Tim is now second to favorite replacements. I got my first Husker Du yesterday. New Day Rising. listened to it twice and Im liking it so far.

Oh wow, Husker Du, we are staying true to a period. They are right up there with The Replacements as a candidate for best band of the 80s. I'd have to include the Smiths, Prince, R.E.M., the Undertones, etc., shut up, mark. You need to follow where your muse takes you, since so far, it's right-on! Now, if you really want to know about some obscure but awesome 80s bands, I can recommend...........

ooh please recoommend some good 80s obscureness.

I know obscureness is in the ear of the behearer, but I can think of two albums you should check out if you're liking The Replacements and Husker Du.

The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll Approaching The Mekons, like The Fall, is daunting just because of the sheer number of albums. There aren't many missteps, but there are a few and not everything is easy to find, which is why I'm fudging the year a bit and suggesting this one from 1989. It's consistently great and easy to find. If you like it, working your way backwards a decade will be sure to satisfy more often than not.

The Feelies Crazy Rhythms In my opinion, bands don't come much more criminally overlooked and albums don't come much better. They're not as hard-edged as The Replacements or Husker Du, but I think you'll be glad you checked them out.

Now Playing: "Trevira Trousers" The Mekons The Quality Of Mercy Is Not Strained (Blue Plate)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LinnTate,

I'm on the run but I can add a few off the top of my head. Some will be more difficult to find than others, but you can always find them on vinyl at my house.

The first three Camper Van Beethoven albums: "Telephone Free Landslide Victory", "II & III" and "Camper Van Beethoven". Think humorous and smart college rock crossed with psychedelic gypsy country!

The Leaving Trains' first several albums, but if I had to pick one to start with, I'd go with "Kill Tunes" since that's the one I played before I saw their brain-melting show at a tiny club.

The Neats first two albums, "The Neats" and "Crash at Crush." This band plays intense guitar music, but the bass, drums and guitar all seem to merge into one instrument very often, creating a hypnotic effect pushed over the top by achingly-expressive vocals.

The Windbreakers' albums "At Home With Bobby and Tim", "A Different Sort...", "Terminal" (just found it), and "Run." Great power pop which even hard rockers might like.

ALL of Thin White Rope's albums. I'd probably start with "Moonhead", but they're all so unique and intense, it's hard to say. These guys put on a great live show. The combination of twin lead guitars, psychedelic desert soundscapes and a singer who seems like he's going to spontaneously combust makes for great musical tension.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mark f,

You can't miss with Camper Van Beethoven. Good call, mark.

I figure between The Feelies and The Windbreakers, we're casting the net a bit further so how about...

Rain Parade Emergency 3rd Rail Power Trip The word "timeless" is as bad a crutch as exists in the review of an album, but I'm hard pressed to think of a better way of describing Rain Parade. You can point to about a dozen influences in their music, which leans heavily on psychedelic pop, but in the end they sound like Rain Parade and nothing else. This is, I think, one of the great lost albums of the 80s.

Oh, figs, this is like potato chips. You can't recommend just one!

Magazine Real Life If my Mekons recommendation barely makes the cut in 1989, then Magazine's 1978 effort is right out, but it's hard to deny the influence of Real Life on most of the bands we're talking about here or just how brilliant the album is.

Now Playing: "This Can't Be Today" Rain Parade Emergency 3rd Rail Power Trip (Restless)

Hey LT, I think we're following this thread to its logical spot, but it sure seems that this is mostly interesting to "Alternative/Indie" fans. Meanwhile, my Drive-By Truckers are sitting here and nobody cares (Boo Hoo.)

EDIT-In fact, I'm about a half a burnt-out brain cell from moving D-B Ts to Alternative where it will probably continue to rot.

ive been looking for the Feelies' Crazy Rhythms along with Rain Parade's Emergency Third Rail Power trip for about a month believe it or not. I suppose they are out of print though. Ill look into all of these other bands. thanks!

Whoops! Sorry about The Feelies, robot. I hate to recommend things that are too hard to find.

