Eclectic Bands / Albums

There so many oddities and curios amongst the many musicians to have laid their artistic and creative juice upon the black vinyl (and some too young to do so).

I thought a thread devoted to these might spark some imagination.

The first is a 1970's band called PAVLOV'S DOG.
Now these guys are reasonably well known amongst those of us that have tipped over the half century. However, they made 2 albums that had everyone up and paying some attention to them and then they seemed to retreat to the shadows.

The album titled "PAMPERED MENIAL" was the first with gems like "Julia" and "Theme from Subway Sue" appeared in 1975.

This was followed up with "AT THE SOUND OF THE BELL" in 1976.

The band itself was a fairly conventional blend of guitars, keyboards, drums, bass and guest artists playing sax, strings, mandolins and organ. All fairly soft - medium rock/pop with solid melodies.

So what is so unusual to make this outfit eclectic.

Well it is essentially the singer, David Surkamp. If you have never heard a song from this band, then as Molly used to say, "do yourself a favour" and you tube them. You would swear that the lead singer is a woman. Surkamp's high shrill voice lent this band its "edge" and difference to others of the era.

The band recorded a third album in 1977, but due to poor sales of the first two albums, Columbia refused to release it, hastening the band's split. The third album finally appeared as a bootleg in the 1980s, a limited edition pressed from stolen master tapes. It was released under the name The St. Louis Hounds, without Pavlov's Dog's name on the sleeve.

In 1990, a reformed version of the band with only Surkamp and Doug Rayburn from the original line-up along with some contribution from Steve Scorfina, recorded "Lost in America".

Surkamp still performs and records with and without Pavlov's Dog and has attracted something of a cult following.

I remember them fondly from about the time I left school and have their first 2 albums on both vinyl and CD. They get an airing when I'm feeling nostalgic.

Very interesting thread
There are bands that defy normality
By that I mean they are not conventional
They are eccentric ,free spirited, unusual, curious , very odd, strange

I guess the best way to describe  Electic music and sounds would be to say its different
Music that basically sounds like no other
Maybe its only one song from a singer or band that can be construed as Electic

ART BRUT
When I listen to the Bang Bang Rock and Roll tracks I think very very different
Good Weekend song is the lively song that you hear at the end of the movie I Love Candy
When you hear lead singer Eddie Argos you think what planet is this guy on ?
Argos has this piercing English accent , that criss crosses from conventional to 'electic '
When he is high pitched , he is Supernautesque

The brand of music Art Brut play sounds is electic , they have a sound of their own
They may be Supergrassesque in sound at times

I doubt PINK FLOYD would be regarded as eclectic per se. They are probably mainstream enough over their passage.

However, the 1969 album UMMAGUMMA (The Studio Album as opposed to the Live album) would have to be regarded as eclectic.

Basically each of the 4 band members came up with an offering. And schizophrenic blend of noises it is.

With a song title of "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" you realise this is not going to be a ride down the middle of the highway.

The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Medieval Celtic people living in ancient eastern and northern Scotland.

It is odd that the album sleeve doesn't credit LSD as co-contributor on the song writing.

It is a way out there album to ponder through if you can go the journey to the end.

Basically only 1 song "Granchester Meadows" could be regarded as mainstream. I guess after Roger Waters put together his Furry Animals effort, he needed to pull us back to reality.

The album credits a Norman Smith as the producer. I wonder if Norman knew wht he was getting himself in for and regrets that decision now.

QUEEN
Queen was different in their times
They had the Queen eccentricity, no one sounded like them that I knew off
Then Queen became eclectic from their own style with they sang
Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Eclectic Songs

NEANDERTHAL MAN
by Hot Legs
1970

What a song
Not recorded by the 2012-2013 Norwood Footballers
But a song produced in 1970 by Hot Legs , a band that evolved from Hot Legs to that brilliant band 10CC

What lyrics to go with background drums
"I'm a Neanderthal Man
Your a Neanderthal Girl
Lets make Neanderthal Love
In this Neanderthal World."

does Dr Smith have a small cameo in this ?

bayman wrote:does Dr Smith have a small cameo in this ?

  

Yeah
The words should have been Neanderthal Ninny !

Scrappy wrote:

bayman wrote:does Dr Smith have a small cameo in this ?

  

Yeah
The words should have been Neanderthal Ninny !

    

I'm a Neanderthal Ninny
Your a Neanderthal Girly
Lets make Neanderthal Love
In this Neanderthal World

Their music isn't eclectic, but they definitely qualify

"Leningrad Cowboys"

http://www.va.com.au/womadelaide/artists/Leningrad_Cowboys.html

Scrappy wrote:Eclectic Songs

NEANDERTHAL MAN
by Hot Legs
1970

But a song produced in 1970 by Hot Legs , a band that evolved from Hot Legs to that brilliant band 10CC

Talking about Eclecticity......

Here is a bit of trivia that I heard quite a while ago.
Apparently 10cc was named after the average amount of man juice (how do you say that nicely?) produced during the act of sex.

Which raises an interesting scientific point.
How did they arrive at that average and what size sample (men not juice) was used?

An interesting conundrum.

Life Is indeed A Minestrone!

OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS

Had a catchy hit in 70s called Jackie Blue
I always thought the female singing was superb
Until
I very recently found out it was not a female
The vocals are by Larry Lee the groups drummer
4 40 years Ive been bluffed

I guess this qualifies as Eclectic

Is this a mistake you've ever made before, Scrappy?

Thinking is was a 'she' to later discover it was a 'he'?

Not a mistake
Thought it was a feMale all these years
Great song

These women sound a bit masculine

Helen Shapiro
Mariska Veres [Shocking Blue , not a Sturt Footballer, the band]
Liv Maesson

B4 your time booney
You tube the following songs and see what I mean

Not Responsible [Helen]
Venus[Mariska]
Snowbird [Liv]

Also let me know who had the better version of Venus
Shocking Blue or Bananarama

Also listen to Jackie Blue

Booney wrote:Is this a mistake you've ever made before, Scrappy?

Thinking is was a 'she' to later discover it was a 'he'?

your onto something Mr Booney, happened in New Zealand if my memory of Scrappy's story is correct

MAH - NA -MAH - NA

Talk about eclectic songs !

Tiptoe Through The Tulips
By
Tiny Tim

Eclectic song
Eclectic Singer

The song and the singer have a peculiarity
The letter T appears in the song title and singers name

A quartet out of Sydney that go by the name of Bondi Cigars.

They have been recording for over 20 years and have had 9 albums released in that time and have received widespread acclaim from music critics and music fans. There music is more of a bluesy sound .

Just a foot note to there name, apparently they were named after spotting human excrement floating in the water at bondi, floating turds that they called Bondi Cigars, a true story.

Have they seen Caddyshack?
Could have been the Bondi Chokitos

I must confess Ive never heard of Bondi Cigars, nor the meaning
Pretty good effort by any band to produce 9 alBUMs

Bondi Cigars are a great blues band, much like Chain for those who remember them. My favourite song is Someone else is Stepping In.

Album Nunsexmonkrock [1982]
By Nina Hagen

I dont know how to describe the singer or the songs

Im thinkin its a combination of
Sparks
Yoko Ono
Pink Floyd
Kate Bush
Lipps Inc
Queen
Women 5 minutes before child birth

Put them all together and mix it mainly with The B52s and it might just give a clue on the sound of  Nina Hagen
Worth hearing for the experience
I enjoyed listening to her