Great band; no album.

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Like it sounds. Great bands that never got around to making an album at all--maybe there's only a single or two or a compilation track, maybe there's nothing but the memory of some incredible live shows.

Really good but undocumented lineups of otherwise documented bands don't count.

― Douglas, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Bays

― DJ Martian, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'll start. Laito Lychee, that pre-Cibo Matto band I was mentioning a few days ago--God they were great. Growing Up Skipper, speaking of bands Laura Cromwell was in. Melody Dog. Nilla, who were like if Huggy Bear had actually had great songs. Pope Joan, an all-star neo-no-wave band that I think toured the U.K. and played NYC a few times. Soft Pleasing Light.

Technically disqualified: the Homosexuals (one of my favorite bands ever, but they did have a posthumous semi-authorized compilation); the Dils ("the Clash of the West Coast"; there are a couple of posthumous singles-and-live comps).

And I've always wondered what a Mynah Birds album would sound like (the band Neil Young and Rick James were in together in the mid-'60s).

― Douglas, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The original Misunderstood (collected on Before the Dream Faded) spring to mind (they count cause they are the only version of this band which matter). Rocket From the Tombs is another group like that.

― Alex in SF, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I always would have loved an album from Creation new order soundalikes Pacific. Two great 12"s and a flexi track... and that's it...

Unless anyone knows anything different... Whatever happened to them?

― baxter wingnut, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Marine?
dunno, asking

― Paul, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Faculty Party
Ithaca, NY Fall 1981

that's the [confusing] name of the band
a Party for your Faculties, i guess...

a 5-piece, much in the vein of League Of Gentlemen
but with bomb slap-bass lines (on par with Bernard Edwards!!!)
and great/catchy songs. they were HOT live - a perfect dance band

― Paul, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

depressed poets

― brian, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Did the Fire Engines ever make an album ? I'm not sure they did. I always adored "Candyskin".

B-Movie ? Did they ?

― Darren, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

fire engines did indeed make an album and it's lack of availability is an evil, wrong thing.

― jess, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I remember hearing a Fire Engines retrospective was on its way some time this year, but maybe I am confused.

― dave k, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Screeming Custard!

I suppose we can also put Buddy Bolden in this category...

― Douglas, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Grandpa Knucklehead

― chaki, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Sadie Love

― hidd, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Neon Boys (only recorded a few demos, as far as I know)

― Numasios, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the dirt eaters, granted some of the his name is alive songs were actually dirt eaters songs and there was supposed to be an album hnia's mouth by mouth was meant to be two records one by each band. so i guess this does not fit the requirement, but melissa dirt eaters with a guitar, nothing dreamier.

― keith, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Bags--the LA punk version.

― Arthur, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Make that two votes for Sadie Love !

― Jim Hargraves, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I will not believe in the existence of the Kenna album until it's actually in my hands.

― Dan Perry, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Rocket from the Tombs. The Screamers. Physics (studio at least). Tourist.

― Brian MacDonald, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Snowblind (recorded but unreleased - fucking Heavenly).
Thirteen: 13 (again, recorded but dropped before release).
Hopkirk and Lee (MIA).
Action Painting! (although I suspect an album of theirs would have sucked).
Vada (never even got to release a single).
Meredith (brilliant single on Sticky and nothing more).
Arrosa (Melbourne group, two great singles before disappearing into smack hell). I could go on all day.

― electric sound of jim, Saturday, 6 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Sonic's Rendezvous Band

― Spencer Chow, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

well, i know you're probably going to laugh, but, Sweet Jesus

― gareth, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My God, another Pacific fan in the world! That makes... erm... four? I would dearly love to know what happened to them.

Bands who never made albums? Continuing the odd thread of vaguely Sarah relatedness, I'll say Gentle Despite. Ha ha ha. And Vicarage Garden. Ho ho ho. Erm, more seriously - the original Wild Swans line-up in '82? Now that would have been good.

― Rob M, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

You can go into a store and buy a Rocket from the Tombs album (though it's not a studio recording). You can go into a store (or two) and buy a Screamers album (although you couldn't until recently). You can go into, um, eBay and buy at least three different Physics CDs.

You can't buy an Instinct album for love or money, though I was always intrigued by their track on the ZTT Sampler...

― Douglas, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the And Band & the Perfect Strangers were about the most influential things ever in my dumm little world & all they ever did was a 7" ep with a side of each. they were apparently banned from all the normal places that bands played & i only ever heard of em 'cause i wandered in on a performance in the arts centre one afternoon in 1980 & then they just sort of started coincidentally crossing my path in various ways ever after.

