Musical acts you love that you figure hardly anyone knows about

I mentioned this band earlier, and this album is fucking fantastic. I bet either or both Machine Head and Micro have heard of these guys. I only know them because an older brother turned me on to them. Again, fantastic.

 

Interviewed Mojo Nixon during the "Elvis is Everywhere" time, greatest interview I have ever done. So fucking funny.

 

A friend who worked on one of his videos in Memphis had the same experience with him.

Speaking of Memphis, this is one of my favorite songs about that city by a guy who found peace teaching high school.

 

Speaking of Ry Cooder songs ..

 

In the singer-songwriter genre, two of my favorites grew up together in Maine, had a garage band called the Magic Rats (a Springsteen reference), still write together, but wound up going in different directions. Slaid Cleaves went to Austin while Rod Picott found his way to Nashville.

Slaid:

Rod:

Rod Picott - Broke Down (2013)

 

The best band out of Philly that too few have heard of ... Marah

 

Then there's country-punk greats the Waco Brothers (whose cover of Big River was called "Cash meets Clash" by one critic)

 

Other bands I like a lot that I thought should have been bigger than they were:

Dead Meadow

Little Joy

The Silver Jews (featuring Stephen Malkmus from Pavement)

Film School

 

Here's a fun one from back in the early days of MTV, when they still played music videos. Vid quality on this is for crap, but the sound is great and that's the main thing

Jason and the Scorchers (originally Jason and the Nashville Scorchers), who pretty much invented cowpunk, covering Dylan's Absolutely Sweet Marie.

 

I am a hardcore music snob, and I have to say boys and girls, there is a ton of shit here I didn't know. I'm impressed.

My contribution: an old punk band called The Vindictives with one of my favorite songs of all time, "Left for Dead."

Actually, one more. Many of you will know The National but might not know Perfume Genius. The National covered a great Perfume Genius song called "Learning" that I've been listening to on repeat for the last 24 hours.

Here's a live version of the original:

 

OK, folks my age will remember the name but probably don't know he's still recording. Michael Johnson had hits in the late 70s with the songs Bluer Than Blue, Almost Like Being in Love and This Night Won't Last Forever.

He's still writing and recording, and he put out an album four years ago that I just love. Very mellow, great classical guitar and he's still a great lyricist.

Also has a pretty cool turn on the old standard "You Make Me Feel So Young" which he's changed to "So-so," and changed many of the words to reflect the new title line.

 

One of the all-time great Dylan covers.....