What artist is a favorite of yours, but who nobody else in your life seems to get? Tell the Musicheads.

Scatterbrain

joseph! i love scatterbrain! pepsi generation is the best song! next to mucky pup's Hippies Hate Water.

I would say Aesop Rock. Many people I know whose musical tastes are closely aligned with mine, see no value in him. Admittedly, his lyrics are dense, abstract, and packed with esoteric references (R. Crumb for example). I can see why this turns off the casual listener, as it might just be too much work to get to the bottom of each song. Yet I see this as his strength. I have possibly heard "Daylight" more than any other song, and this is because I still can't figure out every isolated pixel of the larger picture.

The Hold Steady, I say turn it up and others say turn it off - losers!!

CC...Here Comes Trouble was a great album.

both bands are awesome live too.

King's X.... not that I have been that into them in the last couple of years... but... somehow a couple of their tunes are in my top 100 most played on my iTunes..

I too am a Blue Mountain Fan, but I must say my favorite artist that no one else can get into is Ice-T.

King's X are pretty much universally liked by musicians in the industry. As I've heard many times "Everyone likes King's X"

as for this question, the latest and best example for myself would be Apes and Androids who still currently possess my #1 Album for 2008 in their debut concept/rock opera of sorts "Blood Moon."

"This has won me over ten fold. Unique sounding, synth-driven, thematic, melodic, experimental, rock-opera. The songwriting and transitions are superb over repeated times hearing this. One of the best things about a classic record is how much better it gets over time; this is without question has that quality.

I'm playing it every morning at work now, it's that addictive. "Golden Prize" "Hot Kathy" "Make Forever Last Forever" "Nights of the Week" "Radio" "Johnny and Sarah" "Riverside"..so many highlights.

This is such an epic, dramatic, composition of music it only leaves the listener wanting to go back to it over and over. The themes and fat-synths get in your head and never leave.

Truly progressive..these guys are fans of Queen, Bowie, Prince, Thomas Dolby, Talking Heads..even Bloc Party perhaps, but they have created their own unique blend of music with those influences. Especially significant considering this is their debut actually.

It feels like an AOY, if nothing else challenges it the rest of the year, it wouldn't shock me. I'd like to see some others, but it very well may remain on top now until January 1st.

10/10"

My favorite group is Jamiroquai. They're a one-hit wonder in the U.S., but are very big in Europe and the rest of the world. When I say to anyone who asks me who my favorite group is, and I answer "Jamiroquai", I get 1 of 3 reactions-
1) A blank stare followed by a "Who are they?"
2) "Oh... Didn't they have that one song with the crazy video?"
3) "They suck" lol

They're of course known for "Virtual Insanity (and the crazy video that goes along with it)", and "Canned Heat", which was the song that Napolean Dynamite did his "Vote-for-Pedro" dance to.

Early on they... yes "they", not "he" lol, sounded a lot more like a funk/soul/acid jazz fusion group, and have evolved into a group that sounds a lot more electronic and dancy over the past 10 or so years. They definately have some duds, but they have a lot of really good material that will get you shaking your tailfeather.

It's good that from time to time that the Current will break out a Jamiroquai tune. It shows that maybe they're not totally flying under the radar?

Bo Weevil Jackson, the possibly first blues slide guitar player to record.

Moon Mullican, country music singer/piano player who was the spiritual father of Jerry Lee Lewis

So many GREAT answers!

Nippy, I am familiar w/Moon Mulican, even have one of his CD's. Yes, the spiritual father of Jerry Lee!

Peter M, I'm with you on Jamiroquai...I used to think he was Stevie Wonder. They have very similar voices.

Melinda chimes in with XTC. I big fan too Melinda, but I know many who don't like them at all.

I am glad I'm not alone on Blue Mountain, Peter!

Alice Donut.

Toni Childs, and to be specific, her Woman's Boat album. I share this with female friends expecting a "WOW" or another energetic reply and never hear anything about it. I love that album front to back.

And I have to second Peter's mention of Jamiroquai.

