The 40 Weirdest Post-'Nevermind' Major-Label Albums (according to Spin)

i haven't heard that daniel johnston record -- is it bad, or do you just not like him?
voted pell mell btw. listened to several of these last week and enjoyed that one the most.

i just don't think it's that weird that ween got signed either, esp compared to a lot of these bands.

i don't like daniel johnston, mainly due to the typical reservations about being a fan of someone with a serious mental condition. the devil and daniel johnston was great though.

i just don't think it's that weird that ween got signed either, esp compared to a lot of these bands.

― fieri inna babylon (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, January 18, 2013 10:46 AM (19 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

huh why? i know they got biggish later but they weren't very big or popular at the time they were signed.

because they essentially write catchy rock and pop songs, just with a layer of genre pastiche and irony and vocal EFX and shit, but i dunno, they are really "weird" in the most boring way possible imo

I think it was Trouser Press (4th edition) that summed up the secret of Ween as 'poorly disguised musical skills'

i mean i said it upthread but "zappa without all the good things" is really it...the genre pastiche, the insidery dickhead sense of humour, genre parodies, wacky vocals, funny accents and shit

the Ween song that became an alt radio "hit" was p fucking weird though (Push the Lil Daisies)

I kinda like em but definitely had friends who liked em way too much

ween > zappa

I liked Medicine, but I don't think there's much weird about them. The stuff on their second LP is extremely infectious. Did you realize they paid Van Dyke Parks a nice fee to work on one of those tracks? I guess that's kind of weird.

ween > zappa

― billstevejim, Friday, January 18, 2013 11:16 AM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ha i'm not a big zappa guy but on the first few original mothers albums alone that's just a ridiculous statement

That Trenchmouth record isn't my favorite one of theirs, but the first four songs are completely storming.

Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments are the greatest rock'n'roll band ever.

That ween hit (daisies) i remember getting MTV play. Sort of a weird crossover between novelty song and catchy hit. But definitely a novelty record I think (in the eyes of the people who made it an MTV hit, at least some of them?)

missed this :(

would have voted for mr bungle, with boces a nominal second and pop tatari third. need to hear god a bit more - first listen was very promising. and as for drive like jehu, i've only heard 'luau' which rules

I think "Push Th' Little Daisies" is great but it's not something that makes me want to dig deeper into the Ween catalog

Yeah, even I like 'Push th' Little Daisies' and I *hate* Ween.

But definitely a novelty record I think (in the eyes of the people who made it an MTV hit, at least some of them?)

yeah I think so. did the same people see "She Don't Use Jelly" as a novelty record too? they probably did, right?

I don't remember actually ever seeing a video for Push Th' Little Daisies. She Don't Use Jelly was on constantly.

You know, I've never been a big fan of alternative music, but these guys rocked the house!

ha i'm not a big zappa guy but on the first few original mothers albums alone that's just a ridiculous statement

i'm not into long boring guitar solos.

ok Freak Out! i'll give him that much. but it's not a better album than The Mollusk.

i always forget that Freak Out is amazing when i assess Zappa.

i'm not into long boring guitar solos.

― billstevejim, Friday, January 18, 2013 12:21 PM (1 minute ago)

Dude, stop mischaracterizing original Mothers albums.

I stand corrected! Also I kinda love 200 Motels.

Duke of Prunes, motherfuckers

billstevejim, absolutely free is a lot like freak out but more fucked up you might like that

i don't like daniel johnston, mainly due to the typical reservations about being a fan of someone with a serious mental condition.

this has made me remember another likely contender/arguably surprising oversight for this list, 'Fabian Road Warrior' by Wesley Willis

i don't like daniel johnston, mainly due to the typical reservations about being a fan of someone with a serious mental condition.

Yeah that's a touchy subject. I was in a band w something w a lead singer who had a serious mental condition and have seen many shows where audience reactions ranged from appreciation to straight-up laughing at them. I never asked her about what she thought of people mocking her cos she really didn't care, it was all about her getting out of the house, having fun, expressing herself, and embracing the people that genuinely came out to support her when she met them. It's a great attitude to have and it should hold true for any musician, whether or not they are 'disabled'.

Daniel Johnston is awesome. Ever since i saw this thread I've had a bunch of his songs pop into my head randomly over the past week, and if that's not a sign of a successful musician i don't know what is.

this has made me remember another likely contender/arguably surprising oversight for this list, 'Fabian Road Warrior' by Wesley Willis

― ▼ardkore mort▼ (DJ Mencap), Friday, January 18, 2013 3:37 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I haven't listened to it in ages but shouldn't the Boss Hog self-titled release on Geffen have been in the running here? I have trouble believing it's not "weird" at least inasmuch as others that made the list.

The video for the lead single makes me think so:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU1LB4StySo

http://youtu.be/bU1LB4StySo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU1LB4StySo

I can't remember if I voted in this or not, but it would have been for Sammy. Years later I'm still slightly fascinated by this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNvk1g53mw4

Which looks like some relative of Whit Stillman/Wes Anderson, and also looks like an excerpt from a movie that never got made (the art on the CD reflects that too). Band visually reminds me a bit of preppy David Johansen teaming up with preppy Brian Jones here. I've always assumed that Jesse Hartman (lead singer) was responsible for the video, but have never seen the credits. Oh, and a couple of their best songs were b-sides on CD singles (Cafeteria Hawker, etc.). A collection will never happen, I'm sure, but one can dream...

Yeah that's a touchy subject. I was in a band w something w a lead singer who had a serious mental condition and have seen many shows where audience reactions ranged from appreciation to straight-up laughing at them. I never asked her about what she thought of people mocking her cos she really didn't care, it was all about her getting out of the house, having fun, expressing herself, and embracing the people that genuinely came out to support her when she met them. It's a great attitude to have and it should hold true for any musician, whether or not they are 'disabled'.

Is this the same as your big hippie posse band?

No.

The Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments record is great! Working through the ones I haven't heard...

First time I've heard Sammy; that's an ace song/video, and really not weird at all.

if you like the TJSA try to check out their record after that too. possibly even better. it's called Straight To Video.

i loved that video on 120 minutes but i gotta admit the sammy cd disappointed me

xp Did Wesley Willis have any major label releases?

yeah, two albums on American

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Wesley+Willis

oh yeah! Rick Rubin

wtf Wesley should've been #1 on this thing.

xxxp thanks dmr, will check that one out too.

lol butt trumpet

Could it have hurt them to be called Ass Trombone

that sounds like it would hurt

Depends on how callused your embouchure is.

At the time, I was floored by that Babes in Toyland--the only grunge-era band to sign to the majors and keep their teeth sharp IMO.

But over time, I'd have to hand this to Morbid Angel. Domination is one of the highest budget and best death metal records of all time. Can't see a more perfect or classic disc on this list.

Ps - I saw Unwound open for Drive Like Jehu in '93 ;P