Re: Favorite Bands?
 

Birthday Party shall likely remain one of my all-time favorite bands. I also enjoy Nick's solo efforts immensely, though for me it is of quite a different mood. Lastly, I hold a special fondness for Crime and the City Solution. Simon Bonney's vocals are some of the most expressive to be heard.

Resurrection of the Sine
 

I am a huge enthusiast of the various projects of Providence composer Peter Scartabello. His work ranges from experimental classical, to Zen inspired sound portraits, to grindcore metal.

Check him out at http://www.yuggothrecords.com. He's also on Myspace (as is everyone)

I'd suggest starting out with Disease Scrolls.

I heard Univers Zero composed one of the most frightening albums ever. Is that Heresie?

Re: Favorite Bands?
 

Yes, that would be Heresie. What it is is dark and brooding and serious. A few spooky parts creep up, they do... The band made other great music too, like Ceux du Dehors.

A new band for me is called Main. I have Hz and Firmament II, both of which are excellent guitar-based sounds stretching over a bleak canvas that you can listen to without getting jarred or jangled. That may sound pretty ubiquitous, but they really are the best I've heard along these lines.

Re: Favorite Bands?
 

I've heard the name before; Will check out.

In mentioning Pere Ubu, I've started from the beginning. "Heart of Darkness" may be one of the best "punk" songs to pretty much never get radio play.

The Birthday Party make me incredibly happy in strange ways, especially the Live '81-'82 CD. The versions of "Zoo Music Girl" and "The Dim Locator" are fantastic. The debut is a hoot, too; A little much of the same, but so utterly demented.

And then, of course, the man himself. "O'Malley's Bar"'s something. What, I don't know.

Re: Favorite Bands?
 

Here's a link to an amazing find, the very first Shub-Niggurath album, 1985, released only on cassette. Great sound here in the download...burned a copy last night. Check out the Word file listing the tracks as well. And the art file! It's not indexed by individual song, only by Side A and Side B, two 20+ min tracks, but the first song title is "Yog-Sothoth." Hope someone out there likes it. French band, I've praised them here before. Won't describe again, but if you like Univers Zero with more chaos, just listen... I had no idea of this album till last night, a friend from Ukraine sends me the following:

http://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/2007/03/shub-niggurath-st-tape-1985-france.html

Re: Favorite Bands?
 

Downloading...

On an utterly different note, I've grown rather fond of the earliest releases of Public Image Ltd. Namely, while they were more a band than John Lydon's solo project. There is something utterly scintillating about the interplay of the bass and guitar, the throbbing, low melody against the other's treble wail. Particularly on "Theme", which I don't think a lot of people actually get; The lyrics don't actually mean anything except to suggest the average punk-rock listener's state of mind, i.e. dying of boredom. It's actually pretty ridiculous. Furthermore, I prefer the lyrics where Lydon isn't making a statement, but creating an incomplete image, like on most of Metal Box and Flowers of Romance.

Also, they were, from what I've scoured, a wonderful live band, if overly abrasive in persona. The song "Poptones" especially is improved: Overlong and disordered on vinyl, live versions accentuate the hypnotic underlying melody while adding more musical, warbly vocals, keeping the alien tone of the piece while adding to its resonance.

Plus, at the end of it all, Michael Gira is an admitted fan, and I am sure that Norman Westberg was on some level inspired by Keith Levene.

Re: Favorite Bands?
 

Blondie (one of the most versatile bands ever)

This Mortal Coil

Steeleye Span (early especially)

Mike Oldfield

Emerson, Lake & Palmer (early to mid)

Re: Favorite Bands?
 

My favourite bands/artists at the moment

Kinks
Genesis
Gil Scott Heron
Pixies
RHCP
Andrew Bird

Re: Favorite Bands?
 

More faves:

Genesis
Bohren & der Club of Gore
Main
Van der Graaf Generator
Henry Cow