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OT: Bands that you really like/love but never attained commercial

recruitsreadtheseboards

recruitsreadtheseboards

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Jun 11, 2006
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or mainstream attention or success.

I can think of 5 right off the bat, 5 that I would consider probably in my top 10-15 of all time favorites.

1) Afghan Whigs
2) Pavement
3) Modest Mouse
4) Husker Du
5) At The Drive In

All obviously the same genre
 
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Smithereens (although they had several videos on MTV, many don't know about them).

Jump Little Children
 
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My current favorite band, The View (not to be confused with the annoying yak show of the same name). They do ok in the UK, especially in their native Scotland, but are not well known in the US.
Teenage Fanclub
The Candyskins (sadly, no longer active, but their first album "The Space I'm In" is one of my desert island albums)
The Muffs
Mustard Plug
Ash (again, they are pretty popular in the UK, but less so here)
 
I'm not sure what this thread even means? Most of the bands listed above have enjoyed some commercial success for their genre. Let me approach it this way. Bands of eras that probably weren't quite as revered as they should have been.

60s - The Kinks - Too smart and cheeky for their time. Really, REALLY excellent band that never fully got its due. Who else in that epoch was writing songs about trannys and "fashion designers" (wink, wink)?

70s - Steely Dan - I have no idea why they aren't as revered as bands like Pink Floyd, Eagles, Led Zepplin, etc.? Phenomenal talents. Don't Take Me Alive = unbelievable song.

80s - The Smiths - Lots of great British bands in this era but the Smiths were the smartest writers and most diverse, IMHO. Morrissey and Marr were the best song writing duo to come out of England since Lennon and McCartney. Morrissey in particular had/has a very dry sense of humor that went over most peoples' heads.

90s - Jane's Addiction - The primary band that transitioned American rock music from 80s glam to what became known as Grunge. For that act alone I consider them to be great American patriots. Perry Farrell may be the best lyricist I've ever heard and he puts on an amazing show - kind of a cross between Dylan and Jagger with some punk themes thrown in, IMHO.

Aughts - I would say Radiohead but I think everyone accepts that they were the cheese so I'll say Interpol - Highly underrated band. I'd also give a nod to the Strokes for kind of rejuvenating modern indie music when they first launched.

Teens - Arctic Monkeys - They are putting together a PHENOMENAL body of work. They are on track to be one of the greats of all-time, IMHO. Whatever People Say I Am Is Exactly What I am Not is one of my all-time favorite albums and I own a zillion of them.
 
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1) The Replacements
2) Love Tractor
3) The Connells
4) Guster
5) Eels
6) Lightning Seeds
7) Supergrass
8) Wonder Stuff
9) dB's
10) The Silencers
 
Dr. von Yinzer said:
I'm not sure what this thread even means? Most of the bands listed above have enjoyed some commercial success for their genre. Let me approach it this way. Bands of eras that probably weren't quite as revered as they should have been.

60s - The Kinks - Too smart and cheeky for their time. Really, REALLY excellent band that never fully got its due. Who else in that epoch was writing songs about trannys and "fashion designers" (wink, wink)?

70s - Steely Dan - I have no idea why they aren't as revered as bands like Pink Floyd, Eagles, Led Zepplin, etc.? Phenomenal talents. Don't Take Me Alive = unbelievable song.

80s - The Smiths - Lots of great British bands in this era but the Smiths were the smartest writers and most diverse, IMHO. Morrissey and Marr were the best song writing duo to come out of England since Lennon and McCartney. Morrissey in particular had/has a very dry sense of humor that went over most peoples' heads.

90s - Jane's Addiction - The primary band that transitioned American rock music from 80s glam to what became known as Grunge. For that act alone I consider them to be great American patriots. Perry Farrell may be the best lyricist I've ever heard and he puts on an amazing show - kind of a cross between Dylan and Jagger with some punk themes thrown in, IMHO.

Aughts - I would say Radiohead but I think everyone accepts that they were the cheese so I'll say Interpol - Highly underrated band. I'd also give a nod to the Strokes for kind of rejuvenating modern indie music when they first launched.

Teens - Arctic Monkeys - They are putting together a PHENOMENAL body of work. They are on track to be one of the greats of all-time, IMHO. Whatever People Say I Am Is Exactly What I am Not is one of my all-time favorite albums and I own a zillion of them.
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Doc, all of those groups (all of which I really like and I think you and I have similar music tastes) but Jane's, the Smith's, hell the Kinks are in the RR HOF, all have had some significant success both commercially and critically. I can't even put Radiohead here, Interpol (again another I really like) is right at that line (as is Husker Du).

I am talking groups that never got airplay outside of college radio type of outlets. Something like that.
 
How bout the local, great, Frankie Capri?? dude was awesome, surprised he never made it big..
 
This is such a hipster thread. I've heard of two or three bands in this thread tops.

Dr. von Yinzer said:
I'm not sure what this thread even means? Most of the bands listed above have enjoyed some commercial success for their genre. Let me approach it this way. Bands of eras that probably weren't quite as revered as they should have been.

60s - The Kinks - Too smart and cheeky for their time. Really, REALLY excellent band that never fully got its due. Who else in that epoch was writing songs about trannys and "fashion designers" (wink, wink)?

70s - Steely Dan - I have no idea why they aren't as revered as bands like Pink Floyd, Eagles, Led Zepplin, etc.? Phenomenal talents. Don't Take Me Alive = unbelievable song.

