Hey, I took Philosophy at NC Wesleyan from the one Connell brother (George) that didn’t go the music route! Always loved the Connells.
Some other sorta obscure-o artists I just lurve:
Signed:
Kingston Wall
The Wildhearts
Slider
Jellyfish
Brendan Benson
Pentagram
Flipp
GUN
Mega City Four
Unsigned Locals:
Daylight Dies
Society’s Burden
Iskariot
Leadfoot (well, they’re sorta signed, but…)
I wanna know how many pseudonyms you came up with for those “12 CD’s only $0.01!” deals!
Wow…a bunch of Connell fans. You guys rock!
Unfortunately, I don’t think they’re still together. They were supposed to break up a few years back.
Guadalcanal Diary and The Judybats, two post-R.E.M. southern bands that are quite cool (both of whom broke up in the mid-90s and reformed last year, though I haven’t heard either of their new albums).
Shannon Worrell, who also put out a CD with somebody else under the name September 67. I’d say that Tori Amos fans might like her stuff, but I hate Tori Amos, so that needs to be taken with a big grain of salt.
Then there’s The Brandos, but I’m really only a fan of their first record (aparrently they’ve got a half-dozen more that were only released in Germany, where they are nearly as big as David Hasselhoff), so they don’t really count.
Probably not as obscure as some other people’s choices, but there it is…
I’ve heard of Orbit and Superdrag, good bands. I heard Orbit played on the radio a few years ago and had never heard anything by them since. I got one of my friends hooked on Superdrag. Also, A New Found Glory and Switchblade Symphony are awesome and popular bands in certain circles but unknown to most mainstream radios.
I recommend getting any of Switchblade Symphony CDs. They all kick!!
No, that’s completely untrue. I’ve seen the Red Elvises several times, and I’m from Venice. Which is almost ten blocks from Santa Monica. In fact, we’ve been at war with Santa Monica for years.
Thanks for all the responses. I loved some of these bands (Great Big Sea) and hated others (Clutch - oh my god, that guy’s voice is awful), but it’s always fun to look beyond the Billboard/MTV monotony in the hope of finding an undiscovered gem.
Keep the suggestions coming!
When I was at UNC-W, there was a band called The Cruis-O-Matics. They did covers of tunes from the late '60s/early '70s. They just toured college campuses. We knew they would never hit the big time but they put a great show and we always went to see them play at The Mad Monk.
Now, as for those groups that actually made records:
SideWinder - from Charlotte, NC
The Producers - from New Orleans (?)
Treat Her Right - Boston
Weekend Excursion - Greensboro, NC
Sidewinder also did a few covers. They were so good, a friend (and DJ) told me they YES better than YES did YES!
Look 'em up & enjoy!
Aaah, the Judybats. My favorite band EVER. The new album is great, but it IS different than their earlier stuff. The lyrics seem a lot more personal, and the vocals are much higher in the mix than in the previous albums. The mix threw me off at first, actually. The current incarnation of the band is essentially Jeff Heiskell (singer) and a buncha new guys. Still, I recommend getting the new disc - you can order it from their website- http://www.judybats.com . Sigh… I adore them so.
Oddly enough, I own a Red Elvises CD–yet heard about them here on the east coast, despite having spent 9 months or so in Venice and Santa Monica (I’m not local, so I don’t have to choose…yay!)
I’ve got two from my area: Jimmie’s Chicken Shack and
SR-71. Both great local bands that are getting national attention.
Spooje is on his way to the record store.
Hey, if you like punk covers, try ‘The Dickies’.
Spooje, did The Dickies do the (hilarious) theme tune to the film Killer Klowns From Outer Space?
Whoever mentioned The Tea Party (Coldfire, was it you?), they were/are apparently very big in Australia – my friends there all have Tea Party CDs which they love.
Yeah, that was me 
They’re getting more and more attention in Europe as well. I understand they’re quite big in Canada - which makes sense, they’re from there 
That was them. They open their live show with it, although much faster. They’re punks, after all.
Also, the closing theme to 'The spirit of ‘76’, w/ David Cassidy, and a cover of the ‘Banana Splits’ (kiddie tv show)theme song. And they submitted a theme to ‘The Toxic Avenger’, but the producers of the film didn’t want it. It was on their last album.
This is really weird. My 59 year old mother who lives in Wisconsin just called to tell me that the Red Elvises are playing at Wetlands in NYC and that I should go see them.
They can’t be unknown if my mother knows of them!
Armored Saint, I just started listening to them a couple of months ago and have not been disaponted yet. I’d also go with Golden Earring, but since everyone will say, well I know Radar Love. But Radar Love is NOT typical GE.
Here’s another Connells fan. A friend of mine from VA was a big fan and converted me six years ago. Heard them a summer later in a discoteque (sp?) in Erfurt, Germany (not live).
Also a big fan of The Winebottles and Umphrey’s McGee.
Sorry, but you do have to choose. Eventually this conflict will consume the entire planet, and generations will be slaughtered. It is indeed tragic, but a necessary sacrifice to stop the dread menace that is Santa Monica.
Ok, this never ends with me…
I’ve worked with a lot of rock bands in the last few years. Mostly design work. As a result, I end up befriending some of them. So how’s this for a maybe slightly unknown rock band. Theyr’e pretty hard, so I don’t know how many of you listen to this stuff, I used to in High School. BioHazard. I ran into Evan Sienfeld of of BioHazard (also an actor on the HBO series OZ) today on the subway. Cool guy, lots of tats, he notices my HandspringVisor, and whips out his PalmV, we do the Geek Handshake and trade programs, then we start talking. I find out who he is, he finds out who I am, and we’re like best of friends for one brief moment on the train. We exchange phone numbers and business cards, and perhaps tomorrow night we are to hang out…
I used to listen to his band in High School, and I remember seeing them at my community college when I first went there. The guy looks the same age now as he did then. Weird. Anyway, it just reminded me that I don’t know too many people that listen to them, and he was kind of shocked that I knew him, so thought I’d share my little strange yet quite common for me adventure.