Dream Theater, Fates Warning, and Savatage. None of my friends seems to have ever heard of them. Many musicians I meet have heard of Dream Theater though.
What IS it about you Americans and “The Tragically Hip?” You guys buy millions of albums from Canadian Bands like Barenaked Ladies and Crash Test Dummies, but The Hip are almost totally unknown.
In Canada, they are an institution, and by far the best of the current Canadian bands. If you like Rock N’ Roll, pick up “Road Applies” or “Up to Here” and give 'em a listen.
For that matter, grab some Colin James while you are at it. He used to tour with Stevie Ray Vaughan, and was considered to be a prodigy back then. He’s only gotten better. Every album he makes goes gold or platinum in Canada, but he’s unknown south of the border.
I like a lot of so-called “mainstream music,” but I’m also a booster for some real obscure bands that few people listen to:
Fuzzy
the Posies
Helium
Sleater-Kinney
the Muffs
Jale
the Reivers
Most of my stuff is jazz and I haven’t seen too many people here on this board that are jazz fans:
Diana Krall: singer/pianist, goddess. She rules
Diana Reeves: singer,incredible. Writes a lot of her own stuff too.
Mandy Barnett: country (the only country I listen to) with this incredible deep alto voice. Awesome
Gypsy Kings. Yeah, they’re well known but nobody I know listens to them. Too bad…they’re incredible.
Lisa Loeb: again, probably well known but is she?? Great singer/songwriter
Just heard Luscious Jackson for the first time last night and really dug their stuff.
In no particular orde, these come to mind…
-Klezmatics
-Fabulosos Cadillacs
-Paul Cebar & The Milwaukeeans
-Ben Vaughn Combo
And I’ve always liked the Dead Milkmen, don’t ask why.
I must admit I own every album/CD Cheap Trick has ever recorded. I saw them in 1977 in Charlotte, NC at the old Chrlotte Colesium as HS freshman and have been following them ever since.
About The Squirrel Nut Zippers, they are from NC. A few miles down the road from me in Chapel Hill. Great band for small college bars!
I’ve been into the blues since “The Blues Brothers” movie came out. I hope you get a chance to here of these greats!
Robert Cray
Albert King
Jimmy Reed
John Lee Hooker
“Hound Dog” Taylor
BB King
“Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore.’”
E A Poe
ive heard of the blues artists that were just mentioned…
and these:
- Obituary - Death metal’s most intense band.
- The Velvet Underground - No explanation needed.
how about the jayhawks?
Chief’s Domain - http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ravi
Enough people have heard of Skinny Puppy and Einstürzende Neubauten that I won’t bother listing them, but what amazes me is how few people have heard of Front Line Assembly. Go to any gothic-industrial club. If it wasn’t for FLA, half of the music they play wouldn’t even be there.
Why does how many people who listen to a band have anything to do with whether you listen to them anymore? What’s the thought process there: “Gee I really love the music that (insert clever band name here) makes, but everybody knows about them now. I just can’t enjoy the tunes since I’m not the only one listening.”
Whatever.
“Owls will deafen us with their incessant hooting!” W. Smithers