Who is your most underrated Rock band of all time
- Thread starter kc78
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+1 on The Cars - Double life and Candy O - formative elements on a misspent youth.
That's very cool. However, I saw KC at grad night in 1976. I wonder if that is Disney Land (based on the dates) or Disney World (I saw them at Disney World). By '80, the KC star had begun to settle a bit (as had disco).
Love the call, but I have to deduct points for spelling. It's " Squier". Not to be confused with the late great Yes bassist Chris Squire. Another well known and respected, but in my opinion underrated band.
Yes is an all-time great and Chris is one of the most distinctive bass players in rock. Nice call.
I agree with you about Yes, I've got several of their songs on my iPhone and I don't even generally care for that style of "hippy rock" or whatever you want to call that style. I absolutely love All Good People and Starship Trooper. In a similar line, I think America (the hippy rock band from England not "Mericuh") is highly underrated as well.
The guys in American are American - is there another band with the same name?
Yes is progressive rock - not that the hippy-rock description is far off. Based on your post there may not be whole lot of other songs you would like - maybe something from 90125 (1983) which is a great album, but more much more mainstream than there earlier stuff. You probably know "owner of a lonely heart", but the song "hearts" off that album to me is one of their all time best songs. Great guitar work on that one from Trevor Rabin.
Yes is progressive rock - not that the hippy-rock description is far off. Based on your post there may not be whole lot of other songs you would like - maybe something from 90125 (1983) which is a great album, but more much more mainstream than there earlier stuff. You probably know "owner of a lonely heart", but the song "hearts" off that album to me is one of their all time best songs. Great guitar work on that one from Trevor Rabin.
America was formed in London and did their initial tours there which is why I said they were Limey. But they are American citizens (the three principal founders were sons of USAF personnel who were stationed in London). So basically American citizens who formed a band in London and performed in England and the Netherlands principally before they signed with an English record label.
Kind of an interesting story, per Wiki
"Peek left for the United States for an abortive attempt at college during 1969. Soon after his return to the UK the following year, the three met and began making music together. Starting out with borrowed acoustic guitars, they developed a style which incorporated three-part vocal harmony with the style of contemporary folk-rock acts, much like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
Eventually the trio dubbed themselves America, chosen because they did not want anyone to think they were British musicians trying to sound American.[1]They played their first gigs in the London area, including some highlights at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm where Pink Floyd had played at the beginning of its career. Through Ian Samwell and Jeff Dexter's efforts they were eventually contracted to Kinney Records (UK) in March 1971 by Ian Ralfini and assigned to the UK Warner Brothers label.
Their first album was recorded at Trident Studios in London and produced by Ian Samwell."
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Nice call. I went to the Champaign Jam several years...one of which had Santana playing.
Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Joe Bonamassa, Warren Hayes for rockin Blues
Agree w/ Blue Oster Cult.
Some bands of strong notoriety, but I love for there offbeat or non fav hits- Like the best Eagles songs are IMO - King of Hollywood, Teenage Jail, Disco Strangler, Those Shoes, The Sad Cafe, not their mainstream radio hits. Same with a lot of Journeys songs, I like the odd ball ones,
I like the odd Elton John tunes- Funeral for a friend, Dirty Girl, I've seen that movie too, All the young girls love Alice etc
Molly Hatchet
Agree w/ Blue Oster Cult.
Some bands of strong notoriety, but I love for there offbeat or non fav hits- Like the best Eagles songs are IMO - King of Hollywood, Teenage Jail, Disco Strangler, Those Shoes, The Sad Cafe, not their mainstream radio hits. Same with a lot of Journeys songs, I like the odd ball ones,
I like the odd Elton John tunes- Funeral for a friend, Dirty Girl, I've seen that movie too, All the young girls love Alice etc
Molly Hatchet
"King of Hollywood, Teenage Jail, Disco Strangler, Those Shoes, The Sad Cafe" - great picks. Love those songs.
I agree with a lot of what you have said here. Not a huge Molly Hatchett fan but like that genre. I also thought about Robin Trower. One of the cleanest sounds i ever heard in concert. One more from the country genre is Vince Gill. I am really enjoying this thread.
Name me a better debut album than The Cars and I'll buy you a steak dinner.
The thing plays like a damn greatest hits record.
A kid I met in Massachusetts when my older brother was married ( we later traveled some together and he was solid) told me that pretty soon we would be hearing about an awesome band called The Cars... he said that they had been tearing it up in Mass. up to that point... You win the steak dinner challenge. Very good opening album.
Boston's debut album is a monster......based on your personal preference you may owe me a steak dinner.....
This is all so subjective. I could say that Arcade Fire's Funeral is the greatest debut of all time.
