The Sugarcubes

The Sugarcubes started as a very noisy, avant garde band called KUKL.  From those early albums it would've been laughable to think that singer Bjork would become virtually a household name by the 1990s.

Stray Cats

The only successful revivalists go all in. You have to. You can't be a weekend warrior and make a career of it. Stray Cats did it right and are one of the few to go retro with authenticity.

Bowie - The '80s

David Bowie started off the '80s with one of his best albums... and ended it with one of his worst. And in between those two points, he catapulted into international superstardom, mainstream success, and creative confusion. He'd rebound, though.

Jaz Coleman - Other Works

While on the subject of Killing Joke, it's worth mentioning lead singer Jaz Coleman has been a classical composer, as well. His symphonic interpretations of Pink Floyd, The Doors, and Led Zeppelin have topped the classical charts. But it's his works with the New Zealand String Quartet I find most pleasing.

Killing Joke

My introduction to Killing Joke came with the singles from 1985's Night Time album being played on the radio - Eighties, Love Like Blood and Kings & Queens. This album is a great mix of their earlier post-punk sound mixed with the new wave of the day. It manages to be relatively commercial without any conscious effort to be pop stars.

KJ are one of the few bands to emerge in the 1990s and 2000s even more ferocious and still pushing boundaries.

Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox has been nowhere near as prolific as her former Eurythmics partner, Dave Stewart, but when she does release something you know it will be immaculately produced and she'll be in fine vocal form.

Motörhead

What can you say... you either get 'em or you don't.