# Bands you can't believe aren't famous **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286 "2003-03-18T15:50:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/1 "2003-03-18T15:50:38Z")
In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I can’t believe Flogging Molly isn’t hugely popular. Reasons: 1. Their style is a mix of fast “punk” and Irish folk. Very danceable but with actual music talent. Seems like a perfect next step from what’s popular nowadays. But better, of course. 2. They put on a great show live. I saw them at Warped Tour last year and they had the best crowd response of any of the groups, which included Bad Religion and New Found Glory. It was insanity. 3. It seems like every other sampler CD I get has stuff from them on it. Even the CD that came with my new Virgin cell phone! That means someone important thinks enough to give them a big push. They can’t claim crappy label support. There are plenty of bands I like that will never be popular. Be it their musical style or their intentional obsurity or whatever. And that’s fine. But dammit, this band should be big. It would make the world a better place! (How’s that for hyperbole?) Any other nominations? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/2 "2003-03-18T15:52:35Z")
I can’t believe the Saw Doctors never hit it big. Again, a mix of Irish and garage rock. ---
**Author:** ![Harli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c0e974/32.png) [@Harli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harli)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/3 "2003-03-18T16:02:07Z")
I think that in their own genre, Flogging Molly are quite popular. The fact that they were on the bill for Warped Tour proves that. No, they are not played on Top 40 radio stations and we are not pummeled with their music videos. But isn’t it better that way? I’d rather choose my music rather than have it shoved down my throat. I’d rather them not receive a big push. However, there are a great number of bands who are awesome and not highly recognized, even within the same musical scope as Flogging Molly. Anyone ever taken a listen to a band out of Montreal named _The Planet Smashers_? They played the Union stage at Warped Tour this year, and at the Toronto show, there were huge masses of people all jumping around, singing along, and skanking. And then there’s _Big D and the Kid’s Table_, out of Boston. Same type of deal. Played at Warped Tour for the first time this year. How about _King Django_ from NYC? Great old school reggae ska band. I first discovered them when they opened for The Planet Smashers at a show. They’ve never even made Warped Tour. Went to a show where they were playing though, and there were maybe 50 people there (most of which were there to see their friends in the local band). So no, I would prefer these bands not become “famous” as such. But recognized by others who appreciate that kind of music, hell yah! ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/4 "2003-03-18T16:18:15Z")
I say this in every thread of this type, because it’s true. Fountains of Wayne. ---
**Author:** ![Ivar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ivar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivar)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/5 "2003-03-18T17:07:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Legomancer \* > \*\*I say this in every thread of this type, because it’s true. Fountains of Wayne. \*\* That’s the first band I thought of! ---
**Author:** ![B.Pants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@B.Pants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Pants)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/6 "2003-03-18T17:23:06Z")
Amen to Fountains of Wayne! I think their version of _Hit Me Baby One More Time_ is just about my favorite cover of all time. Not to mention that all of their songs should be staples on anyone’s playlist, of course. The Meat Puppets don’t get nearly enough recognition. I don’t know that most people would even have heard of them without Nirvana, but they’re geniuses. ---
**Author:** ![Rib\_Eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Rib\_Eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rib_Eye)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/7 "2003-03-18T17:35:21Z")
King’s X. Flogging Molly is good. But they are not The Pogues. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/8 "2003-03-18T17:53:59Z")
There are hundreds of bands that deserve to be much more famous than they are, and dozens of bands who are famous because of the legalized payola system that is contemporary radio who deserve obscurity. I’ll just name two: 1. Superchunk: a band from Chapel Hill who write better pop songs than Green Day and have a hot chick playing bass. Plus, they rock! [http://www.superchunk.com/](http://www.superchunk.com/) 2. The Reigning Sounds: A Memphis band formed by former Oblivian Greg Cartwright–one of the guys who played garage rock a long time before the Hives or the Strokes–who write some of the greatest songs of the new century. The fact that they’re not all over the radio says that there is no justice in the music world. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/9 "2003-03-18T17:56:27Z")
I don’t know about _famous_, per se, but I definitely believe that two bands that should be a hell of a lot more popular are [Mesh](http://www.mesh.co.uk) and [Anything Box](http://www.anythingbox.com). ---
