# Best Unheard Band **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 10, 2000, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628 "2000-11-10T10:19:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/1 "2000-11-10T10:19:32Z")
I wa thinking about how lot of people couldn’t even come up with an entry for X under a-z best band. ??!!?? X is the best band. When I was 15 I thought, God they are so good, years from now people will be pretending they were into them way back when. Like they did with Jimi Hendrix. Friend of mine, ten years older, had the same idea about the Ramones. He was right. I was wrong. Nobody fucking knows them. And unlike a lot of things I thought were good when I was 15, I’m right about them and you all are wrong. So who are you right about? Please refrain from naming your friend’s band, your band, or any one hit wonders. Somebody who’s really good,whose been good, maybe even recognized, but got no where near the acclaim they should have. And go and get “Under the Big Black Sun” and tell me I’m wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Fortune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Commander\_Fortune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Fortune)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/2 "2000-11-10T10:24:30Z")
I believe **Shriekback** to be one of the most underrated bands around. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/3 "2000-11-10T10:30:34Z")
TENACIOUS D! –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/4 "2000-11-10T11:37:38Z")
Most of the bands I love are relatively unknown. Well, in Europe, at least. Would you believe that most people don’t even know Rush over here? (Hi, yojimbo 🙂 ) But in the spirit of the OP, I have to go with **the Tea Party**. A great band with far too little airplay. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/5 "2000-11-10T11:52:04Z")
[http://www.jampainsociety.com](http://www.jampainsociety.com) * * * Yer pal, [Satan](http://www.members.tripod.com/jmspoofe/sdmb/satan.jpg) \*TIME ELAPSED SINCE I QUIT SMOKING: Seven months, one day, 8 hours, 53 minutes and 24 seconds. 8614 cigarettes not smoked, saving $1,077.06. Extra time with Drain Bead: 4 weeks, 1 day, 21 hours, 50 minutes. **David B used me as a cite!** \* ---
**Author:** ![dustMagnate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@dustMagnate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustMagnate)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/6 "2000-11-10T13:08:13Z")
Regarding X: buy their video documentary “The Unheard Music” and be prepared to be blown away. Then go buy all those Blasters records at the used CD store and get the connection. Shriekback: a great family tree is in the liner notes of their greatest hits package “The Dancing Years”. They define supergroup. XTC, League of Gentlemen, etc. I vote for Gang of Four as the best unheard band of the last two decades. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/7 "2000-11-10T13:35:22Z")
LUNA! It’s the old singer from Glaxie 500. Very mellow. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/8 "2000-11-10T13:48:11Z")
**Coldfire** –THE TEA PARTY??? YECH!!! Buncha Led Zep freaks! 🙂 I think a better Canadian choice for best unheard band would be either Eric’s Trip (who severely dissed The Tea Party on one of their compliation albums 😉 or The Super Friendz. The Super Friendz’ debut album (“Mock Up, Scale Down,” 1996) is the sort of disc that I take out every month or so to listen to 10 times, just to remember how good it is… Sadly, neither band is still around, but old band members of each are now in Elevator Through and The Flashing Lights respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/9 "2000-11-10T14:54:38Z")
If they have to acheive more that local success then I’m going with New Orleans live sensation Cowboy Mouth. There’s never been anything even remotely like them live. If I can give free reign I’d choose one of two mid-atlantic local bands in Mary Prankster or Emmet Swimming. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/10 "2000-11-10T15:08:29Z")
**In the United States,** the answer is very obviously The Tragically Hip. In Canada, they’re as commonly heard as anyone, though, so for Canadians I’d echo Duke and say Eric’s Trip. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/11 "2000-11-10T15:17:13Z")
Lillian Leech and the Mellows. One of the all time best R&B groups ever, recognized among classic R&B fans today as being excellent, but mistimed thier debut just a little and never even made the top 100 nationally, although the had several popular hits in New YOrk. Granted, all this was half a century ago, but it is still a crying shame. ---
**Author:** ![theesfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@theesfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theesfield)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/12 "2000-11-10T16:20:17Z")
I have a list of unheard bands that I enjoy. Top of my list would most definetly be Granian. Check them out at [http://www.granian.com](http://www.granian.com). Amazing music! I also enjoy: Rockwell Church Pat McGee band John Mayer Howie Day Later- Gina ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/13 "2000-11-10T18:07:13Z")
