# Request for wierd bands (sound) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2005, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543 "2005-04-09T08:09:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/1 "2005-04-09T08:09:17Z")
I recently got flooded with recommendations of some good meat and potato bands (Queens of the Stoneage mmmmm) but personally I can only do with so much standard music (even excellently made stuff.) Unfortunately, I dislike the torture of listening to the radio and the 99% of crud to find the 1 or 2 interesting good bands–let alone wierd ones. Just to cut things down: 1. Odd lyrics or profanity isn’t an original musical sound 2. Neither is dressing weird 3. The music is still very good 4. You play some for someone–who has publicly stated seeing a live performance where the band members put coke bottles in each other’s anusses–and they still look at you like you must be insane to like such stuff 5. To give some examples (unfortunately mostly Japanese): The Eccentric Opera The Tiger Lillies Sentimental Bus (before they became mainstream–which weirded me out) Geinou Yamashirogumi Downy Cirque du Soleil – Alegria and Mystere Crash Worship – Espontaneo Queen (who got famous regardless) J.A. Seazer Which appears to be my entire catalogue (that I’ve had to subsit on for 25 years! :mad: ) But I have to assume there are more out there besides Japan. Any help is appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/2 "2005-04-09T08:35:41Z")
He’s not really a band, but [Glenn Branca](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/glennbranca.html) was pretty original. Most of the no wave movement was experimental for experiment’s sake, and some of it worked. He has more listenable compositions than most. The [Boredoms](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/boredoms.html) are pretty much the strangest sounding band I have ever heard. Some of their stuff is pretty noise oriented, but sometimes they are geniuses. The two mp3’s at the link are really quite good. The problem is, what you think might be listenable and original, may be garbage to other people. But, if you can listen to Crash Worship, you may be able to listen to either of these two. Branca’s first symphony (from 1981) makes Crash Worship seem like they are not really hitting those drums hard enough =). If you like these two, maybe I could suggest more, but I do not want to bore you with a big list of bands that does not suit your taste. ---
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/3 "2005-04-09T08:51:30Z")
Well, there’s **Can** , possibly the most relevant of the Krautrock bands. Man, if listening to _Tago Mago_ doesn’t make you feel all weirded out, I don’t know what will. _Ege Bamyasi_ and _Future Days_ are also very good, and just a tiny little bit less weird. For another kind of weird, you can consider **King Crimson** , and pick something like _Starless and Bible Black_, or, for something more modern, _Trakattack_. Or you might want to go for slightly more normal and consider _Larks’ Tongues In Aspic_. Or there’s also another little-known group, **Gentle Giant**. Very, very good. Intricate playing. Lots of musical ideas packed in a song. Give a try to _Octopus_ or _The Power and The Glory_. ---
**Author:** ![orbitingio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@orbitingio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orbitingio)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/4 "2005-04-09T08:55:55Z")
I’ll be dealing in volume here: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, anything related to John Zorn, Mike Patton, Steve Albini, or Yamatsuka Eye, Black Dice, Magma, Efterklang, Ghost (Japanese psych band, not various other Ghosts), Sun Ra, Dose One, Tom Waits, Malice Mizer, Khanate… ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/5 "2005-04-09T09:48:26Z")
Just a few. They’re not all weird, just all very good and relatively nonradio. All the links go to pages with mp3 downloads, and I’ll \* the most “unusual”: [The Olivia Tremor Control](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/theoliviatremorcontrol.html) [Polysics\*](http://www.mp34u.com/songCard.php?posting=1448) [Godspeed You! Black Emperor](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/godspeedyoublackemperor.html) [Ween\*](http://www.weenradio.com) [Of Montreal](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/ofmontreal.html) [The Notwist](http://www.emp3world.com/mp3/27191/The%20Notwist/Solitaire) [The Flaming Lips](http://www.wbr.com/player/flaminglips/index.html) [Sigur Ros](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/sigurros.html) [The Unicorns\*](http://www.soundclick.com/bands/1/theunicornsmusic.htm) [Enon](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/enon.html) [Deerhoof\*](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/deerhoof.html) [Starlight Mints](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/starlightmints.html) [The Books\*](http://www.tomlab.com/front/index.php?action=release_detail&release_id=110&release_strike=50&release_action=tracks&artist_id=1) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/6 "2005-04-09T10:03:35Z")
