Favorite Underground Music during 1980-1990

[Mister Natural]

Let me throw a couple at you : my most major influences from the 80's

Was/ Not Was
XTC
Throwing Muses
T-Bone Burnett
Prefab Sprout
Gary Myrick
and the very brilliant, Thomas Dolby

[darkenedsoul]

Anathema, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost

[slirak]

that could be an annoying conversation. IMO in context of the 80s it's an interesting one. I'm 37 now, so I was in puberty in the 80s, perfect spot to watch it go down. when we (you and I I presume) listened to underground music back then it was 'college radio' or 'alternative' or 'new wave' or 'punk.'

Not that I should add to this conversation, I agree about the annoyance potential...
But when I first read your list Tone, I thought, "isn't that a list of mainstream bands, at least half of them?". No, honestly, I did.

I don't care if they're underground of course (most of them are great anyway), it just interests me how different people sometimes think about history.

I guess it's about perspectives.

First, I'm a bit older (44) and second I'm a European and third, in my list, I picked bands that me and my friends considered underground at the time, not necessarily today.

Many of the bands you list were on Top of the pops, on the covers of pop mags, on mainstream radio and had several hits.

Us (being very serious about our music in a way you can only be in your late teens) would really pick on poor Robert, who made the mistake of openly admit he liked "commercial crap" like Sigue Sigue. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts on the other hand, was considered pretty much underground I suppose! At least "difficult" and "deep" and very "alternative".

Now back to your lists! I'll try to focus on the music and repress the painful memories of the hairdos. On no! The horror, the hair!

[derzai]

I was in my twenties and musically it was a terrible time.

[derzai]

The meat puppets were cool though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uALqExeVawI

[derzai]

Relistened Adrian Borland, got bored with him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYsJIphVVwA

We considered that underground.

Indeep, that was disco, still fresh I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5c8GY5Q0VM

[derzai]

Okay, one from the seventies.

Dont call us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4njPe2_rho

[steko]

that could be an annoying conversation. IMO in context of the 80s it's an interesting one. I'm 37 now, so I was in puberty in the 80s, perfect spot to watch it go down. when we (you and I I presume) listened to underground music back then it was 'college radio' or 'alternative' or 'new wave' or 'punk.'

Not that I should add to this conversation, I agree about the annoyance potential...
But when I first read your list Tone, I thought, "isn't that a list of mainstream bands, at least half of them?". No, honestly, I did.

I don't care if they're underground of course (most of them are great anyway), it just interests me how different people sometimes think about history.

I guess it's about perspectives.

First, I'm a bit older (44) and second I'm a European and third, in my list, I picked bands that me and my friends considered underground at the time, not necessarily today.

Many of the bands you list were on Top of the pops, on the covers of pop mags, on mainstream radio and had several hits.

Us (being very serious about our music in a way you can only be in your late teens) would really pick on poor Robert, who made the mistake of openly admit he liked "commercial crap" like Sigue Sigue. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts on the other hand, was considered pretty much underground I suppose! At least "difficult" and "deep" and very "alternative".

Now back to your lists! I'll try to focus on the music and repress the painful memories of the hairdos. On no! The horror, the hair!

Nice one! +1

@Tone: what about "Vandals - Peace Thru Vandalism"? Still have the '82 Vinyl. "Repo Man"...

I'm 42 now, was punk in parts of the 80s. Started with guitar '82.

Maybe also that one was underground somehow:


Were the Beatles ever underground, or was just the cavern club underground?

[LoopStationZebra]

I think geography has more to do with what's 'underground' than anything else. The UK and Europe were starved for something different after the early 70s. A band like Siouxsie & the Banshees were fairly well-known there within a short amount of time. In the States, however, if you had the Kaleidoscope album you were part of a microscopic minority and immediately called a faggot.

Even the Ramones got more recognition in the UK and Europe well before anyone outside of 30 punks in NYC knew who they were.

That's not to say that the UK and Europe has superior taste in music, as the Eagles were fucking huge across the pond.

Underground was truly underground in the States. lol.

[nonform_noise]

from: nonform_noise....

The Young Gods - September Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD8XnS-qtJI

... Thanks for that, one of my favorite bands of all time. Have you checked out their 'unplugged' album, 'Knock On Wood'? It shouldn't really work but it does... includes a fantastic cover of a Suicide track and hang drum on a hypnotic version of 'Our House'.

