Seriously? You don't know...........

So,the other day I tried to introduce you to a few of the up and coming musicians that I feel you should know.

Today, I am going the opposite route,  I am digging deep into the vaults to highlight some musicians that I feel you might have missed, or, that don’t get enough attention. 

Maybe you know some of them, maybe you don’t , maybe your friends don’t and if your friends don’t … Nevermind, wrong song.

So here we go, get with the flow.

Joe Jackson

This is as good a place to start as any.  I think you’ve probably heard one or two of his songs.

At the very least you know this one:

But including this, he had a total of 6 songs on the US Hot 100 chart. And 11 in the UK.

So, by looking at the video of him, you can probably tell why he got swallowed up by the MTV scene, he was one of the mass casualties of video killing the radio star.  He’s not the best looking, but he is an incredible musician.

3 albums in the top 20 in the US with a total of 10 albums on the US album 100 charts, is hardly a shabby career.

Ok, so his best work was from 1979 to 1984, but he is still in my top 5 favorite artist lists. Yeah, I realize I was 2, but that’s none of your fucking business.

So Joe Jackson, went to the Royal Academy of Music  and then formed The Joe Jackson Band. 

So his early albums are new wave and British punk in the vein of Elvis Costello or The Police. His later work became more of a jazz fusion type of thing, and it’s all good. 

Some of his songs sound emo:

And some of his songs sound like this:

But his best charting song of all time sounds like this:

But my favorite Joe Jackson song sounds like this:

That’s it for Joe Jackson.

***So I just came to the realization that what I write may be of little importance, and giving you as many examples as I can is the only way to let you in on all this great stuff, so expect less writing and more music.***

The Oak Ridge Boys

Ok so they are actually really well known, but not by my generation or the one coming up after us. So they deserve some recognition.

And, yes, they are a country group, steeped in the tradition of barbershop quartets. They started out singing gospel and transformed into a great pop/ country group.  But does that mean you should just write them off?   Hell No, they have a lot to offer.

I’ve seen them in concert twice, and it’s a fucking riot.

Yeah I know that they sang at The RNC in 2012, but that was Romney’s year, and well, so what, people make mistakes. They love God and republicans, just like Tom Brady.

Ok, that was a bad example.

Hey check it, they were on The Dukes of Hazzard, does that make it better?

So here’s a direct lift from Wikipedia to explain the band members:  “The lineup which produced their most world-famous and most well-known country and crossover consists of Duane Allen (lead), Joe Bonsall (tenor), William Lee Golden (baritone), and Richard Sterban (bass). Aside from an eight-year gap (1987–95) when Golden left the group and was replaced, this lineup has been together since 1973 and continues to tour and record.”

So check this out, here they are singing one of their seventeen number 1 country songs.  Listen to Richard Sterban’s deep voice.  I don’t know what it’s like to get moist panties, but hearing Sterban hit those low notes is probably about as close as I can get.

Oh and the guy with the long hair and beard is William Golden, the guy on the far left is Joe Bonsall, and of course the other guy who starts the song is Duane Allen.

Here they are at the Grand Ole Opry, singing their highest charting song of all time. Not only was it number 1 on the country charts, it reached number 5 on the US singles chart. Richard Sterban’s hair got a bit longer but they can still sing,

Here’s my personal favorite song of theirs,  pay no attention to the video, even though it’s funny. I chose this video because it had the best sound quality and you can hear the pops and hisses which mean it was transferred from vinyl.  And that’s a raw sound that I love.

Here’s the last one for today, a bit more of a rocker.  Again Sterban’s voice, I need a cold shower,

Laid Back

This came as a recommendation from my cousin Brendan, and I have always taken some of my music cues from him.  Once on our way to a camping trip he questioned my knowledge of The Beatles White Album. (at the time I didn’t know anything about it.)

But anyways moving on.

Here’s the one song you might already know.

So, Laid Back is a couple of guys from Denmark, who just do it all together. They have this sort of synth-pop new wave sound, maybe that’s a good way to describe them. 

I have 2 other Laid Back songs on my hard drive.

Cocaine Cool:

Which by the way, this will wreak havoc on your neighborhood if you are blasting through subs.

And, Sunshine Reggae

That’s as much as I can introduce you to. Because frankly that’s as much as I know.  But that doesn’t mean you have to end the journey there, keep looking.

Steve Winwood

Just the other day I was putting a ton of Steve Winwood onto my phone. I thought to myself, Dear God, I’ve begun my transformation into an old man. 

So Steve Winwood has been in some great bands, The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, and Blind Faith, with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker.

I don’t have time to introduce you to all those groups. So go back and check them out. Seriously, do it, or I will kill a lobster.

So Steve Winwood’s solo career had its highest moments from 1977 to 1987.

But Damn was it good.

It started with While You See a Chance

And then continued with  Valerie:

Then erupted with Higher Love

Then it started to wind down with Back in the High Life Again

Then it picked back up with The Finer Things

And then he got funky with Roll With It

And then  it started to dwindle, sure he had success with Don’t You Know what the Night Can Do and Holding On, but they didn’t have the staying power of the previous hits.

But like I said, these are just the hits, I’m putting your toe in the water, but it’s up to you to dive into the deep end.

Teddy Pendergrass

Teddy Pendergrass started out in Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes.  And, while I didn’t introduce you to Steve Winwood’s group work, Harold Melvin and the Blue notes are also often overlooked.

Soul, It’s deep fucking soul, (not literally, we’ll get to that later)

I Miss You

If You Don’t Me By Now  (which you should know by now)

And the original version of Don’t Leave Me This Way

Then Teddy split from the group and found solo success.

Close The Door  This is what made him a Sex God. Seriously, listen to the whole song, and you may be half clothed by the end.

And if that didn’t do it.. here’s the literal deep fucking soul I was talking about earlier

Turn Off The Lights

Still need more?   Here’s Love TKO

There’s a lot more worth listening to, but I want you to take the time and find them. 

Teddy’s career was taken from him too soon. He was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.    Not to be insensitive  or crass, but how do you sing about sex when you can’t feel your tool?  So sadly he sort of fell into obscurity, but It’s almost Valentine’s day, and It’s Black History Month, never a more perfect time to get you some Teddy.

Roger Whitaker

If you are scratching your head, then  I’ve done my job.

Check out the crowd reaction as he sings his biggest hit. They’re clearly not having any fun

Seriously, that was his only charting song in the US  and those people look like they were forced to watch him. And they are afraid of the camera.

Ok, so yeah this is the old school hippie folk side of me coming out, but seriously, don’t just pass it over.

 Try This.  Durham Town

Ok so maybe this isn’t the best way to follow up Teddy Pendergrass, and maybe this is boring to you, but like I always say, get your own damn blog, this is mine.

Roger Whitaker was from Kenya and moved to the UK to get famous He was born in 1936 and from 1968 until now he has looked like he was 65.  So at least his age has caught up to him.

He was the first person to ever record Wind Beneath My Wings

Here’s my favorite Roger Whitaker song

Dirty Old Town

Ok, so he isn’t cool, but he has a great voice.  Give him that credit at least. 

If you have to get high to enjoy it, do that, just give him a chance. 

Violent Femmes

This may be all you know of the Violent Femmes

There’s so much more. 

Hell their debut album combined so many great hits.

Here’s my favorite Femmes song ,

So basically, the meat and potatoes of their career was from 1983 to 1991 and the really good stuff is all in the 80s. 

They’re a Wisconsin band so, I mean I assume they are bigger in Wisconsin. In fact we should change our State slogan to “Wisconsin: Cheese Curds, Old Fashioneds and the Femmes”

I love that there is so much great live footage of them.

They have so many great songs and you really need to just check it out, Hell Gnarls Barkley covered them

That’s it for now. 

 7 musicians that have since gone away that deserve a resurgence  pass it on to your friends, come on, make a mix cd of pirated songs.  I dare you. 

Cause seriously, that’s how you can move music. Pass it out to everyone like a cheap music whore.  (I think that was the working name of Napster)

Ok. Take it easy.