Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Criminally commercially unsuccessful bands
- Thread starter Jason42
- Start date
-
- Tags
- record sales success
I'll name three.
1. Pentagram.
70s Doom metal band from my area, Northern Virginia / DC area. Legend goes that singer/BL Bobby Liebling blew the record deal while they were in the studio by being a difficult personality. Bobby made a comeback and reformed Pentagram, but except for him they have been a revolving door of musicians. But they have some killer tunes.
2. Budgie
A 70s rock band from Wales. Apparently they were successful enough outside the US but for some stupid reason they never broke into the huge American market. They are a huge influence on many bands today, Metallica being a notable example. Burke Shelley suffered a medical crisis a few years ago and hasn't recovered well enough to play bass and sing at the same time yet, so the band might be finished.
3. Original Soul Project
I hesitate to include them, because they are really obscure, as obscure as most of our bands. A soul/funk band from State College, Pennsylvania in the late 90s / early 00s. They were big on the local scene there, I saw them many times and they were always killer. Unfortunately in the early 00s the guitarist OD'd and died, breaking up the band. Which is why you've never heard of them. But at least I still have a CD, proving they existed. There is one good video of them on youtube, recorded on a camcorder in Dec 2000.
1. Pentagram.
70s Doom metal band from my area, Northern Virginia / DC area. Legend goes that singer/BL Bobby Liebling blew the record deal while they were in the studio by being a difficult personality. Bobby made a comeback and reformed Pentagram, but except for him they have been a revolving door of musicians. But they have some killer tunes.
2. Budgie
A 70s rock band from Wales. Apparently they were successful enough outside the US but for some stupid reason they never broke into the huge American market. They are a huge influence on many bands today, Metallica being a notable example. Burke Shelley suffered a medical crisis a few years ago and hasn't recovered well enough to play bass and sing at the same time yet, so the band might be finished.
3. Original Soul Project
I hesitate to include them, because they are really obscure, as obscure as most of our bands. A soul/funk band from State College, Pennsylvania in the late 90s / early 00s. They were big on the local scene there, I saw them many times and they were always killer. Unfortunately in the early 00s the guitarist OD'd and died, breaking up the band. Which is why you've never heard of them. But at least I still have a CD, proving they existed. There is one good video of them on youtube, recorded on a camcorder in Dec 2000.
Brother Cane
I wouldn't call them unsuccessful by any means, just never as successful as their family, friends, fans, followers, and the record companies thought they should be.
How does a debut album with several hits, including a #2 hit, only sell a quarter million copies?
"Got No Shame" - reached #2
With special guest Topper Price on harmonica, RIP Topper.
Ironically, it was "Peace Pipe" by Cry of Love, another coulda, woulda, shoulda band, that was #1 and kept this song at #2. Two songs with roots in Southern Rock in '93 that topped the charts when grunge was everywhere.
"Fools Shine On" #1 on Billboard Rock Charts for six weeks
"That Don't Satisfy Me" reached #6
"Hard Act To Follow" reached #12
"Machete" reached #12
"Lie in the Bed I Make" reached #1
3 albums all with Virgin records, then poof, it was over.
They had what it takes to make hits. But the '90s had other ideas. I can remember their "label signing" party and everyone thinking they could be the next Aerosmith or GNR or a 100 other "successful" bands. And they had success, it just never reached the levels that one would expect for a band of this caliber. From opening for Van Halen, Aerosmith, and Robert Plant, to their music being on the soundtrack for Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, to having several Billboard Chart hits including two #1s, they just never blossomed into a mega band. Basically the right band, but the wrong time, the early to mid 90s belonged to grunge, and they just couldn't overcome that.
And sadly enough, the Birmingham music scene suffered because of their lack of success as well. The music scene here was at its height when Chyld (Brother Cane) brought hope of success to local musicians who dreamed of making it big. A lot of dreams were crushed by their short time in the limelight and Birmingham has not recovered from it. All the big music bars, halls, are pretty much gone now. Yeah we got Iron City, Workplay, and the infamous The Nick. But they bring in way more outsiders than they promote locals. The 90s were not kind to the music scene in Birmingham at all.
I wouldn't call them unsuccessful by any means, just never as successful as their family, friends, fans, followers, and the record companies thought they should be.
How does a debut album with several hits, including a #2 hit, only sell a quarter million copies?
"Got No Shame" - reached #2
With special guest Topper Price on harmonica, RIP Topper.
Ironically, it was "Peace Pipe" by Cry of Love, another coulda, woulda, shoulda band, that was #1 and kept this song at #2. Two songs with roots in Southern Rock in '93 that topped the charts when grunge was everywhere.
