The Side Project

One of the joys of Leeds Festival last year wasn’t seeing youngsters running riot in some rock n roll Lord of The Flies, but instead it was seeing The Bronx’s side project band, Mariachi El Bronx. Great songwriting served up in a beautiful mariachi style that was neither novelty nor comedy. I really can not recommend their album enough.



I Would Die 4 U by Mariachi El Bronx

Side Projects are that way of letting off steam, for some its an escape from your regular bandmates before you kill them (Blink 182’s four examples in Angels and Airwaves, Boxcar Racer, The Transplants and Plus 44) or a way of getting a different sound out there (McCartney’s The Fireman). Sometimes it’s secret (Green Day’s Foxboro Hot Tubs), Sometimes not so secret, (Homme, Jones and Grohl’s Them Crooked Vultures).



There Is by Boxcar Racer

The side project is as old as time, from Robert Johnson standing at the crossroads want to collaborate with Lucifer on a blues side project as he felt the confines of his usual krautrock band was stifling him. It’s not that well documented in all honesty.

The side project for some is a release take Alexis On Fire man at the back, Dallas Green, Dallas Green in his side project guise makes me very happy with his songs, Alexis On fire, not so much. Dallas, from Canadia records under the name of City and Colour (Dallas Green, geddit?) Alexis On Fire, shouty!!!!! City and Colour not shouty, lovely, fluffy, keep your wifes hair out of the way whilst she throws up, helpful. Alexis On Fire shouty!!!!!!!



The Girl by City and Colour

Clapton was the master of the side project, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, Derek and the Dominoes and Blind Faith, but thats the tipping point of when a Side Project becomes a supergroup, The Clap loved the supergroup.



Comin Home by Delaney, Bonnie and Friends

Of course there are times when the side project eclipses the main project. Further Seems Forever turned into a shit sub par Christian emo band when Chris Carrabba went off and did Dashboard Confessional, never to return due to their shit sub parChristian emo leanings, that and Dashboard Confessional being a whole heap more popular.



Hands Down by Dashboard Confessional


Another notable main act eclipsing side project is Broken Social Scene, the side project of another from Canadia Do Make Say Think, Do Make Say Think are the undisputed champions of the pushing their members out to the projects, Lullabye Arkestra, Gesundheit, Z'howndz, Microgroove, Sphyr, Years and The Happiness Project all being side projects and most of them are the side project of main noodler in Do Make Say Think, Ohad Benchetrit.



7/4 Shoreline by Broken Social Scene