Bands that stopped while they were still great

Just what the title says. Can you think of bands who stopped while they were still great? My friend brought this up on FB. I thought of The Clash.

ABBA

The Mahavishnu Orchestra

Certainly XTC.

In the prog world I think King Crimson stopped at their peak in the 70's. Yes, they resumed later but there was a significant break.

Crane wrote: chopper wrote: XTC. Folks on this forum seem to really like them a lot. Ok, unpopular opinion. I think Andy Partridge was capable of genius works of pop music, but often he wasn’t doing his best work. I think he wrote too many songs. Even their best albums have weak songs, and they’re always “colour by numbers” Partridge songs. He seems to have been a habitual song-writer who was more focussed on quantity than quality at times. But when he wrote well he wrote really, really well. Suffice to say I don’t think they were at their peak when they ended. And didn’t Partridge continue to release songs after the band ended anyway?

I agree they weren't at their 'peak' when they stopped as the classic line up; Partridge, Moulding and Gregory, but they were still 'great' and that was the question posed for discussion.

They probably peaked around English Settlement for me, although some of the albums they released afterwards were excellent. I think Mummer is criminally underrated. Skylarking is also fantastic. I also always regarded Partridge as a very original and eclectic songwriter, not a 'colour by numbers' writer at all.

Blacksword wrote: I also always regarded Partridge as a very original and eclectic songwriter, not a 'colour by numbers' writer at all.

Crane wrote: Blacksword wrote: I also always regarded Partridge as a very original and eclectic songwriter, not a 'colour by numbers' writer at all. I critique him as a composer myself. He certainly has an idiosyncratic songwriting style. Some of his songs feel like simple rearrangements of the same ingredients as other songs, if that makes sense. And especially lyrically I think he can be overwhelmingly trite at times. “Pink Thing” from the otherwise excellent ‘Oranges & Lemons’ is the prime example for me, it almost makes me embarrassed. I wouldn’t give him this level of scrutiny if I weren’t a fan, mind you!

I agree about Pink Thing. Lyrics are bloody awful!

chopper wrote: Blacksword wrote: Crane wrote: Blacksword wrote: I also always regarded Partridge as a very original and eclectic songwriter, not a 'colour by numbers' writer at all. I critique him as a composer myself. He certainly has an idiosyncratic songwriting style. Some of his songs feel like simple rearrangements of the same ingredients as other songs, if that makes sense. And especially lyrically I think he can be overwhelmingly trite at times. “Pink Thing” from the otherwise excellent ‘Oranges & Lemons’ is the prime example for me, it almost makes me embarrassed. I wouldn’t give him this level of scrutiny if I weren’t a fan, mind you! I agree about Pink Thing. Lyrics are bloody awful! Pink Thing is basically a pun/joke ("<span style="color: rgb32, 33, 36; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I want to take you out and show you to the girls,"). </span>

Yeah, I'd be horrified if I thought it was serious...

I'm surprised no one has mentioned The Beatles yet.

Grumpyprogfan wrote: Jellyfish Mirthkon Khan Antique Seeking Nuns Nova Collective U.K. Frogg Cafe