**Author:** ![Banger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Banger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banger)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/10 "2003-03-18T18:03:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Harli \* > Anyone ever taken a listen to a band out of Montreal named _The Planet Smashers_? They played the Union stage at Warped Tour this year, and at the Toronto show, there were huge masses of people all jumping around, singing along, and skanking. I have a couple of their albums, and enjoy them very much. Gotta love a band with a song called “Pee in the Elevator” 😃 > [@](#): > > How about _King Django_ from NYC? Great old school reggae ska band. I first discovered them when they opened for The Planet Smashers at a show. They’ve never even made Warped Tour. Went to a show where they were playing though, and there were maybe 50 people there (most of which were there to see their friends in the local band). If you like Django, you should check out his other bands, **Skinnerbox** and the **Stubborn Allstars**. The **Allstars** ’ _Back with a New Batch_ is one of the best ska albums to have come out in the past 10 years, IMO. I’m surprised **Rocket from the Crypt** never became really famous. From what I hear they’re huge in their hometown of San Diego. RFTC came to mind because I’m seeing them live on Thursday night 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![okielady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/fbc32d/32.png) [@okielady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/okielady)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/11 "2003-03-18T18:05:32Z")
Pete Droge and the Sinners ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/12 "2003-03-18T18:18:45Z")
[Future Bible Heroes](http://www.futurebibleheroes.com/) get a fair amount of airplay on college stations, but it’s really remarkable that they haven’t crossed over into the mainstream. Their songs are distinctive and catchy, with great hooks and clever lyrics. Their current CD is very solid. _Losing Your Affection_, _Doris Daytheearthstoodstill_, and _I’m a Vampire_ could all be big hits. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/13 "2003-03-18T18:22:49Z")
Flogging Molly was the first band that sprung to mind when I saw the thread title. Then I saw that the thread was inspired by them. Cool. I saw them play a club in New Orleans. The sheer energy in that room was amazing. By the time the show was over, I actually wanted it to be over because I was exhausted! Also a big second on **bup** ’s Saw Doctors nomination. Their songs are so damn catchy! How can a band have the highest-selling single in Irish history, but be completely unknown over here? I had to buy their latest CD ( **Villians?** - awesome disc) online because _nobody_ around here had anything by them. **Something Corporate**. Few things are as cool to me as bands that can successfully work a piano into a rock song. These guys do it consistently and with quality. Their songs are so damn sugary that it’s a wonder commercial radio isn’t driving them into the ground. Then again, my BIL said he saw them on MTV2, so maybe they are gaining some ground. ---
**Author:** ![Spoonbender](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spoonbender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoonbender)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/14 "2003-03-18T18:27:05Z")
Amazing, when I saw the thread title I too thought of Flogging Molly. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/15 "2003-03-18T18:35:24Z")
I’ve said it before on this board (many, many times) and I’ll say it again… **The Tragically Hip**. Why they didn’t hit it big (in the U.S.) with _Fully Completely_ and _Day for Night_, I’ll never know. They are, hands down, the best live band I have ever seen! I’ve been a fan from the early nineties and I can’t understand why the rest of America didn’t catch on. Dan Ackroyd even brought them on SNL back in 94 or 95 when he hosted and gave them a shot on American TV, since he was a fan. They’re popular along the border (which is why I’m a fan) and in isolated areas of the U.S. I seem to remember hearing that they were/are popular in Austin, TX. But other than that, they just didn’t gain an audience. Their last few albums didn’t have the same power and raw energy that their earlier stuff has, so I don’t think it will ever happen. And with Gord Downie making solo records, they may very well be on their last legs as a band. ☹ [SUB]Not that I wanted them to make it big here…I love seeing them in smaller clubs here and having them all to myself.[/sub] Oh yeah, and **Cowboy Mouth**. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/16 "2003-03-18T18:53:47Z")
After reading my post, I realized I didn’t mention that The Hip are Canadian. (Or else you’d be wondering which border I was talking about). :o ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/17 "2003-03-18T19:02:22Z")
**Cowboy Mouth** is the band that I thought of too. Their problem is that you have to see them live to understand what the deal is. They are great on CD but it just isn’t the same. ---
**Author:** ![TigoleBitties](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TigoleBitties](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TigoleBitties)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/18 "2003-03-18T19:05:18Z")
**The Aquabats** they are hilarious in concert but a very tight ska-ish band from Orange County. I personally like em cause they are superfans of everything Saturday Morning TVish ---
**Author:** ![Harli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c0e974/32.png) [@Harli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harli)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/19 "2003-03-18T19:13:50Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Banger_ > \*\*If you like Django, you should check out his other bands, Skinnerbox and the Stubborn Allstars. \*\* Yes, I am familiar with Django’s other stuff. I love it! The Tragically Hip?? Heheheh, they’re HUGE here, but I’m in Canada. I’m not a big fan though. ---
**Author:** ![InTransit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@InTransit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InTransit)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286/20 "2003-03-18T19:20:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by B.Pants \* > \*\*Amen to Fountains of Wayne! I think their version of _Hit Me Baby One More Time_ is just about my favorite cover of all time. . . . . \*\* I like the Travis version. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-you-cant-believe-arent-famous/162286.md?page=2)