Richard Manfredi 
The “Great Lost Band” is a white whale, except usually with more addiction problems than Moby Dick. Everyone has their favorite band that, for whatever reason, didn’t achieve the type of long-term commercial success they should have. In some cases, being pushed to the fringes let these bands explore more unusual creative elements and created a cult of hardcore fans.
We take a look at the bands that, in our opinion, should have been much more successful than they were in their times. So come aboard our musical Peaquod and wait, what happened to the boat at the end? Yikes! Never mind. Well, we just hope you enjoy the show.
SHOW NOTES
Michael’s Picks:
The Kinks
- “Why Were the Kinks Banned From Playing in the United States in the ‘60s?” – Rule Forty Two
- “Brawls and Bans – The History of the Kinks’ Troubles in America” – Ultimate Classic Rock
- “Imaginary Man” Ray Davies Documentary
Elastica
- “Elastica Limits” Interview with Justine Frischmann – The Guardian
The Walkmen
- “Slow Burn, Slow Fade: Inside the Walkmen’s Final Days” – Stereogum
- Pitchfork’s “Bows and Arrows” Review (where they talk about “The Rat” basically everything they had put out before)
The Smiths
- “‘Mozipedia’ Author Simon Goddard on the Enigma of Morrissey” – Wall Street Journal
- Morrissey and Marr being interviewed by kids on the children’s show “Datarun” in 1984
Richard’s Picks
The Replacements
- “The Replacements: The Greatest Band That Never Was” – Rolling Stone
- “Telling the True Story of the Replacements” – MTV
Big Star
- “Four Years After Death, Alex Chilton Is Finally a Big Star” – NPR
- “Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me” Documentary Website
- “The 10 Best Big Star Songs” – Stereogum
Jellyfish
- “Your Next Favorite Band: Jellyfish” – Defending Axl Rose
- “God’s Gift to Oxygen: A Brief History of Jellyfish” – RogerJosephManningJr.com
Sir Douglas Quintet
- “Doug Sahm & the Sir Douglas Quintet Complete Mercury Recordings” Review – No Depression Magazine
- Live Performance of “Mendocino” on “Playboy After Dark”
- Doug Sahm Bio – Texas State Historical Society
The kinks !! When they came over, 3rd as you say(not exactly lol the Beatles weren’t first either) but when they did they blew the beatles and everyone else away with a string of hit’s. The also were miles ahead of anyone else at the time, playing punk in the 60’s essentially, the lyrics and the attitude was edgier and about sex and politics, the real world. Meanwhile the beatles are singing about holding hands. Wouldn’t change the kinks at all there discovery is far more impressive and varied than any other British band filled with 100’s of songs you will think “why is this song not a massive hit” and you find yourself singing along with them more than anyone I think. Ray/David were not really the two who were constantly fighting. Was also not the reason they were banned. The Kinks management at the time really let them down and cost them dearly and basically fell out with the wrong people meaning the kinks music wouldn’t be played in America, it was all to do with money, also there is a conspiracy theory relating to the beatles management and the block which came when the kinks were taking the world by storm. Ray was pretty laid back and reserved the friction/fighting was between the drummer Mick Avory & Dave, Mick even went on the run after he thought that he had killed him during one gig when he threw his symbol at Dave’s head! Basically yeah! they should’ve been a lot bigger, but it’s good to have bands that have literally 100’s of songs that are absolute gems you’ve never heard before, their albums feel fresh even today. If you listen to the kinks a lot and then go to say blur, oasis etc you will notice just how much they influenced everything that comes after them!
Thanks for the link. Cool podcast.
That was a fun read when I was doing the show research. And PS Michael Stipe’s Beard would be a FANTASTIC band name.