This is the thread where we praise cursed local bands who unjustly wallow in obscurity

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surely there's a few in every town. For me, there's this local character, Andy Peters, who runs a hilarious and always entertaining band (called, of course, the Andy Peters Show) centered around a weird amalgam of synth pop, Wings covers, hip hop, lounge piano, and the occasional country ditty, all the while singing about anal sex, drugs, "wacky" religious habits, etc. Occasionally he'll end his set with an a cappella rendition of Mary Poppin's "Feed the Birds". Or he'll do some dialogue from "Scarface". Maybe he'll break into his rap about the Daleks (set to a rockin electro version of the Dr Who theme). And off-stage he's pretty much exactly the same - just an insanely entertaining cherub with mismatched eyes in a purple crushed velvet dinner jacket eternally loaded to the gills on all the right drugs. BUT, because the guy's so unbalanced they never really get their shit together - recordings are sporadic and in small runs, shows are few and far between, attention from the press or music fandom at large seems to be entirely absent. It bums me out - I want the whole world to know and love him!

okay, now your turn

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 27 January 2005 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I see everyone's too cool for local losers...

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 27 January 2005 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

no, that guy just sounds horrible.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 27 January 2005 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

*cries*

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 27 January 2005 23:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Meneguar (Brooklyn, NY)

― Please Please Please Let Me Get What I pWN, Friday, 28 January 2005 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Vancouver's "hilarous" Canned Hamm are fairly justly obscure at present - based on their two cd's to date. however, having just heard their next one, I'd say they should get their own TV show - pronto.

― ourwulliewallpaper, Friday, 28 January 2005 00:26 (twenty-one years ago)

they're not obscure, they were in bananafish.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 28 January 2005 00:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Where's the thread where we curse praised local bands who unjustly wallow in bizarre semi-fame? FUCK YOU GALACTIC.

― adam (adam), Friday, 28 January 2005 00:31 (twenty-one years ago)

haha!

yeah Galactic, I hate those guys.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Friday, 28 January 2005 00:33 (twenty-one years ago)

sadly, all of the shitty bands in toronto are huge right now. we have this whole "anyone can make music" thing going on which, though nice politically, means every idiot and their dog is dominating the local happenings and starting record labels to make sure more people can hear their garbage music. hint: high-tops and a keyboard do not make you a musician. oh, a haircut? still no.

BOOOO

― scout (scout), Friday, 28 January 2005 01:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are a band hot on the NYC scene right now (and I used to play in a band w/ the drummer & bass player, full disclosure). Not cursed or obscure for long, I suppose, as they were SPIN.com's band-of-the-day or whatever it is. They're great.

― mcd (mcd), Friday, 28 January 2005 01:07 (twenty-one years ago)

"they're not obscure, they were in bananafish."

Surely you mean July Fourth Toilet?

― everything, Friday, 28 January 2005 01:12 (twenty-one years ago)

...who are unjustly obscure too, come to think of it.

― everything, Friday, 28 January 2005 01:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Levy, from NYC.

Holmes, from NJ.

― cdwill, Friday, 28 January 2005 01:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Miss July - Tallahassee, Florida...should have been the next Tiger Trap.
Rosewater Elizabeth - Tampa, Florida (dissolved years ago, turned into Underwater when they moved to Atlanta, broke up not terribly long ago)

― Ian Riese-Moraine (Eastern Mantra), Friday, 28 January 2005 03:30 (twenty-one years ago)

extendo-ride. portland, maine.

― jergins petriofski, Friday, 28 January 2005 04:28 (twenty-one years ago)

nno canned hamm was in there too, tho they did talk about july fourth toilet.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 28 January 2005 04:36 (twenty-one years ago)

meneguar.

― johnny and luther (johnny and luther), Friday, 28 January 2005 04:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh man, The Mercury Players of Chicago sure were good.

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Friday, 28 January 2005 04:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Any Iowa band is obscure by definition. A search will reveal my declarations of love for Frankenixon, the Slats and the sadly defunct House of Large Sizes. Then there's the screamolicious Ten Grand from the Quad Cities, who used to be called Vida Blue but then had to change their name because that's what the keyboard dude from Phish wanted to call his side project. If only Fish from Marillion would counter-sue.

Oh, and futureappletree label-mates A Is Jump and Marlboro Chorus.

The gotta-be-there live experience of the moment, though, is these drunken old COOTS from Charles City called (I think) the Hungry Young-'Uns. These guys could party with Dick Destiny & the Highway Kings.

― briania (briania), Friday, 28 January 2005 05:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The Muldoons. Too bad they've broken up, again. Old-timey circus two man punk/folk. Tunes about whores, winter, murder and booze.

