other thread started by a reader that's 5 posts down :(

Now I know that Whisperin' Bob is a fan and he used to play them on his late night show fairly often, but he's the only one, so I claim them as the band only I like. Here's why:

1. They kick(ed) arse live. I've seen them 4 or 5 times and each one was amazing. Bill Mallonee has but two stage moves - a big chord with bending knees and tapping the side of his head on an important line - but they work for me.
2. They're the second best band to come out of Athens, Geogia. I'll let you decide who's number one.
3. I don't play them very often, but whenever they come up on the iPod, I get all excited and listen to the whole album. I've just done it, in fact.
4. It's a great name.
5. Bill Mallonee writes such great songs. Really, really good.

The Undertones were ok but when i heard the Petrol's single It's A Good Thing on Mr Peel I was hooked. 1st 2 cds were classics 3rd a bit ropey but their 4th Chemicrazy is a classic. Buy it on ebay, cheap.

I remember Record Mirror reckoned their single Big Decison was a top 10 cert. Think it got to 41 and that was the closest they ever got.

The O'Neil brothers should be telling people that The Uundertones were the 2nd best band they were in.

They have recently reformed and playing UK in the summer. Lets hope they finally get the respect they are due.

PS Can we give a big shout for Big Audio Dynamite as well. Always feel Mick Jones overlooked when compared with Stummer and Mick's the true talent

an Irish band, I think, whose self-titled album came out in about 2005 - lovely summery pop, one of the tracks got used on Match of the Day for while. They now seem to have disappeared with no sign of another album - anyone know what happened to them? (I realise that any response would most likely prove that I cannot be the only one who likes them).

There's been one or two bands i've loved where i've been out on my own, all lonely and sad. JoBoxers was one, The Big Dish another.

But the Diesel's take the cake. I know only two other people that like them, everyone else has only heard me bang on about them.

Saw them in 1989 supporting Big Country and then bought the album, Shakepeare Alabama. To me that album is just superb and timeless. Later albums were good some even better (FreakGene, Blood and Grace) but most missed the energy on that first album.

They were never fashionable in any sense, and they were dismissed out of hand for being old farts from Leicester, which is true but that's also part of their appeal for me.

They're pretty much defunct now as they'd be doing well to get 10 people in a room to see them. Although if you see a CSNY/Byrds tribute band playing nearby, you may just bump into them.

The great lost Irish band, some good stuff on their first two albums especially the second one "Home" but their third album "Songs From The Rain" is just a fine record. They haven't matched it since but they're always great value live.

Rubbish name, not helped by the fact that it is also shared by an electronica group (emusic error on my part sent whole album of beeps and whistles to my itunes).

Great band though. Band members from Belfast and Mineapolis combine to produce a laid-back americana sung in an Irish accent with references to cricket and Gary Lineker. Lovely stuff.

Massive in Canada, but apart from Bob Harris they mean virtually nothing to anyone here. The first time my wife and I saw them in this country we wondered how they had managed to sell out 2 nights at The Borderline. The reason was for each night there was a cramped basement in London that was for a couple of hours the wide open spaces of Canada.

Terrible name - fantastic band. They were actually featured in Word many moons ago and had a track on a Now Hear This! CD (Somewhat Off the Way).

Urgent, Postcard-style, jerky post-punk packed with sunny melodies. Dropped and disbanded after one album (Please Describe Yourself) but they should've been huge.

I also have a very big soft spot for David Ford's old band, Easyworld.

I love Paul Burch. His 'The Last Of My Kind' album is genius, an absolute masterpiece that I play more than any other record I own.

He's a wonderful singer, was for a short time in Lambchop, on the two times I've met him seems to be painfully shy, an act who should be in every record collection.

A hip hop act from the early nineties who sounded like a three way collision between Jimi Hendrix, Tom Waits and Cypress Hill. Did two albums, the great Heavy Load and the blooming astonishing Paradise Don't Come Cheap.

Here they are on The Word making a racket. Seeing this had me scouring the record shops of Glasgow trying to find "anything" by them the next day. Lionel Blair dancing to them is a bonus.

I was a friend. They were an offshoot of The Raincoats formed by Gina Birch and Vicky Aspinall and were more Princey sort of. They released a couple of singles and maybe an album and I loved them. I think my favourite was Frog Prince and I've still got the 12"s somewhere.

