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Obscure, Punk, Post-Punk, New Wave, Alternative, etc

I remember when the Furs and U2 had their first releases, they were huge hits. Echo and The Bunnymen were big too. Lou Reed was big in the 60's, as well as Iggy and the Stooges.
I could go on but it is just my opinion, and its your thread (damn good one too) so please don't take it negatively.
Maybe it's just because I have been buying music and going to shows so often and long obscure has taken a more strict interpretation.
My opinion and $4 will get me a cup of joe at Starbucks, and little else!!
 
grillebilly said:
I remember when the Furs and U2 had their first releases, they were huge hits. Echo and The Bunnymen were big too. Lou Reed was big in the 60's, as well as Iggy and the Stooges.
I could go on but it is just my opinion, and its your thread (damn good one too) so please don't take it negatively.
Maybe it's just because I have been buying music and going to shows so often and long obscure has taken a more strict interpretation.
My opinion and $4 will get me a cup of joe at Starbucks, and little else!!
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No, I agree completely. I would classify all those you mentioned as main stream. If you look at my compilation list, I bolded Iggy (meaning not obscure). I don't think the other bands mentioned were on that list. They are all great bands band in the genre, just not obscure. I saw Echo live with New Order and Gene Loves Jezebel. That was probably the best concert I ever went to.
 
NYListens;2334181 I saw Echo live with New Order and Gene Loves Jezebel. That was probably the best concert I ever went to.[/QUOTE said:
What a great show. EATB and the Furs were my son's first concert. My kids all knew the entire "Ocean Rain" release by heart. I remember them singing "Yo Yo Man" before elementary school.

I heard EATB just played Radio City Music Hall backed by an orchestra. Would of loved to see that one.
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grillebilly said:
What a great show. EATB and the Furs were my son's first concert. My kids all knew the entire "Ocean Rain" release by heart. I remember them singing "Yo Yo Man" before elementary school.

I heard EATB just played Radio City Music Hall backed by an orchestra. Would of loved to see that one.
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Yes, that would be great to see. My kids are into The Wiggles and Hannah. However, my daughter can at least identify jazz (one of my other musical loves) when she hears it. :yes:
 
gregswaim said:
The Damned had a release in 1986 " Phantasmagoria" which was very good and seemed to fit in really well with 80s scene. I saw them in concert the same year in Germany.
I'm not sure if The Damned qualify as "obscure" or not. They were popular in Europe at the time. I've never heard any of their music on radio here in the U.S..
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I haven't played that record in a long time...will have to break it out this weekend
 
gregswaim said:
The Damned had a release in 1986 " Phantasmagoria" which was very good and seemed to fit in really well with 80s scene. I saw them in concert the same year in Germany.
I'm not sure if The Damned qualify as "obscure" or not. They were popular in Europe at the time. I've never heard any of their music on radio here in the U.S..
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"Smash it Up" off Machine Gun Ettiquite was a huge hit down here when I was a kid, as was "Eloise" off Phantasmagora
 
I dont think most of these bands are obscure, buts thats just because my friends and I love them.(and this is only 80's punk. If anyone wants to talk current hardcore punk let me know)

Amebix
Axegrinder
Anti-Cimex
Blitz
Broken Bones
Conflict
Confuse
CockSparrer
Crucifix
Deviated Instinct
Disorder
Disrupt
Doom
Discharge (probably the most influential hardcore punk band ever)
GISM
Oi Polloi
Riistetyt
Varukers

This is all I could think of right now. And for those of you who were wondering- Punk is still very much alive, its just gone underground.
 
Sid Vicious's solo album: it's just way to tough hard! It's..something else.

If you haven't heard it, GET IT!
 
JohnVF said:
The Chameleons. UK band overshadowed by many that you mentioned, but just as good and very influential to the current crop of similar bands...in fact, though Interpol often gets compared to Joy Division, I think they sound more like the Chameleons.
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The Chameleons ROCK! :yes:
 
These bands aren't really obscure, but...

Japan
The Assembly
Comsat Angels
Glamour Cult
Propaganda
Flesh for Lulu
Freur
Nick Heyward
Vicious Pink
The Smiths (not obscure but simply awesome IMO)
Tones on Tail
Red House
Shriekback
OMD

-Dave
 
wow, I went through the whole thread, and without removing any bands, but ensuring there are no duplicates, I made an excel sheet 611 bands long...

pasted it all into a text file so I could upload it here.

I don't get how a 9.5k text file becomes a 371k word doc...
 

Attachments

Was listening to Galaxie 500's "On Fire" the other night on vinyl. One of my prized possessions.

Last weekend I saw Dean Wareham (G 500s guitarist/singer/songrwriter and later of Luna) perform, with his wife Britta, a sort of soundtrack to 13 of Andy Warhol's screen tests (silent, black and white 2 1/2 minute films, essentially moving close-up pictures). It was one of the most interesting things I've seen in a long time. Stark and simple, but pretty moving.
 
oh my...

I don't know how this thread made it to 13 pages with out a mention of David Yow's seminal (in this case, you could use either meaning, lol) bands Scratch Acid and Jesus Lizard. They are incredible, and i can't recommend them enough. Especially look out for the Jesus Lizard's album "Shot." I suggest, if you have a player that can be programmed to come on at a particular time, that you use this album to help get your lazy butt out of bed on Monday mornings, when you really need the extra help.
 
Another Austinite!!! Yes, Scratch Acid and Jesus Lizard. I was going through some old boxes the other day and found a cassette single they did Oh The Guilt that had Nirvana on the other side. I remember it came out as Nirvana exploded and I wonder how many extra sales they got out of that due to the hype. Anyway, glad to see some Texas folks get mentioned on here.
 
Obscure punk bands

Saw some O.C. & L.A. bands mentioned, compilations are the way to go for punk and the early 80's had some great ones:

Beach Boulevard
Better Youth Organization
Hell Comes to Your House (Volume 1)
Posh Hits
Rodney on the ROQ (Volumes 1 and 2)

Most of the foregoing are easy to find, some pricey, additional bands:

The Crowd
Shattered Faith
The Skulls
Channel Three
The Vandals
The Wierdos

Stop by Vinyl Solution in H.B. on old man night you can get a nice history of 80's punk and usually meet Spencer of Shattered Faith.

Crowd, The Skulls, The Vandals, and S.F. continue to this day.

Jeff Milucky of The Crowd recently released his Social Task recordings from back in the day.
 
I love a lot of these bands already mentioned but yesterday I picked up an LP Eater- The Eater Chronicles and it kicks ass. This was a snotty nosed punk band in 77 from Britain and I really like what I have heard from them, I would say they are just a simple catchy punk band but if you like that sound from the mid 70s check these guys out highly recommended.:thmbsp:
 
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