TC here and I love talking to WDHA listeners about bands! Sometimes the subject of SEVERELY UNDERRATED comes up and I couldn’t agree more.
Do we wonder why certain great bands weren’t the biggest bands in the universe? I compiled a TC list, based on some personal choices and years of WDHA listener feedback. Bands from our past and a few from today…..in NO particular order.
Tesla at WDHA
Kings X
Doug Pinnick, Ty Tabor and Jerry Gaskill make up the melodic power trio Kings X.
Their 1988 debut “Out Of The Silent Planet” is a must have for rock music fans with King, Goldilox and Shot Of Love being brilliant standouts. The soulful, hard rock vocals of Doug Pinnick are both beautiful and electrifying. Kings X released 13 records including one this year called “Three Sides Of One”.
Don’t have their catalog? Start downloading or better yet grab some vinyl!Kings X- Over My Head
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies
Out of Nashville “The Wheelies” were on Atlantic Records and I first became awareof them when they played a WDHA Halloween Party in 1993 just as their debut cane out. Their fanbase is one of the most loyal in rock and singer Mike Farris has a blistering, blues vocal style and the band is amazing.
SCW performed this summer as part of their “Long Goodbye” tour to packed houses everywhere.
They should have been MASSIVE!SCW- Live- Shakin’ The Blues-
Thin Lizzy
Massively talented and amazing cool, Thin Lizzy should have been MASSIVE! Led by their super charismatic, bass playing, songwriting, beautiful frontman Phil Lynott, The band had minor hits that still live today on rock radio but you need to check out their catalog of scorching rockers! “Bad Reputation”, “Chinatown” and “Waiting for an Alibi” are recommended. Sadly we lost Phil in 1986 at the age of 36.
Thin Lizzy- Chinatown
Crobot
Monster, amazing band that blow my doors off everytime I see them live or hear their records.
Crobot vocalist Brandon Yeagley is one of current based rock music’s most underrated with his insane vocal range and bigger than life stage presence. This band is INCREDIBLE!
They have played acoustic for WDHA taking requests and doing everything from Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, Rainbow’s Stargazer and Aretha Franklin’s Chain Of Fools….Off the cuff….
Their most recent release “Feel This” is one of this years greatest rock albums.Crobot- Nowhere To Hide
Crobot – Golden
Crobot- Chain Of Fools
Veruca Salt
Killer riffs, jamming tunes….And a band that inspired Seether to take their name, the ladies of the 90’s made a huge impact and didn’t get the credit that they deserve. Veruca Salt was one of those bands-
Founded by Nina Gordon and Louise Post, This band was a 90’s gem-Veruca Salt- Seether
Zebra
Another power trio, this time out of Long Island- Damn these guys had great songs!
Zebra defined underrated in the 80’s and proved that being the biggest star doesn’t matter. They started our as a Zeppelin cover band and were called “The Next Led Zeppelin” by their record label….a curse for any new band.
These guys are still performing their amazing songs, with the same three guys, Randy Jackson, Guy Gelso and Felix Hanneman, 40 plus years later and their timeless music is still a rock radio staple.
Zebra- Who’s Behind The Door
Zebra- Tell Me What You Want
Cinderella
Tom Keifer is a brilliant songwriter and musician and Cinderella is completely underrated as they are often lumped in with the hair bands of the 1980’s , when in fact they were a great blues rock band. Keifer’s songwriting, playing, arranging and composition made these guys an MTV favorite, however people couldn’t look past the decade of aqua net to appreciate what this band was really about.
Cinderella- Nobody’s Fool
Dream Theater
Progressive Rock MONSTERS, these guys created some of the greatest, most underrated Progressive Rock concept records ever.
Combine killer virtuoso musicians John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, James LaBrie and other past and present members and the future of Prog Rock was born spanning 5 decades.
Dream Theater- Pull Me Under
Triumph
Magic Power, Fight The Good Fight, Lay It On The Line, this Canadian power trio made up of Rik Emmett, Gil Moore and Mike Levine never achieved the acclaim and fame of their Canadian Counterparts Rush, but their fan base is strong and loyal and their tunes were slamming.
The Smithereens
New Jersey’s MOST underrated band ever, so many rockers were influenced by the brilliant songwriting and sound of The Smithereens.
Formed in 1980 in Carteret, I was BLOWN AWAY when I first heard “Blood and Roses” and one of the highlights of my career was becoming friends with the incredible Pat Dinizio who I adored.
Their releases “Green thoughts” and “11” are some of my favorite recordings of all time and “Too Much Passion” from Blow Up is one of the most underrated rock/pop tunes ever.
Thankfully they are still performing and have just released “The Lost Album” recorded nearly 30 years ago.
My love for them is immeasurable.
Sevendust
No band wants to follow Sevendust. See them live and you will understand why.
One of the most underrated live bands of all time, this Atlanta based hard rock freight train led by one of the greatest frontmen in rock, Lajon “LJ” Witherspoon, should be on every rock fans radar!Sevendust- Praise
Tesla
The Tesla debut “Mechanical Resonance” and their second “The Great Radio Controversy” are two of hard rock must haves and certainly two of the greatest records of the 80’s.
The blistering, bluesy vocals of Jeff Keith are unmatched.Unfortunately for a hand full of true rock bands, without a gimmick, emerging during the hair band period proved futile and Tesla never got the respect they deserved. These guys are amazing and still playing live shows and making new music.
Blue Murder (one more for the road!)
Led by guitarist John Sykes, Blue Murder ROCKED! Their 1989 self titled debut gave us Jellyroll and was a hard rock gem, but timing with the grunge movement forced changes in the musical climate and the band never quite got off the ground after some lineup changes, however they did release a follow up and live album.
Blue Murder- Jellyroll
Have a band that you think is underrated? Hit me up! [email protected] and thanks for reading!
Terrie Carr