"Fools Shine On" #1 on Billboard Rock Charts for six weeks
"That Don't Satisfy Me" reached #6
"Hard Act To Follow" reached #12
"Machete" reached #12
"Lie in the Bed I Make" reached #1
3 albums all with Virgin records, then poof, it was over.
They had what it takes to make hits. But the '90s had other ideas. I can remember their "label signing" party and everyone thinking they could be the next Aerosmith or GNR or a 100 other "successful" bands. And they had success, it just never reached the levels that one would expect for a band of this caliber. From opening for Van Halen, Aerosmith, and Robert Plant, to their music being on the soundtrack for Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, to having several Billboard Chart hits including two #1s, they just never blossomed into a mega band. Basically the right band, but the wrong time, the early to mid 90s belonged to grunge, and they just couldn't overcome that.
And sadly enough, the Birmingham music scene suffered because of their lack of success as well. The music scene here was at its height when Chyld (Brother Cane) brought hope of success to local musicians who dreamed of making it big. A lot of dreams were crushed by their short time in the limelight and Birmingham has not recovered from it. All the big music bars, halls, are pretty much gone now. Yeah we got Iron City, Workplay, and the infamous The Nick. But they bring in way more outsiders than they promote locals. The 90s were not kind to the music scene in Birmingham at all.
Last edited:
Grant Lee Buffalo....Seven short years of foregotten greatness.
From a 2011 reunion....
From a 2011 reunion....
Last edited:
One more vote for Fishbone. A MASSIVE INFLUENCE for some of the most mainstream rock/punk/HC/ska/metal acts of the last 3 decades. So unfairly unrecognized.
Just about any Red Dirt/Texas band.
-Randy Rogers
-Cross Canadian Ragweed
-Damn Quails
-Adam Hood
-Cody Jenks
-Aaron Lewis gets very little air play
Then look at who wins the country and/or bluegrass Grammys... Sturgil, Isbel, Devil Makes 3, Wood Brothers all take a back seat to Hick-Hop
I could go on and on
-Randy Rogers
-Cross Canadian Ragweed
-Damn Quails
-Adam Hood
-Cody Jenks
-Aaron Lewis gets very little air play
Then look at who wins the country and/or bluegrass Grammys... Sturgil, Isbel, Devil Makes 3, Wood Brothers all take a back seat to Hick-Hop
I could go on and on
Last edited:
Man. That's Mickey Jones, Deke Leonard and co. I know why they never made it big - too lazy, too hippyish, too fond of their own thing, and an inability to play for less than 20 minutes a song. And, perhaps, the rather non commercial album titles. But they were a wonderful band I remember with love. They're still going, though only the bass player is still alive. Listen to Maximum Darkness, the Welsh connection, Be good to yourself at least once a day, Two ounces of plastic with a hole in the middle and Do you like it here now, are you settling in? And their contribution to the Greasy Truckers Party album.
That dates me!
That dates me!
King's X are always the first band that comes to mind
Eleven, brilliant band. Despite all attempts by QOTSA and Soundgarden to make them bigger, it never happened. Now Natasha has died. Still sad about it.
I came into this thread to mention Kings X, Porcupine tree and Blue Murder. The first 2 were mentioned immediately.
Blue Murder had John Sykes on vox/guitar, Tony Franklin on bass and Carmine Appice on drums.
They were very tight, polished and had some great songs!
Check'em out if you like 80's metal. They weren't image focused like Motley Crue/Ratt/Poison and they weren't as Heavy as Metallica. Just really great playing and very underrated singing by Sykes.
Blue Murder had John Sykes on vox/guitar, Tony Franklin on bass and Carmine Appice on drums.
They were very tight, polished and had some great songs!
Check'em out if you like 80's metal. They weren't image focused like Motley Crue/Ratt/Poison and they weren't as Heavy as Metallica. Just really great playing and very underrated singing by Sykes.
two fingers... how right you are! Every time I listen to them I shake my head at how tight a unit they were. The bass player (no idea what his name is) was fundamentally strong and had great creativity. Audley Freed was an incredible guitar player also. I guess I kinda like that they were a cult favorite. The majority of there “fans” were most likely musicians.
Robert Kearns. He has stayed busy touring with Nashville artists. Last I heard he and Audley were both on the Sheryl Crow tour.
Bloodrock: a very influential band.
Les Dudek: a decidedly underrated guitarist.
Pat Travers Band as well, now that I think about it. Aldridge ended up with Ozzie, and Mars Cowling, who just passed on recently, absolutely slayed!
Les Dudek: a decidedly underrated guitarist.
Pat Travers Band as well, now that I think about it. Aldridge ended up with Ozzie, and Mars Cowling, who just passed on recently, absolutely slayed!
Last edited:
Oh yeah. Used to see Les around the Central FL hangouts back in the day.
Ray Schulman was one of the best bassists of that era.
