Solo Descent

Apparently bored with success, Zack de la Rocha recently ditched Rage Against the Machine to go solo. Unfortunately for him, rock history is littered with lead singers who flopped after leaving accomplished bands. A trip through the frontman graveyard ought to send the rocker begging for a reunion.

COREY GLOVER
ALBUMS WITH LIVING COLOUR: Vivid sold more than 1 million copies, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard chart.
SOLO : Hymns (1998) sold an ungodly 12,000 copies.
SINGLES WITH LIVING COLOUR : ''Cult of Personality'' among the country's Top 40 singles for nine weeks, peaking at No. 13.
SOLO : ''Hot Buttered Soul,'' still waiting to pop. CAREER HIGHLIGHTSWITH LIVING COLOUR: Snagged two Grammies; opened for the Rolling Stones on their Steel Wheels tour.
SOLO: Typecast as a struggling rock star in Off Broadway's Fallen Angel.

CHRIS CORNELL
ALBUMS WITH SOUNDGARDEN: Superunknown debuted at No. 1 and sold 3.4 million copies.
SOLO: Euphoria Morning (1999) cleared 310,000 and didn't crack the top 10.
SINGLES WITH SOUNDGARDEN: ''Black Hole Sun'' bagged a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance.
SOLO: ''Can't Change Me'' fell into a black hole of its own.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
WITH SOUNDGARDEN: Won two Grammies; headlined Lollapalooza. SOLO: Strummed an acoustic track on the Singles soundtrack; penned songs for superunknowns Flotsam and Jetsam.

SUSANNA HOFFS
ALBUMS WITH THE BANGLES: Different Light peaked at No. 2 on the charts.
SOLO: The gender-bending effort When You're a Boy (1991) is still looking for a chart.
SINGLES WITH THE BANGLES: Five top 10 hits including No. 1s ''Walk Like an Egyptian'' and ''Eternal Flame.''
SOLO: ''My Side of the Bed'' overslept at No. 30.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
WITH THE BANGLES: Dazzled Prince; revived Steve Martin's King Tut dance craze.
SOLO: Made an uncredited cameo in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

PERRY FARRELL
ALBUMS WITH JANE'S ADDICTION: Ritual de lo Habitual and Nothing's Shocking inspired legions of alt-rockers.
SOLO: New band Porno for Pyros' Good God's Urge (1996) inspired the band to stop making albums.
SINGLES WITH JANE'S ADDICTION: MTV-friendly ''Been Caught Stealin''' wins Best Alternative Music Video award.
SOLO: ''Wishing Well'' still wishing for MTV's address.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
WITH JANE'S ADDICTION: Created (and headlined) the memorable Lollapalooza tour.
SOLO: Created (and ended) the eminently forgettable ENIT tour.

SEBASTIAN BACH
ALBUMS WITH SKID ROW: Slave to the Grind flogged the competition and debuted at No. 1.
SOLO: Bring 'Em Bach Alive (1999): dead on arrival.
SINGLES WITH SKID ROW: Hits ''I Remember You'' and ''18 and Life'' burn their way up the top 10 on the pop charts.
SOLO: ''Frozen'' is as hot as it sounds.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
WITH SKID ROW: Graced the cover of Rolling Stone; toured with Bon Jovi in 1989.
SOLO: Played outcast lunatic in Broadway's Jekyll & Hyde.