If you’ve spent the past several weeks under quarantine, then you are probably starting to run out of good music to listen to. As I was going through my old playlists, it occurred to me that I listen to a lot of bands with especially weird names. So, without further ado, I’d like to share a Top 10 list of great bands with bizarre names, along with a few recommended songs for each. *As always, I do not own the rights of the music contained herein.*
Rabbit Junk
Genre: rock
Rabbit Junk is a high-energy Seattle-based rock band with intense vocals and elements of industrial, nu-metal, punk, and hardcore. This is one of my favorite bands to listen to when I’m getting ready to go out on a Friday night. The track featured above (“What Doesn’t Kill You Will Make You A Killer”) has an especially cool KMFDM-esque industrial intro.
Other songs to check out:
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult
Genre: industrial
Formed under Chicago’s seminal industrial label Wax Trax, TKK has been releasing music since the 80’s. Its queer frontmen Groovie Mann (Frankie Nardiello) and Buzz McCoy (Marston Daley) crank out some great gritty, provocative, and quirky tracks. Many of you will recognize them as the band performing during the shootout scene in The Crow (featured in the video above.)
Other songs to check out:
Mindless Self Indulgence
Genre: punk / hip-hop / electronic
One of my all-time favorite bands, MSI is very hard to describe or categorize. If you haven’t heard their music, it might take a few tracks for you to warm up to them. The band is known for ironically-offensive lyrics and insane live performances. Since they are currently on hiatus, frontman Jimmy Urine has had time to flex his acting skills in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and release some tracks under the moniker EURINGER. Below, I’ve featured an especially weird EURINGER music video featuring his wife, the former lead singer of Morningwood.
Other songs to check out:
- Mindless Self Indulgence – Shut me up [HQ uncensored]
- EURINGER – FUCK EVERYTHING featuring Chantal Claret (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
Mustard Pimp
Genre: electronic
Despite loving their album No Title Or Purpose, I know very little about Mustard Pimp and I wasn’t able to find much about them online. Their music tends to have a catchy hook and often features a guest artist, including the aforementioned Jimmy Urine from MSI. Some of their music videos are especially bizarre, such as the puppet homicide scene in ZHM (below).
Other songs to check out:
Velvet Acid Christ
Genre: electro-industrial
Keith and I have both listened to VAC for decades, and their music was a topic of conversation on the first night that we met. Largely a solo act, frontman Bryan Erickson gravitates towards down-tempo songs that range from ethereal to gritty and disturbing. VAC does a great job of incorporating movie clips in their songs, such as the samples from Se7en in Phucking Phreak (below).
Other songs to check out:
- Velvet Acid Christ: Bend The Sky Official Video. By Dustin Ferguson.
- Velvet Acid Christ: Phucking Phreak with Se7en
The Bloody Beetroots
Genre: electronic
Although they have some good drum-and-bass tracks, my favorite music from The Bloody Beetroots is straight electronic, bordering on dubstep. Their music is great to blast in the car or while working out… not that any of us are working out these days.
Other songs to check out:
Santa Hates You
Genre: electro industrial
A decade ago, I started listening to this band based on the name alone. Santa Hates You is a German/Italian duo that makes dark yet quirky, vocal-driven electronic music. You’ve got to love a goth/industrial band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously. Their music videos, while a bit low-budget, are always fun to watch.
Other songs to check out:
Alien Vampires
Genre: electro-industrial
Alien Vampires falls in the same basic genre as Santa Hates You, but they tend to be grittier and have fewer vocals (although some of the tracks I’ve featured here are vocal-heavy). If you remember the club scene from the first Matrix movie, you have a general idea of this group’s vibe. They typically feature BDSM-themed imagery and a droning bassline behind their songs.
Other songs to check out:
Knife Party
Genre: electronic
I’m not typically a dubstep fan but I can’t get enough of Knife Party. Their songs have some really fun samples and a bit of a classic-video-game feel. For those of you who get the Power Glove reference in the song above… I hate to break it to you, but you’re old. (Welcome to the club.)
Other songs to check out:
The Witch Was Right
Genre: industrial metal
The Witch Was Right was a short-lived side-project of a few band members from Imperative Reaction and Combichrist. The roster included Trevor Friedrich and Abbeynex (Filip Abbey), the latter of which has performed with umpteen well-known industrial groups. The album ranges from catchier tracks like S.K.Y. (featuring Davey Havok from AFI) to free-form, experimental tracks like The Red Horse.
Songs
There you have it, kiddies. I hope this helps eliminate some of the pandemic madness you may be going through. If you have any music that has gotten you through these strange times, comment below so I can check it out. I would love to see what’s driving your sanity.
Karl Ericson is a “30-something” bisexual man who lives and works on the east side of Cleveland. When he isn’t working long hours or sending snarky text messages to GayInTheCLE’s host blogger, he enjoys hiking, traveling, and vegetarian cooking.
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