Some of the greatest duos contain a standout member deserving of or bound to have a solo career. Seeing the Netflix documentary about the short-lived, yet iconic ‘80s duo Wham! made me think about the unenviable position of being the other, less cel ebrated half of a two-person combo.
For one, the special does a good job in presenting the valuable input to the equation of a forgotten man who to some critics was just lucky enough to have tagged along a born superstar named George Michael.
Here are some of these guys whose fortune is often questioned, for good and bad, because unlike in groups with charismatic frontmen, they only have themselves to carry the burden of being the other fellow riding on the glowing stage presence and ingenious skill of someone more talented, famous, and relevant.
It is significant to note that not all duos have the same awkward setup. There are those who have showcased themselves as equally notable, like in the case of Air Supply where, arguably, neither of the “Russells” is, sorry for the term, disposable.
The same goes with Tears For Fears – just can’t underrate the main vocals behind “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” “Mad World,” and more.
Vince Clark of Erasure may not be as flamboyant as singer Adam Bell, but his track record as a former key member of Depeche Mode obviously disqualifies him from the not-so-great list.
Others have members whose names are hard to recall anyway; it’s best to take them off the shortlist below. Roxette and Go West fans may agree.
1. Andrew Ridgeley: He tops this list considering that George Michael’s name is way up there among the music legends. To see the aforementioned documentary is a must especially if you’re wondering how Andrew ended up in the company of a person he refers to as Yog. Safe to say George wouldn’t have gotten off sending a demo to record labels if not for him who while in school “volunteered to take him (Michael) under his wing.”
2. John Oates: The name of a mailbox, Hall & Oates, in an apartment he shared with Daryl Hall forever put him second in billing. Yet, the guitarist co-wrote some of the duo’s biggest songs, including “Out Of Touch” and “Maneater,” and sang lead vocals on another major hit “Possession Obsession.”
3. Meg White: She is the lady drummer who gave the pounding beat to the White Stripes’ signature track “Seven Nation Army,” with its guitar riff now a popular chant in sports arenas. She has polarized music observers, though, with some criticizing her simplistic drumming approach, while others elevating her status as a key figure in garage rock revival during the first decade of the new millennium.
4. Chris Lowe: This keyboard-synthesizer guy is part of the most successful duo in UK music history, Pet Shop Boys. The Guardian once wrote, or joked, that in the annals of pop entertainment, he is “possibly more famous for not doing anything than almost anyone else.”
5. Daniel Jones: The Australian pop duo Savage Garden, whose hits include “To The Moon & Back,” “Truly Madly Deeply,” and “I Knew I Loved You,” disbanded in 2001, with singer Darren Hayes going solo, and this man focusing on record production. It is said he became a real estate agent afterward.
6. Dave Stewart: His successful collaboration with Annie Lennox, called Eurythmics and which scored ‘80s classics like “Sweet Dreams” and “Here Comes The Rain Again” will forever overshadow his other achievements, like producing songs for Ringo Starr and Mick Jagger.
7. Art Garfunkel: It’s a pity that some quarters try to insist on the narrative that this gifted tenor is an insignificant other because the other guy in the partnership is legendary singer-songwriter, Paul Simon. Well, check his vocal performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” in Central Park back in 1981. You’d agree he’s underrated.
8. Richard Carpenter: He had a sister named Karen who could play the drums and put you to sleep in the opening verse. It must be fine with him having a less-known name than his sibling. In all fairness, he co-wrote with a lyricist some of their hit songs like “Top of the World” and “Yesterday Once More.”