A favorite artist of yours that almost nobody else on this forum seems to care about

I often search for artists I like on this forum and discover that they haven't been posted about in many years, if at all. What artists do you wish more people liked so you could discuss them beyond maybe only two or three other people? I run into this with most instrumental surf bands, both vintage and modern. Another would be James Griffin of Bread.

 

Jeff Kelly and Green Pajamas

 

Bridget St. John.

 

Western Civilization Band.....look 'em up!
Lawrence
Oliver Forest Band
many more

 

Nori Bucci
The Surfrajettrs

 

Contrary to my username, my favourite artist of all time is Charlie Feathers. Pretty much unknown except to rockabilly nuts.

Which 60's surf groups would you recommend checking out? I only have a handful of surf rock comps in my collection.

 

The Enid

There's a handful of people on here that like them, or know of them, but I hold them in rather high regard. Basically all the material featuring Robert John Godfrey and Stephen Stewart at least is essential for me. Also have listened to RJG's 1974 solo album "Fall of Hyperion" more times than I think most people that know of it have, and my introduction to Barclay James Harvest was purely due to his early involvement of their orchestrations.

His and Stewart's stamp (and many other members to a lesser extent) just does it for me, but they also happen to be a relative obscurity, even within prog rock nerds.

 

There are a few CURVE fans on here, not many of us though.

 

Chris Rainbow.

Such a underrated solo artist and producer who also worked with the Alan Parsons Project and Camel.

 

MC5....Sonics Rendezvous Band......Fleetwood Mac when Greeny was The Green God......serious guitar music!!!!!!

 

Lots of people here care about and love MC5.
SRVB is a bit more cult ish i would say , love them

 

When Rivers Meet. Husband/wife duo from Essex, UK, sometimes a duo, sometimes a quartet with bass & drums. Blues with rock, rock with blues. She has a phenomenal voice and he has great blues feel. Independent and self-managed, yet got their last (third) studio album Aces Are High to no 9 in the UK. Won numerous blues awards, currently touring their last album. Genuinely nice couple who look after their supporters. If you like blues-rock check them out.

 

Of the originals, there are so many. The Bel-Airs, Challengers, The Belairs, Richie Allen (Richard Podolor), The Atlantics, Dick Dale's Capitol albums (half forgettable vocals, the other half vintage DD instrumentals), Lively Ones, Jim Messina and the Jesters (one album, and it's superb), the "Rare Surf" series, the "Lost Legends of Surf" series, Eddie and the Showmen, Thom Starr and the Galaxies, some great stuff on the Trashmen box-set "Bird Call," and many more.

There are also some surf bands from the 1980s up until recent times who are every bit as good, playing traditional surf music, and sometimes adding a modern touch that in no way makes it somehow inferior to the original stuff. Plus, the recording quality is usually superb. Some are hard to find at cheap prices, but you can get lucky at DISCOGS and eBay. My favorite more-modern surf bands: The Fathoms, Daikaiju (heavy metal/thrash surf guitar, and I'm not a thrash guitar fun, but this stuff is superb), The Eliminators (not the sixties group), The Halibuts, Jon and the Nightriders, Longboard Ranch, Mel-Tones, Slacktone (this trio needs to be heard to be believed), Surf Raiders, Torquays (!!), The Vara-Tones. Some of the above should help get you started!

 

Yeah, I'm a big Chris Rainbow fan. I wrote to him a few times. Sadly passed away too young.

 

I should have mentioned John Carter! Amazing songwriter, producer, singer...

Amazon.com

 

Loved that Charlie Feathers record! Thanks for posting.

 

Green on Red: I haven't heard much about them on these forums. Their albums are a bit hit and miss, their best songs thrill my soul.

The Blake Babies: They've been mentioned here, but seldom. Their excellent Earwig LP is finally getting a vinyl reissue coming out soon!

And I could name at least a few jazz people who rarely get mentioned starting with Marion Brown.

 

LOVE the Surfrajettes!

 

Phil Mogg and UFO in general getting very attention on this forum.
Also rock musicians from continental Europe ( especially from Germany- Peter Panka, Frank Bornemann, Wolfgang Niedecken ,Eroc -to name the few) have very few followers here.

 

brazilian music: caetano veloso, gilberto gil

 

Virtual bird is quite cool.

 

The Gaslamp Killer
The La's though many of you have probably heard There She Goes
One Speed Bike
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Trees
JC Satan
Diamanté Galas

 

I love James Griffin ! So much so that, knowing his importance to the band, his was the first bio I tackled when writing Bread’s full biography. Gates wasn’t introduced until Chapter 3.
And my own choice of overlooked favourites ? The New Seekers, German prog-poppers Lake and Gary Usher’s many surf and hot-roddin’ bands from the early 60s…

 

Really enjoyed your book! I recommend it to all Bread fans! I'm with you on The New Seekers. Gary Usher is another fascinating person. There's a great pdf book written by Stephen McParland. If you don't have it, I highly recommend it.

THE CALIFORNIA SOUND -

 

Let's Eat Grandma.

My favourite band over the last five or so years. I regularly promote their music on these pages and they do get an occasional 'like' but that's probably more out of sympathy than anything else. I'm on stronger ground with my Macca/Wings/Beatles related posts for some reason.