Really pleased UFO have been included Andy. I must have seen them at least 10 times in the time period you discussed. Great band and even greater live.
Free were the sound track to my youth, I loved Zeppelin, Sabbath etc but Free were the ones that moved my soul, Kossoff was and still is the guitarist who moves me with his playing.
I just bought a box set of the first five albums by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. They blew away so many of us at the time. Great musicianship with an amazingly charismatic frontman. I always preferred them to Queen...... Time to reasses the mighty SAAB......
@@PhilBaird1 Lol what a bunch of elitist twats. What has Queen got to do with thinking Alex Harvey is underrated?. You're putting up this silly faux haughty disdain for this........"other band".....that you cannot bring yourself to mention to show everyone on the internet how cool you are.
That's what I like about this channel - discovering new music. I am a lifelong Hawkwind fan and Henge sound right up my street. I can't believe I haven't heard of them. Thanks Andy
It's always been said about The Kinks that they are too British, and that doesn't translate well here in America. I cherish the the hell out of them, Ray's gift for keen detail and speaking for the common man in his lyrics are a thing of true genius! A shit ton of top shelf songs, spanning decades, The Kinks are about as good as it gets! Waterloo Sunset is commonly rated as the most beautiful song ever created - hard to argue!
@@John-k6f9k Yeah, Ray's voice is an acquired taste, no doubt. Once you overcome that, the incredible lyrics and song craft more than make up for it! Dave's a tasty guitarist, the man invented heavy metal with distorted riff on You Really Got Me! The Kinks should constantly be in the discussion of all time greatest bands.
What a band Free were! Andy Fraser might be one of the best, and definitely most underrated, songwriters ever. All Right Now is probably one of the best known rock songs, and Free should be one of the best known bands - but sadly, they’re not.
I became a fan of John Mayall and the (many) Bluesbreakers. The revolving door of musicians included a brief stint from Andy Fraser who left to start his own band -- Free. All this talk of Free has me kicking myself for being aware of Free but not taking the time to really listen. I have been reminded of Colloseum another band I have not listened to. Jon Hiseman and Dick Heckstall-Smith started Colloseum after leaving Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Dick Heckstall-Smith also played sax for the underrated Graham Bond Organisation (with pre Cream Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce) before Colloseum and The Bluesbreakers. Point? I'm having fun (re)discovering bands. I sometimes like to try and return the unsuspected favor 👍
@@BruceWalther-s2l I like to discover bands from the past. I watched an interesting documentary about The Yardbirds. Sometimes I feel the fixation with The Beatles overshadowed a lot of great music.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers should be on this list, if only for the alumni. The number of great musicians that came out of John's band is almost unbelievable!
Hear hear, although they still have a devoted following they're not mentioned much anymore. Didn't they manage a couple of big radio hits back in the day though?
Personally, I think Uriah Heep, Sweet, Rainbow, Dio, Nazareth, Blue Öyster Cult & UFO are definitely underrated. I wasn’t around when these bands were active. In my teens in the ‘90s I discovered the classic bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, etc. because their music is everywhere. The bands I listed as underrated I discovered as I entered my 40s. During the pandemic I started to look for “new” classic rock acts I never heard and these were the gems I found. They were hardly ever mentioned or heard in any media with the exception of one song of Sweet, Dio, Nazareth & BÖC each. It was through RUclips & Spotify that I discovered these bands. I even discovered other even more obscure bands such as Gift, Lucifer’s Friend, Starcastle, The Chocolate Watchband and others. There are even underrated periods of great bands such as ‘70s era Scorpions & ‘80s era Black Sabbath post Dio. It just sucks that so much good music has been forgotten.
Cool! another Blue Oyster Cult discovery (the only band I have listened to since I was 10 yrs old is BOC) Another UFO fan. hmm. I haven't heard UFO hardly at all, so, I'm gonna have to take a listen. 😎🤘 Oh! I didn't see Deep Purple on your solid discovery and classic rock-metal list. If you haven't you must checkout Deep Purple. I just remembered an early glam-hard rock band called Slade. They were/are from England (figures) and had three #1 hits in the early 70's in the UK (wikipedia). I remember 2 songs from MTV in the 80's Run Runaway; and My Oh My; and then hearing they wrote/performed the song Cum on Feel the Noize which became a hit for Quiet Riot. Anyways, I just talked myself into listening to more Slade who have not played to these ears since the late 80's.
BOC for sure. I was just thinking through the lyrics of Baby Ice Dog and Wings Wetted Down the other day. Those early albums had a progressive rock feel to them, intricate yet rocked hard so you did not get too "Close To The Topographic" if you get what I mean. I am a huge Yes fan. BOC were so unique and still are. I met them as a kid and they were very nice guys. Being a drummer I asked Alan to sign my album and "write something about drums!" So he thought for a second and then wrote "Drums are the foundation of music" and then a nice big autograph on my Cultasaurus Erectus album. Great guys from Long Island. "Lonk Island" ha ha. Cheers.
Dear Andy, a million thanks for turning me on to Cariacs. They are now my "new" favourite band. Thier music ticks all my boxes and also the boxes i didn't know i had. I've even started to transcribe and play some of thier songs (a mammoth undertaking). Greetings from Frankfurt Germany. 😀 🎸🎵
I like ISB very much...except for Robin Williamson's singing voice. Same deal with the Pentangle. Great songs and musicianship...but keep John Renbourne away from the microphone.
@@johnwilliamson3981 Yes, I understand what you're saying. His voice is very mannered and eccentric, very much an acquired taste, it took me a good few listens to get accustomed to it. I was the same with Geddy Lee from Rush.
@@zsatsfm Sorry...very much an unacquired taste in my case! I mentioned the Pentangle's John Renbourne. Dave Cousins of the Strawbs, another outstanding musician, also had a somewhat objectionable voice, And Dylan...uggghhh! Male voices I liked include Greg Lake, Bryan Ferry, and Gentle Giant's Derek Shulman.
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends is the most underrated band in rock history. Nobody else comes close. People have no idea how good they were or how influential. Leon Russell and Bobby Whitlock on keys, Bobby Keys and Jim Price on horns, Rita Coolidge on backup vocals. first Jim Keltner and then Jim Gordon on drums. Carl Radle on bass. The tightest American band of the late 60's/early 70's. Rhythm and blues to heaven.
Got my attention on Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge on backup (really?!), a horn section and especially (to me) Jim Keltner who played with Traveling Wilburys as well as with Little Village (Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, John Hiatt) who were a 'supergroup' inspired by The Traveling Wilburys success. Probably a shame Little Village did not sell and they only made one album
Amen, brother ! I love Andy’s content, but he’s missed the whole American country/Southern/rootsy side of rock, which has no origin in the UK, and bands like the Bramletts’, whose influence on subsequent US rock is as great as the whole British Invasion put together.
@@BruceWalther-s2l The Little Village album was weak, and the show I saw was dire. The album, front to back, and that's it. what a waste of that line up.
Hawkwind. In the UK, I don't know -- maybe they're not underrated there, but here in Canada they're really obscure. Still, one of their songs got mentioned (Motorhead, which was a Hawkwind song before the band Motorhead existed). Hawkwind are a bit like Kraftwerk in a way (not musically!), in that their influence exceeds their own fame. “Punk rock started because in every small town [in England] there was somebody who liked Hawkwind.” [Stephen Morris of Joy Division and New Order]
Magazine are another underrated band. John McGeoch on guitar, Barry Adamson's bass, Howard Devoto's lyrics and vocal style influenced many bands. Brilliant band!
Saw Cardiacs a few times, after being introduced to them by a friend (who later did some bass playing for them). They were amazing live! RIP Tim😢 A genius songwriter.