An excellent cd that I bought on the strength of a track on a Word cd a few years ago. I'd not heard of them before that and they don't appear to have done much since unfortunately.

3 cds and a best of on cooking vinyl, but their elderly van still broke down on the way to their last ever gig, at Solihull Library Theatre, not the peak of entertainments lofty pinnacle, I can tell you. marvellous off beat folk-skiffle with lunatic trombone, banjo, fiddle, flute, tuba and hammered dulcimer (early on, anyway).
Others celebratedly undersung include E2k, the afro-pop-jazz-folk later incarnation of folk-reggae band, newly reformed, I see, Edward the 2nd, and Little Johnny England, folk-rock "superstars" with the masterly P.J. wright, longtime Steve Gibbons sidesman, on very electric rock guitar.
Tens of us would group together in large rooms to see these bands. Or at least 10.

Brilliant, glammy pop like a '90s T Rex crossed with Donovan. I absolutely loved 'em and 'In The Groove Again' remains one of my favourite ever songs.

I really liked Out Of My Hair. All the singles were good and the B-Sides were brilliant.

The Bluebells always make me smile when they come on the ipod.
Also RB Morris - Zeke and the Wheel on Oh Boy records
Willie Nile

So Glad was a great tune. Bit like Maria McKee singing with Crazy Horse.

... on a free tape of music from Creation Records with Select magazine. Many friends at the time thought they were awful, but gave me some sort of credibility (at an age when that sort of thing matters) for liking music that was not Top 10 material.

They were lumped in with the shoegazing bands, but I always felt that there was something else in there that was slightly different.

Remember them?

I loved this track and the accompanying album.

Lindy's Party was great n'all

Loved them for years.Saw them at the Borderline the other night and they were terrific.Mainly a vehicle for one man but truly great songs.

The Superimposers or The Jim Muir Slideshow. The latter seem to have vanished, while the former release records at a snails pace to absolutely no fanfare. In both cases its a damn shame.

& Hogan's Heroes. A better night in a pub you will not have & everybody knows Albert would be a huge star if he came from the American west rather than Leominster.

Do my ears need testing? Why am I the only person that thinks both TM albums blow away most of Bowie's eighties output..

And I'll make the bold claim that the second album's better than first, although I haven't stretched to the live album yet though.

... As a teenager, I was very, very into Blaggers ITA (semi-skinhead/casual hardline anti-fascist lot who morphed from a thudding Oi band into something a bit more like a high octane Redskins). Saw them at ULU in 1993 and was absolutely blown away by them. Still think 'United Colours' is a great record (in parts). Also really liked Culture Shock, who were the vaguely dub punk band that half of Subhumans morphed into. Don't think I've ever met anyone else who'd even heard of them, let alone rated them.

And finally, I've yet to meet anyone who isn't a music journalist who'll tolerate my spirited defence of New Model Army...

I am not alone, but sometimes it seems that way..Sarah Harmer
Canadian songwriter, four albums each as brilliant and different
than the last and yet she seems to have fallen on deaf ears..same for Jonatha Brooke actually. All albums are cheap cheap cheap on Amazon. Come on massive you really don't know what you are missing. Can I also throw a word in for Bruce Cockburn album after album of wonderful songs?

I loved their stuff..loved the luxuriousness of the arrangements, the vocals and the damn fine lyrics. The type of music you'd hope that Scott Walker would make if he decided to go a bit more commercial..

Absolutely joyous powerpop, a great album called Sadderdaydreaming, but nobody else seems to have heard of him.

I commend him to the house.

http://www.myspace.com/briancharlesmusic for a sample.
(I also posted this on the other thread on the same topic at

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/the-band-only-i )

I used to collect everything by...T'Pau. I mean everything. Singles on 7", 12", cassettes & CD. LPs on vinyl & CD. Promos, white labels, foreign releases. Many signed. Sorry.

I got to do some charity fundraising on 2 consecutive dates at Manchester Apollo and watched the filming of the video for Sex Talk during the day. Rick Astley was also there with 2 bodyguards! That is when I got all my records signed and was even given stage jewellry worn on TOTP as prizes for a raffle that raised over £600 over the 2 nights.

