For those 35 and over

CCdrums · Post by **CCdrums** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

What's your favorite 70's rock band that was underrated or not quite as popular as the heavy weights from that time? Here are 3 that come to mind:

The Sweet- Killer vocal harmonies, cool songs (Ballroom Blitz, Love is like oxygen)
Nazareth - Great vocals, great songs (Beggars Day, Love Hurts, Razzamanazz)
Grand Funk- Mark Farner was awesome- great songs (Foot stompin' music, We're an American Band)

PanzerFaust · Post by **PanzerFaust** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Rose Tattoo.. Loved Angry Andersons vocals and the slide guitar..
Cactus... Good ol' rock

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

The Gods!

CCdrums · Post by **CCdrums** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Hurricane wrote:The Gods!

"The Gods are rock and roll machines!" lol

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Spooky Tooth !

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Status Quo was underrated in the U.S. but they are still together and have spawned numerous tribute bands in Europe. They have a new album out called In Search Of The Fourth Chord (I love that title). They were one of the original boogie blues bands. They were and still are great after 40 + years. They hold the record for the most top 40 songs in British music history at 60 and they just had a new hit last year. They have had lots of hits in Europe but their only top 40 hit in the U.S. was Pictures Of Matchstick Men.

Amazing that they never became bigger in the U.S. but they sure are everywhere else. I believe they were a huge influence on the movie Spinal Tap and that many of the things in the movie are a result of them.

Here is their website. They have a new album you can hear and a video of their new single.

http://www.statusquo.co.uk/

Post by **Jim Price** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

I could name quite a few, but five that immediately come to mind:

1. RIOT. Their Narita and Fire Down Under albums were two of the best heavy rock albums to come out in the late 70's/early 80's, but the group never got the attention they deserved.

2. THE GOOD RATS. Singer Peppi Marchello now bills the Good Rats as "the world's most famous unknown band." They put out a good string of hard rocking albums in the 70's, opened for everybody from Kiss to Springsteen to the Grateful Dead, and played in places like New York's Madison Square Garden, London's Hammersmith Odeon and The Spectrum in Philly...But they could never turn the corner to mass appeal popularity, and only had a cult following. I saw the current edition with Peppi and his sons when they played a free concert in Greensburg a few summers ago; I'm still probably the only person in Altoona with a Good Rats T-shirt!

3. THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND. From the British 70's glam rock scene, this band took Queen's theatric slant on rock and went another step further with it, blending hard rock with elements of cabaret, complete stage scenes and more. Namesake Alex Harvey served as lead singer and master of ceremonies; the rest of the band featured guitarist Zal Cleminson, who later joined Nazareth, and bassist Chris Glen and drummer Ted McKenna, both who later joined the Michael Schenker Group. I still like to break their stuff out on "Closet Chronicles," especially their 13-minute crime drama rock epic "Hot City Symphony."

4. CITY BOY. This English band sounded like a harder and more progressive Supertramp. They had a minor hit in the late 70's with "5.7.0.5.," and their 1979 concept album about doomsday, The Day the Earth Caught Fire, remains one of my all-time favorites.

5. BUDGIE. A Welsh power trio from the 70's and early 80's, Budgie put out a string of good heavy-rocking albums, and demonstrated a knack of coming up with long and unusual song titles. Their sound occupied the middle ground between Black Sabbath and early Rush. Metallica cited Budgie as an influence, and covered their song "Breadfan."

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

This is so cool. I haven't thought about Spooky tooth for such a long time. So i did a little Google and there are still a lot of fans. if you're not acquainted with them, it is well worth you time to discover them.

http://www.spookytooth.co.uk/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGxRstWAZBc

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=n ... ooky+tooth

I have to add : TEN YEARS AFTER (now I'll go search for them).

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

J. P.,

I have albums by all the groups you mentioned.

Here are some more bands that should have been bigger.

Be-Bop Deluxe
Point Blank
Head East
Golden Earring (they have always been, and still are, huge in Europe)
Lake
Gentle Giant (some of the best and technically proficient musicians and complex songs)

homerski · Post by **homerski** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

BLOODROCK

http://www.bloodrock.net/

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Darn it ! I forgot one of my favorites !

FLASH

Extraordinary talent ! Formed by former Yes members Peter Banks (guitar) and Tony Kaye (keyboards). Yep, pre- Wakeman and pre- Howe.

I had more trouble searching them than I did Spooky Tooth. We used to cover a bunch of their songs back in the day. i have all of their work in CD from. Well worth getting to know ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_%28band%29

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

I loved Flash (I still have their albums on vinyl). I have Bloodrock too and their song D.O.A. (their only hit) was one of the creepiest tunes ever and did not sound like anything else they did.

Mikey Wax · Post by **Mikey Wax** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

homerski wrote:BLOODROCK

http://www.bloodrock.net/

My dad has a BoodRock 8-track he always plays for me. He told me someone left it in his car when he was in high school, and he and his friends listened to it constantly!

I remember. We were flying low, and hit something in the air!

Crazy stuff!

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

moxham123 wrote:I loved Flash (I still have their albums on vinyl).

Some great Flash Album art covers, back when the album art was large.

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

There is a Myspace page for Flash with 3 songs and pictures of their cool album covers.

http://www.myspace.com/flashbennettcarter

homerski · Post by **homerski** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Hawk wrote:Darn it ! I forgot one of my favorites !

FLASH

Extraordinary talent ! Formed by former Yes members Peter Banks (guitar) and Tony Kaye (keyboards). Yep, pre- Wakeman and pre- Howe.

I had more trouble searching them than I did Spooky Tooth. We used to cover a bunch of their songs back in the day. i have all of their work in CD from. Well worth getting to know ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_%28band%29

Yeah, me too!! Loved them!!

JH

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

I found the long version of the Flash top 30 hit, Small Beginnings, on You Tube. Great stuff.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=x2vwJBnJq7o

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

moxham123 wrote:I found the long version of the Flash top 30 hit, Small Beginnings, on You Tube. Great stuff.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=x2vwJBnJq7o

LOVE IT !

I used to play "Small Beginnings" in two bands (back in the day). A band called "Skye" and a band called "Renegade". Among some other Flash tunes.

rickw · Post by **rickw** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Hey Clint you'll love this brother! Ummmm...Wild Cherry!!

Haha, I kill me sometimes!

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Also : Uriah Heep ! Used to cover them as well.

I was just talking to undercoverjoe about them last week. I haven't listented to them for a while. Joe pointed out that they didn't "age well".

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

rickw wrote:Hey Clint you'll love this brother! Ummmm...Wild Cherry!! Haha, I kill me sometimes!

Plastered Bastards · Post by **Plastered Bastards** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Humble Pie

jangel · Post by **jangel** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

New York Rock & Roll Ensamble!

DirtySanchez · Post by **DirtySanchez** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Hawk wrote: Uriah Heep !

Was gonna say this.

The Misfits are my fave though.

(Woops not 35 yet. Do this again in 5 years.)

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Apr 08, 2008

Plastered Bastards wrote:Humble Pie

I used to cover "Thirty Days in a Hole". Great band !

Damn, am I showin' my age or what ?