# Best Band No One Ever Heard Of ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 18, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338 "2001-09-18T05:30:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/61 "2001-09-26T23:41:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ich Bin’s \* > \*\* > To pezpunk; unfortunately, never heard Sunbrain. I think the only other grass band I listened to was **Mousetrap**. By the way, it’s “Bored”, if that helps in your search. Good luck finding it, I think Grass is kaput now. I’m getting old. \*\* Thanks for the tip on the cd! Grass records is gone (Im getting old too, all the good labels are no longer good). I actually saw mousetrap with sunbrain. Good band. as far as **NMA** stiletto, GREAT BAND! I tried to force them on some people on SDMB with no luck. Thunder and consolation is one of my favorite albums. **Fun fact** Sepultura covers the song “the hunt” by new model army on their cd _Chaos AD_. Scary stuff 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Stiletto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Stiletto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stiletto)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/62 "2001-09-27T01:03:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ich Bin’s \*\*\* > Thanks to Stiletto for reminding me of two bands I had tapes of but never got around to buying. I should re-examine those… \*\* Not a problem in the least. Happy to be of assistance. 🙂 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pezpunk \* > \*\*…as far as **NMA** stiletto, GREAT BAND! I tried to force them on some people on SDMB with no luck. Thunder and consolation is one of my favorite albums. **Fun fact** Sepultura covers the song “the hunt” by new model army on their cd _Chaos AD_. Scary stuff 😉 \*\* Gee, **Pezpunk** , I never had to force them on anybody. 😉 Seriously, just about everybody I’ve played them for has **loved** them. And _Thunder and Consolation_ is one of my top three favorite albums of all time. Though _B-sides and Abandoned Tracks_ is in the top five. And yes, Sepultura did a cover…though I could have sworn it was “_The Charge_”, rather than “_The Hunt_”, but I wasn’t at all impressed with it, so I could be intentionally misremembering. 😃 -Stil ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_the\_Advancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Lance\_the\_Advancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_the_Advancer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/63 "2001-09-28T02:34:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 23skidoo \* > \*\*The Judy’s are a fun band. Back in the 80’s, when new-wave meant jangly-crazy music, instead of synthesizer-driven pop music, the Judy’s were making music in Texas. I don’t know how far outside of the South the word of them has spread. Always seemed to remind me of a cross between Buddy Holly and the B-52’s. You can hear some low-quality clips at [http://www.thejudys.com](http://www.thejudys.com). Washarama and Moo are full of good songs. \*\* My sociology teacher used a Judy’s song as an example when he was explaining “no dogma is dogma”. I believe the chorus was “Don’t be a hippie”, while the bridge was “no dogma is dogma”. The rest of my class thought it was the stupidest song they’d ever heard, but I kinda liked it. ---
**Author:** ![TheOtherOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@TheOtherOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheOtherOne)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/64 "2001-09-28T04:32:06Z")
I don’t know if anyone around here has heard of **The String Cheese Incedent** , they are getting pretty popular among the “ex-dead-head,phish phan, neo-hippie” sorts of folks (such as myself, I suppose). Since this thread has been related to some heavier music, I’ll have to nominate **Bad Religion** and **Inspector 39** to the list, even though one is probably well known and the other is a shitty shitty punk band I played drums with for about two weeks. Can you guess which is which? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/65 "2001-09-28T06:26:06Z")
For a boomer era bubbling-under-shoulda-been-a-hit, check out **Illusion** but, um, be sure you get the right one. According to [allmusic.com](http://allmusic.com) there were four of them, two British and two American. You want the earliest American band, about which the AMG says: “By some standards, the Illusion were one of the most successful unknown psychedelic bands of their generation-unknown, yes, but three LPs to their credit on the Steed label. Their personnel were Mike Ricciardella (drums), Richie Cerniglia (guitar), Chuck Adler (bass), Mike Maniscalco (guitar, keyboards), and John Vinci (vocals). The Steed label released Illusion, Together, and If It’s So, in 1969-70. Illusion was interesting enough to observers to merit a release in England in 1969. By 1971, the Illusion’s albums were being sought by kids who’d never heard the band play. One of their songs, “I Love You,” has made it on to compact disc.” To which I’d add, well-crafted songs crisply executed and with soul to boot. And for fans of the even more obscure, the band’s core (Riccoardella. Cerniglia and Vinci) reformed with a couple of other musicians to form **Network** in the 70s (not the rap or jazz bands of the same name from the 90s) ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/66 "2001-09-28T14:32:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheOtherOne \* > \*\*Since this thread has been related to some heavier music, I’ll have to nominate **Bad Religion** and **Inspector 39** to the list, even though one is probably well known and the other is a shitty shitty punk band I played drums with for about two weeks. Can you guess which is which? 😃 \*\* Whoa, you played drums for bad religion? KICK ASS! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/67 "2001-09-29T00:09:00Z")