@Phlakaton88 hi. My friend is Sharon Saddington (now Fortnam). She was in The Shrubbies and is now in NSRO. They perform original compositions, but also pieces written by William H Drake (who was also in The Cardiacs). I don't THINK that she recorded anything with The Cardiacs, (don't quote me on that) but I am certain that she got to do a bit of bass playing at some point.
Agree. I'm not a fan of the band per se since I don't really care about their other albums ( despite some good tracks ) but 12 dreams is indeed very good.
Can are a massively underrated group in my opinion. Often praised as influences by bands, but most people have never heard any of their incredible music. Their first 5 albums are all classics to me.
As an actual band, you are probably right. They seem to be overrated by people claiming to be influenced by them, but I never hear Can in any of these bands. Overrated and underrated at the same time?
I love their album Tago Mago. At one point I listened to that album every day for a year. And, amazingly, I can still listen to it and love it. In my opinion, Damo Suzuki was their best singer, and this was their best album, but obviously all their albums are very good.
@@jeffreybarton1297 Damo was a great singer, but Malcolm Mooney was no slouch either. Love his singing on Soul Desert, Yoo Doo Right, She Brings The Rain... Love the Ege Bamyasi album, Soundtracks, Future Days... Such an inspired, unique, scary, soulful and funky band. The best ever, in my opinion.
@@BBloogerThanks BBlooger, you've inspired me to relisten to the other albums! Can are amazing. I find it difficult to pick a favourite aspect....Maybe it's the drumming for me..... But they're all amazing together.
100% agree with everything you said about UFO! Phenomenon is a killer record...they were heavy and melodic and could nail a solid shuffle groove/gallop...crazy more folks don't know much about them
Some of my favorite underrated bands: Ultravox (especially the John Foxx years), Let's Active, Love and Rockets, The Boomtown Rats, James (big in the UK, but not as well known in the US), King's X, Imperial Teen (the keyboardist (Roddy Bottum) from Faith No More's side-band), The Dandy Warhols, Spacehog, Placebo, and Chainsaw Kittens (it's criminal that they never made it big).
The Groundhogs have got to be underrated too. Think of all those great albums, filled with amazing songs nobody knows about. Tony McPhee, definitely underrated guitarist.
I was secretly hoping you were going to have Cardiacs on this list! I downloaded three of their albums yesterday, after realizing I missed them (used to have them on vinyl, till I gave all my vinyl away in a fit of madness). I was listening to Cardiacs at work today, and it transformed my dull work into a joyously insane process, with intermittent moments of beauty. Guaranteed to put a smile on my face.
Infectious Grooves was the Suicidal Tendencies side project with the drummer from Jane’s Addiction. You are spot on about UFO and Fishbone. The live version of Lights Out on Strangers in the Night is one of the most intense and epic rock tracks of all time. Fishbone’s Truth and Soul and The Reality of My Surroundings are incredible albums. The alternative metal scene from 1988-1991 was incredible. I gotta check out more Cardiacs.
Ween is criminally underrated. As a live band they are amazing, and a very different band from as a studio band (albums which range from alienatingly weird low-fi to pristine studio masterpieces) Often thought of as a “joke” band, they are NO JOKE Amazing drummer, incredibly eclectic, some very excellent songwriting along with bizarre absurdism and psychelia, genre chameleons … Go see them live if you can. 3 hours straight, no opening band, no break, no song repeats over three consecutive nights (35 songs a night)
@@colinburroughs9871 you mean mushrooms and Scotchguard ;) They also probably could have been huge if they chose to rein in their give zero fucks attitude
My friend Paul Putner is a fan of The Cardiacs, after his recommendation I checked them out and it blew my mind. Just to rat on Paul, he was one of the crowd who took the piss out of me for liking prog but his two favourite bands were The Cardiacs and XTC!
@@paulhwilliams Are you sure about that ? He wrote some great material with Paul Rodgers in Free before he was even out of his teens. A very talented guy and a lovely bass player who was key to Free's sound, timing and feel.
U⚡️F⚡️0⚡️well known in 1970’s and early 80’s but definitely underrated especially the Tonka Chapman years The Wild The Willing and the innocent was criminally underated
I ran off to listen to Sing to God by Cardiacs. I was into Blur, Supergrass, Boo Radleys etc. back in the mid-'90s. Happy to report Cardiacs definitely not too hard to handle. Thanks for their championing.
Fun video😀 My personal most-underrated-band would be Stranglers-especially in the US. They drew from pub rock-punk-prog but had a unique sound led by JJ Burnells bass.
Stranglers fan here. I would never say their sound was based on Burnel's bass. I believe they were kind of like Queen... Queen ? WTF ? Let me explain ! The sum of them was much greater than each one of them individually : good drummer ( Jet Black, not a virtuoso by any strech, but perfect for what they did + a definitely great add to the image of the band ), good guitar player ( Hugh Cornwell, like Brian May, knew how and when his playing was needed both rythmically and musically : each and every solo of his is what the song needed, not showing off any kind of virtuosity ), good bass player obviously. But for me the virtuoso was no doubt Greenfield. He was the one who lifted the whole sound of a very good and very competent weird pop band to that of a great band. Great competency for what they did + Great chemistry + Greenfield's genius = the Sranglers. Great band ! Underrated in the US, as you say.
@@h.m.7218 A fan here too, and I agree with all you say but at the time having a bass so up front in the mix and being quite complex was different and influential. Seeing them soon, although not really the Stranglers anymore
@@justlookingaround9834 I'm a big admirer of The Stranglers but not of Burnel's default "bass" sound, which I find too trebly and upfront. Not really any surprise that his first instrument was/is guitar. Classically trained, apparently. Obviously not satisfied with merely being felt, Burnel's ego demanded that he be very much heard as well; more than anyone else in fact!
@@MisAnnThorpe I’m not sure the bass should be just felt? Paul Mc would be the first to want his bass heard. Agreed he probably has an ego, most musicians do, how much they show it differs. The stranglers have a sound, they also have experimented beyond that on many albums, ironically JJB has written tracks where the bass takes a back seat.
Well, I agree that all the players in the Stranglers brought essential parts to the greater whole. I just feel the bass is the driving force, not more important. JJ Burnel plays a Fender Precision with a pick, and creates a very tough sound. I saw them around 1981 in a tiny club and it was the most powerful show I ever saw. Made a huge impression on my young mind😀
Soft Cell, The Spin Doctors, Television, Catherine Wheel.... are a few I think are under appreciated. Theres so many great bands that have faded into the past
Definitely Soft Cell - Memorabilia is proto-house and the way they combine that sound on other songs with very English lyrics dealing with mundanity but also seediness!
@@DarkSideOfTheMoule yes i love how seedy the first album was and how that out of tune clarinet was all over it. Even the vocals were out of tune but it all had a unique vibe. Nothing sums up seedy soho like that record. People think they were tainted love and a few hits but they were much cooler than that
Pere Ubu? Nice! Are you from NE Ohio? Have you heard of The Numbers Band? So unheard-underrated they have never signed with a major label. Basically only play in Ohio. still playing. Led by the 2 Kidney brothers and brass player Terry Hynde (Chrissy's older brother).
Built to Spill. Don’t know how many bands I’ve heard over the years where, when I first heard them, I thought, “They remind me of Built to Spill.” Not to mention they were incredibly consistent from the mid-90s through the mid-00’s.
Jan Hammer Group with Beck was amazing live. A whole new world of hard-arse grooves, riffs and inspired virtuousity with a funky attitude. Top 10 live shows I've seen. And that includes Free !
You've just won me over! I've been a huge Cardiacs band for ages. Napalm Death turned me onto them in 1990 and I've ravenously consumed their music ever since. Thanks for giving them their due, Andy. And thanks for turning me onto Henge as well.
