Bands worth knowing. You know but most in here would never have heard of.

There are a few seventies bands that passed completely — and I mean completely — under the radar, that should have been noticed. They just didn't get any back-up in terms of promotion by their label.
And here I'd like to make an honourable mention for:
Riff Raff. The second album is not very strong, but the first is just excellent. It was founded by two guys who worked with the also good but a bit better known Mark-Almond (and no, that's not the eighties guy who sings in a weepy sort of voice).
Greenslade. Again, the first album. Founded by Dave Greenslade, who cut his teeth with Colosseum. Had the unusual feature of two Hammond organs. And the fine bassist, Tony Reeves. Wouldn't want to make out that it's a masterpiece or anything, but a good album which should have got more attention. Saw them at the Marquee (Soho) a couple of times. Remarkable sound on stage, with the two Hammonds swirling round each other, as you can imagine.
Flash. First two albums, plenty of quality. Very seventies sound, of course. A spin-off of Yes. Excellent guitarist Peter Banks (who had basically been given the push from Yes, God knows why). Very composed pieces, with all sorts of time signature variations. And generally good musicianship. Their weak point, in my view, was the vocalist, Colin Carter. LIke Yes, the bassist played a Ricky, and that always gave a very particular sound to any group. Again, saw them at the Marquee, at least a couple of times.
Two very fine album covers for a perv like me, incidentally. The sort of thing you wouldn't get away with now (sob…)
I'm not saying any of these are geniuses, but music that I still listen to with pleasure (albeit very much of its time, of course). They got no attention whatsoever.
 
I find the thread title confusing. Iv'e never heard of them, but i should talk about how I should have?

Ok.

There is this band I've never heard of, in fact, I bet you haven't either, but you should have. They were called the The Kettles of Hell. Jimmy Kettoh started the band in the early sixties, as a push back against the rising cost of living in the post war Skint Britain. With classics like The Breads Too Dear and How Much You ****? And probably their finest work, My Wages Last a Day.

Jimmy attended a weekly event at the Probation Service where he met Eddy "No Ears" Carter, the joke being Eddy had ears like fucking bin lids. Eddy didnt play the guitar conventionally, chords and shit, instead he threw stones at it and went with whatever sound emerged.

They needed a drummer and found one in the sainted Freddy Foxglove. He had just been released from Broadmoor and was available with an empty social diary and access to a bedford van.

Their first album, How the Inflation Rate Fucks You, was described by absolutely no one, as a watershed. As if the lid of an abstract universe was peeled back to reveal an index linked distopia, so inflationary it overwhelmed all who heard it. Which, was absoluteky no one.

Infighting and musical differences emerged and Eddy in particular wanted to explore the ignominious relationship between Fiscal Policy and the Laws of Diminishing Returns. Jimmy was having none of it and went into one of his famous huffs.

The end came quickky when Jimmy stood up in the Cows Arse Bar and Grill and shouted. Thats it, I'm fucking off to Chad. He has never been seen since. But everytime i hear the inflation rate has risen, I think of Jimmy and the Kettles and smile. What a band.
 
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