Bands who failed to live up to the hype

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I found the Audiobullies CD yesterday and wondered which bands failed most spectacularly to live up to early acclaim and guarantees of future brilliance. I guess Sigue Sigue Sputnik are an obvious example but I'm thinking more of bands like the Alpinestars who seemed to have totally disappeared after only about 2 years.

― everything, Thursday, 30 September 2004 20:55 (twenty-one years ago)

jonathan Fire*Eater, who were really good live when I saw them. I guess you coudl argue that they eventually hit paydirt as The Walkmen, but...

Also Jellyfish, and, most famously, Moby Grape.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 30 September 2004 20:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Jonathan Fire*eater -> Hype failed to live up to them, I think.

Failed to live up to hype - nearly all "supergroups" .. (All I've got is Asia & Damn Yankees - blanking on the supposed supergroups..)

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:00 (twenty-one years ago)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/pic200/drp100/p110/p11036rwkpc.jpg

Birdland

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Walkmen would still be better with Stuart Lupton in the spotlight. That guy ruled live. Too bad he pissed off all around him. A star too far...

― Loose Translation: Sexy Dancer (sexyDancer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.oneposter.com/UserData/Poster/Poster_567.jpg

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Nirvana

― chuck, Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe this thread should be "bands who were brilliant for about 3 months". Birdland really WERE kinda exciting, briefly. Ditto for Audiobullies.

― everything, Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Nirvana

stating, morbidly, the bloody literal there?

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Oasis

― Jackson, Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Two of my favorite bands, but The Stone Roses and The House of Love both failed to become the biggest bands in the world.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:26 (twenty-one years ago)

If Oasis count, so do Suede.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Nancy Boy
S.M.A.S.H
Orbital
The Charlatans

― paulhw (paulhw), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:29 (twenty-one years ago)

"Nirvana
-- chuck (cedd...), September 30th, 2004 3:19 PM."

(Defeated sigh)

Does Stuart Lupton have another band? When the Walkmen first started playing shows a few years ago, Lupton had something called "Stuart Lupton and the Child Brides," but they never seemed to go anywhere. He was a damned good frontman. (though I like Leithauser too).

― Taxi Dancing in the Soft Prison (Ben Boyer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Devo were massive in the UK music press for about 18 months in 77-79. They were on the cover of the NME about 5 times, including one which had Phil Lynott in a DEVO suit. My mother chucked it out, god bless her. Result: I think their highest chart position in the UK was #41 for "Whip It" (which wasn't till about 2 years later anyway).

― everything, Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but Devo are still around and beloved by great number of people ---- unlike, say, Birdland.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000007OSS.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― fringo, Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but Devo are still around and beloved by great number of people ---- unlike, say, Birdland

Oh, there are probably Birdland devotees kicking around somewhere too. Nothing surprises me any more.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 30 September 2004 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

the libertines

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

audioslave

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Urge Overkill

― Bruce S. Urquhart (BanjoMania), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:01 (twenty-one years ago)

though crappy "superbands" might be better suited for another thread.

x-post

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Urge Overkill were/are so much better than their hype.

― The Bitter Tears Of Little Lord Travolta (nordicskilla), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, there are probably Birdland devotees kicking around somewhere too. Nothing surprises me any more.

I still own -- and occaissionally play -- Birdland's debut.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:12 (twenty-one years ago)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre600/e645/e64580nz9oa.jpg

― frankE (frankE), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

http://ubl.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGCOVERS/music/cover200/drg000/g084/g08461ywknd.jpg

I'm not trying to be facetious. I remember reading the review of this album in Rolling Stone, and it was compared to Houses of the Holy. My high school buddies and I thought this record would sound pretty cool. Imagine my disappointment when I realized that I had been rooked.

A few years later, some guys in the dorm were raving about this band called Pearl Jam. I knew better and refused to get fooled for a second time.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Terris
Ultrasound
Gay Dad

― JoB (JoB), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

God...Terris were just awful. How could the NME do that to us?