Well was about to step out to go shopping, so think I’ll check out at least the Boredoms and Gentle Giants. 🆒 Though, just wanted to add some further comments to try and keep things to a minimum of “weird yet good.” In Espontaneo, CW was able to keep a feeling of growing menace or fright as each song went on (which was beautiful when they switched to the bagpipes at the finale, mmmmm), but other music I have heard from them (Assesinos) never seemed to go anywhere–like new age with drums =\ Since Malice Mizer slipped in there (apologies)–and since I recognized that one–I would just like to re-refer everyone to rules #1 and #2. Similarly for any sort of death-metal, speed-metal, or other metal. I like metal and people singing about frying babies and serving them to Hitler or anything, generally disturbs me less than Alanis Morisette’s lyrics. Not sure what a Krautrock band is–but generally if you can classify the band properly in a genre, then I’m not sure that’s what I’m looking for. (Again, apologies) But please do keep sending in recommendations! Just trying to fill in some more info since most of the bands I listed, no one will recognize. ---
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/7 "2005-04-09T10:40:31Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > Well was about to step out to go shopping, so think I’ll check out at least the Boredoms and Gentle Giants. Gentle _Giant_. In case there’s another band with a similar name. 🙂 > [@Sage Rat](#): > > Not sure what a Krautrock band is–but generally if you can classify the band properly in a genre, then I’m not sure that’s what I’m looking for. It means “German Rock Band”. It mainly implies nationality, it’s not _exactly_ the name of a genre. However those bands do influence each other… BTW, check out **Amon Duul** … ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/8 "2005-04-09T11:10:39Z")
What about PDQ Bach? I enjoy the music, but it’s been called ‘too long hair for the short hairs, and too short hair for the true long hairs.’ ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/9 "2005-04-09T11:13:21Z")
Thanks Oona (and all) will try those links out 🆒 > [@Sage Rat](#): > > Malice Mizer Oops, got my wires scrambled. Was thinking of Marilyn Manson when I wrote that. Malice Mizer is in there with L’arc en Ciel and Luna Sea. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/10 "2005-04-09T11:59:01Z")
My nephew is a former punk/thrash rocker now teaching and studying Jazz. I burned him some of my _Soul Coughing_ stuff and he said that while he liked it he wasn’t sure if he wanted to stand on the same side of the room as me. It is like beat poetry set to a weird rock music played by a trad jazz combo. I have loved them for years. It doesn’t sound **at all** weird to me but I have found very few fellow fans. People I play them for are generally bemused. ---
**Author:** ![Chimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@Chimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimpy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/11 "2005-04-09T12:22:54Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > Thanks Oona (and all) will try those links out 🆒 > > Oops, got my wires scrambled. Was thinking of Marilyn Manson when I wrote that. Malice Mizer is in there with L’arc en Ciel and Luna Sea. In a vaguely similar line to **Malice Mizer** , try **Dir en Grey** , they’re slightly more metally but I like them. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/12 "2005-04-09T13:17:42Z")
Let’s see… I don’t know what is your threshold for weird, but here are some albums I like for offbeat yet good stuff: 1. New Rock (Buffalo Daughter). Buffalo Daughter went from being completely wacked-out space rock to semi wacked-out dance pop, although they still cut loose with some experimental stuff from time to time. I enjoyed their show in Sapporo last summer, one minute everybody was like let’s happy bouncy dancing and the next minute the band segued into this Moog keyboard solo, blooping, squeaking, arrhythmic whale-fart stuff and everybody in the audience was just standing around looking at each other nervously like “what do we do now?” 2. Sound-dust (Stereolab). Great album, and I especially like the tune “Captain Easychord” which I nominate for best country-western slide guitar by a psychedelic french pop band. You have all these hugely dissimilar parts coming together, and coming together to make a really interesting whole. 3. Young Team (Mogwai). Maybe “strange Scotsmen” is redundant, but that’s how I describe Mogwai. I am not able to explain their music in words except to say it is virtually all instrumental. 4. Assume you’ve heard of Kronos Quartet? If not, check out their album “Night Prayers.” In the first tune they do some amazing stuff with Khoomei (Tuvan throat-style singing" and a string quartet. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/13 "2005-04-09T16:36:47Z")
