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bolexman
Slade.

Brilliant band. Definitely underrated. I'm a Mott the Hoople fan and most people have never heard of them but they do get a bit of recognition these days. Nazareth never got the recognition they deserved.

The Tubes

Old school hip hop:

Run DMC
Beastie Boys
Public Enemy
LL Cool J
Young MC
N.W.A

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sweetcharmedlife
The Tubes

+1

Dinosaur Jr

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The Move -got to be one of the most underrated bands of all time.

But you guys are mentioning bands that have had artistic and hipster creed...
What about bands that are "uncool"?
Bands you are embarrassed to say you like?
For example, I like, not love, the Eagles and I don't get a shit what that makes me...
I like Coldplay..
The Best of Bread is one of my all-time favorites...
For that matter, so is Chicago's Greatest Hits....
I think War is one of the most underrated bands of all time, even though they were patched together by a producer...
etc, etc.....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-25 02:45 by stupidguy2.

off the top of my head:

Melvins

John Zorn

Jane's Addiction

Mike Patton, misc projects outside FNM [improv noise and or music]

Khanate

Electric Wizard

Marc Bolan/Rex

Tricky

Boris

Sunn O)))

...also trying to open minds up that the Crowes still made music after Amorica!

Drive By Truckers - usually dismissed as Southern Rock, which means the disparagers probably have never listened to them, just read some album titles

Cheap Trick, definitely - great band but my wife can't stand them even after seeing them numerous times

Joe Henry













If this don't get you, you can't be got


On the internet nobody knows
you're Mick Jagger

Early Black Oak Arkansas

Wet Willie

Percy Sledge

Bobbie Gentry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-25 04:34 by mrgrowl791.

Tommy Bolin
Warren Zevon

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mrgrowl791
Early Black Oak Arkansas

Wet Willie

Percy Sledge

Bobbie Gentry

Bobbie Gentry is excellent, a very underrated artist who just stopped recording. "Ode to Billy Joe" used to scare the hell out of me when I was a kid, and it remains haunting.
Rolling Stone magazine dismissed the song by making a smart-ass comment about how the Tallahatchie Bridge was only a few feet deep.....and Dylan also mocked the songs lyrics....
Although I think Dylan was jealous that Gentry's song was such an international phenomenon, and the lyrics were as cryptic as his were at that time....and no one was going to overshadow him...I really believe that. He really hated the song.
And then the song makes onto Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 best songs of all time.
Too late @#$%&! Lucinda Williams has cited Gentry as an influence, so that's all the cred you need,.

Where & when did Dylan comment on "Ode To Billy Joe"? Just curious.

I don't think I *get* this thread -- folks seem to mostly cite well-known and/or well-respected acts.

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Glam Descendant
Where & when did Dylan comment on "Ode To Billy Joe"? Just curious.

I don't think I *get* this thread -- folks seem to mostly cite well-known and/or well-respected acts.

That was my point about the thread.

Here is the Dylan thing:

Bob Dylan- Basement Tapes (1975)

Bob Dylan is said to have hated Ode to Billy Joe. His song Clothesline Saga (track nine of the Basement Tapes album) was clearly an attempt to create a sarcastic parody of Gentry's original song. Clothesline is a largely nonsensical, go-nowhere song that tells the story of a kid who is helping his parents hang up the clothes to dry. Along the way, he and his parents have dull back-and-forth conversations. Here's an excerpt:

The dogs were barking, a neighbor passed,
Mama, of course, she said, "Hi!"
"Have you heard the news?" he said, with a grin,
"The Vice-President's gone mad!"
"Where?" "Downtown." "When?" "Last night."
"Hmm, say, that's too bad!"

The song closely mimics much of the style of Ode to Billy Joe, and features many similar expressions and phrases. Unlike Billy Joe however, the lyrics of Clothesline contain no deeper meaning or mystery, and are instead excruciatingly mundane. One gets the impression Dylan regards the Billy Joe song as enormously over-rated.

Dylan thought he was being clever and iconoclastic, but IMO, he's missing the point of the song, which was to portray a certain apathy to tragic events that, according to Gentry, was common in the old South....
that opens up the possibilities about the underlying themes in the song...The Tallatchie Bridge was the bridge where Emmett Till was found, so some think she could have been using the backdrop of an apathy toward the horror of Southern racism ....Did Dylan really think the song was about passing the black-eyed peas?
This is an example of DYlan's own arrogance more than anything else.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-25 06:41 by stupidguy2.

But you're just citing hearsay re: Dylan's opinion of Gentry. "One gets the impression..." is just some critic's take that frankly is a stretch to me.

Bottle Rockets

Pavement

Paul Westerberg

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

James Booker

The Kills

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stupidguy2

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Glam Descendant
Where & when did Dylan comment on "Ode To Billy Joe"? Just curious.

I don't think I *get* this thread -- folks seem to mostly cite well-known and/or well-respected acts.

That was my point about the thread.

Here is the Dylan thing:

Bob Dylan- Basement Tapes (1975)

Bob Dylan is said to have hated Ode to Billy Joe. His song Clothesline Saga (track nine of the Basement Tapes album) was clearly an attempt to create a sarcastic parody of Gentry's original song. Clothesline is a largely nonsensical, go-nowhere song that tells the story of a kid who is helping his parents hang up the clothes to dry. Along the way, he and his parents have dull back-and-forth conversations. Here's an excerpt:

The dogs were barking, a neighbor passed,
Mama, of course, she said, "Hi!"
"Have you heard the news?" he said, with a grin,
"The Vice-President's gone mad!"
"Where?" "Downtown." "When?" "Last night."
"Hmm, say, that's too bad!"

The song closely mimics much of the style of Ode to Billy Joe, and features many similar expressions and phrases. Unlike Billy Joe however, the lyrics of Clothesline contain no deeper meaning or mystery, and are instead excruciatingly mundane. One gets the impression Dylan regards the Billy Joe song as enormously over-rated.

Dylan thought he was being clever and iconoclastic, but IMO, he's missing the point of the song, which was to portray a certain apathy to tragic events that, according to Gentry, was common in the old South....
that opens up the possibilities about the underlying themes in the song...The Tallatchie Bridge was the bridge where Emmett Till was found, so some think she could have been using the backdrop of an apathy toward the horror of Southern racism ....Did Dylan really think the song was about passing the black-eyed peas?
This is an example of DYlan's own arrogance more than anything else.

I don't think Dylan was really commenting on that song...

You are right about Ode To Billy Joe. Really haunting song. I am old enough to remember when it was a Top 40 hit, and it always gave me the creeps, but it was fascinating.

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Glam Descendant
But you're just citing hearsay re: Dylan's opinion of Gentry. "One gets the impression..." is just some critic's take that frankly is a stretch to me.

True, as far as I know, Dylan never mentioned Gentry's song...
but his song is a joke, and you can only surmise what its parodying.,...its a direct shot at Gentry's style.
Id like to think differently, because i love Dylan and "Ode" is one of my favorite songs....
Here is another take, again, purely speculative.

[wallofpaul.com]

I've never thought "Clothes Line Saga" had the slightest thing to do with "Ode To Billy Joe" and I still don't. BTW I seem to recall Dylan having kind words to say about Gentry on his radio show but can't offer a direct quote.

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71Tele
I don't think Dylan was really commenting on that song...

You are right about Ode To Billy Joe. Really haunting song. I am old enough to remember when it was a Top 40 hit, and it always gave me the creeps, but it was fascinating.

If you guys can provide me with some counterpoints, I'd welcome it. As I said, I love Dylan and love this song, so I was disappointed that Dylan seemed to mock it.
And Rolling Stone Magazine did mock it....because the river in question was too shallow for someone to drown....but she said it was "muddy water".
Its a great song, like a piece of Southern Gothic....Id like to think Dylan appreciated it....but....

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Glam Descendant
I've never thought "Clothes Line Saga" had the slightest thing to do with "Ode To Billy Joe" and I still don't. BTW I seem to recall Dylan having kind words to say about Gentry on his radio show but can't offer a direct quote.

See, I'd like to see that....because back on point, Gentry has been so underrated...
I love this one.

If you love Dylan, go with your gut rather than thinking some RS critic has some inside knowledge. Do you yourself really hear Dylan mocking Gentry in "Clothes Line Saga"? Trust Yourself.

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Glam Descendant
If you love Dylan, go with your gut rather than thinking some RS critic has some inside knowledge. Do you yourself really hear Dylan mocking Gentry in "Clothes Line Saga"? Trust Yourself.