― everything, Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

are we noticing the uk/usa ratio here? ie. britain produces way more hype than the US, and if you factor in the population difference, it becomes even more outrageously lopsided. I suppose you are right everything, it is down to the NME being a weekly and needing to convince itself week after week that an earthshattering new recording has been created that changes the face of rock and roll as we know it yadda yadda yadda . . .

― Drew Daniel, Thursday, 30 September 2004 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

jonathan Fire*Eater, who were really good live when I saw them. I guess you coudl argue that they eventually hit paydirt as The Walkmen, but...

AU CONTRAIRE, MON FRERE!

maybe commercially but the best Walkmen songs sound like Fire*Eater songs.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 30 September 2004 23:12 (twenty-one years ago)

The U.S. music press has produced absolutely ZERO hype since the grunge era*. That's why I love the UK music press so much more. How the fuck are us Americans supposed to find new exciting bands!?!?

* - except for the Strokes

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 1 October 2004 00:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Wait a minute. The Strokes shouldn't even count because weren't they superhyped in the UK, became really big stars, and then like a half-year later they were hyped over here?

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 1 October 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes. When they left New York they were getting little teeny blurbs in Time Out New York "Oh, these guys are pretty good...go see them." Next thing you know, they're in England and they're Gods. Thanks, guys.

― dlp9001, Friday, 1 October 2004 01:00 (twenty-one years ago)

the knack

― Kim (Kim), Friday, 1 October 2004 01:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Blind Faith

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 1 October 2004 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Mad Season! Haha! Oh boy, '90s grunge supergroup memories ahoy. (see also any band Scott Weiland is in that is not Stone Temple Pilots.)

Also, "Phil Lynott in a DEVO suit" has MADE MY WEEK.

― alfalfa romeo (natepatrin), Friday, 1 October 2004 02:11 (twenty-one years ago)

The Sundays

― daavid (daavid), Friday, 1 October 2004 03:45 (twenty-one years ago)

AU CONTRAIRE, MON FRERE!

maybe commercially but the best Walkmen songs sound like Fire*Eater songs.

-- manthony m1cc1o (anthonyisrigh...), October 1st, 2004.

I agree with that- if you listen to something like 'Little House of Savages' from the new Walkmen record, or 'Rue the Day' from the first one, they have the same feel as 'Station Coffee', or 'When the Curtain Calls for You' from Fire*Eater's 'Wolf song for lambs', which album is in my opinion >>>> anything the Walkmen have done. Too bad it's out of print.

― Kevin H (Kevin H), Friday, 1 October 2004 05:39 (twenty-one years ago)

manic street preachers. hyped as the best thing ever. and on snub tv they sounded like a third rate version of the jam. saw birdland live once. they were shit. the drummer got thrown out the venue by the club's bouncers.

― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Friday, 1 October 2004 06:19 (twenty-one years ago)

others :

- tiger - i mean really ?

- nasty rox inc - cover of nme prior to any release .. one single, one album full weight of ZTT promotion. gone within months. (anyone has a cd copy of the album hanging in their archives .. lemme know)

- Win - second album - raving review. then nothing.

- junior senior - fell for it ? nah.

- har mar superstar ? jury still out on this one.

etc etc ..

― mark e (mark e), Friday, 1 October 2004 06:30 (twenty-one years ago)

who remembers menswe@r?

― heywood jablomi (heywood), Friday, 1 October 2004 06:46 (twenty-one years ago)

me.

the 1st album is slated by all

.. but in reality .. tis a fine fun guitar pop album.

and as above - i too spin the Birdland white vinyl album from time to time.

i'll get me coat.

― mark e (mark e), Friday, 1 October 2004 06:51 (twenty-one years ago)

1985: Spelt Like This & The Roaring Boys - in their own ways, both text-book studies in how not to do it.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 1 October 2004 06:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Kim's mention of the Knack makes me remember the insanity of the "they're the new Beatles" hype at the time. And if I remember correctly, the hype really was as literal as that (a radio commercial: "so rarely does a new group come along...looking like the Beatles...SOUNDING like the Beatles...")

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 1 October 2004 08:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Also Jellyfish, and, most famously, Moby Grape.

What, the Moby Grape album isn't one of the best debut albums of all time?

