Flash had Tony Kaye and Peter Banks from Yes, right? I remember their song "Small Beginnings".
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Flash had Tony Kaye and Peter Banks from Yes, right? I remember their song "Small Beginnings".
okcrum
in your chest
Euclid.
They got a hard time in Albany opening for the Dead, so you know just how overrated they were.
They got a hard time in Albany opening for the Dead, so you know just how overrated they were.
'The Good Rats!'
C'mon, they were 'hiding in a coffin, biting on a kids face.' Lol.
C'mon, they were 'hiding in a coffin, biting on a kids face.' Lol.
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Human Sexual Response was the unfortunately selected opening act for Jimmy Cliff in Boston, 79.
Some rock jazz and jazzy blues by Blodwyn Pig (late 60's thought)
Some prog rock by Gentle Giant
And from one of the best (and rarely discussed) rock jazz albums of the 70's Billy Cobham's Magic (with a young American Idol's Randy Jackson on bass)... Wait for Pete Maunu's killer outro guitar solo.
Some prog rock by Gentle Giant
And from one of the best (and rarely discussed) rock jazz albums of the 70's Billy Cobham's Magic (with a young American Idol's Randy Jackson on bass)... Wait for Pete Maunu's killer outro guitar solo.
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Obscure? Really? Canned Heat had quite a run, a few top 40 hits(no mean feat for a hippie blues band), major appearances at Monterey and Woodstock, and bassist Larry Taylor went on to play with a very hip list of people, John Mayall and Tom Waits in particular(as did guitarist Harvey Mandel). Hawkwind has been a strong cult band for decades, regardless of the line-up. Lemmy, anyone?
Seatrain evolved from the remnants of the Blues Project, Al Kooper's first notable band, and had an underground radio hit with "Thirteen Questions". Fiddler Richard Greene went on to the new age ensemble, Turtle Island String Quartet.
Here's a few of my nominations...
Great Jones were an early 70's rootsy bluesy trio from NYC(!)that I don't know too much about, but they had one album that featured a Dr. John penned tune played on underground radio, "United State Of Mind"...
I saw these guys open for Roxy Music in 1979, power pop typical of the period, this was their attempt at a hit but they faded away soon after...
Speaking of power pop, these guys moved from Tulsa to LA, had something of a cult hit with this song, but unfortunately got caught up in the anti-Knack backlash...
Another 'only big in LA' band with one quasi-hit that would fit in with early Tom Petty, Blasters, and Dwight Twilley....
These guys had a strong cult following in the UK, but totally unknown in the US; I was a fan of frontman Deke Leonard's solo albums. John Cippolina of Quicksilver Messenger Service was briefly a member(now, I know in this clip the drummer is Terry Williams, who went on to Dave Edmunds and Rockpile, but this band had a lot of personnel changes, and c'mon, it's just the drummer...)
Another great lost band from the skinny tie era, this is their album from 1979(I think), they fit in with all the XTC and early Simple Minds I was listening to at the time...
There's plenty more...
I wish I could hit "like" more than once. I totally forgot about this song. Epic!
Obscure...at least for me was the Band Bloodrock. Most of the musicians in my Circle have never heard of them.... although I liked their music
okcrum
in your chest
No mention in 7 pages, I guess they're obscure enough- anyone else familiar with Sumner? I think that was also the frontman's first name. IIRC they're from the Pasadena area (SoCal). I used to see them around 1974/75 at the Raven and the Rose in Sierra Madre, a very cool little place where I also remember seeing Huey Lewis. They got signed, but got screwed on both production and promotion- as I heard the story. Anyway, here's a taste-
I can certify that the album did not do their sound any justice.
I can certify that the album did not do their sound any justice.
That's interesting because I turned a guitarist, who was a legend in my neighborhood in the 70's for his musicianship and encyclopedic knowledge of rock music, on to this band only this past year.
okcrum
in your chest
Were you in the northeast US? Definitely all three were in night time commercial and college rock rotation during that time. It might have been a regional phenomenon, but Gentle Giant and BC especially were big.
Our garage band used to play Starz material. Have seen them live many times. They are still playing to this day. Love those guys.
My entry for obscure 70's band, "Pavlov's Dog". First album was killer, IMHO. And yes, I tend to gravitate to bands with singers in the higher registers (Rush, Triumph, Yes, etc.)
I like your choices. Reminds me of the old days at Foufounes Electrique (Montreal).
my point is "obscure" for some will not be for others.
Harmonium is largely unknown in Brasil for instance, as Novos Baianos will be in Canadá.
Here'a obscure for you.
Back in the early 70's I found an album in the reject bin by a band named Taurus. They played what they called "Riff Rock" and it had to be played "LOUD"
In the mid 70's while in Germany, I picked up Stolen From Time by Popol Ace, a band out of Oslo. IIRC it wasn't too bad.
Back in the early 70's I found an album in the reject bin by a band named Taurus. They played what they called "Riff Rock" and it had to be played "LOUD"
In the mid 70's while in Germany, I picked up Stolen From Time by Popol Ace, a band out of Oslo. IIRC it wasn't too bad.
