unlike the previous lists (sort of...), these bands probably should have BEEN on one of the previous lists. but i had to bring up the monkees & abba (& new kids on the block... just to see if you're paying attention). so i'll have a go at presenting them as if i'd never heard of them before.

understand, however... that more devoted fans of these bands might quibble about the particulars.

1: camper van beethoven.
formed, 1983 in santa cruz, california
frontman: dave lowery
self-described: surrealist absurdist folk
best known song: take the skinheads bowling
my fave album: our beloved revolutionary sweetheart
indie debut: 1985 on irs
labelmate: rem
major label debut: virgin, 1988
# of major label releases: 2.
lowery finally struck gold with his follow-up band cracker's 2nd record, kerosene hat.

2: the fugs
formed, 1964 in greenwich village, new york city
frontmen: beat poets ed sanders & tuli kupferberg
self-described: porno rock
their sessions were pushed onto fantasy records by harry smith (an unsung founder of punk in america), who described their music to studio execs as "jug music". & then they recorded a song called "boobs a lot"!
major label debut: reprise, 1967
labelmate: the label was OWNED by frank sinatra...
# of major label releases: 4.
my fave album: golden filth, recorded live at the fillmore east 1965-66, when the band was a 10-piece orchestra of perversion
my all-music guide to rock contends that the fugs were the first "underground" rock band ever. & i gotta admit... at a time when the beatles were turning rock music into cuddly teddy bear fluff... all the early 'punk' bands weren't playing yet... the fugs were the band that inspired andy warhol to put the velvet underground together AND may have helped shape the young malcom mclaren's musical career... only spike jones & his city slickers can be said to have had a bigger impact on the development of "alternative" music over the last 60 years.

3: the replacements
formed, 1979 in minneapolis.
frontman: paul westerberg
self-described: drunk (or so i've heard...)
indie debut: 1981 on twin-tone
labelmates: ween
major label debut: 1985 on sire
best known song: i'll be you
# of records on major label: 5... well, 1...
bob stinson was kicked out of the band for substance addiction after their major label debut came out. after that, it was a solo project under another name. eventually, it was just a solo project.
my fave album: let it be

4: the swans
formed, 1982 in new york city
frontman: michael gira
self-described: miserable
indie debut: 1982
major label debut: 1987 on mca
labelmates: sonic youth
best known song: love will tear us apart (a COVER!!)
# of records on major label: 3?
chyck singer jarboe joined the group in 1986, setting the scene for enya... & that gawdawful band that won't go away... evanescence.

5: a tribe called quest
formed, 1988 in queens, new york city
frontman: q-tip
self-desribed: alternative rap
debut: 1991 on jive
labelmates: a flock of seagulls (it's true...)
my fave album: the low end theory.
best known song: jazz (we've got)

there some of you go. next week... another batch. including several that probably should have got their write-up THIS week... except that then i'd have had to hear all about... well, you get the idea.