Los Lobos. Great job developing their Mexican roots, but they could play anything. Real well. I once saw them in a little side bar in a giant Atlantic City casino to a sparse crowd. They were very chill about the awkward situation and offered to play anything from their catalogue, or just anything, and put on a fantastic show for a lucky handful of fans. Deserve better.
Sly & The Family Stone and Graham Central Station are underrated. The attention is always on Parliament/Funkadelic when it comes to funk, but Larry Graham's bass playing was really influential and arguably Sly Stone's cynical-political world view influenced Chuck D and NAS as much as Gill Scott Heron or The Last Poets did.
@@peterhaeberle4091 Absolutely - right on! And what a great album that was too. It even featured Neal Schon and Doug Rauch from Santana playing guitar and bass on some tracks.
Great video. You are completely on the money on the ones I know and there are a few that I don't know and am looking forward to discovering. Regarding Free - it's fair to call them underrated. For many they would be perceived as one-hit-wonders. Kossoff is one of the most underrated guitarists. To this day I have never heard another player with that unique sinuous tone. And Fraser is one of the most underrated bass players - and one of the reasons I started playing bass. He had a unique almost tuba-like bass voice.
Totally agree with UFO, but even more so with the Michael Schenker Group (MSG)that came after. Michael is a brilliant iconic guitar player and is not getting the wide recognition he deserves. So many great guitarists list him as their influence. Michael still tours and the only positive of his being underrated is that you can see him in small venues and have an almost personal relationship with him when you’re in the front row.
I got a free ticket to see him a few years ago, left work to catch the last half of the gig. He's a legend, even if it is a bit low key in terms of fame comparison.
I fucking knew the band you put at number one would be number one, even without ever having heard you talk about them. I was shouting their name during the buildup you did. Perhaps the most important question to ask anyone about the development of their music appreciation is "when did you first get into , and how old were you?" In my case it was in my second year at university, just after the release of Sing to God. Managed to catch one of their very last live gigs in Croydon. The fact you put them at number one finally convinced me to subscribe to your channel.
Fishbone were fairly popular on college radio in the States. They were also in a very strange movie called Back to the Beach in the late 80’s, which was on cable television 24/7. They perform a song with Annette Funicello which is pretty fucked up. Of course, nobody under the age of 40 has any idea what I’m talking about.
That was a strange movie. I did meet Angelo once at a local show about 20 years ago. Tremendous band and material. They influenced so many successful bands... I wish that they received their due.
As weird and obscure a list as I’d fully expected! Not that anyone cares, but I’m 43 years old and before finding Andy’s channel, I’d never even heard of Mahavishnu Orchestra. Being a Canadian and big fan of Rush lead me to the channel and I’ve learned so much from Andy!
Be Bop Deluxe, Japan, The Dictators, Montrose (first two records), Ian Brown (solo), Magazine, Automatic Man (first record), Utopia, MuteMath (Andy you need to dive into this band), The Sunkings, Nortec Collective, Pete Namlook, Momus, Sparks and Mott The Hoople.
So great to hear someone talking about Cardiacs so eloquently and enthusiastically. I was lucky enough to see them 3 times, last time not long before Tim became too unwell to play live. Such a shame, such a sad loss and such an underrated band. Well said sir ☝️😌
Great stuff Andy, I've learned a lot watching this list! Just ordered the Free album! From a personal perspective The Tubes get my vote, but of course so many great bands to debate!
Wishbone Ash ... one of the pioneers of the twin lead guitar ... such a large catalog of great music and still putting out very good stuff IMO. Maybe they would be highly rated if people knew about them in the 1st place?
Wishbone Ash undermined their own status with their confusing changes of directions and members especially in the mid-70s, 80s and late 90s. Same can be said for Nazareth and so many other bands. The solid 70s bands would´ve been better off staying in their lane rather than give in to the constant external pressure for "innovation".
You are so right about the Jan Hammer Group. I met them, partied with them on the Jeff Beck tour. Just INCREDIBLE musicians and human beings. The First Seven Days is a masterpiece, as are their following albums. Very good review. One BAND that in my estimation is underrated are The Yardbirds. I know that the guitarists are given the spotlight. Clapton, Beck and Page are almost exclusively given praise, being three of the greatest guitarists ever. But the OTHER members of that band, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty were also exceptional musicians. They were the core of the band and it seems to get missed that they were the reason their great guitarists were attracted to the band in the first place. As for the groups that came out of post Yardbirds, Renaissance and Armageddon were exceptional examples. Silver Tightrope is still one of my favourite songs ever. In any case, Thank You for your intelligent and engaging musical reviews.
I absolutely cherish Armageddon. Martin Pugh Bobby Caldwell are extremely underrated for what absolute Maestro musicians they are. I still have their album from 1975 and we'll go to my grave with it😊
Such a wonderful video, just love Englands Garden Shed (Three Piece Suite) and smiles all over my face when Cardiacs very there as well, just such a special band!!! Will check out the other bands especially Henge!!! Thank you!!!
My coming-of-age intro to "jazz fusion" was a TDK SA90 tape with Jan Hammer/Jeff Back Live on one side and Larry Coryell Aspects on the other. Still the best version of Freeway Jam ever, IMHO.
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida has one of my personal favourite drum solos... surely also because my dad still play's it so well (when he was 18, in 1968, he was the drummer in a rock cover band and Iron Butterfly was one of their specialties) 🤘💪
@@mikewest1542 I think they were consistently strong until "the Gospel according to the Men in Black", which is possibly too weird for most ears (although it has its adherents). A few great moments afterwards, including the Norfolk Coast album, but the early phase is unequaled. "Black and White" is my fave.
From The Aural Sculpture Manifesto: "When those of us who are committed to the creation of aural sculpture, can no longer sit and tolerate the prostitution of sound that is proliferating around us, it is time to speak out. the musicians of our times are harlots and charlatans, who use science without being scientists and abuse art without being artists. We are witnessing the demise of music, so be it. The world must prepare itself to herald the advent of aural sculpture, whose presence can now be shared with the fortunate few who have the ears to hear, the vision to see and the intelligence to comprehend."
Thankyou for The Cardiacs. My new favourite band. Have been in lots of strange and comedy bands, love the Bonzos, Viv Stanshall... These are brilliant.
GILLAN (late 70's /early 80's band fronted by ex-Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan before he pulled the plug on it for his year long stint in Black Sabbath in 1983; pre-Mark 2 reunion Purple in 1984).
@@shaynewest8757 Wrong. Find me a better singer than Gillan. Find me a band that combined hard rock, punk attitude and metal the way GILLAN did. You really need to check out their catalogue. Start with Mr. Universe.
@@shaynewest8757 Interesting.....I don't see your own selection of an underrated band anywhere on here in the comments, and I only find you posting about my particular choice, and nobody else's. Gillan seems to have caught your attention.
Little Feat. Waiting for Columbus Live album helped define the style of rock-blues-american-roots music i would continue to buy the rest of my life. I basically grew up in the 80's as a teen watching MTV; and other than Petty (and 2 Prince albums) I don't own anything from the 80's (see the second British invasion music). I have considered INXS (Australia). I also have reintroduced myself to Deep Purple (b4 screamer Ian Gillan) before they became a full fledged heavy metal band. Again, just my style of listening ... and a clarification-appreciation for some British bands for sure. Anyway Not sure if Little Feat could be considered underrated ... but, then again, Allman Bros and Lynard Skynard and Doobie Bros are much more popular. I had a Squueze album (LOVED Black Coffee in Bed) but, again, my taste in music changed when I finally heard Little Feat (for example)and finally began listening to more blues rock bands like Robert Cray (say, is Robert Cray underrated?) and the Allman Bros. et cetera. Because of you and others (on this sight), I have to checkout Gentle Giant. I also just listened to Delaney and Bonnie & Friends for the first time in 40 yrs and they are real good southern rock-blues-gospel band with hints of good mellowness like Bread. Bonnie is a great singer sometimes channeling Janis Joplin but not as hard. Think Susan Tedeschi (with Derek Trucks and their eponymous named band) channeling Bonnie Raitt but not as scratchy(?). Anyways, great video again by Andy giving us stuff to talk about and appreciate a variety of rocknroll music .