Since we've shuffled to best debut albums, I'd probably argue The Black Crowes Shake Your Money Maker. But that's just my choice.
Taste in music ABSOLUTELY is subjective.
Love the Crowes - Money Maker is certainly a classic in my book.
Love the Crowes - Money Maker is certainly a classic in my book.
Hendrix - 'Are You Experienced' is the best debut album. But Hendrix, The Cars, & Boston are not underrated.
A band like Guadalcanal Dairy (from Marietta GA) is an example of an underrated band.
As for debut albums
Counting Crows - August and Everything After - great debut offering - also feels like a greatest hits album.
Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane - Also very strong all the way through.
Also have to agree on the Boston debut album - so very, very good all the way through.
Counting Crows - August and Everything After - great debut offering - also feels like a greatest hits album.
Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane - Also very strong all the way through.
Also have to agree on the Boston debut album - so very, very good all the way through.
The best debut albums are:
Guns N Roses- Appetite for Destruction - it's the #1 best selling debut album of all time and has the megahits Sweet Child of Mine, Welcome to the Jungle, and Paradise City plus some other hits that haven't had the lasting radio play but were big at the time. Since it's one of the biggest albums of all time its tough to argue with.
Pearl Jam - Ten: My personal favorite debut album even though I'd acknowledge the GNR album should win, it's also my favorite Pearl Jam album filled with great songs still getting radio play like Jeremy, Once, Alive, Black and Even Flow.
Guns N Roses- Appetite for Destruction - it's the #1 best selling debut album of all time and has the megahits Sweet Child of Mine, Welcome to the Jungle, and Paradise City plus some other hits that haven't had the lasting radio play but were big at the time. Since it's one of the biggest albums of all time its tough to argue with.
Pearl Jam - Ten: My personal favorite debut album even though I'd acknowledge the GNR album should win, it's also my favorite Pearl Jam album filled with great songs still getting radio play like Jeremy, Once, Alive, Black and Even Flow.
I actually got to meet Steve Howe from Yes. This would have been in Harrisburg, PA back in '88 or '89 and even though I don't remember the details, I do know that the original members of Yes had a pretty acrimonious relationship with one another at the time. Anyway, there were a core group of members from Yes that were touring and were essentially the group Yes but going by another name.......the only thing I remember was that they couldn't use the name 'Yes' but they played Yes songs.
A buddy of mine had an internship at the stadium the concert was taking place and got me backstage. Chris Squire wasn't part of this group unfortunately. He was always one of my favorite bassists. I remember Howe being friendly but aloof. He was an underrated guitarist in my opinion. Very technically skilled.
A buddy of mine had an internship at the stadium the concert was taking place and got me backstage. Chris Squire wasn't part of this group unfortunately. He was always one of my favorite bassists. I remember Howe being friendly but aloof. He was an underrated guitarist in my opinion. Very technically skilled.
That would have been Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe. Bill Bruford was Yes original drummer. They put out one album and toured behind it. Squire was still allied with the 90125 and beyond lineup. The two camps got together for a tour and an album a couple years later, aptly named "Union". The album was half ABHW songs and half the 90125 lineup. I used to have a VHS copy of a concert from that tour called " Around the World in 80 Dates". It was quite a spectacle. Howe and Rabin seemed to be in competition. Alan White was the main drummer while Bruford was on an electronic drum kit. Jon Anderson provided vocals for all the songs on the Union album.
Hmm. Lots of great bands here. Because it's largely a cheese ball era (hair metal) and they came at the end of it, I think Extreme is criminally underrated. They have multiple great albums, a very good rhythm section and what, arguably, is the best guitarist of the "guitar god" era, Nuno Bettancourt.
Someone brought up dream theater earlier, mentioning "pictures and words." Fantastic album (it's called "images and words".). Dream theater would have been far more impactful in the us if they hit a few years earlier. As it was, they were quickly swept aside in the mainstream by grunge. There best album is not images and words in my opinion. It is metropolis part 2: scenes from a memory. That is an incredible accomplishment.
My knee jerk response to this question is always Rush. But, since they got into the Rock and roll hall of fame, that is a harder argument to make.
Maybe the descendants. They were an exceptionally talented punk band. Not usually a combination (talent and punk) that you see.
Hum is a solid band.
I'd say Living Color was prematurely jettisoned from the collective consciousness. That band rocked.
Murder by death.
Someone brought up dream theater earlier, mentioning "pictures and words." Fantastic album (it's called "images and words".). Dream theater would have been far more impactful in the us if they hit a few years earlier. As it was, they were quickly swept aside in the mainstream by grunge. There best album is not images and words in my opinion. It is metropolis part 2: scenes from a memory. That is an incredible accomplishment.
