most underrated band

[short_circus]

We've seen who everyone thinks is the best band, and the best guitarist...I've asked about influences before too. Now im asking this...

Which band from the hair days do you guys think was the most underrated band? Who rocked the hardest while never really getting to shine? Who was laying down solid licks while being generally ignored by the music buying public? It doesnt have to be a band formed in the 80's either, it could be an older band who simply didnt live up to the 80's style, or an existing band filled with new (at the time) members. Lets see some opinions, guys!

My vote will be for Keel, I felt they were a very good band, but really didnt make it far back in the day.

Next? :scratchhe

[kellcats521]

Underrated - I'll throw 2 in....

Badlands
Y&T

[jumbowolfe]

Easy - Most underrated band of alltime -

Kings X

[unchained1984]

Coney Hatch.
Tyketto.
Georgia Satellites (Dan Baird is the man)

Sandy

[atomicholiday]

I gotta go with Badlands too. I remember seeing them in concert and everybody but me hated them. And they REALLY rocked that night.

[ullathorne]

Hardline (neil schon) era.
Crown of thorns
Lone Justice.

[KramerWolf]

I also have to go with badlands... Pat let me listen to some of it when we were heading up to KK-04 together... and I never knew Jake could play like that...

James

[Lynch]

Badlands.
It's ironic how things go hand-in-hand. Jake was probly the most underated Guitarist of the 80's... weird. :-x

[short_circus]

Wow, i'd forgotten about Badlands. They really rocked. Jake E. Lee is one of my favorite metal guitarists, his work with Ozzy really blew me away. I must say that I'm not surprised to see the Georgia Satellites here, also a good band. I am a bit surprised to see Y&T on the list, they had lots of airplay on our local radio,...I'm also surprised to see King's X here. They were played a lot on radio here too. I thought both these bands had a bit more respect and success back in the day. And I remembered another band for me to nominate, April Wine.

[TBDREE]

drivin n cryin
cinderella
kentucky headhunters

[pewing33ny]

jake e. lee was great, although i only have his work with ozzy. at a local record shop they have an original badlands vinyl.

i can't really think of a band because I'm not as "80's" as most of you guys :D

i'm going to go with late extreme. They were non-existant after pornografitti but the albums were good, especially 3 sides. Also, they actually wrote lyrics that weren't all that generic and had meaning so I feel they never got respect in that sense.

[Lynch]

Y&T had a devout following, but ultimately were beaten out by other bands commercially.

April Wine I think did quite well, I wouldn't call them underated... they got their share.

Another band I think got overlooked huge was Tora Tora... man, I was sooo inspired by them but they met with very little commercial/radio success. To me they were so much better than half the crap on the radio at the time. Instead of bustin' out, they just called it a day after 2 albums.... bummer. :toilet

[scottie]

Badlands .. "Voodoo Highway" .. great record!

Didnt Ray Gillian, the singer , die last year?

Scott>

[unchained1984]

April Wine, interestingly Coney Hatch's Carl Dixon was playing on tour with them for a bit in between his solo projects. I think Y & T got some decent airplay but they deserved a whole lot more given their efforts over the years, they'd been there or thereabouts for a good number of years.

Sandy

[KramerWolf]

I downloaded some music from a band called U.D.O and it came out in 87... anyone ever hear of them? so far it sounds kick ass...

James

[atomicholiday]

I saw this video by a band called Heavy Bones yesterday on Metal Mania (VH1 Classic). I looked them up on the web later & found out it was Gary Hoey on guitar. I never heard of 'em before and this song absolutely floored me! I have to say from what I heard, those boys were WAY under rated.

[Louie Music]

Scottie, the singer for Badlands Ray died several years ago. I think I heard someone say it was AIDS, not sure though. I remember hearing someone talk sh*t about Jake because he didnt play at a memorium (sp?) concert in Ray's honor, but I think Jake was out on the road when that happened way back when.

Most underrated for 80's rock? I'm half tempted to go with Mike on King's X, but I'm also half tempted to say Savatage. Jon Oliva had a big, if not huge, impact on many metal guitarists and even some progressive as well... myself included, I love his playing. King's X though, man, they influenced a lot of progressive guys and alot of guys to go progressive. Tough call on those 2 bands.

[puddy]

I agree about Bad Lands, What a waste of true talent,. I hated hearing about Ray Gilian a couple of years ago.

