Zerra One

Zerra One was a short-lived band that just never found their audience.  They seemed to be perfectly positioned alongside other bands like the Teardrop Explodes, Echo & the Bunnymen, early U2, etc, but failed to chart with either of their 2 albums and disappeared all-too-soon.  Matter of fact, they never even had a CD release.  It's a shame because there's some great, edgy Alt rock between their albums and singles.

Icehouse

Icehouse had a long run of hits in their native Australia, but only ever reached international success with "Crazy" and "Electric Blue" in 1987. Unfortunately, those 2 singles featured videos with Iva Davies' jeri-curled mullet and put them in the "bad 80s haircut" club, along with Flock Of Seagulls.  In reality, Icehouse were more akin to late-period Roxy Music and I think all their albums are pretty solid.

Belouis Some

Belouis Some had 2 songs from their debut, "Imagination" and "Some People," that got heavy radio play.  They eeked out another 2 albums before disappearing to the dust bin.  "Imagination," in particular, still ends up on 80s compilations, probably due to it sounding very much like poppier side of The Cure.

Shriekback

Alt Goth Funk?  Shriekback are cool, sublime, sometimes dancey, sometimes dark.

Crazy House

Crazy House were poised for big things in 1987, with their major label debut coming after 2 LPs of quirky Alt Rock.  Their song "Burning Rain" started getting some buzz on Alt and AOR stations... and then they just collapsed, reappearing in 1989 under a different name and a reworked version of "Burning Rain" called "Perfect Crime" before disappearing into the forgotten bin.

Oingo Boingo

Growing up in Southern California, Oingo Boingo were a staple of Alternative radio.  Sometimes bands are bigger regionally than nationally, much less internationally.  That's a shame because Boingo was one of the most inventive, exciting acts of the 1980s.  Lead singer Danny Elfman, of course, subsequently found fame and fortune as a film composer.

Joan Jett (and the Blackhearts)

I say: Joan. You say: Jett. I say: Joan. You say: Jett. I say: Joan. You say: Jett.

Suicide

I hope when I say it's a good night for Suicide, it isn't taken the wrong way. Alan Vega passed away this year, maybe lost among the larger celebrity names. Or perhaps he was never going to be lauded by the mainstream anyway. No matter. They started dark, minimal and gritty... and never really changed much. Why would they?