My knee jerk response to this question is always Rush. But, since they got into the Rock and roll hall of fame, that is a harder argument to make.
Maybe the descendants. They were an exceptionally talented punk band. Not usually a combination (talent and punk) that you see.
Hum is a solid band.
I'd say Living Color was prematurely jettisoned from the collective consciousness. That band rocked.
Murder by death.
My vote too. I've seen them twice and they are amazing live. Rothery is easily one of the most underrated guitarists out there. Seeing them again this fall.
Misplaced Childhood is often thought of as their masterpiece, but I also really like the double Marbles cd. I've also seen Fish live. He's my favorite lyricist, although much of his solo work is bland.
On a similar note, Blue October is my second most underrated band. Justin is also a great lyricist and anyone that likes Marillion would probably also like them. I'd suggest starting with Foiled.
Their new album is great although it is 2.5 hours long or so. It is not a rock opera, it is pretty much a Broadway show on cd. It includes all the thematic transitions that Phantom or Les Mis has. It takes quite a few listens before the melodies and themes sink in. Going to see them perform it live in a few months at Radio City. I was at the Scenes dvd taping and I agree that is their masterpiece.
By the way since you like both DT and Marilion, you should check out Pain of Salvation. Start with remedy lane and then the perfect element. Daniel is an amazing lyricist and songwriter.
Coming in to post UFO. Michael is one of my fave guitarists ever.
Kansas
King's X
Thin Lizzy
Rory Gallagher
Zebra
Toto (all top notch studio musicians)
Not sure DT underrated. Those who avidly listen to prog metal keep them on a pedestal. My self included. Scenes from a Memory is brilliant.
Thanks for the suggestion - will check out pain of salvation.
I assume you are seeing Marillion at playstation theater - my wife and I should be at that one.
Always enjoy these music threads.
Ill second a couple of bands ive seen others mention - The Black Crowes - great band - Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is one of my favorite albums of all time. Since they fall into the the southern rock genre which isn't everyones cup of tea, theyre probably a bit underrated in my opinion.
Living Colour - these dudes were fantastic live. Saw them at the Moon in '88 and was blown away. Was a fan from that point on. Never really reached superstardom but played a cool blend of rock that incorporated traditional guitar rock plus blues, thrash, reggae. Created a different soulful slant on arena rock not to mention being of the few black rock bands.
Cheap Trick - everyone knows cheap trick when you hear them. Everyone knows a few cheap trick songs. Usually when you hear one and youre my age (mid 40s) it reminds you of some fun times when you were a teenager. But they never quite smashed down the wall and became superstars like Van Halen, Bon Jovi etc. Kind of got lost in the shuffle a bit during that time I think. I probably appreciate them more now than I did back then.
Quick list of bands I like that may be a bit underappreciated
The Outfield
Son Volt
Trapt
Filter
Faith No More
Everclear
Ill second a couple of bands ive seen others mention - The Black Crowes - great band - Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is one of my favorite albums of all time. Since they fall into the the southern rock genre which isn't everyones cup of tea, theyre probably a bit underrated in my opinion.
Living Colour - these dudes were fantastic live. Saw them at the Moon in '88 and was blown away. Was a fan from that point on. Never really reached superstardom but played a cool blend of rock that incorporated traditional guitar rock plus blues, thrash, reggae. Created a different soulful slant on arena rock not to mention being of the few black rock bands.
Cheap Trick - everyone knows cheap trick when you hear them. Everyone knows a few cheap trick songs. Usually when you hear one and youre my age (mid 40s) it reminds you of some fun times when you were a teenager. But they never quite smashed down the wall and became superstars like Van Halen, Bon Jovi etc. Kind of got lost in the shuffle a bit during that time I think. I probably appreciate them more now than I did back then.
Quick list of bands I like that may be a bit underappreciated
The Outfield
Son Volt
Trapt
Filter
Faith No More
Everclear
I think DT is underrated from the standpoint that they could have been a huge draw if they were a few years earlier. Schenker's first solo is excellent.
Another band I always throw out as Underrated is Badlands. Jake E Lee had chops and feel for days. This is a blues metal masterpiece, yet virtually no on heard it because of all the crappy grunge bands starting to kick in.
Dang, it is good to get some Funk feedback. Hope all is well with you.... and yes, the Feat are very deserving of lots of attention.
Along the overlooked element...how about Canned Heat from whom solo begat Papa John Creech, whom begat Kevin Moore AKA Keb Mo.
Badlands, Highwire is one of my favorite hard rock/blues songs. Such an aggressive guitar riff.
And while that was the closest they came to a hit, I still think their second album is their best.
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