magic", "RTF-Live") with the horns and all, cheesy as a Broadway show, EEEEEEEEK!

Mahavishnu Orchestra - MK I & II were brilliant (Gayle Moran notwithstanding), but "Inner Worlds" and the 80's Mahavishnu stuff TOTALLY BLEW!!

Zappa - After Zoot Allures, it was straight downhill!, a lot of stupid jokes as opposed to actual humor he once excelled in (although a lot of the purely instrumental stuff was still good).

 

 

 

 

Edited by The Owl

SHEIK YERBOUTI!!!...Maybe you should stay with your mamma(mamma!) she could do your laundry and cook for you!!,....maybe you should stay with your mamma(mamma!) your really kind of stupid and ugly too!!...and what about "Dancing Fool"(looking for Mr Goodbar!!?....well HERE HE IS!!!).......GREAT ALBUM

Joren wrote: I don't agree with you about Zappa. The albums after Zoot Allures are different. I can see why you don't like the humour, but I think that albums like Sheik Yerbouti are cool, in their own right. And there's still a lot of comments on society on Joe's Garage and You Are What You Is, so Frank remained sharp!

I agree!!! Anyone listened to The Yellow Shark from 1993? It's extremely complex and serious. Another example of his genius and ambitions (maybe too high ambitions? The musicians have their difficulties!!). Sheik Yerbouti and Joe's Garage are fun, and Jazz from Hell is great! I don't have more of his later albums..

I agree, it's the last interesting album, but I haven't heard anything from the 90s or later. I guess not everyone will agree on this....

What about a shark jumping duet? Hackett & Howe......

GTR

Get 'em Paco.........

It was a joke, RT. I loved Dust and Dreams, but it's a different animal than Snow Goose. Sometimes we buy stuff with preconcieved notions of what it WILL sound like, and ???????????? it's not what we expected and, even though it may be really good, it gets shelved because it didn't meet our expectations.

I remember being a total Queen nut years ago. Night at the Opera, Day at the Races and News of the World came out, saw the shows.......... The Game comes out and they're doing Elvis and disco and playing synths (remember the little "no synths" disclaimer on each album jacket?) Oh GOD!!!! Shelved.

(Was the Game Queen's shark jump album?) 

Anyway, no harm meant.   

Edited by danbo