I'm pretty sure Rain Parade's Emergency 3rd Rail Power Trip is in print, though.

Good luck with your search!

Now Playing: The Cards up 7-6 on the Dodgers in the bottom of the eighth in L.A.

i was looking for "Mekons Rockn Roll" but couldnt find it so i settled for "Fear and Whiskey", which i heard was also good. havent listened to it too much yet but i like it. also got the dBs' "Stands for Decibels/Repercussion". i like "decibels" better but both are great.

Great purchases each and every one, robot. Fear and Whiskey is every bit as great as Rock 'n' Roll albeit delightfully different. Stands for Decibles and Repercussion are simply two of my favorite albums of all time.

Enjoy!

Now Playing: The Cubs up 5-1 on the Marlins in the top of the ninth

quote:

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Originally posted by LinnTate:
Great purchases each and every one, robot. _Fear and Whiskey_ is every bit as great as _Rock 'n' Roll_ albeit delightfully different. _Stands for Decibles_ and _Repercussion_ are simply two of my favorite albums of all time.

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Those dB's records, along with early REM, Let's Active, the Windbreakers, Guadalcanal Diary, and Dumptruck were crucial to my developing a taste for "indie" rock. All vaguely southern, all somewhat jangly, all excellent. A little later, in the same vein, comes Dillon Fence.

I love both those early dB's records...but I think my favorite dB's-related records is Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey's "Mavericks." What a marvelous, gorgeous record.

pE, have I ranted and raved yet about how much I'm loving this year's Chris Stamey, Travels In The South? If this is the quality we can expect from him solo, I don't mind having to wait a decade between albums.

Dillon Fence is news to me. Where do I begin?

Now Playing: "St. Louis Blues" Art Tatum Piano Starts Here (Columbia)

quote:

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Originally posted by LinnTate:
pE, have I ranted and raved yet about how much I'm loving this year's Chris Stamey, _Travels In The South_? If this is the quality we can expect from him solo, I don't mind having to wait a decade between albums.

Dillon Fence is news to me. Where do I begin?

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i still haven't gotten my hands on the new Stamey yet, but I've been looking. There was a version available through Not Lame which I neglected to pre-order which came with a bonus disc of instrumental suites. Did you get that one?

As far as Dillon Fence goes, when I saw them in Atlanta a few months back, they were pimping a new best of called, conveniently enough, Best+ which is out now. It's got a smattering of each of their records and eps and has some of my faves, like "Living Room Scene," "Daylight," "Sad Inheritance," and "Queen of the In-Between." The + part of the album is a mini-album of 7 or 8 new songs. Of the full albums, Outside In is the best, followed by Living Room Scene.

No luck on Cards playoff tix, which went onsale today...

Rawk eh? Time to whittle off my favourites. I think its the first instance ever on a forum where nobody has a similar taste to me, which I like.

Thin Lizzy
Rush
Tool
The Mars Volta
Dream Theater
Faith No More
Stone Temple Pilots
Alice in Chains
Mr. Bungle
Blind Melon
Corrosion of Conformity
Led Zeppelin
Steve Miller Band
Steve Vai
Rage against the machine
Snot
White Zombie
Jefferson Airplane
Guns N Roses
Aerosmith
AC/DC
Motorhead
Tomahawk
Therapy?
Kerbdog (the best rock band ever to come out of Ireland IMO - but then not much have)

I forgot Cream and Rory Gallagher.

quote:

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Originally posted by Brian:
What are your favorite rock bands of now or ever!!!!

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Metallica(Pre-St. Anger)
System of a Down
Led Zeplin
Iron Maiden
Tool
A Perfect Circle

Right now my favorite bands are Metallica, System of a Down, Korn, and Crossfade!!!

It's hard for me to think about my favorite rock bands all time right now, but here's my favorite ones currently producing:

White Stripes, Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Wilco

Wow, that's a good list. It's almost perfect if I didn't have to include all these bands which have reconstituted, such as Camper van Beethoven, The Undertones and one other, The Soundtrack of Our Lives (I just saw the first and have tickets to see the last two!)