I have a whole ton. I am 13 and listen to a lot of indie rock unlike most kids my age. I'd have to disagree with David D as Some other of my friends like The Hold Steady too. But here is a portion of my list: Tv On The Radio, Bloc Party, The Cribs, Franz Ferdinand, Ted Leo/Rx, Fleet Foxes, Black Kids, The Futureheads, Jenny Lewis, The Postal Service, M83, Weezer, Ra Ra Riot, Tokyo Police Club, The Shins, The Magnetic Fields, Errors, (virtually unknown) She & Him, Chris Walla's solo stuff, Death Cab, Rilo Kiley, Drive-By Truckers, Bon Iver, The Whigs, Oasis, The Kooks, Editors, Blur, R.E.M, Elvis Costello, Beck, Wilco and Foals. Wow! that is a lot. I'm sure I could think of even more if I thought about it for along time.

Danielson. In particular, A Prayer for Every Hour. Some days I don't even know why I like it.

Welcome aboard Eliot! Eventually your friends will catch up to you and realize you were ahead of the curve!

BTW: What are the 13 year olds listening too?

The Mummies. I can't find many people who like them, but I just love them, they Play and record on broken and beat up equipment, and they dress up like mummies.....How can you not like em? GARAGE ROCKS!!!

I can think of a lot of artists that I love but nobody else gets, but for this topic I've narrowed it down to a few:

- Dandy Warhols. One friend of mine said once she hated them because they were "just soooo pretentious!" That may be true, but when I listen to them, I feel so F***ing cool! And isn't that the point of music? To make you FEEL something?

- Better Than Ezra. In 1996 they made an album called "Friction, Baby," and to this day I consider it among the most beautiful albums I've ever heard. Man, there are some truly great songs on there, like "Speeding Up to Slow Down," and "WWOZ."

- The Living End. Okay, here's one of rock's great tragedies. What is "rock & roll?" The Living End is Rock & Roll. They're punk, but heavily influenced by the Clash, Billy Bragg as well as Greed Day. Yet, they're completely original, and they've created some of the best ass-kicking rock I've ever heard.

The tragedy is that their label, Reprise Records, never bothered to promote them, and nobody caught on. No airplay, no nothing. It's too bad, because their earlier stuff is absolutely awesome! Their first album "The Living End" (1999) is quite possibly the best album I've ever heard. Period. And the best part is it's radio-friendly. Their later stuff isn't very good, but that early stuff is something you all should check out if you like rockabilly.

wow well most of my friends and practically all my family don't like music thats left of main street which includes practically everything i listen to :) At the moment nobody i know can figure out why l like Sigur Ros. i don't care though i think they're pretty amazing.

Oh and way to go Eliot...if only all 13 year olds would listen to some authentic music like you!

Oh shoot....Did I say Billy Bragg? I meant to say Rev. Horton Heat.

(sigh) ...I'm an idiot.

Well, Bill
13 year olds listen to listen to a bunch of different stuff. I have a few close friends who listen to indie rock stuff (Cloud Cult, The Hold Steady, No Age etc). But most of my friends either don't listen to a ton of music, listen to top 40 stuff like Fall Out Boy, Panic At The Disco, Metro Station, or they listen to metal like Ozzy Obourne, Metallica, and Avenged Sevenfold. The Current's playlist is basically mine. Love Musicheads Bill!
I totally agree with you Kirsten!

oh, but oddly enough a ton of my friends like Atmosphere and P.O.S and Brother Ali for some odd reason which is cool as well.

Daniel Johnston.

hahaha - what artist in my collection DO people get?

well, my 2 usual fall backs for this, that absolutely NOBODY seems to understand the greatness & genius of them, are Felt & Lloyd Cole.

Felt were genius their whole career - 10 albums, 10 singles, 10 years - that's it. some of the most gorgeous guitar work, poetic lyrics, all delivered with a deadpan monotone that out-Lou Reed-ed Lou Reed himself.

for Lloyd Cole, i love him in any form - hey, he & Alice Cooper are golfing buddies - they were ranked in the top 10 of golfing entertainers by GOlf Digest - but he had one work that for me is absolute genius - "Don't get Weird on me, Babe!" just brilliant, through & through. and no one else but me sees it!

otherwise, sure alot of my collection has alimited audience, but at least there is some cultish following of some kind or another - whether its Mose Allison or Television or Mission of Burma or Randy Newman, etc. but these two -aside from me, i'ev found no one that likes them.

