Are you sick of normality? Tired of pop music? Do you crave something more adventurous? Good, I’ll get started. I’ve spent the last few hours pondering my picks for my latest Top Five blog – the weirdest bands of all time (that are actually worth listening to). These bands may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they’re five off-kilter bands I often turn to when I need something otherworldly and odd to wig out to.
But before I dive into my top five, I’d like to tip a hat to a few other outlandish bands that didn’t quite make the cut. There’s (one of my all-time favourite bands) Ween, who gleefully defy genre conventions and embrace absurdity at every turn (but have regularly written and recorded very normally structured songs – hence their omission). Boredoms who trade in brain scrambling soundscapes that veer from stoned and dreamy, to monumentally explosive and deranged. Then there’s Throbbing Gristle, the industrial music pioneers who fearlessly experimented with sound, and were the ultimate ‘non-musicians’. And let’s not forget the likes of the Butthole Surfers, Sun Ra, Merzbow, Primus, Nurse With Wound, The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and Magma – each with their own unique take on the peculiar and strange.
Delving into the depths of musical oddity, I’ve excavated what I consider to be the crème de la crème of top quality song-based eccentricity. These rambunctious adventurers aren’t just peculiar for kicks and giggles; they possess an enigmatic magnetism that pulls you deep into their sonic vortex, and rarely lets go. So, find a comfy spot, recline with an intoxicating beverage, and get ready to argue with my choices and potentially sulk. Here’s my ‘Top Five weirdest bands of all time (that are actually worth listening to)‘:
My Number Five spot goes to, Mr. Bungle, a band that’s a little bit rock, a little bit metal, a little bit funk, a little bit jazz-circus-meltdown. This California-based group formed in the late 1980s, and their ideology is one of irreverence and satire. If you’re looking for something that’s both weird and witty, then Mr. Bungle is the perfect choice.
If you like your music aggressive AND head-bending, then my Number Four pick, Marijuana Deathsquads, might be the band for you. This Minneapolis-based group formed in 2009, and their sound is a mix of experimental rock, noise, synth-rock, and electronic music. The band’s live performances are known for their intensity and energy, and they’re often compared to acts like Sonic Youth and Death Grips. Take a listen to their song, ‘Ewok Sadness‘ as an introduction, and thank me later.
My Number Three choice were formed in Louisiana in the early 1970s and are still going strong. The Residents are a band that’s been shrouded in mystery from the beginning. Their sound is a mix of avant-garde, experimental, and electronic music, with elements of rock and pop thrown in for good measure, and they’re known for their unique costumes (see above) and bizarre stage shows, which often feature elaborate props and multimedia shenanigans. Shying away from commercialism, The Residents’ enjoy their anonymity, and they’re known for shunning the mainstream music industry in favor of doing things their own way.
Just missing out on the top spot, my Number Two pick is the Genesis P-Orridge led, Psychic TV, a British experimental band that formed in the 1980s after the break-up of Throbbing Gristle. Their sound is a miasma of industrial gloom, post-punk, psychedelic rock, and electronic music. Psychic TV’s ideology is deeply rooted in occultism, and they’re known for incorporating elements of rituals and mysticism into their music and performances. The band’s lyrics often explore themes of spirituality, sexuality, and political activism – and they’ve released over one hundred albums, and are still pumping them out.
And finally, my top spot. At Number One it’s Faust. Formed in Germany in the early 1970s, Faust have always seemed ahead of their time. Fusing avant-garde, krautrock, post-punk, and electronic music, Faust’s sound is a unique blend of unconventional instruments and sounds, including industrial machinery and found objects. Their anarchistic and anti-capitalistic ideologies are embodied not only in their lyrics but also in their live performances, and from their very first release to their current album, Daumenbruch, their music has constantly pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, challenging traditional music structures and forever experimenting with their sound.
That’s my Five. Who would you pick?
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