Most under rated bands of all time

[Aaron]

One good thread deserves another.

In my opinion, the most under rated band of all time is Traffic. The rock critics know about them; Traffic is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But the average joe probably can't name more than a couple of their songs, and that is a shame. They had some great stuff.

Also worthy of mention... The Dave Clark Five, and The Band.

 

[JoeTan]

Faith No More
The Who (for some reason people put the rolling stones ahead of the who...I don't think so)

 

[MAJ Badmotherfarker]

Here's is what I think is one of the most under rated albums:

Spearhead: Home.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Home-Spearhead/dp/B000002TPW]Amazon.com: Home: Spearhead: Music[/ame]

Here's a song from the album:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CszG_bR35Mw[/ame]

I also don't think that most people understand just how good "TOOL" is musically.

 

[Learjet35A]

I've always thought that RAMMSTEIN deserves way more credit.

 

[TX WJ]

Van Morrison

 

[JoeTan]

Joe Jackson
Elvis Costello
Talking Heads

 

[hank-the-dwarf]

Nelson!!

 

[Wayne Edwards]

That's easy.

THE STRANGLERS

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_GqyNLTuaQ]YouTube - Tank[/ame]

 

[MAJ Badmotherfarker]

Talking Heads

This. Definitely. Byrne is a frigging genius.

That actually just reminded me of another "band"... not sure if I'd call it under rated though. Anyone ever listen to Captain Beefheart?

 

[IronJabroni]

give some love to HELMET

 

[JoeTan]

Depesche Mode

1st wave playing their earlier stuff is the best!

 

[Ifandorbut]

Joe Jackson
Elvis Costello
Talking Heads

I could almost buy into Joe Jackson being under rated, but I think musical history and concert ticket revenues and album sales have smiled very kindly on Elvis Costello and the Talking Heads. I think part of the problem here is that we all have these sliding scales from which we're measuring.

There are bands and artists that plugged away at their sound, but never really found success within the framework of their sound. Nick Lowe wrote wonderful catchy pop songs in the late seventies, but only found a cult following and critical accolades.

Foreigner had a rash of top forty singles as well as a healthy life on FM rock stations and sold out concert venues, most of which had me puzzled for years.

Therefore, Nick Lowe under rated...Foreigner...Over rated.

Maybe you think Joe and Elvis and the Talking Heads should have been bigger than they were, but be honest, they were all pretty successful.

By the way...Joe's first record is one of the best, high energy rock albums ever made.

 

[memebag]

Captain Beefheart is great, but the most underrated band is still The Hold Steady.

 

[Musicologist]

One good
In my opinion, the most under rated band of all time is Traffic. The rock critics know about them; Traffic is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But the average joe probably can't name more than a couple of their songs, and that is a shame. They had some great stuff.

Also worthy of mention... The Dave Clark Five, and The Band.

I take it you weren't around in the 60's and 70's.

Traffic and the Band were both well-known groups with large followings during the late 60's through mid-70's.

The Dave Clark Five was enormously popular in the mid to late 60's, with 17 Top 40 hits. Not to mention 13 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, which was more than the Beatles and the Rolling Stones combined.

Unfortunately, they didn't have the depth of talent or material that the Beatles and Stones did, so they faded fast after the "Summer of Love 1967" brought major changes to the music in both the USA and Britain.


.

 

[Aaron]

I take it you weren't around in the 60's and 70's.

Traffic and the Band were both well-known groups with large followings during the late 60's through mid-70's.

The Dave Clark Five was enormously popular in the mid to late 60's, with 17 Top 40 hits. Not to mention 13 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, which was more than the Beatles and the Rolling Stones combined.

Unfortunately, they didn't have the depth of talent or material that the Beatles and Stones did, so they faded fast after the "Summer of Love 1967" brought major changes to the music in both the USA and Britain.


.

I agree with everything you said, those bands had their time in the sun. It's just a shame that rock radio has reduced the output of those bands, Traffic and The Band, to just a couple of songs each.

 

[Musicologist]

I agree with everything you said, those bands had their time in the sun. It's just a shame that rock radio has reduced the output of those bands, Traffic and The Band, to just a couple of songs each.

Unfortunately, terrestrial rock radio is a "young man's game". I'm not criticizing young people in general, because some of them have excellent taste in music.

But we must face facts and realize that most people under 40 just aren't interested in the vast majority of the music of the 50s, 60s and 70s. They're also not interested in listening to 50 to 60 year old DJ's, who are usually the most knowledgeable about the music of those decades.

50s-60s-70s music is rapidly becoming extinct on terrestrial radio, with numerous stations every year dropping the music of those decades. There are still some popular "Classic Rock" stations, but even their numbers are declining, and they suffer from the same drawbacks as mainstream terrestrial radio.

In the not too distant future, free music from that era will be relegated to internet radio. I'm not counting on satellite radio to help preserve it, because SiriusXM might not be around in a year, if they don't get their financial house in order. I'm not ready to throw in the towel on satellite yet, but things are indeed looking dim.


.

 

[semipenguin]

Toy Matinee

The only CD they had came out in 1990 and got very little (if any) air play. Mark and Brian from KLOS used to have Kevin Gilbert on their show...

This is one of two videos. The Balled of Jenny Ledge. Great lyrics. This is the chorus...

Tempted by half-Elvis, half man-about-town
And a life of ease
She runs off with the Vegas King
I've nowhere to stand, I can't understand
Why Jenny won't wait for me​

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRGMEIX1a5Y]YouTube - Toy Matinee - Ballad Of Jenny Ledge[/ame]

​

 

[semipenguin]

Better Than Ezra

First heard them in 1996 when I was living in Hampton, VA. 96X used to play Desperately Wanting. But this is my favorite song...

King of New Orleans​

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92ZHQb3ZvXY&feature=related]YouTube - better than ezra - kings of new orlean[/ame]

 

[Ifandorbut]

The Dave Clark Five was enormously popular in the mid to late 60's, with 17 Top 40 hits. Not to mention 13 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, which was more than the Beatles and the Rolling Stones combined.

Unfortunately, they didn't have the depth of talent or material that the Beatles and Stones did, so they faded fast after the "Summer of Love 1967" brought major changes to the music in both the USA and Britain.

DC5 was popular for about two and a half years. They did have a slew of hits, most of which came on the wave of the British Invasion. But this goes back to what I said in a different thread about how it just couldn't have been any band at that time. DC5 was not equipped to handle the heavy lifting. That said, I am a fan of their music and I have all of their records, they were good at putting out 25 minute marvels, but it's sugary confection with a nod to some distortion on the horns and some foot clomping.

The Beatles did the Sullivan Show because it was the show back in the day. But their appearances change dramatically over time. By 1966 they didn't bother coming over to play, they sent two videos in their place. DC5 needed the Sullivan show, or Hullabullo, or American Bandstand...the Beatles didn't even need to put their pictures on their albums.

 

[TheScionicMan]

Lita Ford