Most underrated musician

[nytemare]

Ok this is in response to the overrated musician thread.

My nod in this category goes to Peter Gabriel.

[DenverDem]

1. Prince.

He writes, sings and plays every instrument better than anyone on the planet. The man is phenomenal and incredibly prolific.

[nytemare]

5. yes, despite his strangeness

his talent stands out.

[DenverDem]

9. His strangeness adds to his appeal, IMNSHO.

That is what makes it "art".

[nytemare]

13. yes he has a Van Goghey quality that way I suppose

or maybe Daliey..LOL.

[tjdee]

16. He is an amazing musician, I completely agree.

Perhaps because he leans toward pop (some of his work is decidedly rock though)?

He deserves way more kudos than, say, Eric Clapton.

[x-g.o.p.er]

2. Bryan Adams

[redstateblues]

6. Underrated- Are you Kidding? He's A Rock &Roll God

[x-g.o.p.er]

10. Minor deity, maybe. God? No....

He is never mentioned in the same breath as Springsteen, Mellencamp, and other uber-stars of his age and type of rock.

But he should be, and that's why I think he's over-rated.

[redstateblues]

3. Sonny Landreth- Guitarist From Louisana

[Mojambo]

4. Jonathan Richman n/t

[magdalena]

29. ooo I'd have to agree

and I get to go see him TOMORROW!! Another musician who I think is somewhat similar to Jonathan is Dan Bern. I wish more people would come to know his glory.

[warrens]

7. Steve Diggle

His solo stuff, under Flag of Convenience, blows away most Buzzcocks stuff. Not the first three albums, but I think he is way more talented than Pete Shelley.

Ed Kuepper, the guitar player with the Saints, lost the name to Chris Bailey when they broke up. His solo stuff, under his name and the Aints, is routinely brilliant.

And John Cale. I don't know if he can be called underrated, but Lou Reed gets the sales, while Cale puts out the good albums, at least lately. Cale has just done amazing stuff for many years.

And the poor abused Mekons. Over and over, they make great records and no one buys them.

[eoberhauser]

8. PJ Harvey and Liz Phair

My two favorite musicians - women who rock. They write, they play and they sing. And they kick ass live.

Also on the Prince thing, just move to Minnesota if you think he's underrated - you will be in Prince heaven ;)

Erin

[JimmyJazz]

11. Mick Jones of the Clash - dude could actually play his instrument

and was one hell of an arranger!

[warrens]

14. Dude

Change your name back, it was MUCH cooler.

(For those who don't know, Joe Strummer came out of the 101ers, a proto-punk pub rock band along the lines of Dr. Feelgood)

[JimmyJazz]

20. Why are you all telling me this NOW?

I don't even know who you are and you are asking me to change my name! Actually, FTR - the 101ers were an R&B band, not a punk proto-type. It wasn't until Joe saw the Sex Pistols that he decided to go in the direction of Punk - he really was just a hippie at heart.

Oh, and it's Dudette.

[warrens]

22. Oops, sorry, dudette

But 101ers was SO cool. And I thought they were very punky, just crude and straight ahead rock, in an age of total shit. Keys to Your Heart and Surf City were both great proto-punk songs. I still like Dr. Feelgood and Eddie and the Hot Rods, both from the same circuit, not to mention Graham Parker.

I got to interview Joe a couple of times and he was really a hippie at heart. Paul and Topper were far more Sex Pistol-ish. Anyway, I was complimenting your name, I got it right away.

[JimmyJazz]

28. Of course Joe wa a hippie at heart - carried around a -

copy of On The Road! - although he always said he hated hippies. (He really did hate journalists, though :P) Just kidding.

Paul is a total sweetie, nice to the ladies!

Thanks for the compliment on my original name, btw.

I know you've seen this picture, but I still love it anyway:

[TroubleMan]

12. Ann Peebles, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, The Roots, Mos Def, Talib Kweli

Ann Peebles is the most underrated singer .....EVER. She made one of the best soul albums ever, and probably nobody except me and NightTrain have ever heard of her. If you like soul music, do yourself a favor and buy a copy of "I Can't Stand The Rain." I guarantee you'll be happy with it.

Every single piece of work by Erykah Badu and Jill Scott have been nearly perfect, but they get little or no air play from the corporate powers. Those two, along with Alicia Keys and Anthony Hamilton, are keeping the soul music tradition alive.

The Roots are a rap group that plays live instruments, and have one of the most talented MC's in today's rap (Black Thought). They get no respect from the corporate media because they refuse to sell out and compromise on their music.

Mos Def & Talib Kweli - Just look up the lyrics to "Thieves In The Night" or "Respiration." The Blackstar album IMHO ranks in the top ten of greatest hip hop albums of all time, but sadly most people have never heard that brilliant album.

[nytemare]

15. Jill Scott is great!

What happened to Lauryn Hill? We need to hear from her.

[TroubleMan]

17. I love Lauryn Hill, too....I think she's raising babies right now though.

Her and Rohan popped out a few.

I'm sure in like 5-10 years she'll come out with a masterpiece.

[nytemare]

18. wow that is a way off!

I was listening to "Everything is Everything" today, very appropriate for the times we are in after the election.

[corporatemedia]

19. TINY TIM

[mitchum]

21. David Bowie is underrated as a MUSICIAN, but WAY overrated...

as an "artist" and "great thinker".
This is the thing that drives me nuts about many of those who sing his praises. His "ideas" are generally second hand and/or second rate, but he does have serious musical chops (which are far too often overlooked)

[xpunkisneatx]

23. Jonah Matranga

This man plays on stage with only his guitar and an R2D2 tape player that plays his percussion. Absolute genius. He was at one time the lead singer of the band Far, and then he went on to Onelinedrawing (his solo project), which led to New End Original, which then ended and he was Onelinedrawing again, and now he just goes by Jonah...oh and he is in a new band called Gratitude.

His website has tons of stuff on it...i suggest you go there and check him out. He changed my life :)
Go here http://www.jonahmatranga.com/

[Sufi Marmot]

24. The bearded guy in the turban... n/t

[Hug__a__Repug]

25. Utada.

Utada. I bet most people don't even know who she is here. Her album Exodus is mix of synthies, pop and and enigmatic sounds...you just have to hear it for yourself. go to www.utada.com and check it out.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

26. John Mellencamp

my firends dismiss him as sappy and cheesy, but i love they guy's work and he's had a pretty consistant output of quality over the years

[dbt]

27. Robbie Krieger with The Doors!

Sleek, slinky, sexy guitar parts that moved through the landscape of Manzarek and Densmore like a panther in the swamp:

"People Are Strange"
"Moonlight Drive"
"The Spy"
"The End"

:smoke:
dbt