# Why aren't these guys famous?! Music opinions... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462 "2009-02-18T22:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/21 "2009-02-19T17:52:50Z")
Does it have to be “local or regional”? Can it just be “not very well known to anyone I’ve ever mentioned them to”? Cuz if we can flow with the latter, the first three that pop to mind are: Kris Delmhorst A Girl Called Eddy Ray LaMontagne (You should hear his cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”- Fantastic) La Montagne is not completely unknown, his songs have popped up on some soundtracks lately, but he’s way better than his level of fame would indicate. I don’t think A Girl Called Eddy is recording anymore, but man she’s terrific. And Delmhorst is plugging away at a solid little career that, again, no one I know is aware of. She is marvelous. ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/22 "2009-02-19T18:37:07Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Fantastic. I’m incredibly pleased to hear that. All of her previous three albums are on CDBaby if you want to try her out further: > > [Coccooned](http://cdbaby.com/cd/fimm), [A Perfect Dream](http://cdbaby.com/cd/fimm2), and [Nexus](http://cdbaby.com/cd/fimm3). I’m a big, big fan of Imogen Heap/Frou Frou, Esthero, Aimee Mann, and the like, so I loved Sarah Fimm immediately. I just ordered and downloaded all three albums. I think this is the best $30 I’ve spent in a good while. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/23 "2009-02-19T18:47:48Z")
> [@Lazlo](#): > > I’m a big, big fan of Imogen Heap/Frou Frou, Esthero, Aimee Mann, and the like, so I loved Sarah Fimm immediately. Hardly “famous” but Imogen Heap / Frou Frou songs (other than Hide and Seek) have regularly appeared on various movie soundtracks like Garden State and Prince Caspian. And of course that song Hide and Seek appeared just about everywhere for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/24 "2009-02-19T18:49:49Z")
Glad to see Junior Brown and Bill Kirchen up there. True guitar heroes, all the more so when it seems like any headbanger with a big pile of amplifiers and a distortion pedal gets crowned as a guitar god. Any fans of Robbie Fulks here? He’s one of the best songwriters around, and no slouch as a performer, either. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/25 "2009-02-19T18:56:14Z")
[Wicked Allstars](http://www.magnatune.com/artists/wicked_allstars) These guys have one album, but it is awesome! It’s kinda like classical meets techno, but not as awful as that sounds once it’s typed out. Where’s their next album? ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/26 "2009-02-19T19:24:50Z")
> [@Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](#): > > They got a small amount of exposure on Fuse and their first single (titled…“The First Single”) played on local radio, but I’m surprised **the Format** weren’t popular–they were a good band (_Dog Problems_ is a wonderful album) most of their songs sound like they’d be radio-friendly. I agree, though I thought _Interventions and Lulabies_ was the better album. You know about **Fun**? ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/27 "2009-02-19T19:33:46Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > And Delmhorst is plugging away at a solid little career that, again, no one I know is aware of. She is marvelous. Delmhorst also plays Americana standards in a band called [Redbird](http://www.myspace.com/redbirdcollective) with Peter Mulvey and Jeffrey Foucault - they’ve only released one album, as far as I know, but there are a few more tracks available at that link, and I’ve come across a few other tracks in other places as well. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/28 "2009-02-19T21:11:49Z")
> [@Jettboy](#): > > Thanks for the link. Being of Hibernian ancestry, I loves me some Irish music. The Fenians are _terrific_. > > Damn, now I’m thirsty for a pint o’ Guinness. I’m so glad! 🆒 Terry Casey, their lead singer, turned me on to **Aslan** , a great band which sadly never made the impact they should have over here… ---
**Author:** ![Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liddle_Lamsy_Divey)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/29 "2009-02-19T22:55:59Z")
> [@Trion](#): > > I agree, though I thought _Interventions and Lulabies_ was the better album. > > You know about **Fun**? It’s hard for me to choose which album I like best; I give a slight edge to _Dog Problems_ only because it was more varied stylistically. Yes, I do know about **Fun** and Sam’s new band **Destry** …I’m very excited to hear [“The Gambler”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=392OZNKdvAg) in full and without rude college kids talking in my ear. The Format _Interventions and Lullabies_ [“The First Single”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SAfT4nMzpk): This is one of the best I could find on there, since all I can find searching for it are blaring clips from concerts, covers and music videos set to the demo version, which imo, isn’t as good as the final product. There used to be one with the album version done as a Lost fanvid, but it was recently removed. [“Tie the Rope”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apY9rP7iuHk) _Dog Problems_ [“Dog Problems”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGHevQoWsGA) and its odd video. [“The Compromise”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ2ZrnsDAkQ) Somebody’s homemade video for [“She Doesn’t Get It”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVqStY12Dog) They do have an official video for it, but I can’t find it. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/30 "2009-02-19T23:46:00Z")
> [@Lazlo](#): > > I’m a big, big fan of Imogen Heap/Frou Frou, Esthero, Aimee Mann, and the like, so I loved Sarah Fimm immediately. I just ordered and downloaded all three albums. I think this is the best $30 I’ve spent in a good while. > > Thanks again! I think you and I have pretty similar tastes based on the artists you just named, so I feel compelled to suggest a few other criminally underrated artists . . . namely The Romanovs (dark cabaret/synthpop), Jesca Hoop (experimental folk rock?), and Grand Ole Party (art punk?). I’ve started threads on all these acts, but none got more than a half dozen replies, if even that. I don’t want to dominate this discussion, but if you want to talk music more, my email’s in my profile and my last.fm profile is in my signature. ---
