I propose a Commercially Unsuccesful Rock Groups of the 1980's group

[Wat_Tyler]

Anyone else interested? We'd discuss 80's rock bands who were good, but didn't sell shit.

[lenidog]

1. I think you would want to expound on that

maybe make it rock groups who were or are good but never sold anything or never have a hit.

[Wat_Tyler]

10. No. I think it needs to be very specific.

[Magrittes Pipe]

2. Like Solar Radio?

[Wat_Tyler]

6. Like Solar Radio, The Knives, The Wolves, The Magnates, Magnet....

[jpgray]

3. Unsuccessful? Sure

You won't be able to bleat about the Stone Roses in there, at least.

:D

[Wat_Tyler]

7. When was the last time I even mentioned them? I've mentioned them what?

Three times on DU? Hardly enough for a running mockout, I think.

[jpgray]

11. Oh--my mockouts don't follow any system of logic

Just good-natured ribbing, but if it bothers you I'll leave off.

[Wat_Tyler]

12. See - smileys have a use.

Had I included smileys, I would've sounded more playful, less caantly.

[jpgray]

13. I've been taken too seriously elsewhere today

I'm glad to hear it's not catching. :scared:

[Wat_Tyler]

14. People are such caants.

[JanMichael]

4. Mondo Rock!!!!

Ok, they were "successful" in Australia but only made a brief slash here in the US.

[Wat_Tyler]

8. So long as they were unsuccessful in the US or UK - they're in.

[sundog]

5. Red Flag?

Disappeared into the synth pop mire?

Dunno if it was good or not, but I bought it. :7

[Wat_Tyler]

9. A prime candidate for inclusion, then.

[Maestro]

15. This could be our team pic

[Wat_Tyler]

17. Perfect.

[Fenris]

16. The Barracudas

[Wat_Tyler]

18. There you go.

[tigereye]

19. Sun Ra

sorry ;)

actually I have been thinking about X-Ray Spex (oops I guess they are more technically late 70s) a lot the last few days after buying a Le Tigre CD. Your description would probably fit most of the bands that I liked in the 80s.

[silvermachine]

28. The Barracudas...

...must have seen them 10 times or so 1981-1983, usually at the Hope & Anchor in Islington. One of the best live bands I've ever seen, especially with Chris Wilson in the lineup. I wrote a feature on them for the fanzine PHUDDD (now called BLACK TO COMM). I didn't think that the Fortunate Sons (w/Wills & Wilson) were nearly as good.

[flamingyouth]

36. Wow - I wish I could have seen them

I've been a fan for a long time, since I was in high school. I actually wore out my vinyl copy of "Drop Out..."

I also have lots of back issues of Phuddd and Black to Comm. :hi:

[silvermachine]

43. Cool...

...I knew Chris Wilson and Robin Wills fairly well when I lived in England. Had a few adventures together...:smoke:
I helped to found PHUDDD (actually called FUD in the earliest of thee early daze...) with Chris Stigliano and Bill Shute way back when. Chris' political views are pretty hard-to-fathom these days and basically caused me to stop having contact with him, too bad. He covers a lot of great bands and all but I couldn't hack the RW spew he has to preface everything with. I have a few spare issues of the early zines left.

[Beware the Beast Man]

20. Great! Now I'll have a place to discuss Flipper or Drunks with Guns

[Wat_Tyler]

21. Hooray! I knew this group was desperately needed!

[chenGOD]

31. I love Flipper.

Totally great all the way round.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

22. Comparatively, I'd say Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

Rattlesnake was a great disc and didn't do shit compared to COMMERCIALLY successful bands

[Wat_Tyler]

23. True enough.

I blame their lost weekend in a hotel in Amsterdam.

[asthmaticeog]

32. I love - LOVE - that album.

For my entertainment dollar, it doesn't get a whole lot better than "Perfect Skin" -- SUCH a cool song!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

51. Forest Fire was pretty good too..in fact..I like the entire disc

[Susang]

24. Hunters & Collectors

Though I think they were popular in Australia, they didn't sell much in the US.

