What if I mentioned the music labels Warp, Skam or Toytronic? Would you know what I’m talking about?
What about musical artists Autechre, Boards of Canada or Bola?
The magazine Video Watchdog?
Writers Rudy Rucker, Georges Perec and Alfred Jarry?
How about the comic books Journey, Jim or Savage Henry?
Who or what, if mentioned by someone, you’d go “I can’t believe they know about that!”?
I know Autechre and Boards of Canada, but not Bola.
I know Alfred Jarry (I think he’s the one) because a character of his gave the band Pere Ubu their name (Ubu Roi, right?).
These days I’m less surprised with what people know, what with the cultural exchange of the internet, but I’m usually pleasantly surprised when people know filmmaker Seijun Suzuki, Husker Du and (in America, at least) The Divine Comedy (the band). And, to a lesser degree, writer Jim Thompson.
Strangely, I believe I know every single thing you namechecked. And, no offense, but the musical ones really aren’t that obscure at all.
Now, my turn. 
What if I mentioned the record labels Velvet Blue Music, Ow Om, or Shitkatapult? The musical artists Ash Ra Tempel, Wild Stares, or Daniel Amos?
If you like Autechre or Boards of Canada, I think you might like Bola. His album Soup is a classic. Track 6 - Forcasa 3 is a magnificent song. One of my all time favorites. Very beautiful.
Yes, Alfred Jarry wrote the Ubu plays - Ubu Roi, Ubu Enchaine, and Ubu Cuco. And the group did indeed get the name from the main character.
I’ve never seen any of Seijun Suzuki’s films but I know that Criterion has released some of his movies recently. They seem interesting and I’m curious enough to check them out.
You’re right about the internet turning us into a cultural global village. I think it’s wonderful but younger people don’t know what it’s like to have to go out and search for new and interesting things. The joy of hunting and finding something obscure made it that much more personal and self-fulfilling when you had to work for it.
Rudy Rucker – Hardware, Software, and Wetware, and The Master of Space and Time. Fine, bizarre writer.
My turn:
Rock groups: Kak, Emitt Rhodes, Python Lee Jackson, Spirit
Movies The Well, Deathwatch (Le Mort en Direct), Black Moon (1975)
Record labels: Ode (not to be confused with Ode 70), Threshold, Elektra, Bizarre, Straight.
Authors: Edgar Pangbourn, Ken Grimwood, Russell Griffin, Charles Mackay
Comics: The Heckler
Magazine: Wigwag
Sorry, OP, but it’s kind of a silly topic.
I mean. . .the fact that anyone knows any of them means they’re not obscure.
Ever heard of the Shattered Wig? No? Because it’s a Baltimore magazine with a circ of about 25 people.
How about the band Lemonjuice? It was 4 guys who lived next to me in college and played about 5 gigs in one bar.
How about Detective Steve? That was the comic book a kid in my High School wrote and photo copied for people.
What are you getting at. . .the most obscure whatever that actually has widespread recognition?
I could throw out a bunch of obscure bands and labels, but seriously, what’s the point?