80s - The Smiths - Lots of great British bands in this era but the Smiths were the smartest writers and most diverse, IMHO. Morrissey and Marr were the best song writing duo to come out of England since Lennon and McCartney. Morrissey in particular had/has a very dry sense of humor that went over most peoples' heads.

90s - Jane's Addiction - The primary band that transitioned American rock music from 80s glam to what became known as Grunge. For that act alone I consider them to be great American patriots. Perry Farrell may be the best lyricist I've ever heard and he puts on an amazing show - kind of a cross between Dylan and Jagger with some punk themes thrown in, IMHO.

Aughts - I would say Radiohead but I think everyone accepts that they were the cheese so I'll say Interpol - Highly underrated band. I'd also give a nod to the Strokes for kind of rejuvenating modern indie music when they first launched.

Teens - Arctic Monkeys - They are putting together a PHENOMENAL body of work. They are on track to be one of the greats of all-time, IMHO. Whatever People Say I Am Is Exactly What I am Not is one of my all-time favorite albums and I own a zillion of them.
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In what universe are Jane's Addiction and Radiohead under appreciated?
 
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Ski11585 said:
This is such a hipster thread. I've heard of two or three bands in this thread tops.



In what universe are Jane's Addiction and Radiohead under appreciated?
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Yeah, a bit pretentious, but I was being honest. And Jane's and Radiohead is not what I was looking for. And trust me, some of the group's mentioned, I have no idea who they are or if they are even real either. But my 5, outside of ATDI, I would think most people from 30 to 50 in age group would know them.
 
The Waterboys( at least in the US), and The Replacements( some success but not to the extent they should have)
 
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OH Pete said:
The Nixon Clocks and Dharma Sons are "not pleased".
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Man, Dharma Sons were so good in the '00's. I worked with one of the guys at Nauticom. Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, while big in Western PA and Eastern Ohio, never became as big as they should have been. They got caught up in a lawsuit with some guy claiming that Ah! Leah! was ripped off from one of his songs. While successfully winning that suit, the $ that Donnie spent in attorney's fees killed them. They got dropped from their label, and the rest is history. Donnie's writing partner and keyboardist, Mark Avsec, actually became a copyright attorney because of the whole mess. Donnie just turned 73 this week. I saw him and the Cruisers last summer, and he still is one of the best screamers in rock.
 
recruitsreadtheseboards said:
or mainstream attention or success.

I can think of 5 right off the bat, 5 that I would consider probably in my top 10-15 of all time favorites.

1) Afghan Whigs
2) Pavement
3) Modest Mouse
4) Husker Du
5) At The Drive In

All obviously the same genre
Click to expand...


JHC, am I getting old. I'm only familiar with one of those bands. Sheesh
 
Pat Mcgee Band. Beach bum days.

Juliana theory. My high school comrades band.

Coheed and cambria.
 
Ski11585 said:
This is such a hipster thread. I've heard of two or three bands in this thread tops.



In what universe are Jane's Addiction and Radiohead under appreciated?
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I agree, I'm not sure that they are underappreciated? They are certainly not under appreciated in my circle. However, when I talk about them to other friends or colleagues, they usually look at me like I have three heads.

That is why I said upfront that I never understand threads like this. I think who is unknown and who is underappreciated all depends on your audience. To many people reading this board, those bands are extremely well-known. To others, they are completely unknown.

I have no idea who I'm talking to here? I can certainly get more obscure if you'd like? However, what would be the point?

I also don't know what a hipster is – at least in this context?

Because my idea of a hipster is some young single dude with funky facial hair and thick glasses who wears goofy hats and blogs about craft beers and lives in Brooklyn – or something along those lines. None of those things remotely apply to me. Hell, I think people who wear visors are by and large douche bags.

I'm just a family guy from Pittsburgh with two little boys who happens to love sports and who is also lucky enough to have been exposed to a lot of excellent music over the years and who was smart and open-minded enough to embrace that opportunity.
 
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Is there anyone else here who's old enough to remember a Pittsburgh area band (late 60's - 1970's) called "The Collectors"?

They did a lot of "Rascals" stuff, and sounded just like 'em -- complete with the Hammond B-3 and horn section. And their singer was a Felix Cavaliere sound-alike. They were great in their time.....
 
Large Panther said:
1) The Replacements
2) Love Tractor
3) The Connells
4) Guster
5) Eels
6) Lightning Seeds
7) Supergrass
8) Wonder Stuff
9) dB's
10) The Silencers
Click to expand...
The Silencers were awesome! I remember for my 16th birthday in '81 getting Styx's Paradide Theater, REO's High Infidelity, & The Silencers' Rock'N'Roll Enforcers. Great 3-pack off that album includes Modern Love, Peter Gunn Theme, & Shiver and Shake.
 
recruitsreadtheseboards said:
or mainstream attention or success.

I can think of 5 right off the bat, 5 that I would consider probably in my top 10-15 of all time favorites.

1) Afghan Whigs
2) Pavement
3) Modest Mouse
4) Husker Du
5) At The Drive In

All obviously the same genre
Click to expand...

I mean multiple Grammy nominations, SNL performance, and a song licensed for a commercial all around the time Float On
recruitsreadtheseboards said:
Yeah, a bit pretentious, but I was being honest. And Jane's and Radiohead is not what I was looking for. And trust me, some of the group's mentioned, I have no idea who they are or if they are even real either. But my 5, outside of ATDI, I would think most people from 30 to 50 in age group would know them.
Click to expand...

Modest Mouse was up for multiple Grammy awards, on SNL, and had a song in a car commercial. If that isn't success then I don't know what is.
 
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