Another spin-off:. Health & Happiness Show
James Mastro (guitarist and songwriting partner to Richard Barone in The Bongos) started this alt-country/guitar pop band. They did three extremely good records without much in the way of recognition. |
’Few more:
Kasenatz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus (Quick Joey Small)
Slaughter & The Dogs (Quick Joey Small)
Fever Tree (60s Acid band)
Simply Red (English torch
Stories (Brother Louie)
The Shoes (used name before Beatles could co-opt!)
The Left Banke (Pretty Ballerina -very trippy)
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And also need to add the following as groups who had major hits but have body of work that can be considered obscure to many (quotes from AllMusic):
- The Church (considered a one-hit wonder in the US ("Under the Milky Way") that nevertheless recorded 19 albums and still going strong; per AllMusic "jangling guitar pop with opaque wordplay to create a lush, melancholy brand of neo-psych rich in texture and melody").
- Jesus Jones (were on top of the world but fell hard with no one buying later albums that still contained catchy songs).
- Inspiral Carpets ("released some of the best singles of the '90s").
- The Outfield ("The world quit listening, but The Outfield continued to make tight, glistening pop records...sharp harmonies, crackling guitar, and the always remarkable vocals...The Outfield recedes into history as yet another shining power pop band unjustly ignored and lost forever").
- The Ocean Blue ("melodic guitar and synth-driven pop that ranks among the best ... indisputably well-crafted albums").
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Bdp,
I couldn't help chuckling a bit as I read your most recent post. It almost reads like a scene from "Spinal Tap". That must have been a fun time and it sounds like a few of those guys have had a decent run in the music making business, which is always good to hear. |
More entries for the list (quotes are from All Music); please forgive where not truly obscure but more like forgotten or under-recognized):
- Frozen Ghost ("every track is rock-solid and probably gone forever, further adding to the mystique of one of the all-time should-have-beens.").
- Died Pretty
- The Adventures ("Soothing harmonies, ringing guitars, and lush synths ... shimmering, hummable pop").
- The Silencers ("consistently melodic and occasionally breathtaking...unfailingly pleasant and sometimes inspired...the band's consistency went unrewarded and ... was largely ignored").
- Propaganda
- Concrete Blonde (yes, they did have hit MTV videos).
- Willi Jones ("Almost every song is a winner ... why wasn't there at least one more album?")
- Bill Lloyd ("essential addition to the collection of any fan of melodic, unflashy, guitar-based power pop").
- The Records ("undeniably made some of the best singles of the [70's] era...definitive proof of the band's generally overlooked brilliance. Anyone interested in power-pop should start here").
- Antena ("chanteuse-whisper vocals provide one of the clues to the group's uniqueness, as do the pencil-thin synth lines and genteel bossa nova drum machine patterns...the wonder of this rediscovery").
- Zero 7 ("chiseling textured aural atmospheres...accomplished slice of soulful genius").
- Air ("electronica ... ideas wrapped up in music that was engaging, warm, and irresistible").
- Art of Noise
- Juno Reactor ("Art of Noise for the 21st century coupled with atmospheric merging with world music elements from all over the planet...mammoth sounds at hand -- deep, dark moods, moments of widescreen cinema").
- Run Lola Run movie soundtrack ("fast-paced techno...one of the most cohesive soundtrack albums in recent memory, and the music is excellent").
- Twin Peaks ("borders on fever-dream jazz...dark, cloying, and obsessive -- and one of the best scores ever written for television").
- Donnie Iris (maybe not so obscure and too pop for some, but nevertheless a fun rocker with great song hooks and harmonies; per Allmusic "Donnie Iris is one of the classiest rock singers who deserved widespread stardom but never achieved it".)
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Bdp, Wild Turkey is a good one as well Klaatu and Can added by others. And Box of Frogs as well.
There's a few on the list that are great but I wouldn't consider obscure though.
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Thanks Arcam. It's a rather eclectic mix. It's almost a curse loving so many types of music. Anekdoten is a Crimson type band where Unknown Hinson is a little country and comedic. Sanguine Hum is a lot like Haken.
Andy Jackson is probably best known for his role as Pink Floyd engineer and co-producer. The music is similar.