[Lightningdan]

Badlands for sure.
Savatage (Chris Oliva was amazing guitarist r.i.p.)
Testament
Krokus

[kellcats521]

Ray Gillen died from AIDS complications in Dec. 1993 - more than a few years ago.....

Lynch - Tora Tora was an unbelievable band :thumbsup :thumbsup
I've got both releases, Suprise Attack and Wild America
Where did this guitarist, Keith Douglas vanish to?? :scratchhe :alien
That boy could PLAY!! :evil

[TommysGs]

I think Donken should have been more famous.
There is a Japanese band called Loudness that rocks.

[Louie Music]

I'm glad to see Testament got mentioned, awesome band. Another underrated band from the thrash genre was Suicidal Tendecies (God my spelling's bad tonight). Say what you will about S.T., but not only did they feature some killer guitar work, but they were the first "thrash" band to cross the racial borders with metal.

As far as Tora Tora goes, the singer & guitar player started a band in Georgia (i think it was there, where ever they were from) several years ago. They never made it outside the surrounding states club circuit, but I hear it was real rock blues type stuff. F.Y.I., there's a third Tora Tora c.d., unreleased, floating around out there. I heard part of one song from it on the net a few years ago, damn good rocker. But I lost where it was as well who out there has the "piroted" c.d. that will sale you a burnt copy. It's amazing how many albums by alot of bands from that era never got released because the record companies dropped them, same thing happened to Saraya.

[Padja]

Testament.... I was like 10 or 11 years old when my brother took me to Dynamo Open Air festival at Eindhoven in 1987, they rocked....I still have that vinyl EP, it got me into metal. Skolnick was a great player.

Kramerwolf...U.D.O. was the band of Udo Dirkschneider, the singer of Accept.

I'll get out of this thread now cause I was a schoolboy in the 80's :D

Cheers,
Padja

[Lynch]

I think Donken should have been more famous.

With a more powerfull singer, yeah.. they could have done better. Not that I hate Don or anything. But geesh, George would open up a song with killer guitar... then it all goes down the toilet as soon as Don starts his vocals. 'The Hunter' is a perfect example. It kicks ass... then mellows out right as he starts his vocals.


There is a Japanese band called Loudness that rocks.

WOCK AN WOWL KWAZY NIGHTS! LOL! :headbang
Akira Takasaki was actually a killer player, I saw them live in Japan years ago. He fried everyones face off. Increadible technical player. Killer still makes guitars. Never tried one, but when I go back I'm gonna give one a test drive. http://www.mcpherson-racing.com/Vb/images/smilies/smiles/3gears.gif

Kellcats... no Idea what happened to anyone from Tora Tora... they just fell off the face of the earth.

Which reminds me... anyone know what happened to Full Devil Jacket?? They did one album a few years ago and dissapeared!!?? :scratchhe

[KramerWolf]

that's interesting that it's Udo's band... the guitarest is s shredder on this... Accept always rocked, but I would have never placed udo in a shredders setting....

James

[Accept2]

My picks for underratted are Devo and The Ramones. They are the 2 bands that get dumped on alot, and I'd rather listen to them than alot of the hairfarm bands.............

[smorgdonkey]

I'll throw in another vote for Badlands...I listened to them a lot.
Also M.S.G. in any incarnation was a fantastic band that spanned a few decades and I don't know if they ever had a hit but boy that Michael Schenker can really rip!!

[atomicholiday]

Also M.S.G. in any incarnation was a fantastic band that spanned a few decades and I don't know if they ever had a hit but boy that Michael Schenker can really rip!!
Schenker is incredible. But I can't think of a single song he did that got radio play. I think he was bigger in Europe than here in the states?

[Lightningdan]

I'll list a couple more relative unknowns that had killer guitar work.


Helloween
Metal Church
Armored Saint

[Padja]

Helloween underrated? Maybe they were underrated in the US, but here in Europe they came closer to being overrated :D

Very cool band tho, specially "Walls of Jericho" and "judas". I can remember Kai Hansen (singer/guitarist) playing a Kramer Voyager when I saw them live....

I agree on Armoured Saint...they never got the credits they deserved IMHO.

Cheers guys,
Padja.

[lynchman]

I think Donken should have been more famous.
There is a Japanese band called Loudness that rocks.

Loudness are a must listen to any metal lead guitarist! Akira TAKASAKI
is a phenominal guitarist, and the band kicks ass also. check out (thunder in the east) :headbang