Don't worry, I've grown out of it now. I'm cured. Now I only stalk bands with an "S" in their name; Stackridge, Spirogyra, Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin.

For old time's sake. 21 years ago...

... and again. I just posted this on The Other Thread, but, as this one is busier, and has the official imprimatur, I thought I'd post it here too.

Friends Again, for those who don't know, and I guess that's a fair few folk, were a post-Postcard Scottish pop group who weren't popular, but produced wonderful music, with tunes and evocative lyrics and even had their very own guitar hero who later formed Love and Money, though I prefer the other branch, the Bathers, whose second album, Sweet Deceit, is one of my favourites, suffused with lost love and keening and a sly quotation from Paul Simon to boot.

Friends Again came up with a great run of singles, but their very first, Honey at the Core, which they sadly rerecorded in an epigonic way for their disappointing first - and only - album (I think it's the way with Scottish bands to promise a great deal with their singles and then let us down with their first albums), is my very favourite by anybody.

As I asked on The Other Thread, does anybody have any Bathers news? I'm hoping that somebody here might know, especially those up north.

From Bias Binding to Blood Soup... Genius 80s indie band on In-Tape. Part of the Leicester scene alongside The Deep Freeze Mice, The Bomb Party and Crazyhead.

Not related to the Yeah Yeahs Yeahs in any way.

“I was teenage stamp collector I lay on my back and you stamped on my face”

well I not only collected stamps but also have the mug and the t-shirt.
Even at the time (the late 80’s) Cud where figures of fun; their famous Drummer and his supposed ligging, their Barrel chested iron lunged lead singer Carl Putnam down to their vibrant and colourful jokey record sleeves.

But amongst the jokes and the arcane theories about “slacktime” and even having concept album as a debut Cud were an excellent band. They may never had cracked being wistful or po-faced but if you want proof of the life affirming power of (lion)Pop music they were the db’s.

I’ve seen them live numerous times and I don’t recall a duff gig, in fact most were glorious riotous funky celebrations. They mixed punchy 80’s indie with snaked hipped funky drummer beats topped off with funny and joyful lyrics. Cud arguably never fully captured their spirit on record and so never broke big-time. Their steps to the top were blocked by them not fitting the current genres, their Jokiness, living in Leeds and perhaps not wanting it as much as more steely eyed fellow NME cover stars.

But if I was offered a choice to either ride again in their “Purple Love Balloon” or gaze at my shoes with their cooler co-scenester I’m climbing into the basket and hoping the wind blows us to Whitby for just the one prawn.
Where to start: their greatest hits will fill most people’s boots it’s even got a Tull cover and a dose of Hot Chocolate.
Ps. the drummer (who is really good was called Steve Goodwin)

... although there were about a hundred at their Forum gig last year.

Whistle Test favourites also, I recall.

Am I the only one who fondly remembers Lorien? They seem to have disappeared off the face, but their 'Under the Waves' album is one I regularly listen to. It really is cracking. What happened to them?

I loved their first album but have never met anyone else who owns it. Anyone?

There is a dearth of decent clips on Youtube so this will have to do ...

Yeah, I love David Sylvian and i'm proud to admit it...It scares me to realise this but I've been a fan for almost 30yrs now...30yrs!?!?!?!! I have drifted far and near from the man over the years, but I always always return to his work and although i love the more experimental side of him to the crooning, the world has to be a better place for his work and all these 'fringe' artists. Same goes for Mark hollis...and The Trash Can Sinatras!

Their avowed mission was to walk like The Clash and sing like The Supremes. They don't make 'em like that any more.

fading memories of a song "Children Wonder Why" - which I had as a 12". Lost in the Great Cellar Flood. Can't find online. Anyone else remember this?

A bit like the Adventures - "Broken Land" talking of which...

Anyone else like them? Or is just me?

As a teenager I would buff up a minor quiff and go to gigs by Gallon Drunk, The Flaming Stars and Gretschen Hofner. Not sure if this 50's-inspired scene ever had a name, or if it was a scene in the first place. Mark Lamarr always seemed to be in attendance.

Watching the Jim Jones Revue the other night reminded me of all this, except that I think that Jim Jones et al are a better act all round. I'm surprised they haven't had more of a mention already on this blog. You can mess around with rock 'n' roll, but you can't improve upon it.

