Filmmaker

Just to clarify, I gave no cap on # of albums released.

Nor was this a requirement, as borne out by the fact that my own pick that started the thread is a band that is still together.

It's certainly arguable as to how large their following is. Adam Tyner, if he doesn't mind me speaking on his behalf, and I are of the opinion that they are still only popular in a "cult" sense, without having ever broken through into the mainstream at all. The closest they might have ever gotten was the song "Dear God", and I would guess that if you asked 100 people off the streets if they'd ever heard of the band of that song, all 100 would have no clue to what you were referring.

benedict

I gather they've been big in Japan for a good time. Their cult success in the US followed on from a period [1979-1982] of chart success in the UK.

wendersfan

I don't think that XTC have ever "faded" in the way were talking about in this thread. Their popularity has remained fairly steady for the past 25+ years, given that they had some singles that charted early in their career.

Filmmaker

And that's a fair point; still, the core issue here is that Adam feels XTC deserves better than it has yet to get in terms of chart success/mass popularity, so I think it's a fair choice.

CRM114

The title of the thread is "...faded too early." XTC has never faded.

And I'd venture to guess that "Making Plans for Nigel" was a larger "hit" than Dear God. The point is that there is a large contingent of XTC fans still around - much moreso than say Jesus Jones.

I just got this link emailed to me yesterday. XTC has a tribute album called "Testimonial Dinner." Its not like no one ever noticed.

XTC is one of the greatest bands of all time. Seriously.

Furthermore, I didn't think the bands in this thread had anything to do with the "mainstream." If so, it'd be an MC Hammer thread.

Adam Tyner

In terms of quality? No. (Well, there are individual albums I don't much care for -- I don't find myself reaching for "Go2" or "Mummer" with any great frequency -- but that's beside the point.)

In terms of popularity? I disagree that XTC is as popular now as they've ever been. XTC is one of my all-time favorite bands, and they've had an indelible effect on my passion for music, but I don't think they've enjoyed the success they deserve, and I don't see them as being at the peak of their popularity right now.

Bear in mind that the tribute album you mentioned is almost a decade old, and the Young Fresh Fellows, who most people reading this thread have never heard of, have a tribute album too. Doesn't mean anything. As far as the "mainstream" quip goes, the first post mentioned Jesus Jones. I took one of the possible topics of discussion as bands who were underappreciated in their later years compared to their earlier successes, and under that definition, I believe XTC fits the bill. That's all I'm saying. No slight was intended. I have nearly an entire rack on my CD shelf decided to XTC and related projects, I've been reading Chalkhills for close to a decade now (I'm even thanked on the chalkhills.org discography), I keep XTC in heavy rotation in my various CD players, I wrote a review of The Old Grey Whistle Test just because XTC was on it... I would like to think I'm not casually making an uninformed statement.

dick_grayson

yeah, a band that releases over 10 albums over a span of 15 years hasn't exactly "faded" in my opinion either


Lush was one of my favorite bands that hanged it up after the drummer killed himself. They had a lot of promise.

CRM114

OK, but then we simply disagree on the point of the thread. I took it to mean bands that released an album or three and then vanished (or faded). XTC's 80's popularity has decreased with people that lumped them in with other 80s bands like Haircut 100 or Flock of Seagulls. Those that are the true fan of the band realize they haven't faded. Its like people who think Elvis Costello stopped making music after Imperial Bedroom. Has Elvis "faded?" He hasn't had a hit since Veronica yet his music and following is stronger than ever. And Mummer is a fantastic album.

wendersfan

To continue on the XTC hijack vein:

1) Part of the reason XTC never attained the heights they might have in a just and fair world is because they stopped playing live shows more than 20 years ago.

2) I think Mummer is my favorite XTC album. Maybe. It's hard to say, but I think it's fair to say that it best exemplifies the aspects of the band I hold most dear, which is to say, it's like a contemporary version of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, if that makes sense. Oddly, Skylarking is probably my least favorite of theirse, save the almost forgotten Go 2.

Adam Tyner

If I had to characterize my taste in music, I'd probably point to power-pop (or say "sophisticated, head-bobbing music", but that's not really a genre most people recognize), and the XTC albums with more of a power-pop-oriented sound tend to be the ones I love the most..."Black Sea", "English Settlement", "Nonsuch", "Wasp Star", and, to a lesser extent, "White Music". I'm also a great fan of "Apple Venus", despite not fitting the power-pop bill. There are individual songs I love on "Mummer", as with all XTC albums ("Great Fire", "Love on a Farmboy's Wages", "Ladybird"), but the overall slower, less overtly poppy, pastoral sound isn't much up my alley. I think I'd like it a great deal more if I'd spend more time listening to it, but for some reason, I have a hard time playing it from start to finish. At least I have given it a chance in the past couple of months, whereas I haven't listened to "Go2" in five or six years (and the only XTC album I haven't listened to in at least the past year).

wendersfan

Given that Big Star are my favorite band, I'd have to say "power pop" is likely my favorite genre as well. I just think XTC's strengths lie (slightly) elsewhere - less "power", more "pastoral" along with the "pop".

Filmmaker

As the intiator if this thread, I'm compelled to throw in more of my $0.02. If we consider "Dear God" and "Making Plans for Nigel" to be the peak of XTC's mainstream success then, yes, quite clearly, they've faded from that degree of mass recognition since then.

Sure, but we're still comparing oranges and tangerines--neither group enjoys the mainstream success they once had for a fleeting instance.

If someone laments the downturn of M.C. Hammer's career, their opinion would be welcome here. In terms of the thread being about mainstream success, my original post did use phrases/terms like: "thought had every chance of ...reigning as a major musical force", "I thought the musical landscape would now belong to them", "this group had, and hopefully still has, the talent and uniqueness to be a true musical force with which to be reckoned and it saddens me that they likely will never get a second chance to return to the level of mass recognition and appreciation they enjoyed back in the days of "Right Here, Right Now"... Hence, my indicators of a band that once enjoyed chart success. Many of the bands listed by other posters don't really qualify, but they still make for interesting discussion, so I'm cool with it. XTC, however, would fit more correctly with my intentions for this thread.

CRM114

Cool! Its your thread man.

After growing up on Black Sea and English Settlement, I loved the direction XTC too afterwards. The Big Express is probably my favorite of them all. There aren't any of their albums I don't like but I tend to listen to more of their later stuff now. Love the mellow and orchestrated arrangements!

FrozenMetalHead

I was very surprised that Buckcherry didn't do more after their debut. Sure I thought they were a bad ripoff of GNR, but it's not like GNR was doing anything. Rock just wasn't en vogue at that time.

My biggest disappointment was seeing Luscious Jackson die off the way they did. I loved their first two albums, but thought they started to fall off after that - and they never got much "commercial" recognition - despite having a Gap commercial. I still am waiting for Jill Cunniff to sprout up somewhere and do something again.

DVD Josh

If Failure came out today they would probably be categorized as emo.

Pillowhead

I doubt it, they are categorized as space rock. They are really hard to classify. I know Maynard from Tool and A Perfect Circle is a big fan, he covered it on A Perfect Circle's album, not emotive, the one before it.

I can almost guarantee anyone that listens to this album becomes a Failure fan.

xfilekr

I agree w/ The Verve Pipe, love that band. Brian put out a good solo album, am hoping they'll get together for a new cd...... Underneath never got the promotion it needed....stupid RCA.

lordzeppelin

I'll second My Bloody Valentine.

How about At the Drive-In, or Refused?

BJacks

Wow, that's awesome that you said that. Verve Pipe was from my hometown in West Michigan. The band's percussionist was my drum instructor. Everyone in my high school was listening to them in the early 90s and then they hit it big. I remember being really excited when I found an entire Verve Pipe section at a record store in Westwood, CA.

But back to the thread, the Gin Blossoms disappeared pretty quickly, which was suprising since they came out around the same time as the Goo Goo Dolls and both had some huge hits. One band stuck around, the other didn't. I really thought the Blossoms would have had more staying power.

cungar

Big Star

Son-volt

Letters to Cleo. Best pop band of the 90's, a sentiment shared by baseball expert cum rock fanatic Peter Gammons.

Veruca Salt. First album was fairly unremarkable ninties grunge-influenced pop, but their flop follow-up Eight Arms to Hold You is a frikkin' brillliant pop album with some great Bob Rock cheeseball 80's guitar work.

Whisketown and Uncle Tupelo were both brilliant bands who ended way too soon, but as they spit out Ryan Adams, Wilco, Son Volt, Bottle Rockets, Caitlin Cary and Jay Farrar from the rubbish of their demise I don't think I can count them. Plus both released for great, if rarely-purchased, albums.

C-Mart

Yes, yes, and don't really know, though I have heard of the aftermath bands. I even tried to record all of the cartoon episodes where the singing was done by the lead singer from Letters. Generation O I think it was called.

I have to add Save Ferris. They put out 3 awesome albums, but were never able to build up the mainstream following to sustain. Their fans however all love(d) them immensely, and I saw several familiar faces whenever I would go to a show or an appearance. Now they are broken up, and I am eagerly anticipating Monique's solo debut album. I was lucky enough to catch her at the House of Blues in Anaheim just after they broke up, she still did Save Ferris songs, but closed with a couple of her own songs, and a cover of "We're Not Gonna Take It" that was spectacular. Unfortunately it is taking her forever to put out the album.

Another band I have to mention is called Cleaner. They were a hard rock band fronted by a female. I saw them at a "Women of Rock" or some such show that was headlined by Save Ferris at the Palace in Hollywood, and they were awesome. I bought the ep (just CDrs) at the show and have barely heard from them again. I heard that the girl didn't cut it and they were in the market for a new female singer, but have heard nothing since then.

Dan

Creeper Lagoon. They put out two albums and a couple EPs, then broke up. Well, technically, they still exist, but only with one original member. But without Ian (eye-an) on vocals, they're not the same at all. Everyone should buy "Take Back the Universe and Give Me Yesterday". File under "Solid Pop-rock with lyrics that don't suck"

Failure was definitely a good band as well. I haven't listened "Fantastic Planet" in a long time. The vocalist's new band, Year of the Rabbit, is quite good too. File both under "Grunge, I guess..."

Mr. Bungle. Maybe not the best of projects involving Mike Patton, but without a doubt the most entertaining. Disco Volante and California are fantastic albums from start to finish (excluding the first track on DV). File under "Organized Noise"

At the Drive-In. Mars Volta and Sparta are good in their own way, but neither even comes close to ATDI (and I heard the two new bands before any ATDI). File under "politically-charged prog punk and more"

durden007

The Toadies. Their album Rubberneck is absolutely great. Their 1st disc Pleather shows their potential, Rubberneck was awesome, and their follow up was decent, but didn't get any radioplay or promotion at all. I think they broke up, not sure.

Gunshy

Good pick, I must agree too. I think they kind of caught the coattails of grunge or were swallowed in the sound-alike morass. I still love their stuff and I think the last release was excellent (but can't touch Rubber). Didja pick up the live CD? It's an excellent epitaph (assuming that is, that they are really no more).

-Gunshy