United States Of America Gandalf Peanut Butter Conspiracy Blodwyn Pig The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band Arzachel Lothar & the Hand People Mother Gong Gong Frank Zappa and the Mothers Did I mention that I am only 15 years old? ---
**Author:** ![initech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/439d5e/32.png) [@initech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/initech)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/68 "2001-09-29T04:01:28Z")
If you’d have asked that question four years ago, I’d have said Barenaked Ladies. So there’s always hope… There is an obscure British band called the Candy Skins, who created three albums. All good, but their first was great. Also, a really fun loud cowpunk band called Old 97’s–they’re making a play for pop success, so maybe they’ll hit it big someday. If you have the chance to see them live, take it. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/69 "2001-09-29T04:30:43Z")
Old 97’s rock! Rocks. Uh, That’s a band that rocks! Right before I left Albany, New York their new single “King Of All The World” was sneaking into heavy rotation on the area rock stations. I was happy for them, yet… y’know… the other bands on that station? Creed, Incubus, A Perfect Circle? Their fans aren’t going to like the rest of the Old 97’s stuff… How about another cowpunk/prog band - Dolly Varden? Or Vigilantes of Love, although sometimes the lead singer’s pronounced lisp distracts me from the lyrics. Or pop - Blinker the Star. ---
**Author:** ![frock75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@frock75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frock75)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/70 "2001-09-29T05:39:47Z")
Initech, I loved the Candyskins. Their only radio hit was “Wembley”, I think. They also did a cool remake of “For What it’s Worth” My nominations are probably too regional. Two Philly bands, both made national appearances on Conan O’Brian. Marah- good old-fashioned rock and roll band, along the lines of Springsteen with a bluegrass infusion. G. Love and Special Sauce- funk, hip-hop, jazz, acoustic rock. Very eclectic, kick ass live show. This band not from Philly, but does anyone remember Therapy? ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/71 "2001-09-29T06:03:06Z")
Fish Karma! Coolest band in the world. A friend of mine back at my old school had a CD and it was freaking awesome, but I can’t find it now… ☹ Send email if you have information which could lead to the capture of this suspect. 😉 Tenebras ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/72 "2001-09-29T12:35:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by frock75 \* > \*\* > This band not from Philly, but does anyone remember Therapy? \*\* [holding hand up like school kid] I DO I DO!!! I still have some of their cds. Apparently they are still around but I haven’t heard much of them. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/73 "2001-09-30T04:49:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mudshark \* > \*\*United States Of America > Gandalf > Peanut Butter Conspiracy > Blodwyn Pig > The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band > Arzachel > Lothar & the Hand People > Mother Gong > Gong > Frank Zappa and the Mothers > > Did I mention that I am only 15 years old? \*\* Then you must be one of the hippest 15 year olds on the planet or have access to a first class record collection by someone with a distinctly avant garde cast. Back in the 60’s I was a DJ at a small Oregon radio station and for many years treasured my copy of United States of America, whose “Love Song for the Dead Che” was a haunting melody and whose “Hard Coming Love” with the ever-increasing synthesizer beat was daringly shocking at the time. ( So was Al Stewart’s album “Love Chronicles” which came with a letter from the record company explaining that we probably really wanted to listen to one cut before we played it, beause it used the dreaded F word. That, by the way, would have probably meant instant loss of job and possibly loss of your license to broadcast. Have times really changed for the better?) ---
**Author:** ![portajon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@portajon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/portajon)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/74 "2001-09-30T06:15:41Z")
How about the “Squirrel Nut Zippers”? Then there is my personal favorite “David Childers and the Mount Holly Hellcats”. Five or six albums. The last one “A Good Way to Die” is on the FSX Americana Roots Chart. ---
**Author:** ![Heath\_Doolin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Heath\_Doolin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heath_Doolin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338/75 "2001-09-30T08:48:38Z")
Well since I am bringing up some others The Aquabats seem to be the only one ppl remember by “the goofy ass band”. Ska-ish, good and tight musically, and the strangest bunch of guys to wear matching costumes (sorta look like poor Power Rangers mixed in a frat boy band). Listen to their lyrics and you practically know they grew up watching the same Saturday Morning Cartoons you did. Besides, how many bands you know wrote their own themesong? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-no-one-ever-heard-of/82338.md?page=3)