[Wat_Tyler]

25. Funnily enough, I was just reading about them

in the 1983 Australian Rock Yearbook.

[Susang]

48. I must have read your mind

I'm psychic you know. :P

[Wat_Tyler]

55. You have an awesome ability to manipulate the lives of others, I hear.

STOP MANIPULATING ME! }(

[XNASA]

26. Nobody was as commercially unsuccessful as the boys from Swindon.

Critically heralded.....in debt up to their asses.

Even when they sold a few copies, they lost money.

[Wat_Tyler]

27. They even had a US Gold record, it didn't help the debt.

[XNASA]

34. Damn you, Richard Branson!!!!!!!!

[tigerbeat]

47. i didn't know until yesterday....

that richard branson was in the video for "generals and majors"

learn something new every freaking day.

[Touchdown]

29. One hit wonders count?

Big Country- 9 or so albums through 2000, "In a Big Country" was the only hit.

Others who never made it big.

Sisters of Mercy/Sisterhood/Mission UK- depending on the year.
The Bolshoi- Excellent group/fun lyrics from the UK.

[Wat_Tyler]

30. Sure.

[no name no slogan]

33. Only if we can discuss Comsat Angels and/or the Chameleons

Two vastly underrated groups who didn't sell jackity-jack, yet who were still very influential in their own right.

Oh, and also The Sound. HUGELY underrated.

www.comsatangels.net

www.thechameleons.com

[Wat_Tyler]

35. Yup.

We could even throw in Stockholm Monsters.

[no name no slogan]

37. w00t! And the Durrutti Column and Crispy Ambulance, too? (nt)

[Wat_Tyler]

40. And Half Man, Half Biscuit.

[silvermachine]

46. Fairy Tales...

...one of my absolute favorite singles of all time!

[silvermachine]

45. Saw the Comsats...

...at the Bedford Corn Exchange around the time that "Sleep No More" was released. Very good show, though I was bummed that they didn't play "Total War Girl". Another interesting band opened for them called Victorian Parents. Saw the Sound 3-4 times in London, Adrian Borland R.I.P. They dedicated "New Dark Age" to Thatcher when I saw them at the Venue in London.

[arwalden]

38. Would Moloko Qualify?

[Wat_Tyler]

39. Hmm. I guess we could bend the rules a bit.

That would be Fun For Me, at least.

[sundog]

41. Pop Will Eat Itself

[pres2032]

42. how about Savatage?

they're the creators and alter-egos of the Trans-siberian Orchestra. Savatage started in 1980 and plays heavy metal. Their lyrics and music are genius, but because they dealt with mainly concept albums, they've been overlooked.

[tigerbeat]

44. Game Theory and the dB's

criminally overlooked 80's guitar pop bands.

on the upside, it looks like we're going to get a new dB's album soon.

[ScreamingMeemie]

49. Like Toby Redd??

Excellent group. I'd be all for it if we could discuss Toby Redd. I love that group.

[Susang]

50. Here's a good one: Virginia Astley

Her "Hope in a Darkened World" is one of my favorite albums ever. She's big in Japan, is aunt to Pete Townshend's daughter, Emma, and she shares the last name of my new deity (though is unfortunately not related)!

How's that for good, obscure and didn't sell shit?

http://www.blackpool.net/www/virginia-astley/

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

52. Haircut 100

Love + 1 is one of the best tunes yo!

on edit, quite happy to blow my 600th post on a useless band like Haircut 100

[guitar man]

53. Commercially Unsuccesful Rock Groups of the 1980's

I was in a few of those :(

[NeoTraitors]

54. Too many to list

Most people have never heard the best music of the 80's. Maybe this group would open a few ears.

[RetroLounge]

56. Lets Active

one of my favorite 80's songs:

Every Word Means No

RL

[Susang]

57. I have Afoot and Cypress on vinyl

I was a big Mitch Easter fan back in the early eighties. :-)

Oh yeah, I even saw them live at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit. :P