Selected artists I can help Mr. Sleepwalker (Sonambulist) with:

Ash Ra Tempel - Get/download their first album, Ash Ra Tempel. Two monolithic jams on each side, one heavy/psychedelic, one dreamy/psychedelic. Great album, Julian Cope worships this record.

Captain Beefheart - The best place to start is probably Lick My Decals Off, Baby. It's out of print. Download it. It's as weird as Trout Mask Replica, but far more listenable and accessible from both production and musical standpoints.

The Cows - Daddy Has A Tail! is fucking glorious. I'd say start there (download it, you'll never find it in print), but Cunning Stunts is awesome too, so take your pick between titles.

Die Kreuzen - First album. Best place to start, best album, etc. Truly bizarre, brilliant hardcore if you can get with the vocals (which you should if you've got any nuts).

Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me is the classic. Nothing else in their catalog with the exception of Bug is even close.

Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home captures his rock side and his folk side at an otherworldly peak. Start there. My favorite is Blonde on Blonde, but it can be overwhelming.

The Fall - Grotesque (After The Gramme) and Live at the Witch Trials for sure, DO NOT start with Hex Enduction Hour like everyone says.

Killdozer - The 12 Point Buck/Little Baby Buntin' combo is probably the best place to start.

Negative Approach - Detroit's finest HC band. Just like Minor Threat, everything they ever recorded is on 1 disc, Total Recall, and just like Minor Threat, they are one of the greatest and most influential HC bands that ever existed. John Brannon's voice is pure rage.

Pere Ubu - Terminal Tower. Dub Housing is probably their best album, but Terminal Tower has some of their most groundbreaking material and presents a more comprehensive view of how the band evolved.

Qui - All I have is Love's Miracle, so I'd say start there. It's the only one you can really get moderately easy, anyway.

The Residents - Third Reich 'n' Roll is (or should be) revered as one of the all-time great rock pisstakes.

Spacemen 3 - The Perfect Prescription is so much better than all of their other material that getting the rest of it may disappoint you, but I'd still say to start there.

hope that helps.

I am pretty ignorant of Deep Purple, Marks III & IV (with the exception of the song "Burn")

I'm a fan of Marks I & II (both the 70's Mark II and the reconvened, 80's Mark II)... and the song "Burn" seems decent enough

What can I expect from Marks III & IV? Anybody here a fan?

I don't know anything about Christ on a Crutch, but I love them dearly and have never tired of their records. If anyone knows anything about this band at all (like, who was in it), holler.

I still haven't listened to any of John Cale's solo stuff.

Volcano Suns but I heard they are going to be reissued.

punch_the_lion wrote:I still haven't listened to any of John Cale's solo stuff.

Paris 1919 and The Academy in Peril are good starting points.

Husker Du
Superchunk
Lungfish
Silkworm
Butthole Surfers
Flipper
The Feelies
Nick Cave (any of his projects)

Damn, I feel embarrassed. I don't know what the accepted definition of "nothing" is, but beyond a genre label and/or a vague idea of importance, I can't say I know much about any of these bands/artists.

I just got the latest Guitar Center mailing featuring photos and an interview of the band Black Tide. From their appearance and the brand tie in with Guitar Center I have to assume they are some lame one hit wonder band from LA. However, I have to admit that I really know nothing about them. I am ok with that.

Big Star

except for one cover...


Birthday Party/Nick Cave

i've only heard bits and pieces...

Slint.

Girls Aloud
Bread N' Breakfast
Sonny Bono
Yoko Ono
Mono
Plastic Ono Band
Bono Solo Material
Incredible String Band
Patti Smith
West Life
5ive
Tom Waits <---- Zero knowledge