The most underrated band of all time...

Bledynn · 11-07-2002, 01:14 AM

Big Star. My god, I can't believe this band didn't explode in the 70s. They wrote intelligent rock in the vein of the Beatles (without ripping them off), with insanely good hooks. They were fronted by the former member of The Box Tops, Alex Chilton, who had a huge hit in his song "The Letter" before splitting with them and forming the much superior Big Star.

For an example of their genius, use your favorite p2p program to try to find the songs The Ballad of El Goodo, September Gurls (yes, with a u), Thirteen, Blue Moon, and Kangaroo. I found them easily with Kazaa. Everyone of 'em a pop rock masterpiece. (Warning: If you don't like The Beatles, you probably won't care much for Big Star)

These guys are sort of like the Velvet Underground in how they had very little in record sales, but they inspired many great bands who came after them, like The Replacements and R.E.M. The Replacements even wrote a song about Alex Chilton for their album, Pleased to Meet Me.

They had barely put out their second album when they called it quits. The other main songwriter, Chris Bell, put out a solo album that was somehow even less heard Than the Big Star albums, but has another one of my favorite all-time songs "You and Your Sister", which Kim Deal covered on the great This Mortal Coil ablum "Blood". Sadly, Chris Bell died in a car wreck in 1978, another brilliant artist to remain forever unknown.

I could name dozens more great bands overlooked by time, but this is already too long and I'm sure to get flamed enough as is.

Mixtilplix · 11-07-2002, 09:00 PM

I'm a Big Star fan, had a chance to see them play at all tommorow's parties festival in los angeles this past year but decided to watch the boredoms instead or was it the night mike watt played with the remaining Stooges hmmm.... Anyways Big Star are a great band though they aren't exactly a band someone could get into right away, the music is a bit different then most of the music made at that time, very 60's psych lush harmonies and such. I originally got into them because of Alex chilton's affilliation with the cramps(another of my favorite bands and alex has some good solo songs also). I read a very extensive article on Big Star in Mojo magazine a few years ago and they were one fucked up bunch to say the least lol. Alex chilton once pulled out a loaded gun at Lux Interior and pointed it at his head just so he could make him sing a line in the song like he wanted it to be sung. Cool band for those brave enough to open their minds a bit and listen to something different.

Also Bledynn if you really want find a better selection of music to download I suggest getting soulseek, it just owns kazaa straight out or any other peer to peer file program when it comes to music.

www.slsk.org

Enjoy

somecleric · 11-07-2002, 10:46 PM

Most Underrated Band Ever: Suicide

Rev and Vega. Formed in 1971. All but invented synth pop, ambient and industrial. Punk before anyone knew what punk was. Hugely influential, inspiring legions of seminal groups, including Kraftwerk, The Cars, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, Philip Glass, David Bowie, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire, Gary Numan, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails.

They also wrote some of the most haunting and beautiful music ever. Check out 'Love You', 'Dream Baby Dream', 'Cheree', 'Speed Queen' and 'Sweetheart'.

Ecksi · 11-08-2002, 02:03 AM

Most underrated band ever = Aerosmith

Nimbik · 11-08-2002, 02:21 AM

Aerosmith? hardly. I would say something along the lines of the Beach Boys, but they are critically acclaimed. It's hard to say what an underrated band is, cause if a band has been influential at all it's not underrated, if it's been critically acclaimed it cant be underrated. So I guess I'm asking how do you define underrated

Eomer · 11-08-2002, 07:16 AM

Yea, maybe Aerosmith's stuff prior to their rehabilitation (prior to Permanent Vacation basically) is classic, but after that it was swiftly downhill. There are a lot of good songs on Perm Vac., Pump, and Get A Grip, however there is so many shitty love ballads that it's annoying as hell (how many fucking times do they have to repeat "Angel", which was coincidentally one of their first really big radio hits).

I agree that they do have a ton of older classic music, but now all they are doing is just cashing checks with their pop movie soundtrack drivel. Good for them I guess, but the music is repetitive drivel.

Anyone every see the SNL skit where they did Aerosmith's greatest hits? Adam Sandler was Steven Tyler, and I think Chris Mohr (can't remember his name, he was in the movie Mafia) was Joe Perry, and they did it to a tee.

"And now Aerosmith's greatest song of all time Cryingcrazyamazing!"

Voron · 11-08-2002, 08:33 AM

Jay Mohr! I love that guy.

