Heave Media

Takin' You Back

Lesser known songs from lesser known bands.

Americans have a tendency to be very ethnocentric. Some might think we have the best healthcare system or the greatest amount of wealth, or that the only real football is the NFL version. All of these bands hail from other countries including England, Japan and New Zealand. Sit back and enjoy. Redefine your international musical perspective.

The Troggs - Lost Girl - Best known for their smash hit, "Wild Thing," The Troggs are a criminally underrated sixties band. Sure, they had some terrible songs, but they also have some fuzzed out, punk driven songs that should not be forgotten. The Troggs weren't a great band. They were just a good band that made some great songs.

The Mops - I'm Just A Mops - Formed in Tokyo in 1966, The Mops were a Japanese band inspired more by The Animals than either The Beatles or The Stones. The band's first album, The Psychadelic Sounds of Japan, was not written in perfect English, but it did get the rock out. The Mops broke up in 1974 after releasing their last studio album. You probably will have some problems finding any of the original albums in stores, so you should stick to a best of compilation.

The Chants R&B - I'm Your Witchdoctor - This four piece from New Zealand's spirited take on the John Mayall penned tune serves as a perfect introduction. The Chants show that raw energy can be substituted for virtuosic skills. They weren't the most original but they still cranked out some excellent tunes. Next time somebody tells you no good music comes from New Zealand, slap them in the face and crank up The Chants R&B.

Posted by Greg Herald on Nov 14, 2007 @ 12:00 am