[Eugene Chadborne and Shockabilly](http://www.eugenechadbourne.com/pages/Discography.htm), vintage 80’s psychotic rockabilly that was very influential on Primus, among other bands. [Bongwater](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=1:BONGWATER), one of my favorite bands of all times. New York producer Kramer and actress [Ann Magnusen](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005174/). I’ts pretty hard to describe their sound, but it veers from the eerily beautiful to the sandpapery abraisive from one song to another. Many of the lyrics are excepts from Magunsen’s dream journals. She’s a fantasitc lyricist. My box set off all their albums is one of my most prized possessions, but _Too Much Sleep_ is probably a good place to start. [url=http://www.omnology.com/zorn03.html]John Zorn and Naked City\*. Zorn is an experimental jazz saxophonist who has an incredibly wide musical palate. His Naked City phase combined every concievable genre, from hardcore punk to speed metal to lounge jazz and twangy country, often in the space of a one minute song. Yamatzuka Eye from the aforementioned boredoms is a guest vocalist on some albums. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/14 "2005-04-09T17:26:02Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > Not sure what a Krautrock band is–but generally if you can classify the band properly in a genre, then I’m not sure that’s what I’m looking for. (Again, apologies) There are more genres out there than you can shake a stick at, and there’s no loss of oddity. Anything with Mike Patton is good. His two most essential works, IMO, are Faith No More’s _Angel Dust_ and his collaboration with the Dillinger Escape Plan, _Irony is a Dead Scene_. John Zorn is another really weird dude with some serious musical chops. _Naked City_ is another one for your short list. In case you’re not familiar with his work, Philip Glass is worth checking out. _Glassworks_ is the generally recommended starting point. Rasputina’s Victorian cello-based goth-pop is strange, and it fits comfortably in a genre. Sigh is another Japanese band who are very strange. Arcturus (_The Sham Mirrors_, Solefald (_In Harmonia Universali_) and Ephel Duath (_Rephormula_ or _The Painter’s Palette_) are most excellent. Early industrial music is a good source of odd sounds. Einstürzende Neubauten (_Strategies Against Architecture_) and Laibach (_Opus Dei_) are worth checking out. There’s Merzbow, the most famous Japanese noise composer of the late 20th century. _1930_ has to be heard to be believed. You might also check out his work with SUNN 0))) on _Flight of the Behemoth_, which may be the slowest, heaviest album ever recorded. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/15 "2005-04-09T18:17:39Z")
Praxis – wicked chops; skewed rhythms and melodies Colonel Claypool’s Bucket of Bernie Brains – lot of the same players as Praxis, but with satirical lyrics and Les Claypool singing and playing bass Huun-Huur-Tu – Tuvan throat singing Klezmatics – modern practitioners of Klezmer music Shudder to Think – Pony Express Record Hard Rock with odd song structures and vocals that at first seem to be poorly paced to the band. This was truly a difficult record to get my mind around. I would think most folks would find it offputting ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/16 "2005-04-09T18:21:59Z")
_Caterwaul’s_ singer has a way-past-the-edge style of singing I’ve never heard anywhere else. _YeahYeahYeahs_ has an in-your-face agressiveness that’s thrilling, but also scary. My wife heard Karen O singing “I got a man who makes me wanna kill,” and she decided she didn’t want to hear _YYYs_ anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/17 "2005-04-09T19:41:22Z")
Here are a few thoughts; some of these may already have been mentioned. Throbbing Gristle Chrome Helios Creed Psychic TV Amon Duul Coil The Residents Wimme Angelit Johnny Dowd Transjoik The Damo Suzuki Network Acid Mothers Temple Baby Gramps The Blood Brothers The Trachtenberg Family Slide Show Players ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/18 "2005-04-10T01:29:39Z")
For the Odd, insightful lyric category, I nomintate _King Missile_. For something different in all directions, try _Negativland_. Both bands have several albums out, but it’s been a while, so they won’t be the easiest to find. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-wierd-bands-sound/298543/19 "2005-04-10T06:17:48Z")
Glad that you liked the Boredoms! You might actually find their CDs in a strore in Tokyo. I gotta pop badk in and mention [Captain Beefheart](http://www.beefheart.com), if you like the blues at all (but a lot of his stuff isn’t what you would call blues). Try \* Trout Mask Replica \* on for size. It is like watching Jackson Pollock play the blues. If you do not know his friend, [Frank Zappa](http://www.zappa.com) , he is worth mentioning, too. Zappa’s catalouge is a bit deep and wide, though. I would not know of a good place to start. I am telling you, it is huge. The [Butthole Surfers](http://www.buttholesurfers.com) are a mandatory plug for me here, too. \* Rembrant Pussyhorse, Locust Abortion Technidian,\* and \* Hairway to Steven\* are their heyday. Caution, all of these bands do have odd lyrics, but they are usually accompanied with orginal sounds, even if the Surfers are certainly psychedlelia, and Beefheart has blues players. I realize that you have probably heard all of these names, but few people have heard a lot of their music. Big, gigantic fourth here for John Zorn, btw. Sudder to Think, too, I suggest \* Ten Spot\*, they are a punk band, if that even means anything at all. But, they are the D.C. sort (not loud and angry to be loud and angry), and an unusual one at that. (name drop: I once sang the theme song to Sesame Street in the bathroom at Club Clearview with their guitarist and singer, I felt special)