Eomer · 11-08-2002, 03:23 PM

Wrong place I know, but Mafia has got to be one of the funniest movies that no one has heard of. The scene where the guy gets out of bed with the wood is so funny, especially when the pigeon comes and lands on it and coos.

Gamblor · 11-09-2002, 07:17 AM

The Beta Band. The only people who might have even heard of them watched High Fidelity. Best thing to come out of britain in 20 years, and thankfully not hyped into the stratosphere.

hapless · 11-09-2002, 08:56 AM

Neutral Milk Hotel, nuff said

Bronyaur · 11-09-2002, 09:59 AM

Neutral Milk Hotel and the Beta Band are great....and yes, I never heard of the Beta band until I saw Hi Fidelity (which in my opinion, is the best movie soundtrack of all time)

KrintixXaneris · 11-09-2002, 12:05 PM

Beta band kicks ass, I saw them open for Radiohead and again at Coachella. Most underrated bands at the moment, I think, are Sigur Ros and Godspeed You Black Emperor!

somecleric · 11-09-2002, 03:10 PM

Godspeed maybe, but Sigur Ros are hardly underrated. Every critic loves them, everyone who knows music has their albums, they toured with Radiohead and had such an influence Radiohead's upcoming album sounds like it could have been recorded by Sigur Ros, and their newest album is going to sell millions of copies. The video for Svefn-G-Englar is even in rotation on MTV if I'm not mistaken. They're like the new Yo La Tengo, everyone wants to think they're the only people special enough to know about them and appreciate them, but really, everyone with a clue does.

KrintixXaneris · 11-09-2002, 07:55 PM

Touche. You're right, I guess I just get pissed when I listen to the radio 5 minutes a year and I hear them say, "And here's that Icelandic band with the achoo song."

Ecksi · 11-09-2002, 07:59 PM

Actually, after thinking about it, the most under rated band of all time would probably be Slims Shadie.

11-07-2002, 01:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
Bledynn Mooninite Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The Moon Rulz #1 Posts: 197 -1 Internets	The most underrated band of all time... Big Star. My god, I can't believe this band didn't explode in the 70s. They wrote intelligent rock in the vein of the Beatles (without ripping them off), with insanely good hooks. They were fronted by the former member of The Box Tops, Alex Chilton, who had a huge hit in his song "The Letter" before splitting with them and forming the much superior Big Star. For an example of their genius, use your favorite p2p program to try to find the songs The Ballad of El Goodo, September Gurls (yes, with a u), Thirteen, Blue Moon, and Kangaroo. I found them easily with Kazaa. Everyone of 'em a pop rock masterpiece. (Warning: If you don't like The Beatles, you probably won't care much for Big Star) These guys are sort of like the Velvet Underground in how they had very little in record sales, but they inspired many great bands who came after them, like The Replacements and R.E.M. The Replacements even wrote a song about Alex Chilton for their album, Pleased to Meet Me. They had barely put out their second album when they called it quits. The other main songwriter, Chris Bell, put out a solo album that was somehow even less heard Than the Big Star albums, but has another one of my favorite all-time songs "You and Your Sister", which Kim Deal covered on the great This Mortal Coil ablum "Blood". Sadly, Chris Bell died in a car wreck in 1978, another brilliant artist to remain forever unknown. I could name dozens more great bands overlooked by time, but this is already too long and I'm sure to get flamed enough as is.

11-07-2002, 09:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mixtilplix Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 100 -1 Internets	I'm a Big Star fan, had a chance to see them play at all tommorow's parties festival in los angeles this past year but decided to watch the boredoms instead or was it the night mike watt played with the remaining Stooges hmmm.... Anyways Big Star are a great band though they aren't exactly a band someone could get into right away, the music is a bit different then most of the music made at that time, very 60's psych lush harmonies and such. I originally got into them because of Alex chilton's affilliation with the cramps(another of my favorite bands and alex has some good solo songs also). I read a very extensive article on Big Star in Mojo magazine a few years ago and they were one fucked up bunch to say the least lol. Alex chilton once pulled out a loaded gun at Lux Interior and pointed it at his head just so he could make him sing a line in the song like he wanted it to be sung. Cool band for those brave enough to open their minds a bit and listen to something different. Also Bledynn if you really want find a better selection of music to download I suggest getting soulseek, it just owns kazaa straight out or any other peer to peer file program when it comes to music. www.slsk.org Enjoy Last edited by Mixtilplix : 11-07-2002 at 09:21 PM.