No I didn't check it out yet, thanks for the tip! I bought their 20 years anniversary album two years ago (XXY: XX Years 1985-2005) and I loved it. Their newer productions are pretty amazing, I didn't expect that. They are still developing as a band, their sound is still unique and interesting. I saw them a couple of times live during the 80s, will never forget those awesome performances. a band playing sampled guitars only was rockin me like crazy ... .

[steko]

That's not to say that the UK and Europe has superior taste in music, as the Eagles were fucking huge across the pond.

Underground was truly underground in the States. lol.

I really love the Big Lebowski - Cab Driver - Eagles scene!

[Tone Deft]

that could be an annoying conversation. IMO in context of the 80s it's an interesting one. I'm 37 now, so I was in puberty in the 80s, perfect spot to watch it go down. when we (you and I I presume) listened to underground music back then it was 'college radio' or 'alternative' or 'new wave' or 'punk.'

Not that I should add to this conversation, I agree about the annoyance potential...
But when I first read your list Tone, I thought, "isn't that a list of mainstream bands, at least half of them?". No, honestly, I did.

I don't care if they're underground of course (most of them are great anyway), it just interests me how different people sometimes think about history.

I guess it's about perspectives.

First, I'm a bit older (44) and second I'm a European and third, in my list, I picked bands that me and my friends considered underground at the time, not necessarily today.

Many of the bands you list were on Top of the pops, on the covers of pop mags, on mainstream radio and had several hits.

Us (being very serious about our music in a way you can only be in your late teens) would really pick on poor Robert, who made the mistake of openly admit he liked "commercial crap" like Sigue Sigue. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts on the other hand, was considered pretty much underground I suppose! At least "difficult" and "deep" and very "alternative".

Now back to your lists! I'll try to focus on the music and repress the painful memories of the hairdos. On no! The horror, the hair!

good point about geography. it was really hard to get info on those bands back in the day, maybe a short blurb in Rolling Stone now and then. for me it was a friend's older brother in school bringing back amazing vinyl from college radio. that and 120 minutes on MTV, Kevin Seal FTW! check it, 120 Minutes playlist with youtube links
http://tylerc.com/120minutes/archive-19 ... php#042786

[slirak]

120 Minutes playlist with youtube links
http://tylerc.com/120minutes/archive-19 ... php#042786

Wow!!! Now I know exactly what I'm gonna do at work next week...

[LoopStationZebra]

that could be an annoying conversation. IMO in context of the 80s it's an interesting one. I'm 37 now, so I was in puberty in the 80s, perfect spot to watch it go down. when we (you and I I presume) listened to underground music back then it was 'college radio' or 'alternative' or 'new wave' or 'punk.'

Not that I should add to this conversation, I agree about the annoyance potential...
But when I first read your list Tone, I thought, "isn't that a list of mainstream bands, at least half of them?". No, honestly, I did.

I don't care if they're underground of course (most of them are great anyway), it just interests me how different people sometimes think about history.

I guess it's about perspectives.

First, I'm a bit older (44) and second I'm a European and third, in my list, I picked bands that me and my friends considered underground at the time, not necessarily today.

Many of the bands you list were on Top of the pops, on the covers of pop mags, on mainstream radio and had several hits.

Us (being very serious about our music in a way you can only be in your late teens) would really pick on poor Robert, who made the mistake of openly admit he liked "commercial crap" like Sigue Sigue. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts on the other hand, was considered pretty much underground I suppose! At least "difficult" and "deep" and very "alternative".

Now back to your lists! I'll try to focus on the music and repress the painful memories of the hairdos. On no! The horror, the hair!

good point about geography. it was really hard to get info on those bands back in the day, maybe a short blurb in Rolling Stone now and then. for me it was a friend's older brother in school bringing back amazing vinyl from college radio. that and 120 minutes on MTV, Kevin Seal FTW! check it, 120 Minutes playlist with youtube links
http://tylerc.com/120minutes/archive-19 ... php#042786

Yeah, nice. Early on in MTVs history they had that Basement Tapes show. Good stuff always on there, actually.

[gavspav]

Crass, the Happy Mondays (first album) and Culture Shock!

Not all together though.

And Revolution by Chumbawamba.

And the TV Personalities and the Pastels and the Shop Assistants

And and and and,

Fuck I'm old.