Ever since the pancake-faced quartet Kiss decided to release four solo albums simultaneously in 1978, side projects have been a big deal. Departing the womb-like security of a band may be scary, but for some it is a necessity. There are four basic reasons band members decide to “branch out”.

— While the main songwriter swans about in a private jet, the bozos who just learn their parts don’t have enough loose change for a Coke. So they decide to pen some hits of their own. It can’t be that hard, can it?
See Talking Heads’ Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz’s Tom Tom Club

— They feel confined by having to play the same guitar songs every night and are chomping at the bit to explore their ethno-funk leanings with some unsuspecting tribal types.
See Damon Albarn’s Mali Music

— They are having a mid-life crisis. Forget the hair plugs: an artist of a certain age often feels the need to reinvent himself under a wacky pseudonym.
See David Bowie’s Tin Machine

— They are the drummer and bored with watching the rest of the band’s backs, when they’re not tearing each other’s throats out.
See Ringo Starr’s Sentimental Journey

Let’s examine the latest batch of side projects to see how the results match up to the day jobs.

THE RACONTEURS

Who are they?
Jack White of the White Stripes, the singer-songwriter Brendon Benson, and two members of the Greenhorns.

Why?
Bored with the White Stripes’ strict “no bass” rule and, possibly, with pretending to be Meg White’s sibling, Jack decided to help out his struggling best friend Benson and form a more conventional four-piece rock band.

The telling quote
The bassist Jack Lawrence: “You can’t deny that it is a band. Watch us on stage, you’re seeing a band, you’re not seeing Jack or Brendan. You’re seeing a band.” He doth protest too much.

The Ringo factor
Not so much Ringo as George. It’s great White has another creative outlet, not so great that he’s in a creative dip.

THE FIREMAN

Who are they?
According to their website, this is “the ambient group consisting of two well-known figures in the music industry”. So that’ll be Paul McCartney and the Alien Sex Fiend producer Youth.

Why?
Like Ecce Cor Meum and the frog one, file under, “You must have been really bored singing Hey Jude for the millionth time.” The Fireman, whose third album in fifteen years is out next month, is the sound of Macca “going trance”.

The telling quote
Youth: “I think he [McCartney] was really ahead of the other Beatles in terms of doing sound collages. He’s just never got the credit for it.” Youth has clearly never heard Ringo’s fine work on Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

The Ringo factor
How dare you! He’s one of the last two surviving Beatles, you know.

ALBERT HAMMOND JR

Who is he?
Guitarist from the Strokes.

Why?
With the Strokes on “hiatus” after their third album and the singer Julian Casablancas writing all their songs anyway, Hammond Jr wanted a songwriting outlet.

The telling quote
“I played the first track to Julian [Casablancas] and Nick [Valensi, Strokes guitarist] and Nick asked me if I was f***ed up when I did it.” With compliments like this, who needs criticism?

The Ringo factor
Middling. Despite critics rating his solo work highly, by his second album, Como te Llama (2008), we couldn’t shake the feeling that we were listening to Strokes B-sides. When will he get back to his day job?

THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS

Who Are They?
Alex Turner, the main songwriter of the smash-hit Arctic Monkeys and, um, Miles Kane, leader of the Rascals.

Why?
It seems like it’s a way for the prolific Turner to work out his inner Scott Walker.

The telling quote
Miles Kane: “He struts around the room and I sit down with the pad. We say we are Guy [Chambers] and Robbie [Williams]! We know which one’s which.” As long as someone does.

The Ringo factor
Very low. Their debut, The Age of the Understatement, was universally acclaimed and the duo are seen as breathing new life into the lounge-pop genre. We bet the other members of the Rascals don’t feel the same way, though.

MONGREL

Who are they?
Jon McClure and Joe Moskow from Reverend and the Makers, Matt Helders from Arctic Monkeys, his former bandmate Andy Nicholson, Drew McConnell of Babyshambles and the rapper Low-Key.

Why?
McClure sees himself as a Sheffield indie messiah. So why not take it to the next level?

The telling quote
McClure: “We’re saying things that nobody’s really had the bollocks to say in the past eight years.” Gulp.

The Ringo factor
High. Take two of the worst things in recent pop (Reverend and the Makers, and Babyshambles), combine them and add a social-conscious rapper. Why don’t you just shoot us straight in the face?

FOXBORO HOT TUBS

Who are they?
Basically the whole of Green Day, plus three of their chums.

Why?
Since the stylised stadium rock of American Idiot strayed even farther from Green Day’s punk origins, what better way to experiment (under an alter ego) without messing with the brand?

The telling quote
Billie Joe Armstrong: “The only similarity [between Green Day and Foxboro Hot Tubs] is that we are the same band.” As similarities go, we rate that pretty strong. The game, it would seem, is up.

The Ringo factor
Low. Likeable, Anglicised garage rock from the former snotty-nosed trio.

CARBON SILICON

Who are they?
The Clash’s Mick Jones and Tony James of Generation X.

Why?
Since disbanding Big Audio Dynamite, Jones has been best known for pressing the record button during Pete Doherty’s crack parties (aka Babyshambles recording sessions). But everything changed when he teamed up with James in 2002.

The telling quote
Mick Jones: “We’re not saying we’re teenagers, trying to pretend we’re young and stuff. We’ve taken a long, hard look in the mirror.” Cripes.

The Ringo factor
High. Is Jones’s reputation best served by this depressingly literal social commentary, set against Garageband Lesson One music?

FREE BASS

Who are they?
Andy Rourke of the Smiths, Peter Hook of New Order, Primal Scream’s Mani and Gary Briggs from Haven (nope, us neither).

Why?
Sick of waiting for the other members of their primary bands to shape up and start work again, Hooky and Mani decided to form their own “supergroup”.

The telling quote
Hook: “Mani does the low part, Andy Rourke the middle and I do the high bit – it works out quite well.” Like a SYMPHONY OF BASSES!

The Ringo factor
Did no one tell them they might need a guitarist and a drummer? Three bassists – that’s an awful lot of bass solos; even Sypro Gyra never went quite that far.

JENNY LEWIS

Who is she?
The singer-songwriter with Rilo Kiley.

Why?
After breaking up with her fellow Rilo Kiley member Blake Sennet, Lewis ventured out on her own with Rabbit Fur Coat.

The telling quote:
Lewis on Rilo Kiley: “It was an exciting time for us [the making of The Execution of all Things in 2002]. Maybe the best time for Rilo Kiley. Can we regain that? I don’t think so.” Note to rest of the band: we hear McDonald’s is looking for Christmas staff.

The Ringo factor
None. Lewis’s country-rock debut was a career peak, in commercial and critical terms. When Rilo Kiley regrouped for Under the Blacklight last year, many asked: “Why bother?”

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