11-08-2002, 08:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
Voron Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 170 -1 Internets	Jay Mohr! I love that guy. __________________ Voron the Wanderer Blood of the Spider profile

11-09-2002, 08:56 AM	#10 (permalink)
hapless Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 16 -1 Internets	Neutral Milk Hotel, nuff said __________________ ... and that's why you never trust a man with no shirt on

11-09-2002, 09:59 AM	#11 (permalink)
Bronyaur Drinking more than Robert Pollard... Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: BFE, Missouri Posts: 128 -1 Internets	Yeah Neutral Milk Hotel and the Beta Band are great....and yes, I never heard of the Beta band until I saw Hi Fidelity (which in my opinion, is the best movie soundtrack of all time) __________________ I am a scientist I seek to understand me I am an incurable and nothing else behaves like me

11-07-2002, 10:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
somecleric Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 121 -1 Internets	Most Underrated Band Ever: Suicide Rev and Vega. Formed in 1971. All but invented synth pop, ambient and industrial. Punk before anyone knew what punk was. Hugely influential, inspiring legions of seminal groups, including Kraftwerk, The Cars, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, Philip Glass, David Bowie, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire, Gary Numan, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails. They also wrote some of the most haunting and beautiful music ever. Check out 'Love You', 'Dream Baby Dream', 'Cheree', 'Speed Queen' and 'Sweetheart'.

11-08-2002, 02:03 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ecksi Banned Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 63 +0 Internets	Most underrated band ever = Aerosmith

11-08-2002, 02:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
Nimbik Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 78 -1 Internets	Aerosmith? hardly. I would say something along the lines of the Beach Boys, but they are critically acclaimed. It's hard to say what an underrated band is, cause if a band has been influential at all it's not underrated, if it's been critically acclaimed it cant be underrated. So I guess I'm asking how do you define underrated

11-08-2002, 07:16 AM	#6 (permalink)
Eomer Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 8,885 +4 Internets	Yea, maybe Aerosmith's stuff prior to their rehabilitation (prior to Permanent Vacation basically) is classic, but after that it was swiftly downhill. There are a lot of good songs on Perm Vac., Pump, and Get A Grip, however there is so many shitty love ballads that it's annoying as hell (how many fucking times do they have to repeat "Angel", which was coincidentally one of their first really big radio hits). I agree that they do have a ton of older classic music, but now all they are doing is just cashing checks with their pop movie soundtrack drivel. Good for them I guess, but the music is repetitive drivel. Anyone every see the SNL skit where they did Aerosmith's greatest hits? Adam Sandler was Steven Tyler, and I think Chris Mohr (can't remember his name, he was in the movie Mafia) was Joe Perry, and they did it to a tee. "And now Aerosmith's greatest song of all time Cryingcrazyamazing!"

11-08-2002, 03:23 PM	#8 (permalink)
Eomer Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 8,885 +4 Internets	Wrong place I know, but Mafia has got to be one of the funniest movies that no one has heard of. The scene where the guy gets out of bed with the wood is so funny, especially when the pigeon comes and lands on it and coos.

11-09-2002, 07:17 AM	#9 (permalink)
Gamblor Rocket Powered Robocop Jesus Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 556 -1 Internets	The Beta Band. The only people who might have even heard of them watched High Fidelity. Best thing to come out of britain in 20 years, and thankfully not hyped into the stratosphere.

11-09-2002, 12:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
KrintixXaneris Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 29 -1 Internets	Beta band kicks ass, I saw them open for Radiohead and again at Coachella. Most underrated bands at the moment, I think, are Sigur Ros and Godspeed You Black Emperor!

11-09-2002, 03:10 PM	#13 (permalink)
somecleric Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 121 -1 Internets	Godspeed maybe, but Sigur Ros are hardly underrated. Every critic loves them, everyone who knows music has their albums, they toured with Radiohead and had such an influence Radiohead's upcoming album sounds like it could have been recorded by Sigur Ros, and their newest album is going to sell millions of copies. The video for Svefn-G-Englar is even in rotation on MTV if I'm not mistaken. They're like the new Yo La Tengo, everyone wants to think they're the only people special enough to know about them and appreciate them, but really, everyone with a clue does.

11-09-2002, 07:55 PM	#14 (permalink)
KrintixXaneris Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 29 -1 Internets	Touche. You're right, I guess I just get pissed when I listen to the radio 5 minutes a year and I hear them say, "And here's that Icelandic band with the achoo song."

11-09-2002, 07:59 PM	#15 (permalink)
Ecksi Banned Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 63 +0 Internets	Actually, after thinking about it, the most under rated band of all time would probably be Slims Shadie.

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