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Straitjackets bassist Pete Curry was the leader/guitarist/songwriter in The Halibuts, and LS record in his home studio, a pretty nice one with a 2" 3M recorder, Manley tube mic pre-amp, and Neuman, Sennheiser, and AKG mics. Pete and I grew up together in San Jose, I learning to play on his drumset (his first instrument, which he now plays in a side-project band when not on the road with LS). We were in a great little instro-band together, The Hillbilly Soul Surfers, but Pete had left to play with LS when we backed Evan Johns in the studio for his Moontan album. Evan Johns, a not-so-obscure guitarist who played with Danny Gatton, The Leroi Brothers, Wayne Hancock, and hundreds of others. He had three albums on Rykodisc, about a dozen others on various labels. He’s in Austin now, though not on stage anymore. The drinking has taken it’s toll. Historical footnote: On the day of The Chocolate Watchband’s debut gig (fall of ’65, iirc), drummer Gary Andrijesivich took sick, and Pete subbed for him. Here’s more: in the Spring of ’65, Gary was in a Frat Band (look it up ;-) named The Squyers, and I was in my first Teen Combo ("Faux Pas". Oy.). Gary left The Squyers to join the just-forming Watchband, and they stole the two older guys (in college. I was in 9th grade.) from Faux Pas before we had a chance to play out even once! Ironically, I took Gary’s place in The Squyers, and Pete moved to Santa Cruz (to avoid having to cut his hair to meet Cupertino High's dress code. Santa Cruz High didn't have one.), major surfing town (as immortalized in The Beach Boys "Surfin' U.S.A.") and perhaps the impetus for his deep interest in Surf (though we already loved The Ventures). This was all over fifty years ago! |
rwwear: I have not heard the remasters of Gentlel Giant but I will definitely check it out.
As far as Haken I absolutely love that band and think they are the best thing in progressive rock in a long time!
Marillion, Porcupine Tree and Steve Hackett are excellent😆
I will definitely be checking your other references!
Thanks for the feedback! |
Los Straightjackets = mucho awesome. :) Big fan. Those boys can play, too. |
Bdp,
You got me on The Halibuts, which is kind of a bummer because that's a "top ten ever" name for a rock band, IMO.
I actually considered mentioning both 13th Floor Elevators (Roky Erickson) and Romeo Void (Debora Iyall), but figured both got too much press from the music rags of the day to qualify as truly obscure.
Maybe a case could be made for Destroy All Monsters, the pride of Ann Arbor, Michigan along with Freddy "Sonic" Smith's Sonic Rendevouz band (as well as the better known MC5).
I mentioned a few spin-offs in an earlier post to this thread and I'll add one more: Wild Turkey, of Jethro Tull lineage via Glenn Cornick, IIRC.
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I have seen Big Head Toad and the Monsters a few times. In South Florida, we had some really good bands that never made it nationally. Don't forget Chase, the hard driving horn band that lost members in a plane crash after three albums. their leader, Bill Chase, was not only surpassing Maynard Ferguson as THE supreme screaming trumpet player, but all my rock buddy fans liked his Chicago/Blood,Sweat and Tears type rock arrangement, too. Before he started this band, Woody Herman picked him up and added, "...and The Thundering Herd" to his band title. |
Black Kangaroo. Lead guitarist Peter is brother of Jefferson Airplane's Jorma Kaukonen. |
Great stuff...how about The 13th Floor Elevators? Great band out of Austin from long ago- check out the album Easter is Everywhere
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Lothar and the Hand People! |
There were thousands of San Jose, California Bands/Groups never heard from outside the Valley. Here are the ones who made records receiving national distribution: - The Syndicate of Sound ("Hey Little Girl") - The Count V ("Psychotic Reaction", a rip-off of The Yardbirds "I’m A Man") - The Chocolate Watchband (three albums on Tower Records, their label-mates being early Pink Floyd. Seen in the Roger Corman movie Riot On Sunset Strip. They were basically The Yardbirds with Mick Jagger as lead singer) - Stained Glass (two albums on RCA Records) - People (two albums on Capitol Records, the first containing their national hit, a remake of a Zombies song "I Love You") That was the 60’s. Stained Glass bassist/singer/songwriter Jim McPherson (R.I.P.) went on to join John Cipollina in his post-Quicksilver Messenger Service band Copperhead (and John’s younger brother bassist in The News, Huey Lewis’ Band). Larry Norman, one of the two lead singers of People, became a leader in the Christian Rock field in the 70’s. The two Bands to come out of San Jose after the 60’s were The Doobie Brothers, and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham of local Band Fritz (full original name Fritz Reiner Memorial Band!). |
City Boy was a great band that shoulda. They were one of Mutt Langes 1st.
You may know him better from Def Lepperd and Shania (his ex).