**Author:** ![Musky\_Moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@Musky\_Moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musky_Moon)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/31 "2009-02-20T00:20:02Z")
Time for my customary plug of my favorite band. Marah. They’ve toured with plenty of big stars like Bruce and Steve Earle, but never hit themselves. I hope they don’t turn out to be one of those bands that people cite as influential but never gain any success on their own. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/32 "2009-02-20T00:31:31Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > Time for my customary plug of my favorite band. Marah. They’ve toured with plenty of big stars like Bruce and Steve Earle, but never hit themselves. I hope they don’t turn out to be one of those bands that people cite as influential but never gain any success on their own. Ok, I’m going to try out one of these unknown artists at random, and this one won. Which album do you suggest? ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/33 "2009-02-20T00:33:13Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Grand Ole Party (art punk?). I love this band! Though I have to confess when I first heard “Look Out Young Son” I thought it was a Meg White song. “Troubadour of the Water” and “Gypsy March” are awesome. And when riding a train through the hills of Nevada and/or Utah (lost track of where we were exactly), “Roll On Down” is the perfect song. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/34 "2009-02-20T00:55:29Z")
I saw them live at last year’s Bonnaroo. It was my first exposure to them and have been in love ever since. Have you heard their [Daytrotter session](http://daytrotter.com/article/1156/the-devils-daughter-prefers-the-sleight-of-hand)? ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/35 "2009-02-22T20:41:47Z")
[Tommy Castro](http://www.tommycastro.com/) is my recommendation. Classic blues - mp3s available at the site. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/36 "2009-02-22T21:14:41Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > Any fans of Robbie Fulks here? He’s one of the best songwriters around, and no slouch as a performer, either. Yep. One of the ones that came to mind as soon as I saw the thread. He’s not just great, but able to do seemingly anything, as songs like “That Bangle Girl” and “Fountains of Wayne Hotline” demonstrate. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/37 "2009-02-22T21:23:35Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > Time for my customary plug of my favorite band. Marah. They’ve toured with plenty of big stars like Bruce and Steve Earle, but never hit themselves. I hope they don’t turn out to be one of those bands that people cite as influential but never gain any success on their own. Nick Hornby, the British novelist who wrote _High Fidelity_, _About a Boy_, _How to Be Good_, and others, is a big fan (here’s a link to a [NYTimes op-ed piece about them from 2004](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/21/opinion/21HORN.html?ex=1400472000&en=eb45d83049f168aa&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND) in which he says “what I love about them is that I can hear everything I ever loved about rock music in their recordings and in their live shows.” Even then, nearly five years ago, Hornby fretted that they might never achieve any commerical success, as they’d already released four albums without making any significant inroads. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/38 "2009-02-22T22:04:30Z")
I don’t keep up with current stuff closely enough to have much insight on current artists, but I still can’t believe that you’re more likely to find [Kelly Hogan](http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/artist/kelly-hogan) waitressing or bartending in a Chicago dive bar than headlining world tours. I became a devoted fan over twenty years ago, during one of the few shows billed as “An Evening with the Garbageman” at the White Dot in Atlanta, followed her through The Jody Grind, her stint with The Rock_A_Teens, solo work, collaborations with anyone who’s anyone in the Bloodshot Records orbit, and especially her semi-permanent gig as a backing vocalist with Neko Case’s various projects (if you’ve seen Neko Case live, you’ve probably seen Kelly also). Here’s a twenty-year-old video of a song called [“Eight Ball”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUiCTmXY8_w) from the first Jody Grind release (_One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure_). [Kirsty MacColl](http://www.kirstymaccoll.com) was the paradigm case for me, however. Everyone in the world wanted her on their sessions in the eighties and early nineties. She was a great songwriter, had an amazing voice, and was an gifted producer as well. Bonus points for having the balls (figuratively speaking, at least) to record a brilliant cover of the Smiths’ “You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby” as a sort of answer to this very question. She got more attention than some of the folks mentioned here, but certainly in the States she was never even close to being “famous”. She’d have been 50 this year had she not been fatally injured by a speedboat while diving in Mexico in December 2000. Another blast from the past: the San Francisco band [Translator](http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=translator). Their albums on 415 Records in the eighties were outstanding examples of how good straightforward rock with a pop sensibility could be. They weren’t weird or quirky or wearing oddball clothes (at least, not by the standards of the time). They just wrote excellent songs and played them very well. Very glad that I got a chance to see them on their last tour in the summer of 86, just before they split up. Here’s a video of one of my favorite songs: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9fPjeuLM8w&feature=channel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9fPjeuLM8w&feature=channel) ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462/39 "2009-02-22T22:33:42Z")
> [@rackensack](#): > > [Kirsty MacColl](http://www.kirstymaccoll.com) was the paradigm case for me, however. Everyone in the world wanted her on their sessions in the eighties and early nineties. [Lou Ann Barton](http://www.louannbarton.com/) is another example of the “musician’s musican.” A long-time Austin blues/blues-rock singer, she’s on just about everyone’s album, at least from that scene, but she hasn’t had much success on her own. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-these-guys-famous-music-opinions/486462.md?page=1)