I don't think these bands are obscure, but nobody ever knows them when I mention them, so maybe they are:

Nim Vind
The Nekromantix
The Horrorpops
Tiger Army
The Quakes
A Gentleman Army
9voltRevolt (sadly not together anymore...)

Pegasuses XL. That's really all that comes to mind.

I never run into people who have heard of Sparks or The Residents. But I think they're actually pretty well known.

I'm sure Tekla can weigh in on this one...

Wow, I remember Sparks!

The Residents are well known in some circles - the point of all this is really to demonstrate how much 'narrowcasting' as opposed to 'broadcasting' has taken over the industry and how people can settle on something, no matter what it is, and not ever have to listen to anything else.

The name "The Residents" sounds familiar, but I don't know if I've ever heard any of their material.

Thou shouldst look them up on ye olde google then mate.  I'm sure you would like some of it, they had a unique deal going down and it just was not related to selling CD. 

But I always liked:
THE THIRD REICH 'N' ROLL - 76 I think
Santa Dog - 1972 - one of the best punk singles ever, way ahead of its time
George and James - 84
Wormwood: Curious Stories from the Bible – 1998

They did a pile of records, and some of them were very good, lots of other 'projects' also.  And everyone still swears that no one knows who they really are.

OK, here's a two-for-one.

The Colourfield

They were made up, in part, of former members of

Fun Boy 3

Dragonforce
Freedom Call

Dragonforce is pretty well known, they sell out 1-2 thousand seat places all the time.

Lacuna Coil

Well no one I know has heard of them unless they own guitar hero. And not a ton of people I know own guitar hero.

Well I see them play here at least once a year at the Warfield or the Grand - just a few months ago at least, and I don't see anyone who is not selling in that range.  My kid plays GH and wanted their laminate, but their shows are selling at a solid range.

It's probably partly because my whole school is in love with rap music and not much else (Rap is the ONLY type of music I don't like >.<).  So the music I listen to is pretty alien in my school, including Dragonforce.

Yeah I can see that.  Most of the people I know in my age range have less than zero idea of most of the bands I work with, but they know like Tom Jones.  But if your favorite band is selling as much as Tom Jones, then they are doing OK.

Ultravox

The Wonzers.

I know no one has ever heard of them, save their mom. They broke up, on stage, during a show I was running.  Have to say its been one of the highlights of my career.  I mean you hear about that kind of stuff, but to be there, on the side of the stage when they do it - well it's pretty spectacular.

Quote from: tekla on June 29, 2009, 11:49:51 PM
Lacuna Coil

I'm not sure they fall under unknown anymore...especially if I know them.   Actually, I know several people who like them and they've made it onto the Rock Band game.  Nice choice, though.

She has a unique take on metal vocals, and being a she, that's pretty unique in and of itself.

cornelius ?

Hmmm... Anyone ever hear of 45 Grave?