Who's the next big 'rediscovered' artist?
I watched the interesting Motor City's Burning documentary on BBC4 at the weekend about Detroit, its influence in music and the riots in the late 60s.
One thing I hadn't realised before watching it was how relatively unsuccessful Iggy Pop and The Stooges were at the time.
Not only that, but there was a long hiatus between their first foray into the industry and then when their Elektra Records material was re-released in 2000 (in spite of Iggy's hit-and-miss solo career).
I'm always intrigued by bands and artists who are rediscovered after a number of years.
Is it because:
1) they were just ahead of their time when they first released stuff
2) their original releases were just poorly handled
3) are they actually pretty average compared to their peers, but have better marketing second time around?
People who spring to mind from the last few years include: Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan and Terry Callier.
So who's next for rediscovery? Do we, the average punter, even have a say?
Personally, I love Karen Dalton, whose 60s stuff was re-released a couple of years ago, but hasn't caught the public's imagination.
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Now this
is a great topic and those choices are fine examples.
Trouble is, I can't think of any more right now. I suppose The Zombies touring Odyssey (yes, I know) & Oracle might bring back a blast of British Baroque pop, as on the brilliant 'Tea & Symphony' compilation and isn't it sometimes the case that an ad in Vashti's case, or an artist, ('honking folkie') Beth Orton for Terry Callier kicks it off?
Having watched that great John Lee Hooker show last Friday, he's another contender for late mass acceptance.
The 4th reason: the megastar endorsement
All three reasons you suggest can apply, but I think there's often another one:
4) A megastar makes public their admiration, attracting the attention of a whole new audience on the "I like X, so since X likes Y, I ought to like Y too" principle.
Bowie did it for Iggy and Lou Reed; Bruce Springsteen did it - briefly but probably enough to secure the old guy's pension - for Gary "U.S." Bonds; Prince did it for Maceo Parker; and several artists - most notably Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel and Ry Cooder - have done it for quite a few non-English-language acts.
Good shout
I'd forgotten about that influence.
Brad Pitt proclaimed his love of Nick Drake, didn't he, instantly making the troubadour more populist.
And I'd love John Lee Hooker to get another boost - that concert they showed after the Motor City doc was obviously recorded around the time of the Mr Lucky album, but the late 80s/early 90s was his last big hurrah, if you like.
and wasn't
Bonnie Raitt the best guest turn?
I once saw her at the Victoria Apollo with America.
I'm ashamed to say I actually, for the first and last time ever at a gig, drifted off during their set.
I read on another forum...
...that no less a personage than Mr. David Hepworth was seen at one of The Zombies 'Odessey and Oracle' gigs. I REALLY hope their upcoming tour with The Yardbirds features that album heavily too as it's in my Top 10 albums. I've been aware of it for about 7 or 8 years but yeah, this year has seen a real resurgence in interest in it to the point they've whacked out a 2-disc edition.
Gene Clark's 'No Other' garnered a lot of attention when that got a CD remaster. It didn't do anything for me when I first heard it but I played it again last year and it simply knocked me out. I dare say Dennis Wilson's 'Pacific Ocean Blue' will have a similar reappraisal when that gets released (although we've already had a thread here doubting its credentials as a 'lost classic'...)
There was a lot of interest in Van Der Graaf Generator when they reformed too- the reissues, live gigs and new albums had rave reviews across the UK press.
I think I'll start one of my own; Marillion. Yes, they've been deemed grossly uncool but this is based on the 80s hits like 'Kayleigh' and 'Lavender' (which I've always personally liked but there you go!) and the 'neo prog' thing with which they were closely associated. But they've gone WAY beyond that since Fish's departure to become a far more diverse beast without any link to Genesis or other bands of that period. Check pre-conceptions at the door and give an album called 'Afraid Of Sunlight' a listen- certainly one of my personal favourite albums. It didn't do much when it was released as the UK was deep in the throes of Britpop and from what I can gather, EMI didn't really promote it either. It was the last album they released on EMI for some time.
For a bit more clarification, there was an excellent article last week on the Pop Matters website:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/53442/marillion-afraid-of-...
I also recommend the similarly brilliant 'Marbles' and the more bleak, meditative 'Brave'. I have many, many music DVDs but their one from last year 'Somewhere In London' is surely amongst the best performances I've seen from anyone.
Yet another case of mistaken identity
Mark Henry Ellen was there. I was not.
He's the tall, effete Southerner.
I'm the small, grumpy Northener.
You all know who the next big rediscovery is.....
Take a bow Mr O'Sullivan.
You read it here first.
Seconded, well done that man etc etc
But certain elements of his back catalogue should remain unrediscovered, such as "Get Down", a dog of a song.
No, I'll take the bow.
And the arrow. To Mr O'Sullivan.
Don't laugh but..
..Mr postman delivered two great 80s remastered reissued expanded cds to me this week: OMD's "Dazzle Ships" and "Into The Gap" by The Thompson Twins. Dazzle Ships sounds fantastic: a 25 year old album that still sounds "out there" though I know it nearly ended their career as detailed by Andy McClusky, who appeared on the Mark Radcliffe show last night.
"Into The Gap doesn't sound too bad either. The production sounds a bit dated, but the songs are good. You may snigger, but it sold 5 million copies in 1985. I wonder how many albums The Kooks and The Feeling sell.
Good shout on Marillion, by the way. "Marbles" is a terrific album and should have been massive.
Loved 'Into The Gap'
The Thompson Twins were a much underrated band from the 80s and have almost been erased from the history books through amnesia, it seems to me.
Amazingly for a decade that prided itself on singles sales, as well, The TTs never achieved a No.1 single, either.