# Music you discovered first on TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2001, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094 "2001-10-03T01:39:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/1 "2001-10-03T01:39:58Z")
I got into most of my favorite music the way most people do: the radio. Some I’ve gotten as recommendations from other people. Still some came from the ole’ boob tube: **Kate Bush:** Saw her first on USA’s _Night Flight_. I was intrigued by her…ah…unique musical vision and presentation. It prompted me to buy her “Hounds of Love” CD. It was pretty good. I ended up buying all her CD’s. My favorite being “The Kick Inside”. You want a wide vocal range? This is the selection to listen to. Mariah Carey makes the mistake of showing us her range in EVERY FREAKING SONG!!! Hey, Mariah, tone it down a couple hundred notches. **Tori Amos:** Caught her “Silent All These Years” video on VH1. Bought “Little Earthquakes”. A lot of people compare her to Kate. Well, they are both women, write their own songs, play a mean piano, and are talented out the wazoo. I have to give Kate the edge, though. Kate tends to lean toward the romantic, literary side of music where Tori goes for the gut. Also, nobody can string together as many non-related phrrases like Tori. ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/2 "2001-10-03T01:50:43Z")
I first heard of [**Monte Montgomery**](http://www.montemontgomery.com/) while channel flipping, landing on PBS’ Austin City Limits, and being dumbfounded by the guitar virtuoso on the screen. I went to [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) that same night and ordered his two (at that time) available albums, and drove 6 hours to see him play live just a few weeks later. Two years later, I’m still in awe. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/3 "2001-10-03T03:25:51Z")
**Junior Brown**. On some whacked out country and western show while I was channel surfing. The man is simply awesome, and I hate C&W! Imagine a note perfect rendition of Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” that smoothly transits into a fast, chicken-pickin’ country guitar instrumental. ---
**Author:** ![portajon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@portajon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/portajon)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/4 "2001-10-03T03:33:02Z")
Yeah, I first saw Junior Brown on TV too. It was the “Highwy Patrol” video. He is awesome!! ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/5 "2001-10-03T04:22:40Z")
I first heard **Paul Kelly and the Messengers** on MTV, promoting their album _Under the Sun_. I have since bought three Messengers CDs and one Paul Kelly CD. The first CD I ever bought was _Gossip_. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/6 "2001-10-03T04:38:51Z")
I first saw/heard Cowboy Junkies on SNL way back many many moons ago. I think they must have been promoting _The Trinity Sessions_. Anyway, I heard them, was enthralled by Margo Timmins’ voice and promptly did nothing about it. About a year or two later, I saw a CD of theirs in a store and it sprang back into my mind who these folks were and bought it. I was right and it’s been good times ever since (well, in that one minor aspect of my life anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Whitedove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Whitedove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whitedove)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/7 "2001-10-03T05:08:11Z")
It was the Nissan Maxima 2000 commercial that caught my ear. The name of the group is BNEFF. A clip of this song is enough to hook a person. The movie The Matrix also used a clip of this song. The only place I’ve been able to find the entire song is on [http://www.audiogalaxy.com](http://www.audiogalaxy.com) ---
**Author:** ![Nymysys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Nymysys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nymysys)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/8 "2001-10-03T09:59:46Z")
The Sugarcubes. Way back when 120 Minutes was a decent show. I think it was the video of Birthday and I was utterly enthralled by this weird, pixy-ish, girlwoman with the voice that sounded like something from hell having an orgasm. Still a fan, yup. ---
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/9 "2001-10-03T11:34:43Z")
I’m watching one of the “Behind the Sitcoms” type shows from video when the background music catches my ear. I watch the credits and see that the music is from Alan Ett Music Co. Through e-mail, I get moved to another company and begin corresponding with a guy who tells me the song is called “Tapestry” and was in a sound bank. For $5 he’ll send me a tape of it. For $25, he’ll burn it on a CD. I “order” the $5 version. Many weeks later I get the tape in the mail and the guy says, “No charge; sorry for making you wait so long.” Not a pop-song, I know, but a neat story. ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/10 "2001-10-03T12:06:58Z")
Zenster/portajon: Is Junior Brown the same guy that played in the clubs around Dallas (early '90’s)? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/11 "2001-10-03T14:56:30Z")
Nick Drake, from the Cabrio commercial. And I get down on my knees and thank Volkswagen for introducing me. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/12 "2001-10-03T15:03:01Z")
That Mercedes commercial where they sing “I want to praise you like I do” smoked me. I’ve got the group’s cd and the entire song is awesome but we’ve had a baby since and I rarely play music like I used to and can’t remember the group’s name. Either that or I have Alzheimers. Did I mention I might have Alzheimer’s? ---
**Author:** ![Nymysys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Nymysys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nymysys)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/13 "2001-10-03T15:39:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\*That Mercedes commercial where they sing “I want to praise you like I do” smoked me. I’ve got the group’s cd and the entire song is awesome but we’ve had a baby since and I rarely play music like I used to and can’t remember the group’s name. Either that or I have Alzheimers. > > Did I mention I might have Alzheimer’s? \*\* FatBoy Slim. More of an artist than a group, really. Good CD, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/14 "2001-10-04T03:01:18Z")
I saw Janis Joplin some 1960’s special. It was the first time I listened to one of her songs, and I liked it. I just bought _Pearl_ and _Cheap Thrills_ the other day. ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/15 "2001-10-04T03:11:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AlbertRose \* > \*\*I first heard **Paul Kelly and the Messengers** on MTV, promoting their album _Under the Sun_. I have since bought three Messengers CDs and one Paul Kelly CD. The first CD I ever bought was _Gossip_. \*\* Ooh, Paul Kelly - wow, someone else knows of him! Do you have any Paul Kelly & The Coloured Girls? I have a tape of one of those albums around somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/16 "2001-10-04T06:14:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NutMagnet \* > \*\*Zenster/portajon: > > Is Junior Brown the same guy that played in the clubs around Dallas (early '90’s)? \*\* If he’s wearing a ten gallon taco cowboy hat and playing a doubleneck “gitsteel” (it came to him in a dream) combination electric and steel guitar, then that’s him. He hails from Austin, so Dallas is just a hop for him. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/17 "2001-10-04T06:16:50Z")
I first saw the Sex Pistols on The Today Show with Jane Pauley, but I’d heard of them before and had tried without success to catch them on shortwave radio. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/18 "2001-10-04T06:23:16Z")
Coldplay. We watched Yellow a number of times on MTV during a holiday in Australia and that triggered me to buy the CD (excellent CD by the way). ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/19 "2001-10-04T15:08:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nymysys \* > \*\*The Sugarcubes. Way back when 120 Minutes was a decent show. I think it was the video of Birthday and I was utterly enthralled by this weird, pixy-ish, girlwoman with the voice that sounded like something from hell having an orgasm. > Still a fan, yup. \*\* Saw the same one, got hooked too. Plus **Sinead O’Conner**. I remember seeing this one looooong video that covered her whole album. I wonder if that thing still exists? -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![frock75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@frock75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frock75)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094/20 "2001-10-04T15:23:25Z")
120 Minutes was the source of alot of new bands for me, back in the early 90’s. First heard the Butthole Surfers and James on that show. It’s a shame that it went the way of the Dodo. Now, if a truly different band makes it’s way onto MTV, it’s dumped into a sub-chanel that most people can’t get without satelite. The same chanel that brought some of my favorite bands into the mainstream, now hides them in favor of teen pop and rap-rock. sigh… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-you-discovered-first-on-tv/85094.md?page=2)