― Dan M. (OutDatWay), Friday, 28 January 2005 05:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Uh, as someone in a band, I can tell you that being in one fucking indie magazine doesn't mean you're not toiling in obscurity.

My pix: Like Moving Insects of Philly -- they're pretty well-known in Philly but not much outside. Also Mike Wexler of Brooklyn (I recommend downloading March Violets from www.beekiller.net. Slow-loading but worth it).

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:31 (twenty-one years ago)

It's surprising to me that despite mentions in RS by the Fricke, on NPR or opening for the Flaming Lips the 5 or 6 better acts from Memphis remain relatively unknown. Staying within the confines of "cursed" and "unjustly wallowing in obcurity", I'd have to give that honor to the inimitable (and frequently naked) Subteens
http://www.thesubteens.com/images/hitone.jpg

― Will (will), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I grew up in Huntsville, AL... home to the under-praised Sex Clark Five.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:41 (twenty-one years ago)

(and, for a time, Sean Hannity's radio show)

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"It's surprising to me that despite mentions in RS by the Fricke, on NPR or opening for the Flaming Lips the 5 or 6 better acts from Memphis remain relatively unknown. Staying within the confines of "cursed" and "unjustly wallowing in obcurity", I'd have to give that honor to the inimitable (and frequently naked) Subteens"

This is increasingly not surprising to me. The Capitol Years, whose guitarist and drummer are friends of mine, have been in Spin, RS, New Yorker, were on the Carson Daly show, and now some people know who they are, but they still seem relatively obscure, and I meet plenty of avid music fans who've never heard of them. AND they don't make any money.

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Helva, from Minneapolis. They're no more, sadly, but they were once a very interesting punk/metal/ska sort of band.

Also, I am really enjoying the Bamboo Kids from NYC, although there are only like 7 or 8 people who seem to go to their shows.

― subgenius (subgenius), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, a friend of mine is roommates with The Bamboo Kids, or at least one of them. I still haven't heard them though. But they're another great example -- plenty of press but no one's biting yet.

See also the Dr. Dog featured in NY Times thread.

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw those guys like two years ago at some bar on the LE side. They were excellent.

― Will (will), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:56 (twenty-one years ago)

The Bamboo Kids, that is.

― Will (will), Friday, 28 January 2005 06:56 (twenty-one years ago)

mmmm, the Capitol Years. They deserve success, it's true.

― briania (briania), Friday, 28 January 2005 07:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know, it was a little creepy the way you said "mmmm, The Capitol Years."

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 28 January 2005 07:19 (twenty-one years ago)

It's been a long damn time since they were a going concern, but back in the mid to late 80s Glass Eye was the shiznit (NB - at the time, there was no such word as shiznit.)

These days I'm too lame and old and broke to find out what's cool and hip. I just read message boards and pretend.

― Austin (Austin), Friday, 28 January 2005 07:20 (twenty-one years ago)

The new Capitol Years stuff on their site sounds awesome, BTW. I am psyched for the new album.

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 28 January 2005 07:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Damn creepy uninflected typing. Will be checking out that CY site ASAP.

I also remember Glass Eye tearing up the local bar back when, and regret not buying their stuff. File under "Too Late Now," I guess.

― briania (briania), Friday, 28 January 2005 07:59 (twenty-one years ago)

For me, the unjustly ignored local bands would be:
The Great Lake Swimmers
Two-Minute Miracles
The Parkas

― Bruce S. Urquhart (BanjoMania), Friday, 28 January 2005 08:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I've been namedropping The Cripples (here in Seattle) non stop on the board and this is probably the 516th time.. so.. THE CRIPPLES!

― donut christ (donut), Friday, 28 January 2005 08:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Mirror-Mirror is probably my favorite band in New York.

― danh (danh), Friday, 28 January 2005 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Mark Cutler of Providence (www.mcutler.com) has been trying to make it big for nearly 30 years now. Previously with the Schemers, then the Raindogs, now mostly solo and with the Dino Club (although there is the occasional Schemers reunion).
The Schemers won the WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble in 1984 and recently came out with a fabulous compilation (most of the tracks were re-recorded) called "Remember." Horrible cover art, but I highly recommend it.
The guy is a helluva singer, songwriter and guitarist and deserves a decent audience.
Strange - I was in Germany two years ago and visited this crappy little CD store in some touristy area. The shop couldn't have had more than 3,000 discs, yet they did have a solo Cutler CD.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Friday, 28 January 2005 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Minneapolis has many:
The Suburbs, who were the biggest fish in our new wave pond back in the day, made two major label LP's, can still sell out First Avenue for a multi-night reunion gig, yet I don't think there's any other city in the U.S. where they're a known entity.

