# Music knowledge and bands you absolutely MUST recognize **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 2, 2009, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479 "2009-06-02T13:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/21 "2009-06-02T15:40:37Z")
Never Heard Of: Mahavishnu Orchestra West Bruce and Laing Derek Trucks Band Aaron Squirrel Band Heard The Name: Sun Ra Jack Dejohnette Lake Shooting Star Can Name A Couple Of Songs: Climax Blues Band Dixie Dregs Robin Trower Guess Who Fabulous Thunderbirds Atlanta Rhythm Section Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Eric Johnson Lynyrd Skynyrd Kenny Wayne Sheppard Joe Cocker Own Albums: Blue Oyster Cult Foghat Tommy Tutone Joan Jett Golden Earring Blackfoot Saxon Fastway Stevie Ray Vaughan Zebra Dokken Survivor Yngwie Malmsteen the Motels Heart Foghat Outlaws ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/22 "2009-06-02T15:48:08Z")
Artists I own, or have owned, albums by: Mahavishnu Orchestra Climax Blues Band West Bruce and Laing Sun Ra Jack Dejohnette Golden Earring Robin Trower Guess Who Heart Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Jeff Beck Lynyrd Skynyrd Joe Cocker Artists I’m somewhat familiar with (I know what kind of music they play): Dixie Dregs Blue Oyster Cult Foghat Joan Jett Stevie Ray Vaughan Dokken the Motels Fabulous Thunderbirds Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws Yngwie Malmsteen Big Head Todd and the Monsters Buddy Guy Derek Trucks Band Kenny Wayne Sheppard Artists I’ve heard of but know almost nothing about: Tommy Tutone Blackfoot Saxon Survivor Artists I can’t recall ever having heard of: Lake Fastway Shooting Star Zebra Eric Johnson Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Aaron Squirrel Band ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/23 "2009-06-02T15:48:22Z")
\*\*Hal \*\*- given who you have albums by, you would really enjoy the [Derek Trucks Band](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506262)…link to related SDMB thread… ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/24 "2009-06-02T15:54:12Z")
Mahavishnu Orchestra Climax Blues Band West Bruce and Laing Sun Ra Jack Dejohnette Lake Dixie Dregs **Blue Oyster Cult** **Foghat Tommy Tutone Joan Jett** Golden Earring Blackfoot Saxon Fastway Shooting Star **Stevie Ray Vaughan** Zebra **Dokken** **Survivor** Yngwie Malmsteen the Motels Robin Trower \*\*Guess Who \*\ ***Heart** Fabulous Thunderbirds **Foghat** Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Eric Johnson Derek Trucks Band **Lynyrd Skynyrd** **Kenny Wayne Sheppard** Aaron Squirrel Band **Joe Cocker** The bolded ones are ones that I know. I very well might have heard songs by the others, but not have known who to attribute them. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/25 "2009-06-02T15:56:16Z")
**Kalhoun** ’s list could be my list, except the Climax Blues Band is in my collection, I know Spirit, but not personally, I don’t think the Guess Who are particularly overrated and there’s one Sun Ra album I distinctly remember because it made me want to rip my ears off. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/26 "2009-06-02T16:19:01Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > **Kalhoun** ’s list could be my list, except the Climax Blues Band is in my collection, I know Spirit, but not personally, I don’t think the Guess Who are particularly overrated and there’s one Sun Ra album I distinctly remember because it made me want to rip my ears off. Okay…someone needs to refresh me on Climax Blues Band. I feel like I was almost a groupie for them back in the day, but I cannot conjur up a single song or member or memory of them. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/27 "2009-06-02T16:41:04Z")
"Since then, I never looked back, it’s almost like living a dream and oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo … … I love you." That melted them in 10th grade. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/28 "2009-06-02T16:43:39Z")
I know of and have listened to stuff by 23 of the list. It doesn’t surprise me at all that lots of people aren’t familiar with the acts mentioned. I am in my 50s and I am far more familiar with current bands than many of the 20 somethings I work with. When I was a teenager/early 20s everyone I knew was into music, not all the same music, but some form of music. Nowadays I often ask young people what they listen to and they say, “I don’t really listen to music much.” I hear far more conversations about TV shows than music. When I was young I don’t recall that anyone bothered talking about TV except for “F Troop”. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/29 "2009-06-02T16:44:10Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > \*\*Hal \*\*- given who you have albums by, you would really enjoy the [Derek Trucks Band](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506262)…link to related SDMB thread… Ok, we can now move Derek Trucks out of the first list. Musically very good, but I’m not a fan of his vocal tone. That’s only after one listen, though, so it’ssubject to change. I have a project coming up later today that will require some background music to get me through – I’ll load up a half dozen of his songs and see how I feel then. Thanks much for the tip. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/30 "2009-06-02T16:53:51Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Ok, we can now move Derek Trucks out of the first list. > > Musically very good, but I’m not a fan of his vocal tone. That’s only after one listen, though, so it’ssubject to change. I have a project coming up later today that will require some background music to get me through – I’ll load up a half dozen of his songs and see how I feel then. > > Thanks much for the tip. Cool (sorry for the hijack, fellow Dopers) - that’s not DT singing, that’s his guy Mike Mattison - but there are other vocalists on the CD Already Free… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/31 "2009-06-02T16:57:06Z")
To make it easier, these are the ones I \*\*don’t \*\*recognize easily. I’m 56. Lake Saxon Fastway Shooting Star Zebra Dokken Survivor Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Eric Johnson Kenny Wayne Sheppard ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/32 "2009-06-02T16:58:41Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > "Since then, I never looked back, it’s almost like living a dream and oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo … > > … I love you." > That melted them in 10th grade. Okay. I listened to a Youtube of that song. Gotta change my comment on that one: Know 'em, hate 'em. Wouldn’t groupie them with Courtney Love’s vajayjay. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/33 "2009-06-02T17:48:45Z")
Mahavishnu Orchestra - own Climax Blues Band - know West Bruce and Laing - heard of but don’t know Sun Ra - heard of Jack Dejohnette - ? Lake - ? not Greg Lake? Dixie Dregs - heard of but don’t know Blue Oyster Cult - own Foghat - own, remember “Slow Ride, take it easy…”? Tommy Tutone - heard of but don’t know Joan Jett - know, don’t like Golden Earring - know Blackfoot - ? Saxon -? Fastway -? Shooting Star -? Stevie Ray Vaughan - own Zebra - ? Dokken - heard of Survivor - ? Yngwie Malmsteen - heard of, don’t know the Motels -? Robin Trower - own Guess Who - own Heart - own Fabulous Thunderbirds - know Foghat - sounds really, really, REALLY familiar. “Slow ride…” Atlanta Rhythm Section - know Outlaws - own “Green grass & high tides forever” Dave Mason - know Spirit -? Little Feat - own Big Head Todd and the Monsters - heard of Screaming Cheetah Wheelies - sounds like a snack food Jeff Beck - own Buddy Guy - know Eric Johnson - ? a hybrid of Eric Clapton & Robert Johnson? Derek Trucks Band - own Lynyrd Skynyrd - know - c’mon seriously - “Free Bird” Kenny Wayne Sheppard - own “Blue on black” Aaron Squirrel Band - ? Joe Cocker- own I’m 51 and back in the olden days before iPods and MP3 players we listened to the radio (uphill both ways). Yeah, we had to listen to commercials too, but sometimes the commercials were for concerts and they’d play snippets of songs by the acts that were going to play. Sometimes they’d play songs by unknowns to see if people liked them. I can see why people haven’t heard of some of these bands, they’re pretty obscure and haven’t put out a lot of stuff. This list has a bunch of different genres too: heavy metal, blues, rock and pop. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/34 "2009-06-02T17:53:44Z")
I’m 57, so I fall into the “whaddya mean you’ve never heard of Jeff Beck or Little Feat???” set. Bands in the list that I know: Mahavishnu Orchestra Climax Blues Band West Bruce and Laing Sun Ra Dixie Dregs Blue Oyster Cult Foghat Tommy Tutone Joan Jett Golden Earring Stevie Ray Vaughan Survivor the Motels Robin Trower Guess Who Heart Fabulous Thunderbirds Foghat Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Eric Johnson Derek Trucks Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Kenny Wayne Sheppard Joe Cocker Those whose recordings I have: Dixie Dregs Blue Oyster Cult Foghat Stevie Ray Vaughan Robin Trower Guess Who Fabulous Thunderbirds Foghat Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Lynyrd Skynyrd Joe Cocker Those who I have seen live: West Bruce and Laing Dixie Dregs Blue Oyster Cult Foghat Stevie Ray Vaughan Robin Trower Fabulous Thunderbirds Foghat Atlanta Rhythm Section Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Derek Trucks Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Kenny Wayne Sheppard Joe Cocker ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/35 "2009-06-02T17:54:18Z")
> [@Emily\_Litella](#): > > Eric Johnson - ? a hybrid of Eric Clapton & Robert Johnson? Not totally off base. [He’s a guitarist](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Johnson) from Texas, primarily known for instrumental rock. One of his songs, “Cliffs of Dover”, won the best rock instrumental Grammy in 1991, and is featured on “Guitar Hero 3”. He’s extremely respected in the guitarist community, and, I’d guess, pretty much unknown outside of it. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/36 "2009-06-02T17:58:12Z")
