Most Underrated/Overrated Artists

**Frownland** · 12-16-2013, 08:34 AM

Frank Zappa is very well known and adored, but I think that someone of his caliber should be at the same level of admiration as The Beatless and Zeppelin. Frank Zappa helped Captain Beefheart out in getting more publicity, but Vliet is criminally underrated imo (surprising opinion from a member with the username Frownland, I know).

Forward To Death · 12-16-2013, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rjinn

In that regard, perhaps not. But regarding he's highly influential, and often listed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time speaks a lot more volume than being mainstream.

It only really speaks volumes about his ability, not about his music and the impact that it had on his peers and the music industry.

Forward To Death · 12-16-2013, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Frank Zappa is very well known and adored, but I think that someone of his caliber should be at the same level of admiration as The Beatless and Zeppelin. Frank Zappa helped Captain Beefheart out in getting more publicity, but Vliet is criminally underrated imo (surprising opinion from a member with the username Frownland, I know).

Beefheart is definitely up there on my list of underrateds.

Rjinn · 12-17-2013, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Frank Zappa is very well known and adored, but I think that someone of his caliber should be at the same level of admiration as The Beatless and Zeppelin. Frank Zappa helped Captain Beefheart out in getting more publicity, but Vliet is criminally underrated imo (surprising opinion from a member with the username Frownland, I know).

He's over the caliber of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin musically speaking, but from what I can tell he had no desire to be mainstream. He remained underground, helped define it and did well.

I agree with Captain Beefheart as underrated.

Screen13 · 12-17-2013, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Boomtown Rats are overrated? By who? I don't think most people even know who they are, let alone rate them particularly highly.

Bob Geldolf, Sir Bob to some, was part of "Do They Know It's Christmas"/Band Aid, which might cause a lot of people in The UK, Ireland, and other places where they had more than just one small charting single to remember them ("I Don't Like Mondays" only got somewhere in the 70's or 60's on the US charts due to it's subject matter). Sometimes lumped in with Punk by those who remember the first album, they were really not too much part of that scene, so in a way they were over-rated by some through their first appearances which were shows more to be Pop in wild clothes with a charismatic singer. They were a good Rock/Pop band for a while until V Deep seriously killed their stride (1982), but I would say that post-1981, it would be Geldolf who's the over-rated one although I have to say that Is That All is very good reading considering how the Late 70's music scene was treated by the US wings of the major record companies who never would have thought that rock bands and videos would really go together (suits always lived in the past!)...but his solo music is certainly not worth really writing home about.

Oxy · 12-17-2013, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rjinn

Frank Zappa is underrated? He's hailed as one of the best guitarists of all time. Would really like to hear why you would think so...

Nobody could seriously say Frank Zappa was one of the best guitarists technically. No disrespect to Mr Zappa by saying that.

Five minutes listening to Jan Akkerman, Richie Blackmore or Steve Howe would give some perspective. There are countless others too who are seriously good (whether or not you actually like their music) from a technical viewpoint, that are leagues ahead of the great Frank Zappa.

**Janszoon** · 12-17-2013, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Screen13

Bob Geldolf, Sir Bob to some, was part of "Do They Know It's Christmas"/Band Aid, which might cause a lot of people in The UK, Ireland, and other places where they had more than just one small charting single to remember them ("I Don't Like Mondays" only got somewhere in the 70's or 60's on the US charts due to it's subject matter). Sometimes lumped in with Punk by those who remember the first album, they were really not too much part of that scene, so in a way they were over-rated by some through their first appearances which were shows more to be Pop in wild clothes with a charismatic singer. They were a good Rock/Pop band for a while until V Deep seriously killed their stride (1982), but I would say that post-1981, it would be Geldolf who's the over-rated one although I have to say that Is That All is very good reading considering how the Late 70's music scene was treated by the US wings of the major record companies who never would have thought that rock bands and videos would really go together (suits always lived in the past!)...but his solo music is certainly not worth really writing home about.

This kind of goes to my point. While they may have been overrated by some in the UK over thirty years ago, they're not a band who are presently very highly regarded.

**Frownland** · 12-17-2013, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oxy

Nobody could seriously say Frank Zappa was one of the best guitarists technically. No disrespect to Mr Zappa by saying that.

Five minutes listening to Jan Akkerman, Richie Blackmore or Steve Howe would give some perspective. There are countless others too who are seriously good (whether or not you actually like their music) from a technical viewpoint, that are leagues ahead of the great Frank Zappa.

The solo on this track seems rather proficient, moreso than Blackmore imo. I appreciate Frank's playing style moe, as Blackmore's solos kind of only go in one direction. The other guitarists are some heavy competition though.

SammieSix · 12-17-2013, 01:01 PM

I love all the posts but seriously...Towers of London are the most underrated band out there. Punk rock with all the trimmings, they dont make it like this anymore. They even answer the door in their pants. You gotta love them.

Oxy · 12-17-2013, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

The solo on this track seems rather proficient, moreso than Blackmore imo. I appreciate Frank's playing style moe, as Blackmore's solos kind of only go in one direction. The other guitarists are some heavy competition though.

Indeed Frownland.

These things are not a competition thankfully. I see lots of bands of all kinds and very often the band has a '2nd' guitar player who keeps the whole thing sounding 'unique'.

Thats why I have always appreciated some of the less famous bands over the years. And importantly, some of the finest players are unknown 'session' guys.

12-16-2013, 08:34 AM	#1921 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Frank Zappa is very well known and adored, but I think that someone of his caliber should be at the same level of admiration as The Beatless and Zeppelin. Frank Zappa helped Captain Beefheart out in getting more publicity, but Vliet is criminally underrated imo (surprising opinion from a member with the username Frownland, I know). __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

12-17-2013, 01:01 PM	#1929 (permalink)
SammieSix Groupie Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 2	Towers of London I love all the posts but seriously...Towers of London are the most underrated band out there. Punk rock with all the trimmings, they dont make it like this anymore. They even answer the door in their pants. You gotta love them.