The Hypstrz, who have been bashing out their Seeds/Standells covers off and on for a quarter century.

And Curtiss A., The Dean of Scream, who does a wonderful annual Lennon tribute show, but it's best to catch him ambling into a local dive on off-night to belt out Elvis covers. Greatest version of "Peace in the Valley" you'll ever hear.

Last time I was in Seattle I was happy to see The Squirrels are still at it; wacky covers of 60's pop/70's rock and a medley from "The Wizard of Oz."

― Daniel Peterson (polkaholic), Friday, 28 January 2005 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Luxury Christ of Windsor, Ontario. Centered around Trevor Malcolm, a one-tour tuba/bass player with Butthole Surfers. I think they may be defunct now, though. Actually they had a record engineered or produced by Jon Langford and/or Bob Weston, I believe.

peepee, can you confirm/deny? I know you've got better facts on this one...

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Friday, 28 January 2005 18:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The Hypstrz, who have been bashing out their Seeds/Standells covers off and on for a quarter century.

Also, The Mighty Mofos who are (Kinda) the Hypstrz with somewhat different lineup....great band whose Who covers set is fucking better than lots of the Who live footage I've seen...

Minneapolis is sooo hot!

Other bands:

Rank Strangers (arty roots rock that's barely roots rock anymore)

Sicbay (ex Dazzling Killmen, Collosamite, great burly post punk, with emphasis on the punk)

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 28 January 2005 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.kauhajoki.fi/~tupalone/evil/evilsup.gif

(crossing fingers this works)

Evil Superstars. Not really local, but everything in Belgium is about a fifteen min drive away.

― stevie nixed (stevie nixed), Friday, 28 January 2005 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

briania, Frankenixon is defunct now, too. Three of them are now known as Sword of Exactly, though. I have no idea if there's too much of a change in direction or anything.

I like 12 Canons who are probably now playing around Iowa City, but the members are all from around Des Moines.

― mike h. (mike h.), Friday, 28 January 2005 22:15 (twenty-one years ago)

From Charlotte, NC --

Muscadine was a great band. I believe it was Sire that re-released their album from '95 called The Ballad Of Hope Nicholls. The singer and main genius behind the band Benji Hughes has one of the greatest voices I've ever heard. They should have been huge. I think his new band is called the Goldenrods.

Then there's Todd Busch - Charlotte's other genius songwriter and great voice. He played in a bad-ass band called Flyweb for a while but he always seems to end up playing solo again - but anyone around Charlotte who's ever heard Todd by himself or with Flyweb will tell you its a treat.

Then there's Todd's sister Tara. She's back in Charlotte now after being across the Atlantic for a while - I believe she and Todd are doing some music together but I'm not sure. Another amazing voice though.

I need to get back to Charlotte.

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Saturday, 29 January 2005 20:13 (twenty-one years ago)

From my hometown of Providence:
Landed, Olneyville Sound System, Tiny Hawks, Halo Perfecto, Ninja vs. Wrestler, Freak Zone, White Mice, Haldols/Eyesores/Barnacled

― Ian John50n (orion), Saturday, 29 January 2005 20:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Jamison Harrison of Santa Rosa, CA.

― shookout (shookout), Sunday, 30 January 2005 05:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I also remember Glass Eye tearing up the local bar back when
This is the same Glass Eye Austin mentioned, the Glass Eye from, um, Austin, where the guy played a fretless Steinberger? Man, that is going way back in the wayback machine- they broke up in '92 or '93. Briania, I thought you were Brian from IowA- did you live in Austin at some point or did they gig a lot in your neck of the woods?

― Ken L (Ken L), Monday, 31 January 2005 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

The Magistrates are a bunch of Santa Cruz kids who make retarded Casio 4 track vocal synth guitar pop that seems to wind up in a Bermuda triangle between Royal Trux, The Residents and Heaven 17. It is freaky and great. They make comic books and art. It's masterminded by a guy named Robert Syretts whose visual art is killer too. I hope somebody notices someday. I think their website is www.xip.net or something like that . . . . check em out.

― Drew Daniel (Drew Daniel), Monday, 31 January 2005 02:50 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

-- ken taylrr (or...), January 28th, 2005.

I missed this first time around. Ya Ken, Langford produced and Weston engineered their first album. Highly entertaining through most of their 15 years. Went nowhere only because a general lack of organizational skills. (I , in fact, put out their two albums, only because they had them recorded, but didn't have the resources or any understanding how to go about it.) Anyone who loved any version of rock and roll would have adored them live.