― Jedermann sein eigener Fussball (Dada), Friday, 1 October 2004 08:14 (twenty-one years ago)

The Boredoms

― Jedermann sein eigener Fussball (Dada), Friday, 1 October 2004 11:18 (twenty-one years ago)

who remembers menswe@r?

Well, all the members of Menswe@r fused their unstable molecules together into one quasi-sentient being and they now all collectively play bass for Interpol.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 1 October 2004 14:03 (twenty-one years ago)

The Interpreters.

― BlastsOfStatic (BlastsofStatic), Friday, 1 October 2004 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Jedermann - it IS great - but it was also one of the most famous commercial flops of all time. Remember the purple and white balloons?

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 1 October 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

The Interpreters.

OTM - how on Earth did they fail to jump on the garage bandwagon they actually slightly preceded?

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 1 October 2004 14:39 (twenty-one years ago)

These Animal Men

― holojames (holojames), Friday, 1 October 2004 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Menswe@r.

(NB GVSB did live up to the hype, dammit! They weren't even all that hyped, in the UK at least!)

― Mog, Friday, 1 October 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

The Interpreters.

oh my god, were they that awful "Shout" band?

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Friday, 1 October 2004 14:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Gorillaz?
Freeway?
Fischerspooner?

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 1 October 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

haha, g vs. b; I park behind a car with a freak-on-ica bumpersticker often; it gets more faded and weathered every week. so sad.

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 1 October 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

IMHO, Interpreters weren't trying to ride garage, they were trying to ride the Philly mod/powerpop thing that never really took off, despite the efforts of incredible acts like Manta Ray and Photon Band. You knew Interpreters were destined to fail when they went on and on about how hard they worked and how they had cred even tho all their buzz was due to some industry connection they had. Anyway, I liked "Dogskin Report" and a couple other numbers on "Back in the U.S.S.A.," but they certainly didn't blow open the Philly indie rock scene as people had hoped they would.

― BlastsOfStatic (BlastsofStatic), Friday, 1 October 2004 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

GVSB's Freak*On*Ica wasn't perfect but it has some fine tracks. And their work on the Series 7 soundtrack and the recent comeback album show they've still got a lot of juice left. And New Wet Kojak has improved a LOT. Silly to look at these guys as failures or has-beens.\

I still rock a FreakOnIca sticker on my keyboard. I like running it through overdrive on the amp so it feels valid.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 1 October 2004 15:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Lisa Marie Presley.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 1 October 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Someone had mentioned Orbital which I find totally perplexing?

Peeerleeze!!

These two didn't need any hype to make great experimental, electronic records. They never "failed" as such, just went on there merry way for near 14 years making innovative sounds.

― herbalizer12 (herbalizer12), Friday, 1 October 2004 16:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Moby Grape

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Friday, 1 October 2004 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

i like that interpreters USSA record it's alright

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 1 October 2004 17:30 (twenty-one years ago)

everything on subpop ever

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Friday, 1 October 2004 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs. No?

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Friday, 1 October 2004 17:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Eden's Crush :)

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 1 October 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Not to beat this Interpreters thing, but I agree it is a servicable slab of rock. It just didn't live up to the hype, is all. I think a lot of Philly bands get overlooked, so it is frustrating that the Interpreters thing couldn't shine a little light into the scene for those outside the muthaf'n 215.

― BlastsOfStatic (BlastsofStatic), Friday, 1 October 2004 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

A better question would be: which bands did *not* fail to live up to the hype?

― kickitcricket (kickitcricket), Friday, 1 October 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I reviewed the Interpreters' USSA record for my old campus paper. If memory serves, I desribed listening to it as "like being punished for something I hadn't done".

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Friday, 1 October 2004 19:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Deadsy

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Saturday, 2 October 2004 03:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Canibus

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 2 October 2004 03:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Menswe@r's first LP is one of the best albums of the 90's!

― bbc6 personality (bbc6 personality), Saturday, 2 October 2004 04:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh please.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 2 October 2004 04:29 (twenty-one years ago)

LOL

― Bimble (bimble), Saturday, 2 October 2004 05:18 (twenty-one years ago)

elysian fields

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 2 October 2004 07:43 (twenty-one years ago)

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