What was the last completely original musical artist you've heard?

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Happy Tuesday!!

It's an interesting question. I was looking through my iTunes library to try to get some answers and it's funny how few bands (including really almost all of my favorites) aren't really breaking truly significant new ground. As much as I feel groups like Stephen Malkmus, Belle and Sebastian, Wilco, Okkervil River, Apollo Sunshine, etc. are doing interesting things that are new, you can in many cases still speculate their influences. A couple things that are more recent that I can think of would be:
Hella
the Arm of Roger (Grandaddy side project record that was incredibly silly)
JC and the Illegitimate Kids (a buddy of mine who does funny songs, minus Tropical Fish which I was kind of suprised to find on that page. Check out Shine box. If you like that, they're all pretty good.) http://www.myspace.com/joncaligiuri

...and some older stuff that comes to mind:
the Talking Heads
Tom Waits
Sonic Youth

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Great call on Stereolab Huevo. I saw them in my library and actually meant to type them too. They do have a very original sound.

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Oh, and for older stuff that is unsung (I figured I would leave out things like the Beatles and Velvet Underground) I would say Can....Show more

And a fantastic Tuesday to you as well.

I sure there's more recent ones but the most original musical artist I can come up with is Stereolab. I can't think of anyone who shared their their style beforehand or even afterwards. So different from anything out there.

I'd also say Beck kind of fits into that category as well. He has some earlier influences but there are times (such as the Odelay album) where he seems to grab a concept from mid-air and just runs with it.

Edit: I'll agree with you Smiley, the only way you might be able to come up with something entirely original is to leave a baby in a room with a set of instruments and no outside influence, then come back and get him/her in about 25 years. Everything does come from another influence, it's just that some things are a lot more original than others....Show more

You can hear obviously funk and heavy metal (and funk metal), as well as rap and hip hop influences to them, but in my opinion, Rage Against the Machine was fairly unique. It was mainly due to Tom Morello though, the guitarist. If you haven't listened to them, try them out. You probably wouldn't like rap vocals, but if you listen to the guitar, it's unlike anything I ever have heard and probably ever will hear. Try "Killing In The Name", which has one of Morello's best trademark high-pitched solos, or "Bulls On Parade", which imitates a turntable sound, or maybe "Guerilla Radio", which has a "harmonica guitar" solo. And for riffs, there's "Calm Like A Bomb" and "Ashes In The Fall". I won't say they're the most unique band, but they're fairly original for a band in the 90's. Then again, I haven't listened to much indie rock, which seems to be original. I probably won't get best answer, but if you haven't listened to their music, give them a try first!

Another one I can think of is R.E.M., from the early 80's. The production is fairly interesting. Their vocals are sometimes faded and hard to understand. The bass is a bit more audible, and it is a melodic bass, which I rarely hear. Peter Buck, the guitarist, has some chiming, jangly riffs that I don't think I heard much of during the 70's or 80's....Show more

Happy Tuesday evening :)
{17:22 here}

I honestly can't think of one, with the possible exception of
Mike Oldfield. But since he started 25-years ago, that shows how little originality there is now.

And I suppose {limited musical knowledge showing here!} that no one other than Blackmore's Night have combined Renaissance / Folk / Rock. At least, not in the way they do.





np: 'Wolf To the Moon' ~ Richie Blackmore's Rainbow...Show more

Tool
Mindless Self Indulgence

Smiley - I disagree, even with your 13 paragraph explanation. I feel like bands that combine several genres of music together to create a new and different sound is exactly what makes them original. Now if modern bands STILL produced the same sound as Sabbath and Deep Purple then that would be a lack of originality.. but mixing it up and combining genres shows originality.

Well there's one thing we agree on, I don't hand out a thumbs down either when someone expresses their opinion. You got those elsewhere. You say you respect everyones opinion but it seems like you're not respecting mine, in fact you got really bent out of shape over it. I think we should agree to disagree on this because I for one am not going back and forth about it all day. I gave my opinion and I'm done.

Sorry to fill your question with all this Sookie!...Show more