You know the cliche about the Velvet Underground, and I guess The Fall, - that despite selling very little, whoever heard them went on to form a band? are there any bands around today, or from the recent past, who fall into that category? Is it even possible anymore, has the internet and the rising popularity of guitar music mean that every band gets snaffled up by the industry before they can reach that level?
My nominations would be Neutral Milk Hotel, Battles, maybe Belle and Sebastian before they won the Brit, Jawbreaker perhaps? Any others?
Black Flag
Minor Threat, Diamond Head, Celtic Frost... all bands who didn't sell that much but have a lot to answer for in terms of more commercially succesful bands that were influenced by them.
65daysofstatic
Yes?
YES
cocteau twins
sold naff all but were pioneers of a whole, ultimately shortlived, scene. You can still hear their influence every week, both in the charts and further below the mainstream radar.
Bit of an odd one
but it was Kids Near Water that were the nail in the coffin for me. Saw them in Oxford just after they released the second EP and it convinced me to get off my arse and sort 'something/anything' out.
slint
.