• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

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

NYListens

NYListens

CBGB & OMFUG
Who would you select as the best sleeper band from the late 1970's to late 1980's band? The more obscure the better. My favorites of the era are Depeche Mode, REM, Joy Division/New Order, Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Psychadelic Furs, Big Country, The English Beat, The Cure and a few others. These are all now considered pretty main stream. They weren't when I started listening to them. Some of my other favorites that I believe remained somewhat obscure were Husker Du, The Pogues, The Butthole Surfers, Black Flag and The Dead Kennedys. I would like to hear of other great bands of the era that remained obscure, yet you consider great.
 
Register to hide this ad
I can think of several, but Patti Smith (the first lady of punk) comes to mind first. Lou Reed is another favorite. Since he certainly never really fit in with the mainstream, he remains an offbeat fav of mine.

Here a few bands I still enjoy listening to:

Angry Samoans
Dead Milkmen
Gang of Four
Public Image Ltd. (PIL)
Surf Punks
The Gits
 
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.
 
Great stuff folks. :thmbsp: These are some names that I haven't heard in years. :beerchug: I do have Public Image on LP though.
 
I'd also throw in Galaxie 500. Late '80s, early '90s band from Boston that influenced a lot of the bands in the slow-core and shoegaze movement.

The Mekons. I randomly found myself eating cake with that band's Sally Timms earlier this year in a green with The Magnetic Fields. Super nice woman.

And last but not least....

The Go-Betweens. EXCELLENT Australian band from the '80s who recently reformed to make a few more great albums until co-founder Grant McLennan died two years ago. They were one of the best bands of the '80s but very few people have heard of them.
 
Black Flag
Jim Carroll
Dead Milkmen
M.A.S.S.
Big Audio Dynamite
English Beat
Mink DeVille
Street Dogs
The Proclaimers

These are a few of my favorite things....
 
Durutti Column
Pale Fountains
Frazier Chorus
Doll by Doll (not really punk/wave...but not really easy to describe)
Manual Scan (great wave/mod from California)
1313 Mockingbird Lane
Soft Boys (singer Robyn Hitchcock is still on tour)
Wire
Kleenex (insane noise from Swiss girl group)
Shonen Knife
There are sooooo many great bands from that time frame...and many are being reissued today. You can find out TONS about both 60s, 70s, and 80s obscurity by reading the astounding publication "Ugly Things." Certainly the best ever music mag in the history of music mags...NO ARGUMENT!!!
 
Year or so ago I bought a 200 LP collection that was offered on Craigs List, 75% of which was post punk and a lot of the bands all ready mentioned. I didn't listen to many of these artists back then but I certainly have been enjoying listening to them now. I 'discovered' Bauhaus just the other day. There are still a few more that I have yet to listen to. Time to go thumb through the stack....
 
ruffian said:
Year or so ago I bought a 200 LP collection that was offered on Craigs List, 75% of which was post punk and a lot of the bands all ready mentioned. I didn't listen to many of these artists back then but I certainly have been enjoying listening to them now. I 'discovered' Bauhaus just the other day. There are still a few more that I have yet to listen to. Time to go thumb through the stack....
Click to expand...

Lucky you. :yes:
 
XTC. Skylarking is my favorite of several good records. Give it a listen if you haven't heard it.

Whoever mentioned the Mekons, Mekons Rock 'n' Roll is an absolute must have album.

The Pixies, if not mentioned. If you don't have Doolittle, get it, now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom