[Music] Bands who were ridiculed for being unoriginal or shite, but years later sound brilliant

[portlock seagull]

I love HWT's music threads! I've almost never heard of any of the bands or amazing singles despite a love of many genres and being a 70s and 80s officianardo! Remarkable really - any chance you could do one on Hits that were hits because they appeal on masse!

 

[jakarta]

Can't recall which music paper called them The Worst Band in the World but I'm sure one of them did (NME?).

Not to Lemmy's Face I wouldn't have thought...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXeqb0VUlBI

 

[Weststander]

Billy Idol (the mid 80’s US version).

Bruce Springteen - his music was lambasted equally by hard core rockers and those understandably dismissive of some American dirge. Now widely respected.

 

[Nigella's Cream Pie]

Decca's Dick Rowe, after auditioning the Beatles: "Guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein".

 

[Gwylan]

Bruce Springteen - his music was lambasted equally by hard core rockers and those understandably dismissive of some American dirge. Now widely respected.

I'd have said the exact opposite: he was hyped out of all proportion in his early days ("I have seen the future of rock and roll and his name is Bruce Springsteen") and there was certainly a feeling that early critics had gone over the top.

 

[Weststander]

I'd have said the exact opposite: he was hyped out of all proportion in his early days ("I have seen the future of rock and roll and his name is Bruce Springsteen") and there was certainly a feeling that early critics had gone over the top.

All about perspective. I understand where you’re coming from, but in his the first decade or so, I never came across anyone who liked his music bar the odd song. Plus the mainstream UK music press detested his music. Colleagues and school mates into rock dismissed him as a lightweight US imposter.

Now he’s adored by a wide, nostalgic fanbase.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Their record company gave me freebie LPs of the Opposition back then. TBH, I can understand why hardly anybody has ever heard of them.

Their 'other' first album (which was not generally released) was a Police soundalikee nightmare that has all the worst elements of cod reggae and 'wey-oooh' vocals butnone of the charm. However...

 

[Lurchy]

Radiohead.

 

[zefarelly]

Oasis

oh hang on, they're still shit.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I'd have said the exact opposite: he was hyped out of all proportion in his early days ("I have seen the future of rock and roll and his name is Bruce Springsteen") and there was certainly a feeling that early critics had gone over the top.

Yes. Tony Parson was one of the droolers. Star Wars and Bruce Springsteen. The NME was all over it. However, Born to Run, the magical breathtaking record that made him, was not his first album. Fit for another thread - bands that suddenly went interstellar after their third or fourth release.....(Supertramp and Simple Minds are noteworthy in this regard). Unusual of me to disagree with [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION]

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Radiohead.

I don't ever recall people dismissing them as shit. They were huge in the 90s.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Oasis

oh hang on, they're still shit.

Hmmmm.....they were another group who were never dismissed at the time....and their sudden rise at Creation records meant the end of the brilliant Adorable

Another group who got squeezed due to the company focusing on a 'better prospect' was Readbeat, who lost out to Killing Joke. Redbeat were brilliant but sadly nobody has heard of them, even now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4tmUFgweQw

another thread...

 

[Stato]

Radiohead.

Surely the exact opposite. Critics love them but every time I hear them I have this playing in my mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t80UDdbV3Mk

 

[sully]

Talk Talk.

Initially written off as being Duran Duran wannabes but evolved into a majestic band who did their own thing by the time they released Spirit of Eden were a world apart.

Have to agree with this.

I thought them a strange choice on the stage list for “Six of the Best” at Milton Keynes when Peter Gabriel joined Genesis on stage to raise money to pay for his Womad project.

They (Talk Talk) got bombarded by missiles for their entire set and I always remember a watermelon landing perfectly wet side down on a keyboard.

I dismissed them for years as hopeless, but when a friend of mine played me some of their music some years later, I had to admit that they were pretty good.

 

[Pevenseagull]

My Bloody Valentine were initially dismissed as muddled, derivative and shambolic.

Went on to make the greatest album of all time.

If I'd been around to hear the first David Bowie and Bob Dylan, albums I wouldn't have expected them to go on to do much.

The first Blur album didn't show much promise.
Nor Primal Scream's.

Or The Cocteau Twins

 

[pearl]

Suede

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Slade.

 

[Gwylan]

Yes. Tony Parson was one of the droolers. Star Wars and Bruce Springsteen. The NME was all over it. However, Born to Run, the magical breathtaking record that made him, was not his first album.

Yes, that was first commercial success but he attracted absolutely rave reviews for his first two albums - he certainly wasn't dismissed as shite. And BTR was before Tony Parsons joined NME. I remember him being on the front cover in autumn 1975, well before TP joined the paper. I remember thinking it was a bit over-the-top for someone who hadn't yet played a gig in the UK and who'd had no commercial success.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Talk Talk.

Initially written off as being Duran Duran wannabes but evolved into a majestic band who did their own thing by the time they released Spirit of Eden were a world apart.

The single Talk, Talk was originally done by The Reaction (Mark Hollis was in both bands) and lyrics were more politically motivated. Can be found on the Beggars Banquet ‘Streets’ album. I preferred the original but the Talk Talk version was pretty good as well.

 

[marcos3263]

Talk Talk.

Initially written off as being Duran Duran wannabes but evolved into a majestic band who did their own thing by the time they released Spirit of Eden were a world apart.

Love them and even named my son Hollis after the lead singer but their later stuff is challenging to listen to!