The Shirts were the best live band from CBs.
Take a listen to Bloodwyn Pig, a branch of Tull.
Brinsley Schwarz, Nick Lowes 1st band.
The late Keef Hartleys many incarnations.
The Zutons, a more recent obscurity, at least here in the states.
The Detroit Cobras.
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dweller and arcam, have you heard the Steven Wilson remasters of Gentle Giant’s "Octopus" and "The Power and The Glory" on Blu-Ray? They are excellent.
Just the ones that come to mind because I recently ripped them to JRiver:
1. Sanguine Hum
2. Out of Focus
3. Amenophis
4. Andy Jackson
5. Haken
6. William Orbit
7. Opeth
8. Timothy Pure
9. Embryo
10. Ashra / Ash Ra Temple
11. Bo Hansson
12. Marillion
13. Ozric Tentacles
14. Eloy
15.Anekdoten
16. Agitation Free
17. Lucifer Was
18. Osta Love
19. Camel
20. Caravan
21. Barclay James Harvest
22. Mythos
23. Riverside
24. Unknown Hinson
25. Hedvig Mollestad Trio
26. Porcupine Tree / Steven Wilson
27. Tangerine Dream (not so obscure but not really mainstream)
28. 801 / Phil Manzanera
29. Steve Hackett
30. Jade Warrior
31. Pure Reason Revolution
32. Blues Pills
33. Horslips
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A few of my favorite obscure artists & albums:
Dixie Dregs ~ What If
Pylon ~ Gyrate
Rank and File ~ Sundown
Trip Shakespeare ~ Lulu
Seldom Scene ~ Old Train
Brand X ~ Moroccan Roll
Romeo Void ~ It's A Condition
Texas ~ Mother's Heaven
Drivin' N' Cryin' ~ Fly Me Courageous
Keno Duke ~ Sense of Values
Hatfield and the North ~ The Rotter's Club
Pearls Before Swine ~ One Nation Underground
The Rain Parade ~ Emergency Third Rail Power Trip
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Marti Jones, and her producer/husband Don Dixon, as SO good! Don may even be a better producer than T-Bone Burnette (and definitely a better songwriter and singer, not a T-Bone strength, imo). It's a shame he never progressed beyond that amateur DIY recorded sound quality as an engineer. I do believe there is an anti-audiophile sensibility in a lot of independent R & R producers, for some reason. Like to sound too "good" is to become mainstream. But look at Nick Lowe; his first album (and the ones he produced for Elvis Costello) sounds pretty bad (though being musically great), but his second sounds completely different, pretty good (that may be due to Dave Edmunds' involvement). Yeah Marty, I used some more familiar names to make the point that those names shouldn't be obscure, but appear to be to (perhaps) younger participants here. You want obscure? I'll give ya obscure. For fans of Instro/Surf, the bass player of Los Straitjackets (themselves no doubt obscure to most, though they are on the same label as Nick Lowe, and appeared regularly on Conan O'Brien) was leader of his own Surf Band prior to joining them, The Halibuts. Drenched in reverb and fast songs. |
The Ravens were another great Baltimore band that had a local hit ("Raised on Radio") whose debut (and only) album should have hit platinum. Also the UK Comsat Angels were reviewers favorite but never found real commercial success.
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Yep,
I cant argue with Whart: Used Guitars = great songs, lousy sound.
For me, all of the early Marti Jones records (Used Guitars, My Long Haired Life, Unsophisticated Time, Match Game, and Any Kind of Lie) combined first rate songs, beautiful singing, and mediocre to poor sound. Her later record "Tidy, Doily Dream" and her live album, "Spirit Square", both feature much better (tho still less than brilliant) SQ to my ear. |
Marti Jones "Used Guitars" had some great songs, unfortunately the LP was bright sounding.
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A couple a Southern janglers (both from Chapel Hill, NC I believe) and a first cousin
Arrogance (Don Dixon)
Let's Active (Mitch Easter)
The DBs (probably that area's biggest jangle rock act) were too well known for this thread IMO. Still love the track "Amplifier", tho.
Color Me Gone (Marti Jones, eventually married Don Dixon), possibly from Akron, Ohio - tho, as Loomis so properly points out, my memories of provenance are not always 100% accurate. Hey, it's been a while for these bands!
