# Introduce us to a lesser-known band which nevertheless had a significant influence on music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 15, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404 "2020-07-15T13:28:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/21 "2020-07-16T08:52:49Z")
> [@Zelski](#): > > I never heard of them before your post, but they were okay. Except for the young Howard Hesseman-looking guy talking into a microphone; he’s gotta go. > > I am not sure of their importance due to helping the Liverpool scene if that scene didn’t produce many bands afterwards. Frankie Goes to Hollywood is not enough. Flock of Seagulls? Echo and the Bunnymen? All three together isn’t enough, to me, but maybe you are a lot more New Wavy than I am. Or less MTV-American. Reasonable question - [here’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bands_and_artists_from_Merseyside) a list, which you’d have to sort for chronology. May I draw your attention particularly to (with a few sample videos thrown in for free) [Gomez](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wkYocRVnYc), The Lightning Seeds, The La’s (their apostrophe, not mine), OMD, [The Teardrop Explodes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmkcKjGyJv8), [The Boo Radleys](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJXPTnPmm78), [The Christians](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmvqO48lWNk), Dead Or Alive, [The Zutons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3xpmfJp0Xc). I could go on. j ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/22 "2020-07-16T12:21:59Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > They are singularly responsible for so-called Satanic lyrics and imagery in metal, Errm, you do know what a Black Sabbath actually is, right? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/23 "2020-07-16T13:17:57Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Black Flag, Dead Kennedys I met Jello Biafra once back in my college days. He was…interesting… in person. Sort of a weird combination of “loudly angry” and “meekly polite” - angry at the state of society, but perfectly nice on a one-on-one level. I hear Henry Rollins is much the same. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/24 "2020-07-16T13:35:56Z")
[Big Black](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuO3wwLuF0w). While the band was a big influence on the subsequent Industrial scene, Steve Albini himself was _way_ more influential as a [music engineer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Albini_discography#As_an_audio_engineer). ---
**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:** [July 16, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/25 "2020-07-16T14:52:47Z")
Boy, can’t argue with that. In the late 80s and early 90s Albini was enormously formative for his production work on a lot of my friend’s bands. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/26 "2020-07-16T15:49:57Z")
Paul Heaton without whom there would have been no Housemartins or The Beautiful South. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/27 "2020-07-16T15:53:45Z")
‘Diamond Head’ I believe they provided impetus for the NWOBHM sound ( New Wave of British Heavy Metal ) of the late 70s. Heavy, but driven an energetic/frenetic cadence. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/28 "2020-07-16T15:59:34Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > > They are singularly responsible for so-called Satanic lyrics and imagery in metal, > > Errm, you do know what a Black Sabbath actually is, right? It’s so cute when someone tries to lecture me about metal 😃. This is a common misperception, **MrDibble**. Black Sabbath’s name came from a horror movie, first of all. And they don’t have any Satanic lyrics in their songs; in fact, they have overtly Christian lyrics in many of them. “Generals gathered in their masses/Just like witches at black masses” isn’t Satanic imagery and the song itself is an anti-war song, not a paean to Satan. Similarly, using the word Satan in a song (“Satan laughing spreads his wings”) isn’t Satanic imagery, otherwise the Christian bible is the most Satanic book ever written. Contrast this with Venom: Their first album was called _Welcome to Hell_ and featured an inverted pentagram with a goat’s head in the middle for a cover. The first song on the album is _Sons of Satan_: "Somewhere in time we were born, And brought blood, lust, hatred and scorn, Your sorry now you trusted me, Now I command that you get down on your knees For Hell the deceiver, Satan’s child, Your a believer, And we’re going wild." and ends with “Hell has deceived you, You were so blind, Join Venom’s legions, 'Cause we’re going wild.” That’s just the first few minutes of their first album. It’s followed by tracks like _Welcome to Hell_ and _In League With Satan_: " I’m in league with Satan Obey his commands With the goat of Mendes Sitting at his left hand I’m in league with Satan I love the dead No one prayed for Sodom As the people fled I’m in league with Satan I am the masters own I drink the juice of women As they lie alone I’m in league with Satan I bear the devils mark I kill the new born baby Tear the infants flesh" THAT is Satanic imagery. Black Sabbath was never a Satanic band and has nothing to do with Satanism. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/29 "2020-07-16T16:31:34Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > This is a common misperception, **MrDibble**. No, it’s just _a_ perception. You can have mis_conceptions_, but not misperceptions. And that’s all that matters, in this case. > [@](#): > > Black Sabbath’s name came from a horror movie, first of all. I’m well aware where it comes from. That’s irrelevant to what a Black Sabbath _actually is_. > [@](#): > > And they don’t have any Satanic lyrics in their songs; in fact, they have overtly Christian lyrics in many of them. That’s irrelevant. The imagery and the public impression was of people into the occult. Way, way before Venom even existed. A perception they happily embraced. Now, if you mean “First band to actually be out-and-proud-Satanists” or whatever Venom’s claim to fame is, sure, I’ll take your word for it. I have zero interest in metal so will happily defer to your specific knowledge. But they didn’t _introduce_ Satanic imagery into Rock. That ship had sailed, way before 1978. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/30 "2020-07-16T17:12:54Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > That’s irrelevant. The imagery and the public impression was of people into the occult. Way, way before Venom even existed. A perception they happily embraced. That’s hilarious and a clear indication that you don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ll allow this hijack to end; I’ve gotten all I need out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/31 "2020-07-16T17:49:35Z")
Lead Belly is one. Dylan credits him for getting him into folk music. George Harrison said the Beatles wouldn’t exist without him. Ronnie Wood went one further and said that without Lead Belly the British musical revolution of the 1960’s would not have happened. Even Kurt Cobain listed a Lead Belly album has one of the most influential records in Nirvana’s history. However Lead Belly is obscure to most people now; he is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and he was very well known in the 1930’s. Here’s a Life Magazine article about him - note the title with the n word!: [LIFE - Google Books](https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kksEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA3&dq=life+april+19,+1937&pg=PA38&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false) ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/32 "2020-07-16T18:17:09Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Now, if you mean “First band to actually be out-and-proud-Satanists” or whatever Venom’s claim to fame is, sure, I’ll take your word for it. I have zero interest in metal so will happily defer to your specific knowledge. But they didn’t _introduce_ Satanic imagery into Rock. That ship had sailed, way before 1978. I thought that Coven was the first to use Satanic imagery and the first to use the hand symbol with the index and pinky out to represent Satan horns. ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/33 "2020-07-16T18:43:41Z")
Bix Beiderbecke, extremely talented and influential Jazz cornet player, probably more well known in musical circles than to the general public. One of the first “Live Fast, Die Young” musical talents of the 20th century. Link Wray, popularized the power chord, first to use distortion. He punched holes in his amplifier with a pencil to get a new sound. Huge influence on rock musicians. West Virginia legend Hasil Adkins, one man rockabilly band, influenced the Cramps and his “outsider” music was psychobilly before anyone used that term. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/34 "2020-07-16T18:56:39Z")
Milton Brown invented western swing (not Bob Wills, as many people think). His group, Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies, was the first western swing band. Yet hardly anyone knows about him today. Even fans of the genre haven’t heard of him. The Ken Burns Country Music gave all the credit to Wills, and only mentioned Brown in passing as someone Wills had performed with. If Brown hadn’t died from a car accident at the age of 32 he’d probably be better-known today. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/35 "2020-07-16T19:54:12Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I thought that Coven was the first to use Satanic imagery and the first to use the hand symbol with the index and pinky out to represent Satan horns. Quite possibly they were first. The timing certainly works. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/36 "2020-07-16T21:05:21Z")
**MrDibble** , is all this hijack caused by some confusion over what “singularly” means? I mean, besides you just not knowing anything about Black Sabbath. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/37 "2020-07-17T08:02:37Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > **MrDibble** , is all this hijack caused by some confusion over what “singularly” means? No, I’m well aware of what it means. Do you? > [@](#): > > I mean, besides you just not knowing anything about Black Sabbath. I know enough to know what a Black Sabbath actually is. Unlike, it seems, you. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/38 "2020-07-17T12:03:56Z")
Great! Could you post what you think singularly means? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/39 "2020-07-17T13:03:38Z")
Happy to, once you answer my question. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404/40 "2020-07-17T13:32:32Z")
I’ll take that as a no. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introduce-us-to-a-lesser-known-band-which-nevertheless-had-a-significant-influence-on-music/915404.md?page=3)