I really liked Devo. A risk that's run by performers like Devo, and Zappa, and Eno, and some others, is that their penchant for satire and so forth leads many to overlook their musical prowess.
Saw Fishbone many times, and couldn't agree with you more. Their energy and musicianship were truly on another level. Hope your career takes a turn for the better soon. Keep up the interesting dialog and good luck.
Great choices, Andy, and well argued. Motorhead were the one band that united all the musical factions at Uni, but that was a small group of people so I see what you mean. On from Kraftwerk, production-wise Scritti Politi had a huge influence in the States.
Back again, great list Andy, brought me back to the Cardiacs, stumbled upon them greenpeace tent glasto fest, sometime in the 90's i think, am still blown away by that gig, it was like leaning into a mighty wind on Haye bluff. Criminal underating proof: kraftwerk have less than a million followers on spotify, and cardiacs less than 10,000 though i think they only recently (last year or two) joined.
As others have commented, there are a lot of bands that were "underrated" - I could add my own list of twenty or thirty such - but you hit the nail on the head with your comment about Paul Rogers. For me, the greatest rock vocalist of all time is between Paul and Roger Daltrey, both of whom could sing loudly or softly and hit all the notes, bang on, and remain melodious. On balance, I would go for Paul, who I first heard live at a gig at Warwick University in 1970. This is a voice for the ages. Right there with you, Andy!
I just watched a documentary about Lowel George narrated by a British guy. Very important band of my youth. “Feats don’t fall me now” is in my top ten. I bet you would enjoy it.
The Only Ones, Prefab Sprout, Dr. Feelgood, the Plimsouls, Michael Penn, Marshal Crenshaw, Slade, The Gap Band (80s funk at its best), Sha Na Na (yes, I'm ready to defend my opinion on that).
I always come back to this quote about Steven Wilson: the most afmous artist you never heard of. Among the fans of prog rock/metal he's a massive influence and he has worked with all the greats in that area over the years. The man even does the mixing on stuff like Opeth. But he's virtually unknown to the masses.
Agree about Free too! As you Say, Andy Fraser's bass playing is stunning - not just the obvious bits like the solo on Alright Now, but the extended melodic playing on Mr Big. Rather than just copy Led Zeppelin, they created their own sound with even soul influences (like on Heavy Load and Don't Say You Love Me).
Gentle Giant are so underrated that they don't even make the list of top 10 underrated artists
Not anymore. Thanks to the internet a whole new generation of music fans have discovered the band, which has led to remixes, reissues etc etc.
i was thinking of them...
@@John-k6f9k 🤣 They are considered _the musicians of the musicians_ and are my favorite band.
GG are one of the kings of prog mate.
A greater group of musicians has never been assembled
Really pleased UFO have been included Andy. I must have seen them at least 10 times in the time period you discussed. Great band and even greater live.
Yes, Andy! Cardiacs! That was the first band I thought of when I saw the title of your video!
Free were the sound track to my youth, I loved Zeppelin, Sabbath etc but Free were the ones that moved my soul, Kossoff was and still is the guitarist who moves me with his playing.
I just bought a box set of the first five albums by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. They blew away so many of us at the time. Great musicianship with an amazingly charismatic frontman. I always preferred them to Queen......
Time to reasses the mighty SAAB......
Yep. Alex had soul and feel. Freddy was too timid.
Oh, I love SAAB! I've had at least 15 over the years, most of them V4s and the occasional 99... oh, wrong channel.
Great band. Much preferred them to that other band you mentioned.
@@PhilBaird1 Lol what a bunch of elitist twats. What has Queen got to do with thinking Alex Harvey is underrated?. You're putting up this silly faux haughty disdain for this........"other band".....that you cannot bring yourself to mention to show everyone on the internet how cool you are.
They were great! Midnight Moses is my favorite song of theirs. What a great guitar riff.
That's what I like about this channel - discovering new music. I am a lifelong Hawkwind fan and Henge sound right up my street. I can't believe I haven't heard of them. Thanks Andy
MC5, Blue Cheer, Blue Öyster Cult, UFO, Budgie, Saxon, Thin Lizzy
Listen to Budgie right now - very underrated indeed
Ha! I'm dyslexic so I thought you wrote Cher for a second. lol
Most of those bands get lots of credit for inventing heavy metal.
Hooray for Budgie.
Talking of Budgie; The Creatures are very underrated!
I say The Kinks --at least here in the US. They aren't rated that high here and they have such a massive catalog of great songs and albums.
Village Green is absolutely sublime!
They wrote some iconic songs. Not sure why they aren’t more famous. I prefer them to the Who.
@@francis-808 I like The Kinks but Ray Davies has a terrible voice, nasal and off key. Maybe the world decided 3 British Invasion bands were adequate.
It's always been said about The Kinks that they are too British, and that doesn't translate well here in America. I cherish the the hell out of them, Ray's gift for keen detail and speaking for the common man in his lyrics are a thing of true genius! A shit ton of top shelf songs, spanning decades, The Kinks are about as good as it gets! Waterloo Sunset is commonly rated as the most beautiful song ever created - hard to argue!
@@John-k6f9k Yeah, Ray's voice is an acquired taste, no doubt. Once you overcome that, the incredible lyrics and song craft more than make up for it! Dave's a tasty guitarist, the man invented heavy metal with distorted riff on You Really Got Me! The Kinks should constantly be in the discussion of all time greatest bands.
Andy thanks for the shout-out for FREE. A truly great English rock band. I sometimes feel they are a band destined to be lost to time.
What a band Free were! Andy Fraser might be one of the best, and definitely most underrated, songwriters ever. All Right Now is probably one of the best known rock songs, and Free should be one of the best known bands - but sadly, they’re not.
@@johnpace5774 Sadly FREE were overshadowed by bigger Dinosaurs. That said Paul Rodgers remains my favourite male vocalist of all.
I became a fan of John Mayall and the (many) Bluesbreakers. The revolving door of musicians included a brief stint from Andy Fraser who left to start his own band -- Free.
All this talk of Free has me kicking myself for being aware of Free but not taking the time to really listen.
I have been reminded of Colloseum another band I have not listened to. Jon Hiseman and Dick Heckstall-Smith started Colloseum after leaving Mayall's Bluesbreakers.
Dick Heckstall-Smith also played sax for the underrated Graham Bond Organisation (with pre Cream Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce) before Colloseum and The Bluesbreakers.
Point? I'm having fun (re)discovering bands. I sometimes like to try and return the unsuspected favor 👍
@@BruceWalther-s2l I like to discover bands from the past. I watched an interesting documentary about The Yardbirds. Sometimes I feel the fixation with The Beatles overshadowed a lot of great music.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers should be on this list, if only for the alumni. The number of great musicians that came out of John's band is almost unbelievable!
Cardiacs of course! Grateful too for highlighting Free, who really had soul.
Saga. Great underrated prog band. Fantastic musicianship
Agree
Hear hear, although they still have a devoted following they're not mentioned much anymore. Didn't they manage a couple of big radio hits back in the day though?
Saga had a huge MTV hit (prison break video). I did no homework and can't think of the name of the song! anyone?! care to answer!? 🤔🙃@@LarsBjerregaard
@@BruceWalther-s2l On The Loose
On the loose ?
