List of greatest bands you never heard of
Mike
would start one, too. It's not really a list yet, that's where you
folks come in. This list is of bands that were great, but never found
real commercial success. There have been many, many bands that had
some success on their local scenes, but never got much further than
that. Knowing that some of the folks posting in RMB are musicians,
I'd bet some of you folks have probably been in bands that could be
described this way. Anyhow, on to my offering -
A local Atlanta band named Y-O-U. My wife first saw them back in 2003
opening for a Neil Diamond tribute at a well-established Atlanta venue
(Smith's Olde Bar). She told me about them and we became fast fans
and saw them several times around Atlanta over the next couple years.
Excellent power pop songs with great hooks. They started doing some
light touring (Charlotte, DC area, etc), then they lost their keyboard
player, then they lost their lead guitar player. They kept chugging
along putting out music, but it felt like the magic was gone. I
recently read on their website that they gave up writing originals and
are now focusing on their very successful cover band called Yacht
Rock. Here are a couple of their original songs -
Heart That Remains -
http://www.youtube.com/user/pleaserock#p/u/18/vBadhFUDarA
Hold Me -
http://www.youtube.com/user/pleaserock#p/u/19/D5mfR1HnqIE
Oh, this is sorta on-topic as the lead singer looks like the love
child of John Lennon and Harry Potter.
Now it's up to you good people....tell us about some great local bands
that you loved that never made it. Links to hear them would be
appreciated, if available.
Mike
JohnB
> RMB seems to be "list crazy" these days (thanks, Raja) so I figured I
> would start one, too. It's not really a list yet, that's where you
> folks come in. This list is of bands that were great, but never found
> real commercial success. There have been many, many bands that had
> some success on their local scenes, but never got much further than
> that. Knowing that some of the folks posting in RMB are musicians,
> I'd bet some of you folks have probably been in bands that could be
> described this way. Anyhow, on to my offering -
>
> A local Atlanta band named Y-O-U. My wife first saw them back in 2003
> opening for a Neil Diamond tribute at a well-established Atlanta venue
> (Smith's Olde Bar). She told me about them and we became fast fans
> and saw them several times around Atlanta over the next couple years.
> Excellent power pop songs with great hooks. They started doing some
> light touring (Charlotte, DC area, etc), then they lost their keyboard
> player, then they lost their lead guitar player. They kept chugging
> along putting out music, but it felt like the magic was gone. I
> recently read on their website that they gave up writing originals and
> are now focusing on their very successful cover band called Yacht
> Rock. Here are a couple of their original songs -
>
> Heart That Remains -http://www.youtube.com/user/pleaserock#p/u/18/vBadhFUDarA
>
>
> Oh, this is sorta on-topic as the lead singer looks like the love
> child of John Lennon and Harry Potter.
>
> Now it's up to you good people....tell us about some great local bands
> that you loved that never made it. Links to hear them would be
> appreciated, if available.
>
> Mike
I'll check those later (the pc I'm working on has no sound card) but
here are a couple of mine from a thread I started in January. Not to
everybody's taste I'm sure but I love these:
Stackridge - British band with invention and eccentricity, varying
between prog and folk-rock but with definite Beatles influences:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnuUU5N-1Do
The Mummers - British again with a great feel of vaudeville and
cabaret about them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okwJYtgkH_E
I could list no end of extremely talented and gifted folk artists
currently on the British scene, but that's my specialism. The above
two may appeal more widely.
richforman
> RMB seems to be "list crazy" these days (thanks, Raja) so I figured I
> would start one, too. It's not really a list yet, that's where you
> folks come in. This list is of bands that were great, but never found
> real commercial success. There have been many, many bands that had
> some success on their local scenes, but never got much further than
> that. Knowing that some of the folks posting in RMB are musicians,
> I'd bet some of you folks have probably been in bands that could be
> described this way. Anyhow, on to my offering -
>
> A local Atlanta band named Y-O-U. My wife first saw them back in 2003
> opening for a Neil Diamond tribute at a well-established Atlanta venue
> (Smith's Olde Bar). She told me about them and we became fast fans
> and saw them several times around Atlanta over the next couple years.
