Heh. I’m wearing my ‘Start Wearing Purple!’ shirt right now. But I wouldn’t call them that weird, they’re basically punk rock with Eastern European/Gypsy influences (and a hoot live).
For a bit more Eastern European weirdness, perhaps Taraf de Haidouks or DeVotchKa.
Also pleased to see The Birthday Party mentioned, they’re probably my all time favourite band, an obsession I get to share all too rarely…
Other than that, a lot of good stuff has already been named – some early prog probably fits the bill, King Crimson’s In The Court of the Crimson King, or early Yes, perhaps some Neu! and Amon Düül II for the Krautrock angle.
If Devendra Banhart is considered weird, maybe the lovely Joanna Newsom (her album Ys is a masterpiece, in my opinion), coming from a similar New Weird Folk (or whatever it’s called at the moment) background, might be, also. Einstürzende Neubauten, early albums in particular, for a bit of German experimental Industrial. Coil, British Industrial group. Recoil, unrelated to the former, began as a more experimental side project of Depeche Mode’s Alan Wilder.
Perhaps Anthony and the Johnsons or Baby Dee for some gender confusion (and great music). Charalambides? Shannon Wright? Stars?
Oh, and Dionysos. They’re definitely weird.
Dangit, I need to regain access to my music…
Flipron. No-one seems to listen to them, but they’re beyond awesome and more than a little weird. I’d describe them as morbid late-night cabaret/blues music with accordion.
What?! - Other people know about Baby Dee. She’s wonderful - I can strongly recommend her music in it self, but if you ever get a chance to see her live, DO IT! - She is an amazing act, and a lovely quirky person, too. She occasionally performs with Current 93, mentioned earlier in the thread, and I’ll second them too.
Apart from these, I’ll suggest that you visit Weirdsville web radio for some really strange music. I have picked up quite a few obscure records after hearing the artists there. Bonus: if you don’t like Merzbow and the like, you can just stay off their “Noise” channel. An aside on Merzbow: If you ever get the chance to experience him live, do it! - It is a totally different experience from “just” listening to his album, no matter how loud your stereo can play. Truly a physical experience - the only way I could describe it when I came back from the concert was a feeling of “being guided through the giant assembly hall, where the universe is created”. Amazing! (+ bring earplugs!).
Well, I didn’t see 'em listed in either thread, but I definitely consider They Might Be Giants a weird band. Flood is a good album to start with if you’re not familiar with their music. They’re an amazing sing-along band; lots of their tunes, while strange, are extremely catchy. And they remain the only concert I’ve been to where a conga line spontaneously broke out. Also the only concert with a song about James K. Polk.
Lyrics from “We Want A Rock” on Flood: “If I were a carpenter, I’d hammer on my piglet, I’d collect the seven dollars, and I’d buy a big prosthetic forehead and wear it on my real head. Cuz everybody wants prosthetic foreheads on their real heads.”
Off the top of my head, some weird titles of weird songs by TMBG are: “Particle Man”, “Purple Toupee”, “Dr. Worm”, “Until My Head Falls Off”, “I Palindrome I”, “Whistling In The Dark”, “Rhythm Section Want Ad”, “Pencil Rain”, “Chess Piece Face”, “Exquisite Dead Guy”, “Youth Culture Killed My Dog”, and “Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love”.
I knew that someday my music geekery would be recognized and appreciated
I was introduced to them through a compilation they did with Liars. I don’t know if I would have gotten into them right away were it not for their Liars affiliation. The compilation worked as a good introduction to a band that took some work to love. But once you get it, you got it. Bad.
I have seen them live a halve dozen times, and when they are on the are the BEST band I have ever seen. When they aren’t on they are still amazing. If anyone gets a chance to see them live do not pass it up. They really are amazing. Not really weird though.
Most of my favorites have already been mentioned, so I will ditto several that I really like (leaving out Tom Waits and the Birthday Party who are awesome, but not THAT weird.)
The Art of Noise
Tiger Lillies
Frog Eyes
Animal Collective
The Fiery Furnaces (Just barely counts I think)
Xiu Xiu
Oh, and going through the thread I noticed that no one mentioned Sleepytime Gorilla Meuseum. Not too weird on their own (more metal than weird unless you see them live), but they have a rocking name and their previous incarnation (sort of kind of not really) Idiot Flesh very much qualifies.
See also Faun Fables.
Also not totally weird, but kinda weird and totally awesome:
Klaus had genuine talent (see him perform Purcell’s “Cold Song”), but since when does that matter, as it would have denied us the genius of Wild Man Larry Fischer? Frank Zappa found Larry singing for loose change on the streets, and brought him into the studio. The best part of the album (sadly not available on Youtube) is when Larry has a meltdown, venting about his abuse at the hands of his mother and the mental health establisment. After he’s spent his rage, Frank deadpans from the control room “You could try smiling more often.” Rosemary Clooney had her own struggles with mental illness and dissatisfaction with its recognition in society, and in a show of solidarity cut a singel with Larry in 1986.
But for consistent weirdness spanning decades, my admiration goes to The Residents
The Mighty Groundhogs
Lucifer’s Friend
Black Widow (did the legendary devil worship concept album, “Sacrifice”)
Johnny Hawk and the Pavement Oysters (referenced in the Bonzo Dog Band song,
“The Craig Torso Show”*)
The Bonzo Dog Band
Man Or Astro-Man?
Jonathan Richman
Strange-pretty/fun/easily-enjoyable: Ingrid Karklins
Earlier Kate Bush
Milla [Jovovich]
Anita Lane
Dirty Beatniks
Final Fantasy
Hector Zazou
This Mortal Coil
Mercury Rev
Jimmy Tenor
Stump
Danielle Dax
Nina Hagen
Katell Keinig
Skunk Anansie
Laika
Pigeonhed
Senor Coconut
Elsa Lanchester
Cibo Matto
Buffalo Daughter
Butter08
Strange-challenging-but-worth-it: Diamanda Galas
Carla Bozulich
The Moon Lay Hidden Behind a Cloud
Johnny Dowd
Daniel Johnston
Scott Walker
Mary Margaret O’Hara
Nobukazu Takemura
Scarnella
Goblin