Personally, I think Uriah Heep, Sweet, Rainbow, Dio, Nazareth, Blue Öyster Cult & UFO are definitely underrated. I wasn’t around when these bands were active. In my teens in the ‘90s I discovered the classic bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, etc. because their music is everywhere. The bands I listed as underrated I discovered as I entered my 40s. During the pandemic I started to look for “new” classic rock acts I never heard and these were the gems I found. They were hardly ever mentioned or heard in any media with the exception of one song of Sweet, Dio, Nazareth & BÖC each. It was through RUclips & Spotify that I discovered these bands. I even discovered other even more obscure bands such as Gift, Lucifer’s Friend, Starcastle, The Chocolate Watchband and others. There are even underrated periods of great bands such as ‘70s era Scorpions & ‘80s era Black Sabbath post Dio. It just sucks that so much good music has been forgotten.
Cool! another Blue Oyster Cult discovery (the only band I have listened to since I was 10 yrs old is BOC)
Another UFO fan. hmm. I haven't heard UFO hardly at all, so, I'm gonna have to take a listen. 😎🤘
Oh! I didn't see Deep Purple on your solid discovery and classic rock-metal list. If you haven't you must checkout Deep Purple.
I just remembered an early glam-hard rock band called Slade. They were/are from England (figures) and had three #1 hits in the early 70's in the UK (wikipedia). I remember 2 songs from MTV in the 80's Run Runaway; and My Oh My; and then hearing they wrote/performed the song Cum on Feel the Noize which became a hit for Quiet Riot.
Anyways, I just talked myself into listening to more Slade who have not played to these ears since the late 80's.
And Thin Lizzy & Humble Pie
The Sweet definitely don't get the credit they deserve.
BOC for sure. I was just thinking through the lyrics of Baby Ice Dog and Wings Wetted Down the other day. Those early albums had a progressive rock feel to them, intricate yet rocked hard so you did not get too "Close To The Topographic" if you get what I mean. I am a huge Yes fan. BOC were so unique and still are. I met them as a kid and they were very nice guys. Being a drummer I asked Alan to sign my album and "write something about drums!" So he thought for a second and then wrote "Drums are the foundation of music" and then a nice big autograph on my Cultasaurus Erectus album. Great guys from Long Island. "Lonk Island" ha ha. Cheers.
Suggestion: Accept.
Dear Andy, a million thanks for turning me on to Cariacs. They are now my "new" favourite band. Thier music ticks all my boxes and also the boxes i didn't know i had. I've even started to transcribe and play some of thier songs (a mammoth undertaking). Greetings from Frankfurt Germany. 😀 🎸🎵
Cardiacs changed my life as well....look at my avatar!
The Incredible String Band - their first four albums are up there with all the great music of the late 60's.
Completely agree!!!
I like ISB very much...except for Robin Williamson's singing voice. Same deal with the Pentangle. Great songs and musicianship...but keep John Renbourne away from the microphone.
@@johnwilliamson3981 Yes, I understand what you're saying. His voice is very mannered and eccentric, very much an acquired taste, it took me a good few listens to get accustomed to it. I was the same with Geddy Lee from Rush.
@@zsatsfm Sorry...very much an unacquired taste in my case! I mentioned the Pentangle's John Renbourne. Dave Cousins of the Strawbs, another outstanding musician, also had a somewhat objectionable voice, And Dylan...uggghhh! Male voices I liked include Greg Lake, Bryan Ferry, and Gentle Giant's Derek Shulman.
Love getting new albums to listen to from these videos. Cardiacs sounds super interesting. Will definitely check them out!
Vous parlez des CARDIACS.
Ceux qui chantaient "this is pour life" ?
@@MrJeepsters Yes.
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends is the most underrated band in rock history. Nobody else comes close. People have no idea how good they were or how influential. Leon Russell and Bobby Whitlock on keys, Bobby Keys and Jim Price on horns, Rita Coolidge on backup vocals. first Jim Keltner and then Jim Gordon on drums. Carl Radle on bass. The tightest American band of the late 60's/early 70's. Rhythm and blues to heaven.
Absolutely spot on. And how good were Delaney and Bonnie that the best musicians, including Clapton and George Harrison wanted to be in the band?
Got my attention on Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge on backup (really?!), a horn section and especially (to me) Jim Keltner who played with Traveling Wilburys as well as with Little Village (Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, John Hiatt) who were a 'supergroup' inspired by The Traveling Wilburys success. Probably a shame Little Village did not sell and they only made one album
Amen, brother ! I love Andy’s content, but he’s missed the whole American country/Southern/rootsy side of rock, which has no origin in the UK, and bands like the Bramletts’, whose influence on subsequent US rock is as great as the whole British Invasion put together.
Great roster but this is the first I’ve even heard of it , I’ll thank you in advance
@@BruceWalther-s2l The Little Village album was weak, and the show I saw was dire. The album, front to back, and that's it. what a waste of that line up.
YES! Jan Hammer Group!! Love them. Discovered Oh Yeah and went back from there. The Jeff Beck Live is incredible!!!
Have a listen to Hammer play on John Abercrombie Timeless ECM
Saw jeff and yan at the paramount in seattle,best concert i ever saw
Oh Yeah! Wink wink. All of Jan’s music is superb.
Hawkwind. In the UK, I don't know -- maybe they're not underrated there, but here in Canada they're really obscure.
Still, one of their songs got mentioned (Motorhead, which was a Hawkwind song before the band Motorhead existed).
Hawkwind are a bit like Kraftwerk in a way (not musically!), in that their influence exceeds their own fame. “Punk rock started because in every small town [in England] there was somebody who liked Hawkwind.” [Stephen Morris of Joy Division and New Order]
Love Hawkwind
Popol Vuh (Florian Fricke) were electronic pioneers.
Outstanding pick! They are masters of time and space.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Daddy Cool, Skyhooks, Pavlov's Dog
35 years clean and sober, after seeing and hearing that Cardiacs clip, i think i just relapsed.
Came for the Cardiacs love fest and wasn't disappointed. A Top 10 most underrated guitarists would be cool!
Magazine are another underrated band. John McGeoch on guitar, Barry Adamson's bass, Howard Devoto's lyrics and vocal style influenced many bands. Brilliant band!
You shouldn’t leave out Dave Formula. His keyboards were incredibly important in creating the Magazine sound and knitting the other elements together.
@@AmandaSamuels Absolutely, very true.
Saw Cardiacs a few times, after being introduced to them by a friend (who later did some bass playing for them). They were amazing live! RIP Tim😢 A genius songwriter.
Who was this bass player? Very few of them after Him and Jon playing on occasion. Curious.
@Phlakaton88 hi. My friend is Sharon Saddington (now Fortnam). She was in The Shrubbies and is now in NSRO. They perform original compositions, but also pieces written by William H Drake (who was also in The Cardiacs). I don't THINK that she recorded anything with The Cardiacs, (don't quote me on that) but I am certain that she got to do a bit of bass playing at some point.
My go to for underrated bands is Spirit. 12 Dreams of Dr Sardonicus, in particular, is a masterpiece album.
Agree. I'm not a fan of the band per se since I don't really care about their other albums ( despite some good tracks ) but 12 dreams is indeed very good.
An absolute Masterpiece.
Fabulous record.
Saw Fishbone live several times. So killer live...saw them in college town of Athens, GA in front of 250 folks...they blew the doors off the 40 Watt!
I saw them at my college in San Diego, 30 years ago, the night the LA riots started.
Can are a massively underrated group in my opinion. Often praised as influences by bands, but most people have never heard any of their incredible music. Their first 5 albums are all classics to me.
As an actual band, you are probably right. They seem to be overrated by people claiming to be influenced by them, but I never hear Can in any of these bands. Overrated and underrated at the same time?
Love them all Faust Neu Can Tangerine Dream. Not a kraftwerk fan apart from about 3 tracks
I love their album Tago Mago. At one point I listened to that album every day for a year. And, amazingly, I can still listen to it and love it.
In my opinion, Damo Suzuki was their best singer, and this was their best album, but obviously all their albums are very good.