> Excellent power pop songs with great hooks. They started doing some
> light touring (Charlotte, DC area, etc), then they lost their keyboard
> player, then they lost their lead guitar player. They kept chugging
> along putting out music, but it felt like the magic was gone. I
> recently read on their website that they gave up writing originals and
> are now focusing on their very successful cover band called Yacht
> Rock. Here are a couple of their original songs -
>
>
> Oh, this is sorta on-topic as the lead singer looks like the love
> child of John Lennon and Harry Potter.
>
> Now it's up to you good people....tell us about some great local bands
> that you loved that never made it. Links to hear them would be
> appreciated, if available.
>
> Mike
When I was in college in Philadelphia in the band, there were a slew
of locally-famous originals bands that got tons of radio play on the
the city's AOR stations and seemed destined to go somewhere but never
did, the ones that came the closets were the Hooters, who did have
some national success with "And We Danced." Anyway, my favorite of
these acts was called the A's, they were in that new-wave-influenced
power-pop mode and had a couple local radio hits I really dug, the
biggest were "After Last Night" and "A Woman's Got the Power," (I have
seen a live clip of "After Last NIght" on YouTube). I saw them play
in a bunch of local bars and every rock radio listener in the Philly
market knew those tunes, but they never went anywhere beyond the
neighborhood.
richforman
Mike
>
> - Show quoted text -
Stackridge - Loved it, esp the guy with the little percussion clapper
thing. Very good song writing.
The Mummers - I think I've heard of The Mummers. Great song, love the
vocals. Singer looks to be a babe, too, so that is a plus.
Thanks for the cool links! So many treasures out there that I might
never hear.
Mike
Mike
>
> - Show quoted text -
I was a fan of The Hooters back in the day. I might have even had
their cassette! I really liked "All You Zombies". Didn't the writer
for The Hooters pen hits for other folks? I seem to recall he wrote
the Joan Osborne song "What If God Was One of Us", and I remember a
Cyndi Lauper connection, too.
Thanks....I'll dig around for those tunes by The A's.
Mike
richforman
>
> - Show quoted text -
Yes the Hooters were a lot of fun, I saw them a bunch of times too,
even interviewed them I think for our college paper once. You're
right, a couple of the guys, I think Mark Bazilian or something close
to that and the keyboard player Eric Hyman I think it was, wrote hits
for others including Cyndi Lauper's smash ballad "Time After Time."
richforman
JohnB
Well, there's something I didn't know. I have a couple of Hooters
albums hidden away somewhere (at least, I think I still have). They
were almost unknown in the UK but I had an American penfriend who
introduced me to them. They were, as you say, fun - but eventually
they weren't quite good enough to keep me interested. However, it
sounds like they've written some good stuff if "Time After Time" is
anything to go by.
Raja, The Great
>
> - Show quoted text -
Mr John B. Since you said you have never heard mention an unknown
band. How about these guys? When I was going deep into Krautrock I
listened to a band called Gila. Not many have heard of this band. Gila
made only 2 albums, the first was massively influencial. Conny Veit
who would join Popol Vuh later, led this band. And he is a great
guitarist. On the second album Popol Vuh's main guy Florian Fricke
joined them. He also brought along ex-Amon Duul and then current
guitarist Daniel Fischescher. Both albums are good, check it out.
Another band for you. This is even more obscure. The band name is La
Dusseldorf. They were formed by ex Neu! and ex Kraftwerk members
Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger. Less experimental than Neu! this band
was more pop oriented but neverthless very interesting. They sold
quite a lot in Germany, but no one has heard of them outside Germany
Jeff
> RMB seems to be "list crazy" these days (thanks, Raja) so I figured I
> would start one, too. It's not really a list yet, that's where you
> folks come in. This list is of bands that were great, but never found
> real commercial success. There have been many, many bands that had
> some success on their local scenes, but never got much further than
> that. Knowing that some of the folks posting in RMB are musicians,
> I'd bet some of you folks have probably been in bands that could be
> described this way. Anyhow, on to my offering -
>
> A local Atlanta band named Y-O-U. My wife first saw them back in 2003
> opening for a Neil Diamond tribute at a well-established Atlanta venue
> (Smith's Olde Bar). She told me about them and we became fast fans
> and saw them several times around Atlanta over the next couple years.
