Has there been a more successful band of "dorks" than Toto?

[digs]

@kenobi_65

One last nominee – not as successful as Toto or Devo or Weezer, but he did have several top 40 hits:

Donnie Iris

He totally had the pencil-necked geek vibe down.

At the time, I remember thinking “Well, he nabbed the award for top dork from Leo Sayer!”

[txjim]

@minlokwat

I take it you’ve never seen this:

Do the Freddie

Please tell me the 60s weren’t really like that!!! It was just a bad dream due to advanced age, right?

[betterlifethroughchemistry]

The Talking Heads

[Quimby]

Boston was what happens when MIT engineers try to figure out interesting ways to create and mix rock music.

[Lamoral]

@KneadToKnow

Both members of Steely Dan look like accountants and for the most part always have.

Donald Fagen does not look like an accountant, he was the “cool” half of Steely Dan. The late Walter Becker did look like a dork 100% though. Not really an “accountant”, more of a Dungeons and Dragons programmer type.

[Enola_Straight]

Buddy Holly
https://www.google.com/search?q=buddy+holly&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwit0YamsYvkAhUPpFkKHTb2A1QQ_AUIEigC&biw=1920&bih=938

[nearwildheaven]

@Aspidistra

REM

My favorite R.E.M. as dorks story is this: The first time they performed in Chicago, they had some uninvited backstage guests, the Chicago Plaster Casters. Their services were refused, and Peter Buck put it this way: “I don’t know what to say to people like that. I mean, I’m sure they’re very nice girls and everything…”

[guizot]

@kenobi_65

I agree with the mentions of Devo and They Might Be Giants – though, to be fair, both bands intentionally cultivated a vibe . . .

By the 1980s, “dorkiness” was clearly cultivated in general, so most of the bands listed in this thread shouldn’t really count, should they?

[Go_Arachnid_Laser_1]

Let me try to bring a modern contender: The Mountain Goats.

The one band whose managers look cooler than them.

[What_Exit]

@Enola_Straight

Buddy Holly
https://www.google.com/search?q=buddy+holly&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwit0YamsYvkAhUPpFkKHTb2A1QQ_AUIEigC&biw=1920&bih=938

Pretty weak, if you’re going to include Buddy Holly for his dorky glasses, that was pretty common for glasses at the time. The BC style glasses were pretty common at the time. Hell, the Navy was still using that style frame through the 80s.

[Jack_Batty]

I always thought The Bare Naked Ladies were pretty dorky, without necessarily trying to be dorky.

[Alessan]

Billy Joel. I mean, I love the guy, but he’s always been a big ole dork.

[Saintly_Loser]

Bluegrass musicians can always be counted on to be pretty dorky. As successful as Toto? No, never, of course. I mean, it’s bluegrass. But dorky? For sure.

Billy Strings

I guess there’s a bit of a hipster vibe there too, but the line between hipster and dork is a *very *blurry line indeed.

Molly Tuttle

Adorable dork, which is a look in and of itself, but dorky nonetheless.

[Kelby]

@Isosleepy

Probably disqualified because of his complete lack of succes at the time of the initial recordings of his music in the 70’s, and the questionable nature (and extent) of the success of the re-releases, but unsurpassed in dorkiness: Mark Gormley. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=87nkJquHnAU A man whom pop-history inexplicably and unjustly overlooked, and who represents greatness in a non-traditional way. Please note that his demeanor, presentation, dress and power-stance is entirely un-affected and not meant ironically in any way. This is genuine.

What the…

[Toxylon]

IMHO it doesn’t get 90-pound-weakling-with-glasses-and-dorky-haircut-dorkier than The Korgis (a killer song, too).

[Pork_Rind]

@Isosleepy

Probably disqualified because of his complete lack of succes at the time of the initial recordings of his music in the 70’s, and the questionable nature (and extent) of the success of the re-releases, but unsurpassed in dorkiness: Mark Gormley. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=87nkJquHnAU A man whom pop-history inexplicably and unjustly overlooked, and who represents greatness in a non-traditional way. Please note that his demeanor, presentation, dress and power-stance is entirely un-affected and not meant ironically in any way. This is genuine.

I… did not expect that.

[JoseB]

@Isosleepy

Probably disqualified because of his complete lack of succes at the time of the initial recordings of his music in the 70’s, and the questionable nature (and extent) of the success of the re-releases, but unsurpassed in dorkiness: Mark Gormley. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=87nkJquHnAU A man whom pop-history inexplicably and unjustly overlooked, and who represents greatness in a non-traditional way. Please note that his demeanor, presentation, dress and power-stance is entirely un-affected and not meant ironically in any way. This is genuine.

I…

I have achieved complete illumination after watching this video. My mind encompasses the Universe and I am one with the immanent quiddity of transcendent deities.

This is beyond awesome.

[Guest-starring_Id]

Mark Gormley was clearly robbed out of a Grammy, what with the mom jeans, the softness of voice, barley moving mouth, and va-va-va-voom lady, posing in that way that only she knew how to pose.

@Toxylon

IMHO it doesn’t get 90-pound-weakling-with-glasses-and-dorky-haircut-dorkier than The Korgis (a killer song, too).

Buddy playing violin that sounds like a kazoo treated through a synthesizer while surrounded by cats has probably been my highlight of the past couple months.
Definitely shoulda had some lounging around my drum kit back in the day.

The Thamesmen

Five Neat Guys

Happy Kyne and the Mirthmakers

Tony Roletti

Terry Jacks

Robert John

Eric Carmen

[nearwildheaven]

@Guest-starring_Id

The Thamesmen

The Thamesmen’s drummer died in a bizarre gardening accident. This actually happened to Toto’s drummer (insecticide poisoning) and almost happened to R.E.M.'s drummer (Rocky Mountain spotted fever, probably contracted when he cleared some brush on his acreage).

How about the ultimate rock dork, Christopher Cross? (And they say appearance only matters if you’re female. :dubious: )

[Magic_Pig_Detective]

Steely Dan. Great musicians, but they looked like IT specialists.