Miserabilists from the north west. Pre-dated Elbow & Doves. Big in Greece apparently.

Man, I love Blurt.

An unholy amalgam of punk, funk and jazz. With an element of street tramp bellowing at the traffic. Human loops on guitar and drums, the mighty Ted Milton on vocals and sax, a-hollerin', a-squeakin' and a-honkin'.

No one else I know can listen to it. Me, I loves it.

Hipsway or Love and Money anyone? Loved there stuff back in the day.

I can never pass up an opportunity to draw people's attention to Matt Howden, a singer and violinist extraordinaire who builds up dark folk songs in layers using a loop pedal. Sieben is his one-man 'band'. The CDs are good - live he's awe-inspiring, just as fascinating to watch as listen to. I know fellow Massive-member Mint likes him! Anyone else?

And an Americana act called Woven Hand (solo project of a 16 Horsepower member). I think the self-titled album is virtually perfection and CD before last 'Mosaic' comes close, too. The production on 'Mosaic', in particular, is incredibly atmospheric - manages to sound both oppressive and euphoric. But I've never encounted another fan... Incredible.

Although I trust there are a few other people that like him, otherwise it will be a quiet night at his gig in Leeds on Friday.

For new listeners... start at the very beginning, go to:
http://open.spotify.com/album/19MWxmh85J98jLwvNXRiC0

Remember, you cannot win if you do not play!

Never understood why they weren't massive: great melodic pop-punk songs and looked the part (their singer Judy did at least), they should have been up there with Blondie. Now forgotten it seems - not sure if their only album is even available on CD.

On the Food label in 1996, so - thanks to the Blur connection - guaranteed a bit of coverage in Select if nowhere else. Catchy anthemic, slightly pyschadelic pop, but the lavish design of the From A To B album - containing, as you expect, a mini board game - must have cost so many squillion that there wasn't anything left in the promotion budget to actually try and sell the album despite some top singles such as Your Smile and Saved.

As for Intaferon, didn't Steamhammer Sam sound just a bit too much like Excerpt From A Teenage Opera?

Before they went all Steely Dan-bollox, China Crisis made two fantastic 80s-indie albums (their 1st two). No-one ever mentions them in 80s discussions and they are bottom of the bill on 80s chicken-in-the-basket tours, secondary even to Toyah bloody Wilcox and Curiosity Killed The blooming Cat. Outrageous!

I like most of his stuff. People look uncomfortable and change the subject when I admit this.

Scottish singer songwriter. Featured an an early Mojo (or possibly Q) free CD. Gorgeous voice. Only released one fine album on CBS. She has a presence on MySpace.

Fans of The Blue Nile really should take a listen.

who made a truly magnificent album called "Still on our Feet" way back in 1673 or thereabouts. It features a song called "17 Years" that should be on everyone's My Top Rated iTunes playlist. Try here: http://www.myspace.com/randyburnscomrandyburns

were St. Albans' threat to pop supremacy way back in the Summer of Punk (maaaannn) with a terrific single called "Happy Birthday Sweet 16." John Peel played it, no-one else did and wither Clive and his merry men? (My picture sleeve, plastic jacketed 45 is not for sale...)

Winners of Melody Maker Rock/Folk Competition. Always seem to have millions in the band. Bette Bright became Mrs Suggs. Popular in Liverpool and Leeds. I booked them to play Leeds Poly on my birthday. Have a greatest hits CD out (what hits? - Ed.)

Midlands band from the early 80s who were a post punk scratchy guitar/synth duo, signed to Cherry Red. By 83/84 made a bid for pop stardom with a string of catchy singles, success didn't beckon and they faded away, only to return in the 90s. Now with a bit of a folk/electronica vibe they released a series of albums on various labels, frontman Martyn Bates also started releasing stuff under his own name. Still active now. Several compilations out covering their work for the curious

Formed in the late 70s in San Francisco, Tuxedomoon have gone on to release numerous albums on various labels over the years, most notably 'Desire', 'Holy Wars' and 'Cabin in the Sky'. Primarily an electronic band, they do however use wind and string instruments to great effect. Although not adverse to the odd tune, they are a fairly experimental band. All member have released numerous solo albums as well.