― unknown or illegal user, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

DNA

― Damian, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

See, I was assuming a more stringent definition of an album.. as in a concerted effort to produce a series of songs that would make sense as a single release... not a posthumous collection of stuff well after the demise of the bands in question.

Though the Physics one is a bit of a stretch, as they released various live releases while they were around... but they never did get it together to make one properly produced record.

― Brian MacDonald, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two local oxford bands from my sorry yoof: DUM DUM DUM (Best song = "No Discos in Heaven") and THE WOW FEDERATION (Best song title = "Tree Credibility")

― mark s, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

can i just repeat... The Bays. these young men may never get round to recording an album but in my imaginary world its a double vinyl miracle

― geoff, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

You could almost say LaMonte Young applies here. And before Sound Characters, Maryanne Amacher.

― Mark, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The was a Melbourne band called Burnside from about 7 or 8 years ago. They never released a note but they were utterly fantastic. I can still remember how a half dozen or so of their tunes went... A crying shame they never released anything.

― electric sound of jim, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Though the Physics one is a bit of a stretch, as they released various live releases while they were around... but they never did get it together to make one properly produced record.

wait, so that first physics cd (the one with the white cover and the fancy booklet...the one on gravity) was live? that's a great one for just letting it wash over you...

― jess, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Was there ever a Crime retrospective? I think there were only three or so singles.

― Chris Barrus, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Assembly

― A Nairn, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Growing Up Skipper

Did they do "Teenage Boyfriend"? I liked that song.

― rosemary, Sunday, 7 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I remember hearing a Fire Engines retrospective was on its way some time this year, but maybe I am confused
I have one that a work colleague taped for me that came out about 8 years ago. May have been a UK-only release tho'.

Re the question: The Ravishing Beauties, of course!

― Jeff W, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've had a night to sleep on this one and I've come up with another answer and a red herring.

You see, my original answers were slightly tongue in check and I realised last night that really the reason so many Sarah type early/mid 90s bands didn't make albums is because when they DID make albums they were invariably crap - case for the prosecution are Heavenly, who made great singles but their albums were dire. So sometimes it's better to only make singles. 8-)

Anyway, another answer. The Clouds. Manchester band from around '91 / '92, made two great EPs on Wobble Records - "Moonllama" and "Dude electric head" - then disappeared completely. Mark Radcliffe loved 'em, Peel loved 'em, I loved 'em. And obviously, someone in Radiohead loved 'em too because "Karma Police" sounds uncannily like a track from their second EP, even down to the two note bent note siren running throughout both songs. You know the one, it's at the end of the verses before the chorus. Well go and dig out that second Clouds EP and see if there isn't a track with exactly the same sound and notes on it. Hmm....

― Rob M, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I have a single from the Bodines (not those roots rockers- the BoDeans) called "Therese" that I quite like, did they ever release an album I wonder?

― lawrence kansas, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

ZWAN but just wait.

― kleight, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

This is a judgment I can easily get behind. Did you need a copy of the Viper Room 98 boot, BTW?

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, "Teenage Boyfriend" was Growing Up Skipper (after Laura, the drummer, joined God Is My Co-Pilot, they covered it too).

― Douglas, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Clouds to which you refer turned into Bandit Queen IIRC

― electric sound of jim, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the bob snoom band

― bob snoom, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Lawrence, the Bodines made an LP caled "Played" for Magnet in '87 or '88. I recall not thinking it was as good as it should have been after the joy of the 3 singles on Creation (cf: more or less every indie band of the time who signed to a major). I have no idea whether I'd stand by this judgement now.

Post-Bodines action included an act called Medalark 11. Never heard them.

― Tim, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

are these the same clouds that were on subway organization for a few releases? or the depressingly awful australian band the clouds?

or are there more clouds than these?

― keith, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There were THREE Clouds if I recall. I think the Subway one is bthe same as the one on the Sha La La flexi that had some Teenage Fanclub connection...

The Australian Clouds are not "depressingly awful" but in fact completely brilliant and responsible for at least two of my favourite songs by an Australian band ever.

― electric sound of jim, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two years pass...

The Bodines release an album on Magnet, called "Played". Then they promptly disappeared (and resurfaced as Medalark 11).

― AndreNY (AndreNY), Sunday, 25 April 2004 23:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Actress

― sexyDancer, Monday, 26 April 2004 00:25 (twenty-one years ago)

The Action have a handful of compilations out, with singles
and demos, but they were never able to record a real LP.
Damn shame.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 21:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Red transistor: the single 'half bite/we're not crazy' is actually insane and that came out a few years ago on ecstatic peace but no album.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

La Monte Young had a few albums.