@@jeffreybarton1297 Damo was a great singer, but Malcolm Mooney was no slouch either. Love his singing on Soul Desert, Yoo Doo Right, She Brings The Rain... Love the Ege Bamyasi album, Soundtracks, Future Days... Such an inspired, unique, scary, soulful and funky band. The best ever, in my opinion.
@@BBloogerThanks BBlooger, you've inspired me to relisten to the other albums! Can are amazing. I find it difficult to pick a favourite aspect....Maybe it's the drumming for me..... But they're all amazing together.
100% agree with everything you said about UFO! Phenomenon is a killer record...they were heavy and melodic and could nail a solid shuffle groove/gallop...crazy more folks don't know much about them
Strangers in the night! They shine live. The studio stuff seems polite compared to live stuff
Some of my favorite underrated bands: Ultravox (especially the John Foxx years), Let's Active, Love and Rockets, The Boomtown Rats, James (big in the UK, but not as well known in the US), King's X, Imperial Teen (the keyboardist (Roddy Bottum) from Faith No More's side-band), The Dandy Warhols, Spacehog, Placebo, and Chainsaw Kittens (it's criminal that they never made it big).
Let's Active rule! James are killer as well! Great picks!
The Groundhogs have got to be underrated too. Think of all those great albums, filled with amazing songs nobody knows about. Tony McPhee, definitely underrated guitarist.
I was secretly hoping you were going to have Cardiacs on this list! I downloaded three of their albums yesterday, after realizing I missed them (used to have them on vinyl, till I gave all my vinyl away in a fit of madness). I was listening to Cardiacs at work today, and it transformed my dull work into a joyously insane process, with intermittent moments of beauty.
Guaranteed to put a smile on my face.
brilliantly said about Kraftwerk. couldn't possibly put it better
Thank you for putting Cardiacs on the top of the list. One of my favouritte bands of all time
When I saw the thumbnail of this video, I immediately thought of Free. So glad that they got some recognition from you Andy!
Infectious Grooves was the Suicidal Tendencies side project with the drummer from Jane’s Addiction. You are spot on about UFO and Fishbone. The live version of Lights Out on Strangers in the Night is one of the most intense and epic rock tracks of all time. Fishbone’s Truth and Soul and The Reality of My Surroundings are incredible albums. The alternative metal scene from 1988-1991 was incredible. I gotta check out more Cardiacs.
Gong!
Ween is criminally underrated.
As a live band they are amazing, and a very different band from as a studio band (albums which range from alienatingly weird low-fi to pristine studio masterpieces)
Often thought of as a “joke” band, they are NO JOKE
Amazing drummer, incredibly eclectic, some very excellent songwriting along with bizarre absurdism and psychelia, genre chameleons …
Go see them live if you can.
3 hours straight, no opening band, no break, no song repeats over three consecutive nights (35 songs a night)
Ween are Great. The Mollusk is one of my all time favorites.
Ween would have been the biggest band in the world if everyone *got* LSD humor
@@colinburroughs9871 you mean mushrooms and Scotchguard ;)
They also probably could have been huge if they chose to rein in their give zero fucks attitude
Ween are an amazing band they have such a great ear for melody it's such a shame they will always be seen as a joke
Rock Bottom on Strangers in the Night is incredible, the interplay of the keyboards with Michael is the sprinkles on top - just incredible
I LOVE that section where the keys and guitar are playing in unison to finish the solo.
All killer no filler.
I'd certainly have a cheeky 10 quid on the Cardiacs being in here.
My friend Paul Putner is a fan of The Cardiacs, after his recommendation I checked them out and it blew my mind. Just to rat on Paul, he was one of the crowd who took the piss out of me for liking prog but his two favourite bands were The Cardiacs and XTC!
Are you guys trying to bully us fans by adding “the”?
Thanks for advocating for Cardiacs ❤
Don't forget Andy Fraser also wrote Robert Palmer's hit Every Kind Of People. Talented guy without a doubt.
@@paulhwilliams Are you sure about that ? He wrote some great material with Paul Rodgers in Free before he was even out of his teens. A very talented guy and a lovely bass player who was key to Free's sound, timing and feel.
@@paulhwilliams It is written by the same Andy Fraser who was in Free.
@@PhilBaird1 That Robert Palmer song is indeed written by the same Andy Fraser who was in Free.
@@PhilBaird1 Ignore me! You are right.😂
@@paulhwilliams Think you will find it is.
The Tubes. Their 1st two albums are genius! Their 80's radio pop hits may have tarnished their legacy but this is a great under-rated band.
Awesome choice - terribly misunderstood band! Early stuff is so creative and fearless, with strong playing!
And they are also Toto
U⚡️F⚡️0⚡️well known in 1970’s and early 80’s but definitely underrated especially the Tonka Chapman years The Wild The Willing and the innocent was criminally underated
Thank you for getting number one right! ❤
I ran off to listen to Sing to God by Cardiacs. I was into Blur, Supergrass, Boo Radleys etc. back in the mid-'90s. Happy to report Cardiacs definitely not too hard to handle. Thanks for their championing.
Fun video😀
My personal most-underrated-band would be Stranglers-especially in the US. They drew from pub rock-punk-prog but had a unique sound led by JJ Burnells bass.
Stranglers fan here. I would never say their sound was based on Burnel's bass. I believe they were kind of like Queen... Queen ? WTF ? Let me explain ! The sum of them was much greater than each one of them individually : good drummer ( Jet Black, not a virtuoso by any strech, but perfect for what they did + a definitely great add to the image of the band ), good guitar player ( Hugh Cornwell, like Brian May, knew how and when his playing was needed both rythmically and musically : each and every solo of his is what the song needed, not showing off any kind of virtuosity ), good bass player obviously. But for me the virtuoso was no doubt Greenfield. He was the one who lifted the whole sound of a very good and very competent weird pop band to that of a great band. Great competency for what they did + Great chemistry + Greenfield's genius = the Sranglers. Great band ! Underrated in the US, as you say.
@@h.m.7218 A fan here too, and I agree with all you say but at the time having a bass so up front in the mix and being quite complex was different and influential. Seeing them soon, although not really the Stranglers anymore
@@justlookingaround9834 I'm a big admirer of The Stranglers but not of Burnel's default "bass" sound, which I find too trebly and upfront. Not really any surprise that his first instrument was/is guitar. Classically trained, apparently. Obviously not satisfied with merely being felt, Burnel's ego demanded that he be very much heard as well; more than anyone else in fact!
@@MisAnnThorpe I’m not sure the bass should be just felt? Paul Mc would be the first to want his bass heard. Agreed he probably has an ego, most musicians do, how much they show it differs. The stranglers have a sound, they also have experimented beyond that on many albums, ironically JJB has written tracks where the bass takes a back seat.
Well, I agree that all the players in the Stranglers brought essential parts to the greater whole. I just feel the bass is the driving force, not more important. JJ Burnel plays a Fender Precision with a pick, and creates a very tough sound. I saw them around 1981 in a tiny club and it was the most powerful show I ever saw. Made a huge impression on my young mind😀
Soft Cell, The Spin Doctors, Television, Catherine Wheel.... are a few I think are under appreciated. Theres so many great bands that have faded into the past
Definitely Soft Cell - Memorabilia is proto-house and the way they combine that sound on other songs with very English lyrics dealing with mundanity but also seediness!
@@DarkSideOfTheMoule Good call on "Memorabilia". "The Art of falling apart" and "This last night in Sodom" are highly underrated albums.
