# The Essential Music Library: Avant-Garde/Experimental/Eclectic **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100 "2006-01-09T04:52:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/1 "2006-01-09T04:52:59Z")
The Essential Music Library project is an attempt to get the many musical minds of the SDMB to sit down and discuss what works are absolutely necessary for a well-stocked musical library. There will be roughly 20 threads detailing a variety of genres so that we can get the depth that would be missing from a single-threaded discussion and the breadth necessary to cover what’s out there. This thread’s topic is the avant-garde, the experimental, and the eclectic–in short, works or acts that don’t fit well into any single genre. Previous threads: [Project Planning](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=335665) | [Classical](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=336834) | [Rock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=337956) | [Jazz](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=339051) | [Modern Rock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=340081) | [Blues](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=341203) | [Punk/Post-Punk/New Wave](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=342310) | [Opera/Choral Music](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=343551) | [Rap/Hip-Hop](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=344056) | [Gospel](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=344690) | [Electronica](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345226) | [Contemporary Classical](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345831) | [Pop](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345832) | [Film Music/Musicals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=346844) | [R&B/Soul](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=347413) | [Grass & Roots](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=348001) | [Funk/Disco](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=348507) | [Non-Western/World](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=349132) | [Country & Western](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=349802) | [Folk](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=350231) | [Metal](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=350583) ---
**Author:** ![frogger\_world\_champion\_1981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d07c76/32.png) [@frogger\_world\_champion\_1981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frogger_world_champion_1981)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/2 "2006-10-23T01:58:49Z")
Mr. Bungle - [California](http://www.gracenote.com/music/album.html/experimental/bcdb8e91865ab8726fd3a36723e2dc00.html) No question. ---
**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:** [October 23, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/3 "2006-10-23T02:15:01Z")
**Bonzo Dog Band** – eclectic as all hell, playing jazz, rock, standards, music hall, children’s songs, and much more. And doing it hilariously. Best pick would be **Urban Spaceman** (aka **The Doughnut in Granny’s Greenhouse** ), but **Gorilla** and **Tadpoles** are nearly as good. **Soft Machine** – nice eclectic amalgmation of rock and jazz, with long improvised jams. Their **Third** is one of the best albums ever. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/4 "2006-10-23T03:23:04Z")
Everything by Laurie Anderson. ---
**Author:** ![Fast\_n\_Bulbous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@Fast\_n\_Bulbous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fast_n_Bulbous)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/5 "2006-10-23T13:28:39Z")
**Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica** , often described as the most famous album no-one ever listens to more than once. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/6 "2006-10-23T14:20:14Z")
[QUOTE=frogger world champion 1981] Mr. Bungle - [California](http://www.gracenote.com/music/album.html/experimental/bcdb8e91865ab8726fd3a36723e2dc00.html) No question. [/QUOTE] I’ll see your California and raise you [Adult Themes For Voices](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_Themes_for_Voice), quite possibly the most unlistened to CD in my entire collection. It’s just Mike Patton making weird noises into a tape recorder. That’s it. Also have to include Einstürzende Neubauten just for sheer noise weirdness and The Tiger Lillies for being…The Tiger Lillies. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/7 "2006-10-23T14:25:48Z")
I know it’s bad form to double post, but I can’t believe I forgot my own personal favorite, the ever sublime Ween. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/8 "2006-10-23T14:26:46Z")
