Best band, IYO, that made it, but should have been ginormous

[Eddie Famine]

But the point of this thread was, I thought, Bands that Made It, but were not well recieved, never Made It Big. The Velvets made records, but sold very few while they were active, Warhol or not. As I think Brian Eno said, VU might have sold only 1000 albums, but everyone who bought one started a band.
Same with the Ramones. they made it, but the band fought and fell apart because they weren't making any money. they weren't selling. Influential, yes, ginormous, no.

[nguideau]

Initial reception wasn't great (still cracked the 200), but their materials have stood the test of time, and "... & Nico" in particular, continually receives critical acclaim and is considered one of the best, most important, and most influential albums of all time, by pretty much any publication or any "authority" of your choosing (see lists by Spin, Time, Rolling Stone).

Sure, it was seriously delayed, but I don't think there's any doubt they received their due.

My whole point about their association with Warhol was that if they couldn't break through the mainstream in '67 WITH Warhol's larger-then-life personality aiding them, then what could've allowed them to break through? My argument is that nothing could've -- they were ahead of their time -- 1967 wasn't ready for their music.

Once bands like MC5 and the Stooges, with similar subject matter to VU, but a more roots rock/blues musical background style broke through and spawned the punk movement, I think that allowed the listening audience to finally be ready to accept songs like "Heroin."

[Eddie Famine]

Do you think the public is ready for "Sister Ray" yet?

[Tibor]

omg i forgot "the Greatful Dead" and "Quick Silver Messenger Service" and "Brain Police" - my favourite band from ICELAND...

[Le Chat Noir]

Wow - a lot of very famous, internationally acclaimed bands being mentioned on here - I was expecting a few more curveballs...

First name that comes to mind for me is Ben Folds. Big in indie circles of course, particularly in the States I'd imagine, but not a household name for most casual music fans around the world - whereas surely everyone has heard of Zappa, Pixies, Roxy Music etc, and they were/are very successful during their careers? I bet a lot of mainstream pop lovers would totally dig him and have never heard of him. Rockin' The Suburbs is such a fantastically crafted pop record, awesome production, he lost the occasionally too-smart collegiate wise-assery of Ben Folds five and delivered a truly beautiful, heartfelt pop record - could've been a massive, popular album. There are loads of bands I love that aren't well-known and I think should be huge, but he's one who might actually have the crossover appeal to be big, as opposed to just making very good alternative music that I know most people don't 'get'.

Another artist who I'm surprised isn't really famous is Tom McRae - his first couple of albums are stunning, considering some of the mediocre crap that is out there someone with his vocal ability and strong songwriting gift should be huge. He's quite dark but his songs are very catchy, with strong melodies and memorable lyrics.

Finally, if we're going for artists who were never famous in their lifetime but have subsequently been recognised as great - Nick Drake is the epitome of that!

[indianDYsummer]

Initial reception wasn't great (still cracked the 200), but their materials have stood the test of time, and "... & Nico" in particular, continually receives critical acclaim and is considered one of the best, most important, and most influential albums of all time, by pretty much any publication or any "authority" of your choosing (see lists by Spin, Time, Rolling Stone).

Sure, it was seriously delayed, but I don't think there's any doubt they received their due.

My whole point about their association with Warhol was that if they couldn't break through the mainstream in '67 WITH Warhol's larger-then-life personality aiding them, then what could've allowed them to break through? My argument is that nothing could've -- they were ahead of their time -- 1967 wasn't ready for their music.

Once bands like MC5 and the Stooges, with similar subject matter to VU, but a more roots rock/blues musical background style broke through and spawned the punk movement, I think that allowed the listening audience to finally be ready to accept songs like "Heroin."

Right, so what you're saying is that VU made it, but even though they should have been ginormous (because they were so influential/revolutionary), the mainstream wasn't ready for them?

Not really understanding why you disagree ..?

They made it, and should have been ginormous, but because they were so far ahead of their time, were not. Perfect band for this thread? Probably.

[Eddie Famine]

I think we just define "Big" and "Making It" and "ginormous" differently.

[Le Chat Noir]

The more I look at it, the more wrong the word 'ginormous' seems to my eyes

[Eddie Famine]

So maybe the Velvets were "ginormous" after all!

[Mety]

I'd like to agree whole-heartedly with slate - The Wildhearts should have been absolutely massive!

Also, those of us in the UK who are a certain age may remember a Liverpool based band called Nutz.
They supported all the top touring rock bands at the time, but never seemed to quite make the breakthrough.

A d*mn shame.

They were great players with great songs and the guitarist Mick Devonport was easily as good as any guitarist of his time.
He was the first guitarist I saw to use tapping (I think).

I still listen to the album "Hard Nutz" today, love the slide playing on "I Know The Feeling".
In fact the whole album is well worth checking out - if you can find it...

They later changed their name to Rage.

Check out their Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/nutzrage" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PS I didn't/don't know them and I'm not connected to them in any way.
I'm just a fan, that's all.

[dave5150]

The idea for this topic struck me as I finished watching the Extreme concert on HDNet this morning. These guys are absolutely ridiculous musicians AND song writers. And I feel bad for them that people will always remember them for Hole Hearted and More than Words. These guys are one of the best hard rock/funk bands I've ever seen. No exaggeration.

And don't even get me started on Nuno - I'm afraid I'd be accused of blatant Hero worship (and you would be correct - and I would be totally and 100% justified! ) This guy can play anything. When I watched him play the flight of the Bumblee live (and it dispelled for me the urban legends that the original recording was done at half speed and then sped up - it clearly was NOT), I was just completely blown away. Not that he could play it - but at how effortless it was for him. This guy can truly play anything he wants on the guitar. Anything. And FWIW, all of their albums are excellent. UNfortunately, the first two suffer from the production of their time. Just turn up the bass and scoop the mids on those two - a lot - and they sound just fine. Just bloody amazing! And Cherone can still really really sing.

Damn.

SO, who do you think is awesome who should have been bigger, and why?

I completely agree, although, I'm a huge Nuno fan as well so I am biassed as well...

I also put Mr. Big in the same boat.
As a band, musically, they were/are probably even more talented than Extreme and yet are remembered for To Be With You and not for Paul and Billy (or Richie and Billy later on) trading amazing licks.

[Alan]

Thinking back to the era that re-introduced guitars to the upper echelons of the UK charts - it's The Longpigs for me. Lost Myself still holds a special place in my heart, even if I've long since grown out of it.

[blackcloud45]

Kamchatka
Cactus
Le Chat Noir
Luther Allison
Stereophonics

I wish Trapeze would have made more than just one good album...

I also felt like Jethro Tull (a personal fave) did make it pretty big?

[misterMagoo]

I'm also pretty sure that The Grateful Dead is pretty effing Ginormous.

[Stainboy]

Jellyfish. Killer songs, stunning vocals and they could lay it down live too.