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Martykl: I for sure remember the Shirts. I have a few of their recordings (dubbed from LP to cassette!). I also think I have the Medium Medium LP with So Hungry, So Angry. Another band from that era is Bush Tetras, who also were a sort of punk-funk band with female vocalist. How about Colourbox? Really great soul/punk/funk/lounge type British band from the early 1980s. Colourbox's lead singer could have been the inspiration for Amy Weinhouse.
This has turned into a very fun thread. |
marty, love tractor was actually an athens ga band, tho sounding nothing like rem--great stuff nonethteless. your reference triggered recall of some other mostly-forgotten athens bands like pylon and swimming pool qs, who still sound pretty contemporary.
staying south, i'll toss in two alabama (mississipi?) jangly guitar bands of particular merit, the primitons and carnival season; both on spotify and well worth checking out
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A few bands I'd like to see get more recognition...one defunct, two still recording.
No longer active: The Standard...check out a fine trilogy of albums by them: Wire Post to Wire; Swimmer; Albatross.
Still active: Nada Surf...been around a while. Have been enjoying, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy; also their, You Know Who You Are.
Also active: Me Without You. Try, Pale Horses; Catch For Us the Foxes; or Brother, Sister. Great album art too.
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OK, so here's three from the NYC punk/new wave club scene ca. 1980 -
Anyone remember The Shirts? Lead singer Annie Golden later starred in Milos Foreman's film version of "Hair", IIRC.
Then there was a San Francisco (?) band called Medium Medium with their big song "Hungry, So Angry".
And let's not forget the immortal Love Tractor, maybe from Boston?
A little later on, on the cow-punk bar circuit we got "Momma's Big Iron Skillet", who were great and had some really funny lyrics. Later still, came BR5-49, from Austin, IIRC. Along with some great original material, they were the mother of all request taking cover bands.
BTW,
Good list from Bdp (as usual), tho a few of those are a little less obscure than this thread demands, IMO. However, I'll give you props on the Graham Gouldman/Andrew Gold collaboration. Who knew?
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gnostalgick - Thanks for the very helpful info. I am well acquainted with Talk Talk (saw them on the peer in NYC when they opened for Elvis Costello, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth), and Japan.
Funny story about Japan. I was at a record show and saw an early LP by Japan that I was unfamiliar with, so I bought it (for $3). What a dissappointment. Apparently, before Japan went all New Romantic, they tried their hands at Hair-band/Arena rock garbage. What a waste of $3. |
bondmanp,
Genre? In the 80s I would have said they were 'alternative' but that label has now been co-opted by a sound I wouldn't really associate with any of these. I suppose I've heard about half played (one time or another) on college stations, but I doubt any are standard fare. In brief:
And Also the Trees--distinctly romantic guitars, sometime melodramatic, toured with The Cure
Angels of Light--much quieter, more jangly project from the Swans (loud, rock)
Coil--dark industrial ambient
Galaxie 500--fuzzy, relaxed, proto-indie-pop
In Gowan Ring--hippy folksy flower children music
Labradford--slow & drony ambient
Lowlife--lush & dreamy Scottish band featuring the original bassist from the Cocteau Twins
Miranda Sex Garden--their first album was all madrigals, then they picked up some modern instruments...
Outhud--Brooklyn/Oakland hipster dance punk with a harp
Pram--fun 90s pop, like I'd imagine a happy upbeat Portishead
Silver Apples--very early (60s) synthesizer based band with Can -like rhythm
David Sylvian--more progressive output from the singer from Japan (band that heavily influenced Duran Duran)
Talk Talk--had their share of 80s pop hits, but its their last two albums that really shine (sued by EMI for not being commercial enough)
Jozef Van Wissem--modern lutist
Zelienople--very recent discovery--avant-garde indie rock from Chicago
Also (already listed by czarivery):
This Mortal Coil--covers from the members of classic 4AD bands
Tuxedomoon--neo-classically inspired 80s synth-pop with violin, clarinet, trumpet & performance artist |
You are correct bondmanp! I forgot about that one- DUH😠
And by the way one of the best live albums ever recorded in my opinion.
I guess they are not truly obscure. Just underrated and underappreciated the majority. |
I’m a huge Tubes fan. I regularly play their first 2 albums. Tracks like "pimp" sound great as well. I saw them live recently and were fantastic.
Some bands i still have lp’s from:
Tom Robinson band.
Tim Curry had an album or two out.
.(I still sometimes hear NYU’s new afternoon show.)