> Excellent power pop songs with great hooks. They started doing some
> light touring (Charlotte, DC area, etc), then they lost their keyboard
> player, then they lost their lead guitar player. They kept chugging
> along putting out music, but it felt like the magic was gone. I
> recently read on their website that they gave up writing originals and
> are now focusing on their very successful cover band called Yacht
> Rock. Here are a couple of their original songs -
>
>
> Oh, this is sorta on-topic as the lead singer looks like the love
> child of John Lennon and Harry Potter.
>
> Now it's up to you good people....tell us about some great local bands
> that you loved that never made it. Links to hear them would be
> appreciated, if available.
>
> Mike
Has anyone ever heard of the Moore Brothers? They sound like Simon
and Garfunkel....but more trippy.
Jeff
richforman
>
I'm sure the original poster meant to exclude you from the discussion,
you can take this as implicit in any similar post, Raja.
richforman
Raja, The Great
> "Raja, The Great" <zepflo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
Did I say that?
> You live in your own oblivious world
>
> > Another band for you. This is even more obscure. The band name is La
> > Dusseldorf. They were formed by ex Neu! and ex Kraftwerk members
> > Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger. Less experimental than Neu! this band
> > was more pop oriented but neverthless very interesting. They sold
> > quite a lot in Germany, but no one has heard of them outside Germany
>
> I've heard their albums...I don't recommend them.
A million others who bought their albums do.
RichL
news:c71503ec-86a8-4913...@f8g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...
> When I was in college in Philadelphia in the band, there were a slew
> of locally-famous originals bands that got tons of radio play on the
> the city's AOR stations and seemed destined to go somewhere but never
> did, the ones that came the closets were the Hooters, who did have
> some national success with "And We Danced."
The Hooters' fame extended at least down to the DC area. I bought their
"Nervous Night" LP, still have it (on cassette!). I like the duet with
Patty Smyth (Where Did The Children Go) a lot!
RichL
news:8d774b5a-3d37-4da4...@19g2000yqu.googlegroups.com...
> I was a fan of The Hooters back in the day. I might have even had
> their cassette! I really liked "All You Zombies". Didn't the writer
> for The Hooters pen hits for other folks? I seem to recall he wrote
> the Joan Osborne song "What If God Was One of Us"...
If so, I don't hold that against him ;-)
BlackMonk
"Raja, The Great" <zepf...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:c6e08d0b-039b-48dc...@g4g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
A million people bought their albums? They don't sound very obscure.
Raja, The Great
> "Raja, The Great" <zepflo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > Gila made only 2 albums, the first was massively influencial.
>
> > > Oh yeah, right up there with Sgt. Pepper and What's Going On.
>
> > Did I say that?
>
> #6943 of you wildly exaggerating a statement just because you think it's
> "boring" to offer a more level-headed view.
>
> > > > Another band for you. This is even more obscure. The band name is La
> > > > Dusseldorf. They were formed by ex Neu! and ex Kraftwerk members
> > > > Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger. Less experimental than Neu! this band
> > > > was more pop oriented but neverthless very interesting. They sold
> > > > quite a lot in Germany, but no one has heard of them outside Germany
>
> > > I've heard their albums...I don't recommend them.
>
> > A million others who bought their albums do.
>
> Just another hour in contradictory Rajaworld.....
obscure outside Germany?
bubba
>
> - Show quoted text -
You were not asked to join this discussion
bubba
>
> - Show quoted text -
shhhh
Mike
> Mike <tetri...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Now it's up to you good people....tell us about some great local bands
> > that you loved that never made it. Links to hear them would be
> > appreciated, if available.
>
> had a major-label album? Never had an album at all? Beats me. I like an
> awful lot of acts who released albums but never had much recognition
> beyond the college-radio level...I don't know if they count.
Hi PR. Yes, there are vastly different levels of "never made it".
This guy, also from Atlanta, kinda made it in that country singer
Faith Hill had a big hit with his song Cry, but he never got
recognition on his own as a singer (and he is fantastic). The name is
Angie Aparo -
Cry -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvU9gT32e3M
Thanks for the links....about to go through 'em.
Mike