There’s a lot that goes into making an album. First, you have to find the right members to form the band. There has to be chemistry among the members, enough at least to move from the practice space and into the studio. Given the time and dedication involved, it’s hard to imagine why the project would end in an abandoned final product. Fans can be left with one solid album and an unfulfilled longing for more. There are many reasons why a band would release one incredible album and then disappear soon after.
Mother Love Bone
In the formative years of grunge, Mother Love Bone was a centerpiece of the Seattle music scene of the late 1980s. The band was fronted by Andrew Wood and joined by future Pearl Jam members, guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament. Their debut album, Apple, was released on August 14, 1990. But just days before the release, Andrew Wood slipped into a coma following a heroin overdose, which ultimately led to his death days later.
Notably, Wood was Chris Cornell’s roommate and the inspiration for his future project, Temple Of The Dog. Wood and Cornell lived together during the formation of Soundgarden. Mother Love Bone’s influence on the burgeoning grunge scene was overshadowed by the success of other grunge bands that hit the mainstream in the years that followed.
Temple Of The Dog
This leads us to the only album released by Temple Of The Dog. In Andrew Wood’s honor, Chris Cornell penned songs inspired by his former roommate. Cornell sought to release these tracks separately from his band Soundgarden. He recruited fellow Seattle musicians such as guitarist Mike McCready, along with former members of Mother Love Bone. Together, they began recording a self-titled debut album. Songs such as “Reach Down” showcase McCready’s blues-rock take on grunge that soon became his signature sound.
During the recording of “Hunger Strike,” a then-unknown singer sat in during the sessions. Eddie Vedder had traveled to Seattle to audition for Mike McCready’s new band. He soon found himself contributing additional vocals on “Hunger Strike,” turning the song into a duet.
Temple Of The Dog released their only album on April 16, 1991. Guitarists Mike McCready and Steve Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, and Eddie Vedder went on to form and record as Pearl Jam. Chris Cornell went on to continue Soundgarden along with drummer Matt Cameron. In 2000, Matt Cameron joined Pearl Jam and eventually left the group in 2025.
Box Car Racer
In 2001, Blink-182 members Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker formed a side project called Box Car Racer. With this, the pop-punk rockers sought to explore darker themes and heavier music with the project. Guitarist David Kennedy of the supergroup Hazen Street helped complete the trio. Together, they released a self-titled debut album in 2002. The album was a surprise to fellow Blink-182 member Mark Hoppus, who assumed they were all on a musical hiatus.
Box Car Racer had minor hits with only two singles released, including “I Feel So.” The song peaked at No. 8 on the US Alternative Airplay chart. Another single, “There Is,” peaked at No. 32 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. Though Box Car Racer disbanded shortly after, their sound heavily influenced the next Blink-182 release. In 2003, Blink-182’s self-titled album featured a similarly dark tone, also mixed with elements of post-hardcore. The classic Blink-182 line-up reunited in 2022 for the first time since 2015. They’ve been touring together since.
Them Crooked Vultures
In 2002, former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl took a break from Foo Fighters to return to drums. He contributed drums to Queens Of The Stone Age’s Songs For The Deaf. This generated some of the band’s biggest hits, including “Go With The Flow,” “No One Knows,” and “Song For The Dead.” Shortly after, Dave Grohl returned to Foo Fighters.
In 2009, Dave Grohl reunited with Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age to form a supergroup. In an impressive move, they recruited legendary Led Zeppelin bassist and composer John Paul Jones. Before even hearing the result, this supergroup was already legendary.
The trio released a self-titled album, which peaked at No. 4 on the US Top Rock Albums chart. Their debut single, “New Fang,” peaked at No. 14 on the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. A second single, “Mind Eraser, No Chaser,” peaked at No. 4 on the US Hot Singles Sales chart. Ever since their one-and-only release, fans have demanded more from the supergroup. Dave Grohl continues to tour with the Foo Fighters, who will soon embark on a tour joined by Homme and Queens Of The Stone Age.
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