I have been following both of these bands with interest over the years, and they are never less than interesting. As would be expected with two bands that have a rather large and complicated discography, there is some stuff that is not particularly good. But nevertheless they are fascinating bands that deserve a wider audience and certainly a listen on spotify

Anyone remember them ? Not a massive fan but 2 brilliant singles - here's one of them (hopefully).

The last I heard, Paul Quinn was in the magnificent The Primary 5. I see that their MySpace page isn't showing any upcoming gigs but they were still active earlier in the year and their last album was another blinder. Are you sure you're not thinking about Edwyn Collins being ill? Because he was and is still on a very long road to recovery.

It was almost exactly 20 years ago that I heard "The Walking" by Jane Siberry on the radio (I think she was being interviewed by Roger Scott, but I can't be certain) & I've been hooked ever since. I saw her at The Mean Fiddler a couple of weeks later & then twice more, purely coincidentally, when I was travelling across Canada later that summer. Ever since then, I've only met one person (now my brother-in-law) who had ever heard of her, let alone brought any of her music. I've religiously brought all of her CDs ever since and tried to see her in concert wherever she's in the UK - a couple of times taking along my wife, who remains sadly unconvinced of her genius. I read one mention of her (JS, not my wife) in Rolling Stone years ago where she was described as an "ethereal space folkie" - which is probably fair enough. She's now changed her name to "Issa" and exists mainly online rather than in all good record shops - with a pre-Radiohead self-determining pricing policy to her un-comparable music. Surely somebody else out there must be waiting for a Word interview with her...

I bought their album Pulling Up Atlantis from a secondhand record shop (remember them?) in Addlestone purely on the basis of the cover (cowboy hats, beer bottles, ash tray, etc.) but the songs are cracking and it features a brilliant redneck cover of Madonna's Like A Prayer (see the video:

Just fantastic. Their 'Life's Hard And Then You Die' album is an out and out classic. A few uploaded Whistle Test/ Tube clips on You Tube and a recently set up FaceBook group (dominated by Europeans and Japanese folk) makes me realise it's not JUST me that thinks this but i never meet people who have heard of them let alone love them.
Honestly it's an album i've returned to more times than almost any other. Fantastically arranged and played, nuts lyrics, winning melodies, scouse humour. What's not to love? A caertain other magazine did a full page 'Buried Treasure' feature 3 years ago, and i recall almost dropping the mag on the Tesco's floor in shock during pre-purchase flip-through. Supposedly Jerry Harrison was meant to produce it but bailed at an early stage.

I wonder what happened to these guys?

I still think the first side of Tarkus is musically extraordinary, crap lyrics though. And yes they were bombastic, tasteless, grandiose and technically up their own arses, but something in Emerson's musical language still resonates. Nobody else I know likes them. Even my best mates with whom I share tastes as diverse as Zappa and Thelonious Monk.

Any mention of them by me is met with looks of blank incomprehension. (Not here, I'm sure.) A fine, fine, totally overlooked band.

He is a fella I chance upon when browsing, and have built up a small selection of tracks, excellent rockier end of cajun, with cracking accordion, never getting round to a whole LP. Well, I remedied that recently, getting one of his collections, "The Essential". Why is he not better known? Eschewing squeezebox, strangely, for much of this, he is every bit as good as a weird amalgam of Delbert McClinton, John Fogerty and Bob Seger, with 4 on the floor rockers with balls, sung and played well, with sympathetic production duties, largely, by Muscle Shoals vet Barry Beckett. I can heartily commend him, but don't look at his picture before you dip your toes, as the mullet is alarming indeed, making Billy Ray Cyrus look like a short back and sides.

I wish I didn't, but the best of Saxon is genius in my view. There they sit on a shelf with the Pistols, Smiths, Small Faces, Spiritualized and Martin Stephenson, like some unloved bastard child, but if God has invented a rock overture to match the interweaving triple guitar riff-fest that is Dallas 1pm, I've yet to hear it.

When the sun comes out so do the Acid Jazz albums - Mother Earth's People Tree, You Have Been Watching and Corduroy's Dad Man Cat..