@@DarkSideOfTheMoule yes i love how seedy the first album was and how that out of tune clarinet was all over it. Even the vocals were out of tune but it all had a unique vibe. Nothing sums up seedy soho like that record. People think they were tainted love and a few hits but they were much cooler than that
Pere ubu, DEVO, The cramps, Stranglers, Bad brains
Pere Ubu? Nice! Are you from NE Ohio? Have you heard of The Numbers Band? So unheard-underrated they have never signed with a major label. Basically only play in Ohio. still playing. Led by the 2 Kidney brothers and brass player Terry Hynde (Chrissy's older brother).
Pere Ubu were groundbreaking
All *great* bands, but The Stranglers and Devo both had more than 15 minutes of fame, top ten hits etc.
@@BruceWalther-s2lI'm from Serbia. I have not, will check them out
@@BrennanYoungYes, back in the day. Today, deserves more views
Thank you Andy for highlighting Free one of the greatest😢 love you Paul
Love the Fishbone mention. A fantastic, versatile band with amazing songs & amazing chops. PLUS one of the best live bands !
Built to Spill. Don’t know how many bands I’ve heard over the years where, when I first heard them, I thought, “They remind me of Built to Spill.” Not to mention they were incredibly consistent from the mid-90s through the mid-00’s.
Nice pick! Guitar lovers, check out Built To Spill! Great band name too!
brilliant stuff - such fun to watch and so much new content to explore - thanks andy.
Cardiacs, underrated and utter genius
best ever ever ever best ❤
Thank you so much for bringing up UFO, they are so underrated!!
Jan Hammer Group with Beck was amazing live. A whole new world of hard-arse grooves, riffs and inspired virtuousity with a funky attitude. Top 10 live shows I've seen. And that includes Free !
Thank you for Henge! Mindblowing!
Wish I could have been a student of Andy's. Whoa, wait a minute, I think I am!
You've just won me over! I've been a huge Cardiacs band for ages. Napalm Death turned me onto them in 1990 and I've ravenously consumed their music ever since. Thanks for giving them their due, Andy. And thanks for turning me onto Henge as well.
Los Lobos. Great job developing their Mexican roots, but they could play anything. Real well.
I once saw them in a little side bar in a giant Atlantic City casino to a sparse crowd. They were very chill about the awkward situation and offered to play anything from their catalogue, or just anything, and put on a fantastic show for a lucky handful of fans. Deserve better.
Superb band, great musicians. How Will the Wolf Survive ? was a wonderful album.
And really nice guys . My friend and I were nobodies, put Caesar invited us backstage, had a beer, got to hang
Fishbone is a barrel of fun. Wonderful combination of cheeky funk and cool metal.
Cardiacs… cool choice as well!👍🏻
Sly & The Family Stone and Graham Central Station are underrated. The attention is always on Parliament/Funkadelic when it comes to funk, but Larry Graham's bass playing was really influential and arguably Sly Stone's cynical-political world view influenced Chuck D and NAS as much as Gill Scott Heron or The Last Poets did.
Betty Davis' first album with almost the complete Family Stone rythm section.
@@peterhaeberle4091 Absolutely - right on! And what a great album that was too. It even featured Neal Schon and Doug Rauch from Santana playing guitar and bass on some tracks.
Great video. You are completely on the money on the ones I know and there are a few that I don't know and am looking forward to discovering.
Regarding Free - it's fair to call them underrated. For many they would be perceived as one-hit-wonders. Kossoff is one of the most underrated guitarists. To this day I have never heard another player with that unique sinuous tone. And Fraser is one of the most underrated bass players - and one of the reasons I started playing bass. He had a unique almost tuba-like bass voice.
Don't care what Andy thinks of them but VdGG is an underrated band for me.
Joe Jackson
Monday Papers
@@MikkelGrumBovin Is He Really Going Out With Him?
Big World!
they were outstanding !!
Totally agree with UFO, but even more so with the Michael Schenker Group (MSG)that came after. Michael is a brilliant iconic guitar player and is not getting the wide recognition he deserves. So many great guitarists list him as their influence. Michael still tours and the only positive of his being underrated is that you can see him in small venues and have an almost personal relationship with him when you’re in the front row.
I got a free ticket to see him a few years ago, left work to catch the last half of the gig. He's a legend, even if it is a bit low key in terms of fame comparison.
I fucking knew the band you put at number one would be number one, even without ever having heard you talk about them. I was shouting their name during the buildup you did. Perhaps the most important question to ask anyone about the development of their music appreciation is "when did you first get into , and how old were you?" In my case it was in my second year at university, just after the release of Sing to God. Managed to catch one of their very last live gigs in Croydon. The fact you put them at number one finally convinced me to subscribe to your channel.
Fishbone were fairly popular on college radio in the States. They were also in a very strange movie called Back to the Beach in the late 80’s, which was on cable television 24/7. They perform a song with Annette Funicello which is pretty fucked up. Of course, nobody under the age of 40 has any idea what I’m talking about.
That was a strange movie. I did meet Angelo once at a local show about 20 years ago. Tremendous band and material. They influenced so many successful bands... I wish that they received their due.
As weird and obscure a list as I’d fully expected! Not that anyone cares, but I’m 43 years old and before finding Andy’s channel, I’d never even heard of Mahavishnu Orchestra. Being a Canadian and big fan of Rush lead me to the channel and I’ve learned so much from Andy!
Be Bop Deluxe, Japan, The Dictators, Montrose (first two records), Ian Brown (solo), Magazine, Automatic Man (first record), Utopia, MuteMath (Andy you need to dive into this band), The Sunkings, Nortec Collective, Pete Namlook, Momus, Sparks and Mott The Hoople.
Be Bop Deluxe & Japan ♥️. Will check out your suggestions.
@@TheBritomart Also check out The Durutti Column and It's Immaterial while you're at it!
MuteMath=Awesome band in every way!
So great to hear someone talking about Cardiacs so eloquently and enthusiastically. I was lucky enough to see them 3 times, last time not long before Tim became too unwell to play live. Such a shame, such a sad loss and such an underrated band. Well said sir ☝️😌
You are worthy of laudation Good Sir!
Great stuff Andy, I've learned a lot watching this list! Just ordered the Free album! From a personal perspective The Tubes get my vote, but of course so many great bands to debate!
Wishbone Ash ... one of the pioneers of the twin lead guitar ... such a large catalog of great music and still putting out very good stuff IMO. Maybe they would be highly rated if people knew about them in the 1st place?
"Argus" is one of the greatest albums of all times.
@@docpangasinan 👍
Wishbone Ash undermined their own status with their confusing changes of directions and members especially in the mid-70s, 80s and late 90s. Same can be said for Nazareth and so many other bands. The solid 70s bands would´ve been better off staying in their lane rather than give in to the constant external pressure for "innovation".
You are so right about the Jan Hammer Group. I met them, partied with them on the Jeff Beck tour. Just INCREDIBLE musicians and human beings. The First Seven Days is a masterpiece, as are their following albums. Very good review. One BAND that in my estimation is underrated are The Yardbirds. I know that the guitarists are given the spotlight. Clapton, Beck and Page are almost exclusively given praise, being three of the greatest guitarists ever. But the OTHER members of that band, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty were also exceptional musicians. They were the core of the band and it seems to get missed that they were the reason their great guitarists were attracted to the band in the first place. As for the groups that came out of post Yardbirds, Renaissance and Armageddon were exceptional examples. Silver Tightrope is still one of my favourite songs ever. In any case, Thank You for your intelligent and engaging musical reviews.
I absolutely cherish Armageddon. Martin Pugh Bobby Caldwell are extremely underrated for what absolute Maestro musicians they are. I still have their album from 1975 and we'll go to my grave with it😊
I love silver tightrope and think it blows Stairway to Heaven away😊
Ultravox. Kings X. Icicle Works. 3 underrated bands I think
King’s X♥️
Ian McNabb still going strong I think.
Such a wonderful video, just love Englands Garden Shed (Three Piece Suite) and smiles all over my face when Cardiacs very there as well, just such a special band!!! Will check out the other bands especially Henge!!! Thank you!!!