Second Bonzo Dog Band- specifically “Keynsham” & “Beautiful Zelda” among others- they have one where the whole song is a parody of where they name all the instrumentalists in the song, and name about thirty- too funny! Fripp & Eno- No Pussyfooting Almost anything by Faust, Gong, & Can. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/9 "2006-10-23T14:32:21Z")
\*\*Music for 18 Musicians \*\* by Steven Reich ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/10 "2006-10-23T15:31:01Z")
**The Shaggs** , by The Shaggs. Possibly out of print now, which is a shame, but you can get a reissue of their debut album, **Philosophy of the World**. **Innocence & Despair** , the Langley Schools Music Project **The Best of Elton and Betty White**. Anything by Wesley Willis. Anything by Wild Man Fischer. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/11 "2006-10-23T16:14:42Z")
Most of the aforementioned are “genre” artists that slightly deviate from the established tropes of their genres - bands like Can and Mr. Bungle are (incredible) rock bands that merely stretch themselves a bit. This list should include people who solely exist in the “experimental” or “avant” category. That aside, this list needs to include: John Cage John Zorn the Hafler Trio Steve Reich Luc Ferrari Gershon and Kingsley Raymond Scott Nurse with Wound Bang on a Can the Boredoms morton subotnick harry partch Terry Riley Glenn Branca Pierre Schaeffer Karlheinz Stockhausen Iannis Xenakis Edgard Varese Pierre Henry LaMonte Young Yoko Ono Merzbow Keiji Haino That’s a good start. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/12 "2006-10-23T16:54:52Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] Most of the aforementioned are “genre” artists that slightly deviate from the established tropes of their genres - bands like Can and Mr. Bungle are (incredible) rock bands that merely stretch themselves a bit. This list should include people who solely exist in the “experimental” or “avant” category. [/QUOTE] Thank you. Laurie Anderson is the Perry Como of faux-avante garde. But hello? Even VCO3 left off the artist behind whom any avant artist should always walk a respectful ten paces: _ **Diamanda Galás** _ ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/13 "2006-10-23T16:56:57Z")
What about Steroid Maximus’ album _Ectopia_, a new favorite I found out about through these forums? ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/14 "2006-10-23T17:28:45Z")
No Einstürzende Neubauten? Coil? Gotta get the pop acts in there, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/15 "2006-10-23T17:43:20Z")
[QUOTE=capybara] No Einstürzende Neubauten? Coil? Gotta get the pop acts in there, too. [/QUOTE] Ahem. Post #6. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/16 "2006-10-23T17:43:42Z")
Would the compositions of Ernest Bour, Clytus Cottwold and Gyorgy Ligeti fit this category? All introduced to me in Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/17 "2006-10-23T17:51:45Z")
Sorry for the split post; at work. The artists in my iPod that I would include under this rubric would be: \*\* Karen Finley Nurse with Wound Scott Walker Stockhausen Yoko Ono\*\* Artists in my iPod who are on the avant edge of their respective genres: \*\* Aisha Kandisha’s Jarring Effects Anita Lane Bjork Bushtucker Can Captain Beefheart Carla Bozulich Deus DJ Krush Foetus Four Tet Fridge Jane Siberry John Greaves and Peter Blegvad Johnny Dowd Mary Margaret O’Hara Nobukazu Prefuse 73 Rhythm and Noise Scarnella Sigur Ros\*\* Artists in iPod who are accidentally avant: **Daniel Johnston The Shaggs** ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/18 "2006-10-23T17:54:50Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] What about Steroid Maximus’ album _Ectopia_, a new favorite I found out about through these forums? [/QUOTE] To be fair, Thirlwell’s Steroid Maximus stuff is quite intentionally anything but avant garde: it’s a celebration of movie-soundtrack cliches. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/19 "2006-10-23T17:55:58Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] Sorry for the split post; at work. The artists in my iPod that I would include under this rubric would be: [/QUOTE] Um, I left out Diamanda, I think because I had just typed her name, but of course she’s all OVER my iPod. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100/20 "2006-10-23T17:58:23Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] This list should include people who solely exist in the “experimental” or “avant” category. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure about this. I’ve also asked for the truly eclectic here; bands that, while they’re not necessarily on the bleeding edge, blend enough different styles that they’re difficult to classify. On the other hand, can you really say something like that isn’t experimental or avant-garde? I’m not sure, but I am glad to see Pierre Schaeffer and Diamanda Galas mentioned. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-avant-garde-experimental-eclectic/339100.md?page=2)