Perfect sunny evening listening when the weathers warm and the drinks are cool

- can't find The Angels Know anywhere.
Also never see Gallon Drunk mentioned anywhere - they fit nicely into my Tindersticks/Bad Seeds days.
Finally, Shena Ringo (or Shiina Ringo) solo or with Tokyo Jihen - excellent stuff.

Actually I'd say Trashcans are the quintessential favourite band inexplicably unloved by the masses.

From that part of the world also, Pearlfishers are brilliant, should be huge..

how is this guy not huge? Catchy, pop-friendly tunes - warmth, tenderness, intelligence. Good looking bloke - interesting back story. Any time we have a gathering Chez Sheeve and I stick ol' Joshie boy on the gramophone - I always get a "this is good - who is it?"

How it's possible for a non-entity like John Mayer to shift shed loads of product and not this guy...*shakes head bewildered*

Great collection of his stuff here:

http://open.spotify.com/album/378YoiWES7Oi9UQSrJEgAI

Made three splendid albums in the late 80's (I think). Would have fitted in nicely on Stiff Records. A jolly melange of roots, pop, rock, great tunes, great singing, harmonies, the lot. I guess they could be described as power pop, which might explain why they never got anywhere. That and their hairdos.

For me, nothing's quite so thrilling as Cardiacs at full throttle. Sadly they're not the live extravaganza they once were, with keyboards, percussion and saxomophone, but they still blow up an almighty racket even now, and Christ knows how old they all are.

Wonderfully silly songs (including some bona-fide greats like 'The Big Ship' and 'Is This The Life', a smattering of strange time signatures and instruments, and a good dose of quintessentially English surreal humour, very much in the Stanshall mould.

Singer Tim Smith had a heart attack last year, putting the skids under the new album, but hopefully he'll be back onstage soon, clouting hapless, laconic brother Jim around the head again.

And I've always had a soft spot for Stump, since catching them on The Tube back in the late 80s, and being utterly bewildered, and perhaps a little scared. If nothing else, they got me into Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, and generally opened the door for me into the odder corners of the musical world. A retrospective set appeared last year, lovingly appended by bassist Kev Hopper, who's a keen blogger and has a few decent solo albums under his belt. A fine chap, and an excellent, intuitive bassist. God bless 'em.

How much, indeed, is the chips? Ah, memory...

, somewhat embarassingly

The Master of immaculately-crafted, harmony-laden guitar-heavy Power Pop, he and his proteges Velvet Crush have long been loved by seemingly me and me only. I could also add Gigolo Aunts, The New Pornographers, Big Star, Super Deluxe and Fuzzy to the list. Plus a few others. All of you who love Teenage Fanclub should give some of these a listen.

Sorry to break up the schmindie also-rans party, but for a real taste of failure you can suck on this:

There's no justification whatsoever for Sheep On Drugs; the cheap, Tandy acid-house synths, the sneering whine of Duncan's vocals, the joke shop horror make-up and the rest of it. Yet the sardonic, dead-eyed, dead-pan songs these big jessies released in the early '90s mean more to me than someone like bloody Seasick Steve - or whichever clapped-out old fart The Word are talking up this month - will ever mean to anyone.

The Bathers.

Magnificence beyond words.

In fact, I'm not even sure I want to share with anyone else the life-shaping power of their album 'Kelvingrove baby'

I'm sure its just not me, judging by the turnout at their live shows, but media atention (and indeed public attention) seems few an far between

Two classic 'one-hit wonder' bands who deserve to be remembered for more than just 'Turning Japanese' and 'Can You Dig It'. Never met anyone else who bought The Vapors' first album 'New Clear Days', but it had two other chart singles on and plenty of catchy tunes. Probably failed because of lead singer's appalling mullet - and lack of charisma (there's an amusingly tedious interview with Dave Fenton on a mis-titled 'Best Of' CD). Actually, their second album was a bit disappointing when I finally got hold of it; perhaps that's why they didn't make it 'big'.

The Mock Turtles wrote wonderful tunes and their 'Two Sides' album is great. Lead by Martin Coogan, Steve's brother. Again, never met anyone who could name more than one song by them, but who could forget the Morrisseyish title 'Why Must I Share This Air With Foolish Men'?

