Underrated or obscure artists and bands you discovered by accident?

Bantam Rooster from Lansing - Michigan—they were actually paving the way for The White Stripes and all those similar outfits. You're the sun

brightwolf48 said:A little more of that 1982 Boston punk... The Ramones - Rocket to Universe...

I find myself gravitating much more toward the original British punk movement. This American iteration just doesn't quite sit right with me... It carries a certain quality that reminds me far too much of the Ramones.
It seems to me that Americans have a much stronger affinity for Rock-a-billy...🙂 With the exception of the Dead Kennedys, of course—though even they aren't exactly pure punk...

Dorian Wood - Pearline
—this live version is absolutely stellar.

dustygardener43 said:I've always had a soft spot for the original British punk scene. This American iteration just doesn't quite hit the mark for me—it gives off those Ramones vibes.
Americans seem much better suited for Rock-a-billy.🙂 Though I suppose the Dead Kennedys are an exception, even if they aren't "pure" punk in my book.

Personally, I'm all about that UK sound—bands like Stiff Little Fingers, and especially that Hanx! live album. Did you ever catch them playing at The Factory?

brightwolf48 said:Personally, my favorites have to be the UK punk scene—Stiff Little Fingers, and especially that Hanx live album! Did you ever catch them at the local arena?

No, I haven't...

Look, it’s true that Burns has put on some weight and gotten older—he's definitely seen better days—but they were absolutely incredible.

Here is a little bit of HC to jog the memory of those old days, even if my listening habits have drifted quite far from them lately... 👍

Youth of Today

dustygardener43 said:I've always had more love for the original British punk scene. This American version just doesn't sit right with me—they remind me too much of Ramonese.
Americans are probably better suited for Rock-a-billy.🙂 Well, maybe with the exception of Dead Kennedys, though even they aren't pure punk if you ask me.

I mean, I mostly agree with you, but there are definitely exceptions to that rule out there.



Not sure if Wipers really fit the specific topic here, but while they might be under the radar for the mainstream, they definitely belong. Especially when you put them up against genre pioneers like DK or Black Flag. Personally? I find them way better and more interesting.

Hey everyone,

Coming to you from Australia: "The Cat Empire"

"Two Shoes"



"The Chariot"



I'm not entirely sure how much they've broken through here in the States. Every time I've played them for someone, they were unfamiliar with the music. It’s hard to say what the actual level of popularity is in this part of the world, isn't it?

Benjamin Zephaniah (dub-reggae)

"Dis Policeman Keeps on Kicking me to Death" (Lord Scarman Dub)



Have a pleasant day, all...🙂

Jerry Fisher71 said:Hello everyone,

Coming to you all the way from Australia: "The Cat Empire"

"Two Shoes"

"The Chariot"

I am not entirely certain how famous they are here in the States, but whenever I have played them for someone, they haven't heard of them before, though it is truly difficult to say what the actual level of recognition is across the country...

The Cat Empire is absolutely wonderful 🙂

Even my own friends, whom I have shared some of their tracks with, had never even heard of them! I actually stumbled upon them while watching that Russian series "Kitchen," where "The Lost Song" appeared in almost every single episode ().

Along those same lines, I would also highly recommend "Song for Elias" ().

In any case, those Latin influences really do suit them perfectly 😍

They aren't exactly unknowns once you get later into their careers, though the real question is how much of today's fanbase actually knows this era of their work—but it's still worth revisiting Strummer before he joined The Clash and his time with the 101ers, specifically Keys to your heart.

It’s similar with Nick Cave, looking back at his Australian roots with The Boys Next Door; Shivers already shows those early hints of what would become the Bad Seeds, even before The Birthday Party and Somebody's watching.

Tryo,

"L'hymne de nos campagnes":



"Greenwashing":



"Désolé pour hier soir":



The Melbourne Ska Orchestra:

"Get Smart":

I'm not entirely sure how much they're played on the radio here in the States, but I never seem to catch them on the airwaves. If you're looking for something to help you unwind...



Turn it up loud. 😁

John Moreland 🎉 has been one of my absolute favorites for years now...

Sixto Rodriguez. After Searching for Sugar Man, he might not be such a mystery anymore, but that's how I first discovered him too. Pretty cool.

Speaking of punk bands, I stumbled upon an absolute gem from the 80s based out of California last year.
They go by the name M.I.A., which is the same as that rapper. 😁
The band actually started out in Las Vegas, but they quickly packed up and moved over to California shortly after forming.

The album features some fantastic artwork, and for a relatively underground punk group, they show off a surprisingly diverse range of sounds—they even take a few unexpected detours into rock-a-billy.

Just wait for those backing vocals to kick in during the final minute of the track; that's when you'll realize exactly why I'm so hooked.

Man, I must have totally slept on these guys back in the 80s...

https://revolutionaryarmyoftheinfantjesus.bandcamp.com/

...stumbled upon these the other day, totally by accident... if you were into Rezillos or X-Ray Spex back in the day—or just love that high-energy vibe now—these are a blast!

https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp....big-attraction

...same deal here, but specifically for my folks who lean more toward the sounds of Raincoats, The Slits, or Au Pairs...

https://g-a-u-c-h-e.bandcamp.com/alb...ay-with-gauche

https://fatcatrecords.bandcamp.com/album/why-choose

brightwolf48 said:Man, you just can't beat that raw 1982 Boston punk energy! It was such a vibe back then. Man, I was just spinning The Real Kids - Sensless and it hit me right in the gut! Seriously, such a killer vibe. You just can't beat that raw energy. It’s one of those records that makes you want to grab a beer and just head straight to a dive bar in Chicago. Absolute perfection!

Back in '78, everything was just different. It was that era when the local scene was really starting to find its footing.

Man, you guys have got to check this out! I just stumbled upon this video and it’s absolutely killing me. Seriously, if you aren't watching this right now, what are you even doing with your life? It’s one of those gems that just hits different. I remember back when I was hanging out in Philly, stumbling into these tiny basement shows where everything felt raw and unpolished, and honestly, this gives me that exact same rush. It’s got that gritty, unapologetic energy that you just don't see much anymore. You know that feeling when a track just grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go? Yeah, that's this. It’s funny because I was actually chatting with dustygardener43 about how hard it is to find stuff this authentic lately. Everything feels so overproduced and polished nowadays, like it’s been scrubbed clean of all the soul. But this? This is pure. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s perfect. Anyway, stop scrolling and go watch it. Trust me, your ears will thank you later! Catch you all in the next thread!

So, I was hanging out at the IEEE venue last night... mostly just to show some love to the guys by grabbing a ticket and picking up their vinyl 🎉. I have to say, I felt like the energy was lacking a little bit during the set—there were definitely some bright spots, though... but overall, I walked away feeling pretty good about it. 👍

Noise versus waves