Journey maybe? I don't at all care for their first three but Infinity is where the goodness happens, so I'm conflicted.
Wow, interesting take. I'm going to reluctantly agree. And I say "reluctantly" simply because I think those albums are actually pretty good. But I and most others would have overlooked them as a band if not for the change that bringing Perry in brought about. Good call, and one I wouldn't have thought of if you hadn't posted it.
I am going to perhaps be a bit controversial and go with Megadeth as well. They technically don't fit because their 4th album is Rust, and that was the beginning of their "classic" era, as far as I'm concerned. I love that album. But the first three, they were a different band, and I didn't care for that material as well. Rust really is a transition album between the old sound and what they would become after that. But taken collectively, yeah, I guess their first four "aren't that great" because the first three drag that era down for me (only my personal tastes--I know others love those albums).
Scorpions is another. I got into their "classic" era in the '80s, but they had a long career in the '70s that doesn't move me at all.
Whitesnake also fits that mold, for the same reason as Scorpions. I really liked both bands' output during the same '80s period, and their earlier stuff similarly didn't do much for me.