Manicured Noise only had 2 great singles.

The Table only had 2 great singles.

The Prefects only had 1 single culled from 2 peel sessions, then 1 of those peel sessions was released, leaving several songs from the other peel sessions unheard. Then they became the Nightingales.

The Theoretical Girls only cut 1 single, with a side written by Jeffrey Lohn and a side by Branca. Posthumously, hey almost put out a record, then canned it at the last minute. I have the test pressing. Years later Branca would release his tracks on the Songs 77-79 collection on Atavistic, leaving Jeffrey Lohn's songs to come out on Acute. I mention this because some recent reviews of our(Acute) release of Branca's Lesson No. 1(w/ many bonus goodies!) calls it the third part of a comprehensive Branca reissue series, so for anyone who cares, I'd like to mention the Theoretical Girls CD is really a Jeffrey Lohn CD, it's all his songs, and should not be grouped with the two Branca CDs necessarily. Also , we're not comprehensively reissuing Branca's career, so far we just wanted to get those 2 key early albums back in print and may work on some more projects, there was a full length live in the studio casette by the Static and some other early Branca pieces. There's also some great unreleased early Jeffrey Lohn compositions that we may release.

oh yeah, on that topic, Wharton Tiers old band 'A Band' released a single but recorded more material then that, maybe an albums worth, I'll ask him.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

julio wrote:
Red transistor: the single 'half bite/we're not crazy' is actually insane and that came out a few years ago on ecstatic peace but no album.

that was actually a "reissue" of dubious nature. the original is VERY valuable.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

There was no original Red Transistor single. The 90s Ecstatic Peace 7" was the first time those songs were released and it was worth a bit of money, at least untill not so long ago when Byron found a box of them or something and they went from 50plus bucks to 15 bucks.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd really like to hear that Static stuff Dan; hope it comes together.

― Broheems (diamond), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Dan, the Red Transistor single was released on Red Star Records. Let me google.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

5. Von Lmo: Born on the planet Strazar and raised in the "black light dimension," Von Lmo (whose last name rhymes with "well Moe") teleported to Earth in the late-'70s to play industrial noise in a handful of New York No Wave bands. The best known of these is Red Transistor, which recorded a single with the somewhat unlikely title of "We're Not Crazy" for Red Star Records. It didn't actually see the light of day until Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore released it on his Ecstatic Peace label. After a 10-year stint in "suspended animation," Lmo is once again releasing albums of blistering noise.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Was there ever a Crime retrospective? I think there were only three or so singles.

I seem to remember some sort of vinyl "singles" thing a long time ago of dubious nature. And of course supposedly Revenant will release a Crime box someday.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Read that again...it was recorded for Red Star but never released. Lmo claims to have more Red Transistor material, but is unclear as to when it's from, as he doesn't consider Rudolf Grey an essential part of the band.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

The fact that this thread has existed for so long without any mention of the Nerves is unforgivable.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 29 April 2004 01:35 (twenty-one years ago)

The Golden Dawn.

They released a couple of classic singles on Sarah records, they were ripping off Big Star long before Teenage Fanclub. I think they could have cobbled together a memorable album.

― holojames (holojames), Thursday, 29 April 2004 07:44 (twenty-one years ago)

they had seven songs released, that's almost a mini-album

― the surface noise (electricsound), Thursday, 29 April 2004 07:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Rema Rema

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 29 April 2004 07:50 (twenty-one years ago)

wimple fucken winch

― the surface noise (electricsound), Thursday, 29 April 2004 07:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Happy Go Licky, although the poorly recorded live comp. is almost sufficient.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 29 April 2004 08:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Kam Fong, aka the Camden Fog. Album's out there, it just ain't released.

― BlastsOfStatic (BlastsofStatic), Thursday, 29 April 2004 12:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Elizabeth City State (ok they never even had a single, but that track from the Icerink comp... ahhhhh)
Cobalt (same story, different continent/label [teenbeat])

I'll also second both the Hopkirk and Lee and Pacific recs

and throw in a cock-rocky britpop band called Silver (that may have had an album for all I know) - of whom I've never heard anything else but from whom I have a terrific cd single called something like "Silver Saturday"

― rentboy (rentboy), Thursday, 29 April 2004 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Dickless

― sexyDancer, Thursday, 29 April 2004 13:29 (twenty-one years ago)

another early 90's entry to this little club .. My Jealous God .. yeah yeah .. 3 fine dance-rock eps (go on then tis Baggy) signed to fontana but then fell off the planet.
also .. The Apples .. 2 singles (maybe 3) - lp was recorded but never released, would have liked to hear if eith of those bands actually got their albums out.
and then there is Young Offenders. he who is now known as Simple Kid now .. the young offenders had the lp all good to go .. but twas never allowed out .. and in those pre-internet days stuff just didn't get leaked as easily ..
cos damn i wanna hear the Young Oafs album ... which according to Simple Kid is in his bedroom and will never get released now ... grrr. unless ILM'ers know better ?!?