My coming-of-age intro to "jazz fusion" was a TDK SA90 tape with Jan Hammer/Jeff Back Live on one side and Larry Coryell Aspects on the other. Still the best version of Freeway Jam ever, IMHO.
Hey Andy,
The side project from Suicidal Tendencies members is called Infectious Grooves.
Cheers
Iron Butterfly and The Stranglers
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida has one of my personal favourite drum solos... surely also because my dad still play's it so well (when he was 18, in 1968, he was the drummer in a rock cover band and Iron Butterfly was one of their specialties) 🤘💪
The Stranglers , 3 brilliant albums to start off went off a little , what an underrated fantastic band , better than punk !
Both those bands are stellar
@@mikewest1542 I think they were consistently strong until "the Gospel according to the Men in Black", which is possibly too weird for most ears (although it has its adherents). A few great moments afterwards, including the Norfolk Coast album, but the early phase is unequaled. "Black and White" is my fave.
From The Aural Sculpture Manifesto:
"When those of us who are committed to the creation of aural sculpture, can no longer sit and tolerate the prostitution of sound that is proliferating around us, it is time to speak out. the musicians of our times are harlots and charlatans, who use science without being scientists and abuse art without being artists. We are witnessing the demise of music, so be it. The world must prepare itself to herald the advent of aural sculpture, whose presence can now be shared with the fortunate few who have the ears to hear, the vision to see and the intelligence to comprehend."
Thankyou for The Cardiacs. My new favourite band. Have been in lots of strange and comedy bands, love the Bonzos, Viv Stanshall... These are brilliant.
GILLAN (late 70's /early 80's band fronted by ex-Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan before he pulled the plug on it for his year long stint in Black Sabbath in 1983; pre-Mark 2 reunion Purple in 1984).
They sound like a million other bands, average at best.
@@shaynewest8757 Wrong. Find me a better singer than Gillan. Find me a band that combined hard rock, punk attitude and metal the way GILLAN did. You really need to check out their catalogue. Start with Mr. Universe.
Gillan are an excellent band and underrated/overlooked.
@@jimmycampbell78 Indeed they were. They didn't get the big promo push that Rainbow and Whitesnake got. Poor management failed the band
@@shaynewest8757 Interesting.....I don't see your own selection of an underrated band anywhere on here in the comments, and I only find you posting about my particular choice, and nobody else's. Gillan seems to have caught your attention.
I was fortunate enough to have seen the Jeff Beck Tour with the Jan Hammer Group in 77. It was absolutely sublime.
Little Feat (they’re back!)
XTC
Squeeze
Gentle Giant
It Bites
Get my (proper) vote…..
Little Feat. Waiting for Columbus Live album helped define the style of rock-blues-american-roots music i would continue to buy the rest of my life. I basically grew up in the 80's as a teen watching MTV; and other than Petty (and 2 Prince albums) I don't own anything from the 80's (see the second British invasion music). I have considered INXS (Australia). I also have reintroduced myself to Deep Purple (b4 screamer Ian Gillan) before they became a full fledged heavy metal band. Again, just my style of listening ... and a clarification-appreciation for some British bands for sure.
Anyway
Not sure if Little Feat could be considered underrated ... but, then again, Allman Bros and Lynard Skynard and Doobie Bros are much more popular.
I had a Squueze album (LOVED Black Coffee in Bed) but, again, my taste in music changed when I finally heard Little Feat (for example)and finally began listening to more blues rock bands like Robert Cray (say, is Robert Cray underrated?) and the Allman Bros. et cetera.
Because of you and others (on this sight), I have to checkout Gentle Giant.
I also just listened to Delaney and Bonnie & Friends for the first time in 40 yrs and they are real good southern rock-blues-gospel band with hints of good mellowness like Bread. Bonnie is a great singer sometimes channeling Janis Joplin but not as hard. Think Susan Tedeschi (with Derek Trucks and their eponymous named band) channeling Bonnie Raitt but not as scratchy(?).
Anyways, great video again by Andy giving us stuff to talk about and appreciate a variety of rocknroll music .
Also was thinking about Squeeze.
Yes, Squeeze...some very good tunes@@h.m.7218
Thanks Andy, that was great. Love hearing your opinions and your thoughts.
Devo another great underrated band. Performance Art 🎨
I really liked Devo. A risk that's run by performers like Devo, and Zappa, and Eno, and some others, is that their penchant for satire and so forth leads many to overlook their musical prowess.
Saw Fishbone many times, and couldn't agree with you more. Their energy and musicianship were truly on another level. Hope your career takes a turn for the better soon. Keep up the interesting dialog and good luck.
Saw the Jan hammer group at a popular bar in Santa Cruz CA. Incredible talent
Great choices, Andy, and well argued. Motorhead were the one band that united all the musical factions at Uni, but that was a small group of people so I see what you mean. On from Kraftwerk, production-wise Scritti Politi had a huge influence in the States.
Got your back on Fishbone. Good call!
Agree strongly on Cardiacs, they were an art rock band, as in they advanced the art of music like no one else had.
One to add: Crack the Sky.
Cardiacs are genius but their relentlessness wears me out after a bit. For me Mountain is underrated.
Back again, great list Andy, brought me back to the Cardiacs, stumbled upon them greenpeace tent glasto fest, sometime in the 90's i think, am still blown away by that gig, it was like leaning into a mighty wind on Haye bluff.
Criminal underating proof: kraftwerk have less than a million followers on spotify, and cardiacs less than 10,000 though i think they only recently (last year or two) joined.
Grizzly Bear, Gentle Giant, TV on the Radio, Spoon…
3 really good albums from Grizzly Bear. They toured with Radiohead who loved them.
As others have commented, there are a lot of bands that were "underrated" - I could add my own list of twenty or thirty such - but you hit the nail on the head with your comment about Paul Rogers. For me, the greatest rock vocalist of all time is between Paul and Roger Daltrey, both of whom could sing loudly or softly and hit all the notes, bang on, and remain melodious. On balance, I would go for Paul, who I first heard live at a gig at Warwick University in 1970. This is a voice for the ages. Right there with you, Andy!
The Church
Ozric tentacles
Bevis Frond
Ozric Tentacles is not underrated -- they are just mostly unknown like many
Starfish is such a solid effort
Nick Saloman and The Frond. An English institution round these parts.👍
I love Bevis Frond. Johnny Kwango is a hit song. Well, should be.
I just watched a documentary about Lowel George narrated by a British guy. Very important band of my youth.
“Feats don’t fall me now” is in my top ten. I bet you would enjoy it.
The Only Ones, Prefab Sprout, Dr. Feelgood, the Plimsouls, Michael Penn, Marshal Crenshaw, Slade, The Gap Band (80s funk at its best), Sha Na Na (yes, I'm ready to defend my opinion on that).
The Only Ones without doubt. Great band.
@@petertaylorson5783 They had a couple of fantastic albums, and now they're kind of forgotten, which is a pity.
I always come back to this quote about Steven Wilson: the most afmous artist you never heard of.
Among the fans of prog rock/metal he's a massive influence and he has worked with all the greats in that area over the years. The man even does the mixing on stuff like Opeth. But he's virtually unknown to the masses.
England.... such a great use of the mellotron. Loved the list!
Ooh! They use the Mellotron! I love that instrument. I got to check them out then. It’s how I discovered King Crimson.
Agree about Free too! As you Say, Andy Fraser's bass playing is stunning - not just the obvious bits like the solo on Alright Now, but the extended melodic playing on Mr Big. Rather than just copy Led Zeppelin, they created their own sound with even soul influences (like on Heavy Load and Don't Say You Love Me).
I agree totally. I once said the same thing to a friend of mine about the soul vibe on some Free and got slated for it.
I love the solo on 'Remember' too.