Trevor is still going strong. When not working at the cardboard box factory (fer real!), he's working on one of his three bands:
-plays drums in Hateburger (Ventures and Sabbath in a blender),
-Citywide Vaecuum (with me and a drummer, one of Windsor's best newwavedub bands [see us play this Friday night @Phog...we're good now!])
-and (brand new) guitar in a "Scandinavian-style" slo-speedmetal band, yet to be monikered.

― peepee (peepee), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

Oh man. The Phog is one of the coolest clubs in Canada.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

For some reason, lots of people seem to hate them, but I've always found them sort've endearing.

The Niagaras.....proto-Strokes cursed by bad timing?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)

http://www.thecuts.com/ivarcutsbig.jpg

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 18:29 (twenty years ago)

are the evil superstars still around? i thought they had new projects (mauro went solo, and the bass player or someone had another band too).
however, the original question to this thread made me think of the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. probably not obscure to many of you, but totally unknown in europe, i guess. and i love them.
www.slideshowplayers.com

― joan vich (joan vich), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Asscart, from Philly, are sorely missed. What a great band.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

American Watercolor Movement, Jersey City NJ.

― cdwill (cdwill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:01 (twenty years ago)

the fake accents!!!

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

clap your hands say yeah

― Nick Sylvester, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:28 (twenty years ago)

Red Bennies - SLC, Utah

― Palpatean Mists, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

Lapsus Linguae - Glasgow's finest.

― mzui (mzui), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:35 (twenty years ago)

pee pee, thanks for the fact-check on Luxury Christ. when i deferred to you, i seriously forgot that trevor was in citywide vaecuum with you..haha. i also used to dig Dirty Harry; did you release any of their stuff?

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:59 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

Like Moving Insects will be at Piano's this Thursday at 9:30 pm. I highly recommend seeing them.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:13 (twenty years ago)

I talk about them all the time so I'm sure you're all sick of hearing it, but 15-60-75 is playing their 35-year anniversary show next month. Despite having a minor cover/hit with Golden Palominos/John Lydon doing "The Animal Speaks", and David Thomas personally reissuing their first record and saying it was the only truly perfect record ever made, and Chryssie Hynde's brother is in the band, for whatever that's worth in terms of fame, you can still have them beat you senseless every saturday for like $5 at local bars. And the records come nowhere near to representing the real thing - I guess that's why they're still obscure after 35 years.

― Draw Tipsy, ya hack. (dave225.3), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

Seconding the Like Moving Insects recommendation. They're great.

― cdwill, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

When I lived in Portland, Oregon, we would always speculate about when The Minders would have their first single get some kind of indie popularity, but this would not really seem to be jangle-pop's day on the pop charts, would it?

― Rob Uptight. (Rob Uptight.), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

i gotta second the Red Bennies nomination (slc, utah) joyous garage rock w/ a hint of r&b/soul.

http://www.myspace.com/redbennies
i really like 'for the sake of the empty space' and 'i'm coming home'

― 6335, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

Silversun Pickups were finally signed (to Dangerbird) and have just put out their ep, "Pikul," which is awesome. Very 90s throwback Swervedriver/Gish-Pumpkins.

― Nostalgic for the Pre-Conservative Hendrie (Bent Over at the Arclight), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

Pretty much the best band in New Orleans is Glory Bee. They're an awesome hiphop/indiepop/circusmusic/r&b/powerballad band who really should be a lot more well known. They're very trashy, very fun, and VERY New Orleans. They just lost their MC/singer but have since added a drummer and a percussionist (and the bass player has stepped up to sing full-time), so their style has undergone a marked change, but they're still a blast live. Their website (heavenlyhive.com) is down right now, but i highly recommend that anyone SLSK them. They're more than worth it.

― Fetchboy (Felcher), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

A third *huzzah* for Red Bennies - SLC, Utah.

I kind of can't believe how awesome "Walk Right In" is [from Slug magazine compilation]. Lo-fi Grand Funk? Who knows, it rules.

― bangor, Wednesday, 10 August 2005 03:06 (twenty years ago)

twelve years pass...

local garage rockers Sex Hogs II are hilarious. I love the guy's vocals, too
https://www.facebook.com/sexhogs/videos/1965163793759489/

― freedom is not having to measure life with a ruler (outdoor_miner), Monday, 4 September 2017 17:44 (eight years ago)

Grip Weeds

― Hideous Lump, Monday, 4 September 2017 18:01 (eight years ago)

Solex

― Week of Wonders (Ross), Monday, 4 September 2017 18:53 (eight years ago)

Starcrash

― niels, Tuesday, 5 September 2017 07:27 (eight years ago)

I really miss Certainly, Sir; fortunately, I found their Bandcamp page today:

https://certainlysir.bandcamp.com

― this iphone speaks many languages (DJP), Tuesday, 5 September 2017 20:30 (eight years ago)

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