As far as country goes I’m a big Sons of the Desert fan. Nobody else seems to be. Even their moms. For a couple of months before “Kryptonite” hit the airwaves up here in NY, I was annoying the crap out of my friends making them listen to The Next Big Thing You’ve Never Heard Of: Three Doors Down (my sister’d sent me a tape of them playing at the bar she worked at). Then their single smashed onto Albany radio like an H-Bomb, they were inescapable, and nobody remembered that I liked them first. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/14 "2000-11-10T18:12:43Z")
I’m rather partial to [Asian Dub Foundation](http://www.asiandubfoundation.com) myself. Kinda like Rage on speed, except they’re from India and live in England. They may not be unheard, because they had a single, Return to Django, on The Beach soundtrack, but not many people have heard of them around here. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/15 "2000-11-10T18:29:20Z")
The Minibosses. ---
**Author:** ![sliv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@sliv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sliv)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/16 "2000-11-10T18:39:38Z")
Just to continue the Shriekback connection, XTC probably qualifies. Every album a gem, but tragically underappreciated. ---
**Author:** ![RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5daacb/32.png) [@RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RocknRoll_Killing_Machine)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/17 "2000-11-10T19:21:17Z")
**Godspeed You Black Emperor!** They only play long drawn out instrumental songs, but they’re really good. Check them out, seriously. [http://www.cs.unm.edu/~wneumann/gybe\_mp3.html](http://www.cs.unm.edu/~wneumann/gybe_mp3.html) ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/18 "2000-11-10T20:37:58Z")
I don’t know if they are the best, but they are good and are relatively unheard of. _ **Redd Kross.** _ The album _ **Neurotica** _ is a Partridge Family meets early Kiss. Every time I listen to the infectious pop on this CD I find myself smiling. They’ve got another interesting CD that I can’t remember the name of right now but that is also very fun. You’ve got to love a band that has Danny Bonaduce guest singing, a Yoko Ono Cover, and a medly of We Will Rock You and Give Peace a Chance. ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/19 "2000-11-10T21:29:53Z")
There’s a band called **Me First and the Gimmee Gimmees** that are a lot of fun. Not sure where they’re from. The do punkish covers of classic songs like “Seasons in the Sun,” “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” and “Sweet Caroline.” It’s kinda cool because you already know the words and the tune, it’s just “rocked” up a bit. There’s a band from Michigan, **Domestic Problems** , that I’d encourage anyone to check out if they got the chance. Similar to both **Bare Naked Ladies** and **Dave Matthews Band**. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628/20 "2000-11-10T22:18:17Z")
First of all, **betenoir** , you are right about X. 4th of July is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll songs ever written, IMHO. There are a lot of bands from the 80’s that were great musically, but never achieved commercial success. If these bands had come along after the “Alternative Music” revolution, they would have all been chart successes. A few such bands:[ul][li] **The Pogues** - This one’s obvious. Great fusion of rock, punk and Irish traditional music. Hugely popular with the college radio crowd, but never achieved chart success.[/li][li] **Poi Dog Pondering**. This band (from Hawaii via Austin, TX, I believe) had a sort of proto-Dave Matthews vibe, except with more of a hippie sensibility. Big band, lots of instruments, mellow feel, great lyrics. Maybe their ponderous band name doomed them.[/li][li] **The BoDeans**. Finally achieved some commercial success, but only after their best work was behind them. Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams is one of the great albums in rock ‘n’ roll history in my view.[/li][li] **Jason and the Scorchers**. These guys were a good 15 years ahead of their time, practically inventing the genre of alternative country. Back then we called it “cow punk,” though the Scorchers loathed that label. Take a Hank Williams-style song, douse it in gasoline and set it on fire, and you have Jason and the Scorchers. Though they never had major commercial success, I believe their album Fervor actually got a mention on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Albums” list. As a bonus, these guys put on the best live show ever. By anyone.[/li][li] **Rank and File**. Speaking of cow punk, this little Texas band had some great musical output as well. Their song “Amanda Ruth” has been covered by several artists.[/ul][/li] I’ll probably think of many more, but that’s my list for now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-unheard-band/40628.md?page=2)