Dave Lombardo is awesome, though (wrapping self in asbestos) he’s no Neil Peart. (Wow, seems I have this EXACT same discussion every 3 years or so.)
Dan Hicks (Cecil’s a fan, he’s quoted directly in one of the SD books - what else do you need?) … Dan Hicks is greatDan Hicks is greatDan Hicks is great. A fearless swing-funk hippie-acoustic jive-ass hipster and far and away the world’s greatest living male jazz vocalist.
Brian May of Queen is a very talented and very versatile guitar player, much more than usually noticed. Not only does he have a unique style, he also plays various other genres of music.
Each and every member of Mr. Big is EXTREMELY talented. They just make crappy music - bad record deal?
This Geddy Lee guy plays a mean bass, not matter WHAT people say 
Ooohh fellow Fleckheads! 
I knew I liked this place
BTW, I once Saw Bela and Tony Trishka on CBS Sunday Morning - there was one shot of them playing the SAME banjo. Four hands, one instrument. Now that’s talent.
From the musician and the ability to flat-out play standpoint of which, I believe we are discussing, I would have to nominate Rick Nielsen, the guitarist for Cheap Trick. So many different guitars and so many different licks. He makes many of them himself. Also, Lindsey Buckingham is amazing with an axe! His solo performance on the reunion special, The Dance where he performed Big Love is INCREDIBLE!
I don’t know whether he is underrated or underappreciated…I just think the world would be a better place if everyone listened to more Warren Zevon.
Had a reply all typed out, all over but previewing to make sure that it looked right, when the power in the whole building failed. Recomposed after I got home from work, and my machine crashed.
So, hours later, I’ll try again.
Kirsty MacColl. Amazing voice and top-shelf songwriter with more talent in both areas than practically anyone I can think of from the last twenty years. But does she sell millions of discs? No. Does she whine and complain? No, she records a Johnny Marr/Morrissey number called “You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby”:
It’s that spirit of refusing to have anything to do with self-pity that I love in all her work.
Kelly Hogan, best known as the vocalist for the Jody Grind, isn’t the songwriter MacColl is, but her voice is in the same class, and she has pretty good taste in cover material (the first Jody Grind disc included “Mood Indigo”, “It Ain’t Necessarily So”, “Love Alone”, and Bachrach/David’s “Wishing and Hoping” served up with a double twist of irony). Her career’s been up and down since, but talent-wise, she has few peers.
The Pooh Sticks filtered a spot-on assault on the self-importance of “alternative” rock through the 1.5" speaker of a 1975 Panasonic transistor radio. Their 1993 release, “Million Seller”, should have lived up to its name.
Shoes made a number of great pop albums throughout the 70s and 80s. Almost no one but the critics noticed, unfortunately.
Whenever The Blues comes up in a mixed crowd, mostly people mention Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. I’m sick of hearing about them. Nobody ever mentions Lightnin’ Hopkins.
Or Hound Dog Taylor.
rackensack wrote:
Yeah, and while we’re at it, what about:
T-Bone Walker
Una Mae Carlisle
Son House
Wynonie Harris
And can we please get a little credit for Mr. Elmore James?
Johnny Angel:
Credit? Well, let’s see … your collateral is what? A broom? I see.
Actually, among the blues fans I’ve been around, Elmore James is pretty well known and highly regarded. Ditto Son House. Now Jimmy Reed, on the other hand, gets less respect than I think he deserves.
My neck of the woods!
Lightnin Hopkins. Hound dog Taylor. Willie Dixon. Robert Johnson. Sam Chatmon. Bo Diddly. Sonny Boy Williamson. Memphis Minnie. Furry Lewis. Blind Willie Johnson. Big Joe Williams. Fred McDowell. Son House. Robert Lockwood. Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Slim Harpo. Arthur Crudup. Wynonie Harris. Big Mama Thornton. Charles Brown. Guitar Slim. T-bone Walker. Ruth Brown. Don Covay(Mick Jagger copped his style exactly) James Cotton. Rufus Thomas. Little Walter. Jr Wells. Honeyboy Edwards. Jr. Kimbrough…
Well, that list could go way on and on. These people paved the way for the sonic upheaval that made the Euroculture start the hipgrind that loosened things up. A friend once said,“The Blues is the Black man’s Theory of Relativity.” It certainly has changed the way we relate to the world as much!
These are musician’s musicians, and have influenced all American music. They are just starting to get their rightful dues, but only after decades of second tier status. A damn painful shame.
elelle, will you marry me?
And do you mind if rackensack and Johnny Angel come and live in our house?
– Uke, popping some Homesick James on the box. Roosevelt Sykes on deck.
Almost forgot to respond to the OP’s mention of Flipper. Much as I agree, you really have to admit that any band that sounds like that is going to alienate most people who hear them.
One of my most cherished possessions in college was the original single of “Sex Bomb” b/w “Love Canal”, with the xeroxed picture sleeve.
elelle - you forgot Nina Simone
Since we seem to be including bands in the musicians category, I would nominate Sparks, an amazing techno-new wave-dance band that is really funny. Smart, literate, and you can dance to them.
AC/DC seems to be put down as dumb rock, but the early stuff is very blues-based, and they are one of the tightest bands (no wasted motion, no wasted effort)
The Georgia Satellites top my list of bands that are just freakin’ great, but where are they? Gone (sigh).
I’m sure I have more in my tape and record (vinyl) collection. Don’t we all.
Maybe this makes me a dork, but I have always thought that Saul Hudson, better known as Slash (formerly with Guns-N-Roses), is an exceptionally talented guitar player. Of course, his claim to fame may preclude his receiving a great deal of respect, but that doesn’t change the fact that this guy can really play.
Not possible.
epeepunk:
I’ll second, particularly since they had they had the good taste to work with someone I inexplicably left off my first list, Jane Wiedlin.
Don’t hold it against her. She’s a nice person and a good entertainer but she’s, of course, one of the mindless millions who just doesn’t understand music or art, and probably doesn’t care to. She’s happy with her pop cheeze.
Us who know Sam Bush and Edgar Meyer (not to mention Bela, Mark O’connor, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, etc.etc) understand, and we are the only audience that these guys are seeking.