For Spotify fans:
+ Monumentally dull interview with The Vapors' leader at http://open.spotify.com/track/5I8dx0b7vW1wmFtprPR5TR
+ The best 'Best Of' includes all of their first album: http://open.spotify.com/album/24Qpjb4s9cf0HI6VsQgl39
+ Mock Turtles best of: http://open.spotify.com/album/7jCoLmeWTJEzvOYAnooeQk

They say no man is an island but I was where this band were concerned. I remember the UK music press being fairly dismissive of them (though that might be part of the martyrdom on my part) and my music peers at the time thought them either "too wimpy", "too poppy" or just "crap". I loved their 'Joy 1967-1990' album

Fresh New Life is a truly great debut album and the following couple of White Buffalo albums contained some fantastic songs.

Have a lsiten to this as prrof of his greatness

...totally blown out of the water by Britpop but, if you ask me, New Wave pisses all over Definitely Maybe.

The Bible's second album, Eureka, was produced by dragon-chasing Steve Earle and sank without trace despite a promo slot on Wogan's teatime TV show. Boo Hewerdine is probably the best known, busily playing near you or writing songs for others, and the rest are all still making a living in the biz.

There was much more to Furniture than the one-hit-wonder of the "Brilliant Mind" single but they got caught up in the collapse of the Stiff label and never recovered momentum. Jim Irvin is now a scribe of this parish, I do believe.

I'm with you there as were a few fellow Massive members:

www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/the-bible-most-underrated-band-ever

I know there are more converts to the Church of Cathal Coughlan out in the Word Massive, but let's be honest we are vanishingly rare. Never understood why? An Irish man with the voice of an angel singing obscenties over an MOR background. What. Is. Not. To. Like?

My other favourites the Go-betweens are like U2 in comparison.

I heartily agree with (takes frighteningly deep breath) - That Petrol Emotion, TSOOL, Hal, Trashcans, Diesel Park West, Dogs Die..., New Kingdom, The Bluebells, Spirogyra, Yeah Yeah Noh, Girls at..., Octopus, It's Immaterial, Josh Rouse, Cardiacs, Stump, The Vapors, The Bible, and OH YES Microdisney (Pink Skinned Man = Greatest Lost 80s single?)...

Also: how about Zumpano? Canadian power poppers led by future New Pornographer AC Newman. Their 2nd album, "Goin' Through Changes" is my own personal I-love-this-but-dunno-if-anyone-else-does album.

Also Also (takes second deep breath almost as ridiculously deep as the first): The Beau Brummels, Eric Matthews, The Green Pajamas, The Olivia Tremor Control, The Room...

Must rest now... feel faint...

Late night on 6 music, heard a live recording of a 70s band called Home. ridiculous name to try and google. I tried to buy a live cd on Amazon, but was too late.
I'd love to know more about them, they seem pretty scarce.

as advertised up and to the right. Can't recall seeing them mentioned hereabouts. I have heard a couple of albums by them and I like the noise they make. Anyone else?

Were drooled over by the Melody Maker back in the early '90s but decided it was bettet follow their own star then try to become pop stars. One of them is Porcupine Tree and the other is devilishly handsome. They covered Donovan and worked with Robert Fripp, Richard Barbieri and Mick Karn. They had a song called 'Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up.'

At one time I annoyed everyone I knew by demanding to play the sublime 'Days in the Trees' to them, with the response being mostly one of patronising nods and then abrupt changes of subject.

I've lost touch with what they're doing now but at least the internet tells us they're still working hard.

Welsh and not very tall. But in addition to those two vital characteristics of greatness, Spider Jiving is one of my all time favourite records. Be Bop n Holla is pretty good too. Great voice, great songs.

Have to admit, I can probably get by without ever hearing wide eyed and legless again.

Thought these were the bees knees in the early 80s. None of my mates at the time liked them, and i've met no one since who've been into them.

A combination of synths/guitars, pounding drums and socialist ideals made this manc trio a firm fave of mine. Their double a side 7" devils and angels/troops out was one of my favourite singles from that era

Time to mention TV21!

I remember seeing them at the Limit Club in Sheffield when there were more people on the stage than in the audience but they were still great!

They've recently started playing again and have a new CD available, which is excellent, but I'm desperate for a CD reissue of their original album, 'A Thin Red Line'.

I'd also give a shout for The Moondogs, more than a poor man's Undertones.

...who don't even have a record deal!