Marianne Faithfull, particularly the later stuff after her voice went.

Dan Qualy, you are my new hero. I wandered onto this page hoping to see the living end, and there they are. The most under-appreciated rock band of my generation. The biggest travesty I have witnessed in my lifetime was to see an "aussie rock" tour in the states - headlined by the vines and jet, with the Living End OPENING.

Skinny Puppy scares off alot of people, sometimes I don't know why I like them . They're dense, dark and challenging to listen to. But if the mood is right they can transport your mind to a different place.

Attention Current staff: The Living End ROCKS!! Take note.

Thanks, Ryan. Yeah, how did that happen? Jet should have opened. The Living End opening is even more ridiculous than Ted Leo & the Pharmacists opening for Against Me!, which by the way, was an awesome show. Was anyone else there this last Thursday night?

I have sort of a "man-crush" on Ted Leo. We went to see that show for him, but were certainly not let down by Against Me! Those guys rock, mang. Definitely some cool stuff. Against Me! is one of those great punk bands who are doing cool stuff but the Current won't play them for some weird reason.

But anyway, Ted Leo opening for Against Me! just seemed like an odd pairing. But hey, it worked!

Oh, and Melinda? I'm totally envious of you. What did you think of their "Closer" album?

Two songs on that album should have been radio-singles: "Get You In" and "Rolling."

Good songs.

The Church, from the 80s. I liked them a lot. I like the new Blitzen Trapper a lot too..Furr is great..Nobody I know knows who they are...go figure..I like Marilyn Manson too...some people dont get him..I dont discriminate between music Genres..hip hop, metal, punk, Reggae, Jazz...its all good. And there is a lot of great music that most people never hear..or dont want to..

St. Germain and if I may add a second artist, Michael Franks. None of my circle buy into either of these fine artists.

I'm having grunge flashbacks. I've been listening to Soundgarden Bad Motorfinger, Mudhoney Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, Screaming Trees, Nirvana and Alice in Chains.

Andrew Jackson Jihad! a folk/punk band that formed in 2004, from Arizona. Ironically negative lyrics for the upbeat folk mood. One of my favorite bands for months now (which is a long time!) . Some of my friends really don't like the lyrical reliance, or singing for that matter. I don't know whats wrong with them. ;) check them out!

I was thinking this question wasn't gonna fly. Shows you what I know! I ton of GREAT answers.

I'm gonna chime in with another. Most everyone I know doesn't dig Lucinda Williams. I do!! I think she always writes great songs and can even do so in her sleep. She makes albums that always sort of reflect where she is at the moment. She also has a knack for putting together an excellent band w/a smokin' guitar player!

Lucinda Williams -- my family can't stand her and I love her music...the writing, the singing, the great guitar playing (Charlie Sexton rocks!). She is moody, sexy, wild, soothing all in one.

The Handsome Family. Great stuff. Especially Through the Trees. The Giant of Illinois is a great one.

Dan Q, DANDYS RULE! Love, love, love the Warhols. I know they're posers and past their prime, and I realize that they just don't seem to know when it's time to put the guitars away and put an end to a song, but they're so much fun that I just don't care. Just one album like "13 Bohemians" in a band's lifetime is a major achievement, and they are terrific live.

Jacques Brel. [sigh].

Diamanda Galas is probably the one performer that confounds my friends the most. I try to expose them by playing some of her more accessible material but even that rarely goes over well.

Other artists that confuse many of my friends are:

most of the heavy music I listen to (metal/hardcore and all the sub genres), bands like Converge, Opeth, Ihsahn/Emperor, Enslaved, Nile and Cryptopsy

most of the electronic music that I listen to, artists like Autechre, Squarepusher, Clark, Venetian Snares and Haujobb

Only a couple of my friends can understand or appreciate my veneration of Dolly Parton.

On the hip hop side of things, Buck 65 and Princess Superstar are usually met by my friends with rolling eyes.