These are the ones I haven’t heard of: Mahavishnu Orchestra Jack Dejohnette Lake Saxon Fastway Shooting Star Zebra Robin Trower Spirit Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Aaron Squirrel Band These are the ones I think a ‘serious’ student of rock history should know: Blue Oyster Cult Joan Jett Stevie Ray Vaughan Yngwie Malmsteen Guess Who Heart Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Eric Johnson Derek Trucks Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Joe Cocker Groups like Little Feat and Foghat could also make that list, but they were relatively minor players in their respective eras. The bands above either led their genre in quality and ability, or were historically important (Joan Jett and Heart broke open the doors for women in hard rock, for example). The rest I think represent more the taste of the poster who made the list and not any generally accepted canon of the ‘who’s who’ of rock. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/37 "2009-06-02T18:00:08Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > He’s extremely respected in the guitarist community, and, I’d guess, pretty much unknown outside of it. But…dude! He’s known for being able to tell the difference in his guitar’s sound when you load \*[a different brand of battery](http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/guitars/electric/6-string-solid-body/eric-johnson-stratocaster-rw-199091/review)\*into his effects pedal (link to article referencing this)!! Do you realize how totally geek-tastic that is??? (actually, I met the guy briefly at the annual Dallas vintage guitar show - very nice guy and a truly brilliant player…but I don’t find his music compelling…) ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/38 "2009-06-02T18:01:23Z")
Mahavishnu Orchestra - never heard of them Climax Blues Band - ditto West Bruce and Laing - ditto Sun Ra - ditto Jack Dejohnette - ditto Lake - ditto Dixie Dregs - ditto Blue Oyster Cult - I know “Don’t Fear The Reaper” Foghat - I know “Slow Ride” Tommy Tutone - I know “867-5309 (Jenny)” Joan Jett - I know a lot from her and the Blackhearts Golden Earring - I know “Rader Love” Blackfoot - never heard of them Saxon - never heard of them Fastway - never heard of them Shooting Star - never heard of them Stevie Ray Vaughan - Know lots of his stuff Zebra - never heard of them Dokken - Know they exist from my 80s hairband loving ass, but don’t remember any details Survivor - Know them and like them a lot. Yngwie Malmsteen - Know of him, crazy guitarist, right? the Motels - I know “Only the Lonely” Robin Trower - never heard of them Guess Who - Know them and like them a lot Heart - Know them, love them Fabulous Thunderbirds - Know them, hate them Atlanta Rhythm Section - Heard the name before Outlaws - never heard of them Dave Mason - I know and LOVE “We Just Disagree” Spirit - never heard of them Little Feat - heard of them, but don’t really know more than that Big Head Todd and the Monsters - ditto Screaming Cheetah Wheelies - never heard of them Jeff Beck - heard of him, but that’s about it Buddy Guy - ditto Eric Johnson - never heard of them Derek Trucks Band - saw them at the Beale Street Music Festival a couple years ago, great show Lynyrd Skynyrd - Know a lot from them, love or like it all Kenny Wayne Sheppard - heard of him Aaron Squirrel Band - never heard of them Joe Cocker - Know a lot about him, but not too impressed ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/39 "2009-06-02T18:13:36Z")
It’s pretty simple, really. If I like a band and you haven’t heard of them, you are musically ignorant and have no business talking about anything. Unless I don’t WANT you to have heard of them. That makes me cooler than you. But if I don’t want you to have heard of them and you HAVE heard of them, then I used to like them before they sold out. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/40 "2009-06-02T18:14:00Z")
I’m an American in my early 40’s. Of the acts listed below, I’m familiar with the ones italicized (“familiar with” meaning anything between “I’ve seen their name mentioned in a magazine article” to “I like them and have at least some of their stuff in my personal CD and/or MP3 collection”). Mahavishnu Orchestra _Climax Blues Band_ West Bruce and Laing _Sun Ra_ Jack Dejohnette Lake _Dixie Dregs_ _Blue Oyster Cult_ _Foghat_ _Tommy Tutone_ _Joan Jett Golden Earring Blackfoot Saxon Fastway_ Shooting Star _Stevie Ray Vaughan Zebra Dokken Survivor Yngwie Malmsteen the Motels Robin Trower Guess Who Heart Fabulous Thunderbirds Foghat Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters_ Screaming Cheetah Wheelies _Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Eric Johnson Derek Trucks Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Kenny Wayne Sheppard_ Aaron Squirrel Band _Joe Cocker_ Of the ones I did not italicize, I think it’s likely I’ve heard a song of their’s before and just didn’t make the connection to the act. As for what bands the average person should know about, I would say via cultural osmosis just about everybody above the age of 12 should at least heard of Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. Beyond that, one’s knowledge of popular music starts getting increasingly subdivided by age and specific interest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479.md?page=3)