I found a track called Even Happier on some website, and it's often found its way onto many playlists I compile. In surfer-dude parlance, it's awesome. They only have four songs posted on their MySpace site, one of which currently won't play, and all of them date back to at least 2007 so I don't even know if they're an ongoing concern. No-one I know hasn't even heard of them, but I'm sure if they took the time to listen, I wouldn't be the only one liking them. Here's your chance...

http://www.myspace.com/thesunnthesea

If anyone out there has more information about this band, tell me. I love these songs, and want, nay, need more.

Destined to be 'cult', I guess due to their rotten luck and even rottener career decisions.

Also, many 80s artists I cannot get digital copies of their stuff. The Waitresses - only a greatest hits available rather than their proper albums. Richard Strange's Engine Room 'Your Kiss is a Weapon' great, great pop record. Briliiant - the band, not merely the adjective. Haysi Fantaysee - unhinged and sexy. Anne Pigalle's album 'everything could be so perfect...?(actually I have a CD of this)' Lyle Lovett - very underappreciated in the media, eclipsed by his famous marriage, I guess. Also hardly ever visits the UK.

One album only before they split,a corker though.I'm sure I've mentioned them here before.Thin White Rope anybody?Also more votes for Matthew Sweet,Eric Matthews,and Bruce Cockburn.Oh,and I have seen Velvet Crush live,at King Tut's touring the "Teenage Symphonies To God" album.Matthew Sweet too at the same venue with Richard Lloyd in the band.Happy days.

Again, within my peer group this leaves everyone else cold. I just think they're fantastic.

Ju Ju and Nev from Oxford. Even if they do seem a bit like the Velvets on the first myspace track. Actually, that's not a bad thing.

http://www.myspace.com/littlefishmusic

Polkas, accordian, nonsense lyrics, whiny voice... what's not to love? Everyone, and I mean everyone, I've ever played TMBG to has made me stop. Long is the road and lonely is the way...

Whole heartedly agree with Roy Wilkinson’s contribution of the band “Head”. They became my teen obsession (well, I was about 18) and I would try and get to any of their gigs in West or Central London. The last gig I remember seeing them at was at a strange venue in the middle of an old shopping precinct in Shepherds Bush in about 1989, and Paul McGann (Withnail & I) was at the back of the audience.

In my naiveté at the time I didn't pick up on half the relevance of the lyrics, but thought 'Crazy Racecourse Crowd' was very lovely. Have all three albums on mixture of cassette & vinyl and they get the odd outing every now and then.

What did happen to Richard Beale? (always thought he bared a passing resemblence to Minnie Driver)

'King King' is a fantastic album but I don't know anyone else who owns it. I remember seeing them at the Phoenix festival some years ago and they were superb. They didn't release much recorded material and seem to have been almost exclusively a live band but they had a few celebrity fans including Mick Jagger. Lester Butler was a fantastic harmonica player and I recommend you check out the aforementioned album if you get the chance.

Found this on YouTube though:

The only band that I discovered in my thirties who made me want to go out and purchase each and every song that they've ever recorded.

Robert Pollard (the singer songwriter) is the only constant member (think of them as an American "The Fall"....but catchier). They released 15 albums, as well as Pollard recording countless solo albums and albums under different names (Circus Devils, Boston Spaceships, Airport 5 etc).

They are not consistent...oh no. Basically Pollard seems to realease every song he ever writes. But on each and every release there are a handful of songs which remind you why you love this guys songwriting so much.

He (at this moment) is the only artist who's music I purchase, without fail, on day of release.

I found out about them just before they played their last gig! Just my luck...

Then checking out the back catalogue and realizing there are so bloody many releases.

I do however prefer their more full-on rock songs and albums like "Universal Truths" over the low-fi noodlings.

It's amazing what a great songwriter Pollard is, extremely underated - he crams in so many melodies into 2 or 3 minute songs.

Steve, I was thinking of checking out more of his solo stuff, but as you mentioned there is so much out there. Could you give me some recommendations please, bearing in mind I'm not so keen on tracks recorded in a cupboard played on a kazoo?

I picked up 'Teenage Symphonies to God' on the basis of one review and a cool retro cover. Still know nothing about them but its the kind of mellow jangly guitar pop that I'm always a sucker for.