Throbbing Grizzle
Durruti column
Prefab sprout
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arcam88: The Tubes are obscure? White Punks on Dope was a high school and college anthem in the mid-to-late 1970s. Everyone I knew, knew that song. WPOD!!! |
I dunno. I have to say that if a band is signed to a major label, and has some charting singles, I think that means they are not obscure. The fact that I know 60% of the bands people are listing here suggests to me that they are not really obscure.
Now, gnostalgick, aside from having a very difficult member name, has an excellent list. I haven’t heard of one single band on it, save Antony & the Johnsons and Husker Du. Bravo.
gnostalgick: What genre of music would you put these bands in? If the genre appeals to me, I will explore these bands. Thank you. |
Great list dweller!
I know of about half the bands on your list.
Gentle giant definitely deserved more recognition.
I haven't heard The Tubes mentioned. Formed in 1975 out of San Francisco, they definitely had a different approach. A little rock, a little punk, a little??? And a lot of humor.
I saw these guys live twice and boy did they know how to put on a show( not just play)
They had a couple of minor hits" Talk to Ya Later"and "She's a Beauty". But most people wouldn't have a clue who The Tubes are.
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Gentle Giant
They Might Be Giants
Mama’s Pride
Aorta
Men At Work
Wendy O’Williams and the Plasmatics
Silver Metre
Silver Apples
Heartsfield
Wild Man Fischer (do multiple personalities qualify as a group?)
Black Oak Arkansas
Dave Clark Five
Masked Marauders
The Incredible String Band
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Charlie "Lines" is one of my favorite albums. Can't believe I missed them when I was looking through my collection. I have all of their albums on vinyl. Good call! |
Been listening to all of the British band Charlie's albums. A criminally underrated band that I loved back in the day and still. China Crisis just released a new album last year, "Autumn in the Neighborhood". If you loved their previous work you will love this and they have some get this: great steel guitar work on a couple of cuts. |
And Also the Trees
Angels of Light
Antony & the Johnsons
Coil
Galaxie 500
Husker Du
In Gowan Ring
Labradford
Lowlife
Miranda Sex Garden
Outhud
Pram
Silver Apples
David Sylvian
Talk Talk
Jozef Van Wissem
Zelienople
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Elvis Hitler. Their Disgraceland album contains a cover of Purple Haze called Green Haze. It is the Hendrix tune, but with the lyrics from the tv show, "Green Acres." "Farm livin,' it's the life for me...". It came out shortly after Paul Simon's album, 'Graceland' and was sort of anti-pop, lo-fi, psycho-billy. The first pressing came in a lo-rent cardboard box with the cover art photocopied and taped on with cello-tape. They were actually a competent band. |
Moby Grape and Fresh out of Borstal |
Here's a few more, then I'll quit. Could be here forever.
10CC
Ace
Angel
Argent
Asleep At The Wheel
Badfinger
Boomtown Rats
Canned Heat
Climax Blues Band
Dexy's Midnight Runners
Exile
FM
Grapes Of Wrath
Head East
Icicle Works
Joy Of Cooking
Klaatu
Men Without Hats
Midnight Oil
Orion
Pet Shop Boys
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Rare Earth
Starz
UB40
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Terry Reid was Jimmy Page’s first choice for singer of the new Group he was putting together in ’68. When Terry declined, Jimmy asked another guy ;-). |
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Iko-Iko out of Miami. They're well known there, but everywhere else would qualify as obscure. They've been through many incarnations, some better than others, but they keep coming back with new crew and new tunes.
Two of their CDs I can highly recommend, "Protected by Voodoo" and "Shine", |
whart
900 posts
05-18-2016 9:48am
"Love Terry Reid, and actually have an old Shonen Knife record. The Terry stuff I still listen to- haven’t pulled out that Knife record since what- the ’80s?"
Terry Reid is apparently still going strong, judging from his youtube vids. Knock on wood. The Shonen Knife CD to get if you ask me is Let’s Knife. Classic punk or whatever. :-)
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Love Terry Reid, and actually have an old Shonen Knife record. The Terry stuff I still listen to- haven't pulled out that Knife record since what- the '80s?
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loomis: If you like the Spinanes, you will likely enjoy a lot of Riot Grrl bands. Frogpond in particular, The Amps, and 100 Watt Smile should ring your bell. Looker is more recent, but excellent in this genre. The Dishes is a great B-52s style band with original material. There are so many bands from the 1990s and on that flew mostly under the radar. A good internet radio station and Pandora are good ways to explore. Start on Pandora with something like 100 Watt Smile, and you should end up hearing all sorts of great bands that you might never have heard of. |