True, but Dylan could be dismissive. I'd love to think he was impressed with the song's stark realism, and authenticity....but there seems to be a consesus about "Clothes Line Saga"......
I really want to believe otherwise....
Just goes to show how the cynicism of certain "critics" can cloud your own ability to trust your gut....

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Glam Descendant
If you love Dylan, go with your gut rather than thinking some RS critic has some inside knowledge. Do you yourself really hear Dylan mocking Gentry in "Clothes Line Saga"? Trust Yourself.

I prefer to follow reason and search for evidence, rather than follow "gut instincts". Gut instincts are over-rated. To paraphrase a famous comedian, is it really a fact we have more nerve endings in our gut than our brain? .... Stupidguy2 has a very good point about "Clothes Line Saga". I'm a Dylan fan but I've never really cared for this song, even though it is highly regarded by some. Subsequently I don't really have an opinion on the song. But this thread made me reach for some good Dylan books to see their take on the song, and yes there exists strong points that support what Stupidguy2 is saying. From the book "Million Dollar Bash" by Sid Griffin:

"ClotheslineSaga (Answer To Ode)" When Clinton Heylin saw Neil Young's Basement Tapes reel, he noticed this song was written down on the box as "Answer To Ode". Doing some calculations with Joel Bernstein, they quickly figured out this was a parody of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billy Joe", a Number 1 hit in the States in late August 1967. Dylan could not have missed the song had he turned on his radio in August or September, so a parody recorded in October 1967 is right on schedule". (page 218). The text goes on to explain the similarities between the songs.

For those that don't know:
- Neil Young owns a 29-song reel-to-reel copy of the original Basement Tapes, a safety copy made with Garth Hudson.
- Joel Bernstein is Neil's archivist and does a great job.

Who else on this earth likesThe Bluebells? Listen to this excellent single from them:





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Clinton Heylin actually saw Neil Young's reels of the Basement Tapes? Why would he be so privy to Neil's tape stash? Color me dubious of Heylin's claims (and yes, I've read the guy -- he *loathes* the Stones btw); I seem to recall Neil had to search for his copy of "I'm Not There" to loan to Todd Haynes for the soundtrack of the movie of the same name.

Like I said earlier, it's all been hearsay so far; no one has provided a single quote from Dylan that might verify such a claim. (And to be clear: I am in no way disparaging "stupidguy2" personally, I'm just a bit skeptical when it comes to this sort of thing. I have no reason to respect Sid Griffin's interpretation above my own, even though he played with the exalted Danny & Dusty, who did a fine "Knocking On Heaven's Door".)

Hmmm, I didn't know about Danny & Dusty, I'm gonna check them out. Thanks for that info Glam! ...Sid Griffins book is really well researched, you might like it. It has lots of detail but is still highly readable. I've no reason to doubt Heylin had that encounter with Bernstein. What I find interesting about the extract is that Neil Young's copy of The Basement Tapes actually has "Answer To Ode" written as the title of this song. And this was a safety copy direct from Garth. That's good enough evidence for me. The rest of his comments illustrate how that one clue led them to realise the August-October timeline, and then the relationship between the lyrics.

Thanks for the tip, I should check out Griffin's book.

Danny & Dusty was a one-off (at the time) amalgamation of members of Dream Syndicate / Green On Red / Long Ryders (including Griffin). They recorded one album (THE LOST WEEKEND, recorded in 2 days supposedly), and played one (maybe two) live shows. 20 years later there was a European reunion tour of sorts, but not w/all the original members (Griffin was not involved).

Here's a song from their one 80s show (which miraculously someone had the foresight to videotape, and the tape survived!) -- I think that's Griffin on the slide guitar solo w/the Byrds haircut:

Man thats amazing, many thanks Glam! All this time I have admired his book on the Basement Tapes and now I learn this. The good news is his book "Million Dollar Bash: Bob Dylan, The Band, and The Basement Tapes" was very popular down here in Australia, with copies appearing in every bookshop. So hopefully this means Sid got some coin for his hard work! Its always good when musicians find a way to make a living... That Danny & Dusty clip you posted is really cool. Looks like Sid Griffin is playing a Dan Electro? They remind me of a great Australian band called The Johnnys. Cow punk. The Johnnys used to keep a refrigerator onstage to access their beers during the show.