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 29 April 2004 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Messiah
Vitalic - the way they are going

― Jaunty Alan (Alan), Thursday, 29 April 2004 13:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Again, another no-wave group: Mars.

There were comps, and you can get their Complete Studio Recordings NYC 1977-1978 now on G3G.

― Stewart Gardiner (Stewart Gardiner), Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Flower Sermon. or at least no LP before Jay began freaking the beat fantastic as deep-house wünderkind Aquarhythms.
Papa Sprain. just a clutch of mind-boggling EPs.
Tortus. unfortunately named late-'90s UK post-rockers. one great 12".
Lava. R.I.P.

― echoinggrove (echoinggrove), Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Hot 8 Brass Band. Best band in the world, no recordings (hopefully that will soon change though).

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

* The Mad Planets - also Tara Emelye solo, circa '96 or so: she had an amazing set of songs that never saw proper recording in CD form.
* Skylab - Pat Maley's band, which toured with Tullycraft in '95 and sold an incredible nine-song cassette on tour.
* The Go Team - crying out for box-set treatment, at least.
* Courtney Love - the Lois Maffeo/Pat Maley band of that name.
* The Delmontes - Edinburgh C-86 band featuring one or two Shop Assistants. Two amazing singles, nothing else.
* Groovy Little Numbers - more Edinburgh '80s pop. Three singles.
* The Outskirts - "Blue Line" was an unbelievable 7", and "Heaven" was an OK 12"; did they ever release a proper LP?
* Holiday - not the March Records pop act, but Linda Hopper's band post Oh-OK. Their one 12" was wonderful. I never thought Magnapop compared, really.

― mike a, Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Slow - a mere EP was all that was ever released by this band considered by several hepcats to be Canada's finest ever.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Melody Dog.

― mike a, Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

still waiting on an LCD soundsystem full length...
and i'll second the vitalic impatience

― Felonious Drunk (Felcher), Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:15 (twenty-one years ago)

There actually is a Mad Planets album, "Music Makes Me Think of You" on Papercut. (Tara and I mastered it on my home computer...)

Thought of another one: STP, the roaring four-woman punk band that put out a 7" on Circuit around 1990. Supposedly there exists a full album that Thurston's been sitting on for a very long time (for sad but understandable reasons). Incredible live band.

I TOTALLY second Melody Dog.

― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:22 (twenty-one years ago)

But Music Makes... is a collection of singles, comp tracks and cassette-only tracks. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding the question.

― mike a, Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Mars are absolutely fucking awful. Unlistenable noisy tosh.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 29 April 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

you are insane.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 29 April 2004 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

haha been reading nick hornby lately.

x-post

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 April 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Now, MARRS on the other hand, are awesome!!

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 29 April 2004 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Unless I'm reading the thread wrong, I'm not sure mars and DNA (mentioned above) qualify: 'mars 78' has been around for quite a while (if not very available) and DNA had 'last live at CBGBs' (that was released about 10 years ago i think), both of which are fanstastic records.

No wave hasn't been followed up much (not that surprising considering that the recs aren't available), and I hope this new mars release will inspire some people out there.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 April 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

There's a recent complete Mars collection, as mentioned, and the complete DNA CD comes out next month on No More Records.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 29 April 2004 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost:
Were you livin Julio? Here in the city it's become hard to walk down the street without stepping over thirteen third-rate wank imitators.

― sexyDancer, Thursday, 29 April 2004 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)

London.

(funny we are having this discussion bcz lydia lunch is gonna play across the road from where I'm posting from in about an hour).

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 April 2004 16:56 (twenty-one years ago)

sd is otm...spend a few moments in san francisco, new york, providence, many points in the midwest...actually I'd say the time of america doing neo-no wave is passing, it probably started in Chicago in the mid 90s, the power of the Strokes/White Stripes has trickled down to the kids and I think more young hipsters are playing variations of ROCK.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 29 April 2004 17:05 (twenty-one years ago)

eight months pass...

The Past Seven Days

― Ian Moraine (Eastern Mantra), Sunday, 16 January 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

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