The Music Blog of the Infonistacrat!

***I’ve restored this post back to it’s original glory. I did have to swap out the original Pere Ubu tune…but Final Solution is as good as it gets!***

First, Happy Valentines Day everyone. Especially my lovely wife. Nothing I do or am would be possible without Cindy beside me, providing the grounding influences that allow me to be who I am. I hope everyone finds someone as special as the one I have.

I was sitting at work today, and for some reason got the itch to listen to David Bowie’s unbelievably great Ziggy Stardust album. I haven’t listened to in in something like six months. Listening to it just reminded me that the whole underground music scene really started back in the late sixties. so I decided to pull some great tunes from about 1969 up to about 1999, give or take a few years. I actually think I put together a pretty good mix here. Of the 200 or so playlists I’ve published, this is most definitely in my top 5, maybe even my favorite.

The songs aren’t listed in strict oder by year they were released, but it close. I choose Space Oddity from Bowie instead of anything off Ziggy because, honestly, I like the song. It was close though. Ziggy has so many epic songs on it…Five Years, Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City. It was close, but I Space Oddity was his first big hit, in 1969 no less, so it gets the nod.

The Velvet Underground and the Lou Reed songs were no brainers. Everyone who came after these guys list them as influences, and listening to these songs, you can see why. Just great performances. Same wit the New York Dolls. I love the Dolls, I love Buster Poindexter, and I love David Johansen. As weird as the dude has always been (and he has been WEIRD!), he flat out puts out great music.

Since I’m talking glam, T. Rex has to be here too. I came way late to the whole T. Rex, not really listening or appreciating them until probably the 90’s. I honestly thing they may have be one of the most over looked bands of the 70’s. 20th Century Boy is just a prefect song, as evidenced by the fact so many people have remade it.

I could go on and on…Boys Don’t Cry is my favorite Cure song, hands down. If you grew up in northern Ohio in the 70’s and 80’s, like I did, you idolized Pere Ubu. Placebo is my favorite band of the past 10 years…I can listen to them all day long and never tire of Brian Molko’s voice. The Pixies U-Mass is seething with anger and emotion…Black Francis at his snarling best. Every song here is a great song.

One last note. Miss Parker, as promised, Built To Spill’s The Plan. It’s the best song off their best album, full of big, sweeping guitars, and vocals that somehow manage to keep right up with them. And your spot on about Comsat Angels. They are an amazingly great band. I still can’t get over how great the photos you take are though. Those videos are pretty damn amazing in their own right. Enjoy!

1. The Velvet underground - Wild Child
2. The Stooges - Down On The Street
3. David Bowie - Space Oddity
4. Lou Reed - Satellite of Love
5. New York Dolls - Personality Crisis
6. T-Rex - 20th Century Boy
7. The Sex Pistols - Submission
8. Joy Division - Disorder
9. The Cure - Boys Don’t Cry
10. Pere Ubu - Final Solution
11. Pixies - U-Mass
12. Sonic Youth - Silver Rocket
13. Janes Addiction - Had A Dad
14. Built To Spill - The Plan
15. Placebo - Come Home